Grad Night

I am up on the Magenta blog today in the August challenge reminder with this layout.

This month's challenge is Anything Goes so it was total creative freedom and I had fun with it.


Here is a look at my layout in progress where you can see the background that I created before all the other layers were added.

I began by covering the background patterned paper with clear gesso. Then, I went in with white gesso in the areas that I wanted to focus my design. Next, I stenciled the damask using whipped spackle and then went back over the design areas with the stencil and Imagine Crafts irRESISTible in Wedding Dress White. It provides a gloss sheen that resists so that I could whip away some of the Grape Jelly and LuLu Lavender Fireworks sprays that I used to add colour. While the Fireworks colours were still wet, I loaded the Ornamental Pattern stamp in them and then stamped along the outline of the white areas. Once all was dry, I used black StazOn for the Script Postmark and the Diamond stamps.  Some Firework mists mixed with gel medium was used to add the purple splatters and the a mix with acrylic paint for the black ones to finish the background off.

The distressed the cut up stripes of the Purple Night patterned paper using a sanding block. Initially, I had tried using gesso, which you can see on the left corner ones but then elected to go with the sanding as I liked the look and colour better.
Magenta has been a maker of wood veneer pieces long before it was a trendy item and I love how these bird themed pieces work with this layout.

Lots of layering, including silver metallic thread under the photos. It adds a nice touch that compliments the glimmer of the Firework sprays.

I used a variety of different flowers ranging from fabric, taffeta, crochet and paper that all worked together to add the right balance and clusters of interest. 

Here you get a closer look at some of the stamping with the Fireworks spray. The photo just can't pick up and do justice to the subtle glimmer that is all over the page in the sprayed and stamped areas.

My daughter loves this one as a memento of a milestone event. It will spend some time in a frame before it makes it's way to a scrapbook album.

There is still time to get an entry into this month's challenge. With the theme of Anything Goes, it makes it pretty easy to enter. Check out the challenge details here as well as other inspirational creations by some of my fellow Magenta teammates.

TTFN,

Magenta products used:

TM46 - Damask Background

95.085.M Script and 
Postmark Stamp

29.051.E - Geometry
Small Diamond #1

35.078.K - Ornamental Pattern

KDL20 - Birds & Cages

KDL21 - Fly Like a Bird Kit 

 ME215 Delicate Posies

 MLE03 Purple Night

CB638 - Mini Alphabet