Gathering Storm

I guess I'll just continue with last year's beach photos! I have scrapped several, but more are waiting for some new summery/beachy papers. For the photo below, I used Scraptastic's Drops of Jupiter kit and add-on. The cloud shapes and overall color scheme were perfect for my photo of the impending rainstorm:

The patterned paper and die-cut clouds were a natural, as were the stars, both paper and acrylic, adding to the nighttime mood of the photo.

Those were some crazy dense clouds, turning day to night. We all gathered on the porches and decks, waiting for the show...because who doesn't love a thunderstorm at the beach?!

Wishing for Waves

Last week's Pinterest Monday at Scraptastic Club included projects influenced by the following pin:

This pin translated easily to my scrapbook page by using the Drops of Jupiter cut file:

The triangles, pointing up and down, were filled with the various patterned papers of the Drops of Jupiter kit and add-on. A small cluster of arrows, enamel dots, and flair points to my photo:

The waves were a bit puny during our week at the beach last summer. The boys were hoping to surf! That didn't happen. The swells were barely big enough for boogie boarding, but the kids still had fun. :)

There Be Treasure Here!

This year Krispy Kreme celebrated Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day, September 19th, with free doughnuts: a singleton for pirate speak, but a whole box for dressing up. Kevin obliged by donning a tattered shirt, rope belt, pirate beads, bandana and sword. I took a picture of him with our box(es)-plural because we couldn't just go out with the free box, so we purchased a second dozen. Yum!

To highlight the word "treasure" in my title, I used the Open Letter Alphas, a new cut file set in The Cut Shoppe Etsy store: 

After choosing the letters I'd need, they were each cut out individually, backed with patterned paper, and adhered to the page. In some places, a letter will slip between the outline and patterned paper backing of another, interconnecting the letters, giving it a richly layered look.

Stamping and looping red hand-stitching decorate the background. Horizontal banners continue with the red, white and black color scheme.

Usually we just celebrate September 19th with cake and ice cream. Yes, Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day also happens to be a birthday...mine! 

Hit & Run

Last year my youngest son and I were involved in a not-so-fun accident. After the other vehicle smacked upside of mine, the offender took off at a high rate of speed, with a police car in hot pursuit. Meanwhile, all I'm thinking is "Hey, what about us?!" No one was stopping for me, so I took off too, and followed the "parade" into a somewhat unfamiliar neighborhood. Here is where the suspect drove off-road, abandoned his car, and jumped the railroad tracks. My family soon arrived and I snapped this photo of my older son watching as a crowd of onlookers gathered.

All of the papers are from Scraptastic's Drops of Jupiter kit and add-on. I like how the bits of orange coordinate with the end-of-road caution sign and the fluorescent strips on side of the train. To me this color also seems to signal "Emergency!"

I used a Crate Paper fox "bobby pin" to hold together my paper layers:

Kraft cardstock was used to matt the photo and create the cluster of leaves to the right. Bits of ephemera were tucked and layered alongside:

I keep a couple of bowls and baskets near my scrap desk filled with odds and ends, and enjoy sorting through them for fun little details like this. See that little tag? I crossed out "room" and wrote "cell". Yep, the person responsible got to spend a bit of time in jail. I'm still furious that his insurance company didn't take responsibility. Evidently they don't cover someone fleeing from police. Does that make any sense at all??? What good are mandatory insurance rules when loopholes like this exist?