Gang Gang

This is a layout I recently submitted for inclusion in a sketch book. Unfortunately I was not successful. While I don't seem to have any luck getting things published I was very happy with this layout. I love the colours and especially like the colour part of the photo over top of the larger black and white one.

The layout itself is pretty simple, but I love the little die cut and punched circles, brads and 
pearls. I used the Papertry Ink limitless layers circles dies to cut out the patterned paper circles. The branches with leaves were cut using the Stampin' Up! Little Leaves Sizzlits die. I made the two large gum leaves on the right hand side of the paper by tracing around actual leaves that I picked up in the area where the picture was taken. I then cut them out of the cardstock and lightly drew a pencil line down the centre for the leaf vein and traced over that with an embossing stylus. The layout was finished off  with some stitching with floss around the edge. 

Finally, here's the sketch by Kristine Davidson that I was the basis for my layout.

So what do you think? Should my layout have been published?

Till next time, happy days.