Other scrappers inspiration

I've had one of those weeks where everyone else's scrapping has inspired my layout.  It started with a theme challenge at a Facebook challenge site called Crafty Crops to create a Christmas themed page.  The next inspiration came from Michelle - a DT member for www.my2angels.net who used a Prima brick mask - I love the background look of the bricks so this inspired me to bring out my brick template from The Crafter's Workshop - not the same look but in the same vein.

Next was a challenge in my Big Picture class for Dimensional Details to use scraps and a kraft coloured background - thus the papers used here.  I have altered my background with a background crackle stamp and the brick template and some Gesso but this is where it started.  The papers are all scraps from my scraps folder.  I've applied some new shading techniques from the clever Nic Howard to my wooden title, a new die from Tim Holtz - the lamp post, some Kaiser wood flourishes, two different Martha Stewart border punches, some pearls from Kaisercraft and VOILA!

I hope Christmas isn't creeping up on us too quickly - as you can see, this is only the 2009 version......