Papertrey Pages July Challenge- and a 20 weeks update!

So, here it is! My July set of pages, lol...it's only August 3rd, right? How is it that the longest days of the year are here, but I seem to get less done this time of year?



The challenge this month was to use kraft paper, and to make your own embellishments. So without further ado, here's my entry!

How the heck do you guys photograph photographs without getting a flash of light in them? I know the answer is don't use the flash...but if I turn off the flash I need to use bulbs...and that makes a glare as well. I finally photographed from above, but that makes this weird angle. Darn.

I started with 12 x 12 kraft, and stamped Star Prints across the middle with Dark Chocolate. Next I made a background paper with Faux Ribbon and Blue Danube Memento ink plus a T-4 Copic just running the thick end across the white area between the ribbon stamp. Make sense?

Used the new Billionaire Cricut Cartridge from Walmart to make the sentiments, then used a white Sigma marker to make the leather look lines.

The cute little horsie is felt, made using a Sizzix die. His little bandana is Papertrey's Star Prints paper (Pure Poppy). I used white paint to do his eyes, nostrils and hoof accents.

He's hanging over a fence punched out with a Martha Stewart punch. It wouldn't punch through Papertrey's Dark Chocolate paper, so I had to use a thinner paper I had. The blue paper for the words is also a thinner paper; I had to match the color of Wes's shirt, and it is perfect in real life! The word 'heart' is done by cutting out the word twice- there isn't a shadow feature on the cartridge- I used the Star Prints paper for the top layer.

Now just look at this...

... and this... Makes me laugh just to see the pages sitting next to each other- can you tell they are brother and sister??!!??

Now for the update: I challenged myself to do 20 pages and lose 20 pounds in 20 weeks- as of August 1 (13 weeks) I've lost 11 pounds and made 9 pages. Not too bad! I would rather have made 11 pages and lost 13 pounds... but beggars can't be choosers!

ETA: I hate it when you see something after the post is done! I am going to go upstairs right now and turn the bottom left horses' head to face the other way, lol....