CSI CATCH-UP SHARES.....

Hey guys!!!How are you all? Once again I would like to apologize for not posting anything for a while. After we came back from our holiday, my Son and I both got quite sick, and we still are not 100%. Between being sick myself and looking after Jet I didn't have the time or energy to write up a post. This has however once again left me with lots of catching up to do. 

I have a few things to share with you today. First up is the layout I created for this months CSI and Scrap365 collaboration case-file. This case-file is open until the end of the month, if you want to play along!!!. I also have the layout I created for case-file 132 last month to share, as I never got the chance to post this. Hopefully, now that I am starting to get better, I will be able to post things on time. Last but not least, I also have a card I wish to share with you, which was inspired by the browns I used in the layout for case-file 132.

Here is this month's Scrap365 case-file:

 For my evidence I have used:

Scallops: On the left hand side, running vertically down the page is a scalloped edged strip of paper.

Stripes: I have used a striped blue straw below my photo.

Patchwork effect: I created a patchwork background using papers from different brands in grey tones.

Doodling: I have used a graphite pencil to doodle some circles on the background.

Polka Dots: I have used a polka dot patterned paper in my background, and the small beige flower on the left side of the photo also has polka dots.

Strings: I have used string in 2 colors to create a circle around my photo, and behind my photo.

For my journaling I have used all three inspiration words (underlined). I have also included 3 things that make me happy about this photo (bold font), being inspired by the prompt.

My journaling says:

'I love this photo of you. You radiate happiness. You wanted to go high on the swing, and the higher you went the more you smiled and laughed. Your such a free spirit. I love you.'

'Happy Moments'

I really love this page, these colors were so much fun to work with, and the whole case was just perfect for me.

As mentioned above, I chose to do a patchwork background for this layout, and I am loving how it turned out. This is the first time I have tried this technique, and now I can't help but wondering why I never tried it sooner.

Some details:

My title has been popped up on some flowers to give the page extra dimension and interest.

Beneath these flowers I have added a mix of seed beads and gesso, which I painted over with watercolor when dry. This give the page added texture and depth.

As always I have created a frame for my photo using string. I decided I would add an extra frame behind the photo as well though this time using a different color. Beneath my photo I have also added a torn square of chiffon, as I ran out of calico. Thankfully it looks just as good!!

I first wrote my journaling in silver, using a gel pen, then I went over it using a black fine-liner. I love the shadowed, mirrored effect this gives.

Lots of beautiful Prima flowers and embellishments!!!

All my paper, flowers and embellishments have been brushed with gesso to give my layout a slightly shabby look.

The frame that says 'Happy', which I have used in my title, was actually a solid chipboard piece from My Mind's Eye. I just cut the center out to create a polaroid frame that perfectly matched my page. 

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Next up I would like to quickly share with you the layout I created for CSI case-file 132. Now I know this case is from a while ago, and I am truly sorry that I didn't get around to sharing this with you sooner. As you will see this case-file is a little different for me. I have used mostly neutral colors, teemed with splashes of chartruese, light blue, and red. I actually had a lot of difficulty in making this color scheme work at all.

Here is case-file 132:

 

For the evidence I have used:

Trees, leaves, branches: I have used a metal leaf to the bottom left of the page, and a Prima wood branch just beneath my photo.

String: I have once again used string to make a frame around my photo.

Punches: I have added a thin strip of punched paper to the very top and bottom of my page.

Pour something: I poured my gesso onto the background, before spreading it with a palette knife.

Hexagons: The Prima nuts and bolts that I have used on my page are hexagon shaped.

Bird: I have used a Prima wood-icon bird above my photo to the left of the page. 

As you may have guessed my journaling was inspired by the prompt 'Handwrite and scatter your story'. My journaling was handwritten on the background and located in three separate areas, though unfortunately I have had to use photos that don't include my journaling. Because of warping on the background, and the placement of my journaling (right on the edges), no matter how much blu tack I used, all the photos I took ended up cutting off parts of what I had written. Because of this I ended up using photos that I took before I had added my journaling. I would have loved to have been able to share with you photo's including the journaling and I am deeply sorry for any inconvenience.
 I have also used the inspiration word 'cute'.

Below is my journaling, and I have included a rough location of where each section of journaling was written on my page.
It reads as follows:
 Top right hand corner of the page.... 'I love this photo of you on the swing at your Aunty Simone's. Even though I can't see all of your face, you just look so cute and happy!
Bottom right hand corner of the page...... 'Your such a handsome little boy, I love you so much'.
Lower left hand side of the page...... 'February 2014. Taken at your little cousin Violette's 1st birthday'.

My Fav!

This color scheme was a little unusual, and I had a lot of trouble making it work. As you can see I have included only the tiniest amount of red, in the strips at the very top and bottom of the page. I also really struggled with the brown, though it was perfect for this photo.

Some close-ups:

As always my page is full of layers. I have used a variety of brands in both papers and embellishments. The wood veneer speech bubble that I have used for my title is by Elle's Studio.

Some beautiful Prima flowers, junkyard findings, and a wood butterfly from the Princess collection.

I have also used the wood bird on a branch from the Princess collection. I have snapped the branch off, tucking the bird on it's own behind this little rose at the top, and adding the banch to my flower cluster beneath my photo.

I have added some corrugated card into my paper layers, as it's texture reminds me of the fence in the background of the photo.

The circles in my background, are actually some different sized washers that I have had sitting in my stash for quite a while. I just pushed them into wet texture paste/gesso, then scraped some more gesso over the top with my palette knife. When it was dry I painted them with my watercolors, adding the little blue roses to the two bigger ones at the top and bottom of the page.


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Finally I want to quickly share with you a card that I made recently, which was actually inspired by the brownish tones that I used in the layout above. I have never created a brown card before, and this would have to be the first thing I have ever created that is not full of bulky paper layers. I wasn't really sure how it would turn out, but I really love this card!! It's actually one of my fave's!!!!!

'Happiness'

I have used quite a few mixed-media techniques in the background, though I must confess I'm not entirely sure why I bothered with some as i have mostly covered them up!!!! However I am certain that if I hadn't bothered, my card would not have ended up looking like this!!!!

That's all from me today. Once again I am sorry for my absence around here lately, and hopefully things will start to get back on track now. I certainly hope so as I have so much that I am just dying to share with you. Thanks for stopping by! I hope you found some inspiration for the weekend!!! Hugs!!