Mixed Media Monthly Challenge # 4 is LIVE!!

Welcome September! It's hard to type that but it's a reality! Although it's still warm, the inevitability is ... Summer is winding down, Fall is around the corner and ... I'm going to stop right there!! There are still pool/beach days ahead and warm nights and cookouts and corn on the cob! It's still flip flop weather too!! So let's embrace the season for as long as we can!!

A new month means a new challenge! Mixed Media Monthly Challenge Blog has been more and more successful each month! As I type this we have 116 entries in our gallery! How cool is that! Thanks to each and everyone who has participated and if you haven't yet, come join us this month! I have to say again that I'm so happy to be a part of this adventure from the start!

September's theme is a photo inspiration challenge!

 

 

This is such a pretty and summery color scheme! Please stop by the blog and check out what the DT did with this challenge - there are a variety of mixed media ideas to be inspired by! Our guest designer this month is the talented Julia Stainton - check out her blog for some amazing work!!  I decided to create a layout based on the colors of the photo. I started by building a mixed media background using Distress Inks and Tim Holtz Layering Stencils. For my first layer I used Picked Raspberry and Tim's Hearts stencil. I applied the ink with a makeup sponge - easy to use and disposable!

 

  

 

Next I used Spiced Marmalade with the Bubble stencil ...

 

 

To pick up the yellow in the color challenge I added Mustard Seed through the Chevron stencil ... I'm not worried about covering the center as my photo will go there.

 

 

Next I wanted to add a pop of black - I LOVE how black makes a project come to life! I used Black Soot and the Arrows stencil here and there ...

 

 

and the added some more black with a script stamp and Ranger's Archival Ink ...

 

 

...why stop there, a bit more stamping with Black Archival Ink and Tim's Reflections stamp set with Stamper's Anonymous ...

 

To tie in the blue from the challenge I added Salty Ocean Distress ink. This time I splattered the ink on the page by smooshing the ink pad onto my craft sheet, adding water and picking up the ink with small paint brush and flicking it onto my background ...

 

 

So I was pretty happy with the background but wanted to tone it down a bit so my photo wouldn't be overshadowed by the background. This was tricky because adding anything wet over the background will cause the distress inks to react. So, I added some modeling paste through Tim's Bubble stencil. Now, this worked and it didn't. The modeling paste picked up the ink color, especially the Spiced Marmalade but it didn't look too bad. I then lightly applied some gesso over the stenciled modeling paste once it was dry and that toned it down a bit more. It was time to stop!! So I added some layers of patterned papers, a doily and my photo with embellishments and here's the end result ...

 

 

Here's a close-up of the texture. I added some blue thread under the embellishments ...

 

 

We are so lucky to have Ellen Hutson as our sponsor for this month!!

 

 

 

The prize is a $25.00 gift certificate to a random winner!! Looking forward to seeing all the entries and we hope we have inspired you to join us in this month's challenge!! Thanks for your continued support!!