Hi there June ...

Welcome to June - my gosh is that even possible?  - I swear it was only January yesterday !!

This month we are all feeling a little distressed - no not really but it's a good excuse to start ripping and tearing paper and sanding and getting inky !!

As always please find inspiration from our image as you would like - this photo might remind you of a country scene you remember or a spot in your garden.  You might be drawn to the butterfly or the colours - whatever inspires you, please share with us.

CRITERIA - Distressing in some way on your work

Our team have some wonderful pages to show you ...

KAREN

I was immediately drawn to those beautiful rustic doors, and the wonderful rich browns. I also loved the pops of green and orange, and used these colours in my pocket scrap page. I distressed the edges of the patterned paper squares, added some torn corrugated card, and inked the edges of the papers and journalling strips with distress ink.

DI

The distressing aspect of my layout has focussed on tearing, inking and layering of various papers to create a shabby effect to go with the photo I've used. This shows my great, great grandmother, great grandparents, grandfather (standing, centre of the picture) and his siblings.

REBECCA

I was inspired by the wood, the colours and the idea of an open door with new life...second picture is with the "doors" open.

LYNNE

I was inspired by the distressed wood and the latches/hinges as well as the butterfly. I went with a totally different colour scheme but focused on the shabby feel.

PHILLIS

It was the barn door that really caught m attention in the inspiration photo. I used a photo of Sarah Palin's childhood house we saw on our trip to Skagway, Alaska last summer. I sanded and inked most of my edges of my accent papers.

DEB

I loved the distressed paint on the doors, and thought I'd put that idea to use on a frame. I've used the reverse side of a canvas and transferred an image of my mum with her sisters, my nan and great-grandmother onto the back of the canvas and then distressed the canvas frame using assorted techniques...

Here is a close-up of the distressing on the frame, using mod-podge and paper towel to get the texture, different shades of acrylic paint and finishing with Distress "Rock Candy" for the crackle...

JANE

Inspired by the wood panels of the doors and the butterfly to create a vintage page.  Used some sanding and some inking to create the distressed look to my page.

 and finally please welcome our 

Special Guest who is joining the team for June

SHAZZA BISHOP

http://shazzacraft.blogspot.com.au/

NOW IT IS UP TO YOU ...

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry to the link tool on the LEFT by 11.55pm on June 30th.

You are welcome to submit traditional paper layouts, art journals, divided page protectors, smash books, a mixed media canvas. Digital entries are welcomed and encouraged.  All entries must be new for this challenge and no back-linking please.

  You may combine with a sketch challenge only - no other combining will be accepted. Please include our inspirational picture as well as provide a link back to Pixels and Paper on your blog post and don't forget to tell us how you were inspired. International submissions are welcome.

This year we will have two main prize packs - one will be selected by Creative Team vote and the other purely by random draw - so anyone could be a winner, no matter your style or your level of experience.  All these prizes will be available to anyone, no matter your country of residence.  We will also offer one entrant a chance to guest with us for the following month and they will also receive a small prize.

Please come back on the 8th when we will announce our winners for May.