License to Drive January 2021

I’ve had this idea to for my son’s birthday layout for a while, using an old photo next to a current photo of him sitting behind the wheel of a car. The Lasting Memories challenge #579 for this month was the perfect reason to GET IT DONE.

The layout inspiration was provided by the #JanuaryBONUS sketch from this month’s Creative Memories virtual crop.

Little did we know at the time, this day marked not only a yearly milestone, but an important moment in time. This was the last day our family spent together prior to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown a day later. We had our son drive us to a local canal path park along the Delaware River to celebrate his birthday and passing his drivers test. He and I also enjoyed a mommy/son lunch out that I treasure, as we promised we would try new local new local menus regularly until he leaves for college. That promise has been put on hold for now, but hoping to get a few more lunches scheduled when it gets warmer and we can sit outside again. I’m thankful for all the extra time together we have had as a family over this difficult year, but this day looms large in my mind as a shift in our daily lives and adjusting to an unknown future on many levels.

I don’t purchase Creative Memories that much, mainly because I don’t like the thin quality of their patterned paper, however with two boys who love Matchbox cars, Formula One racing, and lots of road trip vacations, I couldn’t help but invest in the cars border chain tool and coordinating papers, die cuts and stickers. I also used the CM platinum shimmer cardstock, which unlike their printed paper, never disappoints.

In addition, I pulled out the Vicki Boutin Let’s Wander city plan stencil and stars vellum paper to supplement the featured collection and support the driving theme of the page. The Reflections craft paper background with the muted colors in CM collection needed a pop of color, so I added some mixed media with the Picket Fence Paper Glaze in Cornflower Blue, Catherine Pooler Mini Icing on the Cake ink, and Nuvo glitter and crystal drops. In addition to the high quality stickers that came with the CM collection, I also added stickers from the Echo Park All-Boy collection. With the exception of the craft paper, die cut title from Paper Wizard Scrapbook Company and the featured CM collection, all these materials were purchased from My Little Scrapbook Store. 

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