Monday 30 May 2011

Winding up with Sketchy Thurdays - Week 2 (I'm Yours Layout) & this pesky Blogger/Firefox Business

***I remember a year or two ago there was a Blogger/Internet Explorer problem & everyone's followers gadgets disappeared -remember that?  So now ALL MY FOLLOWERS HAVE DISAPPEARED AGAIN!!!  Grrrr...and I can comment on about 25% of the blogs I read!  Yup, 1 in 4 the comment box opens up - the rest I can read but not comment on.  So that's that girls - I have been reading & trying to comment today but no such luck.  I am paying visits to all the BIRD IS THE WORD participants to thank them for entering - but if you haven't heard from me you now no why - I will do my best to try to get back to the same blogs later in the week & try again but PLEASE KNOW I DID TRY!!!***

So May is almost over & I say goodbye to SKETCHY THURSDAYS - I LOVED guest designing for them for May, really I did. This is my Week 2 sketch for them - I have shown you the other 3 weeks already.

DON'T FORGET that  there is a new sketch up that has a deadline of WEDNESDAY & you can find it here.  There are prizes to be won AND features & sidebar badges to be had & monthly Guest Designer opportunities.

I went for the right-hand side page as my inspiration.  I switched up a few things - I'm getting confident with my interpretations these days :)


I used the latest palette from The Colour Room, which worked perfectly on this masculine layout about my son Jack.  Oh boy, do I LOVE this young man!!  I know that pages of him are few & far between but that is absolutely NO indication of any less love, just that he is such a busy bee & photo-ops with him are few & far between.


I took these photos of him on the night of his birthday, out on our verandah, after we had enjoyed a celebratory dinner of Thai food from Bangkok Wok.  We prefer to eat in as we have a lovely covered patio where we eat our dinner together every night in the balmy Summer evenings, but that doesn't stop us ordering in!

I started with some cardstock of the palest colour in the palette (always best to have the paler colours at the back & the deeper, brighter ones at the front). I stamped the edges with my new Kaisercraft bubble-wrap stamp {I am IN LOVE with this stamp :)}Did a messy job intentionally - this is a boy layout remember?!?  (mopped up the left-over MIST after spraying the chipboard red - onto PLASTIC - AND USED MY MIST TO STAMP WITH SO NO INK NECESSARY & NO MIST WASTED.


Heavy inked the outer edges of the layout to bring in the tan colour, which is also represented by the decorative stick pins, clock embellishment & brads holding down that awesome chipboard edging, as well as a couple more of them by the title & the date and the "Cinema" ticket sticker.


I made a feature of my journaling by using my mini-alphas (3 different varieties to alleviate boredom LOL) & added the brad as one of my visual triangle points.  I kept the rest of the space around the journaling open to show off the lovely vintage Collage Press paper.


The clock embellishment I used worked well with the title & the journaling, being relevant to the whole "For all time" idea :)  I am wanting to use twine on EVERY layout these days it seems...but am always thinking of what I can do with it that's not the same old thing so I used 4 strands thick, twisted them loosely & looped them into place.


The Glitz Design "Afternoon Muse" sticker forms the beginning of my title & also serves to cover up a logo on my son's T-shirt!  The "For All Time" also hides the base of the DVD my son is holding, as the line was slanted & looked distracting.  Lastly, the "Cinema" ticket again covers the logo on Jack's shirt, which would otherwise have been a distraction.


This beautiful chipboard is courtesy of Imaginarium Designs in Australia.  You can buy all their wonderful chipboard from this online store.  Lucky for me, all us girls @ Once Upon a Sketch got sent a big envelope full of the stuff free of charge & will be receiving an envelope a month for the rest of the year.

I misted the chipboard with Maya Mist "Raspberry Pink"  - just don't OVER mist or it gets soggy...a spritz will do, then a quick blast with your heat embossing gun to dry it off quickly & you're done.  I have attached the chipboard strip with brads at the centre of each design.

Supplies:-

Stone cardstock - Bazzill
Green printed paper - Collage Press 'Knave of Hearts"
Red print - Basic Grey "Offbeat"
Black & Cream alphas - October Afternoon Mini-market
Red alphas - Adorn-It (Carolee's Creations)
Black alphas - Making Memories
Twine - Martha Stewart
Clock embellishment - LSS
Stickpins - Maya Road/local haberdashery
"I'm Yours" & "Cinema" stickers - Glitz Design (Afternoon Muse Titles)
Bronze brads - large & small - from my stash
Chipboard piece - Imaginarium Designs
Red mist - Maya Road "Raspberry Pink"
Bubble-wrap stamp - Kaisercraft
Tan ink - Colourbox



Here you can see the logo on Jack's Tshirt BEFORE it gets covered up (on the left) and AFTER it is already covered up with the CINEMA ticket (on the right).



Here you can see I've now covered up that distracting logo with the "I'm Yours" sticker & if you scroll up to the original image of the completed layout you will see how I covered up the slanted base of the DVD (that made the layout look crooked) with the "For all time" letters.

Okay Cherrio!

Off to try AGAIN to comment on all your blogs and of course to do my best to get to some challenges before the end of the month comes & they all close!  Too many sites too little time...





18 comments:

Alia said...

I love how you journaled with the mini alphas!!!

Marelize said...

What an amazing layout Helen! I love that chippie and your title work is awesome. :) Good luck with Mr Blogger. He's been driving me insane lately. :)

Nadia Cannizzo said...

WOW! Gorgeous..HElen this is AMAZING...I love the details and the gorgeous pictures. Gosh I hope this blogger issue gets fixed soon!

Lynette Jacobs said...

I love all the detail...fabulous layout.

Stefanie said...

The messy stamp is so cool! I bought some digi ones this weekend, I still need to crank them out though.
I don't really understand about your follower gadget, as I can still see it, and am still a registered follower. I use google chrome though, not sure of that makes a difference?
Great LO.

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

This is GORGEOUS! I loveeeeeeeee those photos and love love love love the painted background! :):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)

Yolande (pronounced you-land-a) said...

Absolutely gorgeous LO! I love that "bubble wrap stamp, that awesome chipboard border, and your creative idea for your journaling...almost looks like magazine cut outs...fantastic and so clever! I hear you on blogger frustration...I had the followers and comments issue two weeks ago..really puts one behind, because you have to catch up later trying to visit all your blog buddies.

dstandard said...

Fabulous page - your details are always amazing!

Rachael Funnell said...

Awesome Layout Helen!! Love all your Details....
A Gorgeous Photo too....
XXX

Jolanda said...

Hey sweet Helen,amazing page!!!
Very pretty stamping work and I love how you put it all together!!
xx

Lisa Amiet said...

Hey Helen, just gorgeous work, love it xoxo

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

Wonderful layout there, and what a handsome young man, I love all the details you added, as always, lots of effort and love on your beautiful work!

sorry to hear about the blogger problem, they seem to have lots of problem lately *sigh.......

Chantal Vandenberg said...

What a fabulous page!!! WOWEE!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

Hi Helen :)) I hear ya on the blogger issues...so frustrating hey! This is one very GORGEOUS layout!!! I love the bubble wrap stamping...totally cool! Take care xx :))

Cathy said...

Awesome LO Helen.. the chippie looks fabulous and I love your stamped background and multi-alpha title!! He's such a handsome young man.. they grow up so fast don't they.. my Brittany will be sweet 16 this year too! :)))

Pearl said...

Great take on this masculine layout , hun ! i hear you on creating fewer layouts for the boys in our lives ! lol Happy 16th to Jack ! I didnt realise he's the same age as my DD !

Mel said...

Oh Helen, I know what you mean re: blogger, silly thing, then I remember it is free, I just got my blog of 2 yrs put into a book so I feel great if anything happens, It is a little like a time journal for me. Wow, Happy 16th to your dear son, I love love the layout you have done here, that strip across the bottom rocks with the added bling and the bubble wrap is so creative. Love to you and your family. MElxx

Sharm Nidyanandan said...

such a fabbie page Helen!!! love your bubble wrap stamping! and the clock trinket!! perfect! :)