Sunday, September 18, 2016

CASEing a Layout, Part 1

Let's face it. There are only so many layouts that truly work with clean-and-simple cards. The more layers you add, the more layout options there are, but if you're looking to keep things simple and minimalist AND follow the rules of good design, well, there's only so much you can do.

I've always found the layout Tracy May uses on this card very appealing for several reasons. First, the focal point is sort of in a sweet spot...the intersection of lines dividing the card into (roughly) thirds. The slight shift downward from the exact third (almost to a bottom quarter) works incredibly well, and it leaves a nearly obscene amount of glorious white space on the top of the card. Your eye has NOWHERE to go but to the focal point.

Isn't Tracy's card simply lovely?

Anyway, my version uses a shockingly different color palette from Tracy's soft blues and makes the sentiment the focal point, using the corner decoration as a backdrop only. I know I've probably used these colors together before, but seriously, even though I'm a "winter" through and through in my own personal wardrobe color scheme, warm fall colors make me feel so very, very happy and content.


For this backdrop, I went two-thirds the way up and almost all the way over the bottom. That bottom coverage (so to speak) grounds the design nicely, and proves nice pop for the sentiment panel.

The colors are Hero Arts butter bar and pumpkin pie, and Papertrey's terra cotta. So fiery and warm! To add some interest to the sentiment, I inked the whole stamp in butter bar and then rolled some terra cotta onto the bottom. If you look closely below, you'll see a bit of gradation, but you'll also notice I probably rolled a little too far with the terra cotta. Oh, well.


The corners of the raised panel are also snipped with scallop scissors for a little extra finished touch.

One of my many happy moments in fall is seeing a pile of multicolored leaves jumbled together. What are some of your favorite autumn images?

Supplies
stamps: Papertrey First Fruits
ink: Hero Arts butter bar, pumpkin pie; Papertrey terra cotta
paper: Gina K cream
accessories: dimensionals, scallop scissors

15 comments:

  1. Love fall! The colors just make my eyes dance! Not to mention warm days followed by cooler nights!

    I really like this layout. Someday, when I start stamping again, I'll have to CASE this!!!

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    1. I'm sorry you're not stamping at the moment...it really is very therapeutic, you know! ;-)

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  2. FABULOUS (but then, so was the blue original) and I love your choice of colours - so very autumnal/fall

    Kathyk

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  3. I love this. You hit the sweet spot perfectly.
    We don't have autumn on a tropical island and as we're in the Southern Hemisphere, so we're in spring.

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    1. The world wide web sort of makes seasonal stuff complicated, doesn't it? Plus, the whole tropical not-four-seasons thing. I'd feel sorry for you, Janet, except OHMYGOSH yes, you're on a tropical island. Nothing to feel sorry for there! Thanks for the reminder.

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    2. Could not resist CASEing your card ... with rich autumn colours. And adding sequins because there are so many in my stash, so why not?!

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  4. What a lovely design, Susan. The colors are just gorgeous. I love to see the leaves floating through the air as they fall from the trees.

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    1. I saw the first "fall" leaf weeks ago and just about expired from joy!

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  5. longtime lurker (I read you in my email) but i had to log in to comment on this gorgeous card! Absolutely beautiful and looks like my autumn hikes! Thank you for the inspiration!

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  6. Fabulous stuff! These happy autumn colors!

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  7. Loving the fall theme ♥

    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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  8. Loving your pile of leaves. Pumpkins are the perfect sign of autumn for me. And when I start smelling their aroma coming out of my oven I know fall is definitely here. It just happened a week ago actually!

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Thank you so much for taking time to comment!