Another page gone wrong- SALVAGED!

I love this paper and had intended to use it with these photos

that became another page altogether - for the better!

I designed the page around them and then

turned myself loose.

I stamped, slapped down some bar strips off the paper

and glued them down.

What I discovered was that the stamp was upside down.

The strips weren't in the correct position for the photos (you can see

pencil marks where they were laid out.

Flipping the paper was not an option.

Therefore plan B.

Scrap that adventure (pun intended) and move on.

 But I LOVE THE PAPER - wailing loudly.

So I broke out the gesso and smeared it all over the paper.

 And that worked out - covering all my sins. LOL.

I then broke out the watercolors.

I had no colors in mind but just went with it.

After all - It worked the first time. (insert eyeroll)

However, no guts - no glory.

And didn't that work out nicely.

So nicely that I broke out some scraps from my scrapbox.

I have been taking May Flaum's "use your scraps" class and

didn't that session work into this page nicely.

And went to town.

 Layering everything up without a photo in mind

and adding embellishments from all kinds of piles I have accumulated.

 Changed up the final version a bit.

Omitted the tags, added the birdcage because it just fit.

And it took a few days, but I dug around for the

perfect photo.

And it became a heritage page. 

I have done pages on Ida Susannah before because

she's a fascinating woman.

And I wanted this original photo protected.

On the back it says "mom in church - 1955."

She is 93 in that photo and lived to know me and my brother.

She actually wrote about what "little noisemakers"

we were in a letter to a friend.

She lived with her daughter until her death in 1957.

My aunt had date books, a book of sayings that she kept over the years.

She was a prolific letter writer and also wrote short stories

that were published in newspapers.

She also took shorthand notes (that I'm having a terrible time transcribing)

and I shouldn't - as we have that in common.

I did a beautiful little mini album titled "love as ever, aunt ida". 

Title is in her own handwriting, If you'd like to check it out.

Studio Calico, Pink Paislee, a dictionary page, tim holtz die, 

QK magnolia and lemonade, water colors, paper issues swag bag.