Sweetie

Ok, so I haven't exactly kept up on scrapbooking my daughter's life.  I guess I got a little bored with it and it just never happened.  Now that I've discovered shabby chic/vintage layouts, I'm in love again with scrapbooking... or maybe it is more wall art?

After the craft fair, holidays, and cleaning up my office, I was finally able to sit down and make my first shabby chic layout.  I had seen quite a few layouts using the torn technique below and I wanted to incorporate it somehow into my layout.  Here's what I came up with...

Before we start on the actual layout.. I just want to point out the hanger!  I just love this hanger by Melissa Francis!!  Found this treasure while at Paper Tales in San Diego...  If you live in San Diego or near that area, you should definitely check out Michelle's store!  (Hi Michelle!)  I need to find my photos of that store and post them.  She has some beautifully shabby products that I snapped up and am so glad I did.  This hanger was one of them!

OK on to the layout...  This is one of my favorite photos of my daughter.  My friend Les took them for us when Akemi turned 1.  I took the photo and turned it into black and white since I thought it would give a better vintage feel.  The paper used is one of the Tea Thyme papers by Prima, which I ordered by Hopscotch Crafts.  Drew has some hard to find products that I just love!  Go check out his site for more Prima goodness..

I stared by distressing all edges of the paper in the back and on top.  Then I added some Distress ink in Tattered Rose and Vintage Photo.  I love this look- it really makes the image pop when the edges are darker.

To get the torn page effect, I used a craft knife and cut a + about where I wanted the photo.  Then I distressed and curled the edges back.  Since the top paper was cropped down a little smaller than the back sheet, I had to figure out where to adhere the photo so that it showed through the window.  After finding the right position, I adhered it down and then adhered the top paper over it, which allows the picture to show through the hole.

Then it was time to decorate! First I decided to use some lace I had stashed.  I really can't remember where I got it from. I have a feeling it was at Walmart, but not certain.  Anyway, it was originally white, but the white color didn't match the layout.  I really wanted to use that lace, so I decided to add some color myself.  I ended up opting for some Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays in sand and then drying it with my heat tool before gluing down.  Then I added some pearl teardrop trim over the lace and added a variety of vintage colored flowers in pink, white, ivory and brown.  Flowers and leaves were from I am Roses, Prima, and Wild Orchid Crafts.

Finally, my page needed a title, so I decided on my pet name for Akemi.. Sweetie.  Used some white foam thickers I had in my stash and colored them using some vintage photo distress ink to match.

I have another layout to share with you soon.  Thank for stopping by!