(click on photos for larger view)
I don't know. Maybe it's because they are what on my mind.
Today I'm showing a layout of Sammy's First Halloween that would be lovely... if only I hadn't dropped an inkpad face down on it when it was almost finished. Of course I have no more of this background paper. I thought I might just put a tag over it but the placement looked really random. Thank goodness, my sister is coming to my rescue: she has some of this paper left (we bought it together)! I have decided to put the layout in the album as-is for now and when I get a chance to see her, I'll get a replacement sheet and switch it out. The only thing I'll have to re-do is the stamping of the flourishes down the edge of my photo block. Even that little tab that goes across from the background paper to the photo block is only adhered to the upper layer so that it will transfer too.
(Edit after some helpful comments and emails: now I realize I'll have to correct the spelling of Halloween as well. Argh! Oh well.)
I had a hard time getting geared up to do this layout. I would look at the pictures and feel uninspired and move on to something else. I finally realized I was picturing them on a black and orange background, simply because it is Halloween. Once I figured out I'd been thinking that way, it was easy to see I could pick my own color scheme, no matter the holiday. Then it became lots of fun!
I love that little arrow-shaped photo turn. I bought it and ran right home and stuck it on this page. I also like the tab I mentioned, the one on the right page that leads you to Sammy's eyes (and maybe away from his giant drool-stain? No?). It was a chipboard piece with a glossy top that said "Dog Gone Sick" in purple in a saloon-looking font. Weird, no? So I peeled off the glossy layer, inked it with shimmery white ink, and stamped flourishes on it. I didn't have any small brads that matched the one large brad (on the green tag at the top right corner) but I inked some small bright copper brads and embossed the ink to force it to dry on the metal. Cool effect and I remembered to use tweezers so I didn't burn myself (bonus points there).
The other thing that makes me happy about this layout is that it has a little piece of my story in it: when we made these costumes I was so relieved that I was just following the pattern we had. I usually go off on my own creative tangent and then find myself having bit off more than I can chew. My sister ended up having to do that because there wasn't a pattern for what she needed. I was thrilled to just be reproducing the instructions as they were, for once! Even though this is in Sammy's baby book, I'm glad I have that window into the background of the costume and my thoughts about it too.
I actually thought the ink stamp mark was purposeful. (I did think you were pointing to the missing L in Halloween. I hope you appreciate the note, and don't think I'm being a jerk!. You're redoing it anyway, right?)
ReplyDeleteI LOVE what you did with the little tab. I didn't notice the drool until you pointed it out. :)
Oooh boy. No I didn't realize I had missed an L. Yes, I'll be fixing it, but I was only planning on having to fix the one side. Tee-hee. Guess that's how it goes some days!
ReplyDeleteAnd no, you aren't being a jerk mentioning it :) It jumps out at me now, surely I would have noticed it eventually???
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ReplyDeleteFortunately, I have 3 pieces of that paper! You're welcome to them all if you want!
ReplyDeleteIt WAS fun to those costumes and my lion turned out cuter than I had expected. I remember the big problem was that it was HOT in Yuma that year, so NJ only wore the top half of the costume, and even it was unzipped most of the time.