Craft Notes: Festive Fun
Some of the sweetest Christmas memories aren't about the gifts under the tree. They're about the time we spend together preparing for the season!
Design Notes
A Strong, Linear Foundation
You know how much I love a clean, linear design! I used three vertical photos, arranged side by side, to create a strong focal point across the lower portion of the page. Their consistent size and alignment help keep the layout organized, even with several patterns and embellishments.
Layering the Patterns
The dark plaid paper creates a beautiful foundation for the layout, while the red patterned border adds definition around the evergreen paper. I love how these layers bring out the traditional Christmas colors without competing with the photos. The white background is especially important here. It gives the eye a place to rest and allows the rich colors to stand out.
Creating a Festive Focal Point
The large poinsettia cluster, stockings, stars, and Festive FUN title work together to create a beautiful focal point at the top of the page.
A Little Balance
The candle embellishments on the upper right balance the larger poinsettia cluster on the left. The decorative border and star below the photos bring another touch of color and texture to the bottom of the design.
Tips and Techniques
1. Let White Space Work for You
With richly patterned Christmas papers, it's easy for a layout to become visually busy. Leaving white space around the title and at the edges helps the design breathe.
Remember, white space isn't empty—it's intentional!
2. Use Repetition to Create Unity
Notice how the reds, greens, and touches of gold repeat throughout the layout. The colors appear in the patterned papers, embellishments, title, and decorative border.
Repeating colors helps everything feel like it belongs together.
3. Layer Embellishments for Dimension
Don't be afraid to overlap your embellishments! The poinsettia cluster is a wonderful example of how layering different shapes and sizes creates depth.
Try using Foam Squares under a few pieces to add dimension without making the entire cluster too bulky.
4. Use Borders to Anchor Your Photos
The decorative evergreen border running across the bottom of the photos helps ground them on the page. It also creates a visual connection between all three pictures.
A border doesn't always need to run along the edge of your page. Sometimes it's even more effective placed directly beneath your photos!
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