The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

 

This layout, featuring one of my grandsons trimming the tree back in 2015, is my entry in the December 2023 Mood Board challenge.

December is a busy month: making and sending cards, baking, shopping and all that, but I was determined to create at least one layout before the end of the year.

This was an easy one! The papers and die cut ephemera pieces make a perfect background for my photo, and the chipboard ornaments make a wonderful embellishment cluster.

I started by altering the chipboard pieces by applying a Finnabair Metallic wax with a stipple brush. I added some bows using twine from my stash.

I selected a sheet of patterned paper to use as my background and another sheet to cut up as layering pieces behind the photo. After distressing and inking the edges, I glued them together using packaging in between to add dimension. I selected a few pieces of ephemera to form a cluster in the corner. There seemed to be something missing on the side. I cut a small piece from the sheet that I had selected to use for the title and placed it on the side. I like how the relative brightness adds to my composition.

I finished my layout by adhering the chipboard ornaments down the side, using foam tape.

 

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*****Supplies*****

 

***Paper***

3 Quarter Designs – December Wishes Collection – Designer Paper and Diecuts Set

 

***Embellishments***

Tres Jolie – Laser Cut Chipboard – Ornaments

Waxed Twine

 

***Mediums***

Prima – Finnabair – Art Alchemy – Metallique Wax – Vintage Gold #963958

Ranger – Tim Holtz – Distress Ink Pad – Aged Mahogany #tim21407

 

***Other***

Beacon – Fabri-Tac – Permanent Fabric Adhesive

Scrapbook.com – Double Sided Foam Adhesive Shapes #SBC-BCADH-3122

 

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As always, I want to thank you for peeking into my blog; your visits mean a lot to me.

 

In the Air There's a Feeling of Christmas

 

Main Street, Le Roy, New York – sometime in the late 1940’s or very early 1950’s – all decorated for Christmas: a staple of my growing up years. Bits of evergreen strung on electrical cables and wreath forms were hung for the several blocks. More wired boughs dangled in between along the street, in front of the stores. All was lit up at night, with the multi-colored lights and the tips of the candles lending a holiday spirit to the street. On the right, just outside the photo, stood the Presbyterian Church and across the street was the town hall. There was a very large evergreen tree in front of the town hall and it, too, was covered with lights. In the distance on the left, the steeple of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church is visible. I mention the churches because they, along with the other five churches in town, were beautifully decorated inside and out with evergreens and nativity scenes.

I did a little editing of this photo which I found on the Le Roy Face Book page, giving it a sepia tint to make it feel a bit more vintage.

Again, I used a sheet of patterned paper that came in the January Tres Jolie Scrapbook kit, adding embellishments and other details from my stash.

I had already chosen the title from one of the stickers in the Tim Holtz Christmas pad and went from there.

To keep with the idea of a carol and the pattern of the paper, I dug out a page of sheet music and tore in from side to side down the middle. Using Pumice Stone Distress Ink, I altered the color, giving it a more greyish tone. I also used this around the edges of the photo.

I gave my die cut snowflakes a bit of shimmer; using a stipple brush, I coated them with White Pearl Metallique Wax before attaching them with Glue Dots.

It seemed that regardless of the vintage feel of the photo and music paper, pure white flowers did a better job of embellishing my page; I dug these out and found them to be perfect.

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 *****Supplies*****

 ***Paper***

3 Quarter Designs – Christmas Wonderland Collection

***Embellishments***

49 and Market – Flower Embellishments – Sugar Posies – Fluff #SUG-32440

Advantus – Idea-ology – Tim Holtz – Sticker Book – Christmas #TH94294

Sheet Music

***Mediums***

Ranger Ink – Tim Holtz – Distress Ink Pad – Pumice Stone #TIM27140

Prima – Finnabair Collection – Art Alchemy – Metallique Wax – White Pearl #968380

***Tools***

Sizzix – Alterations – Thinlits – Tim Holtz – Paper Snowflakes – Mini #661599

***Other***

Beacon – Fabri-Tac

Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue

Glue Dots – Mini Dots – 3/16 in

Glue Dots – Micro Dots – 1/8 in

 

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As always, I want to thank you for peeking into my blog; your visits mean a lot to me.

 

Christmas Morning

 

I’d like to share another layout that I created based on the December Mood Board and the Scrapbook Kit from Tres Jolie Kit Club.

That’s me 70 years ago at the age of five settling down with Santa’s bounty. My sister, brother, and I must have been extra good that year because we seem to have made out as bandits. On the left is a working bathinette that held water and a stove with a working oven. (Dad removed the cord that very day after discovering how hot that oven got!) On the window seat behind me, there’s a record player shared by all and a few 78 rpm records. (I do remember that one of them was Gene Autry’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.) I’m beginning to play with a bottle and sterilizer set, whipping up formula for the best gift of all that year: my Tiny Tears doll, seen in a very awkward pose on the chair.

I began by covering the Music Note Chippie with the Festive Red paint that came in the Mixed Media kit. While that was drying, I began to assemble my layout, using a lot of the laser cut pieces that came in the paper pack.

 

I had printed my photo to fit in the candy cane colored frame; once I had glued it on, I backed it with a layer of chipboard. I layered more of the frame pieces behind this, adding more of the chipboard to each piece. After deciding where I was going to place this on my page, I applied a few of the music note rub-ons to blend in with the patterned paper.

 

I began to create layers of branches and berries and flowers as a base for the chippie at the bottom of my photo and more layers of blooms on the top to balance it out. The “merry” and “joyful” sentiments were added, then I placed a scattering of bits from the Bubbles sheet here and there to fill out my design.

As a finishing touch, I used a Wink of Stella pen from my stash to add a sheen to some of the cutouts to match the glitter of those gorgeous flowers.

Here’s the Mood Board that inspired my page, with the deep reds and Christmas tree image:

Have you entered the challenge yet? You still have a few days; the deadline is December 31, 2021. Check out the Tres Jolie blog for details!

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 *****Supplies*****

***Très Jolie December Kit***

49 and Market – Vintage Artistry – Peace & Joy Collection – 12 x 12 Collection Pack #VPJ-34628

Tres Jolie – Laser Cut Chipboard – Heart Music Note

49 and Market – Vintage Artistry – Peace and Joy – Rub-On Transfers #VPJ-34642

49 and Market – Vintage Artistry – Peace and Joy – Wishing Bubbles & Trinkets #VPJ-34666

 ***Other***

Deco Art – Dazzling Metallics – Festive Red #DA262

ZIG – Wink of Stella Brush Marker Pen – Clear #999

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As always, I want to thank you for peeking into my blog; your visits mean a lot to me.

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