I have really, really, really been wanting to get back to scrapbooking. This layout is the result of a combination of things: re-watching for the third time and finally acting upon the first lesson Shimelle’s “Return to the Collection” class, which I purchased last fall (I won’t allow myself to watch the next lesson until I’ve completed the current one. I love watching Shimelle’s videos, so this is actually a strong motivator for me), listening to innumerable scrapbook podcasts and reading innumerable scrapbook blog posts, watching Glitter Girl’s new episodes, and this week’s Studio Calico challenge, which is to use an older kit.
I just plain took a break from the crazy preparations for an upcoming trip and used naptime to make this layout. I couldn’t even remember the story behind the photos (it was just before I started adding captions to the metadata of every photo I keep on my computer) and I ended up emailing everyone who was with me that day to poll them for stories. My mom was the quickest to respond, and her (excellent) memory saved the day. I was able to write a brief caption so that I could finish the page. The story isn’t big, but it’s part of a larger set of pages about a visit that my parents and brother made to Husband and I before our daughter was born (another layout can be seen HERE, and I still have to make the third layout to complete the set).
Instead of using a collection kit as per Shimelle’s class, I decided to keep killing the “Mind the Gap” kit I have from Studio Calico (more layouts from that kit HERE and HERE, and there is an additional 2-page layout I’ve not shared yet). I ended up gutting the furthest background paper at the last moment before adhering the two layers together, and I’m glad that I did, because I ended up using the gutted piece as the mat for my photos! I only added a few extra bits and pieces to the Studio Calico kit: some burlap (Canvas Corp., from an ancient (March 2010) Scrapbook Circle kit), round black letter stickers (Jenni Bowlin Studio, from the same Scrapbook Circle kit…maybe I should kill that one next…yes, I have trouble breaking apart kits…), Project Life cards from the Jade edition (one 4×6 journaling card and the edge of a 3×4), and an adorable sewing mini-stamp set by Maya Road (“Sew Cute”). There are also some bits and pieces from my die-cut box. I inked the edges of my paper a la Shimelle. Oh, and fun fact: the stamped doily is from a Studio Calico class I took at a CKC convention (St. Louis) in 2011!
The sewing machine card was made a while ago; I thought that I would make it into a greeting card. Turns out, it worked perfectly on this layout! I made it by stamping the Maya Road stamp onto watercolor paper and embossing with white powder. I added blotches of watercolor paints (thanks, sweet daughter, for sharing!) to bring out the image, in imitation of Kristina Werner.
It was gratifying that it took me considerably less time than 2 hours to make this layout come together. Yes, the photos were already printed, and yes, I did spend some time trying to cobble together my story. But once I had a few thoughts in my head and the papers on the table, the process went quickly. I kept Shimelle’s main lesson 1 points in my head, and it helped me to just make a decision and move on. It felt good! Maybe I won’t be so rusty this time around after a break! Yay!
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