Scraplifting Yourself: Vol. 4

Stuck on a layout? Feeling like you’re in a rut? Are you unsure of what to say on your layout? During these frustrating times many people will turn to the practice of scraplifting. Scraplifting, copying ideas and designs from another person, can provide some help as you work through a layout. It can help you get back into your groove. It also can be just plain fun to take another person’s design and turn it into your own.

Most people find themselves scraplifting the work of another scrapbooker. It could be copying a title, a design or a theme. But have you considered scraplifting yourself? It can be just as easy and fun as scraplifting another person. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about giving credit to the author since you’re already the author. So, choose some layouts that you especially enjoy of your own and see how you can scraplift yourself. Here are a couple examples of how to scraplift yourself.

Copy Everything. Love your design, journaling and embellishments on a particular layout? Copy it all. Consider your original layout as a sketch and work from there. Crop the photographs in the same way, use the same journaling area and find similar embellishments. It’s an easy way to recreate your own work.

Reuse a Layout Design. It can be a lot of work to design a layout. Placement of photographs, journaling and embellishments can be tricky. When you create something that works well, why not reuse it? In my layout “Ornaments” I used a simple box design with four squares plus an embellishment in the center. When I wanted to design “Treasure” I considered the four photographs and how nice they would look in a box. As a consequence, I repeated the design, including adding a circular embellishment in the center.

Repeat a Technique. Is there a technique you particularly enjoy or looks good in your layouts? Take that technique and use it over again. Reusable techniques include embossing, painting, inking and stamping. One technique I enjoy is adding a strip of paper the entire length of the layout and adding the title to that strip. Sometimes I add an embellishment or journaling but the key is the title. I first used this on the “Turn off the TV” layout, and then repeated it on several layouts including “New Eggs.”

Reuse a Product or Embellishment. Does a certain product or combination of products capture your attention? Products or embellishments that can be repeated include die cuts, ribbon, beads, glitter, metal, buttons, stickers and tags. One combination of embellishments I reuse is a flower with a flourish underneath it. In my layout “Café” I layered two flowers and placed them over a stamped flourish. When I repeated the idea in “Beauty” I added chipboard and some rub-ons to make the look just a little different.

Rewrite a Great Journaling Entry. Is there a journaling entry you really enjoy? Maybe it was the subject, the tone, or the humor that caught your attention. If so, go ahead and repeat that journaling style on another layout.

Overuse a Color Scheme. Who says you can’t repeat a color scheme? After all there’s only so many color schemes available and you may have one that works really well for you. There’s no such thing as too much of a certain color. I love white backgrounds. I could scrap every page with a white background. I also tend to enjoy just a couple photos and a simple title with white backgrounds. I discovered this with “Horse Play,” and then repeated the idea with “Easter Color.”

Love Your Own Creations. If you have a special talent for making something handmade on your layouts, don’t be afraid to use it over and over again. From freehand drawing to paper piercing, use what you are great at creating.