August 2022
I have been creating Mosaic Moments pages for the past 10 years, and I cannot believe that much time has passed!
During this past decade, I have discovered so much about scrapbooking and making pages with the Mosaic Moments system. I wanted to write this post to share what I have learned with you! Whether you have been with us for twenty years or two months, I hope this list gives you a new perspective about this amazing system.
Below I listed the top seven things I learned from making Mosaic Moments pages for 10 Years:
1. You Will Want to Take More Photos!
"New Orleans" by Paije Potter - Pattern #118
This is one of my absolute favorite pages. Many people mistaken the brick for pattern paper, but it is actually a photograph taken in New Orleans! Trust me, you will want to take more photos like this when you create Mosaic Moments pages.
After you start getting into Mosaic Moments scrapbooking, you will want to get out and take more photos than you ever have!
Yes! You will want to see more places, so you will have more beautiful photos for your scrapbook albums. You will take photos of things such as rocks, brick, clouds, etc., just so you can fill those small die spaces with them 🙂 I personally take a wide variety of photos so I have many options for the dies I use!
Now that you are making Mosaic Moments pages, you will want to capture everything you can with your camera; because you know the photos will turn into a beautiful layout.
2. Ordinary Photos Will Look Extraordinary!
I'll be honest - I don't always love every photo I take. There are many I don't really care for actually!
Sometimes it's due to the boring subject matter, or maybe the color in the photos didn't turn out great. But, don't turn away from these "bad" batches of photos. I have been truly amazed through out the years at how good my photos will look once I crop them with the dies or use the right paper colors and embellishments.
Unless your photos are overly blurry, dark or blown out, don't delete the "bad" ones - the page you make may end up stunning anyways!
"Palm Beach Shores" by Paije Potter - Pattern #193
On the desktop photos' app these Florida beach photos were not great - the lighting wasn't the best and some were a little blurry. But, look how beautiful this page turned out! The strip cut photo along with the soothing colors on this page make it an unexpected stand out!
3. Your Memory Keeping Will be Enriched
"Double Arch" by Paije Potter - Pattern #588
The bottom photos look so much more stunning as a large panorama. I love this page because it shows a more accurate perspective of how it felt to be underneath those arches. I feel as if I am right at this grand spot, looking up at this majestic view again!
It's one thing to have a little photo of the Grand Canyon on your scrapbook page - it's another to make a panorama with photos of it!
During the past decade, I noticed Mosaic Moments pages help me relive my traveling experiences. A panorama can show a grandness of a place, or the floral mosaic you added makes you feel like you are right in the garden! My memories have been enriched due to the layout designs, and the embellishing details I add to my Mosaic Moments pages.
These scrapbook pages will help you feel like you are right in that special place or moment again.
4. You Are Creating Art!
With Mosaic Moments, you are not just making a scrapbook page - you are making a piece of photo art!
When you use this system for your scrapbook layouts, you generally take time to carefully plan your colors and choose the right photos. In the end, you have a stunning design! With the dies and page patterns, you don't have to be a professional designer or artist to create amazing layouts - you will basically have an art portfolio right in your album!
The pages are clearly eye catching, and friends and family members can't wait to see what you come up with next!
"Chicago" by Paije Potter - Pattern #133
This layout is really like a piece of art! This page was made with the 4x4 Sweetheart die, which helps create this kaleidoscope design. Friends and family love this layout! They take the time to look at the individual photos and appreciate the beauty of all the combined elements.
5. Simple Can Go A Long Way!
"Cole at Clearwater" by Paije Potter - Pattern #443
This layout is one of my favorites. It only uses the basic die bundles, but look how stunning it is! I only used one pattern paper, plus yellow card-stock in one spot (the focal point). The strips were filled with photos of tiny shells. Why does this page stand out? It's because it was kept simple.
One designer secret for stunning layouts is you do not have to go over the top with embellishments or dies!
Some of my favorite layouts use the basic die bundle only, since it allows the photos to really shine. I also love using the specialty dies, such as X Factor and Horizon since they make beautiful "wow" page designs. I don't feel much need to clutter these designs with extra embellishments or mixing them with other dies - each die collection stands out on their own.
So, my advice is to keep it simple - limit yourself to one technique or die collection on your pages. I promise they will be extra stunning when you do!
6. Journaling is Easier to Add Than You Think!
I must admit that I often have a hard time with journaling, but I have learned to make it easier!
When I started making Mosaic Moments layouts, I was asked to add journaling, and I disliked that process! I felt the journaling took too long and it was a distraction from the photos. If you are like me and find journaling a challenge, let me tell you how simple it is. Just add the date and place to the bottom right corner of your layout. You can also add some journaling on the back of the page. I find writing in a paper block is also easy, and family members like to see your hand writing.
Journaling is actually fun for me now since I find creative ways to add it without as much extra work and distraction from my photos!
"Birthday Lunch" by Paije Potter - Pattern #368
This page has the Clover die set, and look at the journaling I added in the small sections. It was easy to grab a pen and just write a simple title and the location of this birthday lunch. Since it was kept small and simple, the journaling doesn't distract from the photos and overall design.
7. Cropping Will Be Your Friend
"Food Festival 2021" by Paije Potter - Pattern #368
Whimsy is one of my favorite die collections, and part of the reason is the cropping. Not only do your photos become a beautiful shape, but the most important parts get the attention. The 2x4 shape on the right was a very unappealing angle of me, but the food still looks good in that cropped space! In other photos, the eye sore backgrounds are no longer there. Cropping really is your friend!
What I love about using the dies and small design spots is you can crop the less important (or unappealing) parts of your photos!
Obviously, there are certain photos you will not crop down at all or very little, but I find many of my photos can be. Cropping helps you focus on the main subject even more. For example, this is very handy with Sports layouts since you can mainly focus on your family member or friend, and your pages will be less cluttered of other players or a busy background.
Plus, cropping allows you to get rid of unwanted details such as strangers in the background, an unflattering pose, or hideous items you just wish were not there 🙂
Post Written by Paije Potter