D. Brinsley's Memory Keeping Blog: Summer Layout Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to my blog! If you are following the Summer Layout Blog Hop you should have arrived here after visiting Lynn Bisset's blog.

I don't really think I knew what I was getting myself into when I agreed to participate in this blog hop. It's my first blog hop and at first I thought it would be a piece of cake .... until I started stressing over what pictures I would use and then over the layout itself. I don't remember how many times I changed the elements on this layout! I knew that I wanted to use pool pictures and the Look on the Bright Side paper pack for my layout but I had an awful time deciding which pool pictures and what paper to use. I finally decided to use some of my favorite pool pictures from the summer of 2008. The little boy featured in this layout is now 3 or 4 inches taller than I am and his younger sister is not far behind. She's not quite taller than I am yet but soon will be. I really wish my grand-kids would stay young longer but I don't think that's going to happen!! Anyway, here is my blog hop layout:

Life is Totally Fantastic Two Page Layout

I chose the Look on the Bright Side paper pack not only because it is perfect for summer pictures but also because I wanted to use this cool border sheet that comes with it. You simply use your trimmer to cut a border, add it to your page and walla ... you have a simple border! I used the flag border for my layout and used scissors to cut the v shapes away. Easy peasy borders!
By-the-way, I took this picture with my new smart phone. After years of practically everyone in my family trying to convince my husband to get me a smart phone, he FINALLY broke down and did it. And only because my nephew told him about Republic Wireless ($20 a month for 2 phones!!). Oh my gosh! Now I know why everyone I know is always glued to their smart phones!!

Ingredients:

Creative Memories Look on the Bright Side paper pack
Creative Memories Look on the Bright Side slide in pack
Green cardstock - I used discontinued Creative Memories Apple Green
Amber or Orange cardstock - I used discontinued Creative Memories Tangerine
Pink Dual-Tip Pen
Foam Squares
small sharp scissors
Creative Memories Postage Stamp Place 'n' Punch (no longer available through Creative Memories)
Creative Memories Rotary Trimmer and Postage Stamp blade (no longer available through Creative Memories)

Instructions:

Use the multicolored dotted paper from the Look on the Bright Side paper pack as the base of your layout.
Using the Rotary Trimmer and the Postage Stamp blade, cut four 1/2 x 12 inch strips from amber cardstock.
Cut green cardstock to two 8 5/8 x 12 inch sheets. Adhere amber strips to the inside edge of green cardstock as shown. Adhere cardstock to layout.
Trim "Love This" slide in card to 3 1/8 x 4 inches. Keeping a consistent margin, group together on the right page along with two 4 x 6 horizontal photos and one vertical 4 x 4 5/8 photo. Adhere group to page.
Keeping a consistent margin, group two 4 x 4 inch photos, two 1 7/8 x 5 1/4 inch photos, and one 2 5/8 x 2 5/8 inch photo to the left page as shown. Adhere group to page.
Trim one vertical "cameras" journal card from the slide in pack to 3 inches wide and adhere to page. Using sharp scissors, cut out the green camera from your trimmings. Adhere to the journaling box with foam square.
Cut one 3 x 1 1/2 inch rectangle from yellow slide in card trimmings. Adhere below journaling box.
Using the Postage Stamp Place 'n' Punch cut one shape from amber scrap cardstock and one shape from bright pink scrap paper. Adhere to page as shown.
Using sharp scissors, cut Life is Totally Fantastic banner from horizontal slide in card. Adhere to page with foam squares.
Cut flag border from borders paper and use sharp scissors to cut away the white background from flags. Trim border to 8 1/4 inches long and adhere to right page.
Use the bright pink Dual-Tip pen to complete your journaling.

Don't forget to visit my link at www.creativememories.com/user/dbrinsley to purchase Creative Memories products or to just take a look around. Creative Memories Look on the Bright Side paper pack and slide in packs are available for purchase at my link.

If you are blog hopping today this would be your final destination. Go here to start the hop from the top.
Here is a list of the previous blog hop participants just in case you missed any: