Gothic Arch Challenge - Moon

I joined in the first week of the new Gothic Arch challenge so really really want to try and make one each week so that I can make a book from all the pages and have a complete set. This week, which is the second week for the challenge finishes tonight so I am only just making it before the next challenge is announced! (Serious stuff, I know!)

So this afternoon I have created my arch for the current challenge theme which is "moon". When you are not well things definitely don't go as well either! My first arch was constructed of a transparency I printed and then layered onto silver glimmer paper which had been stamped with a favourite text image and then layered onto black cardstock. I machine stitched around the edges and then, fatal mistake, decided to add some extra bling by gluing some Judikins Silver Roxs to emphasize the stars on the transparency. The resulting blobs looked awful so I thought I would wipe them off before the glue dried and of course that removed significant quantities of the ink as well.

I chucked the whole thing in the bin and started again. This time I made an arch that was based on a beautiful piece of blue mulberry type paper that has little gold and silver flecks all over it. I layered that to cardstock and then decided maybe I could recycle some of the previous effort so I fished the first arch out of the bin. I cut around the little girls and the moon as they hadn't been affected by my earlier efforts and glued that portion to the same part of the new arch after stamping the text image repeatedly in silver ink on the blue background. I once again machine stitched around the edges and this time I limited my bling additions to some star sequins and silver pen dots. I have resisted the urge to do anything else although I really want to add SOMETHING (unspecified/unknown). Maybe it needs a "label" - a word or two - a reference to the moon maybe. Whatever it needs, I am not risking it.

PS I just saw that Linda has started an inchie challenge blog - the first week's theme is "swirl" - so of course I am going to have to join this fun too! If you like working small - have a look and join in!!

Gothic Arch Challenge - School

Tonight I had a bit of a play and came up with my entry for the first of the Gothic Art Challenges - the theme is School. I couldn't resist doing a vintage collage - I've used some Collections and Tim Holtz collage pieces as the main items. The background, which included some stamping has ended up being pretty well covered up. I don't think it shows up much in the scan but the sparkle is from a finishing spray with Moon Shadow Mist in copper. These challenges are going to be fun - I like the idea of continuing to work with a consistent shape/size. I think I will turn the arches into a book once I have enough of them.