Scrap Around The World September 2015 Challenge

I have decided to join in this month at the new challenge at Scrap Around the World. The moodboard is absolutely delicious!!! I just love the elegance and beauty of it, so inspirational, very poetic!!

Here is this month's board:

You will find the link to this month's challenge HERE.

I decided to create a layout based upon my Mother's letters and writing equipment. As you will see, I was inspired by the middle lower photo of the pen nib with the writing. I also took inspiration from the books, book pages, and wooden elements, and the pink rose.

Here is my layout:

I have so many letters from my Mother! They are all in a box, waiting!! Throughout the years, Mom and I corresponded with pen and paper frequently, a thing of the past, I'm afraid. When my Mother passed away, her writing equipment found a new home with me. How I treasure it!! She liked to collect old desk sets, pens, inkwells, etc. And she used them! She had a most distinctive handwriting, as you can see by the bits of the letters I put on the layout. The photo shows some of her writing equipment, now on my desk. On the layout I have embellished with one of her pens (left hand side, by photo), and also used some fabric lace that was once a dress of hers. The keyhole surrounds also were part of her "collections."

I began by using molding pastes and various inks, and stamping, to work on the background paper. Layered under and around the photo are tags and old book pages, drywall tape, and various cut out roses. I thought that I would be able to use a lot of pieces of her letters, but ended up finding one piece that fit right in the space I had in mind, which was not an easy task! The sealing wax blob is a gift from my friend Patty (thank you!)

Many thanks to all who may look at my page, or leave a comment. I hope you enjoy it!

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!