Extending a Page

For a long time, I only made two page layouts. About a year ago, I broke out of this mold. Well, not completely. I almost broke away from the need to make two page layouts. I started making two single page layouts. I would make one page  based off a sketch or a challenge. Then later on, I'd come back and make the other page using the rest of the photos for that event. Sometimes it worked and sometimes the two pages together looked a bit off.

  Around January, I allowed myself to make single page layouts. I even allowed myself to put two layouts next to each other in the album that were totally unrelated. Guess what?!?! It was ok.I like storing my pages this way. I still have a few albums with the one page done and the other still waiting to be made. For this week's sketch over at the Scrapbook News and Review blog, I finished one such layout. 


In April, 2011, I made this page:
                                       

This week, I made it's other half:

Mighty Beanz Collection by Christy Strickler SuppliesCardstock: Colorbok, Die Cuts With a View; Patterned Paper: Creative Imaginations; Ribbon: Prima; Markers: Ranger; Other: DMC floss

In real life, the colors are the same for both pages. I am a better photographer now. Plus, I have the magic of photoshop ( and quite frankly, I was too lazy to photo edit the older picture). The new page will go on the right hand side of the album. I linked both pages together using the chain of Star Wars characters and the band of burgundy patterned paper. It's not the most ideal, design wise.


I guess I could go back, and try to redo all those albums with my odd two page spreads, but at the end of the day, this was a phase I went through as I became the memory keeper I am now. That, in and of itself, is part of the memory keeping process.  Your layouts tell two stories. The most obvious story is the one your photos tell. Underlying that, is the story of the memory keeper you were at the time you made the page.


 I invite you to take a walk back through your work. What does it say to you? Do you giggle about the techniques you were trying six years ago? Do you see the phases you went through as you learned and developed your story telling skills? It's fun to look back and I guarantee you will learn a little bit more about yourself.