Royal Proclamation------

Hi folks, the title says it all so please bare with me while I get things typed up. Lots of challenges and lots of love in this layout.

Lets start with the layout, its an easy place to begin after all! I came across Sketches in thyme blog challenge the other day and I adored the layout. My in laws finally got me a digital copy of these photos that were taken about 10 years back of our 9th grade Social. I decided I wanted to play with more kraft colors so I made the photo tone sepia to make it old timey, also went all out and printed a 8x11. The people in the photo are Justin (I call him hubby), in the white shirt and his best friend Peter-John in the dark jacket.  I am the nerd with the dress who was so nervous I could not even look at the camera long enough for a good photo. Yes, at one time my husband had two best friends whose names were cut short to PJ and CJ.

This recent Christmas Peter-John unexpectedly passed away so I thought it was important for my husband to like this layout as well. There was no funeral and my husband had no real way of saying any goodbyes and I really know that bothered him. I hope that this page helps bring closure, can pieces of paper do that? Normally I just scrap and do what I like and the husband says "good job, love the ...whatever you did there!" if anything at all. But this time I wanted him to be as big a part of it as he could be. SOOOO I picked up my blue tones, which are his favorite color (and our wedding if you care) and fiddled with the layout. He mentioned the other day that he loves when I add big photos into my layouts, something I did for our engagement pictures. Being a great listener and a loving wife I printed an image out in 8x11. We both pushed papers around till the layout was clear and everything was liked by him.

This morning I glued and pasted all things down, let me tell you be careful with those flourish designs. I had all things sticking everywhere and I actually had to use more than my hands to hold all pieces. When that flourish went down it was stuck, no second chances AT ALL, but it went right where he wanted it and I about cheered! I filled out the little life journaling card and let me tell you. I kid you not, I wrote our names 7 times on a scrap sheet of paper till I thought all letters lined up well and things look great. It took me about an hour to do this, then I wrote it on the Kraft tag forgetting everything I just practiced.  While I only have 1 tag and this was it I guess it works. Who needs evenly spaced anything anyway...its over rated!!

Can I please ask for the experienced women all over the world to help me?  Please click this link to another post in my blog, I need your help filling in the tag above. I have no idea how to do it, but I want it done before I place it away.

I have gone through blogs and listed below is the contest I am entering. I was informed that my paragraphs were hard to read and people were missing my links.  Sorry! I can list them too!

Layout - Sketches in Thyme--------- they currently are running 3 challenges
Plaid- Do You Stack Up----
My favorite things- Pixie Dust Studio------
Steampunk- Sarah Hurley challenges----
Circles and Ovals- Stamp n Doodle---  Can you tell that the plaid thing on the right is a circle?
Anything Goes- Crafty Purple Frog-----
Shabby/Chic Vintage- Bunny Zoe--------
Spring Clean- Crafty Calendar------ you have no idea how happy I am to use up that brown (PLAIN) ribbon. And I bought the blue flourish before I got married to use. Lost it...found it ;)
Gingham, tartan,plaid- Pollycraft----------
Get Krafty- Pink elephant------
TTT I used Lace, diecuts, ribbon, flowers, glitter, gems and "free"- Papertake weekly-----
Vintage- Creative card crew--------
Color inspiration- Party time Tuesdays----
I used all the bingo!- Simon says stamps---------
Anything Goes- Cute card Thurdsay (says they accept more than cards)------
Brown silver- Sketchy colors----------


Woa, thats a lot places. While I did read each and every post, each and every challenge rules page (if had) and side bar rules I may have missed something. Give me a test right now, I can pass it :)