Chalk it up

Happy Wednesday!  Time for a new challenge at the Funkie Junkie Boutique!  Laura is hosting the new challenge: Chalk it up and she describes it:

"September is normally when kids head back to school, it when the learning begins again....Create a project about learning, does not have to be a school themed project, learning is not just about books and school, sometimes it learning a new scrapbooking technique, or a cool fact and you must include chalk!  IE - chalk paint, chalk board, actual chalk...."

I have some pretty chalks and hardly ever use them. I decided to play with them and learn some new ways to try them out. 

The first card I stamped in archival ink.  I then used a combination of smearing the chalk inside the lines along with painting with water a bit of the chalk around the edges to add a depth of shadows.   

The chalks come with an applicator which I used to apply the background colors.  I then used a waterbrush to add the darker hues.  

I also added some shading with watercolor pencils on the leaves and some highlights with a white gel pen.  

On my next card I used the chalks to highlight the embossing on the leaves and background.

 I created the background with the texture paste and a stencil.  While it was still wet I spritzed it with distress stain spray.  After it dried I used chalk to rub over the surface in various areas to add a shadow and highlight the embossing. 

For the leaves I also spritzed with a mix of distress stain inks.  After they dried I used a dark chalk rubbed over the surface to accentuate the veins.  

Everything recieved a lovely layer of clear embossing powder to make them shine. 

Please come join the challenge!   The overall winner will be offered the chance to be a Guest Designer at a future date at The Funkie Junkie Boutique blog, and everyone who enters and follows the rules will go into the draw for the chance to win a $25 spending spree at The Funkie Junkie Boutique. There are also Top 3 Badges for three additional outstanding entries, chosen by the Design Team. 

 Thanks for stopping by! 

 Suzz

Products: 

• Sizzix Thinlits Tim Holtz Impresslits - Oak Leaf
• Ranger Seasonal Distress Texture Set
• Tim Holtz Layering Stencil Script
• Distress Stain Sprays Antique Linen, Crackling Campfire
  
• Seasonal Mica Distress Stain Set 
  
• Pebbles Chalk
• Stampers Anonymous Tiny Text
• White Gel Pen
• Stampers Anonymous Floral Outlines
• Ranger Archival Ink - Jet Black, Brown  
• Idea-Ology - Pine Cones