It's July and time for a brand new More Than Words MAIN challenge!
Every month we are wowed by your talent and creativity, and we can hardly wait to reveal to you our new challenges in anticipation of what they will inspire you to create. And this month, we have some brand new DT members joining in on the fun!
Before we reveal our challenge board, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our departing designers for their wonderful contributions to our team for the past 6 months. It's hard to imagine a new term without them, but we have no doubt that they will go on to amaze us with more beautiful creations
in whatever artistic endeavours await them!
Thank you so much and the fondest of farewells to:
And now, without further ado, here is our July MAIN challenge!
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Our MAIN challenge is based on a word inspiration and a creative challenge.
This challenge is open to layouts, canvases and art journal pages only.
Word Inspiration - SMILE
Creative Challenge - SKETCH
What does the word SMILE inspire you to create?
You can choose to add the word somewhere on your project or simply
be inspired to create from it. Please explain in your blog post
how the word inspired you, if not already obvious.
For the Creative Challenge, use this fabulous SKETCH designed by our very own DT member, Helen Hapsi. Feel free to turn the sketch in any direction your prefer. You can interpret any element of it as you wish, as long as
we can see that it was the basis of your creation.
VERY IMPORTANT! You have to incorporate both requirements of the challenge, the word inspiration AND the creative challenge, on your project to be eligible to win. Just look at our DT members' creations as example. Also, remember that you must include our board image and a link to our blog in your entry post.
Please check out our rules in the RULES tab above!
Let's start by showing off the new More Than Words designers' interpretation.
Caroline: "Often when I ask my kids to SMILE for a picture, they do a silly not natural smile at all. But this time when I asked my little buddy to smile for me, he did his most beautiful one. My heart melts each time I look at this picture because he looks so happy to take a pose for me. I love Helen's SKETCH and was inspired by the mixed media elements of it and the slanted display of the photo."
Ekaterina: "My layout is about me and my niece. Looking at her, I always SMILE! She is a very lovely girl, so very intelligent and funny. Very soon, she will be my husband's goddaughter, and that means, mine too! I found the SKETCH so inspiring, especially the drawn flowers."
Joyce: "With the new release of "Alice Through the Looking Glass", I can't help but think of the Cheshire Cat. When I was a kid, his goofy SMILE would evoke a smile from me. In the future, when I turn the pages in my art journal and find this spread, I'm sure he will make me smile then too. As you can see, I kept the focal point of my spread along with the photo on the right page just as on the SKETCH."
Kristina: "My page is about a cheerful vacation day! My boys were dancing and invited me to dance with them. They look so much alike - my son is a small copy of his father, even in their dance moves, they are the same. I look at this picture and every time a SMILE appears on my face. What a beautiful SKETCH from Helen!"
Nupur: "The fragrance from the flowers, the chirps from the birds, the blissful walk in the woods and discovering myself all bring a SMILE to my face. The fabulous SKETCH served as a cherry on top for my layout!"
Wilma: "When I saw the word SMILE as inspiration, I couldn't choose between the Mona Lisa theme or this picture of my daughter, so I used both! It's like my daughter is daring the Mona Lisa to give her one of her best smiles!
Thank you for the lovely SKETCH, Helen! I made a video
on my creative process that you can view
HERE.
And continuing on with our returning DT...
Arantzazu: "The word this month reminds me that we always have to SMILE. Although sometimes life is a bit more complicated and we have problems for which we don't always have a solution... but we keep on smiling! I tried to recreate the mixed media splashes on the SKETCH with paint splatters of vibrant blue."
Lilibleu: "When I saw the inspiration word SMILE, I immediately thought of this picture of my youngest son who knows how to be charming with his best smile and at the same time we can see in his eyes his rascal side! I wanted to follow perfectly this beautiful SKETCH and it inspired a flowery page and a colourful background
using different mixed media techniques."
Valerie: "SMILE, little girl! It's so difficult to have a natural smile in this family!! When I ask for a smile, she usually gives me a grimace. This is one of the pictures where she smiles, not a big smile though. Perhaps the inspiration word should have been 'grimace' to make it easier for me. hehe I added drawn flowers
and splatters of ink as on the SKETCH."
Di: "When I thought the inspiration word SMILE, I thought what better picture to use! Who wouldn't have a smile on their face, standing in this wonderful field of flowers? I also loved using the SKETCH as the basis for my layout design."
Elena: "My page is about my junior son. I think that the SMILE and laughter of her child is the most precious gift to any mother. I wish all children were happy and laughing! I used the SKETCH as basis of my design and added
many elements to incorporate my own style."
Helen: "This month's word inspiration reminded me of this old family photo I had. Those two girls from Cyprus, friends of my grandmother, are giving their most innocent SMILE to the photographer. I really wanted to use it on a layout and this was the perfect opportunity! I followed the SKETCH for my project
by creating a modeling paste background."
Pamela: "When I think of the word SMILE, I immediately think of this little lady... Kiki! She has the most amazing smile and has every reason to smile because after a long and arduous journey, she beat cancer! You can find her story on the Kisses for Keaton FB page. I loved the SKETCH - you can clearly see my inspiration from it in the display on the photo, the flowers and the mixed media elements."
Valia: "The word SMILE is a mental note to myself to remember to stay optimistic through life's challenges. I loved the mixed media feel of the SKETCH and I flipped it horizontally to match the orientation of my photo."
Rachael: "With my two children getting older, they are not as keen to get their picture taken as often, let alone together! So I thought this photo was perfect for the word SMILE. I had fun working with the SKETCH and adding some drawn flowers and many other elements inspired by it."
Nicole: "What a fun July challenge! When I saw the word SMILE, I knew I had to scrapbook one of my beautiful nieces, either one, as they each put a smile on my face all the time. This is Ella, the oldest of the two, when she was around 3 years old. What a cutie! I absolutely love creating with sketches and really enjoyed Helen's SKETCH with all its white space which made it so easy for me
to make it my own."
We hope to have inspired you to play along!
All our prizes include free international postage!
MAIN CHALLENGE WINNER
Here is more information about our 1st place sponsor this month:
"The Scrapbook Diaries is an online retailer for premium scrapbooking and paper craft supplies. We specialize in kits from the industries' top designers. Our kits come mailed with directions as well as access to step by step videos that enable you to follow the creative process of designers around the world. We carry products from international manufacturers and we boast the largest selection
of laser-cut chipboard available on the web."
Next, 4 runners up will be each awarded a prize, as follows:
1st RUNNER UP
(image below is for illustration purposes only)
2nd RUNNER UP
3rd RUNNER UP
4th RUNNER UP
(exactly as shown below)
In addition, we will draw one random winner from all eligible entries!
RANDOM WINNER
Each month, we hand pick a winner who has not made it into our TOP 5, but who has captured our attention someway, somehow. We might pick a project due to its original use for a certain product, the cleverest title, most beautiful photo, etc...
Who knows what we'll be looking for?
MYSTERY WINNER
And last, but certainly not least, we will randomly award a prize to one lucky blog follower who has commented on any of our July blog posts.
LUCKY COMMENTER
a $25 USD gift certificate from
MAGENTA
We have the best sponsors ever so we would appreciate it if you took the time to click on the SPONSORS tab above to learn more about them and their products.
Now, it's time to get creating on your
July SMILE & SKETCH Main Challenge project!
Link up your project using our LinkyTool in the right sidebar
by July 31st at 11:59 pm EST.