6 to 7 with a shadowbox layout

It is really hard for me to believe that my baby boy is already 7 years old. It seems like time increases in speed each and every day. Sigh.

As his birthday approached I went to search in his scrapbook for the layout I did of him wearing his 5 shirt and his 6 shirt. 

I couldn't find it anywhere. Then I remembered that the layout had been called for publication last spring in one of the Northridge Publications magazines. Exciting at the time but somewhat devastating now as I have received neither compensation nor my project back. I know something odd is going on at Northridge but they have TEN of my projects, three of them precious layouts of my children and I so want them back.

However, I have come to the sad realization that I may not ever get them back. So today, I scraplifted my 5 to 6 layout while also following a sketch from Back Porch Memories.

 I used the Walnut Grove line of papers from Pebbles, love this line!
 I've seen shadowboxes everywhere lately so I wanted to try my hand at it. So fun! I used my Sizzix and the Hearts die to cut both chipboard and cardstock. I layered them together and topped the stack with a piece of acetate cut from the temporary license plate holder off my oldest son's car. (Serious upcycling!) Then I topped it with a red piece of cardstock, filled it with some square sequins and closed the back with an orange die cut of the large heart.

I make him a new shirt every year using my Cricut and some Pellon. (Click here for a tutorial) I've used a bit of the extra fabric on both of the layouts just to give them that extra sentimental touch. I also used the same arrow stamp from Maya Road that I used on the 5 to 6 layout.  I feel like I  recreated a little of it in this new layout while adding some of my current favorites: twine clusters, wood veneer hearts and sequins.

So far he loves the shirts but I know the age when he won't is coming. And coming quickly. So I'm enjoying every moment right now!