Croptoberfest Workshop: Gathering the Little Things
- Brenda
- 2 minutes ago
- 3 min read
There is something about fall scrapbooking that makes me want to slow down and notice the details—the colors, the gatherings, the traditions, and those ordinary little moments that often become some of our favorite memories.
That feeling was very much on my mind as I designed this year’s Croptoberfest Workshop.
I wanted these pages to feel unmistakably autumn without making every layout look the same. I also wanted to create a workshop that was about more than assembling pretty pages. Throughout these layouts, we’ll work with some of my favorite design principles and techniques—balancing patterned papers, creating intentional clusters, using white space, adding subtle texture with ink, and finding ways to make embellishments enhance our photos rather than compete with them.
The result is five two-page layouts—10 scrapbook pages in all!
(Swipe right to see all five photos!)
What's Included in the Workshop
Your Croptoberfest Bundle Workshop includes:
• Croptoberfest Project Recipe Kit with Paper Pack & Sticker Sheet
• Croptoberfest Paper Pack
• Croptoberfest Mat Cards
• Croptoberfest Embellishments
• Croptoberfest Borders
• Croptoberfest Cardstock Sampler
• 3 sheets of Exclusive Print & Cut images—available only through Brenda! will be mailed to you.
• My instructions for creating all 10 pages will also be e-mailed to you.
NOTE: You will also need to purchase a 10-pack of Bright White cardstock.
Design Notes
That's something I really want you to notice when you're working with a collection. You don't have to use every color and every pattern on every page. Sometimes limiting the palette within an individual layout actually gives you more variety across an entire album or workshop.
Letting Patterned Paper Have Its Moment
There are several fairly strong patterns in these pages, and you'll notice that I didn't shy away from them. Instead, I controlled where and how much of each pattern was used.
On some layouts, patterned paper becomes a wide band across the bottom.
On others, it frames the outside edges or appears in carefully placed blocks. And yes—that pumpkin gingham deserved its moment!
The key is that these patterns are surrounded by quieter areas. That breathing room keeps even the boldest papers from overwhelming the photos.
White Space Is Part of the Design
White space isn't leftover space. It's an intentional design element. Throughout this workshop, Bright White backgrounds give the patterned papers, embellishments and photographs room to breathe. They also allow us to add subtle details—stenciling, splattering and small embellishment clusters—without making the pages feel busy. We don't need to fill every inch of a scrapbook page to make it feel finished.
Embellishments With a Purpose
There are plenty of beautiful pumpkins, flowers, tags and fall embellishments in these pages, but they have been placed very intentionally. Rather than scattering embellishments everywhere, I've concentrated them into clusters. This gives the eye a few strong places to land and keeps the rest of the layout quiet enough for the photographs.
You'll also notice that some clusters overlap photo mats or patterned-paper edges. That overlap is important—it connects the different layers of the layout so they don't look like separate pieces floating on the page.
Tips & Techniques You'll Learn
Balancing bold patterned paper with white space.
Creating layered embellishment clusters.
Using stencils as quiet texture.
Adding splatter intentionally.
Mixing photo sizes.
Creating with tags and dimensional-looking layers.
Knowing when to stop.
How to Get the Croptoberfest Workshop
One important note about this workshop: the Workshop Guide and coordinating Print & Cut images will not be available for purchase separately. (International Friends, this one will not be available to you.)
I designed these pages and coordinating images specifically to complement the Croptoberfest products, so this workshop will be offered exclusively with the Croptoberfest Bundle purchased through my website.
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