Hello to my fellow double-page loving friends!  It’s Kristie (Suzie Belle Designs) here today with your Theory Thursday blog entry.  In my last entry I talked to you about why double-page layouts are the coolest- and why it makes me sad I’m seeing less and less of them out there.  If my previous attempts at converting you all didn’t work before, maybe I’ll have better luck today! 

I have a wonderful friend named Heidi who shares my love for the double-pagers, so I was thrilled when she called me and told me she had a great article for me to read in the April 2008 Creating Keepsakes Magazine on just that subject.  I’ve been trying to decide what I wanted my next blog-entry to be, and this was perfect!  The article is all about one of my suggestions in my previous post- converting your single-page layouts into double ones!  So go grab a freebie template or find a single-page layout that you have seen and wanted to scraplift- and I’ll give you some ideas on how to turn it into your own double-page creation! 

As you double-page scrap, it’s really important to make sure you’re looking at your layout as a whole rather than two separate pages so before I begin, I actually open a new document sized 12” x 24” to work on and then crop it after it’s all finished- this way your pages will flow perfectly together.

#1  There are many great ways to convert a single page layout into two.   I’ve told you about turning a single-page by 90 or 180 degrees for your second page before- and the first method the article gave was to MIRROR it, which is along those same lines.  So all you have to do is create your
first page as you normally would, than reuse the template after flipping the canvas horizontally.  Make sure your elements all line up across, and it’s nice to even use the same ones continued through both pages, and voila!  You’ve got yourself a rockin’ double-pager.  Here’s an example I made using one of the templates in The Fun and Flirty Template Pack by Britt-ish Designs.

Here’s a preview of the original template:

And here’s how I used it by taking the template and flipping it over for page #2:

#2 The next easy conversion method is to EXTEND a one-page layout into two pages.  Have way more pictures and way more to say than can possibly fit into one page?  This method is for you.  I’ve chosen  to do my next layout because I had way more pictures of this specific event than could possibly fit comfortably onto one page- and most of my pictures were the same orientation (tall rather than long) so I thought they would look really nice just displayed in a row straight across the two pages.  Here’s my scraplifted layout (from Allison Davis) when used for just one page:

And here it is again when I’ve extended it across the two (Look how much more detail and journaling I can add using two pages rather than one):

#3 In method number three, you want to take your favorite parts from your single-page layout and DUPLICATE them onto the second page.  Maybe it’s the paper scheme, perhaps it’s a really fun element you’ve found you love, a frame, a shape, etc.  Whatever it may be, use that thing you love to tie the two pages together.

Single:

Double (I reused the paper, border, doodles that I totally love, and double matted rectangular shapes for my second page):

#4 The final method I’ll talk to you about today is to STRETCH your single page out over two-pages.  I’ve seen a lot of single-page layouts that I totally love and want to scraplift in the ScrapMatters gallery- but the problem I have is that I almost never only have one or two photos I want to use- it’s always way more!  So instead of having to cut down your choices to one, just take that photo area on your page, and stretch it across to page number two.  Stretch your elements, paper, everything to fit more pictures side by side across your two pages.   Here’s one of the a single page layouts I saw in the gallery and totally loved- This one is by Brittney (Britt-ish Designs):

And then here’s my stretch scraplift of it:

You’ve seen mine- now I want to see yours!  Go look at your old single-page layouts or find a page you’d love to scraplift and try one of these four methods to see what fun double-pagers you can create!   

Kristie

Credits:

Picture #1- Template #2 in the Fun and Flirty Template Pack by Britt-ish Designs

Picture #2- Ribbon from Cool as a Cucumber by Suzie Belle Designs, Template #2 in the Fun and Flirty Template Pack by Britt-ish Designs, Everything else from the About a Boy Collaboration kit by Ellie Lash and Flergs

Picture #3- Let’s Polka kit by Andilyn Designs

Picture #4- Punch of Papaya kit by Suzie Belle Designs

Picture #5-  Template by Happy Scrap Girl; paper from Tomboy Kit by Sunshine DigiScraps; Doodles by LgPerspectives

Picture #6- Template by Happy Scrap Girl; paper from All Aflutter and Boho Bella- both by Suzie Belle Designs, Doodles by Lg Perspectives

Picture #7- Everything is from Diamante Designs by Lori Wiley- Border (recolored) from “April News”
- Background paper from “Warm Glitz Paper Pack 2″
- “Inked Frames”
- “Funky Swirls - Black and White”
- Shones Blumen
- Floral BeautiesStitches by Britt-ish Designs: “In Stitches: BasicPicture

#8- Scraplift from Working from Home Layout by Britt-ish Designs; Fairy Trails by Ellie Lash; Zig-Zag stitch by Britt-ish Designs: “In Stitches”; Flower Fastener by Scrappy Blue Stones; All the rest of the elements and paper from Flower Girl kit by GG Digital Designs