Melon Mania for Summertime/Vacation Layout

Whether you travel the world or sit right by your pool, this layout can be for you!  Just think a little outside the box and change the ‘houses’ to other images (beach balls, cocktails, Cinco de Mayo images and add green instead of blue, etc.). I wanted a layout that showcased a lot of 6×4 horizontal photos and found this sketch on Pinterest for my inspiration:

My photos of Burano, Italy are pretty colorful!  Melon Mania and a few added colors really worked so well on this layout.  I added Capri, Papaya and Honey Butter, a bit of Melon glitter and a lot of Melon Mania products!  But I want you to see the very BASIC look before I add my photos and embellishments:

As you can see above it just looks OK … and needs the photos to really make it pop.  First off, the houses are an exclusive stamp set from our May Album Retreat.  I stamped them in black ink on the four colors of cardstock:  honey butter, melon, capri and papaya.  Then I cut them apart and put them back together again so they rotated colors.

When I add the photos, you’ll see how much it ADDS to the layout.  The strips of paper are 1 1/2″ (honey butter & melon dots); 3″ strip of melon/gold embossed paper; 1/8″ strips of capri and melon glitter.  At the top is 1/4″ ZIP strip too.  The scallop is from Melon Mania sticker sheet.  And the photo mats are either Melon, Capri or Papaya.  I love adding the colors reflected in the photos.

Here’s my completed layout with all the trimmings!

What a difference right?!  Can you see how the colors in the photos really POP on the layout?  I also added the Lace Doily thin cuts because it fits the theme. For those that are not familiar with Burano, Italy you’ll note it has a very colorful neighborhood which is just charming!  It is also known for handmade LACE.  The local women have been taught how to sew these beautiful pieces of artwork for generations.

I also used  a few of the stickers from the Melon Mania Sticker sheet.  The BURANO was thin cut from our Slimline Alphabet set. I thin cut the title in four colors:  white, honey butter, capri and papaya.  We have so many great alphabet sets you can use, so pick one out here.

Note the melon and gold embossed paper.  It just adds a bit of texture and helps the layout POP softly.  All the other papers are matte … so this was a nice element to add that is not too overpowering.

Another possibility is when you  have a lot of photos, you want to make sure you include them in the layout.  Sometimes it is really hard to narrow it down.  So rather than a bunch of flip flaps or adding another layout, I like to see the potential with our Pocket Pages in 12 x 12 size. They fit in between the two page spread, so it’s a part of the story and matches well staying within the layout.  I hope you’ll enjoy what I did on these pages.  Pocket pages come in a few styles so you should check them out here.

Now you can see my story and the LACE on the front side of the pocket page!  I am so glad Rick snapped this photo of the me learning more about their artwork.  Plus, I am thrilled I kept their business card and added it to the pocket so I could remember this store.  I created my own 4×3 PML card with paper, stamps (Memories) and stickers.  Now you can see I used 4×6 vertical photos that capture some extra details of this very charming island.

On the backside of the 12 x 12 Pocket page, you can see more 4×6 vertical photos, journaling and the rest of my photos.  I added another small lace doily to my 3×3 photos of food.  Adding the little details in the journaling to match the photos really helped pull it all together.  A bit of stamping “yes to this” and “love this” on the food photos … well, my mouth was watering for a taste!  LOL

Here’s the thing about Melon Mania:

• it is ON SALE now
• It is the Exclusive Color of the Year
• All things MELON are at a discount
• It can be something you use with a variety of colors to add to your themes and not just on its own!

So take the plunge and check out the MELON MANIA special HERE on my WEBSITE.