Everyone deserves a little "me" time!

Well, JULY certainly has been a VERY BUSY month for "me!"   I thought things were supposed to calm down a little in the summer months!!  I guess I will have to wait until our beach vacation in August!!

I spent MUCH of my June and July planning and preparing for my youngest son Jake's Graduation Party.  I made the centerpieces and the luminaries that I shared on a previous post, along with a cool Photo Op stand.  ( I'll try to put a post up with pics and ideas of the event in the near future.)

As a TREAT to "me" - the week after the party, I attended a WONDERFUL weekend crop - hosted by Scrap-a-Doodle Doo!   Stephanie and THE DOO CREW always put on a GREAT EVENT - absolutely TOP NOTCH in every way!

The theme was "Down the Shore" - and most of us, being "Jersey Girls," really felt right at home!!  The weather played right along with the theme - as temperatures on Friday and Saturday were in the 90's!!  But we were cool and comfortable in the BEAUTIFUL Crown Plaza Hotel in Suffern, NY.

I had an incredible time laughing and relaxing with friends.  The food was AMAZING - the chef really outdid himself and even gave us a "Clambake" on Saturday night!

And - my good friend Pattie always makes "THEMED" desserts for the event - just look at these ADORABLE flip flop cookies and floating bear mini-cupcakes!!

HOW STINKIN' COOL ARE THEY!!??

SO -keeping with the "me" weekend theme - I've had these 2 photos of "me" that were taken in 2011 when we visited San Diego.  There was a "touch pond" in Sea World, and they had these incredibly beautiful and unusual STARFISH. ( Rarely am I in a photograph, as I am usually the one with the camera, but my son took these 2 shots of me with one of the neat starfish.)   I kinda liked how they came out, and used the get-a-way weekend as my opportunity to PLAY with the photos and the HOT NEW Graphic 45 Bohemian Bazzar paper line that I picked up at THE DOO a few weeks ago.  I just LOVE how very FUN the colors and patterns are!

Here is my "me" Layout:

Lots of layers, colors, textures, patterns 

- YUP!  That's "me!"  :-)

The chipboard piece is from THE DUSTY ATTIC - I first painted it with Ranger RUSTY HINGE Distress Paint - then sprayed it with layers of Glimmer Mist, until I achieve the colors I wanted.  I used Chalkboard INCHWORM, along with some Glimmer Glam DIRTY MARTINI for the green, and added some bling.  The red flowers were sprayed with LED RED, and the little dots on the end of the flowers were highlighted with Aqua Ranger Distress Stickles.

Here is a close up:

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I used layers of the Bohemian Bazaar Tags and pockets for both the mat on the smaller photo, and behind it as well.  Then, before adding a piece of fishing net under the flower grouping and over the "me" tag on the left side of the page, I placed it in the upper corner right of the yellow and white polka dot base and sprayed it with Glimmer Mist - to act like a mask.  They kind of "mirror" each other and I really think the more solid and darker color behind the Dusty Attic piece helped to "pop" it as well.  I inked the edges of all papers with either Peacock Feathers or Ripe Persimmon Ranger Distress Stains too!

Here you can see some of the fishing net, and the cool large starfish that I stamped on Bazzill swiss dot orange paper -then heat embossed with cranberry embossing powder.  Can you see the starfish I am holding?  I think it came out pretty close don't you?!!   I was so happy with it, that I made 2 of them and used them both.   Then  I added the real little red starfish was from my friend Pattie -who had a jar of Mud Puddles Sea Life collection and kindly shared her little red starfish with me :-)  The flowers are from my "stash" but are mostly PRIMA I'm sure!  ( LOVE PRIMA FLOWERS!) Can you see the little resin Prima Light Bulb that says "ME" hiding amongst the flowers?

I've had the tag that I used in this layout in my stash for some time - I had Glimmer Misted it with yellows and oranges using a mask  when I was just "playing around" and never found a place to put it.  I thought it worked well with this layout, and added some PRIMA Canvas letters that I painted with Glimmer Mist Chalkboard "Inchworm" and then outlined with a fine point Sharpie Marker.  I added this cool Turquoise and Green fringed ribbon that I got from a cute little Esty Shop called Hydrangea  Hippo, and there are also 2 sprigs of green and clear "Bling Spray" that I purchased from there as well.

So there you have it - my "me" weekend and layout.   I hope I've inspired you to play with lots layers, colors, prints and textures and to most importantly - do something for yourself!  Everyone deserves a little "me" time!

((Hugs)) ~ Sherri