Two quick layouts

I knew I had enough goodies left for at least one more layout but the muse just wasn't with me. So I went back to my photo archives and printed out some different photos and that got the juices flowing. So much so that I created two layouts in record time for me - and that included waiting for bits to dry!

Here is the first which also features the latest Ranger Distress Ink - Mermaid Lagoon.

and is based on this sketch

I smooshed round some distress ink and then added some sparkle paste over the top using a loveheart stencil. It is very pretty but hard to see on photos

While it was drying I fussy cut the flowers from two of the cut apart sheets from Simple Stories. I used a pair of great big scallop scissors on the green paper. The "enjoying the little things" phrase was from the same cut apart block as one of the flowers. I then had fun choosing co-ordinating elements from my left over kits. Apart from deciding where to put the flowers (the spray on the far right is a sticker and it was going to go .underneath the photo with the card spray but it just refused to), it all came together very quickly - thanks to Leo co-ordinating the kits so beautifully :)

The second layout was planned with a different orientation in mind. I knew I wanted to tone down the pink of the cardstock so added some white embossing paste and a circle stencil.

while that was drying I chose some papers - the same one as the first layout above and others that created a light, bright background with just a pop of black and white as well. I layered it all up with the plan that the title would then read up the left hand side of the page. I am trying to learn cursive lettering and was very brave in going for it on the page. The "p" is a bit squished as I realised it would not be able to drop below the line...
The secret to this kind of lettering is to add shading - it is very forgiving. I use a cool grey promarker. I also added white pen even though there is a white background

Once that was done and I had added outlines to all the papers and made sure my pink piece was dry I went to add everything as planned and it just didn't look right until I put the title at the top!
So it looks like this now

My final three chalkboard hearts created a visual triangle and echoed the chalk tag. The bonus of turning everything round at the last minute was that I had been wondering where to put the journalling. I had only earmarked a small space before - now I had plenty of room to try and explain the wonder of the photograph. Allan Bank is an amazing National Trust property - very different from any other (I'm going to explain more on another layout yet to be created) and just wonderful. But this is the best bit!

The turquoise tag here had something written on it that I didn't want so I chopped it and covered the join with a lovely fabric brad.