One Message, Multiple Pages | Becky Novacek

Every year when January rolls around and the holidays are past, my schedule slows down and I want to stay in where it’s warm, and craft. About 4 or 5 years ago, I decided to challenge myself to create a layout for each of our grandchildren with the same basic message. I wanted the message to be something that was really important to me to share with them. My typical scrapbook pages are everyday pages that I expound on my love for them and just document little things. The idea of the challenge is to convey something a little deeper.

A topic that I am interested in and that I see on the Studio Calico message boards from time to time is scrapbook album organization. What is your system? Do you make a book for each of your children? Do you have a book about you? Or are your books all just family scrapbooks? I decided quite a few years ago to make a book (or 10) for each of our kids and then when grandchildren came, to make a book for each of them. I also have a book of pages that are about me, my husband and my friends...oh and my house. One day if anyone wants the books, they can just take the one that is personally theirs.

So since each of my grandchildren has at least one book that is just about them, this concept of “talking” to them via a page works well!

This challenge can be adapted to lots of different situations, such as a page for each of your children or friends. The process that I use would also work well for a mini-album, event book, gift book or any other album that you would like to have a cohesive look. It wouldn’t have to be about the message.

I’ll tell you a little about my process. This year, I used the Studio Calico Sugar Rush scrapbook kit and scrapbook add-ons, and using these kits made this challenge SO much fun! I had everything right in front of me and it all worked together.

My process:

*I start by deciding what I want to communicate to them. Sometimes it’s a phrase, sometimes it’s something more wordy. This year may be the most wordy thus far!

*Then I create the first layout. This year, I actually sort of scraplifted a layout I made a couple of years ago.

*I then continue to create a page for each of the children, letting the first page serve as a sort of sketch. With each page, I use the previous page as inspiration. It is amazing how it morphs with each additional page. By the tenth layout, it’s definitely quite a bit different than the original.

So here’s the first layout I made for Addison’s book:

Everything I used is from the kits, including the cardstock background.

The next layout I made was Alexis’.

Less whimsical with our oldest. I switched the weight of the layout of the other side, I also used a watercolor pencil and waterbrush for the journaling area.

The next layout is David.

I used some of the awesome Studio Calico Sugar Rush digital products on this one, including several labels (which are a staple for me!).Title is cut with my Silhouette Cameo.

Next up is Payton.

The 3 older boys are a little more challenging for me, mainly because I don’t have as many photos of them. When I do make a layout for them, I keep it simple without a lot of frills. This layout the weight went to the center and I focused on a specific sophisticated color combo.

Next is Harper.

I went back to a layout design much like the first one of Addie. I was determined to use that deer and not hoard it! I used quite a few of the Sugar Rush digital files again.

Griffin is next.

Another very simple take on the original design. I like tone on tone, so that inspired me on this one. I like quirky, so I overlapped the journaling onto the background and then stitched around it all. The title is pattern paper cut with my Silhouette Cameo.

Molly’s layout is the next one I made.

I tweaked the design a little more and created the journaling with strips of skinny paper centered. The tiny title letters were the positives from one of the Sugar Rush digital cut files and the teeny heart at the bottom too.

Up next is Jake.

Another simple, masculine big boy layout. I thought the pattern background paper worked well to framework the journaling. Title made with the Silhouette.

Almost done! Eli is next.

I handcut the title for Eli’s layout and placed the photo in the center with the journaling spreading across.

Last up is Greyson.

I fought the urge to “save” the background paper on this one! By this time the original design is still influencing, but it has definitely morphed! Way left oriented with just a bit of weight on the right.

So I ended up with ten finished layouts in one day! It took most of the day, but I can not tell you how much this exercise amped up my creativity. The layouts aren’t necessarily masterpieces, but I’m happy with them and very satisfied with the results. Best of all is that I’ve conveyed my thoughts to the kids, enjoyed a getaway in my studio and I feel like my creativity is flowing.

One thing that I was really impressed by, was how far the kits went. I used very few items from my stash, just 2 sheets of cardstock, 2 shipping tags and 3 vintage book pages.

Here’s the paper I had left over:

and here are the leftover embellishments:

I'd love to see your take on this! Leave a link in the comments if you give it a try.