I faced two challenges while working on this layout:
Challenge One: The Color Conundrum
While I think America is a pretty cool country, the Red White and Blue color combo just doesn't inspire my creative juices. Also, they just didn't mesh with the colors in my photos.
Solution One: Hint at Hues
Pink is sort of like red. Silver is sort of like white. And blue, well it is blue. I played with these colors instead of red white and blue. The result: Jaime Patriotism. The use of these colors helped me express my personal exploration of my country/capital. They also complimented the greys, taupes, and blues in my photos much better than red white and blue would have.
Another way I alluded to my patriotism with this layout was with my usage of stars. Stars are definitely somethings that inspire me, so I used some chipboard stars and pink glimmer mist to add texture to my background paper. Then I covererd the chipboard stars in some of my favorite Martha Stewart glitter and added them to my layout for dimension and well.... glitter.
Challenge Two: The Perpetual Pixels
I took about twelve bajillion bloody photos that day and I wanted to fit this whole story on one layout.
Solution Two: Awesome Alone
Like so many of my scrappy heroes advise, I was ruthless with my selection of photos. I started by trying to select just one photo to represent all the things I saw. Everything made it in except the Holocaust Museum (pictures aren't allowed inside and I forgot to take a photo from the front of the museum). Yes, Abe made it in twice, but I went ahead with it because Abe was probably my favorite monument.
Then I chose photos that I managed to timer or myspace myself into. Too often I feel that I take photos of landscapes, views, interesting trees, a compelling line, something that is bright pink, my coffee cup, my feet, or other random things, but I don't take photos of myself or the people I am with. So even though the flash makes me look like I superimposed myself into some of these shots... I am there. And I look suprisingly ok considering my staticy hair and three hours of sleep.
