Daydream Believer - CSI #37 and OUAS

I just love the pairing of CSI and Once Upon a Sketch this month! For this week's challenge I decided to try something new and have done my very first Finnabair-inspired layout. If you don't know who Finnabair is - check out her blog - her work is AMAZING. I had a lot of fun getting dirty and making this layout - and I will definitely be trying it again. I definitely need to start saving more "treasures" (e.g. pop-tabs, random bits of hardware, etc.) for these types of layouts. I digress....here is my layout and the CSI Case File that inspired it.

Since I really had no idea where to start to create a "Finnabair-style" layout - what better place than her blog?! She has a fabulous video tutorial (via Live with Prima) on how to create this style of layout. To start my layout, I used a page by Basic Grey from their Basic Whites collection - love the notebook paper design of this page. I used a Crafter's Workshop 6x6 Paint Lids template and randomly inked some spots with Distress Ink in Black Soot; then, I used some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Candy Apple Red. I layered torn pieces of  Bazzill Basics papers (Antique Dictionary and Antique Micro Dot) with a torn piece of notebook paper and used some pieces of Prima packaging for the two paper strips to the left of the photo and the larger circle on the right (under the clock face). I used a Michael's bargain bin frame and a photo of my sun from Summer 2011. For the pre-misting embellishments, I added some cheesecloth, Prima canvas resist shapes, fabric flowers, plastic gems, a resin embellishment and some paper reinforcers. I misted everything with three colours of mists: 1) Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Marshmallow, 2) Perfect Pearls Mist in Blue Smoke and 3) Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Raven.  (BTW - I LOVE how the plastic paper reinforcers resisted the misting!)

After misting, I added some additional embellishments (i.e. staples, the red flowers, black key and blue glass gems) and the title. The title is actually on the hinged flap that I tore off the back of the frame...kinda love how it looks on the layout! I called the layout "Daydream Believer" (for The Monkees song) and handwrote a simple message to my son (paraphrasing Eleanor Roosevelt), which says "Believe in the beauty of your dreams". The journal notepaper looked too white against the layout - so I added some Perfect Pearls pigment to it in Blue Patina.

Oh - I guess I should summarize how I "solved the case"!

• Colour Scheme: I focused on the white, black and grey with hints of the red and blue.
• Evidence: Use stripes and dots (lined paper and dotted paper), use wrappers/ packaging (Prima packaging - two strips on left and larger circle on right - under clock), use a book page (Antique Dictionary page used in layering), circles (lots - the masking uses circles and I added paper reinforcers too)
• Testimony: Use a song title or lyrics as inspiration for your journalling, handwrite your journalling, write your journalling on note paper; Inspiration Word: -- daydream. The layout title is from the song "Daydream Believer" and I paraphrased a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt for the journalling, which says "Believe in the beauty of your dreams." I hope my son is a dreamer - and that he isn't afraid to follow his dreams....
• Sketch: I followed it fairly closely - just playing with the size/positioning of the focal point and embellishments

That's it for tonight! Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. I love visitors and really appreciate your comments!

Materials Used:

Patterned Papers - Basic Grey - Basic Whites - Booknote; Bazzill Basics - Antique Dictionary and Antique Micro Dot; Crafter's Workshop 6x6 Template - Paint Lids; Distress Ink in Black Soot; Tattered Angels Glimmer Mists in Candy Apple Red, Marshmallow and Raven; Perfect Pearls Mist in Blue Smoke; Perfect Pearls Pigment in Blue Patina; Tattered Angels Vintage Hardware (Key); Recollections Flowers and Resin Embellishment; Jolee Boutique Flower and Plastic Gem; Prima Resist Canvas; Prima Packaging; Kaisercraft - Tiny Alpha Stickers in Black; Michael's discount mini frame; Glass Gem; Hilroy Graph Notebook paper; paper reinforcers, staples, Aleene's Tacky Glue.