1980 Something

It may be spring of 2011 but I've been reliving Christmas of 1980 Something with this old Polaroid of me at my former workplace.  Although I worked for the same company for 14 years I have only three photos in my possession taken in the office.  I believe this one was given to me by a friend of my husband’s when she was moving and going through some of her stuff.  I’m grateful to have it as it is brought back a lot of fond memories.  Over the last few days I’ve been trying to figure out when this photo was taken.  I used as many clues as I could get from the background and narrowed it down to either 1988 or 1989.  I let the journaling capture my thought process and as a result touched on a lot of what my life was like at that time.

Journaling:  

If only I could get a good look at the requisite Siecor Quality charts on the wall, I would probably be able to date this photo at least to the year.  I can still come fairly close.  I'm wearing my favorite aqua green cotton cable sweater from The Limited (I had one in peach, too) – probably bought on layaway with me paying a little each Friday night.  Since the gift I’m opening is wrapped in red, let’s assume it is Christmas.  My desk is remarkably clean and orderly most likely due to a rare office cleaning spell.  I have a training manual or perhaps some training materials I was creating on my desk.  Based on the lights above the cubicle and the furniture I would say this is the office I moved into when I went to work for Norma in the main area of the IS department.  The chair doesn't help the dating process because I moved that burgundy chair from Budgeting to every office I had in IS to Training.  I suppose it was with me nearly the entire 14 years.  The linen Windsor wall hanging would've been a gift from some of our English friends.  And finally the most telling part of the eighties is my very curly hair thanks to Connie’s perms about every five months.   I know I did not have those curls on Christmas 1990 so it must be a year or two earlier.

It was rare for anyone to catch me in that cubicle as I was always on the go all over the building helping people with their computer problems or conducting a class.  You also can’t see my next door cubby neighbor in the photo.  The one thing the same – he and I still share the same space – and I still have the neater desk – though not by much.

So amidst spring chores around our house Saturday, I got to put the finishing touches on this layout for the Counterfeit Kit challenge  link to website.   This was my knock off of the Studio Calico Kit at right.  I used all of the papers from my counterfeit kit and one of the Thickers.  For the other chipboard letters I used some Basic Grey unfinished chipboard, painted it, and coated with Glossy Accents.  I often mix my limited collection of paints to get a color that matches.  This is similar to some new American Crafts Thickers that were in the original kit.

The kit had some crochet flowers and I crocheted my own.  The October Afternoon doily paper and a crocheted flower remind me of one of my favorite hobbies at that time which was –surprise!  -crocheting.

The kit also had some wood grain paper.  I used my wood grain stamp on card stock for the Cricut cut letters.

This was a really fun exercise as I really do like to shop my stash.  I did find it a challenge though to work within the items that I had selected to match the kit.  I think the only thing I cheated on was the vintage brad in the middle of the flower.


And yes, I used the original Polaroid even though that is a definite no-no in scrapbooking.  I've scanned it into my computer and it will go in my next backup.  I just couldn't resist the real thing.  Besides my skin looked so good in that slightly faded photo!  Allow me my rose colored memories.

Thanks for visiting today!  I hope you will join me for TIPsy Tuesday tomorrow.  I'm planning a video tip.

Ingredients:  Stamps:  Fabulous Flowers by Hampton Arts; Designer woodgrain by Hero Arts
Ink:  Dusty Durango, Summer Sun, Bermuda Bay
Cardstock:  More Mustard, Ruby Red, Really Rust
DSP:  Recipe Box from Cherry Hill collection, Thrift Shop 8x8 pad by October Afternoon, yellow check from Paper Studio; Red print from My Mind's Eye
Brad:  Vintage Brads by Stampin' Up!
Chipboard letters:  Basic Grey
Thickers:   by American Crafts
Font:  Blackjack