Problem Photos?

A while back I was blathering on about scrapping not so hot photos.  I think this probably fits within that definition.  I wanted these scrapped---but there were too many colors going on in the photos and since it was in the pool (and I was not--in the pool that is) I wasn't getting any good close ups. 

So.o.o.o.o.o.o. (I did this page quite a while ago, just never got around to posting it.)

I tried making this a two page layout.  Really wasn't happy with that.  It did work out better to keep the photos tightly grouped together on one page.  Tried a white background.  Oh, no.o.o.o.o.o.o.  so not good.  The brightness of all those colors in the photos was really glaring at me then.  It did look better to use bright colors for the background...but kept it kind of monochromatic and added in shots of color in the accents (the banners, the little strips at the top and the fabric brads). 

This is just one of those times that I wanted the photos scrapped---wanted to tell the story---.  This does.  (The story in short:  Miss Bella is usually the rather brazen, brash, no fear child.  But not in the water, she turned into the most cautious, almost clinging little girl!  We were cracking up.)  Minimal journaling went on the front of the layout.  Full story and Nana's thoughts are on the backside. 

Papers are super old Bo-Bunny and Fancy Pants.  I hand cut the banners, used an EK border punch for the large scalloped border pieces, along with some small strips of the coordinating papers. 
As far as the page goes... it's not anywhere close to being a favorite.  It's ok. 

Sometimes, ok has to be good enough.