If you love scrapbooking but sometimes struggle with figuring out where everything should go before you start cutting into your favorite paper, Cricut Design Space can be a great way to plan your page first. For this project, I’m sharing how I used Cricut Design Space to plan an entire 12×12 scrapbook layout at actual size and then turned that digital plan into a baseball-themed scrapbook page. So let’s get started!
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I created a generic Scrapbook Layout Starter Template with common photo sizes, frames, a title, journaling area and simple decorative elements. You can customize the same template for vacations, birthdays, holidays, sports, school memories or just about any occasion.
For my page, I turned the generic template into a baseball scrapbook layout featuring photos from a day at the ballpark.
The generic Scrapbook Layout Starter Template and my finished Baseball Scrapbook Layout are available to Studio Letter subscribers.
Why Plan a Scrapbook Layout in Cricut Design Space?
One of my favorite things about designing the page digitally first is being able to see how the different elements will work together before cutting any cardstock.
My starter template is set up at the actual size of a 12×12 scrapbook page, and the photo placeholders represent actual photo dimensions. That means I can experiment with photo placement, mats, titles, embellishments and journaling areas while getting a good idea of how everything will fit on the finished page.
You can move things around, resize decorative elements and try different colors without wasting any paper.
Once you like the layout, Cricut can cut the pieces you’ve designed, making it easy to recreate your digital plan on the physical scrapbook page.
Supplies
For this baseball scrapbook layout, I used:
- Cricut cutting machine
- Cricut Design Space
- LightGrip cutting mat
- 0.4 black Cricut pen
- 12×12 patterned scrapbook paper
- Red, navy, white and coordinating cardstock
- Printed 4×6 photos
- Paper adhesive
- Baseball-themed embellishments
- Scrapbook Layout Starter Template
- Baseball Scrapbook Layout
You can easily change the colors, patterned papers and embellishments to coordinate with your own photos or scrapbook theme.
Check out the video below:
Start With the Scrapbook Layout Starter Template
Open the Scrapbook Layout Starter Template in Cricut Design Space.
The template includes several basic elements that I commonly use when creating scrapbook pages, including photo placeholders and mats, title and subtitle areas, a journaling section, banners and simple decorative shapes.
Think of these as building blocks rather than a finished scrapbook design. You don’t have to use every element.
For my baseball page, I knew I was working with two 4×6 photos, so I didn’t need all of the photo sizes included in the starter.
Instead of deleting the pieces I wasn’t using, I simply hid them.
TIP: Hiding unused elements instead of deleting them keeps the original pieces available if you change your mind or want to create another coordinating scrapbook page later.
Choose Your Scrapbook Color Palette
Next, customize the colors of the template to match your project.
I chose a classic baseball-inspired combination of red, navy and white.
Changing the colors inside Design Space gives you a better idea of how the finished layout will look and also organizes your pieces by cardstock color when you’re ready to cut.
I changed the photo mats, banners and other elements I planned to use so everything coordinated before moving on to the decorative elements.
Add Themed Images in Cricut Design Space
Now comes the fun part, turning the generic layout into a completely customized scrapbook page.
Since I was creating a baseball layout, I searched Cricut Design Space for baseball-themed images.
I added a large baseball design that would become one of the main background elements. After inserting it onto the canvas, I changed the colors to coordinate with my red and navy color palette and enlarged it to sit behind the photo areas.
Don’t be afraid to move things around while you’re designing. The purpose of planning digitally is to experiment.
My final placement wasn’t exactly where I initially thought it would be, and that’s completely fine.
Customize the Banners and Decorative Elements
I also used some of the banner elements included in the starter template.
I resized a navy banner for the upper portion of the layout and flipped another banner to use near the bottom.
Because these elements were created using tools available in Cricut Design Space, I could easily modify them to work with the page rather than being locked into one predetermined layout.
That’s one of the reasons I like starting with a generic template. You’re not simply filling in someone else’s scrapbook design. You’re using the pieces to create your own.
Add a Baseball Player and Create an Offset
I found a baseball player image in Design Space and positioned it toward the lower portion of my layout.
Because I planned to use patterned scrapbook paper as the background, I didn’t want the dark baseball player to disappear into the pattern.
To help it stand out, I created a white Offset around the player.
That small border separates the image from the patterned paper and gives the finished die cut a nice layered appearance.
Once I was happy with the offset, I grouped the pieces so I could continue moving and positioning the baseball player without disturbing the alignment.
Create a Layered Scrapbook Title
For the title, I added a baseball-themed “Baseball” design and created another Offset.
The additional layer helps the title stand out from the background and gives the finished scrapbook page more dimension.
When you’re planning your title, remember to consider what’s actually happening in your photographs.
I knew I might make small adjustments during assembly because I didn’t want the title or embellishments covering anyone or anything important in my photos.
Design Space gives you the plan, but you can still make creative decisions once you have the physical pieces in front of you.
Create a Journaling Card With the Cricut Pen
I also wanted a dedicated place to record memories from the day.
Instead of handwriting the heading on my journaling card, I changed the text to a writing font and set the operation to Pen.
I used my Cricut 0.4 black pen to write the heading directly onto the cardstock.
Make sure the written text is Attached to the journaling card before sending the project to your Cricut. This keeps the text positioned correctly when Cricut writes and cuts the piece.
I’ll add my personal journaling to the blank lines later, but this gave me a finished area specifically designed for preserving those memories while keeping the personal details private in my photos and video.
Prepare the Scrapbook Layout for Cutting
Once the design is complete, hide anything you don’t want Cricut to cut.
For example, the white photo placeholders in my starter template represent the actual photographs. I don’t need Cricut to cut those shapes because my printed photos will eventually sit on top of the cardstock mats.
Click Make and review each mat before continuing.
I like to make sure the pieces are arranged efficiently so I’m fitting as many elements onto each piece of cardstock as possible.
You can use solid cardstock, patterned scrapbook paper or a combination of both depending on your design.
Cut the Scrapbook Pieces With Cricut
For this project, I used my Cricut Explore 3 along with a LightGrip mat, the cardstock colors I selected during the planning stage and my 0.4 black Cricut pen.
Follow the prompts in Design Space to write and cut the different elements.
Once everything is finished, remove the pieces from your mat and organize them before beginning assembly.
Assemble the Baseball Scrapbook Page
With everything cut, it’s time to turn the digital design into a real scrapbook page.
I started with my patterned 12×12 background and assembled the major elements using my Design Space layout as a guide.
Then I added my photos and made small adjustments to the positioning as needed.
I also added a few dimensional stars and baseball embellishments from my craft supplies to finish the page.
One detail I especially like is the placement of the stars across the bottom of the layout. I arranged them to suggest the trajectory of the baseball coming off the batter’s bat, ending with a small baseball embellishment near the journaling area.
It’s a small detail, but it adds movement to the page and gives the embellishments a purpose beyond simply filling empty space.
Use the Same Scrapbook Template for Any Theme
The baseball page is only one example of what you can create with the Scrapbook Layout Starter Template.
Because the starter itself is completely generic, you can change the photos, colors, titles, decorative images and paper to create an entirely different layout.
Try it for:
- Vacation and travel photos
- Birthdays
- Christmas and other holidays
- Graduation
- School memories
- Weddings
- Family photos
- Sports
- Disney vacations
- Seasonal scrapbook pages
Once you’ve planned your basic layout, search Cricut Design Space for images that fit your theme and start customizing.
Get the Scrapbook Layout Templates
Want to create your own?
I’ve made both templates from this project available to my Studio Letter subscribers:
Scrapbook Layout Starter Template — the generic planning template you can customize for virtually any theme.
Baseball Scrapbook Layout — the completed Design Space layout I created in this tutorial.
Sign up for the Michelle’s Party Plan-It Studio Letter to access the templates and my growing library of creative resources.
And if you create your own version, I’d love to see what theme you choose!
Happy Scrapbooking!
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