Graduation double page layout

I don't often make double page layouts, but a lot of customers have been talking about how that's mostly what they create at home so I thought I'd try my hand at one for an upcoming class using KaiserCraft Art of Life and Graphic 45 chipboard flowers to add spots of color to the otherwise neutral paper. I also decided to toss in some chevron washi from We R Memory Keepers. 

So because it is hard to see all those details on the two page photo, here are close ups of each side of the spread: left and then right.

Oh the fussy cutting on this one - it is actually the most time consuming aspect of the entire layout. I'm sure explaining how to sew on the paper and make that crinkle edge will be new for some of my class but it soooo makes the page in my opinion. 

The right side came together faster since it's really just a line of photos with a couple of flowers. And I had to include that one photo of my bestie who'd flown in after her own graduation to be with my family at mine before we took a little road trip to the coast. 

I hadn't used those Graphic 45 flowers before, when I looked at the packs I'd always assumed they were stickers. Turns out they are double sided cardstock! The pack had two different flower types and I only used one type, the more daisy types. I inked and curled the edges with my fingers to give them a little depth. A few flowers are popped up with foam adhesive to add extra dimension.

Rainy Graduation

Anyone who has seen me make a mini album knows that I LOVE adding in pockets and flaps so when it was time to make a sample for my LSS using gradation pics (high school) that needed more than one page and a lot of explanation it only seemed logical that I would create a sort of mini album within the page. 

I added a photo to the inside of my graduation announcement, hidden photo number one. But wait! There's more. 

I needed this second hidden portion because I really wanted the body of the layout to be about the love my family and friends showed by sitting in the rain for me. At the same time I wanted to document some of the excitement that surrounded the ceremony - the principal got a lot of community backlash for forcing minors to have pat downs (no cell phones, beach balls, keys, etc.), plus with all that rain our families were subjected to sitting through tornado warnings and lightning, and if we'd chosen not to walk she was going to withhold our diplomas. It was important, it was covered in the local newspaper AND a part of the editorials for months, but while it is part of the story I didn't want it to take center stage. I'm still deciding how I want to embellish that left hand side of the page, sort of empty but I don't know what it needs. 

Anyway, so back to the front of the layout, I liked the idea of including some memorabilia on the layout - my announcement and tassel and needed a way to work them in cohesively. I again turned to Page Maps for a solution and used a sketch from page 36. 

I loved how many photos that sketch let me work into the page. I really tried to scan and alter mom's original photos but correcting that rainy weather and mom's point and shoot was beyond my skill set so I just drew right on the photo!

I should note that the papers are all from Jenni Bowlin but I have no idea what line - they were something that the LSS has had hanging around for a long time and she wanted to see if we could use up.