Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Tales of a Craft Class Junkie: Scrapbook Coach, Pt. 1

When I first started scrapbooking, I realized just how much I liked to watch others work. You get a chance to observe someone else in process. In doing so, you can learn how to tweak your own creative process.  You get a peek into their style and format while picking and choosing what works for you.Whether by video or in person, it's an invaluable tool to teach you more about yourself.

When Debbie introduced the Scrapbook Coach series, I was very excited. Not only is it a peek into Debbie's process, it's also  a step by step guide for learning design concepts. Each layout is presented along with the materials you need to complete them. Yet  the steps are presented in such a way that you can complete the layout with your own unique supplies and style.

Tween by Christy Strickler Supplies| Patterned Paper, German Foil, Stencil, Stamp: JBS Mercantile; Letters: Heidi Swapp; Ink: Jenni Bowlin Spiced Tin by Ranger; Modeling Paste: Liquitex; Tag: Elle's Studio; JBS Mercantile April kits

This is a layout created with Part one of the On a Shelf class. It's basic structure follows the one outlined by Debbie Hodge. Debbie is a digital scrapbooker, so her process varies a little from mine. I watched the video first and noted how she tried out various textures for her background. She was able to try out the textured backgrounds toward the completion of her layout. This is more of a first step for a paper scrapbooker. 


When I created my layout, I applied the stamps and stenciling to the background canvas first. I then built my layout over the canvas as out lined in the class.

The layouts you create for this class can be as simple or complex as you desire. You get to pick the subject and theme while Debbie outlines a design for you to experiment with. The designs are classic structures which any scrapbooker would use. As you follow along, you may find yourself thinking about the designs you typically use in your work and how you use them. 

 Paper Scrapbookers may want to watch the videos first or check out the PDF outline. This will give you a starting point for your supply choices as well as giving you the opportunity to create more complex backgrounds.Watching the video before I scrapped also helped me to better internalize the concepts Debbie was teaching. When I created my layout, I did so on the second run of the video, stopping and starting it as necessary.

You can expect to see more layouts from me that are based on The Scrapbook Coach series. I have used several of the lessons to complete some of my assignments for Scrapbook News and Review magazine. Meanwhile, if you would like to see some other examples of layouts used in the Scrapbook Coach Series, head on over to the newly created Scrapbook Coach Forum and Gallery at Get It Scrapped.


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1 comment:

  1. Looks awesome Christy! I love the texture in the background and the b&w photo with the pops of Blue and Green.

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