How I Made my February Challenge Page II

By Alison

Please see Alison's blog for more details.

I know a lot of people love to scrap on Kraft, but most of the time I prefer to use brighter coloured cardstock. But for this layout, I felt the Kraft cardstock really complemented the tone and theme of the photo. I broke out my really old scraps from my various scraps bag for this one - can you identify any of the patterned papers?

I used my extended grass Sizzix die, and that patterned paper is by Debbie Mumm for Creative Imaginations from 2004. The brown type paper bag paper is Karen Foster from about 2006. There is also K & Co paper from about 2005, and a relatively! recent scrap of Scenic Route paper from about 2008. How time flies! There is also Scrapperdashery bits and bobs, and also some scraps from a stack I first got when I started scrapbooking. Who cares, anyway! But I am pleased that they are finally out of my scraps bag and on a layout, used up. I added a layer of mist as a border of the layout by using Maya Road Garnet metallic mist spray and using low tack masking tape to make sure the mist stayed put. I don't mind the odd blotchiness here and there - adds to the effect of nature, I think.

I printed journalling onto some scrap card stock, and traced around the edge using a Tim Holtz die, but making it a bit bigger than the original die cut.

I also used my Sizzix extended Fall Leaves and Acorns die to make a feature at the top of the page. This was a bit fiddly, as I had to do several diecuts from different pieces of scrap cardstock, but the effort was worth the final affect, I think. I then coloured in some of the dies with Promarkers, added some inks, and sprayed over the top with Golden Mist and Bronze Cosmic Shimmers to add some glimmer and distress the finish somewhat.

The alphabet is Thickers "Shoebox" and I customised this to the right colour by mixing up some Jo Sonja paint and then glossy accenting over the top.

My journaling reads "A show garden by Ark Design Management, This garden is representative of an urban drought-resistant garden especially suited to underutilised city spaces. The key features of the garden include a green roof to help reduce surface water runoff, a living tower holding drought resistant plants, butterfly moulds and insect towers, stocked with colourful but suitable planting that provide wildlife habitats in a brownfield environment. The garden was relocated to Yorkshire after the show and will be used to promote the inventive use of small urban space and water management".