Little Darlings Layout and Giveaway Reminder!

Hi everyone

Well I have just been outside to take photos of the layout I want to share with you today and let me tell you do not let the sunshine fool you!!!!   Brrrrrrrr it is cold out there and windy too!  I was thinking I might do a spot of garden tidying today but NO!!!!!  I am staying in my craft room cozy and warm ;-)

I know that normally there would be a video to share but this layout began life at a crop that I go to once a month with all my crafting friends and I came home and I wasn't happy with it.  So this is my second attempt.  I decided the background was too pale and I had jumped about the page a bit too much with my elements - I wish I had taken a photo before I pulled it all apart!  So here is my second attempt at a background using some lovely Little Darlings papers from Graphic 45.  As you can see I am going a little mixed media for this one.  I have fussy cut the border from one 12 x 12 sheet and decoupaged it on to the pretty pink background.  I have scuffed the edges of the paper and add dry brushed on some off white acrylic as I am going for the shabby chic look for this layout.  I have added some stamping in grey with a script and pretty butterfly stamp.

Now I know in this photo you are probably saying….what is that grey outline all about!!!!!  This photo has emphasised the grey and you will see in the photo I took outside it is a little more subtle than it looks here ;-)  I coated the whole layout with mat multi medium and then outlined the placement of key page elements with a pencil once the medium was dry.  By sealing the paper it allowed me to use a soft grey Faber Castell Pitt pen to shade around my elements.  Working on top of a sealed surface allows you to manipulate the ink before it dries and becomes permanent.

Popping all the elements in place on the layout and adding comes stamped butterflies and I am much happier with this layout now.  All I need to do is add a little journalling - this is a photo of me when I was only 3 weeks old!  Ahhhhhhhh.  Beneath that pretty dress are two little legs in plaster as my feet were slightly twisted over when I was born.  That did not stop me sleeping through my first ever photo shoot ;-) as you can see!

I always think my feet problem happened to my Mum and Dad more than to me as I do not remember the tiny plasters, the special boots nor much of the small operation I had to finally correct my feet once and for all.  My Mum once told me that had I been born in her generation I would not have walked at all.  That is quite a sobering thought as it has really never bothered me.  As this is quite a bit of journalling I think I will add it on a page attached to the back of the layout.  It might make an interesting read for generations to come who I am sure will have the benefit of huge medical advances we can only dream of right now.

Back to the layout!!!  I made spiral paper roses which I liberally dusted with paint and the tiniest amount of distress glitter.  I added the little journalling block for the main details - this is me and I am 3 weeks old!  I love how the pretty tule looks on the layout and I added two pretty pins (which I just learnt how to make!)  If you want to know how to make them then click here to watch a video (managed to get one in after all!)

This is one of the first videos I ever made so it may give you a chuckle or two ;-)

Then I added more fussy cut butterflies, some are flat and some are flying!  I also added some green dots to the blue border with a dimensional paint.

I have layered up the photo on three frames which are the three papers I used in the layout and added a little touch of lace.

I am much happier with my layout now - so don't be afraid to start again if something is saying to you I am not quite right - go with your creative instinct and change it up!  If at first you don't succeed……

I hope you like how it turned out in the end!

Now it is on to the giveaway reminder - I have a couple of lovely Rubber Dance stamps to giveaway and the give-away closes on the 14th of March.  So please click on this link to find out what you need to do to get your name into the hat!  Just a little bit of fun to spread the Rubber Dance stamp love!  Actually the little butterflies on this layout are Rubber Dance stamps!  It only takes a minute to join in so please follow this link!

I'll be back soon with some more creativity - thank you for popping by X