One sketch, 2 layouts...

Hello, my name is Sarah and I am a sketch junkie. 'Tis true. Sarah's Cards Ltd have a sketch challenge on their blog, and my two layouts today are based on that sketch. You can find all the info here.

This first layout has been a long time coming. I found the letter and drawing at my Gran's house on the day of her funeral in December 2007, and have wanted to do a page about it ever since. But I needed to find both information and inspiration before I was happy enough to commit to paper. This past couple of weeks I have found both. Information, via Wikipedia and my Dad (some people would say they are one and the same, seeing as he is King of Trivia), and inspiration from the sketch and also from Alexa. I had a lot of information and journalling to put onto this page, but I didn't want it to overwhelm everything else. So, I hid it. Inspired by Alexa's fold out pamphlet, I made a section of the layout lift up, and I had lots of journalling space.

The crux of the layout was a letter and drawing sent to my Grandad after the 1959 General Election, by Arthur Champion. He was the sitting MP for South East Derbyshire, but at the 1959 Election, he lost his seat by 12 votes. My Grandad was Secretary of the Derby Branch of the AEU (Amalgamated Engineers Union) and the Union had sponsored Mr Champion during his campaign. The drawing is of my Grandad, at the ballot count, drawn by Mr Champion. Arthur Champion went on to become a Life Peer, taking the title Baron Champion of Pontypridd. Researching all this was fascinating to me. I love the programme "Who Do You Think You Are?" and would love to have the time and money to go and research all the stories from my family. Especially as it appears we have relatives in Florida...

Back to the layout, I used Bazzill Kraft cardstock, and Crate Paper "Hampton" papers. The title is cut with the cricut, and the buttons are Papermania.

Now onto the second take on the sketch....

I flipped it, so the photos were on the other side of the page. I have a thing that I don't like people in photos looking off the page...
Anyway, this is Tom doing his finest harbour jumping - known as dookin' around these parts.

Again I have used Kraft Bazzill, and the papers are Scenic Route. The chipboard is Maya Road, the "right now" chipboard is Scenic Route, and the tiny tag is Fancy pants. The title alphas are American Crafts Thickers. I added a smattering of brads from my extensive collection, and did a bit of machine sewing to finish it all off.

The past few weeks have been pretty hectic around here, what with the village Gala week, and then a week of family adventure... Mark booked us all to go Gorge Walking, then go up in the tree tops to do a high ropes course, finishing off the week kayaking... To say I was needing another week to recover was an understatement, I needed to go to work for a rest LOL. This week the kids are off at Funtazia, an organised programme of activities based at the RAF camp where Mark is stationed. So I have a bit of me time. Finally. Mind you, a fortnight today the kids will be back at school... The summer has gone rather quickly...

TTFN

xxx