This morning I started a new layout with a red cardstock background and realized I really wanted a small border of light blue to frame the layout, so I pulled out another piece of cardstock and decided to "save the middle." This is a term I first learned in the BPC Dimensional Details workshop taught by Nic Howard last year. I just wanted a very thin border on my layout, so I cut an 11x11 piece out of the middle of the blue sheet.
The trick here is lining the paper up correctly. I wanted 1/2" strip border strip, so I lined the paper up with the extended ruler at 11 1/2". Then I set the cutting blade down at the 1/2" mark and cut straight across to the 11 1/2" mark before picking it up. I turned the paper and repeated on each side.
This left me with a 1/2" border square and an 11x11 sheet of the cardstock. I can use the new smaller piece of cardstock as a background on another layout or use it to mat some of the items on the current layout (like I did with the title block). This is an especially helpful technique when you only have one sheet of a colored cardstock or patterned paper and you want to stretch is as far as you can.
I used the outside border on a layout about my oldest niece's 18th birthday BBQ. I started with this sketch from Lisa Day. I really like the placement of photos and the stair stepped appearance of both sides of the photo block. My photos were different orientations, so I had to make a few adjustments. I'm very pleased with the outcome. I used the invitation for the party as my title block. (Please excuse all the blurry photos - some are not my family and a few were just not great ones of my family and I didn't want them to disown me. It was a very very HOT day which doesn't often bring out our best appearances!)
What about you - do you save the middles of your papers?
Yup - I save my middles a lot! I've always called it "gutting" though! I'll quite often gut a piece of card behind a piece of patterned paper to give me spare card for photo mats, journalling blocks or titles.
ReplyDeleteRecently a Promarker pen blobbed onto the edge of a 95% complete page so I trimmed two sides of the page to remove the blob and mounted it on complementary gutted card - job done!
Yes, I stretch my paper as far as possible.
ReplyDeleteFabulous layout - love the bold colours and a great way to use 10 photos without it feeling crowded
Yes, I do save my middles, though as Jemma says it's called "gutting" over here which is a horrible word I try not to say lol
ReplyDeleteBeautiful layout!!
ReplyDeleteYay for ric rac! Back in my scrapping days, before fabric completely took over my life, I did save my middles
ReplyDeleteGreat layout, and great thrify use of your cardstock :) I don't 'gut' my cardstock as often as I should, I can be quite wasteful at times.... Laziness on my part!
ReplyDelete*thrifty
ReplyDeleteI do on some but it does depend on the card stock
ReplyDeleteI have to admit to being a bit lazy when it comes to saving middles..I must try to improve! Love the colours of your LO!
ReplyDeleteAlison xx
I'm too impatient to take the extra time - maybe when I've whittled my paper stack down a bit further, I'll be more inclined to do so. Great red layout!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous idea. Never thought about it!! Can't wait to try it out though.
ReplyDeleteI love doing that - especially if I'm using patterned paper as a background, stretches the paper much further! great layout!
ReplyDeleteWe call it 'gutting' a piece of card or paper over here. And yes, I do too. :) Your page is wonderfully vibrant!
ReplyDeleteI love saving the middle and learned this in Nic`s class as well! It`s a great way to save some paper, especially when it`s a pattern you adore :)
ReplyDeleteI often save my middles, especially if it's patterned paper. Love the bright colors of your layout.
ReplyDeleteI'm a paper saver and ESPECIALLY in this circumstance. A lot of my layouts have huge holes in the back.
ReplyDeletegreat layouts. Love the bright colours. Thanks for sharing your work.