November Scrap Around The World

Because I was so inspired by the November mood board at Scrap Around The World, I created a second layout for this challenge!

Once again, HERE is the link to the challenge, and here is the vintage, nostalgic, beautiful mood board:

For this entry I decided to create a masculine layout. The source of my inspiration was the image in the upper left corner of the sheet music stacks, and also the doilies in the window, the image in the center bottom. Seems I can't get enough of these two images!!

Here is my entry:

The photograph is my Grandfather, who indeed was very elusive for the longest time!! It took many,many years of searching, untold hours of research and painful discovery, to finally find this man and learn his tragic story.

The layout is composed of many heavily distressed and torn layers. Various ink sprays and inks were applied through a stencil. Then with molding paste applied through a stencil another layer of texture was added. Seven layers of torn and distressed papers were used to frame up the photograph. All of these layers allude to the many layered journey to discovery of this man. Ink drips and mica flakes were added to the page. I added pieces of vintage window doilies, as I always like to have something old on my heritage layouts. And I had 2 old lock surrounds that belonged to my Mother, (his daughter), which I used as embellishment to anchor two corners of the photograph stack. It is important to me to use items that actually belonged to the person if possible, and in this case I was able to use something that belonged to his daughter. Because I did not want to use any flowers, I added a couple more pieces of metal, and an old, screen washer. I tied up the page, reminiscent of the photo on the moodboard, with twine, and also added some thread. Then went in with more ink, lightly washing in areas for an old, worn look.

From what I have been able to piece together, I believe the photograph was taken about 1895.

I have followed the ten golden rules for the Scrap Around The World entry requirements. Thank you for looking, and I hope you like my page!

OUAS May Entry Challenge

                                                          GIRLS IN WHITE DRESSES

This is my entry for the May challenge, which requires a visible number on the layout. I based my page upon the sketch, but decided to use only one photograph.

The photograph is of my Mother, on her First Communion Day, in 1929. As I do not actually know the exact date, I am only able to use the year it took place.

If one pulls on the tiny chain attached to the little cross in the upper left, the full journaling will be revealed. The chain and cross belonged to my Mom.

Journaling reads: " How special this day must have been for you!! Every little girl dreams of wearing a beautiful white dress, feeling like a little princess! Although I am sure the dress was a 'hand me down' from your older sisters, it did not matter, you were still the most lovely girl, so poised and elegant looking, even at the tender age of 8!! "

Guest Investigator CSI April, week two

Grandmother's Box   #67

Used all five colors
Evidence: stars, bird, lots of fussy cutting
Testimony: I hand wrote a question on the front of the layout, in which I used the inspiration word, chaos. In the full journaling I asked a series of questions. (on opposite page of layout in book)

This is a layout about my Grandmother's box, and it is also a layout about her life.

When I saw the inspiration picture, all I could think of was the story of "Pandora's Box", all those elements flying out of it. Then I thought of my Grandmother's box, which is now mine. And this is how this layout was born. And also how the story of Pandora's Box translates to her (my Grandmother's) story.

My journaling as a series of questions:

- Amidst the chaos did hope remain?

- What caused you to run away from the safety of your older sister's lodgings?

- Why did you reject the job she arranged for you?

- Where did you run to?

- Were you dreadfully unhappy?

- Were you impetuous?

- Were you just plain stubborn??

- What kind of courage did you possess after you unleashed the "evils" of the world upon yourself???

- Did HOPE remain strong in your soul????

CSI Guest Special Investigator, Week One for the month of April

Two Jokers 1947 #66

I have used all five colors
Evidence: buttons, arrows, something fuzzy (flocked paper), ribbon, hearts (large metal heart), holes (washers)
Testimony: A layout about my parents on their honeymoon in Williamsburg, Virginia, 1947.
I have handwritten the journaling as a postcard. This is on the back of the actual postcard seen on the left side of the layout, the postcard can be slipped out by pulling on the attached string, (which is not visible in the photo). I wrote something funny as I imagined my Mom might have written it, (she was a very good writer). I used the inspiration word point.

"Hello Everyone! Well here we are, and wouldn't you know it, married life is not what it's cracked up to be!!! Case in point: we got hitched and look what happened, we were immediately thrown into the stocks!!! Marriage has made us laughingstocks, bound and jailed for the rest of our days!! Why didn't anyone tell us this???!! Sue & Ernie
p.s. just kidding, loving every minute!!!!"

The photo is actually 2 separate photos pieced together. I used a lot of personal items on this page. The large tarnished heart is a bookmark that belonged to Mom. The silver button and the red small crystal buttons were hers. As well as the postcard, which came from her collection of old postcards. The joker card belonged to Dad, as did all of the many washers on the layout. The key and lock surround also belonged to him, and the watch face is set into an old watch back of his.

Prelude in G Major  1947

The second layout in the series of my parents wedding photos.

"October 25, 1947, after exchanging vows, Mom and Dad paused at the top of the church stairs to seal their union with a kiss! This is their "Prelude", the beginning of their new life together........it lasted 61 years."

I used torn paper layering, distressing, molding paste and gels, inks, fussy cut wallpaper and other papers, bits of old lace and tatting, cheesecloth, dried flowers from my garden, jute twine, and a small piece of jewelry that had lost its setting, which I found in my Mother's jewelry box, on this composition.

The 5th Signal Center Team - 1944    CSI # 43

My entry for CSI # 43.

The colors, all 5, are taken from this week's requirements: black, white, pale green, sunny yellow, and medium green with a touch of olive.

My evidence includes:
- frame -  the large old fashioned "typewriter" print framing the whole layout
             -  three transparencies framing the photograph
- something transparent - used 3 transparencies
                                       - transparent soft gel medium
- rub ons - used 8 rub ons

My testimony:
- I used an old photograph and tied the past to the present with my journaling
- I documented a special event

My journaling:

"The group in the photograph was the 5th Signal Center Team. The photo was taken in May 1944, in Oran, Algeria, where the team was bivouacked prior to deployment to France as part of the Allied invasion of Europe from the south, in WW2.

This team was assembled and trained as a group at Camp Crowder, Missouri. All of the men were fluent in French, a necessity, as their job would be liaison between the Free French Army and the US 7th Army. They were skilled in the use of C-E equipment, enciphering and diciphering machines, radio teletype, teletype, and other communication equipment.

So here we see the team gathered together in the hot Algerian desert. That is my Dad, standing 3rd from the left, smiling broadly, looking youthful!! They were all in a strange place, a harsh climate and a foreign culture - but they all have the carefree and upbeat look of young men about to embark on an adventure!! They would later be tested in the European theatre, and their past sacrifices ensured my future well being. But for now, this is their Algerian adventure!

Dad would occasionally relate his Algerian experience, in a very simple manner and with little embellishment, and only when pressed!!! He recalled the huge tent camp as being HOT and dusty. The men wore fatigues and continued to drill despite the heat. They would get passes to go into the city, which he recalled was dirty, with flies everywhere, and many beggars. As a child of the depression era he was used to deprivation, but the city was a major shock for him. The team also had the opportunity to visit the headquarters of the French Foreign Legion.

As a child, I was always amazed and fascinated that my Father refused to eat dates! When questioned, his reply was always - "that's all I saw when I was in Algeria, dates in the marketplace covered with hundreds of flies, wouldn't eat a date if you paid me a million bucks!" To which I would express suitable repugnance and sympathy, but continue eating my date/nut bar!!"

My testimony,  because it is going into my Dad's war book, is written on the page opposite the layout.

Creating a feeling of "heat" was an important element in making the background paper for this page. I used a semi-gloss gel medium with two different masks, then misted over this with layers of glimmer mists in various shades of yellow and pale green, to try to capture the shimmery effect of heat waves and mirages in the desert and the hot Algerian sun.

Once Upon a Sketch October Challenge Entry

"Captured in a Cloud of Confetti"

Since my parents were married in the month of October I thought to scrap some of their wedding photographs this month. This is the first one I have completed. It is also my entry for OUAS, I turned the sketch a quarter turn to a horizontal presentation.

Why I chose to do an all white/cream colored page I don't know!!! It's kind of crazy making. However, I had the idea in my head and it wouldn't go away!! I used lots of fabric on this page, including satin and laces, old trims, etc. Also gesso, tulle and some inks. My Mother carried a bouquet of long stemmed white chrysanthemums, and that was my inspiration for using the layered trims to sort of look like these flowers. in opposing corners. The word captured is a journaling requirement from the quote at the OUAS site.

The fussy cut paper bouquet of flowers near the lower left of the photo pulls out to read more journaling: "A fine, yet cool early October morning, the 25th of October, 1947. Mom wore a beautiful gown of rich, creamy satin, with a scalloped neckline and long sleeves, and carried long stemmed spider chrysanthemums. After exchanging their vows, Mom and Dad left the church only to find Dad's older brothers lying in wait with bags of confetti! Which they promptly tossed onto the new couple, capturing them in a cloud of confetti!! I can see the glee in uncle Joe's attitude as he empties a bag of confetti down his younger brother's neck!! He appears to be relishing his role teasing his "baby" brother!!"