Inspiration: November 2019 Page Maps Sketch + Lasting Memories Layout Challenge #563 (polka dots)
As I finished making a card with the Hello Summer papers, I made some simple layered embellishments using the leftovers punched and fussy cut images I had. Then I thought they would look cute on a page, so I went to my trusty family calendars I've been pulling pictures from and found this adorable picture of my nieces in their summer outfits. I picked a sketch and started cutting papers and before I knew it, I was going on this new page.
To do my large scallop border, I cut a strip of patterned paper and made a line with a pencil at about ½" from one long edge. I then used my 2" circle punch to punch out circles. I should be noted I have recently marked the middle of my circle punches to help me line things up. Tip: To do so, you punch a circle with that punch, you fold the punched circle in half on one side and then in half again. You then place that punched circle back in the punch opening and you can use a Sharpie to add tick marks around your punch following the fold lines on the circle. Simple but useful! (Some punches already have those marks on them - not all of mine did.)
So I basically placed the half mark on my pencil mark and punched along my strip of paper. That then helped me glue the circles straight and evenly on the back of my polka dot paper. I didn't realize it when I did it, but this step was even more important due to the fact that I was using striped paper and it would have been very apparent if it had been glued crooked. I added doodling around the edge of the scallops with a black paint marker.
The sticker sheet included bold words in fun fonts, so that made it easy and fast to create my title. I knew I had to place something underneath the word otherwise it would get lost on the patterns, so I looked through my smaller paper scraps and found this interesting rectangle that looked like a Polaroid. I backed it with one of the floral cut-aparts and popped my title sticker on foam adhesive to make it stand out.
While looking for something else, I found my piercing templates and decided to add a pierced heart at the bottom. That led me to adding a die-cut heart, on which I layered a couple of stickers. One of the cut-aparts had an adorable flamingo on it, so I fussy cut the image and added it on foam adhesive in the corner.
On the left side, I added fussy cut flowers and my initial handmade embellishment. I added another strip of patterned paper to ground it better. I have recently rearranged my ribbons - I've grown quite the collection over the last two decades, so most of my spools are in an upcycled boot box under the bed, and I have a smaller show box that I keep on my desk with current ribbons plus a few favorites. I made a rotation and pulled colours that I might use for the Holidays or that I want to use more off, so I had this pink satin pleated ribbon, which made a nice border and the white pompom trim, which looked pretty slipped under the bottom edge of the picture. I was not liking the gap I was getting at the top of the page between the title Polaroid and the ribbon, so I backed a paper sticker with white cardstock, leaving a border, and I used a leftover die-cut tag from my desk to add a little banner sticker to and I threaded green organza ribbon in it. The sticker page had a cloud, so I decided to add it to the top of my page, with a second smaller cloud fussy cut from the patterned paper. When looking at ornaments, I found the Sunny Skies Cute Clips from Doodlebug and decided to slip a sun paperclip on the cloud. I added a rhinestone sticker on the smaller cloud. I added my last handmade embellishment to the right edge of the picture, with a sticker tab underneath.
I embellished my images a bit with enamel dots and pearls and then I remembered I wanted to add the year to my page. I looked through my alphabet stickers and I found the One Fine Day stickers from My Mind's Eye. Those were found in the clearance section and I wrongfully assumed they were white rectangles with black print. They are actually clear stickers, so their use is a little different. I decided to use them here and because the stickers are quite large, the date is pretty space out. I wasn't sure at first, but once all the numbers were in, I decided I liked it. You'll also notice the little smiley at the top of the page, also one of the stickers from this set.
I was about to be done with the page and put things away when I noticed the sketch had a border on the right edge of the paper that looked like stitching. I have some black stitching rub-ons from 49 & Market that I really, really love, so I pulled them out. I was just planning on doing that edge, but then I saw the heart rub-ons and I wondered how they would look added around my die-cut circle... This is where last-minute ideas are something tricky. The flamingo is on dimensional adhesive, so it was in the way, and preferably, I would have done the stitching and then added the word sticker over it. So I cut the top part of the heart off to work around the flamingo and in retrospect, I wish I had done the same around the words, but hey, I still very much like the result. I also got the idea to "stitch" my numbers in place and I love the result.
What started out as a simple page where I thought I would only use a few sheets of papers and stickers with my handmade embellishments turned into a pretty involved page in the end.
Supplies
Cardstock: Basic Black (Stampin' Up!)
Patterned Papers, Stickers: Hello Summer (Simple Stories)
Punches: 2" Circle (Stampin' Up!)
Ribbons and Trims: Blushing Bride Satin Pleated, White Pompom, Lemon Lime Twist Organza (Stampin' Up!)
Alphabet Stickers: One Fine Day (My Mind's Eye)
Accessories: Exotic Onyx Pearls (Studio Katia); Sunny Skies Cute Clips (Doodlebug Design);
Enamel Dots (Studio Violet); Darcelle Say It In Crystals (Prima Marketing);
Mini Stampin' Dimensionals, Piercing Templates, Paper Piercer (Stampin' Up!);
Black Roughly Sewn Rub-Ons (49 & Market); All Occasions Enamel Dots (Pink & Main);
Bling Stickers (Recollections); Black Uni Posca Paint Marker
Love your mix of patterned papers and prints and wonderful embellishment clusters! Thanks so much for joining us at Lasting Memories! :)
Posted by: Deanna | September 07, 2021 at 04:05
Super cute photo Cindy loving thoes colours. Thanks for joining us this week at Lasting Memories DT Maureen
Posted by: Maureen Wood | September 14, 2021 at 16:21
Beautiful layout! Love your paper choices and embellishments! Just fabulous!!! Thanks for playing along with us at Lasting Memories Layout Challenges!
Posted by: Sandy Ross | September 22, 2021 at 15:13