rts 4x4 series, or something similiar...?

You might like Simple Cut Creations. She posts new videos every Friday and uses one collection to make anywhere from 2-6 layouts. She scraps with her pictures in mind so you'll see different size photo mats on her layouts. She doesn't post her pictures - just the layouts without the pictures.

I also really like the 4for4 series but I'm not sure it would work for me either. But Janet's videos are always inspiring in some way.

If you want to mix it up a bit more, just multiply it out. Use 4 times the papers to make 4 times the layouts, but you can shuffle your papers so you end up with different combinations. So instead of 4 pages using the same 4 papers, you'll end up with 16 very differently papered layouts. I hope I explained that in a way that makes sense.

4x4x4  

And, if you're concerned about having 4 of each sketch, you can turn some on their sides or upside down to vary the look.

Depending on how you select and use your papers, you can make four very different looking layouts. Like you, I was really inspired by the 4x4 series and wanted to give it a try. I ended up making four layouts in one day (which is unprecedented for me because I'm usually somewhat meticulous in my scrapbooking which slows me down) which was brilliant. On top of the four papers I used my stash of scraps which is probably what helped me to make four very different looking layouts. It also helped that I used b&w photos on two of the layouts. I didn't strictly adhere to the formula because I cut some papers up more and I didn't use all of the papers I had cut across the layouts.
Anyway, here they are if you are interested. The four papers I used were a collage-type paper, pink gingham, yellow sunshine on a white background, grey chevron and a green polka dot was the 5th bonus paper.

They don't have to be different random pictures. You could do different sets of pictures from an annual event, childhood, fall, beach, camping, baby, etc. Whatever works for you. 

I have done something similar... the single-page 4x4 method doesn't work for me for a couple reasons:


1)  I do mainly 2-pg layouts--  although Janet does show how to use it for 2-pg layouts, by choosing / cutting 2x as many papers

2)  I take too many photos and usually end up with multiple 2-pg layouts from a particular event (museum visit, vacation, etc.)


The Club Scrap concept is similar; they sell kits which have directions for how to cut the papers and arrange them into either 8 pages (4 2-pg layouts, in the Lite kit), or 14 pages (7 2-pg layouts, in the Deluxe kit).  I don't subscribe to the Club Scrap kit, but I use the Club scrap cutting and arranging directions; I just choose my own papers and embellishments.  Here's their website / blog / kit instructions archive.  Each kit has a PDF file that gives the cutting instructions, which papers go with which layouts, and what the layouts will end up looking like.  I just use the PDF file instructions with my own papers.

ETA:  I just realized that's not exactly what you're asking.  I make multiple 2-page layouts that are all from the same event, so the similar papers actually WORK for what I'm doing.  But Janet goes into a lot of detail in her videos to discuss 'mood and feel' for how she chooses her embellishments, which really helps to individualize the different layouts she ends up with. 

Since I'm mainly a B-side scrapper and I typically don't use heavily-themed papers, I could make four 1-pg or 2-pg layouts look VERY different just by choosing different embellishments- tags, stickers, die-cuts, ribbon / washi, etc. that all go with the photos I'm scrapping.  And I would never end up putting those 4 layouts right next to each other in my album, so I don't think the 'same papers' would be noticeable at all. 

I just did it for the first time. I tried to pull fall papers and fall pictures. These are the pages I did.

@evcnj58- those turned out awesome - all four layouts are obviously different in design and style but they would work well to tie an album or series of layouts from an event together without being matchy-matchy. I like it!

@missbellejane - lovely layouts - great use of scraps to vary them up even more