A Year to Remember 2 Sketch and Layout

I hope you were able to join in on all the fun in our recent Virtual Crop. (If not, you can see all the challenges here on the blog and check out all the posts on the CM Events page!) I loved working with the A Year to Remember 2 product collection for the crop and I just couldn’t stop myself from creating another sketch and layout with it! Besides the amazingly versatile calendar grids, there are so many gorgeous papers that you’re bound to find the perfect pattern for any occasion throughout the year!

You might know me for my 1-2-3 sketches and layouts and was planning on creating another 1-2-3 layout for you, but I loved so many of the papers that I decided to live a little and use more than just one piece of double-sided paper in this layout for a change! So here’s my sketch for you to play with:

And here’s my version of the layout:

It’s a simple sketch to follow, but here are some basic instructions:

• Choose three (or more!) coordinating patterned papers. (Tip: this is a great way to use up scraps!)
• Cut two 1.5″ x 12″ strips from one paper (these will be the strips at the bottom of the layout)
• Cut four .5″ x 12″ strips from another paper (these will be the narrow strips at the top of the layout and the ones layered above the strips at the very bottom)
• Cut two  1″ x 11″ strips from a third paper (these will be the strips just under the photos)
• Use the largest circle template of the Custom Cutting System with the blue blade to cut a 6.5″ circle from the first paper.
• Punch or cut a variety of smaller circles from any of the papers used for the strips (the circles in the sketch measure 1″, 1.5″ and 2″).
• Place and adhere the large circle and strips as shown. Add photos, then circles and/or other embellishments, overlapping as shown. Finish it off by adding your journaling and title!

You can see I used circles as my major design element, but you can use any shape you want, such as hearts, stars or hexagons. Or, simply cut a 6.5″ square to use instead of the circle and then add die-cut or sticker embellishments wherever there is a circle on the layout!

Also, although I used papers from the A Year to Remember 2 Paper Pack, I love that the papers, embellishments and stickers from the first round of A Year to Remember that launched back in January coordinate beautifully! If you look carefully, you’ll notice that the “love” bubble is from the first collection and the journal spot, circles and happy faces are from the second collection!

As an extra detail, I decided to add a Lace Flower Chain border strip across the large strip at the bottom of the layout as a nod to the flowers in some of my photos. I used the Water Color Green ABC/123 Stickers for my title and wrote my journaling with my trusty Black Dual-Tip Pen. Here are a couple close-ups of the details …as you can see, I just can’t resist using Foam Squares to pop some embellishments off my layout!

I hope you try this easy sketch with some of your favorite papers from A Year To Remember Part 2 or any of the outstanding new collections ! Enjoy and make it your own!

Noreen