I started with perusing Digital Scrapbook Ingredients gallery, which you can find here and picked a layout that is very unlike my own style.

Using photoshop Elements I created a basic template with similar shapes as the inspirational layout.

I love to add a stroke to my photos and shadows as I go.

Now because I have this kit: For the record Fall by Digital Scrapbook Ingredients and Becca Bonneville I tried it with exactly the same paper placement as the example.

This is exactly what not to do. No one minds being the inspiration for your own work of art, but being copied exactly thrills no one’s heart..

So I changed up the papers in keeping with the colours in my photo, which were not at all Autumnal at all, and I was already much happier that this looked more like something I would do.

At this stage I have the photo, papers and title in place. I wanted a spot for the journaling and I wanted to draw attention to the rhinoceros lurking in the bush behind us. I carried on playing, moving things around, layering up flowers etc while keeping to my more simplistic style.

I often add brushwork under all of the layers later in my process to get the diagonal draw from top left to bottom right that I love.

The end result is totally mine, even though I used the same kit and the same basic foundational/paper pieced layout that the inspirational piece had.

I trust that this helps you to look at layouts and to be inspired when the mojo has left but you still have memories to record and long to be creative.