Hi Matt. I get the impression you're looking to make these pages look "elegant" and "sophisticated" -- more "adult", if you will. Your cousin is a grown woman who has just accomplished a major feat! (Congrats to her, by the way!) A good rule of thumb that you might want to keep in mind is "less is more!" By that I mean, by keeping your pages more "simple" than "busy", you'll probably get the look you've described in your post. Think about using solid colours for the backgrounds (what are her school colours?!). Think about using embellishments that look more realistic or traditional rather than cartoonish. Think about using deep, classic, bold colours (which have a tendency to look "classy!"). Do you have any souveniers from the ceremony or party (i.e. the program?) that might be interesting to include? I'm afraid I don't know of any specific products to suggest -- I've yet to do a grad layout myself. But I hope this gives you a start. Good luck!

I haven't done a grad layout yet either. Did you get a pic of the diploma? You still can... You would probably get a classier look if you stayed away from stickers altogether. You can journal on the computer and put it on acid free paper (I always matt my journaling). Looks better/more professional than handwriting. I like handwriting as it gives it the personal touch, but it may not be best in this case.

Hi Matt,

I also agree with the follow-up comments and with more is less. I would stay away from plastering stickers on your page although I am a sticker junkie. I just completed a graduation album for my nephew. What I did was a four page fold out (which is actually 6 pages)in the shape of a diploma and cap. The two center pages (they opened from the middle out)were the diploma and the cap. When you open those pages it brought you into a 4 page layout of the gradutation and celebration. I had people at the party journal a small sentiment on paper which I when matted on acid free paper and used a pair of antique scissor to score the matting paper. Then I placed them on the pages with a few pictures.

To make the pages fold out from the middle out, I cut the jeeping off of one side of two pages. Then I used artist tape to attach them to the other pages.

I have to say, my nephew absolutely loved it. I hope you find it useful.

Well..opinions are like noses, everyone has them and my nose thinks there is nothing more elegant then simple rounded photos, rich classic colors or jewel tones, matted on a minimal edge contrast color. I love the ideas above about the expanded layout , blowup of the diploma, and journaling with your computer. A sticker junkie myself, you could use the outside pages to do something whimsical with stickers or confetti.Great ideas ladies!

I found some really great "calligraphy" pens at Michaels. I can't remember the name or brand, but they have a pen tip at either end...for a smaller and larger calligraphy look. You have to practice some to learn how to hold the pen but I really love the look much much better than my plain hand-writing (which I HATE when I journal). They provide a more personal touch (look) to the page then printing calligraphy style on the computer (which is also a nice idea). Like Jill, I usually like to matt what I journal, depending on the page. If your cousin just graduated from Med school, could you somehow incorporate something from her "soon to be profession"? Perhaps you could make (scrape) a nice looking professional business card with her name, the date she graduated, her title etc.? I'm not too up on graduating med students so maybe she has to complete her residency, but maybe you could include smaller photos of where she will work or complete her residency on the page (in the background or superimpose photos of her on top of these smaller ones)? For something a bit more comical, maybe you could get a photo(s) of her with friends or family "using" her medical tools from her black bag with a humorous title page or a funny lyric or poem? I love to matt a lot of my photos and I also love to try (try being the key operative word here)and make up poems or rhyme when I journal. I think you could have a lot of fun and still have some very elegant and "fun" pages. Good luck! Send us a link for your completed pages so we can save the ideas...I'll need one in about 14-16 years!