November is birthday month for our family.  Besides looking forward to my own birthday, I'm prepping invitations, making plans and reminiscing as all three of my short people hit their milestones this month as well.  First up is Brianna who is turning twelve.  One more year to being a 'teen'.  Egads!  How did this happen so fast?  Last night I was putting together a layout and came across a picture of her that said it all to me.

All pictures are 'clickable' for a larger view if you wish.

A Dozen Years with Brianna
 
I started off with a background paper that while I thought it was really pretty – I had a HARD time finding a photo to go with it.  But then I remembered the great equalizer – Neutrals.  The light brown and cream colors coordinate with the skin tones of my subject so it makes a great starting point.  Then, there is a red and pink, which I picked up in the stitching of her outfit and headband.  And lastly, the aqua, which is in the background of the photo as her 'boppy' pillow.  It's subtle, but it's there so that became my accent color.

I took another paper and cut it around a frame, punching it with the threading water punch all the way around the border.

Underneath these layers, I added a printed transparency, with cream numbers all over it from the Youth collection by Prima.  I cut out the number 12 and placed it on a 'medallion' punchout placed on foam tape.

Now it's time to tie it all together.  And what better tool than ink to do just that?  So I pulled out two of my Colorbox Fluid Chalk Inkpad Queues.
 
I used the aqua color to add the accent color to the edges of my cut and torn papers.  I used the pink color to add some life to my white flower and then toned it down a bit wit a FAVORITE color of mine, Creamy Brown.

I placed the flower on a chipboard stem, dark brown in color.  I chose to use dark brown as an accent since it is the darkest color in the photograph, on the lines of the journal paper background and consistent with the brown ink I was using to tie everything together.

Using that same Creamy Brown color, I stamped a text background onto my chipboard letters, using this great Stamper's Anonymous stamp called 'Definitions' (K4-1251) that my friend Jen Starr pointed out to me at a crop a few months ago.  You can see it in use in this post on Tim Holtz' blog from a couple of years ago, where he stamps it onto a poinsettia flower and holly leaf.  It gives the bland chipboard life and makes it look more a part of the vintage backdrop.  To tie them in further, I hit the edges with the aqua inkpad too.

I did the same on the bracket for the removable journaling card.  I added this flower sprig, reminiscent of how she is growing and blossoming as a young lady.  I loved how it had cream accents on the sprigs, rather than white.

And finally, I took a Copic Multiliner in aqua and outlined the flocked felt stickers for the remainder of the title to make them pop against the background.  The aqua, jewelled birdie picks out the aqua color some more.
 

One final little detail, near the journaling card is a sticker from Crafty Secrets that says, 'Once Upon a Time' and added this flower to the printed flower focal point on the page.  I liked the tattered tulle and tiny baby-sized button in its center.

So that is how INK brings it all together.  I'm really happy with this layout now, and almost ready for Brianna to turn 12.  Scrapbooking is a great way to work through those feelings!

Enjoy your short people, time passes too quickly.