Color Me Monday: Getting Schooled!

I absolutely LOVE mid-August! The sun still beats down brightly, but we’re all out shopping for sweaters and long pants. We’re riding bicycles but buying notebooks. The kids are watching movies but mom and dad are watching the calendar: it’s almost time for back to school!

Today’s color scheme is a great blend of fall color and summer sunshine—which perfectly captures the feeling of that first day of school, doesn’t it? I’ve used Black, Cranberry, Honey, and Olive (in sturdy cardstocks with a touch of Honey B&T paper pulled from the “Zippidee” kit... A song we’ll all be humming when the kids return to school.)

My featured layout uses basic and versatile patterns from Reflections, including a Main Frame and Bottom Border variation. Reflections are always among my favorite patterns to work with—they’re easy, dramatic, balanced, and always put a lot of emphasis on the photos. And what photos! Today’s focal point is sweet Robert, who I’ve always called “Little Robert Redhead,” son of our Creative Marketing Manager Kristy McDonnell. Kristy was expecting Robert when she started working for Close To My Heart seven years ago, so I’ve literally been able to watch Robert grow up. He used to be a regular visitor to the office as a baby, accompanying his mom to work for the first six months of his life. When I close my eyes, his little baby face and tuft of red hair are still what I envision--I can hardly believe he’ll be starting first grade this fall! The subdued hues of this fabulous color combination are the perfect accents for his dark shirt and backpack, the green grass behind him, and of course, his signature auburn hair.

The color combo also works wonders in cards, whether you’re creating a card for a new teacher, or celebrating a bounteous and shared harvest, as shown in my “Garden of Delight” card. The palette is a reminder of the summer still lingering and the promise of a warm autumn just around the corner. I can almost hear the school bell ringing now!