Snap 101 - CSI Case File No. 3 Is Live!

I'm so happy about the positive feedback we've received at CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration! So many have joined and jumped right in to solving our Case Files. I can't believe we're already on Case File No. 3. We revealed it last night:

When I make up these colors, I have NO idea what I'm going to do for my layout or if I even have the colors in my stash. I can tell you, I was cursing myself as I set about making a layout, but once I got rolling, I ended up loving the colors. Here's what I made. It's going into my album called "Pursuit of Scrappiness," which documents my scrapbook-related adventures and memories. I'm struggling with finding a good place to photograph my layouts in my new home. I had found the perfect spot in the backyard of my old house. Anyway, I was trying to take a picture of my layout and it kept blowing over, and the next thing you know, I look up and my husband and his niece are laughing at me and taking pictures of this whole episode!

Here are some details. I've challenged myself to try to use the more challenging journaling prompts from the Testimony when I'm creating my layouts for CSI. I thought directions would be a fun way to approach my journaling for this page, and as I was looking for papers, I came across this filmstrip print on a Kaiser Craft paper and wondered if I could put my journaling inside each frame. It was 12 inches long, too big for my 8 x 8 page, so I cut it apart and attached it with a brad to allow one piece to swing open so you can read all the journaling that's hidden. Here's what my journaling says:

Step 1: Find decent light and set layout on little chair.

Step 2: Aim camera looking straight on so your photo doesn't wind up crooked.

Step 3: Watch the wind carry your layout off the little chair. Curse the wind.

Step 4: Chase after your layout. Dust off dirt. Repeat steps 1 and 2.

Step 5: Repeat Step 3.

Step 6: Repeat Step 4. Curse.

Step 7: Use one hand to hold layout steady and the other to snap the picture.

Step 8: Make a wish that layout won't be blurry from one- handed snapping.

Step 9: Edit photo. Praise steady hand. Curse that all the shots were crooked.

The lavender paper in the punched border is BasicGrey Oh Baby Girl. That corduroy brad is by Pink Paislee, and I used a bit of sheer ribbon and tags, from the Evidence part of the challenge.

I was delighted to rescue these old lavendar Heidi Swapp Schizophrenic letters from my stash. They appear a little brighter than they really are; in reality they are a PERFECT match to the lilac in the palette. (I had to photograph my layout in my classroom because I kept getting home late and it was dark.) The cut out flowers are from the BasicGrey Curio collection, as is the circle behind the photos. Those pink flowers, which also are showing up a little too vibrant, are cheapie silk flowers from Michaels.

Those cool circles are cut from a BasicGrey Porcelain collection, and I used gold American Crafts brads for the centers. The brown background paper I used from the B side of a Crate Paper Paper Doll piece.

I had originally wanted to call my page "How to Photograph a Layout," but it turned out to be WAY too big for my 8 x 8 page, so I came up with Snap 101, which turned out to be a far more interesting title, in my opinion, and I managed to get my original title in there as a subtitle on the tag. The "endless" sticker is cut from a VERY old Pebbles definition sticker from way back in the day when the vintage look was in style. Not sure you can tell, but I used gold staples as part of the gold metallic element part of the Evidence. The camera image was cut out of a Studio Calico paper and mounted on pop dots. I snuck a Martha Stewart doily in there.  (Sorry for the glare on the photograph.)

The team and guest designers did an amazing job with this Case File. You must go check it out! And if you haven't yet played, you will want to because The Dusty Attic is our January sponsor.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and reading about my layout!