Remember when we snuck out for slushies

          It's a hot summer night and a bunch of volunteers are working hard for week-long Bible summer camp for kids (aka Vacation Bible School). This picture is evidence of our hard work. Erm, well it's us taking a break from that hard work. If you haven't experienced the sugar overdose of a Sonic strawberry slush, I will warn you: it can get addicting!

click for larger image

          This page was one of my first experiments with my "new style" of scrapbooking. When I discovered galleries and blogs filled with scrapbooking techniques and inspiration, I looked at my old layouts and said "eh." My pages were so lifeless and bland.  

          After perusing blog after blog and gallery after gallery, I decided to try something new. I hadn't bought any new scrapbook supplies in a while so all my papers and embellishments were a little outdated--but I just rolled with it. It's how I do. And this layout was born. It's alive...it's ALIVE.

          I'm not reeeally proud of my little Frankenscrap in terms of design and aesthetic, but I'm happy that it's different. It was a big step forward in challenging my creativity. With all the (free!) resources on the internet, I can keep trying new crafts and experiment with new styles. I guess this blog is my way of documenting the fun.

         What's that you say? You're also stuck in a creative rut? Well it's your lucky day! ahem. Here are some tips that I used to jumpstart my scrapbooking:

1. Take note. Make a collection, using Pinterest, Evernote, etc., of a bunch of layouts you like. Look at each layout individually and the collection as a whole and take note of why you like them. Was it the strip of patterned paper used as a border on the top of the page? Was it the layers of washi tape? Maybe the offset title caught your eye. These are some new things you can try on your next page.
2. Scraplift. Scraplifting is this term in the scrapbooking world where you pick someone else's page and mimic the layout. Use the same number of pattern paper, place the photo(s) in the same position, use the same kind of embellishments. It's a good start for people who don't know where to... start.
3. Challenge. If you search through the internet, there's a lot of forums and websites that give challenges for scrapbooking. They either specify to use a certain color scheme, or use a certain technique, or even a certain shape/product. This is a little more difficult than the previous two because you're often given just one piece of the puzzle, but I think it's the best way to stretch your creative mind.

Here's to more experiments and Frankenscraps: cheers!