CP Gal Subject Gallery: An Open Road Fourth of July - Jill Sprott

With the Fourth of July done and gone, it's time to think about scrapbooking all them magnificent holiday photos! Here to get you started with a non-traditional take on the subject is CP Gal, Jill Sprott.
.......
At the peak of summer, one of my favorite holidays occurs: the Fourth of July. Not only is it a celebration of America, but it also brings together all that is worth celebrating about summer — quality time with family, tasty barbecue, fresh watermelon, warm sunshine, and breathtaking skies. Although the holiday itself only lasts a day, it can always be revisited through a layout capturing some snapshots and memories.

Deciding on the color scheme for a Fourth of July layout might seem to be a no-brainer. Just go with the traditional (not to mention patriotic) red, white, and blue combination, right? Not necessarily. Red and blue, paired together, can make a very bold impact on a page, with the risk of photos being overwhelmed or the non-red and non-blue colors in them being overlooked. Working in other colors can help to temper the impact of the red and blue, while also playing up to the other hues in the photos.

Since pink is basically a lighter hue of red, it is a welcome addition to the page. I also added some yellow to the mix, shifting the color combination from a red and blue duo to a primary color trio.

The background patterned paper, a sheet of “Souvenir Shop” paper from the “Open Road” collection, features various gradations of red, pink, blue, and yellow, making it an ideal foundation for this layout. Since there is a lot happening in the two photo strips, I placed them atop a subtly striped white and cream paper, backing the paper with a few layers that feature bursts of red and white. I gave these layers a boost with some adhesive foam tabs.

Above the first photo strip, I added a die-cut title that I created using my own handwriting. I misted it with pink and blue, and stitched across it. I then pieced together the word “the” with some tiny blue letters from a sheet of “Boys Rule” cardstock stickers. Above the photo block, I gathered together a series of accents that continue the color scheme and that emphasize the Fourth of July theme, including a cluster of fours, made up of die-cut numerals, pieces of patterned paper, and letter stickers.

It can be a challenge to add journaling to a holiday-themed page, since holidays involve traditions, and there are only so many things one can say about the same traditions that may have already been documented in past layouts. My approach to the journaling on this layout was to focus on the present by generating a list of moments and details that are still fresh in my mind from this year’s celebration. Some of the items on the list may be traditions, but others are sensory details unique to this Fourth of July. In the wording of the list, I repeated the same structure, mentioning a noun (for instance, “the hot dogs” or “the fireworks”) followed by a verb using “-ing” (for instance, “turning,” or “shimmering”). This creates a sense of continuity and cohesion.

From the colors and the accents to the photos and the journaling, every aspect of this page converges to share the spirit of the Fourth of July.