Word Play at Country View Challenges

Hi everyone and thank you for joining me today, particularly to my latest followers - it's great to have you along for the ride. I was overwhelmed by the reaction to my last post HERE with so many of you getting in touch (either through comments or by email) to share their own experiences of self-doubt. Isn't it good to know we are not alone! One thing I would highly recommend if the possibility arises is to grab at opportunities to meet up with your fellow crafty friends or if that's not an option get in touch with them by email/Facebook/phone; as Eileen Hull said, ours can be a very solitary occupation/pastime so the chance to share time and chat with like-minded people is a real tonic.

OK, thoughts for the day over, so now to the reason for today's post... I was delighted to have been placed in the Top 3 for the June 2014 challenge and given the opportunity to be a Guest Designer at Country View Challenges for their August theme 'Word Play'. Having seen the standards set by previous guests I knew whatever I created for this theme it would need to be something special.

So this card started with a paste-stencilled background that I made, loved and puzzled over, particularly as this month's challenge theme requires words or phrases to be used. Do you keep it simple and just die cut some letters to put on top? Do you attempt to layer things over the whole lot and risk making it way too busy? Well no, in my case you grab a Bigz die and (with heart in mouth) chop into the middle of it to create a frame for the rest of your design. And as a bonus you are left with the central section for another card/project! 

The paste background? A mix of gold, silver and clear (coloured with... can't say right now... ) Studio 490 Wendy Vecchi Texture Paste through a mask, then heated to make it bubble. With that done it was a case of spraying and splattering with a mix of diluted inks (blues/oranges) before blending the edges with DI Walnut Stain (Trace is right, it makes everything look good!)

To fill the 'hole' left after die cutting the background I heat embossed a postage frame using the Shelly Hickox method and gold embossing powder. The final lower layer was key to the remaining design; a piece of Idea-ology Wildflower Paper with bird cages was 'dissected' to separate out the beautiful garden birds and leaves. It gave me the idea to contrast birds in the wild with those kept for human amusement.

Having added some kraft core Spring Greenery on which to layer the birds my mind turned to those all important words. Chit Chat stickers are always a winner when you are lost for words, and I imagined all those budgerigars out there looking longingly out of front room windows. Indeed this will relate to anyone (avian or otherwise!) who wonders if their time will come to achieve those all important goals. Keep going!

All that remains for me to do is say a huge thank you to Chris and the Country View Challenges team for inviting me to join them this month and encourage you to join in the fun with the 'Word Play' challenge.

Take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx