The Tree

I tried. I really did. I tried so hard. All I wanted to do was make one card for the latest Color Throwdown. But, my daughter just wouldn’t have it. No way. She was pretty unhappy today. I have no idea why. She just cried and cried. She’s not sick or anything… So, my card never got made.

But, that’s why I am so glad I decided to post some of my “pre-blog” stuff up. Here is one of my all-time favorite layouts. And, it goes right along with the “Quiet” layout I posted the other day.

Please click on my photos to see them bigger. There is actually a lot going on in this layout. Let’s start with the photo itself.

You really need to see this one blown up… Why? Because I am IN this tree! It’s hard to tell with the photo being so small. This is the same cemetery I wrote about the other day. It’s in Salem, Mass. I love this tree. If I could take it home and keep it forever I would. It’s so majestic, old and beautiful. Yes, I am a Tree-Hugger! I sit in this tree for so long whenever we visit Salem. It could be my favorite place to be in that city. Please note: that little tombstone in the lower right corner is a tiny embellishment that I aged a bit and added on. Looks like it belongs there huh?

So I drew this title. But not only that, this was a plain piece of cardstock to start off! I used my beloved wood grain stamp across the whole thing, then I tore the cardstock, and aged it with Distress Ink in Weathered Wood, Walnut Stain and a bit of black. Then I drew on my title. This was my second try. The first was too small.

I used the same techniques on this piece of cardstock. These are my feelings about this tree. It’s been a few years since we’ve visited Salem. I was hoping we could get there this year, but that doesn’t seem possible. Maybe next year…

I made this layout in 2006, but it is still one of my favorites. I really love everything about it. The distressing, the words, my title, the photo itself… but I especially love the emotions that I feel when I think back to sitting in that tree. I was at peace. One with mother nature. The tree and I were so very alive, in a place that housed death. A beautiful contradiction.