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Friday, August 6, 2010

Final week of the 'embellish it' challenge

Does Tracey know how to set a challenge or does Tracey know how to set a challenge LOL?!?!!!  Congratulations to all of you for creating such wonderful mini albums with her ‘Mixed Media It’ challenge criteria, and congratulations to those of you who have made it through to the final week.

Recycle It.  Sounds easy, doesn’t it?  By now I’m guessing we have all incorporated recycled items into our various projects in some form or another.  Yes?  I hope so because this challenge is about taking recycling to another level.  This challenge is not about recycling the silver lining in Milo containers, or using scrapbooking or other craft packaging materials which, so conveniently these days, are produced for re-use.  Buttons too, although may be recycled, are not going to cut it in this challenge.  This challenge is about looking at the things we throw out or are lying around and rather than binning them, or walking past them, finding a way to use them.  Recycling for the environment.  LOL not a bad thing to do considering, for the most part, we are paper crafters!!

The criteria I have set for this challenge were inspired by a project my DH and I have been working on for the past couple of years.  Building a house.  No it hasn’t taken two years to build the actual house LOL but from the time we bought the block until this week when we received the keys, it has been a little over two years.  Buying a block, preparing a house for sale, selling a house, moving, unpacking, overseeing the building of the house, packing again, shopping, organising tradesmen … I cannot believe how much paper has been involved in this process.  I cannot believe the number of things that simply got ‘turfed’ along the way.  But I still smile like a Cheshire cat when I see how much my ‘recycled products’ stash has grown.  A building site is a veritable treasure trove of delights waiting to be found.  A few of the recycled products I have used were literally scrounged from the building site, not knowing what I would do with them, but knowing that I had to have them.  So scrounged and stored away they were!

Digressing for a moment … now that our house is complete (well except for the flooring, the landscaping, the window dressings, a mattress, water tanks, a driveway, blah, blah, blah LOL) it is time for me to farewell the ScrapNCraftWithT design team.  In fact, I haven’t been fully active on the design team for some weeks now.  I simply haven’t had the time.  I actually can’t remember the last time I scrapped and scrapping is my lifeblood!!  I’ve made a few cards here and there but otherwise I’ve been having disputes with our builders, packing, packing, having more disputes with our builders, packing some more, and oh did I mention packing or having disputes with our builders?!  Right now 80% of my stash is packed and by Saturday night that number will be 100%.  Once we’ve moved I have no idea when I’ll be able to start scrapping again although (LOL) I’ll have plenty of cardboard to work with!  In the new house I have a large studio so when I do start creating again I have plans to explore paper crafts further in areas like block printing, and graphic design for starters.  So whilst it’s been a tremendous honour and pleasure to work with Tanyah and the DT girls, and I’m sad to be leaving, I am excited about the new horizons ahead of me..  Thank you Tan, not just for this last hurrah, but for your inspiration and encouragement, for asking me to join your design team and by far not least, your friendship.

‘Enough of the waffling’ I hear you say!!  ‘Let’s get on with the challenge’ someone called.  Well you’ve asked for it, and here it is …


  • Create a single or double page shaped layout.  Circles, scallop circles/squares, 6x12s and other sized layouts (such as 8x8s), and any other variations thereof are not allowed (you get the idea).  Further, the shape must support the theme/focus of your layout.  My layout is in the shape of the façade of our new house.

  • As you’ll be working with plenty of photos (yes LOL … multiple photos are a requirement) please use them in a unique way and as your focal point.  On my layout I have used photos to construct the roof of my house and then have used varying photos in varying ways to tell a story.

  • Bring your layout to life with interesting forms of texture, bold colours and three-dimensional elements.  In terms of interesting texture I draw your attention to the grass at the bottom of my layout … it was made from thin sheets of packing foam which I roughly cut into the shape of grass, applied Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist to, and then, after applying PVA glue, I liberally sprinkled with Flower Soft.

  • Create your layout in a collage format.  My layout comprises a lot of layering, and there is barely a spot of white space to be seen.

  • Finally, recycle at least ten different things you find lying around ... whether in your home, backyard, the local park (okay so not even I would pick up rubbish … well maybe … LOL), wherever.  Be creative and think outside the square.


My recycled items include:

*           A “SOLD” sign from a property magazine.
*           Plasterer’s mesh … thanks to the obliging plasterers!!
*           3D foam packing … I used this for 3D mounting.
*           Packing cardboard … again, I used this for 3D mounting (thinking outside the square).
*           Green packing strap … found on our building site.
*           Black packing strap … found on our building site.
*           Thin packing foam sheets.
*           A bamboo skewer.
*           A Rivers Store clothing tag.
*           Monopoly money (vintage).
*           A wooden disk (number 22) from a vintage lotto game.


 


What more can I say?  Have fun and get recycling!!!

Cheers
Alz


This is our final week and challenge.
The person who wins this week will win $150 worth of goodies along with a second and third place. 
Also those who have done the challenge section every week throughout the comp including those who didn't win this week will go into the draw to win one of 2 prizes that will be done at random.


I wish you lots of luck and adore all the work and effort you all put into it.
enjoy
luv tanXx

8 comments:

amanda73 said...

OMG. and when i thought about the recycle challenge, i thought it would be a cinch for me...not this challenge, this is definitely a doozy of a challenge....omg, now to get thinking

Susan Hurley-Luke said...

Alz this is an outstandingly wonderful page. I love all the whimsy mixed in with the reality! You have blown me away with your layout girlfriend :)

Have fun with this, all of you competitors!!!

Q Tea Kits said...

*gulp*
OMG................my head hurts!!!!!!!
Gorgeous LO Alz - love it!
Jxx

sueat17 said...

What a fabulous LO Alz, and umm 'thanks?' for the challenge (just a bit of an understatement there..lol). Well there goes the rest of my life for the next 5 days...I'll see you all on the other side....lol!

And sorry to see you go from this DT Alz...your submissions have been a constant source of inspiration for many people. Wishing you wonderful exciting new adventures in whatever the future holds. xxx

Anonymous said...

OMG Alz this is brilliant.
Lizzy xx

Donna said...

wowwers!...that sure is a challenge!!!
While I'm out cause I didn't get last weeks done in time, but I hope to be able to have a go at this one just for the fun of it!

Goodluck girls!!

Alicia Barry said...

Certainly not an easy challenge, but I have a few ideas floating around in my head.

gumgully said...

Wow Wow Wow this is awesome. Good Luck girls......