Family

Lee says, KAYA!

I'm beginning to enjoy distressing a lot lately. I think inking and tearing are some of the easiest ways to add dimension and texture to a layout. Not too many tools and time required.

I've had this photo in a frame on top of the piano for years now. Kahlo always asks why she isn't in the photo so I think it's time to move it in a scrapbook and just keep the photo of us five on display. Even back in 2000, I wanted to make family portraits taken in professional photo studios an annual family tradition. For some reason or the other, it didn't take. But it's never too late to start anew, specially now that accessible photo studios abound in the malls.




Journaling:
Building a Memory...A young couple, a sweet boy and a cute little girl. Two children that can each be held and guided with our two hands. I am sure I thought this was the perfect family unit. Who knew that we'd have another wonderful addition barely two years later? But for now, let me savor this memory - one happy unit of four. Indeed, we are building one big happy FAMILY. 11/22/08 (Photo taken 2000)
Materials Used:
PPS - Pink Paislee, Basic Grey; Chipboards - K & Co.; Flower - Petaloo; Buttons - Fancy Pants; Paints - Making Memories, Lil Davis; Ink - Clearsnap, Ranger; Stamp - unknown; Metallic Rubons - Craf-T; Rubons - K & Co.; Pen - Sakura; Thread - DMC; Adhesives - Saunders, Glue Dots; Tools - paper crimper; Basic Grey Precision File Set; Distressing Tool - Heidi Swapp.

Procedures/Techniques Used:
I started to follow a sketch by Becky Fleck, but as I tried to fit the elements I had, the end result doesn't look like the sketch at all. I tore the edges of the PPS by hand and inked the sides with ink pad. One PPS I put through a paper crimper and sanded on top for texture. The chipboards I dabbed with metallic brown and white paint using my fingers (a technique I learned from Alby). I rubbed metallic gloss on the petals of the white flower and stamped swirls on it for texture. It was my first time to use the palette so am uncertain if I put it to good use. I then distressed the edges of the background paper and used my hands to roll some parts (something I picked up from Donna). I also wiped metallic paint on the edges.

About ME:
I would love to be able to scrap all day and all night, but since that's almost an impossibility given the various demands on my time, I am quite content that I am still able to come up with ONE finished each week. There's nothing like the feeling of satisfaction I get each time I finish an LO and to relieve that throughout the week, I don't put my LO in the album until I start a new LO. I always display it in my scrap room first and whenever I see it, I get that tingle of excitement and satisfaction again. So much so that I can't wait until I have enough free time to work on a new layout.