So whether you are going with traditional paper scrapbooking like Andrea did making custom embellishments using her Cricut for her sketch, or hybrid like Marie in Pioneer Girl starting with digital and ending with a stapled tag, or going all digital using a layered template as I did with the layout “My Man”, scrapbooking is much simpler with a sketch or a template!

You may end up with an addiction to sketches and love templates as much as I do! You’ll find that you can be just as creative as ever using your imagination.

Here are some great sites on the topic:

● PageMaps - digi and printable sketches

● Sketchy Thursdays

● Pencil Lines

● Card Positioning Systems - card sketches

Valentine Mantle Decor by Andrea Amu

Supplies:  Cardstock: Couture Cardstock, Bazzill Basics, The Paper Company, Ink: Staz-On, Tsunkineko, Sketch: Allison Davis, Adhesive: EK Success, Paper Heart Doily: Target. Tools: Electronic Cutter: Cricut Provo Craft, Cartridges: Cricut Provo Craft, Pounce Wheel Tool: Making Memories. Digital Supplies: Happy Holidays Houndstooth Papers: Chertel Designs 2009 by Chris Hertel, Fonts: Brush455 BT, Microsoft word.

Design Notes: I love using sketches as an inspirational springboard for my own scrapbooking, and Allison Davis’s sketches from her site, www.sketchsupport.com are some of my personal favorites to follow! Here I used one of her 1 page sketch designs, sketch #3 to create my own page. I did my own variations by omitting 3 of the 3x3 photos and opting to add some Cricut accents in the blocks instead, and by changing up the journaling location and photo sizes a bit.

Journaling: This year I decided to do something out of the normal and decorate our mantle with some silver and red bling and love tokens for the Valentine season! I even decorated the girls’ remembrance box with some cute festive friends!

Pioneer Girl by Marie Lottermoser

Supplies: Other: ribbon, staples. Digital Supplies: Kit: Collection Manuscrite: by Katie Pertiet (desingerdigitals.com) Tag: Urban Junque Collage kit by Rhonna Farrer (twopeasinabucket.com), Software: Photoshop CS5, Fonts: Euphemia, Smith Typewriter, Cambria.

Design Notes: This is a hybrid page using a sketch by Becky Higgins from her book Family History Scrapbooking.

Journaling: Grandmother Eila at the age of 7 years old. She grew up on a farm in Parma. In the first photo she is washing her buggy and in the second photo she is walking to school.

My Man by Julie Ann Shahin

Digital Supplies: Template: Altered Art Smart Starts No. 4 by Tangie Baxter Designs (Scrapbookgraphics), Storyboard: CoffeeShop Five Storyboard by Rita (CoffeeTeaPhotography Blog), Papers: Darkroom Collab by Tangie Baxter Designs and DeCrow Designs (Scrapbookgraphics), She Journals, Journal Anthology II, Journal Anthology V, Sing Sing (from August Mystery Case) by Tangie Baxter Designs (Scrapbookgraphics), Splatter: Splattergraffiti Millenium Treehouse, Happenstance by Tangie Baxter Designs (Scrapbookgraphics), Alpha, Stitching: Art Stomp! Collab w/ Roben-Marie Designs by Tangie Baxter Designs (Scrapbookgraphics), Star: Hand Cut Collage Fodder: Stars by Tangie Baxter Designs (Scrapbookgraphics), Piano graphics: Art Journal Caravan Provisions {Parcel 08} Tangie Baxter with Anne Sexton by Anne Sexton (Scrapbookgraphics), Bolthead: {TBD Classic Collabs} Treetop Serenade Tangie Baxter Collab with Sherriejd by Sherriejd (Scrapbookgraphics), Staple: Phineas Comes to Tea by Tangie Baxter Designs (Scrapbookgraphics), Word Art: Musical Interlude by Kim Hill (A Cherry On Top). Font: Mock Turtle Art Journaling Font by Tangie Baxter (Scrapbookgraphics). Software: Photoshop Elements 7.

Design Notes: I rotated this template 90 degrees right in Photoshop Elements to make it more unique. Orange is my husband’s favorite color, so since the photos didn’t have any color, I thought orange would be a great backdrop and make this layout flashy. I do love color so when the template called for splatters along the border at the bottom, I chose one that was fun and colorful, co-ordinating with the orange. I absolutely love Tangie Baxter’s Paperworn Art Journal Styles that allow you to make the paint look like it actually blends into the paper below it. I am really happy with this template and how it showcases these photos I took of my husband and his favorite passion.

Journaling: I love being married to a music man. He understands my art and I understand his. I love hearing his music everyday, knowing he’s following his passion and is happy. 2011