THE GREAT OUTDOORS by Krisy Podolak

Hi Everyone,  Pinch and a Punch for the first of the month! I'm back again with another Layout I created for display at Brisbane Scrapbooking Expo back in June.  This layout I created for the Layout Competition run by the Expo Organisers Expertise.  The criteria was to create a 12x12 layout. The theme of this competition was Nature.

I wanted to go something a little different from the Beach or Bush feel.  So, I went with the Outback.  Not the red desert but you know,farm land.  I always think of windmills and rust when I think of farms so that is what I drew my inspiration from.  I used a photo that I took last year of a field not too far or a drive from my house.  I was recovering from an operation so I couldn't bend down to take the photo like I wanted to so I made the barb wire fence the focus with the colours of the field and sky dominating the photo.  The photo would make all professional photographers cringe as the horizon isn't straight but I like it just the way it is.

To build the background, I used Colour Paste in Leather through a stencil. Once it was dry I glued on some old tea bag paper torn in to strips using gel medium. To draw out the blue of the sky I applied some Colour Paste in Deep Water using a palette knife.  Once the layout was dry I stamped on some texture using Stayzon ink and that's it.  It was then time to embellish.

I used a range of layers, hessian, cardboard, more teabag paper, thread, cheesecloth, wire, feathers and chipboard.  To my cog and wire chipboard, I used rusting powder for the first time.  That was an interesting technique and one that I will definitely have another play with in the future.  To add more depth to the rust I applied a bit of Bling Colour Embossing Powder to them in parts. To the title chipboard from Imaginarium Designs, I embossed it in Bling.  While it was still hot and sticky, across the centre I added some Leather and heated it again.  The finish is not smooth and that exactly how I wanted it.

I was really proud of this layout and I won third place as voted by the public.  I was very happy with that.

Here are a few close ups.

There is also a process video that goes along with this one so head over to POPLEOPOD on YouTube and check it out.

And heres one of me and my layout on Display at the expo.

Krisy x