September Prima BAP & BITW "Story"

**For my September giveaway, please go HERE**

*~* This is my second post today! I'd love it if you'd scroll down to see the altered project I created for Webster's Pages~ but if not, that's cool too; just glad you stopped by!*~*

Hi again everyone! Proud to report that the cake is in the oven and the kids have their cards done for my hubby's golden birthday today! So successful SO FAR in the birthday preparations :D~

But as I mentioned this morning after posting my Webster's Pages project, I am back again to share with you a layout I completed yesterday. I've been in a real funk these last couple of weeks with scrapbooking~ just haven't really created something I LOVE~ and if you've ever been in a dry spell like this, you know how miserable it can be. I just haven't felt like I've expressed myself creatively the way I generally like to. And I think it has a bit to do with the stress of my internet issues these last two weeks. When I'm stressed, I just can't be creative. But thankfully, I got a package in the mail yesterday from C'est Magnifique, with plenty of brand new goodies~ and there's just nothing like new product to get that mojo moving!

And it's been a full month at least since I've created something that was non-design team related. So I decided to tackle the September BAP sketch from Prima, as well as the "Story" challenge from Bird is the Word. There are just a couple of days remaining in each challenge, and I felt very strongly about doing both.And though this project took me quite some time (I was just unsure of myself throughout the process), I must say that I'm pleased with what I came up with. I really just scrapped from the heart~ despite the issues I had along the way with this project (let me explain as we go...)

"Your Story"

Now, this photo was a bit of a mess from the start! I had just put the kids down for nap, got an idea for this page, went to print this photo of my dear little girl Aspen running after her brother at the gravel pit- and upon printing I was reminded that I needed to change my color ink (which I have stored in a tub in my boys' room!)~ so the colors were just really bright, reddish, and just way OFF. But I didn't have the option of going into the kids' room so I said HEY- LET'S DO THIS, lol. The Prima Firefly collection actually seemed to fit the colors of my weird photo~ so I grabbed a sheet and away I went!

You might notice that my photo is a little grungy. Well, another mistake by me. I painted gesso all over my paper and around my photo. It looked TERRIBLE. So I tore the photo off of the ruined paper and thought the messy photo actually looked okay by itself. I just had to find a new background paper- and this one actually worked out so much nicer than the first, so it was okay!

My hidden journaling :). I strongly believe in honesty when it comes to the journaling on my scrapbook pages. I want my kids to know everything- and I wanted my daughter to know her story. If interested, it reads "Aspen, you are not actually my 3rd child, but my 7th. I went through much loss & pain to get you- but you were SO worth it! And though you are technically #7, you are #1 when it comes to my daughters as you're my only one! You bring so much love, laughter, and sunshine into my life. All the pain of the past just washes away with your smile. You were worth the wait. You were worth the losses I suffered. You.Are.Loved."

All of my flowers here were purchased through the C'est Magnifique store. Leslie has a great variety- and if you're a kit subscriber, you can choose to have all of your store purchases shipped to you along with your kit at no extra cost- that includes Internationals!!

 I really love this quote. It's from a Tim Holtz stamp set I purchased recently, and thought it went quite well with the theme of my layout- and suited perfectly for the journaling spot on the Prima BAP sketch:

I've been hoarding this gorgeous "Window E Tri Ornate" piece from  Scrap FX for quite some time now...just looking for the perfect project on which to use it. Well, I had to let it go to this layout as it just seemed to work! I simply painted it white and then stamped over it with some distress ink and the same Tim Holtz quote stamp I used alongside my photo.

Thanks again for stopping by here. As I forewarned, I have lots of projects that all seem to be posting around the same time so I'll be around quite a bit in the next few days. I'm also planning to reveal my October giveaway on September 30th, which is also the last day to enter my September giveaway!! 

See you again tomorrow- take care of yourself  and have a fabulous weekend!! :D~