Starting Points with Shimelle

One day left of the school summer holidays.  An easy day tomorrow to get things all set up, and then that's it until the half term break at the end of October.  At which point I also have to have submitted the last three written assignments for my DSBM - hooray!  So, one day left to play, what to do?  Well, I was quite intrigued by the idea of the "starting point" challenge on Shimelle's blog.  Shimelle starts a layout off, and you finish it, putting your own spin on it.

This week's starting point had lots of strips of patterned paper - very suitable for using up leftover strips.  I had been playing with some American Crafts papers - not a manufacturer I use that often, but I liked the woodgrain and the fairly muted colours.  I based this layout on Shimelle's starting point, but I slid the strips around a bit, and added some more, including one I punched a border into.  I added some Basic Grey brads, October Afternoon journal spots, a line of bling from Bo Bunny and some Thickers I got in a kit, and it all came together pretty quickly.  I inked all the edges in dark brown fluid chalk ink for a bit of definition.  I love the look of those paper rosettes that seem so popular at the moment, but couldn't face trying to make one, so I pleated a strip of paper and tucked it under part of my title.

The whole layout can't have taken more than 30 minutes, and I quite like the result - very clean and placing the focus squarely on the picture.  Minimal journalling on this one, as it kind of speaks for itself!