Happy Place Layout

This week at Frosted Designs, our challenge is "Happiness Is....." and I have to admit this stumped me!!  I finally settled with my original idea of a layout of our recent trip to Mexico to celebrate 20 years of marriage.

Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of things to be happy about, but I feel like I am in a bit of a creative rut!

I made this coordinating page because I HAVE to scrap in 2 page sets!!!

 My inspiration for the first page came from a layout on Pinterest:

Instead of stitching, I layered my Creative Memories paper on top of a brown piece of cardstock.   Instead of strips of paper or washi tape, I used some flourishes to mimic the design on the paper.  I added a second photo and cut out my letters with my cricut.

I used Lovely Floral for "Happy" and sized the letters to 1.27 inches.  The "{}" are also from Lovely Floral sized to 2.41 inches.  I hid the inside cuts.  I cut them out of mossy green cardstock.

I used Martha Stewart Elegant Cake Art for "place" and sized the letters to .76 inches.  I cut them out of dark brown cardstock.

The flourishes came from Picturesque and Home Accents.

I cut apart the swirls to create a background behind the photos. 

It is hard to see my journaling in this photo - I used a brown marker to match the paper.

I pop-dotted the photos on my layout.

Every time I look at the photo of the beach I sigh and just want to go back!!!

For the second page, I started out with a new Layer in my Gypsy. 

I put some bamboo trees on my Gypsy mat from Life is a Beach and sized them to 4.06, 5.00 and 5.47 inches.  I cut them out in a dark mossy green cardstock.

I inked the bamboo, letters and flourishes with Vintage Paper and a Fantastyx before I removed them from my cricut mat.

We had a blast snorkeling at Xel-Ha.  This is a salt water river that feeds into the ocean.  We got to snorkel, cliff dive, zip line and swim.  It was a fun day trip!

Our trip was amazing!!!  I hope I don't have to wait another 20 years to go back!!