Welcome to September ...

Welcome to our September challenge.

Our inspiration this month comes to you from Cathy McClelland with Butterfly Tree.

CRITERIA - Please use a stencil

A little about Cathy McClelland ..

Cathy McClelland has drawn and painted most of her life. Art has always been her escape from day to day life, taking her into the realms of her imagination.

Her work encompasses many themes, from the ethereal and magical, to animals, scenes of Lake Tahoe to lush jungles, deserts and places in between. Cathy also enjoys making sculptures of mystical beings made from handmade paper, cloth and found objects. All her creations have a feeling of the magical weaving through them. Whether it be a mural, sculpture or painting, her artwork reflects her love of nature and mythical subjects.

And now some inspiration from our team ...

(in no particular order)

Karen McLaughlin - (Australia)

Using my favourite stencil with gesso.

Annemarie Caister - (New Zealand)

Karen Brierley - (Australia)

I loved all the swirly branches and roots of the tree. I chose a stencil with swirls, and included a tree in the foreground.

Sharon Bishop - (Australia)

I used the polka dot stencil to look like falling snow. My inspiration came from the butterfly tree so I made a 'button' tree! Pic of GD 'Skyla' at the snow as the snow was just starting to fall....

Dale Tiernan -  (Australia)

Karen Guy (Australia)

Fun with Stencils, I used four different stencils, two for the background, one of course butterflies, and used distress oxide two colours, two different stencils. Then another large floral stencil with TCW pearl modeling paste and another stencil with the same modeling paste for the title.

Jane Howden - (Australia)

I took the colours from the artwork and incorporated a butterflies and smattering of hearts for my page. I decided to make my stencil a focus on the page rather than as a background.

Our main prize winner is selected by random draw - so anyone could be a winner, no matter your style or your level of experience or your country of residence. If there are more than 8 entries in the month a second prize (donated each month by one of our team) will be drawn.

Main Prize

Second Prize

(drawn if more than 8 entries)

Now over to you ......

This year we will no longer be using a "linky" tool. Please upload your entries directly to the monthly album in our Facebook public group (ARTastic challenges) by midnight on the last day of the month - please remember we are an Australian based challenge so do check your day and time. For anyone not on Facebook, simply email us your entry and if you have a blog, a link to that too so we can still pop past for a visit. You may combine your entry with 3 other challenges. You may enter more than once in any month as long as each submission is with a different creation. International entries are very welcome.

Hope to see your amazing layouts in our Facebook gallery.