Inspiration Elevator July Challenge

Welcome to our July reveal of the Inspiration Elevator challenges. This month our challenger was the very talented Audrey Yeager. Audrey noticed (as you may have too) that all but one of our members is a single page designer. Our default design is a single 12x12 design! That's why we love IE..so many styles and we all approach it differently! In fact, we have invited a valued guest designer to join us this month; her name is Scarlett Salamone.

Here's a bit of what Audrey had to say in her challenge this month. She even gives us a few tips and a link to a great blog for inspiration! 

" I take a lot of photos.  Right now, I have been using 2 or 3 smaller photos on my layouts.  But truth is, I have a lot of events where I would like to include a lot of photos on a larger spread so that you can see the details in the photos to.  So I print out the photos with the intention of putting them on a 2-page spread...

I just can’t get it.  I feel like I have a certain style, yet when I sit down to create a 2 pager, it feels nothing like “me”. 

SOOOO, your next challenge is to create a double page layout.  And I don’t mean just any double page.  I want you to really think about your style and your design practices for single pagers (the first assignment helped us define our style, so think about those elements).  Then take those ideas and try to apply them to a double pager.   

Here are some ideas:

*Start by thinking of your canvas as a 12x24” size.  Before you even print photos or pick papers, try to envision (or sketch out) a design that feels like “you”.

*Once you have a basic design, think about the techniques that you love and where/how you will incorporate them on your page.

*Choose products that you would use for a single page layout.  If you use white cardstock as a base a lot of times, then use it on your double page.  If you mostly use patterned paper, then use that.  And if you don’t have 2 of the same sheets of patterned paper for your background, I REALLY challenge you to use 2 different 12x12 sheets for the base of your spread!  (Kim Watson does a superb job of using 2 different sheets for her backgrounds…if you have CK magazine, look at some of her pages.) http://kj-starre.blogspot.com/

*Another way to approach this, (which I personally want to experiment with more), is to create 2 single pagers, but use the same papers in the same ratios.  The papers and the photos will help tie your design together.

You might do this challenge and not be happy with your first result, so I challenge you to KEEP TRYING!  Do a 2^nd , double page layout and try to learn from your “mistakes” on the first one.

Also, if you typically DO create 2 pagers, then apply the same ideas to a single page spread instead.

As we create this month, if you have thoughts about your process or are struggling, OR you are loving what you are creating, share some of your ideas with us!!!

I can’t wait to see what you create!"

I hope you will stop by and see what the designers on this adventure have created:

Audrey Yeager 

Lisa Moen 

Laurel Seabrook

Cathy Harper

Sue Sykes

Lisa Spiegel

Joanne Burton

Ann Jobes

Christa Uttley

Laura Whitaker 

Scarlett Salamone - July Guest Designer 

When I first started scrapping I did an occasional 2 page layout, but haven't done one for quite some time, so THIS was a challenge for me.
 A two page layout for me means lots of pictures and I used lots on this layout of Greg and Austin having a squirt gun fight:

Here is the left side:

and the right side.:

I tried staying true to my scrappy style by adding twine, stitching and a banner.
I love the outcome! Thanks Audrey for the challenge!