A Facebook group we belong to does a monthly challenge where the same group of items are sent out to everyone and we all have to create a layout or card using those items in combination with our own materials.

Sometimes there is no rhyme or reason to the items, sometimes they don’t match in tones, texture, theme or colour group …

The first challenge I participated in was extremely challenging; what do I do with this mixed mash of items on one layout? How do I match it up with paper and pictures and other embellishments! YIKES! But, through a few challenges and watching the talents of Cheryl and Brande and the rest of the group, I learned that what is here doesn’t have to stay in its original form! I can change colours or tones, I can change textures of materials and alter these items to suit the layout I am creating all thanks to distress ink, spray mist, chalk, sanding blocks, distressing tools, paints, and the list goes on and on. So I pick the picture(s), some background paper and off I go!

Doing thinks like inking the stark white doily heart to match the tones and hues of the other materials is a great trick! Here I used Pumice Stone Distress Ink by Mr. Holtz himself, and then applied some chalk using the Teardrop by Versamark to shade anymore of the white areas.

PRODUCT PLUG: The Tear Drop, by the way is one of my STAPLE go tos! I used it on almost EVERYTHING I do! JUMBO JAVA Rocks!

Another technique I used on this layout is sanding, using the Stampin’ Up! sanding block, which also ROCKS, and is a must have tool for those not so lovely stickers. I was able to minimize the hues I didn’t want and then, you guessed it, applied a little more chalk.

And of course distressing the edges of the papers (another must have in the tool box) on both solid and patterned papers always helps. I finished off the look by applying a little more Jumbo Java.

VOILA! I am really happy with the results!  This is an 8×10 album project of pictures from my childhood I have been working on over the years and with the lovely yellowy brownish hues of the pictures from the ’70s there seems to be a lot of forgiveness in tones and hues!

A little side thought, when I am working with materials like this and have a hard time laying them out on the page, and have moved things around a 1000 plus times, I fall back on Cheryl’s advice: the TRIANGLE. Putting items in such a manner creates three focal points which is pleasing to the eye!

I would encourage anyone reading this post to look at joining or starting a group that will allow you to share your own ideas and techniques while learning from others! I have been so fortunate to be able to work with Cheryl and Brande and some incredible ladies in Newfoundland, Edmonton and all over that have really stretched my imagination and my techniques; I am ever so grateful!

Wait! ON THAT NOTE., if you are interested in monthly  challenges  like this, please let us know in the comments and we can put a Scrapstorian group together! Or please share with us how this post may have inspired a layout or card or whatever you’ve created!! We’d LOVE LOVE LOVE to see it! And there are prizes! (Who doesn’t love prizes?!)

Here are Cheryl and Brande’s takes on the SBD.

Cheryl inked, sprayed and misted all the elements to create a watery blue colour scheme that became the starting point for the whole page.

Brande used mist and paint to “grunge up” her background and doily for this stunning page.