My first challenge

This is the first time I have participated in a challenge. Helga Strauss at ArtChix has created the most beautiful masterboard to play with, and I just couldn't resist!

I made three color copies, and a transparency.Then I cut one of the cardstock copies into strips and wove it back together to make the background and gave it a wash of thinned acrylic paint.

I chose two images with words that spoke to me this week, as my daughter starts middle school:

"Be you" and

"you are marvelous"

I accordion-folded a dictionary page to put under the bird and then added bead fringe and a wire and ribbon hanger.

My daughter asked me if she could put it in her locker. Of course, I said yes, but the whole time I'm thinking "How can my baby be old enough to have her own locker?"

This is a second piece that I did with the transparency. The cage and the bird are on cardstock. The background of the cage is a transparency layered over a sheet of white paper. I added a piece of doily at the bottom of the cage, and edged the whole thing with a white gel pen.

There's still time to play. This challenge runs until Tues., August 25.