Guest Designer-Southern Ridge Trading Company-Springtime Observations

 Hello, friends! I'm honored to be invited by the super talented Design Team at Southern Ridge Trading Company to be their Guest Designer today! The challenge there this month is "Anything Spring". Be sure to pop over there to see what the Design Team has created for you in their latest posts!

 I made my first ever dimensional layout using some of the amazing chippies from Southern Ridge. Here is my  spring time layout I made for my husband. Just the other day, he mentioned he would like to see some of our family photos on our walls so I surprised him with this. I was reminded of these photos when I spotted a cardinal's nest full of tiny baby birds outside our window the other day. You may want to grab a cup or glass of your favorite appropriate beverage, because this is a photo heavy post.

This started as a cheapo piece of "art" I picked up at a yard sale about a year ago with intentions of making something with it.  It ended up in one of my boxes destined for our semi-annual sale coming up next month, since I hadn't used it. It seems I have a hard time parting with things, especially when I have an idea in mind. If you would like to see the step by step on how I transformed this yard sale find from trash to treasure, please visit Southern Ridge.

I used the beautiful Leafy Branches chipboard to make a sweet place to hold a nest at the top of my canvas. Papers from Tim Holtz Wall Flower paper stash and a few pieces from one (or maybe two) of his Ephemera packs make a wonderful backdrop and additional embellishments. I've added some Remnant Rubs here and there and stamping from Prima, Heidi Swapp, and Stampin' Up. To make my bricks I used a handmade stencil and crackle paste.

Love those Distress Crazing Medium cracks!

Splatters of watered down Distress paint in Walnut Stain add a vintage look I love.

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I've been eyeing up those art stones everyone's been using, and thought to myself, I must make some of those! My recipe for art stones on a budget: paper clay and a half hour of watching our presidential candidates on the news.

This Remnant Rub seemed perfect for the photos.

As do the little pieces of ephemera-"Handle With Care" and "Air Mail".  You can see I got out my gesso, marker spritzer, and nail file to give these a vintage look.

I chose another gorgeous spring like chipboard piece for my layout--Floral Frames. It's so intricate and lovely, and comes in three sizes.  Mine is the smallest and is the perfect size to hold a little nest of eggs. The Distress Crayons are perfect to highlight those cracks!

And as for me, here are the stars of the show--my little twins when they were just three years old.  Every day we would pick them up and let them look at the house wren's nest made in our mailbox right outside our front door. How delighted they were to watch the birds come and go, making their nest, and counting the eggs each day. On this day, the eggs had hatched, and they were admiring the tiny birds. I just adore the expressions on their tiny faces! 

 

House wrens set up their nests in either our mailbox or in our garage every spring, and last summer I had to hand carry a few maturing young birds out because they were trapped in the garage, and driving our cats nuts! Late this summer, one decided to come in the house through the front door when my daughter was leaving one evening. Of course, Roger, the cat, chased it around the house for awhile, but  all ended well. My husband caught it, and released it safe and sound back outside. I guess that's why they're called house wrens.

I would like to enter my layout/canvas into the following inspiring challenges:

Country View April Challenge Spring

Frilly and Funkie Boy, Oh Boy! My boy is one of the stars of the show, and this is a gift for my husband, who happens to be a guy!

Creative Artiste challenge # 13 Anything Goes (with an option to use chipboard, stencils or flowers) I chose stencils and chipboard as an option.

A Vintage Journey #40 Spring is in the Air

Words and Painterly April Go With the Flow of Life

Stamps and Stencils Trash to Treasure I used stamps and stencils; a recycled piece of junk artwork from a yard sale and a piece of cardboard from the waffle box (we buy in bulk) and a cast off feather are all"trash". My photos are a real treasure!

Happy Little Stampers April Mixed Media Challenge Wings

The Artisitic Stamper April's Creative Challenge All Things Distress I used Distress Crazing Medium, Distress crayons, Distress inks and Distress paint. (Oh, and a Distress marker in my spritzer!) (final entry)

Word Art Wednesday Challenge #226 and #227 Anything Goes
Creative Inspirations Challenge #249 Your Favorite Things Wall Flower Paper Stash, Texture/cracks/bricks, Distress paints, inks/ crayons in neutrals, vintage style, mixed media, birds,  and of course, my kiddos!

Thank you for dropping by today and for all your wonderful comments!  I read and appreciate each and every one of them!

Hugs and Blessings!

Sara Emily DT