Swimming Transformation

My boys have gone through such a swimming transformation this summer.  In the past we haven't really had much access to a pool, but this summer we've been able to use the pool in our new neighborhood.  The boys were both very unsure and hesitant at the beginning of the summer.  But as we've gone through the summer months they have really became confident swimmers!

I have really been wanting to do a layout about my boys and summer swimming, but I didn't want to spend a lot of time.  I finished this layout in an hour!  Love that!

This week Donna Jannuzzi is hosting at Write.Click.Scrapbook.com and her posts are about quick summer pages.  I was inspired!  So I searched the August layout gallery there full of layouts with 4x6 pics.  I found this one by Melissa Kaiserman and knew it was perfect!

My left page documented the start of summer.  My youngest crying at every swim lesson, my oldest having fun but not wanting to go in water where he couldn't touch.  The expression on my youngest's face captures it all!

Instead of using a strip of paper like the inspiration page I knew I wanted to use arrows.  So I cut an arrow in SCAL.  I typed the text right on the arrow so that when the Cricut cut it out, the letters would come out of the arrow.  I then backed the arrow with black so that the letters would pop.  Essentially I used the negative.  Much easier than adhering tiny letters!

The right page shows my boys now.  Jumping off diving boards, swimming underwater, and for my youngest swimming without using a death grip on any adult in close proximity.  :)  I accented the pages with a few 3D stickers just to add a punch of colorful fun!

Rather than using a large journaling square I wrote words in my own handwriting to describe each page.  The left page has words like hesitant, hold on tight, crying, waist deep, dry heads.  While the right page expresses my oldest son's LOVE of jumping in and the new found freedom in swimming.  In between each word I put a small gradient jewel in clear, blue, or green.

The inspiration layout used what looked like doodles down the corners of one picture on each side.  I loved the look, but wanted to be sure my lines were straight, so I chose to stitch instead.  Plus it gave the page a bit more dimension and color.

This layout is happy and fun while still documenting the story I wanted to tell.  But best of all it was FAST!  From start to finish (and blogged about) while my son was napping.  Gotta love that!