Step-by-Step: Celebrate

I often have more photos than I could ever scrapbook when I take pictures at special events or holidays.  I solved the dilemma of too many Christmas pictures by creating a photo collage using photo-editing software.   I put together a set of photos and cropped them to various sizes and then dropped them onto a canvas, printed it, and trimmed around the edges.  I then assembled the layout.  

Supplies:

• Cosmo Cricket Fleuriste collection patterned papers
• Signo pen
• Bazzill InStitch'z paper piercer
• ColorBox Fluid Chalk
• American Crafts Letter Stickers
• Cricut personal diecut machine
• Photoshop Elements software
• EK Success photo corner punch

Instructions:

1. Design an 8" x 10" collage using various photos, print, and trim, leaving a ¼" white border.
2. Adhere the collage to the background patterned paper.
3. Using  a flourish  shape from the Cricut Storybook cartridge, die cut two in different sizes from coordinating patterned papers.
4. Ink the edges of the patterned papers.
5. Adhere the piece with the larger pattern at the top of the photo.
6. Adhere the piece with the smaller pattern below the photo, slightly off center.
7. Use a paper piercer to pierce around the top patterned paper and then connect the holes using the Signo pen for faux stitching.
8. Use American Craft glitter letter stickers for the title.
9. Add a punched photo corner as desired.
10. Embellish with a diecut quote.

A photo collage layout works well as the cover page of a special occasion album or as a stand-alone layout.   More importantly, it is a great way to get multiple photos into your scrapbook.