Real Life Memories / Pinkfresh Studio December Challenge

Happy Monday, lovely friends :)  The Pinkfresh Studio December Challenge is up, and it is awesome!  It's All Things Holiday with some beautiful Christmas-y colors that coordinate perfectly with the Oh What Fun! collection.  Here it is:

Here is what I created.  I was in the mood to create my own mixed media background, so I pulled out some smooth white cardstock and the Pinkfresh Liquid Watercolors.  I mixed Sky Blue and Sapphire to create a pretty watercolor sky.  I did use clear gesso first, and I just let the colors run and blend together.  I love how this mimics a sky with clouds :)  

I also wanted a large title to reflect my photos...real life moments when your kids don't cooperate for a photo...haha :D  I used the Adore Alpha Stamp & Die Sets with the Storm Mini Ink Cube to create it, and I added "memories" above it, which is a puffy sticker.

I positioned my photos beside each other horizontally with a layer of tissue paper, patterned paper and adhesive foam behind them.  I embellished here using a Christmas tree die cut. 

I used a few more die cuts here on the left side.  I cut a slice of yellow from a patterned paper to add to the outer edges here.  I wanted pops of that color all over the page.

I created a cluster full of goodies down below the photos using a mix of die cuts, stickers, puffy stickers and the Essentials Crystals.  They are so perfect for a Christmas page.  They add just the right texture, color and sparkle.

I machine stitched through the title here using white thread.  I really love how the background turned out, and the different shades of blue look really pretty together.  I added a chipboard sticker above "memories," and I love how it fit right in that little nook.  I topped it with a green star puffy sticker and more of the Crystals.  I wanted to fade out some of the red on "memories" so I smudged some white gesso over it.

I even added a few of the Crystals to this tree :)

Here are more close-ups of all the pretty things...

I also smudged some white gesso over these red die cuts.  That red was a different red than the red in my photos, so this helped with that.

Of course I added in some thread (my favorite!)...I used dark blue and golden yellow.

I really love how this came together!  I hope it inspires you in some way.  I have learned over the years that not all of our photos are necessarily "scrapworthy."  However, they show real life.  And these photos were how our day went at the tree lot.  No one was happy.  No one wanted to participate in mom's photos.  But I took them anyway, and I'm going to document them.  Don't be afraid to scrap your imperfect photos.  It's still a memory, so it deserves to be scrapped :)

Be sure to join us in the challenge this month for a chance to win a $50 gift card to the Pinkfresh Store!  Yessss!!

Here's my process video:

Thanks for stopping in, and I'll see you again soon!