pages with papertrey #13 - first day

I am back with another layout for Leigh Penner's Pages with Papertrey.  This time, the challenge is to create a layout without using purchased patterned paper.  This is indeed a challenge for me since although I buy patterned papers primarily to just lovingly gaze at them as they sit prettily on my desk, I actually love to use (some of) them for layouts.  So my strategy for this one is to use lots of cardstock, dies and stamping.

My layout is about my DDs’ first day of school. There’s something about first days that make me emotional... nostalgic even.  I remember my own first day in school, first day in university, first day living on my own, first day on  the job, first day driving my car, first day on a new country and  the list goes on…  always gives me feelings of anxiety, excitement and anticipation all rolled into one.  I had the same feelings on Frances’ first day of school.  I read the following piece while web surfing and it so beautiful it made me cry (a little).  I think I will go back to it yearly and read it every single time school starts.  I am such a sucker for these things :). 

The 1st Day of School- by Mike Levine

Quick, before they leave this morning. Take a good look. Touch their faces, run your hands through their hair.

We got antsy with them last month, but now we want time to stand still. Like falling leaves and chilly mornings, some great force signals us today. We are aware of life passing.

See the kindergartner with a brave, bewildered smile watching her mother cry as the school bus pulls away. The high-school freshman with a lump in his throat hears his father whisper everything will be OK. Brothers and sisters who fought all summer now hold hands. Today is proud, today is helpless, today is tomorrow. This is a special morning, wrenching and sacred.

As a young reporter, I'd wonder why. What's the big deal about the first day of school? I would write down quotes in my notebook and comprehend nothing. Then I became a parent. I found out. We mark time by today.

On this morning, we remember our own parents and our own childhood. We are filled with the smell of old raincoats, the sticky bond of classroom glue, the childhood knot of worried excitement. We were so small and lost. (Secret: A part of us is still lost. We tell no one).  Now we have children of our own. On this morning, we remember the holy moment of their birth. We see this is all just a matter of time. Once, we thought our children were ours alone. Each September, on this day, we learn better. Nothing is ours to keep.

Time passes through our eyes this morning. We see our children as newborns, we picture them as grown-ups. We see them walking their own children to school.

Time passes in the beat of a heart. I have seen my first kindergarten boy walk into his dorm on his first day of college. A few days ago, my younger son left for college. I stood there, at once empty and full, as frightened and proud as the morning his first school bus pulled away.  Come on, it's getting late. The bus is coming up the road. I'll keep this short.  Make sure they have everything they need. Double check. Write their name on the book bag. Sweetheart, did you remember your lunch money? Dad, don't call me mushy stuff in front of the other kids.

They are right. Like the summer birds leaving us, our children know what to do. Like September leaves waving in the trees, we, too, give way to the leaves of change.

Beautiful, isn’t it? Okay, now onto my layout…

I used Papertrey cardstock (enchanted evening), stamp (fruit fusion: apple, polka dot basics, happy trails, school time), die (fruit fusion:apple, modern alphabet,  script alphabet, edger #5, spiral notebook), simple stripes impression plate (used on the corner triangle)  and ink (enchanted evening).  I also used a Stampin’ Up cardstock (purple one), Amuse ink (blackberry) and a scallop punch. 

Some close ups...

I would have wanted to use a traditional red, blue and yellow colour scheme but her outfit that day would not match that (note to self:  plan outfit colours better next year).  So I went with the blue and purple combo instead (which I surprisingly liked…so it all worked out in the end). How cute is that purple and blue apple :)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week ahead!