CREATE

My creativity is slowing coming back, the "issue" of late seems to be TIME.  It's been busy in our household these days.  We've had Spring Break, Choir Competition, UIL, Navy Retirements and the calendar continues to fill up with obligations and commitments.  Throw in home improvements on top of all of this and it's a whirlwind.

March 15th Case File over at CSI was absolutely to die for.  I loved this file.  The colors are outstanding and the evidence list just made me happy.  To be honest, I really want to continue building and adding to this layout.  

Since time has been fragmented and limited, this layout has come together slowly.  But the process has been comforting, relaxing and evolving at it's own pace.  The testimony prompts suggests Documenting a Hobby.   I haven't journaled it yet, but I LOVE my hobby.  It's brought me so many things.  Friendships is #1 on the list.  Thru scrapbooking, I've met people on a local level as well as a national and international level.  We are a community of men and women (YES, there are men out there who scrap and they're friggin' awesome) bonded together by the joy and passion of our craft.  

We love seeing our families browse thru our scrapbooks and it's not for personal gratification or attention.  Our children light up when they view their scrapbooks, re-living their achievements, seeing how everyday moments are important and valued, their scrapbooks make them feel important and raise their self esteem.  It's just another facet of love that shines on them.

Family members viewing the albums get an opportunity to "live" with us and share these milestones, especially if they're far away.  They relive memories of the past and see history frozen in time for future generations to share and learn.  

And who needs a shrink, when you create?  You're able to release your energy into your pages.  You can tuck sorrow into paper and glue, allow joy to sparkle in glitter and ribbon, stamp emotion into the pages.  Journaling opens a page into your life or into others...it beckons you.  Come join us on our journey, let us share.

This case file and layout allows me to combine two of my hobbies together.  I love my camera and photography.  It's nothing special, I photograph what I love.  I enjoy playing with editing and effects.  Instagram is a favorite app on my phone and I love using those pics in layouts.  

The evidence used for this layout include:

Flowers:  Tim Holtz was having a challenge on his blog, encouraging us to use his Tattered Floral Die.  How easy was that???  I made three flower embellies.  The flowers are cut from scraps of Heidi Swapp's  Textbook paper and Prima Ledger Pad collection.  I used my Distress Ink Pads, Spun Sugar, Victorian Velvet, Frayed Burlap and Bundled sage to ink and distress the edges.  The largest was dipped into clear embossing powder while the inks where still wet and set with my embossing gun.  They where also crumbled up and misted with my Perfect Pearls Mists.  LOVE

Tape Measure:  I had some 7 Gypsies tapes from ages ago.  I inked the edges and just stuck it down.

Stripes:  Again I used Heidi Swapp from her "Vintage Chic" collection, the colors were perfect.  Also I used a MME brad in the center of one of the flowers.

Vintage Elements:  The whole LAYOUT has a vintage feel, if it didn't start out vintage I made it look vintage.  I did take a piece of old copper my gf dug out of family storage unit, she thought  I could do something creative with it.  Challenge ACCEPTED.

Metal:  A piece of copper sheeting that I ran thru my Big Shot with my TH die.  Loved the patina of the metal so much, I didn't really mess with it.  I did add a rub-on and pearls to it.  There are also some TH Idea-logy metal tags.

Numbers: I used a number mask and applied texture paste in the upper right hand corner of the layout.  The effect was subtle and allowed the stripes to shine thru.  On the manilla tag, I used my TH Bingo Texture Fade folder and went to town with my paints and inks.  There are numbers on the metal tags, the measure tape and I included a stray metal number tag from my TH stash.

Lace:  There's a bucket of ribbon scraps on my desk, I pulled out all fragments and scraps of lace and used them up on this layout.  .

Tag:  Yes, another TIM HOLTZ tag.  If you've been stalking me, you'll know I find joy in creating tags and love finding a place for them on my layouts.

Dressform:  I love my Tim Holtz dressform die.  I have certainly got my moneys worth on this particular product and enjoy using it whenever possible.

Lastly I must give credit to Page Drafts for my sketch/layout design.  Emma Stafrace is our official sketch artist over at CSI and provides us with an awesome sketch once a month.  But if you crave more sketches, visit her blog and enjoy more of her fabulous creativity.  I used a sketch from her #19 Release.  Thank you for the inspiration!!

Looking for some inspiration?  Feel like CREATING?  Come join us over at CSI and play along with our current Casefile #64 .   Need some sketchy inspiration, go check out Page Drafts!  

It's time I close for now, thank you for stopping by!  :D