It has been raining all day.  I kind of like that pitter, patter on the roof.  At times it was just soft enough that I could leave the storm door open and let the breeze through.  I am reminded of a poem I wrote in the 7th grade.  I think we were given the task of writing a Haiku.  Well, I’m not going to research it — just take it for what it is.  LOL!

Spring has sprung.
Flowers bloom,
filling Nature’s anteroom.

This layout lets the breeze through too.  I am sick of winter.  So I decided to highlight some nature as I wait for it to start showing up.

And though I’m not a gardener by any means, I did wander out yesterday (between bouts of coughing!) to install some solar walkway lights.  Sadly, they did not live up to expectations, and this particular brand seems to have an ORANGE glow about it.  When I looked out my front door last night, I swore I had mini-pumpkins lining my walkway.  Sigh.

Back to what I do better – the layout! 

These pictures are my Anne Geddes / Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher moment. I just love them, and of course this picture is from 2004, and I had a pitiful 1MB digital camera then – so my 8×10 is a bit pixelated, but such were the times.

Bugaboo and Buddy were sitting along the riverbank, having their lunch and it was such a beautiful moment. She looks so peaceful with her head tilted up towards the sun. It was ‘wear a hat’ day at the Arboretum…

I wanted to make a multi-photo layout, since I hear many complaints about single photo layouts.  But I really wanted to show how you can use an 8×10 as a background and layer photos over the top without losing anything, and having that photo support your theme as well.

I used Fancy Pants for the background paper, felt and chipboard. I used Spellbinders’ Wizard for the two embossed bugs, which I chalked. I painted the chipboard piece with pink and then overlayed it with Distress Crackle paint in Weathered wood, before stamping a simple botanical on top of it randomly.

Pewter is such a wonderful metal to work with. I used it for the mega photo corners with Spellbinders Rose Edgeabilities die.

I did a bit of exacto-knife work to have the flower overlay the picture. And then my butterfly alighted on top. I hate to cover up beautiful paper – so this is how I *deal* with that. LOL!

A bit of Hambly peeks out underneath one of the journaling spots.

Well I kind of went to town – hope you like it.  Welcome, Spring!