GCD Studios June Technique: Define Your Style and Pinwheel Tutorial

I am always envious of scrapbookers who can immediately respond to the question, "What is your scrapbooking style?" Despite the fact that I started scrapbooking way back when you only had some cardstock and a few stickers to choose from, and now with all the great patterned paper and embellishments choices we have available... I do believe I am still struggling a bit with what my "style" really is...

BUT... when faced with this month's GCD Studios Technique project to "Define Your Style", I found myself pulling out a pile of my favorite layouts from the past and taking some time to really study them. (I recommend this for anyone who is still trying to find their own style!!)  I discovered that... from what I can tell, I have a tendency toward a more Classic-Clean style. That's not to say that I don't make an effort to jazz things up a bit now and then, because once in a while I do (although it doesn't come naturally by ANY means)... Still, for the most part the layouts I create and feel most pleased with are very similar to what I have to share with you here today. Which is good... since that's what this month's technique is all about... defining your own style!

I started this layout with a 12 x 12 sheet of Kraft cardstock and paired that with both the front and back sides of "Trick Pony" from the Fun House Collection by Tina Higgins, that complimented the main colors in the photographs (especially my grandson's bright orange shirt). For additional interest, I added chipboard flags and topped my handmade pinwheels with elements from the FunHouse Collection Chipboard Shapes.

With my computer and printer, I typed up a journal block onto Spring Rain cardstock (Papertrey Ink) and cut it out using Tim Holtz Alterations "Tags and Bookplates" die. The finished size of the tag is just slightly larger than three inches wide and I cropped my photos with my trimmer to three inches so that all four elements would fit across the 12 x 12 page. I then placed all my elements onto the page....and...ta-da, one Classic-Clean layout... am I right?

Now before you run off to take a look at your own layouts to determine your style (you are going to do that, right?)... I want to show you how I created the cute little pinwheels I used on this layout.  The directions are quick and so easy too!

Simply start with a square piece of two-sided patterned paper.  For my large pinwheels at the bottom of the layout I used 2 x 2 inch pieces and for the smaller pinwheels I used 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch pieces.

Fold your square into a triangle two times as shown.

Unfold the paper so that you can see the "X".

With scissors, cut each one of the lines almost to the center.

Place a small dab of glue on the center of the paper and fold one corner of each of the cut sides toward the center allowing the glue to hold each piece firmly.

Add an embellishment of your choice to the center of the pinwheel to hide the glue and then apply to your project! Note: I stick the end of a pencil into each one of the loops to fluff them up a bit after the glue has dried completely.

That's all there is to it...  and by the way, "what's your scrapbook style?"