Shine - Guest designing for Crazy Monday Kits

This month I have been lucky enough to be asked by the lovely Annelie Maddock to guest design for 'Crazy Monday' kits. The August kit 'Stars & words & Things' is just amazing to create with - overflowing with all my favourite manufacturers - Crate Paper, Studio Calico, American Craft to name but a few.
Here is my first page:
I fell in love with the background paper as soon as I opened up the box. Usually I go for white card stock backgrounds but this time I was inspired to try something a little different. 

Because the paper is so bold and bright I needed a close-focus, eye-catching photo to take centre stage. I also felt that the paper needed some black (stamping and inking) to add depth and draw more attention to the photo. A little black is often all that is needed to ‘liven up’ a ‘flat’ page.

I matted my photo on grey card stock that I ran through my paper crimper to give it a ‘corrugated’ look and to further lift up and separate my photo from the page. I layered all my favourite papers from the kit underneath my photo and added die-cuts and tags from the awesome Crate Paper ‘ephemera’ pack (my absolute favourite part of the kit).

I used the word ‘Shine’ from the Studio Calico wood veneer pack as my title. I was planning to paint it but when I laid it on my page I loved the look of the ‘raw’ chipboard and settled on leaving it natural.

A couple of buttons and a few lengths of bakers twine to thread through my tags and the page was finished.

Thanks for looking at my page today. I hope that I have managed to inspire you a little – have a great day and do check out Annelie's 'Crazy Monday' blog here.