OK, it was fun!

 This double page layout (DPLO) took a long time. I cannot just keep at things or risk being sore and I need time to think out my steps. It was fun; but, I do have quite a mess to clean up - today's project, LOL!
I found these photos taken different times in the 1950's but all in our kitchen of the house on Eveline. I wrote a stream of consciousness essay about the pictures and then decided this would work for a scrapbook page using my new Claudine Hellmuth products from HSN http://www.hsn.com/search_c-ct_a-9170_xc.aspx

I started by choosing my background and accent papers from the scrap kit and the alignment of my photos. I also began going through the embellishments trying to find ones that enhanced my story and design.

I committed to my paper choices and sizes and began to arrange my pages still working on the embellishments. I had not yet picked my fonts so used my original journal draft for help in design and placement.

. I found a 1950's fabric on the web and used that as an inspiration for my design element on the left. I wanted to add pattern and movement. I found an orange plaid making tape in my stash and added it to the cardstock. I used part of a hero arts stamp to stamp onto a transparency since stamping over the tape would not have worked since the surface was irregular. I was happy the orange coordinated well. I was not so lucky with the Mark Richards glitter domes' shade of orange but Glimmer Glaze by Tattered Angels in Orange Crush "saved the day"! Just fastened that all on the left with staples. (Sorry, I could not resist my little reference to Rocky and Bullwinkle).I had chosen a font called Marketing Script Outline for my title and printed that and my subtitle (done in Marketing Script) onto glossy photo paper and then fussy cut. I added a American Crafts red felt heart to the oven door of the embellishment. Note that I rounded the outside corners of my paper strips and added a little pen work. I also made photo corners from the background sticker paper and added pen work to those. The photos external edges were deckle cut with my Fiskars rotary cutter and deckle blade to look like my originals and to give a little more vintage look to the page. A little lace echoed the lattice of the top line of patterned paper. Claudine's wood elements come attached to a red bordered "recipe card" and I used that bit of packaging as my journaling block for my sub-title.

On the right side I used a Fiskar's Border punch to repeat a lattice on the bottom of the journaling. More chipboard and dimensional die cuts emphasized the story and the color moves the eye around the page. I added some orange glitter domes here again to bring more of the color to the right.
The journaling is in Hot Rod. The font size needed to work on the page is a little difficult to read but not that hard in person. I thought about changing this out but finally decided to leave it. It reads:

When looking through some old photos today I saw these pictures of my Mom and Dad, my brother, Stephen, and me. All were taken in the kitchen of our then new house on Eveline Street about 1955-57. There was a lot of natural wood finish in the house – something my Dad loved; me, not so much. Mom is wearing those moccasin slippers that must have been comfy; but, again not a favorite of mine.
I see so many other details in these photos. Must ask Mom why those drawer fronts were slanted. Probably was in vogue at the time.  Those fake tiles on the wall I remember, though not sure of the color of that nor the floor, though grey and teal seems to faintly echo in my mind.
The dinette set was a grand prize my parents won at a Bingo game in Winnipeg Beach. Those games were a weekend entertainment for a time for my parents. I remember meals at the table, family poker games, and my parents playing cribbage there. It lasted a long time. I think the chairs outlived the table and were recovered at least once or twice. I remember they had red upholstery when I took them off to my apartment in Montreal, where I attended med school, in the back of my then boyfriend’s car.  That boyfriend, Jim, became my first husband. My parents teased me that the chairs were my dowry.
It looks like my Mom was frying something on our stove. The big tea kettle was always whistling about 4 in the afternoon. Dad’s shift ended at 3pm and my folks always had tea after he got home. Maybe that’s what we were doing when the seated at the table photo was taken. I see the milk carton and the cups, the salt and pepper were always out. Stephen and I each had half a banana and no plates so likely not a formal meal.
The bread box is almost washed out in the middle photo but I remember that. In the old days bread and milk got delivered. Not for long, Safeway did make it to our town and was down the street.
I think at that time most everyone had those standard issue black phones unless you were like my grandma in Lockport. She continued to have one of those handled wooden phone boxes on the wall for much of my childhood. My uncles often got yelled at for listening in on the party-line.
Yes, those are ash trays on the counter tops. My father smoked and my brother, too. They died from the consequences of smoking, both at age 58, so sad.
I see a bouquet of flowers on the living room side of the divider unit. I wonder if that’s why I have bouquets of flowers in my home so often.  I love how the curtains were hung too high or hemmed too short at the windows. Wonder why that was. The open left side of the divider cabinet is where I think we kept the phone book and the dictionary. My Mom did the Jumble puzzle at the table, too, as I recall and had the dictionary handy. The open sliding door on the right shows my Mom’s salt and pepper shaker collection. I remember those Scottie dogs. I think flower vases were on the bottom shelf.
Other memories are rushing in. Books were in the divider cabinet shelves on the living room side. I can see the door to the bathroom down the hall from my Mom at the stove. My Mom permed my hair there. I recall her saying “That girl sure loves to read. She even reads all the details on the shampoo bottles when I’m doing her hair.” Oh, I did love to read. I must write the story of my library experiences on another layout page.

Hope you enjoy my memories and my process!
Products used: