Freebie Template and Tutorial...

...but it isn't the calendar one yet! Yesterday I got to playing with a template design after I saw a video on making a Journaling Card Page from traditional supplies at ScrapSupplies.com. They have a few different videos, so feel free to check them out. Now I thought to myself, I wonder if I can create something similar in digi...and so I had a LOT of FUN doing it!! Here is what I came up with...

This peaked my interest as I just finished the Type+Write Class at JessicaSprague.com that focuses on fun ways to add truly meaningful journaling to you LO's. IT WAS FANTASTIC!!! And Jess had put together some INCREDIBLE templates for us to use, that also had me wondering...can I figure out how to do THAT too??!! So, there are some added fun layers to this template that you won't need to touch...unless you don't like what I did with it. It still isn't quite up to Jessica's caliber...but it is getting closer!

Now in the cool tutorial video they took tags and made them into flaps that they could put photos under. I have included a template without a shadow behind the cards for this purpose, this is what you will use. Anyway, here is a little tutorial for you on how to do something similar:

Go ahead and clip on your papers like you would with any other template...if by chance you don't yet know how to do this with PSE or CS, not to worry, check out a FABULOUS video tutorial by Jess done for CKM at The Spraground Free Tutorial Area . You might need to be logged in to see it. It comes with a Freebie too!

Take your page once everything is added and it has been printed, and grab a cutting tool...I will be using an exacto knife.

( I hope I don't lose anyone by adding this here, but if you want the BACK of your tags to have a color or patterned paper on them when they are open you will need to adhere the paper of your choice to the back of your printed layout BEFORE you cut!}

Next cut along the edges of the "cards"...BUT BE SURE TO LEAVE ONE SIDE ATTACHED. You have flexibility here, you don't have to choose to leave the top attached on all of them, but you can go that route if it is your preference.

Use something to score along that remaining side, this makes it easier to fold. If you don't have any traditional scrapping supplies to do this you can use a pair of scissors. Open them and VERY GENTLY run the blade along where you want to fold. (If this isn't done carefully then you will cut through it...so again BE GENTLE if you go this route.)

After you have done this to any of the 11you want photos under, than you want to have a way to put the photos underneath your card "flaps", but not to fear there are a few ways to do this:

1. I have created a template...simple though it be...for that too, just adhere it under your journaling card layout.

2. Just glue/adhere them under after you have made the flaps.

3. Take a piece of 12X12 cardstock and adhere them to that then attach the two.

You should then have a completed page with both Journaling and Photos. The project that I took the inspiration for this from used this as a month page...so there is one thought for you. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. If you remember too...I know I forget things often...please post back here with a link to your finished layout! I only created the templates yesterday, so I have not yet had time to do an example for you...but I will be posting it here when I have it finished.

You can download the zip of the templates by clicking on the preview here:

(This will only be a freebie on my blog for one week...then it will be able to be found in my store at Digiscrapstation.com .)