Groundhog Day at The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog

Hi everyone and welcome. Suzz is hosting the latest challenge over on The Funkie Junkie Boutique Blog. She's called it 'Groundhog Day'; "This challenge is inspired by the movie Groundhog Day. In the movie Bill Murray is forced to repeat the same day over and over again for 10 years. This past year has been a little challenging and people have felt like they might be in a little bit of a Groundhog Day time loop. I am challenging you to create a shabby chic or vintage project that uses a technique, stamp, ink, or any other consistent tool that you find yourself using over an over in your art. Think of this as your opportunity to share what you find yourself repeating in your art frequently. Be sure to share with us in your post what it is that you keep repeating in your art."

The Design Team will choose their four top picks with the overall winner receiving a $25 gift certificate to go on a spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. All four top picks will receive badges to display on their blogs in recognition of their outstanding contributions.

It should come as no surprise that I made a book for this challenge given how many I've created over the past few years. There is something fulfilling about making something that can be useful as well as decorative. That being said this one is a Tiny Book so if you are a person of few words it's ideal!

I also love adding different layers and textures where possible; in this case the card used on the covers was painted with a mix of purples and golds before transparent texture paste and clear embossing powder applied through Wendy Vecchi's 'Rectangle Grate' stencil. When set and dry 'Buff' paint was applied over the top before being rubbed back to reveal the pattern.

Creating collages can go one of two ways - either it comes together really quickly or time is taken up 'auditioning' a huge range of bits and pieces until the right combination of elements can be found. I now store scraps and leftovers by colour to make this process a little easier. The collage on the front of the book started with a piece of painted card left over from the background (minus the stencilling). I added some fabric and gauze behind it to ensure a contrast with the background.

The collage elements on top include a strip of text, hand stitching, a die cut key (one of the elements on the Tiny Book Die) and a little vintage daisy cut using a die from Eileen Hull's new 'Folio Page, Pocket & Flowers Die Set. The addition of the thread through the centre of the button and rub on numbers add touches of black detail that coordinate with the text and contrast with the more muted main colours. The flourish behind the flower was stamped in dark brown ink using a stamp from Wendy Vecchi's 'Thank You' MAKE ART Stamp, Die, Stencil Set. Gold thread tied around the book spine adds that final touch of 'bling'.

So that's my take on the theme 'Groundhog Day'. For even more inspiration my amazing team mates have come up with their own projects for this challenge so make sure you hop on over and check them out HERE.

For now, thanks for visiting,
Jenny xxx

Products used to create this card are available from The Funkie Junkie Boutique and are listed/linked below.

Sizzix Scoreboards Bigz L Die by Eileen Hull Designs - Tiny Book

Sizzix Thinlits Dies by Eileen Hull Designs - Folio Page, Pocket & Flowers

Wendy Vecchi MAKE ART Stamp, Die, Stencil Set - 'Thank You'

Wendy Vecchi Studio 490 Stencil - Rectangle Grate

Dina Wakley Media Acrylic Paints and Gessos

Ranger Texture Paste - Transparent Gloss

Tim Holtz Distress Mini Archival Ink Pad Kit #3

Tim Holtz Ideaology Remnant Rubs - Specimen