It is feeling pretty summery around the mid-atlantic US this week; everything is balmy and greening.
I started this 6x6 'I heart summer' theme piece at the end of summer '08, based on the collage page, which i loved and still do. Then, something about having created too many of the small photo clusters and not enough enlargements became disheartening to me, and the book was set aside. Until yesterday.
There are parts of book that I like tremendously. That helped shift my attention back toward completion.
It occurred to me that including classic summertime quotes would add to the thematic nature, and fill gaps in my memory of the particularities of those days.
There are six sections, each with three parts: a collage with transparency, an envelope, and a photo on craft cardstock. I drew free-hand on the transparency in white acrylic ink with a tiny brush, and attached canvas tabs.
The chipboard pages are made from recycled cereal boxes, which have held up so well over time that I'm pretty impressed with it as a material. I used sturdy boxes (the type from the health food store). The paper was adhered wtih 3M spray mount, then the edges sealed with acrylics paint, in a color called shopping bag.
Patterned papers and envelopes are from Paper Source. Craft cardstock by Bazzill Basics. Canvas flower accents, by Making Memories, are stitched in place. Writing the notes for these pockets is my last thing to do for this project. This one will talk about running through the orchards all summer for the various berries we picked.
It's really too much to show everything, but here are a couple of sections:
summer places
summer family
Having studied these finished pictures, I can see where a full page photo, which bleeds to the edges (on the right facing) would have had more visual impact. That's going to have to be okay -- I'm calling it done. Mental not taken for future projects.
The following quote accompanies the 'summer food' section. Just right; isn't it?
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Sometimes stepping away for a bit helps breathe new life into a project. I think it's important to work at our own pace, that which fits our lifestyle and other obligations.
Having said that, however ... my goal for documenting 'A week in the life', April 19-25th, is to just GET IT DONE; not have it languishing in some bin for months.
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