Jan IAR Challenge

Here is my entry for the latest fabulous challenge site I have found.  I Am Roses is running monthly challenges, with the enticing prize for the winner of their gorgeous flowers.  This month they are asking for projects with 'White Flowers'.  Not too hard I thought.  Their only criteria is that you must use at least 2 of their products . . . again, not too hard. 

This is my entry - an altered mousetrap covered with beautiful flowers.  You'll see below I've actually used 3 different types of white flowers.  All these mousetraps have actually been made for a swap with the girls at NZ Paperchase.  What a fun idea!

I started by pulling off all the 'excess' bits, then painted the whole thing with gesso.  Once dry I covered them with netting, then glued some trim around the outside edge.  This was then all given a coat of Lumiere paints . . . beautiful. . . . but then what to do ? ? ?

Firstly I was going to get carried away with some collage, but that wasn't going to work how I saw it in my head in such a small space.  Then I was going to go down the '70's way of thinking with big bright flowers, arrows and the such like, but then I came across this IAR challenge . . . yay decision made! 
I've placed Daisy's, cherry blossoms and rosebuds on top of random leaves, then under the 'trap' I've glued a small Spellbinders Shapeabilities 'Wrought Iron' fence die cut.  The wording is up on foam dots and has been finished with Crackle Accents.

This has been such a fun challenge to be in, now I can't wait to get my swapped mousetraps from the other ladies. Now my next big decision is to pick which one to keep for myself (I think it might have to be the terracotta & blue . . . I love this combination).
Fingers crossed for me at IAR. 

Jamie - The Hunter

This layout has involved a bit of experimentation.  I was blog hopping (as you do) and came across a challenge run by Vicky Alberto and she asked that we use at least two techniques we haven't used before.  After much deep thought this is what I've come up with:

 

I've started with G45 French Country papers, layered up on a bit of burlap, adding the Dusty Attic windmill DA0639 (for that rustic, male feel to the page).  To lift the darkness of the page I've matted the photo's with a rich gold cardstock, which allowed the sunflowers to come in with a bit more colour.

 

The two unused techniques I've used are the fussy cutting of the flowers, and I've played around with the embossing on the windmill, then stamped over the top of it also.  Two techniques I'll definitely use again.

 

I've loved the opportunity to join up with another great group at Swirlydoos where they sell monthly kits of gorgeous products, and run some awesome challenges.  Sadly I feel with the price of the postage the kits are not cost effective for me to join in on, boo hoo, so I'll just have to participate in on a limited number of their challenges. 

 

Thank you for looking, and please leave a comment.

Orchid Garden

I'ts a very busy time at the moment, with fortnightly challenges just renewed and time to get onto those monthly challenges as well.  Todays layout has been put together after much thought to enable me to again enter several challenges with this one entry.  NZ Paper Chase (on facebook) has their monthly challenge of 'blue and green should not be seen', and Dusty Attic as usual has a monthly layout sketch to follow.

Here I have used G45 French Country paper, TH filmstrip die, Dusty Attic Branch#2 DA0882, Flutterbies DA0389, Flutterbies #3 DA0766, Dusty-in-Bloom Cornsilk DA0806

Firstly I distressed all the edges, then splattered the page in paint.  I also painted some muslim for under the flowers. The film strip was inked then crackle painted (not that you can really see).  The branch was inked, then stamped with texture paste, inked again, then I flocked the leaves.  I spritzed all the flutterbies with water to seperate the wings, then painted, misted and stickled.  Lastly I added my beautiful new flowers.

Challenges entered with this are:
nzpaperchase - 'blue and green' monthly challenge
dustyattic - monthly LO sketch   ********WINNER*******  
southerngirlschallenge - no spoolin

Thank you for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed the visit. 

Let it Snow

What a terrible week of bad weather we are having here in New Zealand.  A southerly storm has brought rain, then snow, now howling gales to the south, and even up here in the north we are not escaping the colder temperatures.  So what better subject for my latest layout than winter. 

This photo was actually taken on my European tour, while crossing thru the Brenner Pass between Austria and Italy.  We left Austria on the cold, drizzly morning, and as we progressed thru the mountains our tour guide kept saying he could 'smell' snow - and sure enough it snowed.  By the time we got back down into Italy the weather had changed again into a perfect summers day.  Wow, just like Northland weather, four seasons all in one day.

Here I have used Kaisercraft paper Just believe collection, which I cut with patterned scissors, and inked all the edges with TH Brushed Corduroy distress ink.  I underlayed the paper with muslim, punched snowflakes with a EK punch which were inked then stickled.  I inked some snowflakes using the negative.  I also used Dusty in Bloom  DA 0801(champagne kisses), Kaisercraft pearl flourish (latte), flatback pearls from Louise (retail girl), the doily and trim from my stash. Random lettering was painted, texture pasted then stickled.

Challenged entered with this layout are:

artisticcreationz - monthly layout sketch

nzpaperchase - winter layout using quote  ***** WINNER *****

southerngirlschallenge - use die or punch

letscreatechallenges - shape (snowflake)

Thank you for looking, I hope you enjoy visiting here. Keep warm and keep safe.  Thank you (in advance) for your comments.

I'm a Winner!!!

Wow this is fantastic.  Here I am, new to this blogging game and I already have a win to share with you all.  This was my entry in the southerngirlschallenge  challenge #67 - buttons/flair.  I entered this challenge via email before this blog was running.

This is actually the front cover of a mini/journal I made in a partnered swap at nzpaperchase.  In the swap we were to send our partner a parcel of goodies, for them to make a project and return to the sender.  You'll be amazed at what my partner sent me, and how I came up with the result I really don't know, it just kind of evolved taking the best part of a month to create.

This is the parcel of goodies I received to 'play' with.  The majority of the items were just bits and pieces, not really papercrafting goodies as such.  After much thought here is the finished product:

I believe all the entries in this swap will be posted on nzpaperchase and facebook within days.  I can't wait to see them all.  This was such a fun challenge, really pushing out the boundaries.

Thank you for stopping by and sharing this with me.  Please leave a comment, as I really value your feedback.