Are you like me who’s always challenged when it comes to layout titles? Sharing some tips (again from my notes):

• Use the name of a TV Show or a movie for a title
• Use the name of a song for a title
• Use the name of a book for a title
• Use the word “Love” in the title
• Use the title only to explain your pictures? no journaling
• Dangle something from a letter in the title using a wire, raffia, string, or something
• Use Plaid paper for the title or for the background of the title
• Mix template letters for the title
• Weave a fiber behind title
•  Put title letters on individual tags
• Dot the “I”s in your title with an embellishment
• Use buttons for the O’s or the center of your O’s in your title.

You may also check http://twopeasinabucket.com or http://www.theperfecttitle.com for ideas.

I found this among my notes. Unfortunately, I can’t remember what site I got it from (I promise to link it here once I find it). But I’m sharing anyway. These steps are for paper scrapping, but can be applied to digiscraps too.

Steps to Making a Scrap Page

1. Sort your photos and select a theme to work on
(generally, 5-7 photos fit on a two-page spread and 3-5 photos fit on a single page).
Keep in mind that you don’t have to scrapbook every photograph? select only the best photos to highlight the event, feeling or moment you want to convey.

2. Select 2-3 colors of safe paper that will complement colors found in the photographs.
Experiment with different color combinations to find the perfect colors to enhance your photographs.
You may want to include stationery or decorative paper that supports the theme of your pages.

3. Choose a photo to be your focal point.
As a general rule, select photos with sharp images, vivid colors and well-lit subjects.

4. Shape and mat your photos to add extra prominence to your focal point.
You can do this easily by matting your photo with a wider border than the others, or double or triple-matting it.
While shaping your photos, keep in mind that simple shapes such as rectangles, ovals, circles and squares are among the most eye-pleasing shapes.
If irrelevant or distracting details appear in the background, simply trim them out.
Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you have to cut out all of the background?
frequently, ordinary items pictured in the background will bring a flood of memories essential to journaling and reminiscing.

5. Add journaling.
No page is complete without adding your thoughts, feelings and experiences.
Take a few minutes to write down not only the “who” and “when,” but also the “what” and “why.”

6. Arrange photos, journaling and titles on your page.
As you arrange these elements, pay close attention to the direction your eye moves.
In general, well-designed pages are well balanced and will follow a natural flow that mimics the letter Z.
To check the balance, imagine that your layout is on a scale. Does one side tip the scale?
Once you’re pleased with the layout, simply adhere the elements to the page.

7. Try a few extras.
As you get more comfortable with scrapbooking, try your hand with some embellishments?
stickers, die cuts, rubber stamps and punches are among the most popular page accents.
Use these items sparingly?you don’t want them to overpower your photos.

Let me share with you how I made this page.

Tool/s:
Adobe Photoshop

Materials:
Afterhours paper from ScrapSpace;
LimeTea words from ScrapArtist;
SillyBirdNut flower from ScrapbookBytes;
SweetSprinkles Pink dot ribbon from ShabbyPrincess;
film strip

Steps:

1. Open the scrapspace afterhours paper. This will be the “cardstock” of the scrappage.

2. Open the picture to be scrapped. Resize the picture to 3600 pixels to occupy the same width of the background paper.

3. Since a film strip will be placed on the right side of the scrappage, flip the picture horizontally so that the subjects are facing towards the center and the film strip.

4. Select all (ctrl+a), copy (ctrl+c) and paste (ctrl+v) into the background paper. Drop shadow by double-clicking the text layer. When the layer style window appears, check drop shadow option. (see below)

5. Add the pink dot ribbon. Drop shadow. (same as step 4) Next, add the limetea word in such a way that some part of which is laid on the background paper, and some on the picture.

6. Invert the color of the limetea word.

7. Add it on top of the black limetea words.

8. Cut the lower part on top of the picture.

9. Add the pink flower beside the area where the film strip will be positioned.

10. Add pictures behind the film strip. (Tip: sequential pictures are usually used in film strips) Save this as PNG file so that the holes of the strip are still clear. Rotate this 7 degrees clockwise.

11. Add this to the scrap page. (same as step 4)

12. Add another pink flower this time on top of the film strip. Use the lasso tool (shown below) to cut off some petals from the flower on top)

Lastly, Save.

Some pointers from my notes I got while surfing. (An article written by Teryn Ashley)

1.Arrange your photographs so that the eyes of people in the pictures look inward towards the center of the page and/or lead the viewer to the next item on your page.

2.Create a visual triangle with photos and embellishments. Triangles cause all of the items to have this feeling of balance on your page, while an even number such as pairs or fours will separate them into sections.

3. Avoid trapped white space. We are all guilty of having done this once or twice?having a clump of white space on your page makes your layout look unfinished.

4.Using an odd number of elements on your page instead of an even number creates a more appealing look to your layouts and, again like the triangle technique?you end up with a more balanced looking page.

5. If you choose to use a certain texture such as metals, rough sanded elements,and so on in your page be sure to stay within those particular textures so that your page has more continuity.  For example, if you decided to go with decorative gold photo corners make sure that any other metal? embellishments on your page are gold as well.

6. Keep in mind, the “Rule of Thirds”. If you divide your layout into thirds vertically and horizontally, the best place to put the subject/focus of your layout is where these lines meet.  So, if you’re stumped on how to
design your next page, try this out?you’ll usually end up with an eye-pleasing layout.  :o)

7.If youfre creating your page using several different elements (i.e. fonts, size, shapes, space, and so on).  Try to stay away from having these being similar?  If theyfre different, show it.  Make them completely
different from one another and this can create an interesting, and fun, visual contrast.

8.Repeating certain elements in your page is also a very good idea to create a unity and/or continuity in your layout.  For example, carrying out the same textures, colors, fonts, or type of embellishments.

9.Stay away from looking like you sneezed?all the items onto your layout.  Sound a little weird?  Well, it’s basically like it sounds?.all of the embellishments, pictures, etc. look like they were just thrown on the
page.  Be conscious of the placement and alignment of everything that you put on your layout.  Each piece of your layout should have a visual connection with the others on the page.

10.Keep related items together rather than scattering them all over your page.  In doing this, the message and or theme that you are trying to convey on your page is able to be relayed much easier.