Every year, around Christmas, we get together and do a Family Photo Shoot. My son Kevin is the photographer, and we are his cast!! Grand-ma Pete & Grand-pa Moe (my parents), Ashley (DD), Mike (SIL), Mason (grand-son), Dan (DS), Carol (DIL) and myself. It's quite the production......just getting everybody's schedule to work is a feat!!!
Since Kevin is doing the shoot, he has to get everything ready. He has to do some test pics, get us all together in the right place, set the timer, and run to his spot, tell us all to smile, and run back & check the pic, and then do it all over again. We always do a 'family' portrait, and each couple, and usually one with me & my folks, and one with me & my kids. This usually takes about 1 1/2 hours. Not too bad!! And then we get take-out or head out to a restaurant. Fun!!
Well, this year was a bit different. First, we all knew that Mike was going to Basic & Specialty Training in mid-January, and that Ashley & Mason were going to Vermont to be with Mike's Mom. Second, I'm back to working overnight. Third.......Mason!!! He is a bundle of energy!! That kid never stops......really he doesn't!! I'm sure that if he didn't need to sleep, he certainly wouldn't!! He loves playing and walking, and walking, and looking at everything, and more walking!! And then there's the picking up of anything that suits his fancy....leaves, flowers, rocks, keys, any little bit that he sees!! He has more energy than the Energizer Bunny!!! No joke!!
This year, we decided that each couple and myself, would have pics taken with Mason, plus the usual 'Family' portrait. Can you just imagine how difficult that was!! There was just no way that, that kid wanted to be held, and forced to smile!! We took turns standing behind Kevin and waving, & shouting 'peek-a-boo', etc. to get him to smile!! We even tickled him, as we were holding him. He just didn't want to do this!! Well, the shoot ended up taking almost 4 hours to get done!!!
The up-side to this, is that we def got more 'natural' looking pics, than normal.....with the exception of the 'Family" portrait. Our smiles looked less 'forced', and we were being ourselves!! We didn't get too many shots with Mason smiling, but that's okay. Our photos showed more of the love that we have for each other!! Def better pics!!! We also ended up getting some funny and goofy pics!!!
The LO that I'm going to show you today, is def a funny one!! You see, Kevin was holding Mason, & Dan was taking the pics. Mason is still teething, so he keeps putting his hand in his mouth.......well, he decided that he needed to put his wet fingers in Kevin's ear, just a moment before Dan snapped the pic!!! It was hilarious....Kevin trying to maintain his composure, and still wipe his ear. Mason had this impish look like he thought that he had just gotten even with Kevin!
Yep, he gave Kevin a 'wet willy'!!! Look at that face, doesn't it look like he actually knew what he just did?!!! LOL I love this pic!!!!
I used a lot of different papers on this LO. There's Webster's Pages, K&Co, Graphic 45, Tim Holtz & Pink Paislee. The bright fun colors look great against the WP balloon paper!! I don't usually do bright LOs, but I think that this one has me hooked!!! This LO is def one of my top 3 faves!!!!
It's also the the LO that got me doing punched circle flowers......sooooo easy to do!!! I used 3 different sized circle punches, edged the circles with TH Distress Ink in Walnut Stain, and added a Pink Paislee brad. Here's a closeup......
I also added leaves made with Cricut and Plantin Schoolbook cartridge. I folded the leaves to make veining, and then edged each fold with distress ink & then topped it with Distress Stickles, all in Peeled Paint. I also used up some K&Co & EK Success flowers that I had leftover from another project, and I added some dimensional paint (TH & Polymark) to the centers. Here's another with the bear....
I bought that cute little bear (Jolee's) about 1 year ago; it had a bright red bow on it, before I changed it to blue (stash). I just couldn't come up with a way to use it on a LO.....until now. I think he looks so cute!!! The chipboard ladybug on the right side is from Colorbok, part of a 'wild 'animal' collection (see 'Are You Lion' post).
I did a bunch of distressing on this LO...unfortunately it was a rainy day when I took the pics, & the colors are a little off....that is TH Distress Ink in Walnut Stain around the edges.
And another....
And another......
I also used Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick & Peeled Paint around the edges of the layered papers. The chipboard is from K&Co & Colorbok. The burlap under the sentiment was in my stash. Alphas are also K& CO, and the sentiment (which I love) is from Cosmo Cricket!!! I wadded it up many times to get the wrinkled look, and then used TH Walnut Stain Distress Ink on the edge.
I had a lot of fun doing this LO....mostly, I just kept laughing at the pic!!!! As much as I love the 'Vintage Romantc Chic' look, I will def do more 'bright' LOs.
Hope you enjoyed this one as much as I did making it!!! Thanks for stopping by!!!
Love ya,
Lynne
