Project: PUNK'D

This project has been so much fun! I started with a clear idea of the narrative, the story I wanted to tell. There were key points that I wanted to make. I went through my photo archives to find every photo I could find to cull out the ones that were the cutest and the ones that supported the narrative. I even collected a picture from my nephew's cell phone that appears on the inside back cover.

I knew that I wanted the colors to emphasize the orange fur, so I picked teal and green for my paper colors and highlighted them with orange accents. I was inspired by the grass in the background of so many pictures, and the fact that blue and orange are complimentary colors.

I don't have a good picture of the entire project, but this shows the ribbons and the things that extend beyond the cover. The cat's name is Punky, and he got his way with us, so the play on the name PUNK'D seemed a natural. I stamped the name on orange paper and cut out the letters. I knew I wanted this shot of him on the cover, and after a bit of experimenting, this was the only layout option. I am happy with it. I would have liked to had more interest on the cover, it seems plain to me. I had considered using a transparency for the title, also, and attaching it with brads, but the letters were too big for any other options.

Each page consists of a 4x4 paper background with one or more photos and cut out strips of narrative. The narrative element is the same throughout the book. The background papers change to add a bit of interest. After I finished this page, I decided that I didn't like the hole punched through the narrative, so this is the only page where that happens. I used a standard hole punch after applying the background papers, and lifted the metal clamp to release the pressure on the pages.

Each spread also contains a page turning device on the right page. I made two folder tabs, used two clips, and used a ribbon. Some appear on the top, others on the side. I like the variety. I also varied the layout between the spreads. On most, I had a photo on the top of one page and the bottom of the facing page. This spread I really liked because I used the photo mat paper to align the content on both pages.

On this spread, I used paper strips on the outer page edges to tie them together, and pulled the narrative strips to the outer edges as well. This worked really well. Overall, I'm very pleased with all of the layouts, and with the resizing of the photographs.

For the inside back cover, I went with another large picture on the right, and used the left page for narrative. I also stamped a crown on his head to reinforce the idea that he is the King of Disneyland. I'm not thrilled with the result, and I'm not sure why. Maybe as I stare at the photo longer I'll figure out what I need to tweak in the future.

I spent a lot of time experimenting with different fonts. It turns out that my narrative was quite long, and to keep the strips to four per page, I had to switch to a condensed font. I ended up using a new font, Niagara at 16 pt. It's readable, and the text fits the available space, but it's not a font I plan to use again. I need to review my available fonts, and perhaps organize them differently so I can easily find condensed fonts in the future.

Overall, I'm please with how this turned out, and I know Mom will be thrilled to have a keepsake for the little man in her life. I just got it to UPS today, so it is late, but she knows the kind of hours I've been working, too.