Not Easy

After all my happy layouts about my favourite memories, my growing up album wouldn't be a true reflection of my childhood if I didn't cover some of the negative aspects too. I was lucky enough to have a truly loving family, but like many others, I faced bullying and down times. While I wasn't a true magnet for bullying at school unlike some poor girls, I did face a few problems, like many children I suppose. So while it might seem like an odd choice for a scrapbook page, Not Easy is my attempt at commemorating the more difficult times.

I had some scraps of a sheet of Basic Grey Scarlet's Letter paper left over from making my frame on Monday so all the patterned paper on the layout comes from that, which I handcut to overlap the photo. The photo might seem like an odd one to scrap being hardly the most exciting shot but I thought it really caught a moment; me in one of my reflective moods. I think I am about 17 or 18 in this shot. The chipboard letters are also by Basic Grey and the flowers and brads are from Papermania. I like the combination of lilac and grey so I thought I would brighten up the paper a bit without making the layout too 'in your face'.

The word NOT is made from a sheet of acetate. I took the idea from here but seeing as I don't have any rub ons and had no black Stazon ink for stamping, I decided to try out a technique from the December 2006 edition of Scrapbook Inspirations and use digital brushes in Photoshop to create a pattern for the back of the acetate letters. The brushes were downloaded from http://missm.paperlilies.com/01_info.html . This site has loads of brushes to download and some are really pretty. I then painted onto the back of the acetate with lilac acrylic paint.

There is quite a bit of journalling on the page and it reads:

They say that your childhood years are the best time of your life, free from worry and responsibility. While in many ways this is true, as the picture shows, growing up can be far from easy. I have loads of idyllic memories of my childhood, but I also have memories of the bullying, the tears and the desperate wish to fit in with others.

For me and for many other kids, growing up can be one of the toughest times, full of traumas and trials. I am so glad I had my loving family to help me get through it.

I know that for many people this wouldn't be the type of thing they wish to remember, but looking back on my childhood now I learnt so much, and have grown up to be a strong and happy person. I hope you like it.