Photo-focused Scrapbooking

The sun is out this afternoon and I'm really feeling the urge to hit the beach. Living in Florida that was an easy thing to do, but here in Japan it's still a bit too cold for beaching it. So, this afternoon I'm going to get my beach fix by sharing my Beach Mosaic layout with you.

A mosaic layout really makes the photos the focus of your page, and making mosaics is such a great way to scrapbook if you are on a budget. All you need are a few photos, a mat with one-inch grids and a good ruler, preferably one with a cork backing so it does not slip.

Cut your photos into one-inch squares. Just use caution when cutting a photo that depicts people; always be sure that you do not cut through someone's face. When making a mosaic, you do not have to use every bit of each photo you choose. You can use only the squares that feature something you would like to showcase in your finished page. Beach Mosaic uses 9 photos from different beach scenes, including the larger picture of my husband which I matted and used whole.

For the best results in arranging your one-inch squares, I recommend Wish in the Wind (http://www.wishinthewind.com/) grid paper. Now the only other item you need is your glue stick. Arrange your photos on the grid, glue them down --Wha-lah!

I love using the mosaic technique for photos with lush scenery, but I've also used this technique for zoo photos and my layout came out amazing. I would love to see what you come up with using the mosaic technique. Drop me a line with a link to your blog and let me peek.

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