“Bite Me.” by Megan Smith

1. Gather your supplies: Crop Addict September 2010 kit, one 4½” x 3” photo, black cardstock, kraft cardstock, white cardstock, scrap of coordinating ribbon, coordinating paint, coordinating ink, coordinating glitter glue, crackle medium, black journaling marker, white gel pen and adhesives.
2. Choose five different patterns of paper to use from the Mamarazzi collection, making sure at least one of them has a relatively solid background.
3. Assemble your title circle & small chipboard circle: Take the 3½” diameter chipboard ring and paint it. Let dry then add crackle medium. Let dry then add ink to distress. Take the small naked chipboard circle and do the same to it – paint, crackle, ink. Cut a circle slightly larger than 3½” in diameter from the paper with the relatively solid background. Adhere to the back of your large chipboard ring. Set both pieces aside.
4. Create your layout base: Use the sheet of buttercup cardstock as your layout base. Next, cut a 5” x 5” square from each of the four remaining patterned papers. Decide which square will be in the lower left and use an eyelet to attach one of the metal clasps to the lower left corner of this square. Next, adhere the squares in a square grid to the background cardstock, leaving a ¾” margin around the edge of the layout and a ½” margin between each square. Use the black marker to draw a thin black border around the margin of your layout, ½” in from the edge.
5. Assemble your photo mat: Trim the kraft cardstock to 5¼” x 9¼” and the black cardstock to 5” x 9”. Adhere the black cardstock to the center of the kraft cardstock. Adhere your photo so it is ¼” from each side edge and the top edge of the black cardstock. Adhere this matted block to your layout background so it is 1-1/8” from the top and 2” from the left side of your layout. Add a border sticker to the left side of the block so it is flush against the black cardstock edge.
6. Finish your title circle: Adhere the already assembled title circle to the layout so it is 2¼” from the right side and 2-3/8” from the bottom of your layout. Using the Thickers, add your title to the center of the circle. Add a small rub-on to one of the letters. Use your white gel pen to add a date below your title. Adhere three Prima flowers to the upper right of the chipboard circle and dot the center of each flower with glitter glue.
7. Add your journaling: Trim the white cardstock into ½” wide journaling strips. Add your journaling to the strips using the black marker. Adhere the strips at various angles to the blank space in the black cardstock. Use foam adhesive if desired for added dimension.
8. Add embellishing: Punch a 1½” circle from the same patterned paper used for your title circle. Group this circle near the upper left corner of your photo with small chipboard circle you painted earlier, one small circle sticker and a small Prima flower. Dot the flower with glitter glue and add a small circle project sticker to the center of the chipboard circle. Next, knot the ribbon scrap to the metal clasp in the lower left of your layout. Add a rub-on sentiment to the right of the metal clasp.