Growing Up Together Series, pt.2

Honestly, I'm not crazy about the photos taken in the 70s and 80s.  It is taking a lot of work in Photoshop to clean them up and correct the coloring.  On the other side, I very glad I have photos from that time as it preserved memories of my brother and sister.

The Story
My sister is 10 years younger than me.  By the time she was fun to hang out with I was married.  This is one of the first trips my family took after Jim and I married.  Bummer.  They went to see my grandparents and my dad's brothers and sister in Kentucky.  They left me!  They didn't invite me!  They had fun without me!  Say it isn't so.  LOL  Married life was a real adjustment.  I love the photos of Mom and Dad with Cindi and Scott.  The fashions and Dad in checkered shorts are too much fun.  Emily, my niece looks a lot like her mom.

The Layout

What I Learned

• I love Jenni Bowlin's products.  This is bit of an older paper line but its classic.  I'm trying to use that older stash, but you have to see my STASH!  Good grief I'm good until the next decade.
• I saw a layout with the three rectangle background and loved it for these photos.  With the quality of the photos it is tough.  Scrapbook.com and Two Peas in a Bucket are great places of inspiration.
• Once I got started with the rectangle background I couldn't stop.  I added Jenni's journaling cards.  Matted the photos then added arrows and Dynamo labels.  (I really have to start writing down names when I see a technique or layout that I love.  I want to give credit where credit is due.)
• I used some of my older Maya Road chipboard and added Distress Stain, Fire Brick.  I really have to work my technique to get the look I want with the Distress Stains.  Then again, I had to do the same with the Distress Inks and now I can't live without them.
• When I saw the paper with the bird I just wanted to paint it, watercolor style.  I cut the bird out from a second sheet of Jenni Bowlin's paper and used my Distress Stains to "paint" the bird.  At first it did not look great, but after drying I really like the results.  I pop dotted it just slightly off from the other bird. 
• I love my Epiphany Crafts Shape Studio.  I made my own embellishment using Jenni Bowlin's Herringbone.  It made a great oversized center for my Graphic 45 flowers. 
• The title was driving me crazy.  I couldn't find the right color lettering.  American Crafts' makes a fun font that is a medium to dark brown.  I've had them for a bit but because I'm not crazy about the color I didn't use them.  I put on my Thinking Cap and finally (takes a while for the brain to come up with solutions) do what I do...alter the letters.  I used Ranger's Inkessentials Pen.  They are paint in a regular pen.  I used white, my favorite.  I colored the letters little at a time.  I would stop and using my finger sort of pat the ink into the foam.  It really took a lot of the "streaking" out of the ink.  Now I like the color much better.

I think this journey of recording the 70's with my family is going to be tough.  Besides the time in Photoshop, finding the paper to fit the bill is going to be tough.  But you know me, I love a challenge.

Sneak Peek
Those that have followed my blog for a while know I have an annual event called 12 Days of Home for the Holidays in December.  I'm in the middle of planning for a new one this December.  I'm wonderfully excited about my guests.  Yes, I am thinking December holidays already.  Gotta' start shopping for Christmas!

Have a Wonderful Crafty Day!

Gratitude List
1.  my family's safety
2.  Jim's strength
3.  my mom and dad
4.  friends who can laugh, even when times are tough
5.  God's Grace for my son as he settles into a new phase of his life