Sketchy Thursdays & TCR #58

We just got back from a long walk to the library, are laden with books, and feel super glad to have gotten out before the rain moves in.  A few sprinkles got us on the trip, but nothing much to speak of just yet.  Anyway, now, I'm excited to share a beautiful layout, boasting pics of my precious family, with you all.  Check it out!

I started this layout by adhering my gorgeous, patterned papers, including the smaller pieces and strips across the bottom, to the Crumb Cake, cardstock bases and machine stitching, with peach-threaded, straight stitches, to anchor everything.  A scallop die-cut was then adhered across the bottom of both pages and stitched, across its top edge, with peach-threaded, zig-zag stitches, before everything was distressed with Ivory White, acrylic paint and a dry brush.  After adhering my pictures, I dressed the left side...

with layered, paper flowers, pierced with a vintage brad...

a butterfly die-cut, which was cut in half; adhered, with flat sides to the edges, between the right, two pictures and set with large, pewter eyelets, laced with a length of hemp twine, tied, in a knot, to the right edge...

and finally, a cluster of peach buttons, laced with white string and embellished with pearls.

The right side of the layout...

boasts a second cluster of buttons, laced with white string, and pearls...

as well as the "1st dip of summer" title, which was created with peach alphas, anchored with peach-threaded, messy, straight stitches, tied, in knots, to the front of the layout.

A brown label, on which I wrote the June 6, 2009 date, in Chocolate Chip ink, completes the look.

My inspiration for this layout came from Sketchy Thursdays' current sketch (I cannot tell you how much I LOVE playing along with these ladies!  Thanks so much for all the gorgeous inspiration, Design Team!)...

The Color Room's Palette #58: {Sun Room}...

and this fabulous, Madame Butterfly kit, prize package I won for being named PageMaps' Scrap That! Sketch Contest Winner.  I'm a lucky girl to get to play with such gorgeous supplies, ya'll!  Thanks, again and again, Becky and Shelly!

That's all, from here, for now, but I hope to see you all back here tonight for The Play Date Cafe's new, color story release and a little more of me playing with these gorgeous goodies.  Until then, have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks ever so much for stopping by my little corner of the web!

{Supplies & Tools}
Paper: Crumb Cake (SU); all patterned (BoBunny) Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU) Other: peach thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); pearls & peach buttons (Paper Studio); white string (Hobby Lobby); alphas & die-cuts (BoBunny); paper flowers (Prima); pewter eyelets & vintage brad (SU); brown label (Jenni Bowlin); Ivory White acrylic paint (FolkArt)