Layers and layers and layers….

I just love layers. They can highlight a special photo or quote, pull a project together with a layer of printed paper and several of the solids colors from that paper or just be there because I like them. However, I don’t like them if they aren’t uniform unless I intended to make them that way. Unfortunately, when you get your second or third layer off-kilter, as my Granny used to say, the rest of the layers to come will be off-kilter too.

I look back on scrapbook page layouts I created that are glued and glued really tight, and once I put a layer down a little crooked, it just jumps out screaming, “Look at me! She really messed it up this time! Can I get an ‘Amen’?” The KellyCraft Get-It-Straight Laser Square was the answer to my problem. No more crooked page layouts or greeting cards for me. WhooHoo!

This page pays tribute to my Great Aunt Lucy McCaskill and her best friend, also a Lucy, whose last name I do not know. Weren’t they the fashionistas? This photo was probably made in the  early 1900s, and they lived in a small town just outside of Memphis, Tennessee. I don’t know if they had wealthy parents, but I would imagine these dresses were not “store bought’ but probably sewn for them, either by the town seamstress, their own mothers or quite possibly themselves.

No matter who made them, I love this picture and Lucy X 2 seemed the perfect title. I added a journaling tag behind the layer just under the photo so that future generations will know as much as I know about the photo.

Supplies

Alas, there was no information on the maker of the larger sheets of paper and the small layers are all scrap from my stash, but this layout is very adaptable to any papers or cardstock.

All edges expept the lace paper layer were sponged with brown ink prior to beginning attaching the papers.

Green paper 12 x 12

Lace edged paper, 12X 12

Assorted scrap pieces of paper and cardstock, solids and prints

Typewriter stamps (Graphic 45)

Dark Brown Ink Pad (Clearsnap)

Green twine, 18”  (American Crafts)

Large needle

Circular hole punches, ¾” and 1”

Ivory ribbon (Offray)

Flowers (Prima)

Crystal

Scoretape

Quick Grip Adhesive (Beacon)

Label Tab (Sizzix) 

Big Shot (Sizzix)

Viva Decor Inka Gold

Push pin 

Fun foam

Ruler

1. Line up green paper and layer lace edging sheet on top.

2. Center green solid in center of page. The laser light makes getting it straight really simple.

3. Layer on printed paper cut approximately 1/4" smaller all around than the green solid.

4. I punched holes ( Using a ruler and push pin, I punched holes by placing the paper on a piece of Fun Foam to protect my work surface.) 1/4 " apart on the right side, top and about 1" down the left side of the orange sheet. I ran green twine starting on the lower right corner and continuing to the left side. I then layered this sheet onto solid cream cardstock and lined them up on the layout with the help of my Get-It-Straight Laser Square.

5. I placed my first layer for the photo slightly off-center vertically.

6. I added the floral layer and left the left side unglued to create a tag pocket. TIP: You could leave all the layers unglued on one side to create several tag pockets, but leaving both sides unglued only makes the tags fall out.

7. The photo was the last layer.

8. I punched stamped letters on cream cardstock with the 3/4" hole punch, then layered them on to dark brown circles cut with the 1" punch. I turned my page to use the Get-It-Straight Laser Square to line up the lower line of my letters.

9. The finishing touches: I looped the green thread twice, added the needle and held it all in place with tiny drops of Beacon Quick Grip ( put a tiny drop under each place the thread loops to keep it secure). The organdy bow, crystal and paper flowers were added with Quick Grip as well. The journaling tag tab was cut with a Big Shot and rubbed with Inka Gold, the word friends was inserted and it was then adhered to the tag.

The journaling tag and friends tab label were printed on a scrap of paper from my stash (Line it up by printing first on a regular sheet of copy paper, then placing your printed paper scrap over the printed portion adhering the top with tape. Run it back through your printer and you can print on any paper without wasting an entire sheet.

I am very pleased with this page  and amazed that it took such a short time. The hardest part was getting the flowers to lay flat. I finally gave up and will probably have this piece framed in a shadow box with some antique sewing items.

My next post will be more modern for those of you who love that style. I'll probably still ink all the edges with brown ink or some such drab color, though. You can take the girl away from the vintage ink colors  but you can't get the vintage ink out of her blood!