It's a Sketchy Challenge - July

You may remember me sharing our exciting news that Canadian Scrapbooker's It's a Sketchy Challenge gallery was online and ready for your uploads, right?

Well, I posted the fantastic July sketch by Jill Sarginson on July 1st.  Well, actually I uploaded in mid-June but I didn't make it live until the 3rd... that's what happens where there's a holiday and your birthday at the beginning of the month! :s

So every since I saw this sketch, I've been itching to scrap!  That's true inspiration!  Last weekend, Holly came down with her kids and her cousin, Sharon, to go to a drum corps show in Ohio on Wednesday.  We spent some time in my studio on Friday but I couldn't get anything together and with everything that happened that weekend, we didn't spend much time in the studio...

So I spent a little therapeutic time in my studio this past weekend.  Good for the soul, it is... but as inspired as I was by Jill's sketch, I just couldn't get this layout to work.  There's something missing, I think, but I don't know what.  I finally just stuck it all down and called it a day.

Here's the July Sketch:

And here's my layout:

Supplies used:  Bazzill Basics cardstock; Fancy Pants patterned paper, stickers and journal card; American Crafts and Lily Bee alpha stickers; Martha Stewart Crafts and EK Success punches; Spellbinders Nestabilities dies (Standard Circles Small, Labels Sixteen); American Crafts Slick Writer; Gel-a-tins rhinestones; unknown buttons.

Blech.

Not sure what's wrong with it.  Maybe the black vine is too long?  Or I need something else sticking out?  Too busy?  I dunno...

Or maybe it's the placement of the journaling?  Too close to the cluster?

I think the only thing I'm crazy about in this layout is the photo - and the title:

Argh - this is what happens when you don't scrapbook often enough!  Going to have to make a point of sitting down in my studio more often...

Cheers,