The Creative Life

Trendy Thursday with Tay

Let's talk photo mats. They're a scrapper staple and boy are they HOT right now! And not just any old mat will do. Funky, chunky shapes with scallops and scrolls are the current must-have so you can imagine my excitement when Jen posted her new Easy Proofs templates!

I love that in each template, Jen has provided us with a gorgeously grunged mat that is ready to use as-is or can be overlaid with any paper without loosing the depth of the slightly lifted and curled edges, thanks to a separate shadow layer. Her mat is a totally unique shape with multiple photo blocks - a new twist on the current trend! The thick appearance of the mat, coupled with its curvy shape, is a breath of fresh air for scrappers who are tired of being limited to circles and squares. Even better is the fact that mats add enough visual interest that you don't have to pile gobs of embellishments on your layout to draw the eye in. This means you'll be able to scrap stunning pages without spending a lot of time layering and recoloring extra elements which is why I think mats are here to stay!

Want to see more? Check out the Gallery to see layouts using the new templates. Be sure to upload yours when it's done, you trendy gal!

Gotta have the templates now? Here's Easy Proof #2 and Easy Proof #3, just released! 

Trendy Thursday

Hey Jen Wilson fans, this is Tay (Adobe*Addict) and I’m here to talk trends! I have been poking through the gallery, looking for outstanding pages that display some of the newest ideas in digital scrapbooking. Today’s pick was done by a fellow CT member, Teresa:

This page has gobs of gorgeous elements and fantastic layering but what I like best is her twist on “white space”. White space layouts are still very popular but I have noticed scrappers are beginning to use heavier clustering and off-center their items, sometimes even off the page, to add drama to the entire layout. I like that Teresa has used a bracket mat covered in an attractive patterned paper (Jen Wilson’s Isabella’s Laundry Line) to anchor her cluster, while adding a vibrant image in a chunky frame. Substantial elements in bold colors to match her photo with others in muted colors to coordinate with the background paper further complement this enchanting design. The mix of patterns on a heavy textured solid makes this layout pop, while red stitching along the edges breaks up the white space and draws your eye in. It’s a truly outstanding page that highlights several current & upcoming digital trends!