Through the Years Mosaic

(Click any photo to enlarge)

Hello everyone.  I gave myself a mental health day off from blogging yesterday.  I had planned to post this layout, but was simply too tired to do the write up after a busy and an evening of scrapping.

I made this double page layout for one of my LOAD 513 prompts.  The prompt was the name of a classic mystery, the Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.  Using the title as a prompt we were asked to create a scrapbook layout.  I like to work in double pages so that the pages match once they are in the book.

My idea for this prompt was Doug and I as empty nesters.  We started with just the two of us and it seems like in no time at all it is just the two of us again.  I hoped to be able to show the passage of time in these two pages.

I used Mosaic Moments grid card stock to help me space my photo tiles.  I started with young us placed in the upper left  and progressed to the second page lower left were we have the current us. And in between are the children as babies, toddlers, elementary, middle and high school ages.  There is at least one college age of each child, and then it is just Doug and I again.

In the middle of the left pages I added the journaling below:

The top right twenty-two year old Doug and Susan.....  Four years before the first child joined us....

The current Doug and Susan - 31 years later....

One of the things I am enjoying most about LOAD 513 is the challenge to look at scrapping differently.  I tend to scrap events or activities.  This class is encouraging me to think in more specific terms.  I would not have thought of an age progression mosaic without this prompt.  With the first week of LOAD completed, I am looking forward to the next three weeks!!

LOAD 513 Day One Layout - Mrs. White

Hello everyone!  I am ready to tell you more about LOAD 513 now that I am getting the hang of this.  Each day there is a prompt that somehow relates to the Clue game.  Day one the prompt was "Mrs. White is in the house," the Clue character, Mrs. White.  You could do anything that had white.  There were several snow layouts, white belts in Karate, white space on the layout, etc.  I went with white lace.

Last fall one of the guys that my son Aaron grew up with was married.  Dane is a great guy and we think his wife is so nice.  I had previously cropped the family pages from the wedding - but then I received a couple of photos from the professional photographer.  I like this photo of the wedding party with Dane and Megan up front.  Aaron is the man in the back right leaning against the pillar.  He was a groomsman.

I included a lot of white lace cuts on this layout to meet the "white" requirement. However, I decided to make my own flowers for this layout using dies.  I cut, shaped, and assembled the flowers following the steps below.

I started by inking the edges of the off white side of the petals.  Then using a stylus and foam mat, I began shaping the flowers.  I stared with the smallest sections and shaped the petals inward by pulling from the center of the petal down toward the center hole.

For all of the other layers of the flowers, regardless of size, I started with the petals face down.  Using the stylus, I made a back and forth C shape across the outer edges of the petals until the edges roll up.  As they rolled I used a finger to nudge the edge into the roll.

Once all of the petal edges were curled to the back, flipped the flower over began the second step of shaping.  Using the stylus in a back and forth motion, I made tiny circles from the center of each petal down toward the center of the flower.

 As I rubbed with the stylus the petals began to roll up (all but the outer edges) toward the middle of the flower.  Once all of the petals are standing up (with the edges curling out) each flower section should look like the flower below.

Once all of the layers are shaped, I begin assembling.  The center of the flower is assembled differently than all of the other layers.  Overlap the left side of each petal over the next, gluing the petals to make a little tunnel.

After the center had dried, glue each consecutive layer into the next, turning the flower slightly to off set the petal layers.   Your finished flowers should resemble the flower below.

After I finished shaping my flowers, I gave them a spritz with Glimmer Mist Sugar Cookie color.  This added darker areas in the flower.  I followed this with a few brush strokes of clear low glam glimmer.  Finally, while the flowers were still damp, I sprinkled the flowers with a very small amount of fine white glitter.  I waited for the flowers to dry completely before attaching them to my page.

In addition the flower, leaves, and lace, I also added a title with a cutting machine.  I cut the title at 2.5 inches tall.

Here is one last look at my LOAD 513 day one layout.  I really do like the daily prompt and the motivation to get me into the scrap room daily. All daily layouts have to be posted in a private Flickr account by mid-night pacific time each day.  I am a bit concerned about when I go to my mom's over mother's day weekend.  Her Internet connection is very slow and is guaranteed to give me a hard time. Hopefully we can run out someplace and I can use their Wi-Fi.

Thanks for stopping by today and view my layout.  I will be back tomorrow with a new post.

Event Wednesday - Bodacious Party Favors

Hello everyone.  Today is Wednesday and that means it is time for my weekly Event Wednesday post.  Today I am going to give you a sneak peek into the party favors for my 1920's Speakeasy Party. 

If you have not been following along, I planned two parties/events this spring.  The first was an afternoon tea with my girlfriends on Palm Sunday in March and the second is a Roaring '20's Speakeasy Party later this month (in a week and a half, actually).  Last week I shared the handmade party invitations.  So this week I will share the party favors.

Since this is a Speakeasy party I thought we needed to send our guests home with "bootleg" liquor as they await the repeal of the 18th amendment.   I ordered old fashioned looking bottles with cork stoppers from a bottle supplier on line.  I went to our local liquor store and strolled the aisles until I drove the salesman mad looking for the perfect bootleg bottle filler.  I finally settled on Irish Cream Liquor. 

I used my Silhouette Cameo and Silhouette printable metallic adhesive sheets to create personalized bottle labels - Bodacious Bootleg Booze Bottled by Doug and Susan.  My friend Susan M. saved the day with the metallic sheets - I had ordered the sheets and they did not come in.  According to the store at some point after I ordered they sold out.  I could not get them from a local store, from Silhouette, or from Amazon.  But Susan M loaned me a package of the metallic sheets she had on hand.  In the meantime I found another on-line source and ordered sheets to repay Susan. 

Back to my labels - I set up a print and cut file in the Silhouette Studio software.  I personalized the fonts and the wording of my labels then I went in and changed the exterior cut shape.  The labels were cut at 2.5 x 2.5 inches.  I know the title - Bodacious Bootleg Booze - is a bit cutsy, but I like it!

I also printed and cut a sheet of Repeal buttons.  This is a copy of the buttons worn by The Crusaders, those against the 18th amendment.  I turned the art into a jpeg and printed and cut the buttons.  Using the cord, I attached the buttons to the neck of the bottle. 

The corked bottles are 6 inches tall and have an 8 ounce capacity - for 8 ounces of Irish Cream Liquor!!   I photographed the bottle next to my favorite liquid glue.  I am not sure this really helps with the perspective, but I am hopeful.

All I have left to do is fill the bottles right before the party.  I can only hope my guests like their Bodacious Bootleg Booze as much as I do!

Thanks for stopping by today for Event Wednesday.  I will be back tomorrow with another Mad Men inspired card to share.