It Was Only a Kiss - Aussie Scrapper Silvia's XOXO Layout

Hello Crafty Friends!
Another brilliant scrapbook layout from Silvia today.... I really do need to get back into scrapbooking!! I so love the textures and mixed media approach that Silvia has to her layouts. And 'Wild Love' is proving such a fun and versatile collection for beautiful family love themed pages.

I cannot believe it, its nearly the end of February and I am onto my 4th layout for this wonderful collection Vera put together and in my head I am planning my 5th layout but I know I would have exceeded my "quota" but Vera this is a wonderful collection and truly is an "evil enabler".  Enough rambling and let's get started...
This layout came together super quickly.  I had picked my photo and the first paper to jump out at me is:  XOXO

Just have to say "I love this paper"

My next step was to matt my photo using scraps of cardstock I had. I was trying to go off the colors in my photos, so since my boy is wearing his dad's blue beanie and a red jumper, these are the colors I go for, I wanted a bit of a distressed look so I tore my paper instead of using a trimmer.  From the sticker sheet, I used the "love you" and mounted it on some blue cardstock then stuck it down, still from the sticker sheet I used the row of xoxoxo and cut it into strips to add it to bottom middle.

Next, I took some gesso and applied it to the 'xoxoxo' paper as a protective layer and I also wanted to tone down some of the paper.  I only applied the gesso to the middle of the paper.  Once the Gesso was dried I then decided some more blue was needed so I added some Nuvo mouse using a scraper tool and randomly applied it to the center. 

I must say I am loving the flower soft so I scrapped some glue onto my paper and sprinkled the red flower soft.  I love the texture that it adds.  I then glued my photo down.  My final touches were to add the love heart and bear both are from the sticker sheet.  The red and black circles are from a die swap I participated in last year on the Aunty Vera facebook group.

I love how this layout came together so really quickly.  My brain is quickly working on my next layout so off I go to create some more.  This evil enabler kit has created a scrapbook monster...