The Ella Friends have been presenting different ways to add color to your layouts, and today I will be sharing a few tips on using color in your embellishments.

I often think of embellishments as "layout accessories". In the fashion world, accessories add color, texture, sparkle, and detail to an outfit. It has a similar function in a layout-- something small can make a bold or subtle statement in terms of color coordination or contrast. When choosing your embellishments, color can be one of your greatest tools in making that statement.  Let's take a look at a few color tips when it comes to embellishments.

1. Add color with a Monochromatic Color.

Monochromatic color is simply choosing a scheme where the colors are all the same base hue. When choosing embellishments that are monochromatic you will achieve a very coordinated look. I believe a monochromatic scheme will draw attention back to the photos and become a more "supporting role" in your layout.



In this layout, "Kiss and Make-Up" I used white as my monochromatic color (don't forget- white is a color too!). The bold color statement was made in my pattern paper choices, however the scheme would have looked "unfinished" without the scattering of white embellishments. I made the embellishments even more monochromatic by backing everything on white cardstock.



I love Ella Friend Brenda Johnson's "Just a Trim" layout- she pulled the blue color within her photo and created a layout with various shades of blue. How clever to use a paint swatch in her layout! The swatch pulled all the blues together in a harmonious design that pulled your attention back to the adorable photos of her daughter!

2. Add color with Complementary (or Contrasting) Colors

Another trick to adding color with your embellishments is to choose embellishments that are completmentary (which actually means "contrasting" in the color world). Contrasting color (not to be confused with clashing colors!) have the opposite feel of monochromatic colors--- they create a bold statement!

Let's take a quick look at the color wheel.



Choosing colors that are directly opposite (or close to opposite) from one another are considered complementary (or contrasting) colors. Red and Green, Blue and Orange, Yellow and Purple are all complementary and bring out the best in one another. Here are a few layout examples of embellishments using complementary colors.



In this layout "The Joy of Summertime" I used a black and white photo, which is a great way to allow your embellishments to stand out with your photo. I chose the color combos of orange and blue along with red and green to be main colors in my scheme.



Brenda created this fabulous card with contrasting colors in mind. See how the purple, green, and orange all complement one another? This is actually a triad relationship- the three colors are equally spaced apart on the color wheel (similar relationship as the primary color combo!).

The color wheel can be a great tool when considering embellishments and deciding what colors you want to pull out of your photos!

3. Introduce a new color to a layout through embellishments.

Embellishments offer an opportunity to introduce a brand new color to your layout-- one that doesn't appear in your photo or paper choices. By using the knowledge of the color wheel, you can bring in a whole new color scheme by adding a simple embellishment.



Ella Friend Keshet Starr acheived this concept by adding the green stamps and green title to her her mostly yellow and grey layout. The green embellishments brings a whole new color scheme and feel to her layout.



Similarly, Ella Friend  Francine Clouden used a black and white photo against black cardstock and allowed her embellishments to bring all the color to her layout. Although small and simple, these embellishments bring a fabulous pop of color and a complete color scheme to Francine's sweet layout.

I hope these three color tips help you next time you reach for your embellishments!  

Eight is Enough for Keshet

1. Gray school paper (October Afternoon)
2. Yellow damask (October Afternoon)
3. Blue garment (Studio Calico)
4. Pink polka-dot (Bella Blvd)
5. Apron lace punch (Fiskars America)
6. Butterfly stickers (Jenni Bowlin Studio)
7. Word/phrase stickers (October Afternoon)
8. Pink letter stickers (American Crafts)

1. Studio Calico “Swatch” 12 x 12 patterned paper
2. Studio Calico “Sass” 12 x 12 patterned paper
3. Basic Grey “Houses” 12 x 12 patterned paper
4. KI Memories “Lagoon Calendar” 12 x 12 patterned paper
5. Tim Holtz Tissue Tape
6. Studio Calico Navy Jute
7. Basic Grey “Wander” Pieces die cuts
8. Studio Calico Jett alphabet stamp set

1. Kraft Calendar Paper (Crate Paper)
2. Text/Ledger Paper (Making Memories)
3. Yellow polka-dot paper (Studio Calico)    
4. Calendar Journal Cards (Sassafras)
5. Butterflies (Making Memories)
6. Brads (Making Memories)
7. Orange Alphabets (Making Memories)
8. Staples

When you’re done, e-mail us pictures of all four of your layouts (each sized to 800 pixels tall maximum), plus a picture of your eight original supplies, and an explanation of how you stretched each layout, and we’ll pick one winner each month through March 2011!  E-mail questions and entries to submissions@ellapublishing.com, with “Eight is Enough” in the subject line.

AND to add an extra ELLAment of fun,Ella Publishing is giving away an Eight is Enough ebook!   Leave a comment here and share if you have ever created a layout using only 8 items. Comments will close 10:00 p.m. Saturday February 5th MST.   Good Luck!!!

Hello Ella readers!! My name is Jenni Hufford , and I would like to take this opportunity to say how incredibly thrilled I am to be a new Ella Friend! I am looking forward to a marvELLAous year here at Ella Publishing!

Today I am blogging about a topic that is incredibly rewarding but can be somewhat challenging -- scrapbooking your faith. For many, faith, spirituality, and religion are foundational elements of life, but are they a foundational element in our scrapbooks? I am here today along with two of my Ella Friends, Keshet and Brenda, to share four fresh ideas on how to weave the aspect of faith into everyday layouts.


1. Tell the Story of your Spiritual Journey.

How did you come to accepting your faith? What are your values? Are you learning, growing, struggling in your faith? We are each on this journey called life and have likely established some kind of belief system along the way... document it!



I created this layout, "The Trust Factor", to document a specific area in my life where I am growing -- trusting God with His will for my children. The beauty of it is that it started out as a struggle, but it has turned into a wonderful learning experience. Because of it, I have grown in my relationship with the Lord.

I love to use products that support my "theme", and for this layout, Studio Calico's Elementary Collection was a perfect fit. I love the fact that the background paper looks like a report card. The school theme supports the idea that I am constantly learning when it comes to my faith (yet He offers me grace, and thankfully doesn't grade me on a report card!). I also used Elle's Studio's  vintage "mom" flash card, and Jenni Bowlin's girl and boy tickets. Together, these products support my theme of trusting God as a mother.



Additionally, I decided to hide my journaling away behind the photo. I have found that sometimes I journal more freely and honestly when I know it will be tucked away.

2. Share your Prayer

As a child, I remember my parents would always tell me their specific prayers for my life. Maybe I didn't completely appreciate at it at the time, but as an adult it means so much to know these prayers and see how they have impacted my life.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to read specific prayers from a loved one? Take time to create a page that documents your prayers, hopes, and dreams for a spouse, child, family member, or even a friend.



Brenda used this approach and created a precious layout for her son, "My Prayers for You" Brenda says, "Putting together Seth’s first year with the Becky Higgins  Baby Kit has been a snap. I wanted Seth to know about all the little prayers I send up to God on his behalf. This page protector with 16 spots was the perfected solution for my journaling tidbits. I threw in some of my favorite photos from his first year, a few of the kits embellishments and I was done. One fun thing I did with this page is place some of the embellishments, letters stickers and rub-ons on the outside of the page protector. By doing this, I was able to connect many of the squares together to make for a more cohesive layout."

3. Document the Hard Times

Life has a way of dealing both joys and sorrows. It's easy and natural to focus our attention (and our layouts) on the joys of life. But let's face it, life can be hard at times. Where do you turn during trials and struggles and how has this impacted (or challenged) your faith?


Keshet created an incredible layout titled "I Pray" which focuses on a difficult circumstance she is currently facing. "I created this layout out of need--after months of staying positive through grueling infertility treatments, the pain finally hit me in a stronger wave than I had ever experienced. For days I struggled to make sense of my experience, to understand why, and to learn how to move forward. I turned to my faith, and used scrapbooking as a way of working through my pain. I handwrote the journaling, and just let the sentences flow. The prayers rushed out, filling line after line. After I created this page, I felt much more peace with my situation. In many ways, faith is at its hardest moment during difficult times, and scrapbooking has allowed me to explore the new depth to my relationship with G-d during this challenge."

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4. Use Photography as a Starting Point

You have all heard the saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words". Well, it can also be a wonderful tool for analogy and the perfect journaling prompt!!



I love this photo a friend took on a recent vacation. It's one of the many massive ropes anchoring our cruise ship, and it was the perfect analogy for one of my favorite verses.

Look through your photographs with a perspective of analogy. Can you make a statement regarding your faith and beliefs through a photograph? Often times photos of nature, inanimate objects, or even special relationships can be a wonderful starting point to scrapbooking your faith.



Keshet did a wonderful job matching this photograph with her thoughts on the wonders of God's Creation. I love how she used this photograph as a starting point for her journaling. This layout is less about where she was, and more about what she saw through the lens of faith.

Thank you so much for joining me today as we discussed the topic of scrapbooking your faith . I hope these ideas inspire you to consider the many ways you can incorporate your faith and beliefs into your everyday layouts!