Hey, y'all! Just popping in with our first February challenge from
The Studio. We've got a playful sketch, based upon Vivian's take on last month's
Mood Board Challenge, for you all, this go around. Here's how I was inspired.
I started this page by applying a little gesso, to the busy, multicolored background, just to soften it and create a less penetrable surface for my watercolors. After watercoloring and adding a little texture, through a punchinella stencil, with modeling paste, everything was splattered with more of those same watercolors, as well as Pure Black and Titanium White acrylic paints. Once everything was dry, I began placing each element, beginning with the cut-apart "NOTES:" journaling prompt, which was stapled to the background and reads,
Birthdays are so hard for me. I hate being the center of attention & watching my family scramble to put something special together. I don't really mind getting older, though. Older is wiser & closer to the woman I delight in becoming... a woman who has taught her children to dream big & not to be afraid of failure; who can see true beauty even in the midst of difficulty; who is satisfied right where God has put her; whose friends & family don't doubt her love; and who doesn't doubt she's worth celebrating.
A bright, orange, puffy "delight" was stuck, vertically, along its left edge...
and an orange label, housing a hand-penned,
Me @ 37 yrs. Jan. 22, 2015, and anchored, at its right edge, with a hand-cut, from patterned paper, butterfly, secured with messy, white-threaded, machine stitching, tops it. A trio of stamped, in Jet Black ink, phrases were also added to the mix.
A "LIFE is lovely" cut-apart, which was used as my title, was secured, tucked under and just to the right of my journaling, with white-threaded, straight, machine stitching and embellished with a hand-cut, from a patterned print, butterfly, fastened with more messy, white-threaded, machine stitching.
A couple of Polaroids were tucked under the bottom right corner of the title piece, as well as the stack of machine-stitched prints found under my photo, which was matted with white cardstock. I just love the way the banner die cut, which was popped up with foam tape, pulls all the colors and elements together perfectly.
I stamped a couple more phrases, just above a die-cut, scallop edge, which, along with the navy, starburst print, found along the bottom edge of the background print, anchors the entire design, and tucked a wax envelope, housing a manila tag, laced with white string, tied in a bow, under the right side of the photo.
The tag itself reads,
My poor, little bear has been having such a difficult time getting his teeth. Thus, the reason for his swollen, red eyes. BJ made my fave... Apple Crumb Cake. Yum!
The opposite side of the photo was embellished with a white doily; a trio of stacked, butterfly die cuts, all anchored, down their combined center, with more messy, white-threaded, straight, machine stitching; and a couple of hand-cut pennants, popped up with foam tape. A sprinkling of clear, sparkle sequins throughout completes the look.
Here is your
February Sketch Challenge to get you off and scrapping in the right direction.
You have until Sunday, March 12, 2017, to link up your takes in the
right-hand column of The Studio blog. Be sure to stop
by the challenge
link above to see how the rest of my talented team was inspired. Thanks
so much for stopping by! Have a wonderful week!
{Supplies & Tools}
Stamps: all phrases (Citrus Twist) Paper: white (Recollections); teal polka dot (Maggie Holmes); pink speckled (Crate Paper); multicolored background, navy starburst, & mint triangles (Pink Paislee); yellow arrows (Citrus Twist) Ink: Jet Black (Ranger); Black PITT artist pen (Faber Castell) Other: white thread (Coats & Clark); sewing machine (Janome); foam tape (Scrapbook Adhesives); manila tag (Paper Studio); orange puffy "delight" (Fancy Pants); orange label (Pinkfresh for Citrus Twist); polka dot Polaroid, yellow butterfly die cut, yellow scallops, wax envelope, & clear sparkle sequins (Citrus Twist); teal & orange butterflies & banner die cuts (Cocoa Vanilla); "LIFE IS LOVELY", "NOTES:", green butterfly, & "CURRENTLY" & "REMEMBER THIS" phrase cut-aparts (1 Canoe 2); white string (Hobby Lobby); staple & stapler (office supply store); yellow polka dot butterfly & mint Polaroid (Crate Paper); gesso (O'Leary Paint); modeling paste (Liquitex); punchinella stencil (Prima); watercolors (Kuretake); Pure Black & Titanium White acrylic paints (FolkArt)