Hello Baby



All is takes is a little creative therapy to bring some lightness to the week, and today I was lucky enough to find a little time to just that.  Lately when I've gotten the chance to scrapbook (read: not very often!) I've enjoyed playing with different scrapbook styles and trying out new techniques.

 
Over the years I've settled into my own style, which could probably be described as traditional/clean and simple.  Photos typically matted onto cardstock, printed journaling, and embellishments kept to a minimum as well.  Recently I've enjoyed playing with different styles of scrapbooking to see how it feels and if I end up with something I like.  A few of these include the modern/graphic style, and the shabby chic/sophisticated style.  I've noticed that even though I'm trying something new I still find "me" in my layouts.

Trying a new technique...I've seen a lot of really great layouts using different misting/inking techniques, so I thought I'd try it out myself.  I picked up some Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks the other day from Village Crafts and finally got the chance to try those out. 

These are the Adirondack inks in the Farmer's Market pallet of colors.  I filled the Ranger Mini Mister with about one part ink to three parts water.  I tried it out on some different shades of white cardstock.  Started in the kitchen and quickly took it outside (that's one misty mess I don't want to try to clean up from my kitchen)!  I ended up with this:

I ended up doing a bunch of sheets differently so I'll have more for later.  Then I added this photo of Maggie that I'd edited from our family photo session in December.  I added a border to it in Photoshop using the Ali Edwards 12x12 Baby Text Frames from Designer Digitals:

I love love love this photo of her and just want to kiss her chubby little face every time I see it!  Props go to Wyndee Konopaski for taking it. : )

Instead of matting it I printed it with a white border, and after adding it to my page ended up with this:

I misted the white Bazzill cardstock with the Lettuce and Cranberry ink colors, added a few strips using some older Basic Grey patterned papers from my stash, added the title using different shimmer alpha stickers from Making Memories, and some rub-on doodles from Making Memories as well.  I hand-wrote my journaling...I'm really not a fan of my handwriting but it really is so much easier to just write on the layout!  I also added a couple Brenda Walton Flora & Fauna fabric embellishments from K & Company.

Here's a few closer looks:

The plan is to go back to work, so hopefully I'll be lucky enough to find some time and add a few more layouts to Maggie's baby album before that happens!

fyi You can click on the photos to get a super close look!