A 'No Photos' Scrapbook Layout

Do you remember the first time you really noticed your own heart beat?  Heard it?  Or felt it booming away in your chest?  Wondered what it was, and were delighted when you found out? 

I don't. But I was lucky enough to be nearby when Bridie did, and what a wonder filled moment that was!  Now I am the first to admit that when it comes to scrapbooking big life moments like birthdays and christmas I am not so flash.  New PJs and heartbeats though?  Not so shoddy!

When I saw the look on Bridie's face, when I told her the 'popping' she could feel in her chest was actually her heart beating (wonder and delight!) I knew I had to capture the moment for her.  I was elbow deep in dinner preparations at the time, so didn't get a photo at the time.  I thought about posing her later - perhaps an arty farty closeup of her little hand, clutching her chest again?  But really, it was the look on her face, and the wonder she was feeling, that I wanted to remember - and re-enacting it half an hour later wouldn't be the same.

So...  I set myself a challenge.  Scrapbook it without a photo - just the story.  And while we are doing challenges, use a patterned paper (I'm a patterned paper junkie, but often struggle to get them, especially the 'busier' ones, to work on my layouts).  Abandon that idea of A4/letter size, and get back to 12 x 12, and lets have some white space (green space?!) And most of all?  Make it quick and simple!

The first thing I did was find a patterned paper (Raspberry Tart DSP), and then the card to match(Kiwi Kiss, and Pink Pirouette).  The good thing about layouts without photos?  Doesn't matter what colours you use!  I had the idea of a big heart outline in my mind, and with the 'make it fast' challenge in mind, got to work cutting one out freehand.  Type up the story, print and cut ('freehand' again).

Then figure out some embellishments to fancy it up a bit.  I was pleased that the Kiwi Kiss corduroy buttons from the spring mini catalogue were just the right colour, as I love, love, love them!  The ones with holes have a 'faux' thread (thin strip of patterned paper threaded through).  The buttons without holes are actually like big brads at the back.  The smaller hearts were also cut from the patterned paper.

I will admit that I was tempted to add some stamping to that big green background, but I resisted - quick and simple being the rule for the day.  The title is annoying me a bit.  The 'straight but freehand, so not really straight' cutting technique works fine for the journalling, but the title looks a little sloppy, darn it.  I was going to pull it off, but the 2 way gluepen (which was GREAT for sticking on all those little bitty strips!) was just sticking too well. 

And then I figured - it's done already, stick it in the album, and move on.

So I did.  And it feels great!