As the keeper of our family history you’d think that I do a lot of scrapbooking. In fact nothing could be further from the truth. While designing cards, tags and other projects comes easily to me, scrapbooking is a completely different issue. So no one was more surprised than I when I found myself creating today’s project using the Turtle Friends Stamp Set and coordinating punch.

TURTLE-Y LOVED

It all started with the “You are turtle-y loved” sentiment. “Turtle” is a term of endearment my daughter started using when the twins began to lift their heads. The way they stretched their necks reminded her of a turtle and it kind of stuck. This photograph of Alexis and Florence with their very proud big sister Alyssa, was taken when they were almost four weeks old.

Using the colours in the photo as my inspiration I began by choosing Soft Succulent for my ink colour. Then I used it to stamp the sentiment onto a strip of Basic White Card.

Next I stamped the large turtle image onto Basic White Card, once again using Soft Succulent ink. The plates on the shell were created using a second stamp from the set. This time after inking up the image I ‘stamped-off’ onto scrap paper to remove a little of the ink. Then looking through the clear photopolymer stamp I stamped the pattern inside the shell of the turtle.

Before going any further I decided that the white turtle was a bit stark. So using a Blending Brush I covered the whole image with a subtle layer of Soft Succulent ink. That was much better. Then I simply cut out the image using the coordinating Turtle Punch.

It was only then that I noticed the punch also punches out two small, but differently sized circles. So I stamped just the head of my turtle again on a scrap of Basic White Card. Then going back to the punch I punched out the eye with the larger of the two circles. Finally, with a dot of Multipurpose Liquid Glue (Tombow), I layered the punched eye over the eye on my original turtle.

For the photo of the three girls I cut a piece of Soft Succulent Card and used liquid glue to layer them together. Then I glued the sentiment onto the bottom of the photo followed by the punched turtle.

PRETTY LAYERS

Now I was ready to pull together the 12″ x 12″ page. Once again I looked to the photo for colour inspiration and decided that the soft peach of Pale Papaya would be perfect. I found the ideal background of a washed effect with tiny white polka dots in the Hand-Penned Designer Series Paper (DSP) pack.

To anchor the photo I first cut a 3/4″ x 12″ strip of Pale Papaya Card. Then I glued it to the background sheet about 2-3/4″ from the left side. However when I placed the photo onto the sheet I still felt it needed a little more detail.

It was while I was looking for something decorative that I remembered the Encircled in Beauty Dies that had just been delivered. I could easily use one of these dies to create a doily to layer behind the photo.

So I cut a 3-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ piece of Basic White Card and covered the back with some Adhesive Sheet. Then after using one of the dies from the set to cut out my doily, I cut the doily in half. Finally I put the doily pieces behind opposite corners of the mounted photo holding them in place with a little liquid glue.

With that I removed the adhesive backing paper from the doily pieces and put liquid glue on the back of the rest of the layers. Then I pressed everything onto the 12″ x 12″ sheet and my surprise scrapbook page was compete.

I’m so pleased with how this project turned out. I’ve always said that scrapbooking shouldn’t be a chore, and this was anything but. Now I’ve suggested that my daughter choose some more photos to have printed. This could be the start of a while new adventure…

PRODUCT LIST

BUNDLE BONUS – I bought the Turtle Friends Stamp Set and coordinating Turtle Punch using the single ‘bundle’ item number. This meant I saved 10% off the cost of buying the two items separately. I also bought the Encircled In Beauty Dies as a bundle with the Encircled In Friendship Stamp Set (not used today). I’ve include links to both bundles in case you want to explore these options.