Memories! ...

Hi friends!

We, at Lulupu have a very interesting challenge for this fortnight which is Vacation/Travel/Holidays - Only LO Theme for our Challenge #29. With this month nearly coming to an end, you just have two more days to join in the fun.

Here's what I have created for our current challenge :

And, you know what ? This is my first ever layout. and I was quite nervous about creating it but once I got the right pictures to scrap about, and, the sketch from Once upon a ..Sketch Challenge, I was all set. And, this is what I ended up creating :

My LO is based on my parent's first international trip to the U.S.A to meet my brother and his family. My brother and me were so excited and nervous at the same time as my parent's were travelling alone. But, by God's grace, everything went quite smoothly and they really had a very good time in California where my brother is put up. The photo that I am scrapping about was taken on a water-front near Milpitas and it was really cold there as my parent's had traveled during the winter's.

Sadly, this was my father's first and last trip to U.S as he is no more with us. I really, really miss him a lot. So, this layout has a special significance for me. Since, this trip was one of the big events of my parent's life, in a way, it was even mine and my brother's.

Some more views of the layout with a little bit of journaling done :

Here's a close-up of my flower cluster :

 And a close up of the removable Tag on which the journalling is done :

A little bit about how I made this. For the base, I first took a 300gsm white cardstock and stuck my DCWV pattern paper over it. Then, I used the Sakura Modelling paste and TCW Hexagons Stencil on the two corners of my LO to create the hexagon background. Most of the bright, cheerful die-cuts used on my LO are from the Simple Stories Travel Snap! cards which I have fussy-cut and stuck on my LO with 3D Foams tabs to give it a little bit of dimension. The flowers are all die-cut using Spellbinder's die and I have used brads on the centre of my flowers. Added a little bit of journaling on a removable tag!

Supplies used :
Base paper : Local Cardstock
Pattern papers : DCWV, Pebbles Basic Cardmaking paper pad, My Mind's Eye..
Dies : Spellbinder's Rose Creations, Memory box Fabulous Phlox dies.
Punches : Martha Stewart Doliy Lace border  punch.
 Travel Snap! cards from Simple stories
Distress Stains : Peacock Feathers, Salty Ocean,Wild Honey, Mowed Lawn.
Distress Inks :Tumbled Glass,Spiced Marmalade.
The Crafter's Workshop Hexagons Stencil, Sakura Modelling paste, Washi tapes,Basic grey Brads,Studio Calico Tiny Stars Wood Veneers, Twine, Pearls.

Challenges entered :
Once Upon a Sketch -Sketch Challenge.
Scrap Around the World - Mood Board Challenge ( I was inspired by the colours and the background from the inspiration picture).
Color Conceptions- Anything but a Card.

Hope you like my first attempt at making a layout. Please leave me your comments/ suggestions. I would love to hear from you :)
Have a nice day everyone!