October challenges - Kraft plus, Scrapafrica, and More than Words

This post will be a little long as I am trying to catch up with posting the October challenges that I have been creating. We were very fortunate not to have any damage to our home from Hurricane Matthew but our power and internet were down for a few days. 

The above challenge is for http://kraftpluschallenges.blogspot.com/2016/10/october-blast-from-past-challenge.html

I used some very old paper, some ribbon, some buttons, and a little dymo tape. I threw some Finnabair rust pastes at the kraft paper and also used my coffee cup dipped in coffee

 This next challenge is for http://scrapafrica.blogspot.com/2016/10/scrap-africa-mood-board-no79.html   I prepared the heavy watercolor paper with gesso and layered pieces of an old handkerchief and laces. I painted the cat using a very limited palette of watercolor paints and I created the button and shell covered hearts by going through my button box and collection of shells.

 This final layout is for http://morethanwordschallenge.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/october-2016-main-challenge-change-ombre.html  I thought this photo of Prague that my son took was so beautiful and was so perfect for both the ombre and the change parts of this challenge. I painted the vase shape with watercolors and added the laces and flowers (one is made for some sewn ribbon). I then found this wonderful quotation about twilight - just perfect!

I have been painting and scrapping quite a bit this past month, and having so much fun combining the two. Hope you like them and thanks for looking!

Remember Spring - for July Prima BAP and for Scrapafrica

if earth laughs in flowers

then azaleas are a belly laugh

proclaiming that Spring is here!

I have been pondering what to create for the July Prima BAP

challenge since I first saw the sketch

Whenever I do a challenge, I carefully read

the requirements and list them on paper

If there is a sketch to follow, I hand sketch it out

Then I let it soak in

If certain colors or elements are listed

I make a little pile of them and shuffle them around

just trying to get a feel for where to go with all of it

I had listed several challenges to try this month

along with the Prima ones, including the one from Scrapafrica

As I was playing with placement of some photos

that I had taken of our azalea bushes

and lining them up

I got to thinking about one long photo that ran across the page

so I played a bit with that idea and printed one out

I then painted a loose painting of azaleas and laid the photo

across it

Playing with some flowers

I quickly realized how similar the 2 sketches were

and decided to play on that

I painted a Prima flower and a Finnabair flower

with watercolor paints to match the photo

and then built up the little floral gardens 

diagonally across the page

Every ingredient is Prima (other than the watercolor paper and

the Pilot pen that I used to write with)

The watercolors are mostly Prima the Classics

but a few from Decadent Pies

I used the Prima watercolor brushes

The flowers are 100% Prima from

the Free Spirit, Stationers Desk, Finnabair alterable,

 and another unknown vintage package

in the background are Christine Adolph rub-on daisies

the chipboard pieces are vintage Prima Meadowlark

the little end pieces are from the Salvage District  6x6 paintables

This was a labor of love

a reminder of how much I love

the exuberant explosion of our azalea bushes in Spring

Thanks for looking

ttfn