-----------Create a Little Sunshine Challenge-----------

The Inspiration Emporium Design Team has a Sunshine Challenge going on.

"This month we are challenging you to Create a Little Sunshine…whether you want to make it sunny & bright or calm & beachy, it’s your choice. We love to see how everyone interprets each challenge and makes it their own…"

This is way out of my comfort zone!

I am not a Scrapbooker....I admire those who do the work, but I am not good at it.

Having said that, I didn't have any real "sunshine or beach" stamps, so I went digging for photos.

This is a granddaughter who is now old enough to want to remain "unnamed" in old pictures.

 This is the 1st pool this little one had in the back yard at our house. We think Uncle Carlo was blowing bubbles in the water to make her laugh....which was enough to make us laugh till the tears rolled down our faces!

So, let's begin!!!

This is nothing more than a cheap Michael's wooden frame.

I used Distress Stains Faded Jeans, Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade on it in spotty areas as you can see. I should be BRIGHT!

This is the back, but it shows the steps well.

After it's dry, add torn pieces of Composer Tissue Wrap with Multi Medium-Matte until it's covered.

When it's dry, add Picket Fence Distress Stain to the whole piece to tone it down.

The colors change dramatically when you do this.

I added some Vintage Photo Distress Ink direct to paper and blended it in spots.

Then the Aqua and Snow Cap Acrylic Paint Dabbers were used to "dab" blobs of paint here and there.

When it's completely dry....add a touch of Gold Paint Dabber to the edges.

This ends up looking like LINEN...I don't know why....but it does!

Then I cut flowers with the Mini Tattered Florals die and Crinoline. I made a LOT!

I sprayed them with Dylan's Bubblegum Pink, Vibrant Turquoise, and Lemon Zest.

I dried them and added Perfect Pearls Mists Sunflower Sparkle and Perfect Pearl.

These ended up darker than I'd expected.

So later I made more with less spray and more muted colors.

That's what I ended up using.

BUT, didn't these turn out soooooooo stinkin' CUTE???

I loved them!

Then I cut several of the Mini Butterflies out of packaging plastic.

There is a tutorial on this in an earlier post, but you basically add 3 colors of Alcohol Inks to the Applicator Felt. Don't let them touch.

Here I used Stream, Wild Plum and Watermelon.

It's turns out different every time...just dab the inks on the back.

Wait a few seconds till it's dry, and add another layer that creates backwashes and pools.

Practice on a scrap until you see how they work.

These turned out beautiful. The colors are gorgeous!

Heat with the Heat-It Tool slightly, and shape into a butterfly in flight.

Simple as THAT!

I used the Word Band and some Aqua Paint to cover the words.

Let it dry for a minute, and wipe off gently. Buff to remove the excess paint.

I added a couple of pieces of twisted gold wire and mounted on a scrap of cardstock.

I had a bag of Turquoise and Gold mini beads to put in the Corked Vial, and added some Bakers Twine in a bow.

See the difference in the lighter 2nd generation of flowers?

I threaded metallic gold thread in a needle and sewed the Prima Wood Buttons-Songbird pieces to the flower centers.

This closeup shows the gorgeous colors of the butterflies.

The Aqua Rhinestones matched perfectly on the body.

See how the wood somehow looks like Linen here?  I really like the way this turned out, and I have no idea why it did this.

Side Bar..... these are the backgrounds I made with the left over inks from the flowers.

As you can see in this night shot, the Sunshine Sparkle Mist REALLY blended in a cool pattern.

Don't wipe all that cool spray ink up....spritz some water on it if it's dried, and swipe some tags through it. Spritz the tag with water first, it helps.

These are somewhat lighter, but you have to have light on mica to get it to shine...at least in my experience. It's hard to get a good photo of it sparkling.

So, this is the finished frame with "Baby Doe" or "She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named"...boyfriends...bleh!

I used the gold thread in all the other buttons and glued in place.

So, take a jump over to the Inspiration Emporium Blog for a chance to win $50 in IE merchandise, and enjoy the other Designers works of ART.

There's 2 new EXTREMELY talented DT Members coming on board...you won't want to miss their projects!

AND a week from today I'll be at Prairie Art Stamps in Springfield teaching the Standing Curio Class. Can't wait to see my friends there again!

Linda

*Products Used and found at Inspiration Emporium*

 from Tim Holtz:
District Market - Composer Tissue Wrap
Idea-ology -  Word Bands, and Corked Vials
Distress Stains - Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Broken China, Picket Fence
Distress Inks - Faded Jeans, Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade
Alcohol Inks - Wild Plum, Watermelon and Stream
Alterations - Movers and Shapers - Mini Tattered Florals and Mini Butterflies

 from Dylusions:
Ink Spray - Bubblegum Pink, Lemon Zest, and Vibrant Turquoise

 from Ranger:
Perfect Pearls Mists - Perfect Pearl and Sunflower Sparkle
Acrylic Paint Dabber - Snow Cap, Aqua, and Gold

  other products:
Core'dinations - Adirondack Collection
Kaiser Rhinestones - Aqua
Prima Marketing - Wood Buttons Songbird
Gold Wire
Gold Metallic Thread
Turquoise Beads
Baker's Twine
Crinoline