Do-over

This layout is a do-over. I don't do a lot of do-overs but occassionally I do a layout and it just bugs me like something ain't right and then I feel compelled to rip it apart. This was one of those layouts that bugged me. This was one of four layouts I did at the crop I went to on the 11th....actually it was the first one I did and it went rather quickly. That should've been my first clue something was wrong. I never do quick layouts. I have to move stuff around over and over for hours before I call a layout done. Just how I roll. Anyways...this layout...it was one of the kits I've been toting around since May and I have totally not been inspired one iota when I've tried to work on it before but it just so happens that at the crop I picked out some new paper at the store before I started to crop (surprise right...i bought more paper) anyways I found this paper I really liked and put it in my pile o'stuff to buy. Then I sat down to crop and took this kit out and realized that one of the papers I picked out would be perfect for this layout...the colors were fab and it had just the right "feel" KWIM? So going with the new paper I did the layout. Cut, glued and voila! Done. Or almost done. I still had to add my journaling which I always do at home. Anyways I put the layout away. 2 nights later I pull out the layout to journal and ick. I mean major ick. I'm looking at it going really...this is ick. So I look at it for a while trying to decide what's wrong with it and I realize that its just boring. I wish I had taken a before pic to show you but I didn't so you'll just have to take my word for it. It was icky boring. I had the photo in the same place but right next to it I had the paper I liked so it was one linear block across the layout... another clue that this layout was wrong...I don't really do linear. So anyways...i have photo and paper across the middle and this big punched border all the way across the bottom of the block. In the top left corner I had 3 strips of stickers with 3 tiny heart accents. On top of the patterned paper I had my title...happiness together...the "happiness" was the same font as the "together". Boring. Right under the title I had the rick rack border and the round chip embellishment is pretty much where it is now. I tried to tweek it without taking it apart by adding buttons and such but nothing seemed to work. So I decided to just basically gut the layout. I took off the patterned paper I had loved so much and replaced it with some journal paper which I like so much better because it looked more fun. I then replaced the "happiness" sticker in the title with "happy" in another font which was WAY better...mixed fonts are so much more fun. Then I used the colors in the patterned paper I liked so much to find other papers to use for the strips. Was very happy with the strips...love the movement and again just way more fun than one solid block of paper. Lastly I moved the sticker strips and added some staples and buttons and that cute die-cut heart. SO much better. Hated having to do a re-do but it was worth it. At least now when I look at it I won't go "ick" anymore.