Once Upon A....Sketch - March 2014 Challenge.

Well welcome back. Today I have a new layout for the Once Upon A....Sketch Challenge. If you haven't been over there yet, you must go!!!! I am more than a little addicted to this challenge site now and not because of anything other than the pure need to challenge myself. Anyone that knows my normal scrapping style will know that journalling is not a big part of it...in fact I actually find it quite intimidating. I feel that I am not always correctly written? But OUAS has given me a starting point to do what I usually don't - so thank you Once Upon A....Sketch.

 This month's starting point is this themed quote.

And the rules go a little like this:

You are free to interpret our theme ANY WAY you like. It is for your inspiration and this theme word DOES NOT need to be part of your title or journalling. But please make sure your layout is based on the sketch below and includes journalling (hidden journalling is fine). Acceptable journalling is MORE than just a sentence, or generic writing such as date/place etc. It needs to be present and at least 3 lines long. Remember, hidden journalling (under a photo/tag or behind your page) is perfectly fine but please DO let us know in your post where your journalling is! 

And again another fabulous sketch from Nadia.

So this is my interpretation of the sketch which I have titled "Hope".

I chose to do a Mixed Media layout with lots of stenciling, stamping and a lot of powder embossing. Love to emboss!!! 

I have been dying to use these patterned papers from My Mind's Eye for so very long and I decided that it would go well on...........yes, a black background! I layered differing paper patterns from "The Sweetest Thing" collection, distressed the edges and painted randomly using a silver paint.

I have used some yummy Tim Holtz metal Word Bands. This one above reads "encourage your hopes not your fears". I have painted over the top of this with gesso and then swiped off the excess to reveal the wording. This has then been tied with some seam binding to another Tim product - the Ornate Plate which I have also painted over with gesso.

Here you can see the stamping / powder embossing over the top of the textured stenciling using a Prima cling stamp and drips and drops of random paints. And of course no layout is complete without a little chipboard goodness - this beautiful flourish from Memory Maze.

You can also see more clearly the layering of papers and texture from the stenciling .

The journalling aspect for this challenge was the quote on the front, but I also added a little note to my gorgeous girl on the back, and it reads:

To my dearest sweet Cydne,

 May you always remember to face your fears head on and fight hard for all that you hope and dream of, because life is short and you only do it once!

Love you to the moon and back and back and back and back again. Mum xxx

A little about this photo - my gorgeous little girl Cydne - always willing to have a photo for her Mum at any given time! This photo was taken only on Friday. It was Crazy Hair Day at her school which was raising money for the Cancer Foundation. Her hair was probably not done so crazily but in fact was tied in a bow by her clever bigger sister Ashlea. You can't see it that clearly - sorry!! Was going for more of a moment factor!

Well I certainly hope you have enjoyed stopping here and remember if you haven't popped by Once Upon A....Sketch, now is the time. There are some sensational creations for this month already.

Until next time.

Tina x

Materials Used

My Mind's Eye "The Sweetest Thing" Collection
Memory Maze Chipboard Flourish

Chipboard

Derivan Matisse Black and White Gesso

Monte Marte Textured Paste
Prima Flowers

Prima Cling Stamps
Kaisercraft Acrylic Stamps - "Check In"
Leeza Gibbons Wishes & Dreams  Stamps

Matisse Acrylic Paints

Tim Holtz Distress Paint - Spun Sugar

Ranger Embossing Powders
Versa Mark Embossing Ink

Urban Artist Decorative Stencil - Up and Down

Paper Shapers -Circle Punch

Prima Resin

Tim Holtz Idea-ology (Ornate Plate and Word Bands)