Artisan Award Entry #2

I needed to create (3) 12x12 scrapbook pages to enter in the Artisan Award contest, but I knew I didn't have many pictures to work with. So, I worked on the scrapbook pages first, to get them out of the way, and to make sure I wasn't trying to print out pictures at the last minute (which is always a recipe for disaster with my luck and the timing of running out of ink in my printer!). And yes, that huge mountain valley backdrop at the top is a picture I took myself from a lookout point on Wolf Creek Pass during the same trip with the kids...it turned out so awesome, I thought it made wonderful background paper! This was the second entry I submitted for the contest:

The most time-consuming and "artistic" part of this page was the detail along the bottom. I tried to replicate the rock wall in the Great Divide picture. I cut out individual freehand rock shapes and sponged them with a variety of colors to get a textured look. I then placed them on a grey background, to simulate concrete between them. This picture looks better up close, just click on it to see the larger version.

Probably the next challenging piece was replicating the brass rail. Sorry the picture below didn't turn out that well, but I took Gold card stock and sponged it with Really Rust ink, then covered it with Glassy Glaze. When it was dry, I put some subtle creases in it with a bone folder, to help it look aged. Then I added some Vintage Brads to simulate the rivets.

The focus for my page was of course, my kids, and their relationship. I used the 'love' stamp from the Wonderful Words set, stamped it in Night of Navy, then when it was completely dry I went over the word with the Versamarker. I really liked that effect--easy, and it gave the image a lot of depth without being overbearing. I then used the Everyday Flexible Phrases set to stamp 'brother & sister' in Brilliant Blue ink. The page really looked like it needed some background texture at this point, so I took the stamp of dots from the Sweet Shapes set and inked that up in VersaMark, then stamped it all over the background. It was very subtle, but broke up the solid light blue background quite well. I think you can see that best on the picture below:

At the top right, I used the word 'summer' from the Perfect Day rub-ons, and the Simple Serif Mini Alphabet set to stamp the year (in Craft Black ink). I layered that and placed it on the page with Stampin' Dimensionals. The 'perfect day for family' rub-on from the Perfect Day package seemed so (should I say it?) PERFECT for this page, running right along the mountaintops in the background. I did have to rub off some of the words individually to get them at the right angles, but it was worth it. I think that really completed the theme of the page.

And finally, the journaling pictured below was added, to finish the page by telling the story behind the pictures. I again used the Write Me a Memory Vol II Font CD, which I also used for some photo captions on this same page. I did add a stretch of Whisper White card stock along the center of the page, with the top torn off and lightly sponged grey. This was to tie in the picture of the snow covered meadow, with the rest of the page.

Of all the entries I submitted, this is the one I wish I could have back, to put in my own scrapbook. I don't know that I'll ever take the time and go to all the effort it took to create it in the first place, but I really want a copy of this page to keep!