Ahoy mates! I am feeling the summer sun on my back (that is sayin' a lot here in Phoenix) and eagerly anticipating my vacation with my family. I hope your summer is filling up with many Thanks Living Statements! I am excited to see some many people are being blessed by this challenge. You know it is NEVER too late to start the Thanks Living Statements! NEVER!
This month I have excellent design principles to share, giving a better understanding of how to utilize them. This month, we will be investigating Grounding and Anchoring
I love this principle because I know it is something we pick up as we scrapbook more and more, but I personally have several early layouts that-to put it nicely, could have used this lesson. My early days of scrapbooking were often afflicted with the "scattered" appearance.
Ships have anchors to hold their massive size to the place in which the captain wants or needs the ship to be at rest. Whether, at port or in the middle of the sea the anchor is what holds the colossal ship or the little tugboat in place. The same is true within the elements of our layouts. Adding a grounding/anchoring element on a scrapbook layout often create the finished look. It creates a sense of resolve, care, association and proportion to our work.
There are several things to keep in mind when beginning a layout, anchoring, and grounding are very important. It is a very natural instinct to anchor and ground our elements many of you already incorporate one or both of these methods.
You may think that anchoring and grounding is the same thing, in a sense they are, but there is a difference:
When a layout is unanchored, it gives a scattered unfinished look. When you look at the sketch below you can see that there is an unfinished look to it.
When grounding and anchors are added to the layout, it is much easier to follow the layout's direction and we achieve a finished look.
Quick ways to ground:
Quick ways to anchor:
Using anchors and grounding layouts is a great way to start a layout. I will often grab elements I think may reinforce my layout topic and use those as a starting point. Using strips of paper or cardstock borders will create a foundation very quickly. On this layout, I purposely did not use pattern paper as my grounding element to establish that not all grounding is paper. Be adventurous, titles, journaling and all kinds of embellishments create great grounding for a layout. Anchors are truly essential to create the finishing touches every scrapbooker needs! Next time you feel like jumping ship on a layout because it does not feel "done", DON'T just check your grounding and anchors.
I am excited to see what you come up with this month using our anchor/grounding principles and your Thanks Living Statements. Please peruse the pages of CK magazine and find your favorite grounding technique or anchoring technique and share it on your page.. be sure to tell us what you loved and why! Also invite your friends to join in our challenge, it is NEVER too late to count blessings friend!
Blessings friends
e
UPDATED ON: 2/17/13
2013 Layouts: 25
Cards: 3
Project Life: Photos 47; Journal Entries:47
Other Crafty Projects not paper related: 4
Dinner made at home: 45
30/30: starts 1/31/13 Days completed: 16
Books Completed: 5 books / 2187 pages
MY BLOG
Thanks for another great lesson - and another fabulous Thanksliving challenge! Can't wait to get started!
Love your example LO too! Those stitched lines are awesome!
2013 LO's: 9
WOW..................thank you for the lesson. I really did not know why grounding or anchoring worked..............you explained it perfectly!
I love your LO................am thinking of using it in my own way. Thank you again!
MY BLOG: http://cozienookhomestead.wordpress.com
2013 Pages Completed: 62
Thank you Erika for another important lesson in formations for LOs. much appreciated I know I struggle with grounding and anchoring and have never been to figure out why some of my LO's don't look complete or finished.
I love your examples and the way you so easily explain things in a non complicated way for us to understand through diagrams/ sketches. seems simple to some, but not always to me. So a very valuable lesson here. I can't wait to create something for this challenge and use these important techniques in more!
I hope to rejoin the bandwagon! Been away awhile...busy with life.
Thanks for the tips!
tracie
http://creativelycraftedbytracie.blogspot.com/
www.facebook.com/creatively.crafted.cards
tracie: I hope to rejoin the bandwagon! Been away awhile...busy with life. Thanks for the tips!
Tracie!
SO happy to see you popping in! You know you can come and go as you please.. we just want you to have a life of THANKS Living! I am just blessed you were able to stop in!
Blessings
Wow Erika I loved your sketch and LO so much! I took inspiration from what you said and really thought about how so much this month I have been so thankful to be living amoung nature and how much I love my country, so went with it! I am so thankful to be living in such a beautiful paradise, where everything in nature is so readily accessible and therapeutic!
Created for Erikas fabulous Thanksliving challenge, I used her example sketch for inspiration as I loved how well Erika explained the grounding and anchoring.
I used proximity by repition of the flowers in clusters, ribbon for literal anchoring ( instead of stitching), layering and colour repititon for grounding.
The kit I chose to use is from mscraps~ "My Life My Home" and couldn't be more perfect for how I feel about my country!
The gorgeous photos were taken in the 1980's (and thankfully enhanced with saturation in powerpoint.), when I toured New Zealand on my mortorbike.
Font is Gabriolla. Title and subtitle are word arts ( stickers). Here is mine....
http://clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/media/p/956729.aspx
Loved your challenge Erika!
Hmmmm, I really not good at this design stuff, but I think I managed this one. :/ maybe?
And of course, I'm thankful for this little girl right here!! She's my sunshine!! :) I'm not sure whether my journaling should be shown or hidden. I haven't figured that one out yet. Your help/suggestion will be grateful!! :)
Sorry again for the pic, it's so much better in person ;(
LO's completed in 2012: 56/175, total cards: 21/30, Christmas cards 0/15
Books read: 8/50
I used repetition of elements and shapes to anchor and ground the layout. I used the repeated hexagons and the wood vaneer hearts to tie everything together.
OLW 2013: Open
blog: ScrappySteph. Layouts 2012: 163 Layout goal 2013: 165 *Completed: 45
Stephanie D.
I have trouble with funky pages. I'm much better at froofy stuff.. lol! But I wanted this to be funny.
Here's a recent one I think shows a good bit of both grounding and anchoring: http://clubcreatingkeepsakes.com/media/p/944414.aspx LO is a scraplift from the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of CK - Nancy Doren's "2 of Us", on p 95, was the inspiration. (I'm thankful for happy surprises! )
After reading - and re-reading - Erika's lesson, I think that the pp background - the big square and the three strips - are the ground for the photo strip, and that the reason there was "something missing" before I put in the little pink scallop border is that it serves as an anchor. The journaling spot on the bottom also keeps the whole thing anchored, so it doesn't "float away" in the middle of the page.
I'll try to do a new LO that incorporates grounding and anchoring and post it before the end of the month, and include a thanksliving statement on it.
just wanted everyone to see your cutie pa tootie layout - xoxoxo e
Such funny little monsters for your Sweet Monsters. Your LO makes me laugh too.
I'm so happy to be able to participate in this challenge this month - woo hoo!
I used three paper blocks under my photo and I chose darker colours to ground the layout. To anchor it, I overlapped the title onto the photo, added two little embellies on either side and put the journalling block on the corner of a few elements. Thanks so much for the lesson and pointers, Erika!
I scrap-lifted Erica' lo. I chose my family because I am thankful for them and they are my anchor. This was a fun challenge! Thank you!
Dash Your Stash 2013 - Feb. - 2; Mar. - 4
Thank you! I have been dying to use those monsters and just couldn't find the right layout to use them on.. lol