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Wednesday, March 2

Color Me Red: As Seen in GingerScrapsStreet Magazine

Color Me Red by Julie Ann Shahin

"In our life there is a single color, as on an artist's palette, which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love." Marc Chagall 

The color Red holds an important spot as the first visible light of the rainbow. It is a color to be celebrated. As such, Red is the perfect hue to serve as the official color of the month of February, of Valentine's Day - as it evokes passion, exhilaration, love, and warmth. Red is a beating heart, a stop sign, a rose, Cupid. Red is hot, flush, joy, action, happiness, and prosperity. What does that mean for you and me? Red is also the perfect color for scrapbooking and papercrafting as it grabs the eye, calling for attention. There is more to using this color when you want to set the mood. 

See if you agree with expert color psychology on the following greeting cards. First, notice Karen's choice of a light shade of red in her "I Go Cuckoo For You!" card where this shade exudes playfulness, while the purple undertones add a bit of charm. Second, observe that Donna's bright red declares happiness in her "Love, Laugh, Grow" card while a bit of blue in this red gives it a sense of bonhomie. Last, but certainly not least, Laura's attention-getting dark red, in her Valentine Day Card, goes to the mysterious side yet a distinguishing feature of this red is that it is mixed with purple for subliminal symbolism that speaks of treasures. You can scoop out more about color psychology here.  

The next time you make a layout or craft, reflect on the shade of red you use and it's undertones , and allow it to help you decide what tone and atmosphere you intend to set.
I Go Cuckoo For You by Karen Maldonado 

Supplies: Paper: We R Memory Keepers, Cardstock: Bazzill Basics Paper, Die Cuts: Spellbinders, Ribbon: Fabric Barn, Buttons: Jo-Ann, Markers: Copic, Floss: DMC Creative World. Tools: Die Cut Machine: Sizzix (Ellison), Dies: Spellbinders, Border Punches: EK Success, Stamps: La-La Land Crafts. 

Designer's Notes: Use different size and shaped border punches for added flair to your card! I also used the ribbon across the card as a way to prop up the sitting girl stamp, so it looks like she is sitting on top of the ribbon and border punches! 


Love, laugh, grow by Donna Espiritu 

Supplies: Paper: Red River, Cardstock: Georgia Pacific, Other: twine. Tools: Other: corner rounder, sandpaper. Digital Supplies: Kit: Dear Sweet Friend by Janet Carr (For The Luv Of Art). Software: Adobe Photoshop CS3.

Designer's Notes: To make a flat hybrid card more interesting, add dimension by popping up some of the cut out elements like flowers, leaves, wordart. I did not use a foam tape which can make the cutout elements too prominent. Instead, I used a piece of folded cardstock for a slight raise only. I used a brown twine to add texture and to somewhat balance the bright and bold colors in the card.  


Thomas Valentine Day Cards by Laura Thomas 

Digital Supplies: Card: Vintage Valentine Cards Kit by Rhonna Farrer (twopeasinabucket), Brushes: 175_Rhonna Swirls (twopeasinabucket), Alphas: Parisian Alpha Rub-Ons & Brushes by Rhonna Farrer (twopeasinabucket), Frames: Snapshot by Rhonna Farrer (twopeasinabucket), Software: Adobe Photoshop CS2. 

Designer's Notes: When using the templates for the cards I wanted to soften the edges on the photos and to blend them into the background. Since I was using template cards designed by Rhonna Farrer, I also used her swirl brushes to create the effect that the photo is part of the background. 


"Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own." Robert Heinlein 

Capturing the joy and love from special events to everyday life is what scrapbooking is all about. Joy and love are obvious themes for scrapbooking at the Valentine holiday, and color is one splashy way to convey those emotions, without having to say it big and loud. By using a gallon or a quarter, a lot or just a little, either way red is sure to say volumes about your affections. 

Whether you want to declare a celebration as in Colleen's "Happiness" layout with a friendly shade of red, or declare a sentiment as in Angel's sophisticated "Love Story" layout with just a bit of red in all the right places, or hug your "first-time" photos with patterned papers containing cheery reds as in "Jacque's Family Fun at The Track" - red is an all-around pleasing color to use in design. On a personal note, I know I use red more than any other color in my layouts. Take a closer look at these stunning layouts, and next time you'll be reaching for the reds in your stash too. Here is a bit more help to get you started:

Great Title Ideas for Scrapbooking:
Red Letter Day
Paint the Town Red
Red Carpet Treatment
Lips As Red As a Cherry
Caught Red-Handed
Alert Status Red
The Last of the Red Hot Mamas
One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
Red Hot
The Red Queen
Find more: here.

Songs With the Word Red in It (also great for titles):
Red Headed Woman - Bruce Springsteen
Red, Red Wine - UB40
Lady In Red - Chris de Burgh
Little Red Corvette - Prince
Red Dirt Road - Brooks & Dunn
Red Rain - Peter Gabriel
The Red Shoes - Kate Bush
Red Hill Mining Town - U2
Ballad of the Boy in the Red Shoes - Elton John
Red Letter Year - Ani DiFranco
Red Sails in the Sunset - Bing Crosby
99 Red Balloons - Nena
Put On Your Rosy Red Glasses (Album by The Number Twelve Looks Like You)
Find more:  here.


Happiness by Colleen Swerbinsky 

Supplies: Cardstock: Papertrey Ink, Flowers: Prima Marketing, Pens: Signo (Uni-ball), Other: ribbon.  Tools: Stamps: Papertrey Ink.  Digital Supplies: Kit: Forever Moments by Lauren Grier (Sweet Shoppe Designs), Templates: 2010 iNSD Cookie Template at Sweet Shoppe Designs (retired), Software: Adobe Photoshop CS2. 

Editor's Note: The red background serves two purposes: one, to unite the photo and the paper grid; and two, to declare that this is a special occasion or moment that is quite meaningful. I love the grid of paper blocks, and how Colleen embellished them. The scalloped borders are perfect finishing touches. 

Journaling: I never get tired of the way you make me laugh. 


Love Story by Angel Hartline 

Supplies: Paper: Prima Marketing, Transparency: Heidi Swapp, Ribbon: Prima Marketing, Buttons: Foof-A-La (Autumn Leaves), Bling: Prima Marketing, Photo Paper: Hewlett-Packard. Tools: Punch: McGill. Digital Supplies: Paper: Enchanted Garden by Pat Christensen (Weeds & Wildflowers Design), Paper: Rue 88 Coordinates by IOD (Prima Hybrid), Alpha: Gem Alpha Royal by IOD (Prima Hybrid), Software: Photoshop CS3, Font: 1942 Report. 

Designer's Notes: I created Love Story as a hybrid layout-within-a-layout. I created a simple digital layout, printed it 8x8in on to photo paper, then mounted it on 12x12 patterned paper. The red journaling box was printed separately so I could punch out the scallops and tuck embellishments underneath it. The digital layout works all on its own, but the hybrid embellishment and layering really framed the layout and brought the project to life. 

Journaling: Twenty years ago on February 14 you were born. A girl destined to steal our hearts from the start. And every Valentine's Day we're reminded how lucky we are just to love you. 


Family Fun at the Track by Jacque Stanwood 

Digital Supplies: Kit: On the Field and On The Field Add-on (Red Team) by HD Creations (Stuff to Scrap), Fonts: Urban Sketch, Pupcat, and Papyrus, Software: Gimp. 

Journaling: You boys totally enjoyed your 1st trip to NHMS Loudon, NH Designer's Notes: This was the very first creative team layout I ever did. I loved all the fun papers and wanted to show them off in a fun way!






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