Distant Shores

I have finally started on scrapping the Alaska portion of our trip that started a year ago July.

DISTANT SHORES - July 6, 2010 - Top of the World Highway, Alaska

JOURNALING:  We had no idea that our trip to Alaska would grow to be over 5 months long.  We stayed so long that the snow forced us to take the ferry out instead of driving.  July 6 to December 3, 2010

PHOTOGRAPHS:  Matt & Angela Shetzer of Shetzers Photography

SUPPLIES USED:  PageMaps March, 2011 sketch; DCWV Natural cardstock; Array parchment cardstock; Gartner Airplane Voyage patterned paper; BasicGrey Manila Brief patterned paper; Kraft cardstock; Judikens Treasure cube rubber stamp; Stampin Up Sanded rubber stamp; Cricut Expression w/ 50 State cartridge; SCAL software; Britannic Bold & CK Letter Home fonts; Pennant and tag svg; Doodlebug Design Paper Frills in tangerine; Bazzill Just the Edge in Rio; American Crafts Precision Pen; Stampabilities Brown and Black ink; Tim Holtz distress ink in Antique Linen and Spiced Marmalade; Floss; Twine; Buttons; Alpha beads

TECHNIQUE NOTES:  In this layout, I really wanted to create a feeling that showed how long we explored, but really how little of the great state of Alaska that we actually saw.  I used the Cricut 50 states cartridge to cut out the shape of Alaska and then using Google Maps, I placed alpahbet beads to coordinate with everywhere that we spent at least one night.  I used the same alphabet beads to create a legend that gave all the important details of location name and dates.

When you are on vacation, don't forget to take photos of those road side signs.  What an easy way to make your photos do your journaling for you.

Double page layout

Page 1 Detail

Page 2 Detail

SEA TURTLES

SEA TURTLES - April 30, 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas

JOURNALING: Ted visited us from April 29 to May 2.  We visited Sea Turtles, Inc who care for the Kemp's Ridley Sea turtle.  Pictured here is Gerry, a 30 year old Atlantic Green Sea turtle, who can weight up to 600 pounds. 

SUPPLIES USED:  Font: Lucida Calligraphy, Roam paper by K&Co, Wild Raspberry borders by K&Co, Cricut Expression, Sure Cuts A Lot (SCAL), shell shape svg

TECHNIQUE TIP:  The font of Lucida Calligraphy is one of my favorites so I wanted to use it in larger size for the title of this layout.  As with many fonts, one of the issues is that it is quite skinny and my Cricut doesn't always handle it too well.  I decided to weld together the letter using my SCAL software and that made the letters stand up well to the cutting.  A little bit of black ink in places and I have the perfect title.

For more examples of layouts using borders such as these by K&Company, click HERE.

BIRD WATCHING

BIRD WATCHING - April 2010 - South Padre Island, Texas

JOURNALING: We watched in awe as this blue heron fished and then proceeded to swallow his catch whole.  South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center. 

SUPPLIES USED:  Plantin Schoolbook Cricut cartridge, Roam patterned paper by K&Co, K&Co paper ribbon, Fiskars border punches, Cricut Expression for title

TECHNIQUE TIP:  I have a huge collection of journaling tags and of course when I see more, I have to buy them.  And then of course because I love to "save" my supplies, I use them only sparingly.  Ugh...  Well on this layout, I used one to do my actual journaling and then because I wanted to "save" another one, I traced the outside of shape onto a piece of cardstock and added it to the bottom of my photos to have a complete shape on the layout. 

Don't forget that if you love the shape of an embellishment but it doesn't quite match the colors of your layout, you can always use it as a template and make your own.  Much cheaper to do this as well.

Double page layout

Page 1 Details

Page 2 Detail

For examples of more layouts using YELLOW as a main color, check out my other layouts HERE.

July Challenge at Filekutz - Free SVG

Its time for the July challenge with LisaJane at Filekutz.  Head on over to the Challenge Blog to take a look at this month's challenge and download this wonderful free svg cut file that LisaJane has generously allowed us to use for this challenge.

Here is a photo of the great flowery border that can be used in the challenge.  Its a great leaf boarder with multiple sizes of flowers that can be layered and embellished in anyway you choose.

This page set unfinished for about a year before I finally found the right embellishment to tie it all together with LisaJane's flower and leaf boarder.  It is amazing how one small piece of embellishment can help the eye travel through the layout and bind it all together.

Both pages together

Page 1 Detail

Page 2 Detail

HOT WHEELS - July 3, 2007 - Ancient Thira, Santorini island, Greece

JOURNALING:
We set off on the 4-wheeler for the ruins of Ancient Thira. We rode the 4-wheeler up a very steep road with about 20 switchbacks and were rewarded with spectacular views of the island

PHOTOGRAPHS:
Matt and Angela Shetzer of Shetzers Photography

SUPPLIES USED:
GCD Studios Planes & Trains patterned paper, DCWV Neutrals card stock, Bazzill Dotted Swiss card stock, Best Occasions Glitter card stock, Paper Pizazz Pastel vellum paper, K&Company flowers, VersaColor Royal Blue ink, Tim Holtz Distress Peeled Paint ink, American Crafts Precision Pen (black), Diamond Glaze, Little Yellow Bicycle Traveler Alphabet, My Little Shoebox Sprinkle Glaze Alphabet, Diamond Stickles, Bazzill Stitch Template, Flower and leaf border svg cut from Filekutz' July Monthly Challenge


For  more examples of layouts using Distressing as a technique, please visit my website here.

Photography Tips & Techniques

Starting this week, I will be sharing photo tips that can help everyone take better photos. If you have friends who would like these as well, please feel free to share.

 

GET LOW!!!

 

One of our common mistakes is to put the camera to your eye, line up the shot, and click away. To improve on your wildlife shots (or not so wild shots of Fluffy the cat, or that speedy toddler) get down on the ground and play around with your angles. Take some images of the subject at the subjects eye level, and then a bit lower, and a big higher. You will find that your images are much more engaging to the viewer and real low images offer a unique perspective.

 

Please feel free to share with us some of your “low” shots on our Facebook Page!

 

Happy Shooting – Angela.