For today’s tip, I’ll let Pam take over:

Do you ever run out of ideas about how to scrapbook your photos?

If so using a sketch might just be the answer. Using a sketch means many of the design decisions have been made for you, leaving you with the fun decisions like which papers and embellishments to use. Every Saturday you can find a new sketch on this blog. The great thing about using a sketch is that it is a starting point that you can manipulate to suit yourself, and your photos.

Take this sketch for example:

You can use it as is, or you can:

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Or a combination any of these ideas as I have here:

For this layout I flipped the sketch, giving me a mirror image of the original. Then I reduced the size of the sketch and moved it to the bottom left. I then added three smaller photos instead of the one large photo, and tilted them a little to lessen the formality of the layout.

As you can see, while a sketch can help make the design process easier, it still leaves plenty of scope for you to be creative and add your own interpretation.

So why not check the blog each Saturday and take part in the monthly sketch competition.

How cute are the new Kaisercraft Mini Stamps?  They are absolutely perfect for card making and I just can’t get enough of them!  You can get a number of different looks out of the one little stamp, you are only limited by your imagination.  Fran and I both had a play with the Cupcake and Wishes stamps, and just have a look at how different our cards turned out… 

Birthday Cards by Fran Tynan: CS902 Cupcake and CS903 Wishes Mini Stamps, Devonshire Paper Pad, Lipstick Ink IP714, Brown Ink IP708, Splice Ink IP704,Kaisercraft “dated’ stamp (circle)

Fran has used the Devonshire papers, and just the “Cherries” from the Cupcake mini stamp to create these stunning cards.  By placing the cherries in the stamped circles, Fran has really made them stand out.  Now for a totally different look using the same stamps…

Happy Birthday Card by Samantha Hauzer: LaDiDa papers, CS902 Cupcake and CS903 Wishes Mini Stamps, Rhinestones, Ink, Black Pen.

I decided to put the cherries on the cupcake, but there is a cute little candle in this stamp set which would look great too.  I stamped the image onto two different papers and then layered them for a 3D look.

I hope we’ve inspired you to get your stamps out and have a play!  We’ll be back tomorrow with some layouts from the gorgeous La Di Da range.