Making 12 x 12 paper work on an 8.5 x 11 page!

Hey everyone, this is Kimberly and I am so happy to be here sharing another project with you!  Be sure to stop by my My Craft Spot, for more fun projects and vidoes!

I usually prefer to make 8 1/2 x 11 scrapbook pages, rather than 12 x 12.  So . . . .  I thought I would do a post today showing a couple of ways I have been able use some of the beautiful 12 x 12 papers and cut outs on smaller pages.  These tips would work for 8x8 and any other size you like!

Resizing specialty background papers:

I love the cut out backgrounds that you can buy (Blue scallop in picture below), but of course it was 12 x 12:

Gypsy to the rescue!  I took this 12 x 12 scalloped background from Crate Paper

and used my gypsy to resize the scalloped rectangle from Gypsy Wanderings to the right size for my 8 1/2 x 11 page. (10.27 w by 7.52 h)

Then I placed the 12 x 12 paper on my mat so that it overlapped the outer lines in the top right corner.

Loaded it into my Cricut

and cut the new scalloped border.  Of course, I save all of the wonderful scraps to use on my cards!!

Just the right size for my page!

I also used my gypsy to create a snowflake border similar to the Martha Stewart border punch.  Click here for a video showing how to make borders on the gypsy. (You might not ever buy a border punch again!)

I ended up resizing this snowflake border larger for my layout, but you get the idea.  I just picked 3 snowflakes from cartridges I have (There are tons of snowflakes to choose from!) and varied their sizes a bit. The first snowflake is from Winter Woodland and the next 2 are from Christmas Solutions.  I just repeated the same 3 until the border stretched across the page.

I used stickles on the word 'winter' and glossy accents on the word 'fun'. This simple page puts the focus on the pictures (which I will add later!)

Cutting a Single Sheet down to use on a two page layout:

Sometimes I find a beautiful piece of cardstock like this one.  I bought this piece because I loved how beautiful, serene and sparkly it was.  I actually put it by my scrapbook area to just look at and enjoy for a while. :-) Then, one day I decided that I should try cutting it down and actually using it for some wonderful snowmobiling pictures I have.

  I trimmed a bit off the top and a bit off the bottom of this 12 x 12 sheet and then cut it so that the left side is 4 inches wide and the right side is 8 inches wide.  That way I could spread the paper across 2 pages. The title is cut from the Winter Woodland cartridge.

 

I used my gypsy to cut the scalloped border and placed it on either side to help frame this beautiful winter scene.  You can download this cut file here. (Apron lace Gypsy file)

 

Bonus Layout!

I used the Dinosaur Tracks Cartridge for everything on this layout. The title letters were cut at 1 inch with their backgrounds. The little fossil dinosaur was cut at 2.34 w by 1.84 h. The fern leaf was cut at 1.57w by 2.04 h.  The footprints were cut at 1.15 w by 1.57 h. 

I cut this cute dinosaur at 4.18 w by 1.8 h.  Click here for some fun dinosaur cards and a T-rex with glossy teeth!

I cut the palm tree at 3.35 w by 4.71 h.  Click here to see how I made the palm tree.

Perhaps someday I will do more 12 x 12 layouts, but for right now I find that the smaller albums are just the right size for precious little hands to hold on their small laps and enjoy.  That is what scrapbooking is all about, after all!!

Be sure to check out my blog, My Craft Spot , for more cards, projects and videos!

I made this fun tag and card using some of my favorite Cricut cartridges and my Hand Dyed Crinkle Ribbon.