Cookin' up Creations Challenge #1

Here is the layout I did for the first challenge of the Cookin' up Creations Crop Chef competition.  The requirements were: 

dotted paper
double matted photos
ribbon photo corners
bottle cap or other metal embellishment
punched shape
doily
and...use pictures of your pet.

If you have been following my blog you'll know that I LOVE doing layouts of my fabulous wonderdog, Chai. :)  So I was delighted to see that requirement!

The red paper is Bazzill, dotted pp is Making Memories.  I got that Making Memories paper in a pack of 100 sheets at a Big Lots store, and I LOVE it.  It is so versatile, I am glad I got so much of it....and for only 2 bucks!  Ribbon is by Making Memories.  The doily, lacy envelope, and the letters are all cut from my Silhouette machine.  There was a big learning curve for me with the Silhouette, but once I learned to use it, the things I've been able to make on it are amazing.  As you can see, it can cut very intricate shapes.  I put red glitter and UTEE in the bottle cap and embedded a punched heart shape in there.  The bottlecap is attached to one flap of the envelope and does a good job of holding the envelope flaps down. I put some journalling inside the envelope about the first day with Chai.  The pictures are of that first day. Wasn't she cute?