You know you've done it; heck so have I. How many times have you used a photo on top of some beautiful paper, or elements and not used a fastener on your photo? Heck I have lots of times. When it comes to our layouts, how many hours do we spend making sure that our layout shadows are realistic and have depth, and yet don't staple down our photos or elements? When I first started digital scrapbooking I looked at my layouts with a very critical eye...did the shadows all fall in the same direction, was the light source on the layout consistent...if I took this and printed it out, would it seem like something would slide off the page if I tilted it?

One thing I'm going to be working on over the next few months is not only getting more realism from my layouts, but making sure that I use fasteners like Laura's new Staple Basics to keep my photos and elements where they should be. After all, often times it's the finishing touch to a layout that gives it that little something special. And the nice thing about these staples is that the shadows are INCLUDED!

Now if you missed Laura's grab bag that she recently did with Flergs, Suzy Q and Ziggle, don't sweat it! You can pick up Laura's mini-kit and scribbles at Scrap Orchard now. (Of course the images are linked).

Check out Amber's layout. How cute is this!!!

And I think Nikki's clustering just rocks on this layout!


So remember this week to use fasteners on your layouts to keep everything down. Laura's staples are a must-have in your fastener stash! And stay warm thinking of yummy ice cream and milkshakes this coming summer.