Blue Overalls: Layout for Scrap Africa DT

Hello! It's time for the mid-July Mood Board Challenge at Scrap Africa!



Here's the sympathetic grungy mood board by Denise Van Deventer. I was inspired by the mood board in my choice of photos, first of all. And also by the wood, worn paint, and the hollyhocks!



I'm learning to use a crackle medium that I bought some time ago. It's fun, but I think I hurried up a bit and it didn't dry properly between the layers, so the effect was more like generally messy paint. I'm happy with how it looks on this page, anyway!



I'm also entering my layout in the Stuck! Sketches Challenge, where they had this cool multi photo sketch that I decided to use the other way round. Their July 1st sketch is up for participation until the end of the month.



My third inspiration is the Color, Stories, Inspiration (CSI) Challenge #170 For Evidence, meaning embellishments, I chose Solid Brads, Flair, Stars, Metal and Hang Something. And for Testimony, which means how we do our journaling, I did Suspend Something.


The suspended or hanging element is my journaling card & envie set hanging from the metal button. The journaling card is made of a very old playing card with a beautiful pattern in the back.



I like to reuse things in my designs and some other finds in my treasure box got in use here, too: the chip with the number 5, which is my son's age in this picture. And the Oriental looking piece I glued onto the envelope after decorating it with a white embossing powder.



Stars that I cut from old jeans and another blue fabric...



And finally, the hollyhocks! I had this lonely piece of a wind chime that I stamped a hollyhock on, using Stone Gray Staz-On ink and a cool hollyhock silhoutte stamp from a new rubber plate I just got last week from Viva Las VegaStamps! So here's some more hanging stuff and metallic elements.

This is the first time I gave a try stamping on a metal surface and it wasn't very easy - it felt very slippery and it was hard not to let the stamp move. I think it looks slightly messy, though this is the better side of my two attempts. But I want to keep learning more of this technique! I'd like to try doing art jewellery at some point, dominoes and such. All tips are welcome, if you did some of those things sometimes!



I'm also entering my layout in the Craft Stamper Challenge (Anything Goes). Check it out, there are many cool ways to use stamps in cards and other projects!

It's only Thursday morning but as I'm about to leave for our summer cottage, I'll wish you a great weekend already - whether you are out enjoying summer days or spending a rainy/wintery day in the warmth of your house! Hopefully including some crafting time!