A close up of one of my sketchbook pages… For the third spread of pages in my 5"x 8" moleskin for the sketchbook 2011 project, I took up Michelle Ward's Street Team Challenge #42 —Strip Ease: let go and rip! This is the first time ever I have played in Michelle's creative challenges, although I have been wanting to for a while. The challenge says it is due August 1st, so I think I might have just made the deadline. I only learned about it yesterday from Mary Green! It was in Mary's online class, Your Vintage GlueBook where I ran into this idea of ripping paper for a lovely background. Great class, check it out! Here is what I did . . .

I covered my spread of pages with brown water color crayon and ripped some leftover strips of paper, found some fabric strips.

I stamped over the crayon with VersaCraft ink (heat set for permanence).

getting started with placement of the strips. I play with  them until they look right.

More are added, almost done. I have spritzed the crayon with water and sponged it to blend in with  the paper.

The photo on vellum of me in CT 1984 on left and discarded photo -FL 2010 printed on watercolor paper on right. It was for the 4x4 swap I hosted this spring and I could not throw it away. Now I see why - it is perfect for this!

A close up water manipulated photo on watercolor paper.

Thank you Mary and Michelle! I so enjoyed this creative exercise!!