When Summer Comes Around....

This is a page I did for the Thursday Sketch Challenge over at Pages In Time.  The sketch showed 5 pictures all together and since I couldn't find 5 that seemed to work all together I decided to work in a theme.  I have to say that I have a whole new appreciation for those people who do multiple photos in one lay-out.  My hat is off to all of you.  Since I added two vintage pictures I wanted to bring into the layout some of the really rich tones that you see on some of the older carnival rides as well as a bit of a vintage feel. I decided to use gold, rich tan, deep blues and a splash of white.  

These photos were taken in two consecutive years (about 3 and 4 years ago) at the New York State Fair.  My DD and her cousin in both of the pics.  I don't know about you but when I see photos of fairs and carnivals my mind starts to float away and in the back of my mind I can hear the kids laughing and the screams coming from the crazy rides, the constant humming of the big motors running the rides, the different food smells and of course the music from the merry-go-round.  That top photo of my DD makes me think back to the first time I took her on a merry-go-round.  She must have been about a year and a half old and when I sat her on that horse she just grabbed that bar and squealed with delight, while the other parents around me where trying to console thier little ones and stop them from crying or being afraid.  But, not my DD.  When the ride started she giggled like only little kids can and she never stopped for the entire ride.  When it stopped she got upset and didn't want to get off and that dear man who was running the ride just smiled and told us we could stay on for as long as we wanted.

Well, as you can see I didn't use 5 photos but instead used 2, and then printed off circa 1860's carnival ephemera and I used an old parking pass from the state fair as my 3 additional elements.  I cut out the gold flowers from DCWV Mariposa paper and used them in opposing corners.  I used Prima lace and since it wasn't the color I needed, I used Graphite Glimmer Mist on it.  I took a regular manila tag and literally beat it up.  I crumpled it up into a ball 2 or 3 different times and then used Walnut Stain Distress Ink and some water to give it that tea-dyed look and then went over the entire tag lightly just so that the ink would pick up on all of the wrinkles.  I used this same process over the parking pass and that small coupon from Tattered Angels that I tucked up in the top.  Here is a close up of the tag.

I tried NOT to make my own flowers for this one but didn't have anything in my stash that I really liked (go figure).  So I grabbed some plain old copy paper, my 6 petal flower punch and away I went.  I did do something different this time though; once I had everything punched out I decided to ink the paper before I assembled the flower.  I didn't want any white to show and knew this would be the only way to accomplish that.  I used Faded Jeans and Black Soot Distress Ink.  I have posted a link to a tutorial by Gabi that shows how to make these pretty little roses.  It doesn't show how to ink them, just how to assemble them.  I also used my cricut to cut the leaves and when they were finished I added some Rock Candy Stickles to them.

So, over all I am pretty happy with the end result.  It definitely was a challenge for me.  I guess that's why they call them challenges LOL.  If you have any questions please feel free to post a comment and I'll get back to you.  TFL~