Scrapology February layout - texture paste

Hi every one and welcome to the February Scrapology challenge - to use texture paste.  This month, we are scraplifting Heather Jacobs and her particular layout on the Scrapology layout here:

Below is my interpretation.  The photo is of Henry, and is one of the series that were taken on 21st July 2011, when the boys were 15 days old. 


 

Seeing that this month's particular challenge was texture paste, I used it in the diamonds below the photo (as Heather did in her layout) and also in the leaf fronds underneath the flowers. 

 

I recently purchased both the Donna Downey Poppies and Peonies 12 x 12 mask, and the Mini Deco Doily mask by Julie Fei Fan Balzer.  I had resisted buying any doilies as I don't particularly like them, but by buying a mask, I can make one whenever I want.  I wanted a very light, monochromatic feel to this layout with the focus being on this beautiful photo - hopefully I achieved that.  I stitched this piece of Daisy D's patterned paper on the left side as I thought it matched in well with the peach of my mother-in-law's top. I then thought I had made a massive mistake by adding this in as I felt it was too distracting from the photo - I still don't know if I like it or not. 

 

The Jo Sonja texture paste is applied in a tube, so it is quite easy to control.  I didn't have a diamond stencil, so I made my own - I used my small diamond punch and punched out one diamond in some scrap paper, and then drew the grid lines from that pattern.  I then cut out every second diamond with my craft knife and then weighted the piece of paper down, using it as a mask. 

 

I did struggle a lot with this layout - I seem to say that every time. I think it is probably because of the amount of time it takes me to produce an "arty" or very technique based layout like this these days! 



Evening 1 - mist the doily (I mixed silver and teal Cosmic Shimmer mists, as either colour on their own was too dark and I wanted a very subtle finish)
Evening 2 - cut out the doily.  Texture paste the fronds
Evening 3 - make the harlequin mask and texture paste the cardstock
Evening 4 - punch the hearts down the side and cut out the fronds
Evening 5 - stitch the paper to the cardstock and distress the edges
Evening 6 - stamp the title and layer it up with foam pads; paint the edges of the plaque
Evening 7 - customise the flowers, using Rich Gold and Angel Mist cosmics shimmers.  I then chalk and distress inked them until they were the colour I wanted.  I then added more Angel Mist to the cardstock, predominantly to the right hand side over the hearts. 
Day 8 - I had the day off on this day, so had a bit more time.  I adhered every second heart on to the background with foam pads, but reversed the patterned paper so the hearts were more prominent.  I then added the other stamping elements, making the heart more dimensional by adding foam pads underneath.  Then assemble!  That probably took two more hours.  The ribbon doesn't show up very well, but you can see it more clearly on the actual layout.

So this layout has probably taken at least 12 hours.  Definitely a labour of love then - both for the subject and for the hobby and the art.  No wonder I feel that each of these particular layouts is quite a journey these days. 

 

Supplies:

Paper - First Edition "Up, Up and Away" patterned paper pad
Daisy D's Lullaby patterned paper

Bazzill cardstock

Mists - Cosmic Shimmer Silver, Teal, Angel Mist, Rich Gold

Stamps - Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz collection "Odds and Ends"

Autumn Leaves "Romance of Spring" clear stamps by Sande Krieger

Distress Stains - Spun Sugar, Tattered Rose

Colorbox fluid chalk inks - Baby Blue and Prussian Blue

Jo Sonja's white texture paste

It's a Boy adhesive ribbons

Bo Bunny Snowflake Jewels

The Crafter's Workshop Balzer Designs "Mini Deco Doilies" 6 x 6 template

Prima Donna Downey Studios "Poppies & Peonies" 12 x 12 mask

Jo Sonja's Titanium White acrylic paint and Flow Medium

My Mind's Eye "Wild Asparagus" Embroidered Brad

Small heart punch
Dies - Sizzix Framelits "Frames with Sprigs"

Funny how you can have something sitting in your stash for so many years, and then it jumps back into the foreground of your usage!  I always loved that set of Autumn Leaves stamps - just only used them once or twice.  I used them more on this layout than at any other time previously.  Guess it just happens that way.

I hope yours doesn't take 12 hours - still, it makes no odds.  A layout in the album, another memory added and preserved and my eyes saved from watching TV! Thanks for stopping by.  :)