Show Us Your Stuff July Challenge!

Hi everyone!
Just popping into share my latest design team layout for the month, and this one is for Show Us Your Stuff. Seeing as it's currently winter here in Australia, July's challenge is a gorgeous winter-inspired colour challenge that looks like this...

Besides being inspired by the colours (which I LOVED, as I am loving grey at the moment); I also took inspiration from the image and created this mixed media layout (with another photo of me on it!)

It's been a little while since I got really messy and this one just came together so well! I was so busy creating it I didn't even sit down (I usually sit when I scrap). But I was so busy digging out different supplies and running back and forth to my heat gun, I just pushed my chair aside and stood up to complete it.

To create the background for this layout, I started with white cardstock, an old hexagonal print stencil and some Colour Blast Colour Shimmer Spray (Stormy Weather). I then added some Colour Blast Colour Paste (Steel) using my Flutterby Designs Stargazed stencil and a few splatters of blue watercolour paint.

Next I added some small elements of texture to my background by adhering some torn pieces of paper doily and some crumpled spots of silver tissue paper. (I like the way the tissue paper looks like large paint spots at first glance.)
 
Next, I used more stencils (a Dusty Attic Distressed Grid stencil from D-lish Scraps and a Gabrielle Pollacco one by the Crafters Workshop). This time, instead of using paste or ink, I used Faber-Castell fineliner Pitt pens and watercolour graphite pencils to draw on some of the designs around my layout. I also used the pencils to do some freehand doodling, which I then blended out using a waterbrush.

With my background layers in place it was time to start layering around my photo. I first added a crumpled piece of silver tissue paper and an old 6x4" grid print pocket page card to mat my photo. I also added some shredded up gauze for extra texture.

I then grabbed a dip dye printed tag and a length of navy & white twine (both from D-lish Scraps), and tied the twine onto the tag; which was then tucked under the edge of my photo. On top of the tag, I layered a heart from Charms Creations; some messy cotton thread and a flair button I had left from a previous D-lish Scraps Just Add Paper kit. (I couldn't forget the handmade items because Show Us Your Stuff is a challenge all about showcasing handmade embellishments!)

To help balance my overall design, I added a couple of D-lish Scraps wood veneer snowflakes (which I coloured white with my trusty Posca pen); some stamping with grey ink; and a few scattered D-lish Dots enamels. The final element was my title, which I simply printed onto cardstock, cut it out and then stuck it on.

Thanks for stopping by today, I hope I haven't bored anyone with a too detailed description of my process? (I often like to read how other people do things or the materials they use though, so I thought I would share in case anyone was wondering.)

All the details and rules for this challenge can be found HERE on the Show Us Your Stuff blog. Entries are open until 31st July and I would love to see some familiar faces play along!
Til next time, happy scrapping! X