Scrapbook & Cards Today: A Peek Into My Work Life

After sharing so many older layouts over the last 3-4 weeks, it's nice to be here sharing a NEW layout with you all. After making the decision at the end of last year to step down from the Scrapbook & Cards Today team, it was so nice to be invited to contribute to the Scrapbook & Cards Today: Fall issue a few months ago.

I was asked to create a layout for the Take A Number feature, which centers around the idea of working numbers into our projects. I was asked to give a few ideas that I might want to try out for my layout, and one of them had to do with breaking down my work day by the numbers. 

When I started thinking about this layout, and how I would break down my work day by the numbers, I had SO many different ideas going on in my head. I knew I had to settle on just a few main numbers, so I decided to focus on the number of hours I work each day, the number of kiddos I have each day, approximately how many meltdowns we experience each day, and approximately how many hugs & kisses I receive each day. 

The numbers that I used for the hours I work each day and the number of kiddos I have each day are accurate and easy to figure out. When it came to the meltdowns and hugs & kisses, it was more of a guesstimate. With a little exaggeration mixed in for humor, of course. 

I was also asked to work a fun technique into the number part of my design. I immediately thought of my embossing folders and using them on chipboard. I used the Silhouette chipboard, and die cut my numbers with my Cameo using the Weathered Door Alpha kit (which also has numbers) from Kerri Bradford. I'm totally drawing a blank on whether I cut two or three of each number to layer together. I know I definitely layered at least two together, to make them thicker.

From there, my original plan was to paint the numbers, with coordinating paint colors, and then run them thru the embossing folders. I had paint colors that matched my papers perfectly. They were crazy old Making Memories paints, and sadly, three of the four colors ended up being totally dried up to the point I couldn't make them work (I have been known to use halfway dried up paint and love the texture it gives). 

So instead, I die cut the numbers once again, from coordinating patterned papers, to layer on top of the chipboard numbers. From there, I ran each thru the embossing folder, and then lightly rubbed some sand paper over the embossed areas. 

I arranged the numbers on three inch squares down the left side of the page. I also used my Cameo, and a cutting file from Kerri Bradford again, to cut some little 3" wide background pieces (I think they were 3x4 to be exact, and then I trimmed off the excess) from white cardstock and then layered those over the bottom cardstock squares. I machine stitched around the edges of each square, before adhering to the page. 

I also cut some little tabs (using another cut file from Kerri) to go alongside each numbered square. I wanted to add what each number was for, and this seemed like the best way to do that. I used my older stash of Lily Bee tiny alpha stickers to add what each number represented. And I totally lucked out in having enough letters, in black, to do all of them.

For my title, I combined a few brush script word cut files from Kerri Bradford, along with some alpha stickers from Jillibean Soup. As for my patterned papers for this layout, I used lots of Pink Paislee, a little My Mind's Eye, and some old Studio Calico for the title. 

I kept my embellishments simple, and stuck to buttons, one of my all time favorite types of embellishments. I went digging around for buttons to match my patterned papers, and even though I only needed three colors, I ended up pulling buttons from Basic Grey, My Favorite Things, and Fancy Pants to get the ones I liked. 

For my photos, I pulled up a few photos that I thought gave a good little glimpse into my work day. I used a template for Kerri Bradford to create my photo collage, and changed all of the photos to black and white, since I had way too many clashing colors going on. 

I made sure to include more details about each number represented on my page in my journaling. My work days can be crazy and insane, and I may lose my ever-lovin mind more than I care to admit. But my days can also be filled with laughter and smiles, along with more hugs and kisses than I probably deserve. I love my little people, my squad if you will, and I never take for granted the role I am lucky to play in their little lives. 

Comments

[Dolly]

I thought this was such a cute way to use numbers in a LO Laura! I love the texture that the embossing of the numbers, and how you distresssed them, and how much it adds to the LO. :D TFS

[Diana]

such a CUTE idea-love how your idea came across on your layout, LOVE it!

[Tracey]

I LOVE THIS!! Such an awesome page Laura and making the numbers a big focus works great!!