Stars & Stripes (America's Cup)

I promised more posts....

These photos were from one of my favorite adventures - a chance to actually crew the Stars & Stripes - the actual racing yacht that won the America's Cup under Dennis Conner's leadership.  And what an amazing name for a yacht representing the US?  Can you get anymore patriotic than calling it the Stars & Stripes?  As a former sailor (nothing this large), and HUGE fan of the whole America's Cup race and history, it was an absolute honor to get the opportunity.  And even better, to share it with my parents (my Dad beng the one that taught me to sail in the first place).  This was NOT a tour - we all were actual crew, trimming sails, grinding, changing sails.  And it wasn't just sailing - it was a full race against another former America's Cup yacht - Canada II.

So while the experience was amazing the lifecycle of the layout was not so much.  It has been a work in progress for more than 7 months - no exaggeration.  I just didn't like my first attempt and it sat in pieces for a few months.  I made a second attempt, redid a few pieces and still didn't like it.  And so it sat.

And then all the blogs I follow started asking for red, white, and blue and then stars and stripes.  So I thought - darn it, Lisa!  Get that layout done!!!!  So I went back to scratch (not quite all the way - I still had my background paper and title, ha ha). I re-sized and re-printed the photos, made new mats adding stitching to one to emulate ropes, and added some ribbons and embellishments.  It is still very simple but I figured I needed to quit while I was ahead or else it would sit for another 7 months in the land of indecisiveness!

Anyway, it's done!  Whew.

Challenges (beyond the challenge of just finishing this):

• Unique Crafters #5 - Patriotic
• Cooking with Cricut - Water
• Shopping Our Stash - Triple Threat - I used three different ribbons as well as more than three different brads (4 types, 7 total)
• Lasting Memories - Red, White, Blue
• My Sheri Crafts #88 - I Love America
• Crop Stop - #78 - Blue, White, and one other color
• Little Scrap Pieces - Star
• Exploring Cricut - Show your Red, White, and Blue (the title and a subtle shadow was cut on Cricut using SCAL)
• Love to Create - Stars and Stripes
• Paper Playtime #78 - Die Cut Red, White Blue (title cut on Cricut)
• Paper Play Challenges - #26 - Flags, Banners - (the ribbon banners on the journaling card)
• Party Time Tuesday #75 - Country's Colors (red, white, blue)
• Pink Elephant #155 - Photo Inspiration (see below) - I picked up the red and blue and also picked up the color of the chopped wood and tree in the stitching.  I also liked the pleated decorations which I picked up in the corrugated star.
• Ribbon Carousel #60 Red White Blue  (LOVE their ribbons)