I believe that the journaling on a page is just as important as the photos. What better way to help your journaling stand out then to frame it! You can even get creative with how you do this, making the journaling and the frame(s) part of the design of the page. Use one frame for your journaling or use several different frames. There are also several different journaling spots available to buy that look like frames. Or try going hybrid and print a digital frame around your journaling.

I love how the placement of frames and journaling on Danielle’s “Wobble” page seem to lead your eyes right to the photo! Veronica also framed her journaling on her “Perfect” layout, but she chose to have her journaling to one side and overlapping the frame…I love how it looks! And I love how Robyn creates a whole column of journaling on her “The Girl Behind the Camera” layout.

Wobble by Danielle Flanders

Supplies: Paper: My Little Shoebox, Chipboard: Tattered Angels, Alphabet Stickers: My Little Shoebox, Flowers: Prima Marketing, Die Cuts: My Little Shoebox, Ink: Ranger Industries, Specialty Ink: Tattered Angels, Pens: ZIG Memory System (Kuretake), Other: buttons. Tools: Stamps: Tattered Angels.

Design Notes: I wanted to do something fun with the frames, so I chose to put a photo inside one and use the rest for journaling! I sprayed them a light color, so as not to overpower the photos. Putting the photos next to each other and adding the red heart there really draws your eye right to the pictures and makes them the focal point.

Journaling: It’s so much fun to see you start to walk! Just last week you were only taking a step or two. Funny how it happens all of a sudden like that! Today we went outside to play and you walked everywhere! 5/5/10

Perfect by Veronica Goh

Supplies: Paper: My Mind’s Eye, Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper, Flowers: Zva Creative, Die Cuts: My Mind’s Eye, Stickers: 7Gypsies, Lace: Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Bling: Zva Creative, Ink: Tim Holtz (Ranger Industries), Adhesive: Beacon Adhesives, Kokuyo, EK Success.

Design Notes: I like using pop-up dots to give my layouts added dimension, and I usually also distress and ink my edges for greater definition. For this layout where the photo is placed to the right half of the layout, I added some bling and journaling to the left for balance. And as the patterned papers are predominantly in red, black and cream, I also added a couple of flowers of a different color from the papers (light blue), for a little bit of contrast. It tends to make the layout more interesting to look at.

Journaling: How wonderful life is while you're in the world - Elton John

The Girl Behind the Camera by Robyn Schaub

Supplies: Paper: Lily Bee Design, Scenic Route, Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper, American Crafts, Chipboard: Lily Bee Design, Alphabet Stickers: American Crafts, Doodlebug Designs, My Little Shoebox, Die Cuts: Lily Bee Design, GCD Studios, Ribbon: May Arts, Bling: Prima Marketing, Imaginisce, Specialty Ink: Tattered Angels, Pens: Sharpie, Sketch: Liz Qualman, Other: buttons, bakers twine, paper doily, pop dots. Tools: Die Cut Machine: Sizzix (Ellison), Dies: QuicKutz.

Design Notes: I created this layout because most of the pages in my scrapbook feature every other member of my family, and there's very little information about me -- the girl behind the camera. The journaling reflects a little of my sense of humor, along with some fun facts about me. Most of the supplies came from a kit by Paper Poppy. The background was created with fine spritzes of Glimmer Mist on a white notebook-ruled patterned paper. I made the flower using a paper doily that I scrunched in the middle and topped with a gathered ribbon and a vintage button.

Journaling: ...is a chronic procrastinator; ...loves food too much to stick to a diet; ...has the most amazing husband EVER; ...wishes she were independently wealthy; ...never turns down an opportunity to cuddle