Stash Busting

I didn't do squat this weekend.  Saturday I rolled out of bed and on to the couch.  Hubby and the boys were prepping our house, and my in-law's house, for painting. I did jump up and down in First World Problems' fit when our cable went out and they wouldn't be out until Tuesday to look at it.  T.U.E.S.D.A.Y.  Ah, Poldark's Season 2 premiers on Sunday.  I need the TV.  NEED.  IT.  Luckily, for my family, the cable was back up Sunday - having resolved whatever problem it was having on its own.  Whew.  Crisis averted.

Sunday, I rolled from the bed into the car for a nine hour car tour of the Colorado Gold.  If you follow me on Instagram (lascholz), you saw some of the beautiful sights.  We headed west and north.

All that is to say, my scrappy items stayed firmly put in their totes under the kitchen desk.  I need some inspiration to get rolling on the Scrapbook and Cards Today Single 2 Double class I'm enrolled in.  I'd say "class I'm taking," but that's a verb and implies action, so far I'm in noun mode.

I headed over to Pinterest and just searched "Doodlebug," one of my favorite manufacturers.  I figured I'd see something there to move me.  Sure enough, first layout on the page.  It's a grid.  It's colorful.  It's got my attention.

Besides Doodlebug, there are several, if not all companies, providing some sort of paper that has a grid of graphics.  Some are journaling cards, while others are graphic grids like the above sheet from Doodlebug's Sweet Things line.  I really like these sheets.  The only problem, my only use is to cut a strip out for a border, or cut individual graphics for my layout.  It never occurred to me to cut some portion and use it like an actual grid.  The designer who created the page above, just chopped off a portion of the sheet and put two photos down.  Total head slap moment.

Now this Doodlebug Halloween layout isn't using a graphic grid sheet; the designer created a similar feeling by chopping down paper to create her own grid.  (An excellent use for patterned paper, by the way.)  However, this could be one of those graphic sheets and you simply cut out enough of the grids to slip in a 4 x 6" photo. Embellish.  Boom.  Done.

This layout features block from Doodlebug's Puppy Love line framed in Polaroid Frames.  Same idea here as the original - cut out various squares and/or rectangles to insert any size or number of photos.  Amongst the paper blocks, this layout features seven photos.  I'd guess they are 2 x 2" photos.

Those journaling card sheets would provide you the same effects, just for larger photos.  Actually, it's an excellent use of a journaling card sheet, when you've cut one or two cards out for a layout, but still have the remaining sheet left.

Whether you use a graphic grid or journaling card sheet, you can embellish as you would by adding dimensional stickers, brads, ribbon, clips, enamel pieces, etc.  Just see the above examples for ideas to spark your own.

Go.  Create.