Sunday Sketch

Today's sketch will allow you to combine two beautiful patterned papers to create a lovely framed picture, complete with your favorite phrase or verse. Changing the colors and image will make this a versatile layout for any them or occasion.

Start with a solid card stock background that coordinates with your patterns. Then you'll cut two pieces of the patterns, one for the top and one for the bottom. Experiment with what patterns look better on the top and which ones are best as anchors on the bottom.

Run another piece of card stock across the card as a center border and let it run over to the edge of the card. This will make a clean edge and will cover up the seam between the two patterns.

A large image in the bottom corner and the sentiment in the upper corner will balance each other out across the card. And by keeping your phrase on the outside, you'll have a blank card inside and plenty of room to add another small image or mat a writing block with some pretty designs.

For my card, I used some beautiful shades of blue, beginning with a fairly dark shade as my background.

Then I matted my stripe and swirl patterns, covering the place where they meet with a second shade of blue card stock.

I matted the verse on a third color and overlapped it onto the border. My house and tree images balance out the card from their place in the bottom corner.

For more inspiration, visit my Etsy shop. You'll find hundreds of handmade cards, journals, paper crafts and lots of great gift ideas. And you might even find something special for yourself!