Back to School Layouts and More

It is fall and I know that a lot of you have back to school layouts to scrap from this year, or last year, or the year before . . . so The (paper) Trail Makers Challenge Blog is challenging you to get it done! As you know, I don't have a little tyke going to school but I do have pictures from last summer's tour around Yale that Nicole and Matt took us on.

Nikki Sivils's Henry's Brilliance collection is perfect for back to school layouts! I used the Henry's Attire and Henry's Cut Ups papers and added Scribble Scrabble's Haley's Collection Keylime paper to mat my pictures. Embellishments from Jenni Bowlin (Bingo Chipboard Buttons) and Blue Hills Studio (felt ribbon buckle) were the perfect finishing touches. One technique that I utilized in this layout was distressing. Although I liked the colors of the pattered paper, I thought they were a little bright for the layout so I took some sand paper and gently rubbed it across the whole sheet. Not only did this turn the bright orange into a lovely muted orange, but it gave the layout a relaxed distressed look.

I also just realized that I never posted my layout for the last challenge! My project went live when I was on vacation and in my frenzied effort to share at least some of my vacation pictures I totally forget to show you this layout:

The challenge was to use 4-6 pictures in a single page and I used 4 wallet sized pictures in this one-page 8.5x11 layout and framed the picture group by stitching around one side and placing Fancy Pants Rusted Sun Buttons on the other. I love the way the Little Yellow Bicycle - Clothesline - Come Together 12x12 Double Sided Paper has that space for a title on top!