Scrapbook page recipe

Hello
Just wanted to post the order in which I put a page layout together. I get so many emails from people saying they don't know where to start, so I hope this helps.
1. organise your pictures and decide which you want to use. Until you know that you don't know how much space you will need ie. a single or a double page layout.

2. Choose your focal photograph. This is the one that you consider to be the most important.

3. Journal. I always journal first now so that I don't end up limiting what I write because of the space I have left over. Be sure to use a photo safe pen. Never write on the back of your pictures with anthing that will damage them. Biros and Pencils will break the emulsion on the back of your pictures and eventually will come through on the picture side.

4. Choose colour scheme. I always think about the mood and the theme of the pictures and work from there. Remember to mat your picture on a colour that relates to the journaling. for example, if you are using a picture of a person with a yellow flower in their hair and the journaling is about the person, then mat it on a skin tone first. However if the story is about the flower, then mat it on yellow.

5. Create a title. This is like a headline for your page and will draw the reader in.

6. Mat and layer your pictures. If you mat the focal photo differently to any supporting pictures then it will stand out.

7. Plan your layout. Place your pictures, journaling and title out on your pages so they are pleasing to the eye. use line to guide the reader through your pages.

8. Add any APPROPRIATE embellishmenta to your pages. Try using the rule of threes and creating a design triangle to draw the reader thtough the pages.