National Boy Scout Day: Simple Layouts

February 8, 2013 marks the 103^rd anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.  The organization was started by W. D. Boyce on this day in 1910, two years after Sir Robert Baden-Powell established the Boy Scout Association in Britain.  During its 100+ years, the BSA has undergone many changes and faced many challenges, but it still remains one of the largest youth organizations in the United States.

Our son has been a Scout since he was 8 years old, when he became a Bear (Cub) Scout.  He is now 18 and working on his Eagle rank.  This is the highest rank that a Boy Scout can achieve, and it takes a lot of hard work and dedication.  As we prepare for this momentous achievement, I am looking at the many Boy Scout layouts that I've made during the past 10 years.  It is a bittersweet journey, as my little boy has now become a young man.  Since he also has special needs, this takes on another level of significance for our family. 

This is one of my favorite photos of David, who is the bugler for his troop.  I kept this layout simple, using patterned papers by K and Company, cardstock by Bazzill, and white acrylic paint.  I cut the fleur-de-lis with my Cricut, but this Sizzix die would work very well too.  I cut the circle with the Martha Stewart Circle Cutter.  I printed out the journaling; and although I used rub-on letters that are no longer being manufactured for the title, these epoxy letters by Heidi Swapp look very similar.  This layout was originally 8" x 8" in size, but I wanted to include it in David's 12" x 12" album.  So I simply layered the smaller layout onto a 12" x 12" piece of matching cardstock.  This is an easy way to adapt a smaller layout for inclusion in a larger album.

For this double-page layout, I used an older line of papers by K and Company, but the same look can be achieved by using strips of cardstock, letter stickers, and dies.  I punched the fleur-de-lis and scalloped border, eliminating the need for purchased embellishments.  I also included the patch that he earned during that year at Boy Scout Camp as an additional embellishment.  This time I hand-wrote the journaling and cut the title out with my Cricut machine.

Like the organization itself, David has undergone many changes and faced many challenges; and we look forward to the day in the very near future when he achieves the ultimate goal of Eagle Scout.  I hope that in these simple layouts you will find some ideas for celebrating the achievements of the Boy Scout(s) in your life.