I know I’m not supposed to talk about Liz, and it’s entirely possible she’ll edit this portion of my post out completely – but whenever I open up a Paislee Press product no ordinary photo will do. I always feel a deep-seated need to create something remarkable. Maybe it’s because she fawns all over it and feeds my self-esteem? Or maybe it’s because … you know what, I can’t think of another reason. It’s definitely the self-esteem thing.
It’s no surprise that scrapbooking has shaped the way I take photographs. There are times when I take a photo and immediately picture a scrapbook layout in my head. And when I say “a photo” I mean 175 photos from twelve angles. I’m just recording the everyday memories, folks – one hundred and seventy five times. I mean, a birthday he’ll have every year, so big whoop, right? If this year’s photos don’t pan out there’s always next year. But my child blowing bubbles? That’s once in a lifetime, I may never get that moment back. Especially considering he’s inherited my aversion to being outdoors and/or getting messy.
When I took this photo, I had a definite picture of what I wanted to do in my head. I wanted to create a sense of motion on my page by carrying the bubbles into the composition. It’s nothing earth shattering really, a bunch of circles. Things always wind up being more complicated than I set out for them to be, though. When Liz said “photo + layout” walkthrough the first thing that ran through my head was “How much space do you have?” I managed to pare this down into four steps and make it look like it’s all effortless and everything, but don’t be fooled. Haha. This was about a three hour process for my feeble mind.
First, I laid out all my “bubbles” in a single color and shadowed them, because it’s pretty early in the game and chances are I’m going to move them around, rotate them, and resize them no less than fifty times before they reach their permanent home. So why clip papers to them at this point? I’ll just drive myself insane re-clipping papers to them later on. Work smarter, not harder – that’s my motto!
The magic of the Internet is going to make it look like I nailed the placement of these circles on the first shot, but I moved them about two dozen times. Then, I nestled my title into the stream of bubbles and at the last minute shaded the interior of the doodled letters to give them a little bit of “pop”. I flood filled the insides of the letters with a tan color then changed the blend mode to Linear Burn at about 20% opacity. It really made a huge difference. Titles need to stand out, you know?
At this point I felt safe about clipping papers to the circles. I kept within the yellows and blues because they matched the tones on my photo really well. Okay, that was sort of a lie. I tried every single paper in the kit and then had a Project Runway moment where I could hear Tim Gunn in my head whispering “You need to edit”. So I edited it down to just three papers.
Final step – JOURNALING! To me, this is the most important part and honestly, as a clean, minimalist scrapbooker I usually go with a fairly straightforward journaling block somewhere on the page. Nothing fancy. I had my thoughts written down in a text file and tried a few different locations for a boring, nothing special block of journaling and it was ruining the whole page. I had this nice flow of circles going for me and a square block of journaling was messing up my page’s juju. So I broke out the text paths – afterall, it’s a Paislee Press page so it needed to be remarkable anyway. Haha.
You may also notice that I added a paint splatter to the page at the last possible second. My photo felt a little sterile there in the white frame and I felt like the paint in the background helped to “ground” it to my paper.
So there you have it, a totally effortless page that I whipped up in four easy steps in about ten minutes. (Pffffft!) But you can make yours quickly and effortlessly because I created a template! It’s a free download from my store, as a little “Thank You” for actually reading all of this.
about peppermint granberg
I’m a 30-something mom to an 9 year old boy (Nicholas), a clinically diagnosed reality TV junkie and a lover of all things technological. I’m lighthearted – getting lighter by the year, which is the one thing I appreciate most about growing older. I love to laugh and do so as often as I can. I’m a champion of the underdog. I tell it like it is. My life is an open book and I treasure the lows just as much as the highs. Life is beautiful, and scrapbooking allows me to put it all on a page.
You can connect with Peppermint at the following places:
blog | one little bird | twitter | newsletter
……….
Thank you for guest blogging Peppermint!
one little bird giveaway
I am sponsoring a $5 gift certificate giveaway to Peppermint’s shop: One Little Bird!
To enter for your chance to win simply leave a comment below. You have until Saturday, May 1st at 9:00 pm (PST) to enter. You can get an extra chance to win if you tweet/facebook/blog this. Be sure to come back and post links to your tweet/facebook/or blog as a new comment entry for EACH thing you do. ONE winner will be drawn at random and announced when I return from vacation, after May 3rd.
Thank you so much for the tutorial and template, Peppermint! I love it! And thank you so much for the chance to win some GOODIES from your store!!! 🙂
I love learning something new and will definitely have to try the fill, linear burn thing you did for the title, I am always learning new ways to shadow and make things pop from you, and I thank you for helping me to make my pages look that much better! Thanks so much for that fabulous template and the chance to win!! Great post BTW!
Thanks for the beautiful template, the tutorial and the chance to win this giveaway!!!
I tweeted, lol. http://twitter.com/winkasheart
Thanks Peppermint!
And I facebooked it:
http://www.facebook.com/anne.simoens
And I also tweeted:
http://twitter.com/veloken
This was a fun read, and thanks for the chance to win!
Great post! Love the tutorial & the template – thanks so much!!
Just chiming in to say AWEZOME tutorial, P! 😀 Truly remarkable, as you say 🙂 YAY!
I am glad that some one else takes photos and immediately thinks of how it will fit in to a scrap layout. Its good to not be the only one. I love you layout and the freebie template is awesome I have a picture that will be perfect for it. Great Entry!
Tweeted about it here:
http://twitter.com/dlhoffer/status/12949796238
Thanks again!
Thanks for the template, definitely will use it! And thanks for the chance to win!
Thanks so much for the post, Peppermint! You make it look easy! Thanks for the template and chance to win.
Thanks so much for the post, Peppermint! You make it look easy! Thanks for the template and chance to win.
Totally Tweeted…
Taylor B Kunicki (TaylorBK21) on Twitter http://ht.ly/1DGs4
Totally Tweeted…
Taylor B Kunicki (TaylorBK21) on Twitter http://ht.ly/1DGs4
Thanks so much for the template! I'm the same way, I fuss and fuss over which papers to use and where to place my elements, until I end up just giving up and leaving things where they are at that moment!
Thanks so much for the template! I'm the same way, I fuss and fuss over which papers to use and where to place my elements, until I end up just giving up and leaving things where they are at that moment!
Peppermint…I love how you broke that down. I agonize over setting up a design because I feel like I have no training in that area! Can't wait to try the freebie — thank you!
And, Liz, great guest blogger choice!
Peppermint…I love how you broke that down. I agonize over setting up a design because I feel like I have no training in that area! Can't wait to try the freebie — thank you!
And, Liz, great guest blogger choice!
I always enjoy learning more about the creative process others go through. Thank you for sharing this tutorial. I need to learn to simplify and put those words "you need to edit" to use!
I always enjoy learning more about the creative process others go through. Thank you for sharing this tutorial. I need to learn to simplify and put those words "you need to edit" to use!
I tweeted! 🙂
http://twitter.com/MemoryStardust
I tweeted! 🙂
http://twitter.com/MemoryStardust
I "facebooked" — is there a verb for that?
http://tinyurl.com/27rgujr
Thanks for the inspirations and chances to win — both of you!
(ms.) michael
I "facebooked" — is there a verb for that?
http://tinyurl.com/27rgujr
Thanks for the inspirations and chances to win — both of you!
(ms.) michael
your post is so inspiring…love it!!
thanks for the template too!!! it's genious!!
hugs,
Ferdy
your post is so inspiring…love it!!
thanks for the template too!!! it's genious!!
hugs,
Ferdy
and I twitted:
http://twitter.com/FeAlves/status/12950989074
hugs,
Ferdy
Peppermint, I LOVE this. It's not often we get to see into the minds of the scrappers we love and learn their process – that came out weird, but I hope you know what I mean. A behind the scenes thing. It's great. And I love how you ended up going with your journaling – the text "box" rocks and flows so nice. Great page! (Even for a minimalist – LOL)
I've been inspired to learn more about creating text paths… I love this layout!
I've been inspired to learn more about creating text paths… I love this layout!
oooo….. pick me! i love it!
oooo….. pick me! i love it!
Wow, this is beautiful and I enjoyed watching the steps along the way. Super inspiration.
Wow, this is beautiful and I enjoyed watching the steps along the way. Super inspiration.
I FB'd it too! 🙂
http://www.facebook.com/slurpeegirl13
I FB'd it too! 🙂
http://www.facebook.com/slurpeegirl13
Wow! What an inspiring post!
Wow! What an inspiring post!
oh so perfectly lovely!
thanks bunches for the mini-tut, and template!
oh so perfectly lovely!
thanks bunches for the mini-tut, and template!
My tweet…
http://twitter.com/Martuskha/statuses/12952252398
My tweet…
http://twitter.com/Martuskha/statuses/12952252398
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/slurpeegirl13
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/slurpeegirl13
My first post didn't work … Thanks for sharing this with us and for the free template! Thanks for the chance to win.
My first post didn't work … Thanks for sharing this with us and for the free template! Thanks for the chance to win.
Thanks so much for the layout walkthru! That was great. thanks for the chance to win.
Thanks so much for the layout walkthru! That was great. thanks for the chance to win.
Thanks for the tips, Peppermint. I love hearing about the creative process others go through. And thanks for the cool template!
Thanks for the tips, Peppermint. I love hearing about the creative process others go through. And thanks for the cool template!
http://twitter.com/Kylarice
I tweeted!
http://twitter.com/Kylarice
I tweeted!
Love Peppermint talk! She's always entertaining!!! 🙂 Thanks for the awesome template!!!
Love Peppermint talk! She's always entertaining!!! 🙂 Thanks for the awesome template!!!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1047899291&ref=profile#!/profile.php?id=1047899291
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1047899291&ref=profile#!/profile.php?id=1047899291
Paislee Press + One Little Bird = GREATNESS. Loved your post, Peppermint. And the template. It makes me want to bust out the catnip flavored bubbles for the cat and take a pic 🙂
Paislee Press + One Little Bird = GREATNESS. Loved your post, Peppermint. And the template. It makes me want to bust out the catnip flavored bubbles for the cat and take a pic 🙂
Your template is too cute! Thanks.
Your template is too cute! Thanks.
Always up for a give-a-way…especially for such beautiful work!
Always up for a give-a-way…especially for such beautiful work!
Beautiful! Thank you so much. I love to read about the process of creating a page.
Beautiful! Thank you so much. I love to read about the process of creating a page.
This was a great walkthrough, and I love your template! Thanks for the chance to win too! 😀
This was a great walkthrough, and I love your template! Thanks for the chance to win too! 😀
Love the bubble page! Thanks!
Peppermint – this is awesome and I am so glad that Liz let you guest blog today. I am also glad for your open honesty about your fanatical scrapping so that I don't feel like the only one who spends hours changing and rechanging things to make it just right. Thanks. Off to twitter.
your post is so inspiring…love it!!
thanks for show your process was really awesome!
Peppermint, thank you for the lovely template. My son is obsessed with bubbles right now, so I can already picture a forthcoming layout!
Thanks very much for the chance!
Thanks very much for the chance!
I can't figure out how to link you to just the specific tweet but here's my link:
http://twitter.com/Clarabear11
I can't figure out how to link you to just the specific tweet but here's my link:
http://twitter.com/Clarabear11
I love this layout!! Thanks so much for the chance to win!
I love this layout!! Thanks so much for the chance to win!
Oh wow, I absolutely LOVE those text paths. They work so perfectly on this page…what an ingenious idea! I'm super excited to use this template; thanks so much!
Love your tutorial, template, and now your giveaway! Thank you for being so generous and kind to help Liz while she is on vacation.
Love this Peppermint! What font or alpha did you use for the title?
Thank you so much for the tutorial and template Peppermint. And I really love One little bird creations. (*whisper* so would love to win the GC *whisper off*)
Big Hugs to both of you
Corinna
I just discover you blog and I'm in love!!! So sweet!
And this giveaway sounds like a great idea! Count me in! ♥
Great tut. Thanks Peppermint 🙂
Great tut. Thanks Peppermint 🙂
What a cool Layout! I really loved it! So simple, yet so remarkable.
I would also like to know what font you used for the title?
superb tutorial P!! Thanks for the template!
thanks for tuto and templ! lovely!
and giveaway off course! thanks!
Love a good template! Thanks!!
Love a good template! Thanks!!
Your template is so cute! Thanks for the chance to win!!!
Your template is so cute! Thanks for the chance to win!!!
Thank you for the template and the ideas.
Thanks.
Thank you for the template and the ideas.
Thanks.
i am a big fan of peppermint, love the template 🙂 thank you!!
i am a big fan of peppermint, love the template 🙂 thank you!!
I'd love a chance to win, thanks!
I'd love a chance to win, thanks!
beautiful =) I hope I win!!
beautiful =) I hope I win!!
thanks for the template, Peppermint, and your post – you words always make me smile and laugh!
Thanks for showing us your process and for sharing the template, Peppermint! Loved it!
Love the tutorial and the template!
Love the tutorial and the template!
Great page and tutorial.
Great page and tutorial.
and I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/melstebbins/statuses/12967787147
and I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/melstebbins/statuses/12967787147
Thanks for the great template! I love templates!
I enjoyed the process of making your layout. Prior to your Oscaps move I was already a fan. Thank you for the free bubble template!
Love the tutorial and thankyou so much for the template!
I love One Little Bird. Thanks for the tutorial and the template. Now I just need a bubble picture! 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win!
Hm, do you think I can get my cranky 13 yo boy to blow bubbles soon? Thanks for the post and the template!
thanks for the tutorial and the chance to win!
thanks for the tutorial and the chance to win!
Love this template! And I have the most amazing perfect photo for it! Thanks so much!
So fun! Thanks for the template and the chance to win a mini shopping spree…
Thank you so much for the tutorial, template and the chance to win, Peppermint!
=)
Thanks for the giveaway, Peppermint's designs are great.
Re-tweeted this here
http://www.twitter.com/nvscrapper
great tutorial! thank you! I am in love with your stuff and I am so glad you are designing. thank you for the chance to win too! Very generous!
Thanks for sharing your process with us!
I'm a huge fan of both you and Liz. Thanks for the chance to win. I love reading your posts.
I'm a huge fan of both you and Liz. Thanks for the chance to win. I love reading your posts.
Facebook 🙂
http://www.facebook.com/parrfunkel?m2w
Facebook 🙂
http://www.facebook.com/parrfunkel?m2w
thanks for the chance!!!
thanks for the chance!!!
Thanks for the FAB freebie!
Thanks for the FAB freebie!
Yeah, love that layout, thanks for sharing the template! And for this fun giveaway! I'd love to win!
Loved the article! Thank you!
Thanks so much for this chance!!
Hugs,
Yvon
Thanks so much for this chance!!
Hugs,
Yvon
One little bird is so fun! yes to freebies!
One little bird is so fun! yes to freebies!
Thank you for the template. I loved seeing your scrap process.
Thank you for the template. I loved seeing your scrap process.
Thank you so much for the template! It was fun to see how your page came together 🙂
Thank you so much for the template! It was fun to see how your page came together 🙂
Thanks Peppermint … for the insight, the thought processes, the template, the chance of winning … oh and of course for just being you! Hugs, sue.falstaff
Thanks Peppermint … for the insight, the thought processes, the template, the chance of winning … oh and of course for just being you! Hugs, sue.falstaff
thanks for the chance – and of course the beautiful template
Thank you for the template! I really love that photo
Thanks Peppermint for all the explanations. Great to see how you are creating a new LO. Thanks for the tips ! 😉
Thanks for the giveaway to you and Liz…definitively, I hope having chance ;))
here on the 'Tweet' !!
http://twitter.com/Ella_75/status/12996209976
here on the 'Tweet' !!
http://twitter.com/Ella_75/status/12996209976
Thanks again and again … !
Great template by the way 🙂
Thanks again and again … !
Great template by the way 🙂
Thanks for sharing your creative workflow. Love the template.
Thanks for sharing your creative workflow. Love the template.
WOW, thanks you so much for the walk through and the wonderful template, can't wait to use it.
I'm off to tweet about this now!!
WOW, thanks you so much for the walk through and the wonderful template, can't wait to use it.
I'm off to tweet about this now!!
Hey I retweeted. Twitter.com/kristi8004
Hey I retweeted. Twitter.com/kristi8004
Thanks for the chance!!!
Thank you!!!!
Such an awesome tutorial, thank you so so much!
Such an awesome tutorial, thank you so so much!
Love visiting your blogging and learning more about our craft. Thank you!
Great Tutorial! I love the template… and seeing how you got there! Thank you!
Beautiful! I love how the shaped journaling, circles, and bubbles in the photo all go together. Thanks for telling it like it is. This was a fun post to read. 🙂
Love this layout and the template you made from it! Thanks for the chance to win the giveaway also. ;0)
Thnaks peppermint !! this tuto is so great .. and the template !! gorgeous …
and thanks both you and Liz for the giveway 🙂
Just tweet about it 😉
http://twitter.com/zizazzi/status/13024931127
Great tutorial and a very nice template. Thanks! and thank you for the chance to win.
Thank-you Peppermint. You make it look so effortless.
Renee
Gorgeous page – thanks for the tutorial!
Thanks you very much it's really beautiful template
What an awesome template and a super giveaway. Thanks for the chance!
I love the layout and your easy going spirit…age does do that to you!!!!!
and I blog about it 😉
http://couesnondenom.canalblog.com/archives/2010/04/29/index.html
I bow to you Peppermint, everything you touch turns out superb! Thanks for an insight into how you do a page, helps to know you move stuff around a bit too 😉
I bow to you Peppermint, everything you touch turns out superb! Thanks for an insight into how you do a page, helps to know you move stuff around a bit too 😉
LOVE your page – thanks so much for sharing the template and the guidance 🙂 Fabulous giveaway – hope I win! Thanks for the chance
LOVE your page – thanks so much for sharing the template and the guidance 🙂 Fabulous giveaway – hope I win! Thanks for the chance
Thank you thank you Peppermint!
Thank you thank you Peppermint!
thank you for the awesome tutorial & template!
Just tweeted: http://twitter.com/k2ngirls/status/13112814248
super cute layout Peppermint!! thanks 🙂
Lovely photo! Thanks for the giveaway!
Wow. I absolutely LOVED this walk-thru. Thank you so much! And thanks for the giveaway, too… {and the layout freebie… sheesh. We're getting spoiled today!}
So in love with that LO! Thanks!
I hope there is still time to participate… I loved this post… Peppermint has a way with words!
Thanks for the great tutorial and amazing page inspiration!
Thanks for the awesome template Peppermint!
Thanks for these great giveaways!! so fun!
Thank you so much, sweetie!!!!
lol….she cracks me up!! Awesome post xoxo
thank you so much for the chance!
awesome!! I have a HUGE wish list of your stuff! thanks for the chance to win 🙂
awesome!! I have a HUGE wish list of your stuff! thanks for the chance to win 🙂
I FAcebooked your giveaway here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/michellehuegel
I FAcebooked your giveaway here: http://www.facebook.com/#!/michellehuegel
Also I twittered! http://twitter.com/editorialdragon
Also I twittered! http://twitter.com/editorialdragon
great template and tut….thank you!!
thanks for the chance!
thanks for the chance!
Thanks for the fun template! I HEART OlB. 🙂
Thanks for the fun template! I HEART OlB. 🙂
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