Close To My Heart's Album Contest - Entry 3

This morning, I wanted to continue to share Convention Album Contest entries.  This is my third entry and this layout was the most sentimental layout for me.  The layout was created with the Dream Pop! paper collection which is indeed bright and cheerful.  I created the layout to tell my family's story of a Race for the Cure walk that we participated in a few months ago.  The walk was very meaningful for myself and for my family and I wanted to relay the fun and high spirit of the day but also the more personal moments and to find a balance between the two.  To do so, I used the bright and cheerful papers, lots of pink and lots of bling--these captured the spirit of the day. For my title and subtitles I wanted to state my title very boldly but then my support words more underlying because I wanted to represent the hope that I have.  To achieve this, the mail title is on a grey background with a supporting sparkle flourish to accentuate it.  The support words/subtitles are over the pattern paper so they "blend" in with the story.  My favorite element is the Breast Cancer ribbon which I believe, in all of it's pinkness, becomes the focal point of the layout.  To create the ribbon, I hand cut the ribbon which was the shape of the Susan G. Komen ribbon, and I added the Glitter Gems ONE-BY-ONE.  Yes, that is a great deal of bling.  But worth every single gem.  Other elements were all enhanced with bling--center of flowers, flowers filled with flourishes and so forth.  

For my personal elements, I let the photographs and the journaling to do this for me.  My journaling is on the right page on the underside of the flip flap. The journaling was very personal for me to write and share, but I wanted the observer to witness the touching photos, and our story, before reading my words.  I felt this gave the observer, or my children in the future, to understand the essence of the day.

To see the pictures in a larger window, simply click on the picture.

  

My journaling reads: 

"So much pinkness!  And Abby and I loved every minute of it!  Quickly the boys who were hesitant at the idea of wearing pink shirts were also in the moment and loving be surrounded by all the pinkness!  As Abigail proclaimed, the day was Pinkalicious! 

 Our family shared a morning walking  in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in downtown Richmond and what started as a day for a cause that we truly believe in, became extremely personal when my aunt was diagnosed with Breast Cancer a few weeks before.  I was overtaken by her diagnosis and felt indeed helpless.  This Race for the Cure was something that my family could do. Her need for care and her strength inspired each of us. My children each wrote their own “love signs” for their Aunt Mary Ann and wore them proudly. And we walked with pride.  In love.  In honor.  And most importantly, in HOPE.  Hope for success.  For treatments to work.  For remission.  For a cure.  And  for Life. "

I taught this class last night to my local clients with a few alterations.  For those interested in a kits, I do have those available (minus the ribbon).  Check back here to my blog later this week for details.