Simple 8x8 Holiday Layout

For being a "simple" layout, as I titled this post, it sure sat on my scrapbook table for a heck of a long time! Over a month... since I printed out these pictures the day I took them (November 26th) and began this layout right away! Oh well, I finally got it done, and the weather outside looks no different than it did that weekend after Thanksgiving!

So the left side might've been a bit "wishful" when I made that snow-covered "ground" with vellum paper! I didn't mind the non-white Christmas at all, but my husband was disappointed the bushes weren't buried in the snow with the lights dimly peeking through. He was more disappointed because the ground wasn't frozen enough to take his 4wheeler out very much so far this winter. Oh and also he's in the snow removal business... guess "bad" weather isn't so bad for everyone!

Since I added all my journaling to the left side of this layout (using just my regular printer till I get my own typewriter), I just wanted a big embellishment to fill up the right side of the layout. So I got the idea for the embellishment from the layout "Be Mine" by Paige Evans, published in the September 2011 issue of Scrapbook Trends magazine.

I am crazy though and couldn't make mine look as random and carefree as hers, so I made mine a little more calculated by:

• Cut 8 1.25" squares and score in half from one corner to another
• Fold in two opposite sides, aligned at the score
• Cut one more 1.25" square (from scrap paper) and score in half 4 ways so you are left with 8 folds that come from the center of the square
• Add sticky tape to one side of the square and place each of the folded 8 pieces of paper to each section
• Side note: I created a few of these same embellishments and got varying sizes. If I start with 1.75" squares, I ended up with a 5" width embellishment. 1.25" squares used here produced a 3.5" embellishment. 1" squares will produce approximately 2.875" embellishment (that's 1/8" less than 3").

HOW-TO:

• Both sides of the layout use paper from the "Holiday Style" collection by October Afternoon
• I used the old wavy cutting tool from Creative Memories to cut the vellum paper, also from Creative Memories
• The tree chipboard piece is from the OA collection as well, which I inked a little with Peeled Paint Tim Holtz Distress Ink and spread stickles on with my finger so it wouldn't be too much sparkle
• The button on the big embellishment is from the Lost and Found collection by My Mind's Eye and the red and white twine is from Jillibean Soup
• Side twine note: The twine from Jillibean Soup is my FAVORITE twine to use - it's super thin and doesn't "fray" like some of the other brands' do!