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