Plain cardstock is your friend - Enhancing Scrapbook Layouts with Simplicity
Scrapbooking offers endless possibilities for creativity, and one key component often overlooked is the beauty and versatility of plain cardstock. In the double-page layout designed by our guest scrapbooker Sarah, you’ll see how using simple cardstock creates a cohesive, visually appealing layout that lets the photos and memories shine.
Here's how plain cardstock can become your best scrapbooking companion.
The Beauty of a Solid Foundation
Plain cardstock provides a smooth, uniform background that allows the content of your scrapbook pages—like photos, journaling, and embellishments—to take centre stage.
In Sarah's layout, the clean blue cardstock adds a calm and natural feel, perfectly complementing the outdoor theme of the Brechfa forest photos. The consistency in the background enhances the vibrancy of the images without overwhelming them, creating a unified visual story.
By using a solid background, the eye naturally focuses on the essential elements, such as the landscape photos and action shots of cyclists. Plain cardstock also prevents any clash or distraction that a busy background might cause, ensuring the design remains balanced and visually clear.
Enhancing Photos and Journaling
Plain cardstock lets you focus attention where it matters most—on the photos and journaling.
For instance, the forest scenery photos capture the serene atmosphere of Brechfa, while the cycling action shots add dynamic energy to the page.
Thanks to the plain background, the viewer’s eye can flow easily between these elements. The text blocks—such as the handwritten journaling “A beautiful day at Brechfa” and “Finishing the ride”—are simple yet prominent. By placing them on neutral backgrounds, the stories are highlighted without losing their connection to the rest of the layout. The text is easy to read, and the spacing feels intentional and uncluttered.
Combining with Simple Embellishments
The simplicity of plain cardstock does not mean your layout needs to look flat or boring. Sarah enhanced her design by adding small embellishments, such as the leaf-shaped cut-outs across the top of the page. These decorations are subtle yet effective, adding visual interest without overwhelming the composition.
The leaves are cut from patterned paper, which contrasts gently with the blue cardstock. By keeping the embellishments small and well-placed, the design remains dynamic but not overpowering.
Using Neutral Borders for Balance
The combination of plain blue cardstock with neutral grey borders on these pages adds another level of balance to the page. The thin grey ribbon strip running horizontally across the middle of the pages divides the layout while adding a neutral anchor point. These kinds of neutral borders can help balance the weight of more colourful or busy elements in your layout, grounding your design and giving it a more organized structure.
This technique is particularly effective for maintaining cohesion when using multiple photos, as seen in this layout. The border acts as a subtle divider, making the page easier to navigate without detracting from the content.
The Power of Texture and Patterns
The subtlety of plain cardstock also means you can play with textures and patterns around the edges or in small doses, as Sarah did with the floral-patterned strips along the top and bottom edges. These decorative strips add visual variety without taking away from the central design.
The floral pattern echoes the natural theme of the photos, but because it’s confined to the edges, it doesn’t distract from the main elements of the page. Instead, it frames the layout in a way that feels deliberate and artful, creating a polished, finished look while maintaining the simplicity that plain cardstock offers.