More from Egypt

Yay I'm the winner. 
Todays layout has been created very rushed as Part 2 of the monthly Scrap-a-bull facebook challenge. For Part 1 I submitted my lovely layout about 'Mia's Christening', and was luckily chosen in the Top 3 which now required me to create a layout following this sketch

 

For my layout I rotated this sketch once clockwise to suit my photos.

 

I started by creating LOTS of strips of texture under my photos, using ripped dictionary paper, embossed cardstock, corrugated cardboard, drywall tape, burlap.  All then got a coat of gesso before being coloured primarily with Lindy's Stamp Gang mists.

 

Next I heat embossed the awesome Dusty Attic Geometric Corners, which I cut into the 5 pieces I've attached around the page.  These were surrounded with glass & micro beads.  I LOVE THESE.

 

 

 

 



 

To finish the page I added some splotches, some light random stamping then heat embossed Imagine if . stars.  I'm impressed with the new Prima stamp I've used around the outside of the page.

 

Thank you to all of you who voted for me on facebook, I wouldn't have won without you all.

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Butterfly garden

Here we are mid year already, so I'm making the most of not being particularly busy at work.  I'm chuffed I've found yet another awesome monthly challenge to enter The Mixed Media Monthly Challenge is another site that offers an awesome inspiration board and very minimal requirements to join in.  This month is their birthday so they have put all the themes from the last 12 months on their board. 

 

For those of you who know my work you will know I LOVE FLOWERS, so that is my theme of choice.  Here I've created a tag which I am also entering into the monthly Imagine if . .  challenge.  I am also entering this into the Lindy's Stamp Gang colour challenge using their colour chart



The tag I've created was firstly covered with drywall tape then I added lace, lots of Imagine if chippies then glass beads.  When all the glue was dry it got a coat of gesso, then a coat of black paint. 

 

Then believe it or not I sprayed the whole thing with LSG Sweet Violet Purple Teal where obviously the Teal has really won over the other colours, even though when moisture is applied the purple shines thru.  The little mini roses were coloured with LSG Ramblin' Rose Pink grunged a bit with TH Black Soot.  The velvet stem and leaves was grunged by spraying with LSG Opal Sea Oats. 

 

As usual I had fun making my own flowers, I adore these zipper flowers - this one has a rolled paper flower for the centre along with a bead.  Butterflies from the G45 Steampunk Debutante collection finish the page along with the sweet sentiment.

 

Thank you for visiting, I hope you like what you find here and hopefully I can inspire you in some way with my creations.  To find a tutorial for the zipper flower just follow the link provided in my Tutorials page.



Fish the Family Dish

Todays layout has been a real joy to create, especially after pushing the boundaries so far out for my last layout.  Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed that challenge, but its also nice to ease back into familiar territory again.  Here I have created a layout using the Maja moodboard, which in itself was quite a challenge to create this 12 x 12 page out of only a 6 x 6 pad.

 

Luckily the colours choosen here match my one and only 6 x 6 pad perfectly .  I decided to create a 'patchwork quilt' for my background by using 4 pages which were cut into 3" squares.

  

I've used the 'Vintage Autumn basics' collection, where I've distressed all 16 squares before arranging on my page.  I stitched around 4 squares only, just randomly placed around the page, also stitching around my photo.

 

 

 

I've used lots of Dusty Attic chipboard which were mostly painted, I glued micro beads to create the reed flower heads.  The anchor was crackled under the paint and looks very aged now. The Imagine if sea egg has been finished with Perfect Pearls, so its really shimmers. The little starfish are actually real starfish which I've just painted. 

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed making this male page and really loved achieving a page with no flowers.  

Its been a pleasure working with these gorgeous Maja papers as they are so versatile, they can be used from soft 'baby' projects right thru to grungy 'male' creations.

Challenges Galore

Wow another month beginning already, and here I've REALLY pushed myself WAY outside of my comfort zone.  I've been following all the extremely talented crafters sharing their Finnabair inspired projects on facebook.  I would so love to be able to produce canvas' like they do, who knows I believe Anna is coming here to New Zealand later this year, hopefully I can get to a class (or two). 
My layout has also been inspired by several inspiration boards from 3 different challenges, below.

 

I started with a Kaisercraft 'Key to my Heart' paper.  I layered strips of scrap paper, lace and drywall tape under the photo area.  Then applied texture paste thru a stencil before giving the area a coat of gesso.  I randomly touched areas with a script stamp then got to work with 2 different Lindy's Stamp Gang mists (listed below).  The Dusty Attic number panel was then attached under the photo after it was painted several times and aged.  Prima glass beads and micro beads were then attached.  A couple of I am Roses & leaves finish the page. 

 

Before attaching the photo everything was again touched up with the Lindy's Stamp Gang mists - the page is shimmering sadly not shown in the photo.

Enjoy these closeups:

 

 

I REALLY struggled with this page infact I walked away from it several times without a clue as to how to progress.  After the background was done I nearly put it all in the rubbish until I pulled out this awesome Dusty Attic number panel.  I challenged myself to use minimal flowers - yay I did achieve this.

 

Challenges I am entering this into along with their inspiration boards and products used are as follows:

 

 

Dusty Attic products used are DA802 Zippers, DA1026 Heart Arrows #2, DA11704 Live Beautifully, DA1050 Number Panel Large



 

Lindy's Stamp Gang products used are Starburst Ramblin Rose Pink & Starburst Azure Sea Asters 

 

Scrap Around the World  I was inspired by the soft tones of this board, and the word 'Happiness' which is how you feel after looking at this cute photo.



 I'll also be sharing this with my new friends on the Finnabair facebook page I'm following.

Thanks for visiting, I'd love to hear what you think of this.