Category Archives: Typography

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial with Graphic 45 Typography

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial with Graphic 45 Typography

Hello, G45’ers!  As a card maker, I have sometimes shied away from creating scrapbooking layouts.  Of course, I CAN do it…but the 12×12 format can feel intimidating for me.  Well, today’s post is all about eliminating the intimidation!  I’ve created this Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial with Graphic 45‘s Typography Collection.  Even though it is retired, it is still my all time tip top favorite from G45.   If you don’t have it in your paper stash, never fear.  This layout is so simple to make that you can easily use it with any of your favorite collections.  Let’s get this paper party started, shall we?

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial Typography by Kathy Clement Product by Graphic 45 Photo 1

 

This photo of our daughter Liz was taken on one of our mother/daughter jaunts to the mountains last fall.  Ever since Liz was a young girl, my pet name for her has been Bella, which means “beautiful” in Italian.  (We are not Italian…I’m Irish…but nicknames don’t always have to  make sense, do they?)  I’m the only one who calls her by this name.  When I decided to scrap this photo, I remembered the Ciao Bella journal card from Typography.  That’s the inspiration for this layout.

Creating Contrast in a Simple Layout

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial Typography by Kathy Clement Product by Graphic 45 Photo 2

There are many ways to create contrast in a layout.  Color is an obvious path to take, and I’ve certainly done that here.  But have you ever considered varying the size of your patterns as a way to create contrast?  It really works!

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial Typography by Kathy Clement Product by Graphic 45 Photo 3Throughout this layout, I’ve alternated 12×12 papers with 8×8 papers.  The scale of the images and the text creates instant contrast.  For instance, my background paper is 12×12, while the paper that the photo rests on is an 8×8 sheet of text paper.   The borders are from the 8×8 pad, but the bold black sentiment is from the 12×12 pad.  Instant contrast.  This creates visual interest even in a simple layout like this one.

Ciao Bella Layout: Expect the Unexpected

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial Typography by Kathy Clement Product by Graphic 45 Photo 4

Add fun to a simple layout by creating a hidden journal tag.  This 4×6 journal card has been cut down to fit the Black Staples Tag.  Then I elevated the photo with strips of cardboard to create a nifty little pocket to hold it. You’ll see how that mechanism works in the 60 second video tutorial at the end of this post.

Ciao Bella Layout: Create Simple layers

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial Typography by Kathy Clement Product by Graphic 45 Photo 5

It honestly took me longer to photograph (and edit) than it did to make this layout.  The key is to a speedy layout is to create simple layers.  Orienting the papers on the diagonal created a sense of drama.  The bold, black sentiment panel on the right draws the eye to the focal image.  The layered borders help to form a frame.

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial Typography by Kathy Clement Product by Graphic 45 Photo 6

This Staples Metal Door Plate & Knob is dabbed with Rusty Hinge Distress Paint to add another simple layer to the composition.

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial Typography by Kathy Clement Product by Graphic 45 Photo 7

I also layered the typewriter key “e” over the chipboard button.  Placing this in the corner unified the paper layers as well as added dimension.

Ciao Bella Layout: Frame and Feathers

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial Typography by Kathy Clement Product by Graphic 45 Photo 8This sentiment describes the way our lovely daughter lives her life.  To give it more of a presence on the page, I “framed it up” inside the chipboard frame element from the Typography collection.  Then I hot glued it over the peacock feathers to hold them in place.  The black satin bow helps to draw the eye to the sentiment, and it also balances out the sentiment panel on the right.

Ciao Bella Layout Tutorial Typography by Kathy Clement Product by Graphic 45 Photo 9

Ciao Bella Layout 60 second video tutorial

Graphic 45 challenged me to make a 60 second video tutorial of this Ciao Bella Layout.  Let me tell you…60 seconds goes by really fast!  Still, I  managed to put together a simple process video that will show you the steps I took to build this layout.  I hope you enjoy.  Don’t blink, or you’ll miss it!  LOL

I hope I’ve inspired you to get out your favorite photos and document beautiful memories today.  If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.  Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

Ciao Bella Layout Supply List

Graphic 45 2017 Planner

2017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-4Graphic 45 2017 Planner: It’s a Good Day to Have a Good Day!

Hello, Friends!  Can it really be December already?  This month is filled to the brim with shopping, baking, parties, family, food and fun.  It’s wonderful to finish out the year with so much celebration, isn’t it?  Being the planner that I am, I’m also getting ready for a fabulous year in 2017 by creating a Graphic 45 2017 planner.  I don’t know about you, but I rely heavily on lists and calendars to keep me organized.  My motto is, “If it isn’t written down, it isn’t going to happen.”

2017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-3Friends, meet my brain on paper.  This planner has a place for everything: appointments, design team deadlines, shopping lists, to do lists, photos and more all neatly organized into a Graphic 45 Kraft Mixed Media Album.  I’ve used some of my favorite collections (new and old) to add color and inspirational sayings to keep me organized and motivated throughout the year.

To help you get a feel for the “flow” of this album, I put together a YouTube video tour.

Did you like the little custom paper clip embellishments?  These are super quick and easy to make, so I thought you all might enjoy a short video tutorial so you can make some yourself.

How to Make Custom Paperclip Embellishments YouTube Video

I think I am going to make a whole bunch of these to have on hand to add to cards, layouts and tags.  They are so fun!

2017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-2

A Picture is Worth  A Thousand Words

2017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-62017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-52017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-72017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-82017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-92017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-102017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-112017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-12If you’d like to print out these cute chalkboard style calendars and to-do lists, you can find them at Botanical Paperworks.  They are a free download (yippee!).  Ilove how stylish and practical they are.  I printed mine at 70% of the full size so they would fit into the mixed media album.  Instead of cutting off the excess on the to do list, I scored and folded it so that I can use the flap as a tear off shopping list or menu planner for the week.  You can download the to-do list  HERE.  The monthly 2017 calendars are HERE.

2017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-132017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-142017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-162017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-172017-planner-place-in-time-by-kathy-clement-product-by-graphic-45-photo-21I’d love to know how you stay organized.  If you have any special tips, I  hope you’ll share them in the comment section below.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

Supply List

  • Typography 12×12 papers, chips, tags &pockets and stickers
  • A Place in Time 12×12 Deluxe Collector’s Edition
  • Calendar Pages: A Place in Time 12×12
  • Children’s Hour 12×12 Calendar pages
  • Off to the Races 12×12 Prints and Patterns
  • Time to Flourish: 12×12 papers, calendar pages
  • 8×8 Time to Flourish papers, calendar pages, ephemera cards, chips, tags & pockets, banners
  • Graphic 45 Staples Mixed Media Album
  • Metal Door Plate (the original, large style) Graphic 45 Staples
  • Graphic 45 Staples Antique Brass Door Knocker
  • 2 Staples Kraft Tags
  • Staples Butterfly (retired)
  • Petaloo Flowers

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Creativity Takes Courage Layout

 Please scroll down to find my post for the RRR Blog Hop, or click HERE.
My First Official Graphic 45 2016 Design Team Project: Creativity Takes Courage

Hello, Friends!  Oh, what an exciting day it is today!  I get to share my very first official project as a member of the 2016 Graphic 45 design team!   Somebody pinch me! I can hardly believe that little ole me is being featured on the G45 blog right this very moment.  Wooo-hooo! My first assignment was to create a project that describes me as a designer and to include a photo of myself.  Since Typography is my all time number one most favorite G45 collection of all times, I created this Creativity Takes Courage layout to share with you here today.

Creativity Takes Courage Layout Typography Tutorial by Kathy Clement Product by Graphic 45 Photo 1Ladies and Gents, this is me on a page.  Lots of layers? Check! Gorgeous color?  Check! Details, details, details?  Check, check, check!  Beautiful flowers?  Check! Fabulous ribbon?  You bet! A little bit of grunge/steampunk vibe? Oh, yeah!  A hidden pocket/interactive element?  Yup.  I think this creativity takes courage layout covers all those bases and then some. What do you think?

I created a Snapguide tutorial so you could follow the process of how I put this one together.

 

Check out How to Create a Graphic 45 Typography Mixed Media Layout by Kathy Clement on Snapguide.

And here are some detail shots:

Creativity Takes Courage Layout, Typography, Tutorial by Kathy Clement, Product by Graphic 45, Photo 2Love the way the colors in the ribbon, Petaloo flowers and peacock feathers play with the colors in this paper collection.  Color me happy!

Creativity Takes Courage Layout, Typography, Tutorial by Kathy Clement, Product by Graphic 45, Photo 7Tell your story:  I cut out the inner portion of this Typography frame and inserted my photo here.  I changed out the stamps to reflect the fact that the year is 2016 (top right corner), it was my 3rd audition for the team (Left hand side) and I made the G45 team (below the photo). See that pic?  That’s why I’m grinning like a happy sap!

Creativity Takes Courage Layout, Typography, Tutorial by Kathy Clement, Product by Graphic 45, Photo 6A little bit of grunge made its way into the layout with these old paintbrushes bundled together as an embellishment, and in the ink spatters on the page.  I also included a little banner flag with the title of the layout.  I had to dig my  Brave Boots out of the Closet of Shame and put them on to go for a spot on the team for the 3rd time, and I am so glad I did!

Creativity Takes Courage Layout, Typography, Tutorial by Kathy Clement, Product by Graphic 45, Photo 5Here’s the interactive detail.  That Staples tag pulls out from behind the page.

Creativity Takes Courage G45 09 Creativity Takes Courage G45 11I agree wholeheartedly with these sentiments, and “Imagine” is one of my favorite words in the English language!

Creativity Takes Courage Layout, Typography, Tutorial by Kathy Clement, Product by Graphic 45, Photo 4Finally, I had to throw in a little altered art/embossing to make this piece really reflect my style.  The Staples key was painted blue, and the GSL chipboard was painted, heat embossed and tapped with paint.

This is the best dream I’ve ever had, so please don’t wake me up!  Graphic 45 is welcoming me to the team on their company blog today, and they are also sharing 3 of my all time favorite creations in addition to this layout, so if you are interested, you can pop on over there and take a peek.

Thanks again for being on this journey with me!  You are the best traveling companions in the world!

Cheerio,

kathy

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