WDSD Layout by Audrey Mutschall

 Hi everyone! Audrey Mutschall here and I’m really excited to share a layout with you that I’ve created for World Down Syndrome Day - a day that’s personally significant to me because I have a very special son with Down Syndrome! World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is celebrated around the globe on March 21 (3/21) because this date signifies the three copies of the 21st chromosome, which is the unique genetic condition that causes Down Syndrome. On WDSD we “rock our socks”  by wearing our brightest, most colorful, funky, and mismatched socks to celebrate our differences and promote the inclusion of individuals with Down Syndrome. The idea behind “rocking our socks” is that mismatched socks can happily be worn together if we accept and welcome the difference; in the same way, we can include individuals with Down Syndrome as valuable members of our communities, if we choose to view their differences in a positive light.

For this layout I chose one of Paige’s Globe Cut Files and chain-stitched around the edges with variegated embroidery floss (DMC 4501). I used two offsets behind the cut file to add some extra dimension in shades of aqua/turquoise. I backed the globe with a blue ombre paper from the Oh My Heart collection, fussy cut socks from a patterned paper in the same collection, and glued mismatched socks onto the background. After stitching around the socks, I adhered this behind the cut file.

I chose a background paper and borders from the Go the Scenic Route collection and made a WDSD title using the Paige Font, which is one of my very favorite fonts! It's bold and fun and you can back it with patterned paper to add even more color! My photo is one that we hand out to the kids in my son’s class every year at school with an explanation of WDSD and the significance of the day. We also hand out pairs of fun and colorful socks to the kids in his class and all of the teachers in the school. It’s become a really fun day that the school community looks forward to celebrating every year!

I hope this layout brings a smile to your face (my son loves making people happy) and inspires you to rock your most colorful, funky, and mismatched socks tomorrow on March 21st for World Down Syndrome Day!

SUPPLIES: Patterned papers, stickers, die cuts, embellishments: Go the Scenic Route and Oh My Heart; Cut files: Globe and Paige Font by Paige Evans