What do you do when.....

[twirlerzmom]

your scrapping style is different than a style you admire of others? Let me explain....I think my style is more simple and graphic in nature. I tend to do more clean lines and simple embellishing. However, I am LOVING everyone that does all the intricate layering of embellishments on their pages, but when I try, it looks "forced". Does that make sense? Does anyone relate? I seriously think I'm a bit OCD too. I'm working on my brand new grandson's book but find myself wanting each page to be similar in style-even to the point of fonts being the same and titles looking the same way. It's a theme type of book but still....I'm driving myself nuts over this. I have TONS of beautiful items in my digi stash but find myself saying "oh, it won't match the style of how I started the book". And yes, I'm using a template, Katie's Days of December No.2 ones so each page is uniform that way. I almost feel like I'm going to ruin the look of the book if I use different word arts from different designers within the same book. Am I crazy? Is there anyone else out there that thinks like me?? lol

Jan

[Joey_M]

Jan, I am in the SAME EXACT boat as you! I scrap very simple and most of the time my layering looks forced! Let's form a club!

[HeatherPrins]

When i wanted to change my style or try someone else's on, i scraplift. I duplicate the page almost exactly piece by piece (they don't have to be the exact pieces, just similar) and place them where they did etc. It really helped me to see their process!

[whatnext]

this makes perfect sense to me. it really does. every time i try to do a page that is like someone who does a clean, graphic style, it ends up with me feeling that the page looks like someone else did it! i say: just go with messing around within your own style. that way the page turns out to be "yours."

[arimacias]

this is yet another thing i love about digital you can play around with stuff until it looks like YOU
and the command Z is the BEST!

[MIDA78466]

I'm in your boat! I would love to be able to layer elements like Anke, Debbie, Kayleigh. I'd love to do the artsy LO's that Vicki does so well. I've come to realize that it just isn't my style and now I am comfortable with me, my scrapping. If I want a different look--I scraplift too. It's a whole lot easier to scraplift than to try and force myself to layer elements---I'm like, how do you say, ELEMENT IMPAIRED.

[anke]

It also might help if you limit yourself as to the kits you use, maybe just 2 or three and vary the elements from those. Find some that work together. this way it will all be coordinated to begin with and you can just play
(thanks Terry, you are too sweet and your style is wonderful)

[twirlerzmom]

Whew, so I'm not alone then! I really was starting to think something was wrong with me! lol Anke, that's a great idea to pick a few kits and work within those only. Maybe that's half my problem, just TOO MUCH stash so I'm overwhelmed with possibilities. I did start trashing some of my things (other stores, kits from the old school days, etc). Just last night I was thinking that for every new thing I buy from DD I should delete some other item that I just know I'd never use anyway. I only buy from here and one other store anyway since no one else has such nice quality and lifelike items. Why do I hang on to all the rest? See, my OCD tendencies coming out again! Now I'm a hoarder too! Oh my! haha Ok, so one problem solved, now I just have to figure out how to get past the part of making everything match exactly on all my pages. I think I do need to join some kind of group! lol

[arimacias]

i wanna scrap like terry)) love your style!

[kaleidoscope]

What do I do? I sit and feel sorry for myself that I don't have the same talents. LOL

[Scrapbird]

I am so relieved to read this thread! ME TOO!!!
I love the pages with the beautiful layered elements, but I can spend HOURS trying to get that look, and it just doesn't work.
Thanks for starting this thread!!!

[anxela]

I have the exact same feeling as you do! (And obviously, we are not alone.) I think part of the "problem" is that digital scrapbooking has so many choices that you can't achieve on paper - and I, for one, desperately want to use them. But many of those choices just don't fit me - I'm a part of the "simple, few layers" scrapper's club. Every time I scrap, I think "Oh, I should put on more. It just doesn't look finished the way layouts of other scrappers do". I can sit for hours, flipping through my stash, desperately trying to find something that fits. I love the layering, but I'm never able to do it myself. (Unless I do complete scraplifts.)

That said - I think there are many extremely talented scrappers posting layouts here. Maybe we need to stop comparing our layouts to theirs, and instead just enjoy all the beautiful art we see. And maybe pick up something here and there. Eventually, bit by bit, we learn something. And maybe we'll use that even though we keep our simple style. Because I do think (and not I'm just thinking out loud, so excuse me if I'm not making sense) that we ought to scrap with our own style. But style develops, right? And that's why the gallery here is so great. You can pick up ideas and adapt them, fit them into your own style. Maybe you don't layer things like the original layout, but you pick up a gorgeous design that you can use.

By the way, I love both Terry's and JoeyM's layouts (they are filling up my favs folder quickly). So simple doesn't mean it doesn't look good. Just that it's a different style. And I agree so much with Terry's post.

[rsowers]

I completely understand how you feel. I am in the same boat. I'm the slowest scrapper, and I make it harder on myself because I love the attention to detail that so many of my favorite scrappers have, but I struggle with how to create that. I usually lift and use templates. I think Anke's advice is great about limiting yourself on the kits that you use to create a more streamlined look, but I will tell you that in my opinion, you won't ruin his book at all if it's not all the same. I started off with my son Trent's book with a similar mentality, but as I started scrapping, I let the pictures tell me what colors and elements I should use, so by the end, there were so many different styles of pages. I just kept each two page spread similar, so when I turn the page, those pages I see have similar elements/backgrounds/etc. That's just me, and believe me, I'm no expert, and many of these other talented ladies will give you great advice. Good luck!

[deanie]

Scrapping your pages is a lot like decorating your home. I have good friends who's homes are full of wonderful accessories all layered together. My own style is traditional but uncluttered. We all can find a look we love- and none are right or wrong. I think that is the wonder of what we do! I love coordinated pages, and Anke is right, working with just a few kits make it easier.

[DonnaNJ]

Originally Posted by arimacias

i wanna scrap like terry)) love your style!

Me too! Me too! There's a whole list of people I'd like to be able to imitate!
But I'm struggling just doing the basics now.. so hopefully I'll develop more talent :-)

[marnie]

Good point Deanie--our style is usually refected at home. My design is more freestyle than orderly, but when I' doing albums, I want the finished project to flow so I use one or two kits and one template style with variations. Often, when working on an album I do it in layers--template/design, next papers/colors, and then return to embellish. When I'm inspired by another's work, I use the inspiration as a starting point and let the page kind of evolve. Process is so individual--I say do what's enjoyable and comfortable for you!

[nativescrapper]

Originally Posted by anke

It also might help if you limit yourself as to the kits you use, maybe just 2 or three and vary the elements from those. Find some that work together. this way it will all be coordinated to begin with and you can just play

I agree! Working with one kit will help you out alot. That way you wont worry about if it matches or not. Maybe start with 3 buttons and one flower. (Something like that) Just play!! Have fun

[twirlerzmom]

Originally Posted by marnie

Good point Deanie--our style is usually refected at home. My design is more freestyle than orderly, but when I' doing albums, I want the finished project to flow so I use one or two kits and one template style with variations. Often, when working on an album I do it in layers--template/design, next papers/colors, and then return to embellish.

Marnie that's EXACTLY the process I'm doing! I find it a bit easier to choose the template, put all the photos in place, choose a nuetral paper(s), put all of those on at one time, do the journaling and then finally do the embellishing. The first 3 or 4 steps went pretty fast, now I'm stuck on the last part-embellishing

[annaaspnes]

Originally Posted by whatnext

i say: just go with messing around within your own style. that way the page turns out to be "yours."

Totally! And who says you can't have more than one style?

[echogirl]

Originally Posted by deanie

Scrapping your pages is a lot like decorating your home. I have good friends who's homes are full of wonderful accessories all layered together. My own style is traditional but uncluttered. We all can find a look we love- and none are right or wrong. I think that is the wonder of what we do! I love coordinated pages, and Anke is right, working with just a few kits make it easier.

Oh no Marnie and Deanie because my home is cluttered with toys and books and dolls...what does that say about my 'style'! LOL!

I admire so many pages and scrappers in the gallery. There are so many amazing scrappers here. I wish I could scrap like them as well. The mojo...sometimes it's there sometimes I couldn't scrap my way out of a CK conference!

[lisa.hinrichs]

I agree with Heather to try the scraplift, and use things that are similar. One thing that has also helped is the templates and quick pages. It has really built my confidence so I can worry less about positioning, then just add a little "BAM".