Bo Bunny, Art Parts, and Photoshop Elements

More and more I am drawn to Bo Bunny's paper designs.  Years ago most of their lines were "cute."  They were beautiful but not my style.  In recent years more and more of their collections fall in the "it's me" style.  Bo Bunny just released a new line called "Forever Fall."  It really reminds me of the autumns when I lived in Maine.  A good portion of the trees in the mid-state (SC) are evergreens.  So you don't get this wide spread continuous sea of color.  Forever Fall reminds me of the brilliant colors and the days I spent jumping into big piles of leaves.

Wendy Vecchi has a line of products called "ArtParts."  On the internet it looks like nice chipboard.  It is certainly more than that.  This is the description from Stampers Anonymous, "Blank kraft-colored, pre-cut pieces made from a superior quality composite material and ready to alter. Strong, sturdy components are 1/8" thick."  I was able to stamp it and ink it without damaging the "part."  They are really incredible.

The Story
The photo is of my Grandmother as a teenager.  She was so beautiful and honestly she looks a lot like my Aunt Evelyn.  The photo is a paper copy of a photo that someone in the family owns.  I performed a bit of magic in PSE and I was able to bring out more of the photo.  I love her smile.  My grandmother was an incredible woman.  

The Layout

What I Learned

• Photoshop Elements is really a memory saver!  I scanned my paper copy of the photo.  In Photoshop.  I was able to crop the photo, enhance by adjusting the brightness, contrast, sharpness, and the focus of the black and white image.  I added a filter to adjust the color and "ta da" the photo is much better.  I would love to learn more about PSE so I can really enhance my older photos.
• The strip layering is from one of the Bo Bunny design team members.  I loved the depth it gives the layout.
• Simple is always better even in the type of scrapbooking I do.  I had this idea of what I wanted for my background paper layering. As I started sewing I realizing I did not do what I had planned.  For me I put too many layers in the background and the sewing is not symmetrical.  
• I was determined to see the sunflower in the lower corner.  It is often so hard to cover the incredible designs from the manufactures.  I really want to frame the art.
• I decided to try a technique I learned from Wendy.  Using a very clean stamp, stamp an image using Adirondack Snow Cap pigment ink on, in this case, my Art Part.  I could barely see the image.  I went back over the Art Part with Distress Inks Fire Brick and Mustard Seed.  As I added the Distress Inks the Snow Cap ink became visible.  This is the first time I tried this on my own.  It turned out cool.
• I love trying to find new ways to do a bit of journaling or enhance my titles.  I used Tim Holtz's Idea-ology Fragments to bring out the smaller words in the title. 

I continue to be amazed by all I learn from the mistakes I make.  It is a better teaching tool than all the successes. 

Have a Crafty Weekend!

Gratitude List
1.  my husband and son's recovery (still in process)
2.  the blessing my wonderful grandchildren
3.  Little Honey's beautiful smile and how is just warms my heart
4.  Jacob, I miss him
5.  in the Bible, book of Exodus, it tells of the time that God placed Moses in a cleft in the rock of a mountain and placed his hand over Moses to protect him from the brilliance of God's Glory.  I am grateful for the protection God gives me and I know it is Him that protects me while I drive every morning to LH's house.  It seems small but my safety is important to me and my family.  That's God, He cares for the smallest needs.