Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!

I believe that it is very important to include all aspects of a scrapbook page in each layout...design (over all layout, composition, pattern paper and embellishments), pictures and journalling.  But, for me, the pictures are the most important part and often dictate all other aspects of my design.  In other words, when planning a layout, I always select my pictures first.  Based on the number of pictures I want to include in a layout, I then proceed to pick a layout that will accommodate this number of pictures.  I almost always have a lot of pictures on each layout and often this means there is little room left over for embellishment :-(

Today's layout is no exception - it includes 12 pictures!  After getting all of my pictures on the layout, there was very limited room for embellishments.  This is one reason that I like to treat the journalling area like an embellishment.  Today's layout uses two journalling boxes that were cut using the CTMH Artbooking Cricut Cartridge and then stamped using Ruby Exclusive Ink and the coordinating stamp from D1571, Sweet and Love, which is one of the three stamp sets that come bundled with the Artbooking cartridge.  I love how the journalling blocks on this layout do double duty - telling the story and embellishing a picture-heavy layout.

The trio of heart's were cut using the heart on page 71 of the CTMH Artise Cricut Cartridge handbook.  I welded 3 hearts together for for the base of my embellishment using my Gypsy - but the weld can also be accomplished using the Cricut Craftroom.  I then stamped the heart from D1571, Sweet and Lovely, using Ruby ink on a scrap piece of cardstock and then trimmed it out using my micro-tipped scissors.  I layered it over the center heart of the trio of hearts using 3-D Foam Tape.

Finally, the title was cut (page 69 of the handbook) using the CTMH Artiste Cricut Cartridge.  The pattern paper that served as the base of this layout was from a glitter stack called Laundry Line, by My Mind's Eye.