You'll also know that I participate in the monthly layout challenge at my LSS, Wrapped in Paper at Nicholls. I didn't necessarily find the kit this month terribly inspiring either.
Since you have to use at least a little of everything in the kit I really wasn't sure how I was going to use the punched tree, and the small 1/4 piece of patterned paper. I also didn't know what pictures to use with these colours. In the end though I found some pictures from our trip to New Zealand in January that went with the colours of this kit and decided to use this kit with the CRII challenge sketch. Here's the result:
First I cut eight strips of patterned paper, different widths and lengths. I "cheated" on the middle orange piece since it really doesn't go all the way across the page. Remember that 1/4 piece of patterned paper? I cut a strip from that, then cut it into three pieces and hid the cuts under the photos in the middle of the layout. I laid the photos on top and the layout looked very bland, so I got the sewing machine out and sewed an orange border around each strip of paper.
Hmmm... it was still missing something. I left it alone and went to bed. Lying in bed I wished I had some glimmer mist, but I don't. Then I remembered that I had a couple of bottles of walnut ink that I had never used and went to sleep happy that I could probably make the layout better next day.
Next day I sprayed some terra cotta walnut ink in different places on the page. I don't know why, but it seemed to bring the whole layout to life and the rest was easy.
I used the ribbon to make some corners top and bottom, and added a Kaisercraft Elegance epoxy brad to each corner. I used the Delish letters (lower case Alpha, blue)in the kit to make the title. Now...that punched tree! What to do with that? I tried several different things under and around the tree punch, and eventually settled on adding some tiny prima type flowers and flower brads from my stash. 
Under the tree I used some flower sequins I'd had in my stash seemingly forever. Unfortunately I only had two colours - yellow and pink, neither of which really went with the paper colours. So, I improvised and mixed a kind of orange, by adding a pink sequin on top of a yellow one, and voila!
The only thing left was to find a place for my journalling. The layout was already kind of busy so I couldn't really add it on the page anywhere, so I went for hidden journalling in the end. Not so much because I wanted it hidden, but more because that would work best. So, I punched a pull tab out of paper using Stampin Up!'s round tab punch and attached it to another piece of patterned paper. I sprayed the tag and stamped some lines onto it, then wrote the journalling and tucked the tag under the bottom photo. Can you see the pull out tab sticking out from the side of the photo? Here it is partly pulled out so you can see it clearer.
Considering I disliked the sketch and the papers to begin with I really like how this layout turned out! Gary said it was his favourite layout so far, and one of the women on the forum [hello :-) Kiwi] even suggested she'd like to lift the flowers in the tree idea! That made me proud since her work is always gorgeous!
If you're wondering about the photos themselves, they were taken at the Waikato Museum in Hamilton, NZ. There's a section with information about the settlement of the area and these old time clothes that you can dress up in. The kids went from school children to lady and gentleman in the space of five minutes!
By the way, if any of you live locally, I'd appreciate you visiting Wrapped in Paper and voting for my layout! I need some friends to add some votes:)
Till next time - happy days!
Francine
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