2 New Layouts

A while back a friend sent me a few pics of his adorable daughter so I could make a few layouts for him. I posted the first layout HERE.

I can FINALLY report that I've finished the other two!! I think I put too much stress on myself for these since they are going to someone else. Something that I'm pretty proud of on both these layouts is the pictures themselves. I finally figured out how to use the clone stamp feature in Photoshop Elements and was able to remove distracting background elements in each picture. Yea me!

This first one is based on the amazing sketch done by Diana a couple weeks ago over on her Sketchy Thursdays challenge blog:

I'm telling you - this woman has some mad sketchin' skillz!! (You know she's good when I whip out the "z". Hee hee.) Head on over to her site (Designs by Diana) to join in on the challenge fun every Thursday. Layouts for this week's sketch are due tomorrow (Wednesday 7/8) if you want to play along.

I had a bit of fun with the ribbon on this one. Note how I paired all the ribbons and trims with black accents, too. I wanted to reinforce the touches of black found in this awesome Basic Grey paper.

I made a few more of my crackle, distressed flowers and shaded the title with ink, reminiscent of a couple of my earlier layouts.

Details: Paper - Basic Grey, The Paper Co.; Ink - StazOn, Stampin' Up!; Cricut die cuts; Autumn Leaves stamp; Stampendous embossing powder; Ranger Crackle Medium; Stickles; Joanns ribbon; trim unknown.

This one's been practically done for a couple weeks now:

I just had to finish up the right side. I used the multi-embossing powder technique demonstrated by Jennifer McGuire over on her Thinking Inking series on the 2Peas site for the dandilion. The distressed frame is also embossed with copper powder.

I got the inspiration for the butterflies from a layout done by Cathy Blackstone in the July issue of Scrapbooks Etc. Each butterfly body is handstitched, too. The idea for the embedded border punch was also inspired by a layout in the July Scrapbooks Etc. by Mellette Berezoski.

The color scheme on this layout fits in nicely with this week's Scrapmaster's Paradise Color Challenge blog:

Aren't those colors positively yummy??!! The butterflies and dandilion have the turquoise and pink colors and the frame closely matches the suede color. I can't wait to get my hands on some of these new Stampin' Up! In Color inks.

Details: Paper - DCWV, The Paper Company; Ink - VersaMark, StazOn; Embossing Powder - Ink It!, Top Boss, Stampendous, Joanns; Stamps - Unity Stamp Co., Autumn Leaves, Sassafras Lass; Cricut diecuts; Stampin' Up! brads; Fiskars border punch; unknown eyelets, thread.

Had a bit of excitement in the ol' household today. I have lived in the suburban Phoenix area for 38 years and have NEVER encountered a scorpion. I know this area is known for them (housing developments in former desert and orange grove areas) but I have been lucky enough to have never seen one IRL, save for the odd paperweight. But lo and behold today there was one of the little buggers in my hallway. Not only did the fact that there was one in my house freak me out, but he was just about as far away from any doorway or window as he could get so he managed to scuttle through my house for a while. Luckily, I happened to notice him before I (or my kids or dogs) could step on him. I just feel so violated. Weird how such a little creature can have that effect on you. I hope this was an isolated incident! I walk around all day long (and at night in darkness) in bare feet.

Well, anyway...thanks for stopping by! Hope you (and my friend) like the layouts.

Heidi