Fun with Photo Blocks | #3

Utilizing large photo blocks are an easy way to include lots of photos on your scrapbooking layouts.

Years ago, as a member of the Simple Stories design team, I had a series where I would create a two-page layout that combined both traditional scrapbooking with their Pocket Pages.

Pocket Pages are 12 x 12" page protectors that include several different pockets to hold different things like photos and cards. They have a large assortment of pocket sizes like 3 x 4", 4 x 4", and 4 x 6".

One side of the layout would be a typical scrapbook layout while the other side of the layout was a "Pocket Page." This series was a helpful way to show that you can include a lot of photos on your layouts while still having room to include some design fun. It started to become one of my favorite go-to designs even without using the Pocket Pages.

It's like the best of both worlds for those of us that want to include lots of photos but also like to embrace those creative urges to play a little.

A giant plus to creating with this concept is that you have so many possibilities with how you arrange your 12 x 12" photo block. I look at the 12 x 12" page as a giant puzzle that I can fill and customize to work with the photos I have.

You can go simple...

• all 6 x 4" photos/cards

• all 4 x 6" photos/cards

• all 4 x 4" photos/cards

• all 3 x 4" photos/cards

• all 4 x 3" photos/cards

• all 3 x 3" photos/cards

• all 2 x 2" photos/cards

or you can mix it up...

• 6 x 4" and 3 x 4" photos/cards

• 4 x 6" and 4 x 3" photos/cards

• 4 x 4" and 2 x 2" photos/cards

• 6 x 4" and 4 x 6" photos/cards

• 4 x 3" and 3 x 4" photos/cards

Those are just a few ideas and focus on the more common photo/card sizes. You can play around with any size that you need to fill in your "puzzle" and create your own cards to fill in spaces.

When I create these large photo blocks, I like to add some fun embellishments and elements on the photos and cards.

Most of the time my go-to is word stickers or small embellishments I can easily add to the empty space on a photo.

On cards I like to add some stitching detail or borders.

Then sometimes I will add a little something extra...

Most of the time, when I have a group of photos that are showing movement, I like to create movement in my design. To me it's just fun to find creative ways to amp up the theme.

To match the sledding theme I added some hand-stitched flourishes across the middle section of photos and then embellished them with snowflakes, hearts, stickers, and some enamel dots.

Products used: Cardstock: Bazzill; Patterned paper, stickers, enamel dots: Simple Stories; Embroidery floss: DMC; Computer font: Century Gothic