One of my favorite techniques to do is create a background. Whether it's using an assortment of Storybox papers, paper tags or an enlarged photo, creating your own background adds a new twist to any layout design and it's unique!
Our favorite thing to do as a family is go bowling. We try to commit to bowling once a month, two games filled with lots of fun! Right where we walk into the bowling area to purchase games is a beautiful wooden wall filled with bowling shoes. It's eye catching and just amazing! I think I have more photos of the wall of bowling shoes than of us bowling.
While I was picking out photos from our bowling trip to scrapbook, I was drawn to the wall of bowling shoes & thought, how fun would it be to use it as my background and that is what I did. Instead of printing the enlarged photo in color, I printed it in black & white, just so I could use color photos to stand out.
Creating the layout was easy, as I kept it simple using minimal elements to tell my story.
You can easily enlarge your photographs to 12" x 12" and print on photo paper or cardstock for a natural look. So, give it a try. You will be amazed at how fun, unique your layout will look.
ETA: If you do not have a wide format printer, most, if not all, photo processing companyies offer a 12" x 12" print size for photos. Thanks so much for your lovely comments!
Thanks for the idea to make it black and white! I couldn't grasp how to keep my page from being cluttered.
Posted by: Jenni | 03/31/2012 at 04:36 PM
This is an easy technique to do with digital. I love that I can reduce the opacity to make the effect more subtle. I never thought to do so with traditional.
Posted by: Andrea | 03/27/2012 at 10:51 PM
What a fun page! I love the wall of shoes.
Posted by: Debbie Pasquini | 03/27/2012 at 08:47 PM
Check your spelling of "whether" in your second sentence. I love creating digital backgrounds.
Posted by: Leslie Burnett | 03/27/2012 at 08:43 PM
I use photos as a background a great deal of the time. When I'm on vacation I'm always on the lookout for something that I think would make a great background. Sometimes a photo background is so subtle no one realizes it is a photo unless you point it out. My digital customers love this idea!!
Posted by: Judy Tardie | 03/27/2012 at 03:55 PM
My printer won't print 12x12. Can the Photo places at Walgreens or Walmart do it?
Posted by: Margaret | 03/27/2012 at 02:32 PM
I have done this digitally several times (I even made a 12x12 wedding album with nothing but full page photos)
. I can't wait to try the idea of making the background black and white with color on top! Scraplifting? Who me? Guitly as charged!
Posted by: Barb | 03/27/2012 at 02:00 PM
That is so clever!!! I love it. Thanks so much for sharing.
Posted by: Peggy VanValkenburg | 03/27/2012 at 01:41 PM
What an awesome idea. I will have to try this.
Posted by: Cindy | 03/27/2012 at 12:14 PM
I do this all of the time-and love it!
Posted by: Suzy | 03/27/2012 at 12:07 PM
Love it good for you
Posted by: Betty | 03/27/2012 at 10:26 AM
Love this! I love to use full photo backgrounds in my digital scrapping but never thought of it for traditional. Great idea!
Posted by: Jodi Eisner | 03/27/2012 at 10:25 AM
I love this! I have several pictures I can use and am excited to try it out.
Posted by: Jill McLeester | 03/27/2012 at 10:22 AM
What a great idea! I never would have thought of it. I am imagining some camping photos on a black & white backdrop of a mountain scene. Who knows where it can go from there. Thanks, Cindy.
Posted by: Jeanne Woody | 03/27/2012 at 09:47 AM
ooooh cool idea Cindy!
Posted by: gretchen | 03/27/2012 at 09:13 AM