Color Blocking

A very simple but effective technique to use in page design is color blocking. This works especially well with very graphic papers, like the papers in the everyday line from American Crafts this month. The colors in all the papers in this line coordinate perfectly, so it would be impossible to make a bad choice for this kind of layout.I cut the pieces of paper to "puzzle fit" around the center rectangle. This method uses the least amount of paper. An easier way to accomplish the same look would have been to mat the center color block with the background solid (in this case, brown) and laid it on top of the surrounding color blocks - much less measuring involved and you also have the option of adding dimension by placing it on pop dots!
Before I taped the color blocks down, I inked the edges to add the illusion of dimension. I also included buttons and a cute felt flower - I love 3D elements - I think they are "2 cute", just like the title says. The funky numbers in the title and the year were cut from "Long Time No See". The flowered paper is "Bonjour".
The last choice I made in this layout was the size of the picture. I had a 4x6 and 5x7 copy of the same print, and I kept going back and forth. The center block was sized to accomodate the 5x7, but I decided that I liked showing the extra orange polka dot print in the center and I liked the title placement with the 4x6 print (with a 5x7 I would have had to move the title to another place on the layout). Bigger is not always better!
I plan on adding journaling on the pink and blue blocks when I bring the layout home and I will include one of my daughter's favorite quotes -
"Autumn is a second Spring, where every leaf becomes a flower." Albert Camus