Shadow Box digi "Layout"

Here is something I have had in the works for a day or so. Actually, it's sort of the backup of what I intended to create, but I really like the end result.

The story behind the creation of this is kind of convoluted, and those who know me will probably chuckle as I explain. You all know how I have fallen in love with Kay Miller Designs and Nitwitcollections. I recently started checking out the combined gallery they have for layouts using either or both designer's products. (The designers are good friends). WEEEEEELLLLLL...one of the layouts posted was a shadow box showcasing Nitwit Collection items. I thought the layout was adorable and I wanted to try my hand at it. But I had to find that shadow box. So, I tried searching for the designer (Raechel Knight). Found her blog and found the store where she sells her products. But the only shadowbox I saw was used to showcase the product. Nowhere did it say that the box came with the item. I tried emailing her, but to date haven't gotten a response. I tried finding an email for the creator of the layout posted in the gallery, but none was listed. I ended up posting a second comment under the layout asking the creator if she'd be willing to contact me with where she got the shadowbox. In the meantime, I even posted on the Jessica Sprague message boards and got a couple of responses for products that were open boxes (although not what I was specifically looking for...cool enough for me to purchase). The gal who created the layout I liked DID email me! But the shadowbox was only available if you were a paid subscriber to the site. The cost was reasonable, so I signed up for a month (and have access to lots of downloads) grabbed the file for the shadow box.

At the same time, there was a new challenge posted on the Spraground (as the girlfriends are now calling Jessica's website) using a 9 square grid to create a layout. I wanted to try the challenge, and decided to use the boxes I just picked up (not the shadow box, since it's not a grid). I wanted to practice extractions as well. So that is what I worked on most of today. It was looking okay, my extractions were fine, but I couldn't get the shadowing to look right. Just as I was going to save my work....I shifted in my seat and my shoe hit the reset button on my computer! (can we say a collective OOOOOOOHHHHHHH NNNNNNOOOOOOO). Sigh....I had worked painstakingly on the extractions...and they were gone. I was disheartened to say the least and also kicking myself for not saving two minutes earlier. Since I wasn't liking my shadows anyway (something I will need to figure out) I decided to go for plan B, which was to create something using the shadowbox.

You still with me? :o) Thanks, if you are!

Now, after all that, here's the layout...



I used the shadowbox from Raechel Knight, from a subscription program at Scrapbook-Bytes.

The papers and elements are from a huge collaboration effort by Mary Fran at Nitwit and Kay Miller. The whole kit is called Happily Ever After and there are several components one can purchase. I used things from several of the components.

Whew! A lotta work went into getting this end result. I did learn a few things, not the least of which is to save more often. Yes, I know I should and usually I'm good about it, but I was engrossed in making my extractions look better. (paperscrappers-this would be the equivalent of cutting out only the person or object you want from a picture... a silhouette I think it's called). I know how to do the extraction now, even though I ended up NOT using any in this layout, so that's good. And as I said, I really DO like how this came out.

Thanks for reading if you got this far!!!!