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Wednesday, 1 July 2015

It's Summer at Mixed Media Monthly

Hi everyone and happy July!!!!
Over at Mixed Media Monthly the theme for our challenge is Summer this month.
Summer, really??? Well here we have not seen much of it so far... but, a challenge is always good right? So get out your summery stash and even if it's raining out side, bring summer to your art!!
Here is what I created:

Our sponsor this month are Butterfly Reflections, you could win a wonderful prize packet from this fantastic store!


On to my project: Summer to me means light filled glorious days, warm colours, sun sea and beach and above all sunflowers!

I created a wall plaque encompassing some of these themes.
I started with a 8 x 8" piece of grey board and covered it with some Prima paper from the Timeless Memories collection.
I added some stencilling with a Tim Holtz stencil and inked around the edges.
Next I chose a slightly smaller piece of paper from the Heartfelt Creations Classic Sunflower collection. I chose a paper in similar warm colours and did some further stencilling and background stamping with some stamps by Indigo Blue. This stamp collection is called Rugged Edge and they are perfect for back ground stamping and going round edges as the name suggests.
Here is a close up of the stamps, as you can see I stamped in two different colours of Archival Ink, Tree Branch and Sepia.
Time to collect some embellishments. The flowers were from the Heartfelt Creations Sunflower collection, the postcard and stamps from the Graphics 45 Place in Time collection that I think is sadly no longer available, though some retailers still stock it.
The sun flower was made using a Heartfelt Creations stamp and matching die.
The flower garland was fussy cut from one of the papers and then layered up with the sunflowers.
Finally, the word Journey was die cut using a Tim Holtz die. I cut it from black card and then added Ranger Glossy Accents to give them some dimension. I also added some shadows with a Stabilo All pencil to add a bit more depth.

Well, that's it from me, but please hop over to the Mixed Media Monthly challenge blog to see what my fabulous talented team mates have created and hopefully you will feel inspired to play along with our challenge.
Thanks for visiting like always and see you next time. Happy Summer!!

50 comments:

  1. Nice theme and a great piece from you. It's summer here with 34° outside - hot! Valerie

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  2. I really cannot take my eyes off that gorgeous sunflower Astrid, I love it and it is my favourite summer flower - your card is stunning! Hugs, Anne xx

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  3. Astried,
    What a beautiful piece - I love the colors!

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  4. A wonderful summery piece Astrid and great to see how it was created
    Love Chrissie xx

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  5. Gorgeous piece! LOVE LOVE LOVE that flower!

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  6. So aAstrid, it sounds as though you also are being pounded with relentless rain? Yuck!! It finally stopped this afternoon after 3.5 days straight!! I sunk in the garden when I went to pick sugar peas! heehee
    On to your project- Gorgeous and summery!! I love those fussy cut flowers and the large one you created is absolutely yummy!! I am sure there will a run on that die now that you have highlighted it!! heehee xoxo

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  7. Very beautiful, I love the sunflower you created with the HC die. I have a bunch of HC dies here, it is fun making flowers, I just need more time :) Take care, Shirleyxx

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  8. Beautiful piece, Astrid. I love, as always, how you alter commercial paper to make it richer and pertinent to your work. The sunflowers are gorgeous. I've been eyeing those Heartfelt Creations dies - thanks for a wonderful example of using them! xx Lynn

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  9. Beautiful work, and a lovely new theme! Valerie

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  10. As always a stunning piece Astrid and do love to see sunflowers, such happy and uplifting flowers.

    B x

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  11. The background is awesome! Love all the textures and details.

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  12. Simply BEAUTIFUL ! a fantastic project Astrid!

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  13. Gorgeous as always, dear Astrid.

    Yes, I'm joining Marjie Kemper's class?

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  14. Such a wonderful creation here again Astrid. You always makes soo beautiful work no matter what you´re doing, and I just loive this one today too,

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  15. Lovely summery creation, the postcard is just perfect with all your wonderful colours and textures xxx

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  16. Beautiful, Astrid! Nothing reminds me of summer quite like sunflowers! Great mixed media styled use of this G45 paper. TFS!

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  17. Beautiful Astrid! I just love the rich palette, so perfect for a sunflower theme! Your 3d sunflower is so stunning, what a wonderful embellishment! hugs :)

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  18. What a gorgeous summery feel... I love the vintage glow of the background, the papers work beautifully, and your sunflower is a stunner!
    Alison xx

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  19. I just love that post card with the little postage stamps! You pretty much captured our summer colors here with this heat! Love this, Astrid!

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  20. beautiful, your use of colour never ceases to amaze me x sending hugs x

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  21. I love your background, both the stamping and the stenciling looks gorgeous in the brownish and little blue tones, Astrid.The card is wonderful with the sweet images, and the sunflower you made, so very amazing . A beautiful plaque !!
    Dorthe xxo

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  22. A truly beautiful make! I love the depth of the colours, and the way you've captured that summer heat we're experiencing right now. The textures are wonderful and really take the whole thing to a new, and very fabulous, level. Great make Astrid.
    Cobs. x

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  23. oh Astrid, this is oozing with rustic goodness .. love x

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  24. Bei uns hat der Sommer seit einigen Tagen Einzug gehalten. Temperaturen um die 30 °C :)
    Dein Werk ist wieder wunderschön und gefällt mir sehr gut.

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  25. Great card Astrid !!!! I like so much this sun flower !!! fantastique !! Big hugs. Caty

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  26. Astrid this is such a lovely board! Those papers are already lovely but your added stamping and distressing truly makes them magical. I love how you stacked the two papers and created such clever, intricate edging. That dimensional sunflower is stunning! I love how you made it look so much more lifelike by manipulating the petals. A really lovely piece.

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  27. LOVE THIS Astrid!! I love Sunflowers and the 3D sunflower you created is Gorgeous!! It's my favorite element of this beautiful piece :) :) Happy Summer!! I'll send you some of mine :) :) XOXO-Shari

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  28. Your summer sunflowers are beautiful. Thanks for sharing all of the wonderful details of your beautiful layers.

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  29. Love those sunflowers Astrid, they are so warm and beautiful. Gorgeous little creation xx

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  30. That 3D sunflower is absolutely beautiful!!!:)

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  31. Beautiful piece Astrid - love all the texture and stunning colours

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  32. Beautiful summer wall plaque, Astrid! I do love that sunflower; and I can't believe it's stamp and die--you have really given it a life like appearance! Great colors on this, and as usual a wonderful composition!

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  33. I LOVE THE sunflowers !
    IN FRANCE, THE HEAT WAVE... 40 ° :-(
    corinne de fance

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  34. Beautiful creation, love the flowers.

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  35. You have definitely captured Summer on your plaque! Love those sunflowers! Chrisx

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  36. what a beautiful mix of papers, stampings and lovely sunflowers! Julia xx

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  37. Beautiful! I love the warm tones created with the yellow and browns. The flower is just wow!

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  38. Gorgeous plaque Astrid, such beautiful warm and summery colours and the papers and stamps combine seamlessly. Love those edge stamps! The sunflowers and postcard are the perfect finishing touch, thanks so much for sharing.

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  39. Beautiful! Your project inspired me to get out my HC sunflower die and sit out on the deck and make sunflowers this afternoon. I had forgotten how lovely they are. Thanks!

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  40. The layers on this project is an act of labor. I love everything about it. Great job!

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  41. Fabulous vintage Summer fun Astrid! Love your sunflowers, they make me so happy!~kim

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  42. I'm from Kansas, home of the Sunflower, so for me that handmade flower of yours nearly made me fall out of my chair. It's BEAUTIFUL!!! Absolutely loved your inspiring piece for this challenge. Oh and by the way, I have more than enough Summer here if you need me to share. I'll gladly ship it your way. Cannot wait for the winter challenges!!
    Hugs,
    Lisa x

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  43. Beautiful project!!! Love the look!
    Lilian
    The Leaf Studio

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  44. I adore how you've created the background, and those sunflowers are so gorgeous, thanks for sharing

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  45. STUNNING. Oh Astrid - you always create BEAUTY in my eyes. Love the colors you used here and those two papers look marvelous together. The stamps even say July. It's all just LOVELY... it truly is. HAPPY SUMMER DAYS!!! j.

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  46. Marvellous creation, love all the layers and details. X

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