Guest Star: Angie Lucas

Hello! Angie Lucas here with two nearly identical layouts created with Jenni Bowlin Studio's Homespun line. I LOVE this line!

Why on earth would I create two nearly identical layouts? One to give away and one to keep, of course! Here's the story:

A couple of years ago, I started a series of layouts about my siblings and siblings-in-law. The idea took root when my sister-in-law Suzanne turned 30. As a gift for her, I created a layout listing 30 things I loved about her (which sounds daunting at first, but it was really quite easy). I gave her a copy of the layout, and then I decided I just had to create a second version of the layout for me to keep. Since then, I’ve finished layouts for my brother-in-law Mike and my sister-in-law Becky (see below) right around the time they turned 30. But lately I’ve decided not to wait for my family members to turn 30 before I create their layouts, otherwise this project will stretch on for 7 more years! (My youngest sister is 23.) I do keep ongoing lists of "things I love" about the five remaining people on my list. And as ideas and attributes come to mind, I jot them down. (Does that sound like a LOT of people? Well, it is. I'm one of six children. And I'm not exactly sure why I've only completed layouts for the three in-laws so far. I DO love my siblings, I promise. All five of them!)

This is the first layout I created about Becky, who's the wife of my little brother, Jon. I think this is the version that will be hers to keep. Almost everything on the layout is from Jenni Bowlin's new "Homespun" line. This layout came together very quickly, thanks to the coordinated products. The little pennant stickers were so fun to play with!


This layout also features "Homespun" products; I used the remainder of the pink-polka-dot paper and combined patterns in a slightly different way. And I did a much better job aligning the "B-E-C-K-Y" pennants the second time around. It was an incredible exercise in creativity to create the same layout twice. Certain elements and their placement stayed exactly the same on both layouts, but a few other things shifted the second time around. In fact, as I worked on the second layout, I added a few things (the button and the horizontal strip of patterned paper) that weren't on the other layout. I liked the additions so much that I made sure to apply them to the original layout as well.

There's such a huge reward in shaking up your creative routine every now and then, whether it's by assembling the same layout twice, or choosing a different starting point (usually start with photos? try writing your journaling first!), or simply trying products you've never tried before. For even more creativity boosters, I'd encourage you to pick up a copy of the amazing UR2 Cre8ive eBook by Stacy Julian, available at ellapublishing.com. In fact, I'll even offer you a $1 coupon if you'd like to try it out! Just enter the code JENNISENTME at checkout to enjoy your discount (it expires April 9, 2010). And don't forget to download our FREE Super Sampler —a 22-page eBook that features one project or idea from every eBook published by Ella Publishing Co. so far.

Thanks for reading. Enjoy this beautiful first week of spring!
Guest blogger Angie Lucas is the owner of Ella Publishing Co. The former managing editor of Simple Scrapbooks magazine (RIP), Angie writes, edits, and scrapbooks professionally from her home in Sandy, Utah. The layouts above were previously featured on her personal blog at angielucas.com. To see the layouts about Suzanne and Mike mentioned above, click HERE.