Simple Stories Design Team Application

Alas I wasn't one of the lucky winner's in this competition but then given it was my first EVER Manufacturer's Design Team Application, so I'm not too distraught. I've chalked it up as learning experience and confidence booster and proof to myself that I can do it. No more putting off opportunities... now is the time to just go for it.


I'm sure the successful members of the Simple Stories will be absolutely amazing and I for one look forward to seeing what they come up with for this amazing range of products.


So here are the two projects that I created using the Simple Stories products specifically for my application.


LAYOUT - "Poppa and Me"

This is a picture of my darling Hubbie and my equally darling Granddaughter. It was taken the day of the funeral of my step children's late maternal Grandfather. This was also the day of the devastating earthquake down in Christchurch that killed so many people and destroyed so many lives.
Before the funeral we went and placed flowers on their Mother's and Great Grandmother's graves as well, to let them know we were thinking of them. Hubbie took GD for a walk (in reality he went chasing after her when she ran off). She walked down to a rubbish bin, took off one shoe, then he finally convinced her to walk back, albeit one shoe on, one shoe off.
I remember thinking how absolutely adorable they looked together.
The background is red cardstock (brand unknown), layered on are two papers from the Simple Stories "Year-ography" range. The White with words is "Blue/Newsprint" while the red is the "Red/Mini Calendar". I shaped them using two of my trusty self-cut templates then distressed inked the edges using Tim Holtz Distress Ink "Vintage Photo". I then splashed and dripped watered down gold acrylic paint to add to the shimmer on the page.
I simply embellished the page using some Rosies Paper Lace in cream which I lightly distressed with the left over gold paint and one of the 4" x 6" Sentiment blocks from the "Vertical Journaling Card Elements" patterned paper. I distressed the edges lightly with a little more gold paint to tie it with the rest of the background.
The photo I aged digitally using one of the vignette's from Photoscape.


MINI ALBUM - "Destination - Earthquake Central"

At the end of March I am heading down to my home town of Christchurch. This will be the first time I have been there since all the earthquakes started in September 2010. I wanted to create a mini album to record my first visit and the changes that I recognise from when I used to live down there.
The mini album is held together with three ring binders, so I can easily add additional pages on the go while I am down in Christchurch or after I get back to Auckland.
I used patterned pages from Simple Stories "Destinations" collection. The front and back covers are covered in Destinations - Journey patterned paper. The insert is the reverse of the burgundy. I distressed the hounds tooth pattern with Tim Holtz Distress Inks in Mustard Seed, Vintage Photo, Fired Brick and Crushed Olive. I wrapped the patterned paper around from the inside of the cover and distressed the edges. For more on this technique see here. The letters on the front are also part of the Destinations collection.
The pages are all created using various pages from the Destinations collection. Some are full size (5 1/2" x 8") while others are smaller. I also have three pages that are made from paper bags in various sizes. These all form pockets that I can put memorabilia in, journaling cards or additional pictures.
Hopefully you can see these and the fold out pages as well in some of the pictures of the album below.

Once I return from Christchurch and have added some journaling, pictures and memorabilia I will share the finished Mini to show all the pages and tags and bits and pieces.