How to paint a scene

Use this “formula” to create layouts for memories that have no (or few) photos.  Use journaling to “paint” the picture, instead of the camera!  You can also use these tips to create layouts on roles not included in the chapters that follow, a sort of “build-your-own-role” section.

Where does your story take place?  Your home?  A restaurant? Your school?  What does the room or the landscape look like?  Describe the furnishings, decorations, or any landmarks.

Responses to all these questions will paint a vivid picture of your memories.  If you don’t have photos, your journaling can help someone visualize what it was like to be there, even if they don’t have the visual “cues” to help them.  Without photos (or with very few photos), you’ll have to take a cue from the memory itself for ideas on how to decorate your page.  Personally, I’m a big fan of simply matting the journaling on cardstock, placing that on a patterned background, and calling it done!  But, if you would like to add a little more “visual interest”, you can find various decorative elements to help illustrate the main theme of the story.  You can use diecuts or paper-piecing patterns to give the basic idea of what the story is about.

We often create layouts based on fabulous pictures that make us smile.  The photos make the entire layout.  But sometimes the photos just aren’t there; sometimes we have just the memories.   I strongly encourage you to make pages about those precious memories anyway.  The stories are all there, just waiting for you to paint the picture.