Scrappin' Patch Challenge #1 AND A Blog Named Hero Challenge #10

Scrappin' Patch has a challenge going on that is perfect for moi - use your stash. I love my stash but I want to use it so I can add more things to it. Oh, let's be honest, I'm gonna add to it anyway but this should even things out a little bit. Scrappin' Patch had a sketch loaded to their blog and you had to create a layout based on the sketch using only older items in your stash - I love it!

A Blog Named Hero has a challenge too which is to incorporate Kraft cardstock into a project. Now, Kraft is not a colour I use often yet I admire it in other people's work. Sounds like a challenge to me! Unfortunately I used only a small piece on my layout (to anchor my ribbon) and I coloured the edges to make it blend in better - does that still count? I sure hope so. Here's my creation:

Because I used a picture of a small person I had to cover their face and name. It is a shame because it is a beautiful face :)

Shall I tell you a few things about this layout?
The journaling spot is actually split and used either side of the photo. I do this with patterned paper too - why waste precious paper?
The ribbon is only used on the ends also - again, why waste gorgeousness?
The tissue tape actually covers writing on the journaling card which didn't suit my theme.
The kraft is colored with ink to make it blend with the layout better. Ditto for the tissue tape.
The staples are coloured with permanent markers - this is my favourite tip! You probably can't tell how well this worked out. The pink was too bright and the brown just blended into the ribbon so I layered the two colours together and it's perfect! (according to me, anyway)
The matt paper had buttons printed on the top right corner. I cut around that edge and put the photo under it. I took the risk of adding real buttons later. I am glad I did. When I use pre-decorated paper like this I like to cut around the decorative items to aid cohesion in the whole piece otherwise it can look like you just slapped a picture and some paper on a pretty piece of paper. Here I have cut around the bird's beak and slid the journaling paper under it.

Something I always do, and I mean always, is ink edges. Something I did here was a first-time try and it worked - love it when it does that! The buttons (mentioned above) didn't seem to blend well with the layout so I inked the edges with a permanent marker - brilliant! But, wait, there's more! The big pink button had grooves in it so I took the risk of quickly and lightly running the permanent marker in the ends of the grooves. O how brilliant it worked in making it blend but still have it's own presence. Here's a few other things I often ink the edges of: photos (with Stazon ink) as I don't usually use a photo matt, the whole page as it helps it stand out (just with a brush marker instead of with Tim Holtz blending tool) and lastly, embellishments.

This turned out to be a long post. I apologise for the lack of a catchy title this time but I shall leave you now with the list of materials used and a link to both A Blog Named Hero Challenge #10 & Scrappin' Patch's Challenge #1 - give it a go then you can buy new stuff.......

http://ablognamedhero.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/challenge-10-krafty-crafter.html

http://scrappinpatch.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/use-your-stash-challenge.html

Materials: Paper MME, notepad paper (behind photo), journaling paper Making Memories, Tissue Tape TimHoltz, Ribbon DCWV and Spotlight, Ink Colorbox , Punch EK Success, journaling and inking pens Momento & Sakura (plus unbranded permanent markers), staples, buttons, resin piece (?), kraft paper.