CB Monthly Challenge - July

I have been away for a few days celebrating my mother's birthday and spending time with my sisters. It was fun creating with with one of my sisters who has just started to work with different media. As I only had a small supply of art supplies with me, it was challenging to find ways to use what I had.
I completed a few ICAD's using what I had and then I moved on to the July challenge for The Months by The Craft Barn. I was a little annoyed when I realised I had let my 'Month' journal behind, especially as I had started preparing the backgrounds. So I started again, knowing I would have to stick in my page and complete my Southern Hemisphere page later - then I checked the CB blog and found I was a week ahead of myself!! So I have waited to post, having completed the Winter page at home.

My mum had some great napkins with text on them, that I used as the background and then layer with white acrylic and Gelatos. The flowers where painted with watercolours and then detail added with black pen. I had also prepared the text at home - and left it there - but as I managed to acquire an old typewriter while I was away, I typed out the couplet from the poem.

So I still stuck in the page I completed while I was away, but now have both pages done to share with you.

For the Winter page, I used a similar technique as I used in the song challenge a couple of months ago for I Can't Stand the Rain. The window is sort of just sitting there, but I didn't want to lose my frost effect created with a white embossed stamp.

CB Monthly Challenge - June

Half way through the year with this - who can believe it!? I feel compelled to do this every month, especially as I made special journal for it and those of you who take part have commented on enjoyinbg seeing my take on both seasons. Thanks for that.

I must admit, it is getting more challenging to think of rhymes going into winter. Even though we have reached the shortest day and it is quite gloomy outside today, many of our days here are still beautiful and sunny. Most of this week we had chilly, frosty mornings - and what comes after that?? Blue skies and sunshine!!

I have been working on this spread (amidst writing school reports) and have not been that happy with it - but the time is up and this is what I have. I think it may look better in the photos - here's hoping.

I was lucky enough to receive my new Paper Artsy Infusions via my Craft Barn voucher and my daughter visiting her brother in London, then bringing them back for me. I really wanted to use them this month but as I'm still learning, it may just be a hot mess. Check out my Instagram #ICAD2017 Days 2, 5, & 7 for what I think is more successful. Videos on my YouTube channel.

I used brighter Infusion colours for Summer (Magenta & Slime) and the darker ones for Winter (Rusty Car & Olive Tree) I had been trying out an Elegant Writer pen and has some success on card, but didn't want to block out the background totally, so gave it a go on tissue. Not so great - I used lots of white and some pink and violet Sakura gellyroll pens to try to bring out the flowers. The winter side has a very sketchy image of my house [because that's my best drawing :)], some grunged up tape and a bit of stamping on both side also.

Twelve Month Challenge - March

Again posting for The Craft Barn Monthly Challenge based on the poem by Sara Coleridge.

The challenge this time was to include daffodils and hares. I started by painting my daffodils with watercolour paints, which did lead to a challenge with other layers, making sure they didn´t run. I had just purchased some fixative spray so using this certainly helped.
I added layers with torn tissue napkin pieces and  butterfly and vine type stamps. I loved this sketchy hare I found to use as a focal point in the foreground.

Check below for my Southern Hemisphere version.

At the school where I work we held our annual fundraising gala last Friday so this was the celebratory theme I followed.

I had a small piece of watercolour paper sitting on my table on which I had be practicing some paint effects. In itself it was nothing special and was probably destined for the bin. However it was ideal to cut up into triangles to make colourful bunting.

Again I used some napkins for the checkered strips and added bunting and other stamps before sticking on my main bunting feature. I think this really conveys the happy atmosphere of our gala - although actually, I spent 2 hours in a haunted house full of screaming children!! :)

Really happy with how these two pages look together this month.

Twelve Month Challenge -February

This spread is for The Craft Barn Twelve Month Challenge for February. Again I have completed a double spread - a winter and summer version.
The original 'winter'version had to include a cherub and heart, as well as the lines from Sara Coleridge's poem. I wasn't really sure how the objects fitted with the words - maybe something to do with February and Valentine's Day?? - hence, although I'm fine with the page, I feel it's a bit of a mish-mash because of the words. Still it fits the challenge.
I started making the hearts with texture paste and colouring them with glaze but did not feel they stood out enough and so eventually stamped over the top of some with the red hearts. I do like the cherubs as it is just like the 'swaps' I had as a child.

 And the cover of the journal I made for this challenge:

Twelve Month Challenge - January

This is for the new challenge by The Craft Barn - The Twelve Month Challenge, based on Sarah Coleridge's poem, The Months.
The piece had to have the lines from the poem for the month and the given images - this time, a bird in a wellie/gumboot.

Now I'm not much of a drawer, but I'm still fine about how this turned out, just think I better do better if I ever decide to build a door!! :)

Being in the southern hemisphere, the opposite  seasons are always a bit of an issue for me but I added a little snow with an embossing pen and white embossing powder. Maybe there would not be bluebirds and flowers int his season, but we do have flowering plants all year.

 I have decided to create a small book with a two page spread for each month and change the poem to match the season here. Let's hope I can keep it up!

I used my Derwent Inktense pencils and blocks to colour both these images. The little boy in the summer version if from Crafty Individuals.

So here is the double spread and my Summer version of the prompt.