How Sweet It Is.....

Hello everyone!  It's Monique back again sharing my second layout for the simply gorgeous "How Sweet It Is" Moodboard challenge here at Scrap Matrix.

Here is that divinely scrumptious moodboard:

Oh my, it is so yummy - those colours!!  Those sweet treats!!

Anyway, this is the layout I came up with this time:

This time, I took inspiration from the sunset picture on the moodboard, and of course, the title!

This is a picture of the view from our balcony at sunrise - of course, it isn't always as pretty as this, but it is still pretty sweet living here - hence my title.

I had so much fun creating this.  I did some free drawing, and also broke out my Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks to add colour!

First thing I did was create a watercolour style background using Dylusions Ink in Squeezed Orange and Lemon Zest.  I simply painted on the ink with a paintbrush, then spritzed it with water, gradually building up the layers of colour until I was happy with the result.

Next, I carefully traced around where I wanted my photo to be, and then hand drew a sun coming up from the photo.  I used my Dina Wakley Scribbles sticks in Sedona and Chedder to add some colour, then I drew the outline of the sun with a black marker and slowly increased the depth of colour in the Sedona to add more depth to the sun.

I wanted to emulate the dark outlines of the palm trees in my photo, so I drew an outline of a palm tree onto black cardstock and carefully cut it out.

Next, I lightly sanded around my photo and adhered it to some black cardstock.  Remember that outline I drew around my photo so I could place the sun where I wanted it?  This time, I used the outline to stencil some doodled borders in Archival Ink just below where I wanted my photo, using the 12x12 version of  this TCW 6x6 stencil.  I then added some German Scrap Renaissance Petite Black edging so it just overlapped my stencilling.  I adhered my photo onto my layout, and then placed my palm on the left hand edge of the photo - with some of the fronds tucked behind to add dimension.

Next, I got my AALL & Create Stamp #20 and stamped it onto white cardstock using Archival Ink.  I then got out my Dina Wakley Scribble Sticks Set 2 and coloured in the flowers, dipping the crayons in water to give the flowers a watercolour look.  I then cut the flowers into pieces and set them aside.

I next got some Blue Fern Studios - Bohemian Flowers chipboard and painted them with Dina Wakley's Acrylic Paint in Sedona.

I then put down my clusters in a triangle to draw the eye across my layout.  I also added some black chipboard leaves I had (I think they are Kinder Creations Chipboard ones!) to balance the other dark elements in my layout.

Here are some close ups:

The products I have used that can be found in the Scrap Matrix shop include:

Blue Fern Studio Chipboard - Bohemian Flowers

Dylusions Ink Spray in Sunshine and Lemon Zest

German Scrap Renaissance Petite Black 

Dina Wakely Acrylic Paint - Sedona

You've still got plenty of time to have fun with this challenge as it is due at the end of this month!  It's really easy to enter too - just upload a picture of your creation into the "How Sweet it Is" folder on the Scrap Matrix Shares page on Facebook.

Thanks for popping by, I can't wait to see all your creations!