10 Creative Placements for Scrapbook Journaling

March 7, 2021 by No Comments

How do you usually journal? Do you save the journaling for last, and then figure out you have nowhere to put it? (I do this all the time.) 🙂 Or do you feel like you’re in a rut, doing the same ol’ same ol’ each time? Maybe you like the tried and true, and journal in the typical way–a short paragraph or caption under your photo. Certainly nothing wrong with that–it is very functional and easy to read. However, if you ever feel like shaking it up, then this one’s for you.

1) Journal on patterned paper. Here, I’ve used the diagonal lines of the background patterned paper as the lines for my journaling.

2)Tuck journaling blocks under photos. For more visual interest, stagger the placement of the blocks, alternating placement from top to bottom, and only show as much of the block as you need for each photo.

3) Journal directly on a photo. Simply use the white space and a marker capable of writing on slick surfaces.

4) Journal around the outside of photos, mats, or even the entire layout! This is a fun way to add journaling–especially when you forget to plan its placement beforehand. It keeps the eyes on the photos and leaves the design intact, but you can still get your thoughts down on paper.

5) Make your journaling the star of the show. Have you ever scrapbooked without a photo? I have a ton of great stories to tell that don’t have a matching photo. So I just pick a background color, a title, and some embellishments to support my story and let my journaling shine by making the journaling block take the place of a focal photo.

6) Journal across several layered journaling spots. Simply choose a handful of journaling spots, arrange in a way you like (it helps to line up the lines, though), and write across as if it is one big journaling spot.

7) Place your journaling spot in the center of an oversized flower. Pretty self-explanatory. Just stick a small journaling spot inside the middle of a large flower. Perfect when you have just a little to say, but really want to draw attention to it.

8) Doodle some lines and journal away! You can just draw some straight lines with your ruler and pen, or create curly vines coming from a big bunch of flowers, then write away! Let your imagination run away with you–you can doodle a whole scene (lightly in pencil first), then go back over with your archival pen to add your words. Once it’s all dry, you can go back to erase the pencil lines. Just use a light touch!

9) Journal on strips of paper. Again, staggering the placement of these adds visual interest.

10) Journal on a cluster of stickers. Here, I staggered a bunch of tiny label stickers down the side of my focal photo, then simply added my thoughts on top, creating my own journaling block.

Try one of these tricks on your next layout, and see if it re-energizes your creative juices!