I don’t know about you, but I notice far too often that I take a LOT of pictures of my favorite little people, but fail to jump in the picture myself. Granted…there’s a problem due to the fact that I’m always the one holding the camera. But Francine is not so limited as me; she’s far more inventive. Check this photo that serves as the basis for this layout she titled, “Us.”

I love photos like this that aren’t posed. They’re real. You know that door on the side of the picture. It’s one you walk through everyday. You didn’t worry about coordinating outfits. You haven’t spent hours deliberating on the perfect setting for the portrait. Yet it’s the most perfect setting of all…one that reflects the real life behind the scenes. The one that you really want to remember. These are the pictures and layouts that will be the most meaningful down the road when you look back. They’ll be the ones that help you remember the best times. The times that meant something.

The Black Tie Love Affair had lots of “WhatNots”…some of my favorite categories of scrapbook supplies because they are so versatile for all kinds of projects (cards, altered art, layouts, etc.) You’ll notice the fun combination of HUGE alphas and teeny alphas that Francine mixed for her title. I love the Francine uses the background of her photo as just that…background. She’s not afraid to layer over the side or edge if that portion of the photo isn’t elemental to the “memory.” And as always…journaling…it’s a MUST!

Never skip the closeups. They give you a good look at the little details that really make the page special and will get you great ideas for upcoming projects.

More projects from Francine and our other LBD Designers soon!