On a mag jag ...

Magazines? They're my downfall. Home, garden, lifestyle, cookery, sport, cars, yachts, steam trains - whatever is sitting around in the library, the dentists' or the doctors', you'll find my head buried in them. I have been known to miss hearing my name called. Not because I'm reading, you understand; indeed, most of the content passes me by. It's the design that makes my heart skip a beat: flick, flick, stop, stare, grab my notebook and pen, sketch, flick, flick ... This header, In August's The Simple Things, just jumped out at me ...

I mean, how cool is this? Perfect for adding a jazzy touch to an otherwise bread-and-butter page - the sort with lots of photos, and an occasion which just needs recording but without having the red carpet rolled out for it. I couldn't wait to get going in Photoshop and Illustrator, though I am feeling a tad guilty for not being able to acknowledge the designer by name. (Should it be you, and you happen to be reading along, please do email!). Having toyed with converting the shape to an oval so as not to totally scraplift, I realised that the triangular edges of the diamond worked so well with the shapes in my photos that I just went with it, and altered the vertical lines instead ...

So thank-you, talented designer, very much indeed. Now printed onto a single sheet and Herma-swiped, the page has been popped into my Day2Day album. Done. A sigh of short-lived satisfaction, for already I can feel the itch and twitch, the need to feel those glossy magazine pages between my fingers, the hunger for another fix ...  When's the next appointment in my diary? :)

Oh, hold on a minute, just before you go! Just a quick reminder that it's going to be the 15th this Thursday and time for another Simply A Moment: a chance to pause for sixty seconds, look around and within, notice and record. Should you be new to Simply A Moment, or just like a refresh, the original inspiration is here, and the PDF of ideas can be downloaded with a click or two:

Download Simply A Moment PDF

Hoping you will feel you can join us! And see you then?

 

 

Comments

[sandie]

What a lovely page Alexa, your eye for design is enviable. I love the photos and the way you was inspired by the simple logo.
I have visited Petersham Nursery, the one shown in your magazine article. Wow! What a delight. If ever you are in the area it is a worth a visit. Our day was made extra special following a visit by Prince Charles. The nursery had been shut for preparation and I don't know if extra special effort had been made or if the displays are always so eye catching and glorious, but it ticked every box for me. You've reminded me I want to revisit.
Meanwhile, I'm wondering where Parlsey Way is because I'd like to visit there too!

[Melissa]

Great page Alexa, and I love seeing a little into your process from inspiration to page. Thanks.

[Paul B]

Beautiful layout Alexa, love the inspiration for the title. I know exactly what you mean about becoming excited by an article's design rather than content. I have scrapbooks full of similar cuttings from magazines. It's addictive lol Pxx

[Helena C]

yes a great design and beautifully executed in your version. I do like the idea of bread and butter and red carpet pages - I'd never really thought of them like that but as soon as you said it I knew what you meant

[Missus Wookie]

How fun to have a glimpse into your weakness for magazines and see the stunning page that resulted. Great photos and grid design.

[Sonja]

Great page. I have to admit to enjoying magazines at appointments I think it's because their new to me. I always like titles I don't usually read.

[Michele]

I love reading about where you get your inspiration from. Fab page!

[Sian]

Beautiful!

magazines are my downfall too. It started with my Mum's Woman's Weekly and I still feel a surge of happy anticipation when I head for the magazine stand before I start the food shopping. When I was a student my friends used to laugh at me saving for a copy of something like Country Living..I loved the photography and the colours. Today there are so many choices

[Louise]

a beautiful page..I love to see how you turn an article/advert into a page to suit your style x thanks for the heads up on Thursday.

[Abi]

I like your inspiration Alexa and how you have interpreted it. I will see you on the 15th!

[Mary-Lou]

Your scrap lifted page is inspiring. I like your single photo divided into two - umm I am going to scrap lift that idea for my Summer Fun album. Since I scrap mostly my garden photos, I look to those types of magazines for inspiration.

My Summer Fun album was a freebie that I won several years ago at a Creative Memories workshop (7X7") and it was lurking in the back of my scrap closet. Since the album cover is summer themed with a butterfly; barbeque; sandals & a sun face, & being a traditional scrapper, I thought it perfect to house my idea of a summer album which is kind of a bucket/ to do/to done list with photos & embellishments.

[Yvonne Yam]

Ahhhh...I love my mags too...It's certainly inspired a great page!

[Melissa]

(Ok, this is my 3rd attempt at leaving a comment - hope it works this time!)

Great job using the magazine inspiration on a layout. I've been on a magazine reading binge lately, and I actually pulled out an advertisement the other day to use as inspiration for a layout. (Don't worry, it was my magazine, not the one in the waiting room! LOL)

[Deb @ PaperTurtle]

You are so dang cool, Alexa. I love that you took inspiration from a magazine title and made it work for you. So clever!

[rinda]

Wow - the 15th came around fast!
Rinda

[Honoré]

I just love how you take an inspiration and run with it! Thanks for sharing this and all the others- seen and to come! And this is a too fun page. Just perfect for the design.

Looking fwd to this month's Simply a Moment, as always! Just really ranks up top there as one of my favorite things to do!

Cheers~

[[email protected] at the sea]

Ah, magazines. *sigh* You're absolutely right, the diamond works so much better than an oval would, with the path shot in particular. I like your addition of the background lines ending in a point, giving a chevron effect.

[ifa]

Beautiful LO. I especially love the photo split into 2 at the bottom. I used to do this too, scanning magazines for interesting layouts and sketching it out on scraps and stashing in my handbag. Unfortunately I haven't been too successful converting these sketches into actual layouts. So have given up on that avenue.

[Wanda]

Well done...and I like that you made the shape of the vertical lines echo the shape of the diamond.

[Nathalie]

Beautiful interpretation of the inspiration piece! I love the fact that there are so many photos and yet the design is simple and flows so well!

[Gail]

You did great with your version of the inspiring magazine page. Unfortunately no "simply a moment" this month but I think I'll have one for next month.