Paris

Paris... nothing needs to be said. But lets explain the layout as an example.  Again, this is a double spread I use when teaching.  The background pages are not identical; however, they have the same color hue and this allows for the combination to work well together.  The diagonal and overlapping pictures of the Eiffel Tower are single matted, this emphasizes the fact that ts is the same subject and ties with the printed image on the paper.  The picture on the upper left was taken at night so a double mat was used to isolate it within the arrangement.   The second page shows other scenes, all matted with the same colors.  To create something unexpected, I tore the edges of the focus picture, attached a garter, a charm and slanted the  picture.  Using the Cricut created a tag with 'je t'aime' in black and threaded a street light and flag through it.  To break the vertical lines, it was adhered on a slant with foam squares.  To complete the layout, I used many small embellishments, related stickers, cutouts on pop dots, tied narrow red ribbons here and there... and stamped 'Oooh la-la!' below the garter.  The final touch was to label the scenes with a Dymo in black.  Paris, je voux retourner...

You are my Sister

This is an example I use for the classes I teach; it is a double layout in an asymmetrical composition.  Vibrant colors and many pictures with opposite flourishes touching pictures, enough area for the eyes to rest and a pile of flowers to embellish.  The corner golden squares draw out the golden flecks of the paper.  All the pictures are double matted with coordinating colors, the first layer has decorated paper, the second layer is solid card stock.  The title spans across both a pages and is anchored with the vertical stripe paper on which I adhered letters cut wit the Cricut.

Imagine tag

This tag has a steam punk bend.  The classic Gibson girl with sprockets, gears and cogs.  From the bottom up: used Clock works embossing folder on textured grey card stock with white core and sanded.  Trimmed and adhered to tag.  Stamped Gibson girl on glossy paper with archival ink, retouched with Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick and Broken China Distress Inks.  Trimmed close to image and adhered to black card stock edged with Pirate gold ink, trimmed that to fit inside tag.  Same ink used on black rectangle.  Stamped 'imagine' with silver on black card stock.  Trimmed and mounted with foam squares.  Adhered a silver gear.  Separately, stacked cog and gear and attached to tag with brass brad.  Another stack with gear, cog, game spinner and brad was centered on the the girl's head after drawing a brass circle with metallic ink.  Attached another gear to the tag hole through the string.

Simple and Bright (for sure!)

Itching to try a MS ribbon punch I started trying out colors.  This periwinkle looked soooooo sweet and I had a fabric ribbon in the same color.  Made a card using lime green Bassill textured card stock.  Adhered a magenta rectangle 1/4" smaller all around and then I topped it with a pumpkin yellow card stock that I ran through a texture wheel.  Cut that a hair (wow, how technical is that description) shorter than the length of the magenta rectangle but 1" narrower on either side.  Adhered the corrugated panel with glue dots.  Centered the MS punched ribbon and the fabric ribbon (made a bow and dove tailed the ends first) and adhered those too.  Then on a scrap of the green card stock I stamped 'Cherish' with gold, trimmed, matted with pumpkin texturized paper, trimmed that and mounted on the card. 

Pastel Squares

This card was made with leftover paper from the previous card posted.  I glued the french flourish paper to a basic card.  I used a stamp (Hampton Arts) with several 'almost' inch vignettes, on white cardstock.  Using pastel colors, each square was colored and then sealant was applied.  Since the vibrancy of the colors was not coming through, I decided to try laminating with a Xyron and that did the trick.  The colors popped.  Trimmed the vignettes very close leaving an eyelash of white around.  Carefully measuring the location, I adhered each square with foam squares to raise them and create some depth.  Then I notched top and bottom and tied a silver round ribbon.  Easy peasy.