The last of the layout challenges (for now)

The fourth layout challenge for National Scrapbook Day (hosted at www.shimelle.com) was to create a page around a photo with a hidden story.  This challenge should have been a piece of cake for me — for I love to tell a good story.  But, I labored over what photo to choose, what story to tell, and I finally settled on this photo as the focus of my page:

This photo was taken just days before Christmas and Simon is in fact wearing his first of several festive outfits (Santa’s Little Helper shirt gifted by friends from church), but I decided to step away from all the Christmas papers and stickers and embellishments and so I turned to a few pieces of paper from K & Company in the Blue Awning line that I’ve been saving.  I wanted to include some photos other than the one with the hidden story and this is what I came up with:

I remember this day like it was yesterday!  It was just a couple days before Christmas and we spent the afternoon shopping in town.  I needed to find a place to nurse, and fast, and so that meant tea or coffee somewhere.  We decided to give the cafe in Marks & Spencer a whirl…and it was fabulous!  My mom enjoyed a slice of Victoria Sponge and I gambled on a slice of Sticky Toffee Cake (and was SO glad I took the risk).  We enjoyed tea and then snapped some photos of sweet Simon, trying to capture his festive attire.

We headed to the bathroom to change his diaper and this is where the hidden story comes into play.  Up until this point, Simon had cried his way through every single diaper change.  No, I’m not exaggerating — every.single.one.  We went into the baby change room and fully expected a screaming fit, but much to our surprise, he didn’t make a peep.  I was dumbfounded and immediately reached for the camera because I just knew at any moment the screaming would commence.  It never did.  Our little boy made it through an entire diaper change without making a single sound.  I guess he decided all was well in the world right there in Marks & Spencer.  I left the bathroom in utter disbelief and awe and reported the fantastic news to my mom — who promptly cheered for Simon as any good grandmother would do!

I wish I could say that he never again wailed through a diaper change.  He has on several occasions since screamed bloody murder.  He’s gotten a bit better now (thank goodness since he’s staring down six months next weekend!).

A few more details about the page: I love the journaling cards and sticky border tape, both by K & Company.

I don’t have a fancy border punch yet (I plan on using a Jo-Ann’s or Michael’s coupon for one this summer when I’m home), so I made my own border by punching several one inch circles, inking the edges, and then just assembling them in a straight line underneath a photo.  I am pleased with how it turned out:

This layout took the most time to put together and I’m so grateful to CK for giving me so much time in my office this afternoon and evening!  It’s been such a fun week of scrapbooking and creating these layouts to participate in the Scrapbooking Day challenges.  I hope I don’t lose my motivation.