The Challenge of Creating Boy Pages

There was an interesting thread on one of my favorite FB groups the other day having to do with loving the products (and kits) on the market, but still needing to be able to create boy pages or pages with a more masculine feel.  So I am going trying running a regular feature for awhile about creating more "manly" pages (for little men and big ones!).

Going back through the archives of my blog, I pulled out several older layouts created with photos of  my #1 grandson!

Having a husband, son and son-in-law, and two grandsons to scrapbook, I do understand the plight.  .  I do also have a daughter and a granddaughter, but finding and designing pages for them is not nearly as frustrating.  There is a wealth of pretty pink, mint and aqua papers and embellishments, not so much in grays, blues, oranges and greens. 

There are a few companies that do produce "boy" collections fairly regularly; Bella Blvd. and Echo Park, and several that produce collections with pieces and portions that can easily be used for a more masculine feel; Bo Bunny, Fancy Pants and last year Pink Paislee.

 I also used to use quite a few papers from My Minds Eye for boy pages... the variance in pattern even within one collection was such that it was easy to coordinate papers to the photo.  Placing the papers against a kraft cardstock background also helped with a more masculine feel.  I even got away with adding lacy doily pieces, since the photo was bunny--Easter related.

Creating your page with color in mind can be a challenge today, given the heavier influence of pinks and pastels...but it can be done.  Here grandson's shirt helped me use turquoise and aqua, even sliding in some pink!  (Structurally, if I was to do this page today, I would have tucked that title in right up against the photo rather than leaving it hang way off to the side...ah well, everything is a lesson, right??!!)

So here we are, I will be making a point to address creating "boy" pages and (hopefully) providing some helpful tips for everyone making pages for all their boys!


best,

Cheryl