123 Challenge - Metallic Blue

I found myself with a list of things to do late last week including orders for some of my cards, etc, but I was being drawn to do something just for me.  My creative juices were pulling me in all sorts of directions last week.  I am now half way through a mixed media canvas, and the arrival of some new Unity Stamps particularly the beautiful textured backgrounds by Christy Tomlison and Quotes/Phrases by Donna Downey for Unity Stamp Co. had me creating back in my art journal, and then I saw the March Challenge over on the 123 Challenge Blog, I thought I would play along with this too.

Stamps:  Unity KOTM, The Paper Studio, See D's., Cardstock/Paper:  Stampin' Up

Ink: Stampin' Up! Pacific Point, Not Quite Navy, Riding Hood Red, Pumice Stone Distress Ink,

Other:  Martha Stewart Punch, SU Circle Punches, K & Co Die Cuts, Punchinella, Paper Flowers, Robin's Nest Dew Drops. 

Their Challenge this month was to incorporate the Colour Metallic Blue, the Words 1,2,3 and use/embellish with some form of organic matter.  For my layout I used blue metallic paint on the flower centres and I spotted some around my page, some metallic blue kindy glitz on my punched flowers along with creating my own metallic glimmer mist using Metallic Gold Perfect Pearls powder mixed with water and some Pacific Point Dye Ink.  My organic matter was the inclusion of 3 smalls pebbles/shells we collected along the beach.

Sometimes its the background I create that determines the photos rather than the photos determining the background.  I initally went with the strips of butterflies to frame and wanted them to portrait something magical.  I played around with a couple of different photos, but finally settled on three photos of our holiday to Tassie in 2008 where we had set out for a day of adventure and travelled up the east coast.  We made it as far as the small fishing village of Bicheno, which was also known for its Blow Hole.  These three photos were taken as we went out across the rocks to find and experience the Blow Hole.  Compared to the Kiama Blow Hole in Southern NSW I was a little disappointed as there wasn't much to see.  But adventure is all about escaping, exploring, discovering, and experiencing isn't it.  And there's always something magical about going to new places and seeing different things.  Sadly this was to be one of the last adventures we would share with our good friends John and Toni together as John passed away last year following a short battle with cancer.  We had all planned to go back to Tassie to do the rest of the island we didn't get to see, so maybe one day soon, we will take another adventure and explore and discover all those places we planned to see knowing for sure that John will be there with us in spirit.