Hello Friday! Friday is always a great day on the SCT blog and today we have something a little bit different for you. Designer Courtney Walsh is a great friend to SCT and today she is launching her brand new book A Sweethaven Summer!! You might be saying this doesn't sound like a paper crafting technique book and you'd be right, it's not. It is actually a beautiful novel and we asked Courtney to share a little bit about her novel and some artwork inspired by the novel, with you...
"Anne Shirley + Diana Barry. Richie Cunningham + The Fonz. House + Wilson. Wilbur + Charlotte. Laverne + Shirley.
There are few things in life as precious as a good friend. But true friendships are rare and relationships volatile. Things come between us and threaten to unravel the once strong cord that held us together.
I feel pretty strongly about scrapbooking and its ability to bring people together. So strongly, in fact, that I wrote a book about it…the first in a series of three.
The book centers around Campbell Carter, who finds a faded scrapbook full of her mother’s memories and secrets. It sends her on a journey to Sweethaven to find out who her father is…but what she finds is so much more. The town where her mother grew up. The long lost friends her mother left behind. The things that drove them apart.
In my own life, I have so many wonderful friendships, but the best ones aren’t without work. Every good relationship has a test or two (is anyone else married? And can I get an ‘amen’?!) But those solid friendships, the ones that stick…those are worth documenting. Don’t you think?
I created a layout about one of my dearest friends, inspired by the stories in my novel. I realized I had so few layouts celebrating the friendships that meant the most to me, so I got to work right away!
I started by pulling the colors from the photos. Blue and orange (two of my favorites)…then I pulled in some of my favorite mixed media techniques, layering book pages, sheet music and a page from the Anthropologie catalog onto the page with gel medium. I have a strong attachment to gel medium.
I dry brushed some orange paint over the top for a pop of color and began layering a strip of photos, a funky Glitz die cut card, my title (I’m a letter sticker addict), handwritten journaling strips and of course, the texture of flowers, buttons and trim. I wanted the layout to be a little funky, a little messy and a lot of fun. Just like my friendship with Mindy.
Friendships, especially ones you’ve fought for, deserve to be celebrated, and for papercrafters, documenting a friendship on a layout is the perfect way to celebrate!
Today, I’m celebrating the release of my very first novel, and I would LOVE to give a copy away to one Scrapbook & Cards Today reader! I am SO happy I found this magazine and know there’s a whole community of people who “get me” and who “get” this scrapbooking stuff!
All you have to do is leave a comment on this post for a chance to win! And if you’re interested, I’ve got a virtual launch party going on over on my blog where you can enter to win CardMaps vol. 2 and other amazing prizes!" ~ Courtney Walsh
Thank you Courtney and congratulations! So SCT friends, leave a comment below by 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 16th to win a copy of Courtney's brand new book (you can buy it here and here!). And, we'll even ask her to personalize it too...shhh! Good luck!
On another note, we are approaching 9,000 fans on facebook and are preparing for a big {prize} party when we get there...wink, wink! (For those not on facebook, don't worry, it will be open for everyone!!!) Can you help us hit 9,000 fans? Will you "share" us with your friends? We would love to have you come and "like" us so that we can get this {prize}party started! Just click here and click "like"!
That's it for today! We will announce last week's CHA winner tomorrow morning! Stay tuned!
~ Catherine
pssst...next week is Valentines...and we LOVE YOU! Wink, wink!
Congrats on your novel! I'm always looking for a good read. Thanks for the chance to win your book.
Posted by: scrapper al | February 15, 2012 at 12:33 AM
Kudos on the book and the gorgeous layout. What a great reminder to remember our best friends.
Posted by: Pam | February 15, 2012 at 01:07 PM
What a novel idea, a novel about scrapbooking.
It sounds wonderful. Congratulations.
Posted by: Sandy Olsson | February 16, 2012 at 12:44 AM
Courtney is truly an amazing woman, and a great friend to have. She is beautiful and talented and I am so looking forward to this trio of novels. You all are going to love it too...I promise!
Posted by: Ronelle J | February 16, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Friendships and scrapbooking in a novel, I love reading that kind of stuff.
Posted by: Arlene B. | February 16, 2012 at 07:42 PM