In the Mood for Morocco

I love to return to my travels via my scrapbooks. I have made pages and pages of layouts about our travels to all the original 48 states

I haven’t been scrapbooking in books as much lately (Check out my book, Scrapbooking for Home Décor for ideas on leaving the page behind.), but sometimes a picture just strikes me as needing a traditional layout on a page. These photos of the Figueroa Hotel in Los Angeles are a perfect example, and with all the elements, I couldn’t have done it without my KellyCraft Get-It-Straight^TM Laser Square and Multi-Mat^TM. Maybe I could have done it, but it wouldn’t be lined up the way my inner draftsman likes it. My 30+ years as a graphic designer made me a little paranoid about element positioning. No more! As long as I have my Get-It-Straight^TM Laser Square, I’m on top of things.

Here’s how I made my tribute page to this marvelous aging glamour girl beauty.

Supplies

• KellyCraft Get-It-Straight^TM Laser Square
• KellyCraft^TM Multi-Mat
• EZ-De’s ^TM Flourish 2” ABCs stamps
• Spellbinders® Grand Calibur
• Spellbinders®  Nestabilities, Floral Ovals, Venetian Accents and Labels Four
• Distress Ink pads: Vintage Photo, Fired Brick and Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz for Ranger)
• KoolTak Premium Extreme Double sided tape, 1/8” and ½”
• Colorbok Authentique paper and die cut pad, 12 x 12
• Cardstock, 2 colored sheets of your choice (mine were navy blue and Apricot)
• Dazzles stickers, gold
• Ribbon, woven damask, 13”
• QuikCutz Alphabet Dies

Directions

Note: All diecuts are sponged with Distress Inks before adhering to the page.

The left side of the ribbon shows the difference the ink makes.

TIP: This ribbon was the perfect pattern for my page, but not the right color. I was able to use it anyway by applying Mustard Seed Dye Ink directly to the ribbon.

• Cut die cuts for filigree oval and border from one color cardstock and two pieces in different colors for layering the journaling block. 
•  
• Stamp large initial with EZ-DEs stamp in Vintage Photo onto the filigree oval and sponge edges. Place two of the border die cuts together to extend end-to-end. Adhere them to the 12” x 12” printed paper with KoolTak Premium Extreme Tape, 1/8” across the top edge, approximately 2 ¼” from the top of the page using the Get-It-Straight^TM Laser Square. Attach ribbon using KoolTak Premium Extreme ½” tape, attaching the bottom of the ribbon just on top of the border edge. Wrap the ends to the back and secure with KoolTak Premium Extreme.



Line up the top of the F initial and center the oval on the ribbon.

•  
• Line up the filigree oval and the rest of the letters for the heading. Measure width and find center.

  

TIP: Mark the center your page and begin adhering the letters from the middle out. This ensures that your heading will always be centered.

Line up the corners of the photos using your Laser Square.

• Adhere the letters about 3/8” over the top of the ribbon border.
• Use the Get-It-Straight^TM Laser Square to line up the photos and adhere to page.

Set your type to stay within the confines of the die cut shape, adjusting as necessary.

•  
• To print the journaling block, set the type on your computer to roughly the size of the die cut shape. Print on inexpensive paper and, placing the die cut on a light box or a window on a sunny day, line up the die cut shape with the printed journaling block. 

•  
• Holding the die cut in place, lay the piece on a flat surface and smudge a pencil over it to mark the frame edges along the bottom and sides. 
•  
• Adhere the die cut directly on top of the printer paper, lining up the edge with your pencil smudges. Attach the top of the die cut to the printer paper with artist’s paper tape or a good low-tack tape. Run the page back through your printer to print the journaling exactly where you want it.
•  





Place the die cut under the paper and smudge the edge of a pencil over it.

Tape the die cut to the printer paper using low-tack tape. Run it back through the printer to print on the die cut.

Gold filigree stickers add to the feel of this page.

This is what the journaling block says:
This old hotel in Los Angeles was absolutely beautiful. At one time it was a YWCA where young starlet hopefuls stayed, awaiting their big break in Hollywood. (I’m glad I didn’t know it was supposed to be haunted until I returned home!)

The decor reminded me of the luxury of a Morrocan castle: lots of iron scrollwork, heavy hammered metal doors, arches everywhere, and underfoot, the original tile floors that were installed in the ‘30s. It may be an old hotel, but it takes you away to a time and place where you’ve only heard of, but never seen. 

The Figueroa is my all-time favorite hotel.

• Layer the journaling block to another die cut to create the border and adhere both to the layout, lining up the written materials with the Get-It-Straight^TM Laser Square.
• Add gold embellishments to spice up the Moroccan feel of the page.

Can you say, “Come with me to the Kasbah!” with your best Rudolf Valentino impersonation?