Before cutfiles there were laser cut backgrounds

I can't think of the word I want to describe this

and its making me crazy.

Anyway, I had this laser cut background forever

and it also had a chunk out of it but I wanted to 

use.it.up and get it out of my stash.

 Backed in on white cardstock and broke out

some SpareParts flowers and Tim Holtz ephemera

a bird here, a butterfly there with a watch face.

 Used some gold mists in the background

to add a bit of color for the

b&w photo of my Aunts Ruthie and Toot.

I have no idea why they have kimonos on - so I used

that entire pack of flowers I had forever,

more stash down - woohoo!!!

Studio Calico, Creative Imaginations, Spare Parts.

Really really old paper

I did go with the obvious here again especially

when I found this paper in my stash.

This is really really old stuff - Creative Imaginations,

Marrah Johnson design, Creative Cafe Tag which is really

more red in real life. 

I also broke out the die cut machine.

Love those feathers.

 I paired that 6x6 number paper from Studio Calico

with the striped transparency because 

it seemed like the thing to do.

Even those tabs are big die cuts from Quickutz

long time ago.

 The cuteness factor of this photo is above a level 10. 

LOL.

He  has all the instruments he needs to lay down a track.

No doubt he'll rock it.

Both parents are musicians.

Cutting background paper

Can be a tricky thing.

For instance, that compass you can barely see was

painstakingly measured and cut so that it would be a prominent

feature on this 8x8 page.

You can see how well that worked out.

However, I'm not going to stress out about it

because - well the page actually worked out without it.

Shocking.

This is very old Creative Imaginations pirate paper.

Had to dig for it.

"Twas worth the effort because don't those two cutie pies

look like pirates which I'm not sure was intentional.

Some old Tim Holtz grungeboard - sadly I used up all but one

skull and crossbones and that on remaining one

was way too big for the page which is okay

because I am already obvious enough.

Thickers and an anchor exuberantly punched by my friend Holli

finish the whole pirate/boat/yo ho thing.

Less is sometimes More

As in the little black dress sometimes a page is created

with just the pearls as an accent.

I started this page and was way over thinking it. I had

lots of stuff going on.

I wanted to use the background paper just as it is because it 

makes the photo pop.

Or the photo makes the paper pop.

Either way its a win.

Since I used part of the paper I whacked it down to 8.5x11.

Then I started packing on the stuff.

And it made me crazy.

I let it sit for a day and then approached it once again

with a different attitude.

I swished everything off and put most of it away and began again.

In wanting mostly the photo to shine and then the paper

because the sayings on it worked perfect with the photo.

I decided to keep the embellishments to a minimum

and I love it so much better.

K& Company which is probably older than I think 

with some old Basic Grey paper and new negative slide,

 prima, Creative Imaginations and Authentique.

With some new Studio Calico and twine.