Paper Variety Smile Challenge

UPDATE: Thanks to Paper Variety for selecting me as one of the Sunday Spotlight layouts!



Paper Variety had a fun challenge this week - make something funny or humorous - any type of project you wanted...

Well I've been wanting to scrap this particular set of photos for a while, they line up perfectly like a comic strip and although you may not find it funny.... I sure do and anyone who was still sober enough at my wedding to remember this part of the night probably can't help but smile as well!

But before we get to the LO, here's some background info.

My father emigrated to Canada over 40 years ago from the Orkney Islands, a part of the UK, considered part of Scotland... but they are NOT Scottish lol. You can see it at the top of this map of the UK below, borrowed from latereviews.blogspot.com.

It is considered one of the most historically rich islands in the world, with archeological sites from all different periods, "standing stone" rings and many other wonderful historical sites. I definitely recommend a visit, and be sure to see Skara Brae, Maes Howe, the Brough of Birsay and the Ring of Brodgar. Visit Orkney is a fabulous site for tourists.

So one of the traditions (see more info on Orkneyjar) for a wedding is the Bride's Cog. It is meant for luck (and inebriation) and is passed around at the end of the night by the bride, who tries to feed everyone this alcoholic mix. I have no idea what was in it. I saw a LARGE cardboard box with all sorts of alcohols and spices in it (and of course didn't think to look closer to see what I was getting myself into). There is a recipe here, however I don't think that's the one... I remember seeing something more exotic...

So essentially this is my recipe: grab bottles of everything (including some good Scotch) and dump in large pot. Add some spices and probably some sugar. Heat her up til steaming and pour into the traditional bride's cog. You will see mine below, brought from Orkney by my darling cousin John.

So the night unfolds like this:
During the speeches, John gets up and brings wishes from the Orkney Isles, and then begins to explain the bride's cog... (scrapbook page to follow... I need to watch the wedding video and write down his exact words...). At least now everyone is prepared that a vessel of strange liquid will come to them and that they are expected to drink it...

So later on that night I get herded to the bar to pick up my cog (which I have to drink first) and its BLUE!!!  Soooo not what I was expecting... and here is the LO of that very moment!

My goal was to make it comical and comic strip like without being a strip. Papers and journalling block are all Creative Memories Reminisce. The speech/thought bubble are hand drawn and colored with my Copics (T10, B00, B05, Y15) and the title is also Copics (same with some Y13 added in as well). There is also some E0000 Copic drawn around the photos and doodled, which the camera could never pick up, but it gives the paper a tiny bit of texture and patterning.

Its a pretty simple layout, but I didn't want anything flashy to take away from the photos.

To follow this in my scrapbook will be at least 4 pages, if not more, on my guests drinking, their reactions and faces. It will be similar to this as I think most of the journalling will be in speech/thought bubbles... not sure yet as I haven't done them yet!

And to answer the question on everyone's mind... it wasn't that bad. I almost liked it hot. When it was warm, it hit my stomach and my stomach was very unhappy with that... but hot it was passable. Not nearly as scary as it looked :)

Hope you enjoy, please share your stories of Bride's cogs if you have them.. .and if not, make some Orcadian friends so you can try it out!