Laura Vegas

i have been doing a gazillion layouts and projects these past few weeks. i had a little break over the weekend, and wanted to create something. but i didn't really feel like doing paper layouts, since that's all i've been doing. i thought i would have some fun, and make some digital layouts. havn't done one of those in a while.

it can be overwhelming to me, to open up a blank canvas in photoshop, and not know what to do next. so many choices, so many products and folders on the computer to dig thru, photos to pick out. let alone figuring out your page design. so i love to use templates when i digi scrap. basically, it's like using a sketch. except when it's digital, you just have to plug in all the elements as you go.

i choose this basic grey template to work with. i've had it for ages, but have never used it. i love the simple and fun design to it. i like how the two photos are grouped together, with the journaling block. and i love the fun banner, and loopy title. heads up. click on any of the photos to see the products and layouts up closer. they look better that way 🙂

i started by picking out some digital elements that i wanted to use. different pattern papers, some stitches, a few embellishments. the template has a banner on it, but i happen to have a few banners in my stash. so i pulled one of those out, that i would put in it's place. i may or may not use all these by the time i'm done with the layout. i might pull out additional stuff. but it's nice to have an assortment to start with. most of what you see here is from creativity by crystal.

here's the layout i came up with. pretty simple. i took off the "birthday" from the title. and i also removed the banner on the template, and just added my banner element. and i did take off the straight stitch that was on the template, and added another colored stitch element that i had, along with some staples at the ends.

here's the second set of elements that i pulled together. most of these are from a few of jen allyson's kits, seen HERE and HERE. i knew this collection had a banner as well, which is one reason i went with these colors and papers.

and here's the layout. i used a few photos that i had taken of heather, my friend deneen's daughter. i tried out a TON of pattern papers, where the white ruled paper is. and i mean a LOT of them. but nothing looked right, so i went with the ruled paper. even though i used it on the layout above too. once again, i deleted the "birthday" and the banner from the template. once i added my banner element on there, i decided to swoop it a little more to one side. i then adjusted the "happy" text, so that it still rested above the banner. instead of the stitching, i added the aqua trim, along with some staples. i asked deneen for some journaling, and she said these photos reminded her of a favorite song called "smile", by uncle kracker (a favorite of mine as well).

and the third set of elements that i choose. these are from sara schmutz, from her summer picnic collection. once again, i knew this collection had a banner in it. honestly, that's the main reason i went with this set too.

and my take on those elements. pretend the black line isn't there, around the edges. i just added that to define the edges, since i have white cardstock as my background on this layout. once again, i removed the banner, and replaced it with the banner element i had picked out. if i didn't have these premade banners, then i would use the one on the template. i added some stitching around the edges of the layout. i took off the stitch on the template, and added some polka dot tape, and then some additional stitching below that. i also added a few buttons, with some silver accents to look like brads in the button holes.

on this layout, i removed the "happy birthday" entirely. for the life of me, i couldn't pick a title for this layout. i was convinced i could find a digital word or phrase, but it wasn't working out. i actually just now added the "pretty girl" to this layout, right before i added it to the blog post. i may change my mind in the morning. the great thing about digital, is that i can go back and change things before i print them. 

so there you have it. three takes on one template. i think i might have said in the past that "i will NEVER digi scrap". there was nothing to be afraid of. it's so easy, once you get down the few main tools and buttons to use. i think it's fun to stretch your creativity and challenge yourself, from time to time.