We have a last minute entry from.....

Jen Fawkes -of all god's creatures

 

Hi Shazza, I have attached my entry for Decembers ARTastic challenge by Botticelli. I have taken my inspiration from the animals and the colors (the earthy tones). This was a tough challenge but I guess you can find inspiration from all places. Thanks again for another great challenge.

Jen Fawkes

Hey Jenn!

Love this page, love the title especially and all the pics of the 'Alpacas'. It wasn't an easy challenge this month and appreciate you having a go and joining in. Great work! - Cheers Shazza

'The Mystical Nativity' according to......

Nicole (Captain Jack sparrow) - Barn

Hi Shazza!
When I saw you had a challenge to use a stable in your layout I knew I had to participate!  I dug out a bunch of pictures of the barn that my dad built in our backyard.
I noticed in "The Mystical Nativity" Botticelli uses a lot of red, gold, and blue so I tried to stick to that color scheme.  I wanted to make the pictures float above the barn like the angels in the painting.  I drew the barn's floor plan in the letter B, and the barn doors at the bottom open to reveal a little secret about the barn.
Thank you for inspiring me to scrap the setting of so many great memories.
XOXO
Nicole

 Hey Nicole! What a great entry for the challenge and a great idea that you went with.....'The Barn'  is  just perfect and I love all the photos you used (the little goats are so cute!). Love your journaling around the page.The barn you made is awesome! Great work!! - Cheers Shazza

Another entry today from.....

Vicky Hyninck - HOHOHO

Hi Shazza

first of all I want to wish you happy hollidays .

I'm glad I finnished at least one LO this month, my inspiration is gone and I'm a bit stuck.

The picture was taken a few years ago, I used picknick to adjust it for the hollidays.

For the first time I used spray, and worked with embossing.

Anyway, I think I covered all creteria and hope you'll like it just a little bit.

Big hug

Vicky

 

Hi Vicky!

A great entry this month, thanks for joining in :) I love what you have done with your photo and added the christmas hats....Very Clever!! I love you little added stable.........looks like you have covered all the added criteria, Well done :)  - Cheers Shazza

Hi Ladies - Deadline reminder!!

Entries for ' The Mystical Nativity' will close
Wednesday 29th December at midnight.

You have 4 days to submit your entries to

shazzaalleyes@hotmail.com

Don't miss out on being one of our lucky winners!

cheers

Shazza

Here is another inspirational entry from...

Jane Howden - A Merry Little Christmas

Hi Shazza,

Here is my entry, A merry little Christmas, for the December challenge on Artastic.  Got to say the manger and angel threw me until I remembered that my son had made both in Christmas craft in Year 1 at school back in 2006 and they (and him) were/are as cute as a button.  I had to use them, now didn’t I?

All the best,

Jane

 

You've done a great job of the challenge Jane! I love the angel you son made ...and the manger he put together :) Glad you got a chance to use them on this challenge. It surely is a handmade Christmas :) Well done, Cheers Shazza

We have an entry today from a 7 year old newbie........

Jessica Wyllie - Jessica, Jordan and Isaac.

Hi Shazza,
My 7 year old granddaughter Jessica (pictured on the left) did this page so I thought I'd enter it in your competiton for her.
Its not exactly a stable, but the roof is there LOL and there are 3 little angels in the photo.
She really loves coming to Nanny's and doing some scrapbooking.
By Jessica Wyllie (Brenda Wyllie)

Wow! Jessica, this is such a pretty little page, love all the snow flakes and the patterned paper you have used is just beautiful. What a great page for a 7 year old!! :) I love how you turned your gold pipe cleaners into bows......very clever!! Good Luck :) and Cheers Shazza

Here is another inspirational submission from...

Julene Matthews - I Believe in Angels

Hello Shazza,

I used the words from one of my favourite ABBA songs for this layout.It is the nativity scene from my mother's nursing home and greets you as you go in the door.There are many caring kind nurses and staff there who look after the patients.I went for the olde worlde look and downloaded the angel picture from a website featuring old postcards.The bells are gold inked,I don't have any embossing powder at the moment.Have a wonderful Christmas from Julene

 

Well done Julene, this has turned out a lovely Christmas page. I love the title of your page using an ABBA song, and the nativity scene is just so sweet. Gorgeous pp you used and adorable olde worlde angel. Great work this month - Cheers Shazza

Botticelli and the dark psychology of the Mystic Nativity

Here is a link to my partner Hasan's post on 'Botticelli' and his painting 'The Mystical Nativity'. It gives an insight into the time it was painted and Why Botticelli painted it as a 'double' painting depicting a Nativity scene and also as the last judgement.

The link is here.

TFL

Shazza

We have another entry today from....

Lean De Ruiter - Happy Holidays

Hi Shazza,

Here is my take on the challenge..

I have made a stable of cardboard with on top a sweet angel. On the pictures you see my animal family. And yes the cats love to hang out in the tree and the dog is thinking...boring. On the frames I embossed some gold.

Thanks for this great challenge I love to work with it.

byebye,lean my blog www.scrapselsfromlean.blogspot.com

 

Hi Lean! What a beaut entry :) It looks like a decorated gingerbread house! Love how you used your pets in your entry. Making a stable out of cardboard was a great idea, its turned out beautiful. Thanks for joining in this month! Cheers Shazza  

 

Have a look at this great entry......

Karen Williams - Noel

 

 

Hi Shazza

here is my Nativity LO for Artastic.

The colours I chose were similar to the muted colour of the painting. I put everything down the middle of the LO which reminds me of the positioning of the stable on the painting again.

The stable is in the photographs as this is a LO about my obsession with nativity scenes.

there are two angels at the bottom of the LO and they are both gold ( not embossed but then again I don't have any embossing stuff)

Hope this is OK

Karen Williams

 

Hi Karen, thanks for joining in the challenge this month. I love how you used the playmobile Nativity Scene as your inspiration.....great idea! Love the edging on your layout its turned out gorgeous and the two angels at the bottom are perfect. Well done! - Cheers Shazza

Heres is our first entry for the month from......

Lizzy Crust -The Angel and the Shepherd Boy

 

Hi Shazza,
i have done the december challenge.. 
after first thinking what a wild picture i took 

inspiration from the stable in the middle of 

the picture, so i have my stable in the middle 

of my layout.. i have a gold embossed angel, as 

well as my daughter dressed as an angel...and 

because the top of the picture was pretty busy 

with all those angels, i put lots of stamped 

flourishes at the top of my layout... thanks 

for a great challenge...
love lizzy

Lizzy! This is a fantastic take on the 

challenge...i love that your focus was on the 

stable and just look at your result :) 

Its turned out the most beautiful Christmas 

layout! I love the flourishes you used at the 

top of the page, and the photo you used is 

adorable!! Very impressive!

Cheers Shazza 

Here is Peg's submission.....

Peg Hewitt - She's No Angel

challenge - 'She's No Angel'
on christmas so this was a real challenge for me. For a stable I made some chippy stable doors to cover the journalling (which I'm sure DD would not want shared!), I used a Steampunk angel and papers from the gorgeous new Graphic 45 range adding a splash of colour with my Glimmermist :-) The gold embossings the woodgrain on the stable ds. A bit of a different take on the challenge, hope it's ok.

Peg!! I love your submission, I love the title and the stable doors look great! The Steampunk Angel is the best! I just love the way you put this altogether...just so clever :) .....and you do love your Glimmer mist :) You must be very happy with your end result ...fantastic!! - Cheers shazza

Introducing our Guest Designer for the month......

Peg Hewitt

Here is Peg's bio........

Bio - I'm a work-at -home mum to 4 mostly delightful kids, living in regional NSW (Australia). I took up modern-day scrapping about 10 years ago and am fortunate to have a big scraproom of my own in Hubby's shed where I scrap every friday night til late, and school days when I can squeeze it in.
I have been regularly published in the Aussie mags for a few years now and have recently been lucky enough to snag a position on the Tattered Angels Design Team (I am a huge fan of their mists and paints and rarely do a layout without them).
I'm honored to have been asked to do a guest DT spot on Artastic, it's one of the few challenge blogs that keeps me coming back with the diversity and requirements of the challenges.
Thanks Shazza!

Hi Peg! We hope you have a great time here as our December Guest DT member. Please feel free to leave comments on the DT's submissions and entries.

Could everyone give Peg a big welcome to ARTastic

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Here is some of Pegs gorgeous work......

It was a Hot December Day


Striking a Pose


The Look

Peg, they all look beautiful but I think my favourite would be 'The Look' I just love the thick stitching, sequins and gorgeous flower embellies :)
Please introduce yourselves to Peg and make her welcome :)

TFL
Shazza

Ok, so here is mine.....

Shazza Bishop - Mystical Magi

Here is my sub, showcasing my middle son Jarred when he was at kinder. This is what the journaling says.....Jarred you were picked to be one of the 3 wisemen in the kinder nativity play in 1991. You were so excited!!! Nanna and Aunty Deb came to see the play too. Yu did all your scenes correctly. We all had a great time. My angel and photo corners (K&Company acetates) are emobossed, and the letters in the title are embossed also, the stable was from a packet of Christmas embellies
TFL - Shazza

ok who is next.......

Angie A - Waiting on Santa

Good Evening Shazza...

Here is my layout for the month of December....

It took me a few days to find a picture I wanted to use....I know you are thinking what does a DOG have to do with this special holiday...

Not sure other than Boomer was a Christmas gift from my kids back in 2006...
Angie

Hi Angie! I love that you tackled this from a different angle with a pic of Boomer but still managed the criteria. Love that you used a outlined shape of the stable and an angel tree topper :) Great work :) Cheers Shazza

You will All love this submission.....

Robin Jenkins - Christmas Blessing

Hi Shazza, Hope all is well with you! Here is my submission for December. Our church, Mary Queen of Heaven, celebrated all Saints Day as they do, each year by having the children dress up as a saint. Temple's middle name is Ann in honor of her 2 grandmothers, both whose middle name is Ann! Temple decided with her teacher in her Sacramental Class to dress up as St. Ann who was the mother of Mary. I've gold-embossed the stamped image of the Nativity. There's also the stable and the Angel heralding Jesus' arrival! I must say you truly challenged me on this one Shazza--when I started this LO with the criteria, I wasn't sure how it would turn out, but I decided I am happy with the outcome! Best regards, Robin

Hi Robin! I love the photo of temple dressed up as St. Ann. I bet she had a lovely day :) I love the little stable ..is that googled or off a church advertisement leaflet...cause its just the cutest :) I also love the heralding angel you used. A lovely inspirational sub for December. Cheers Shazza

Lets see who is next.........

Debi Clark - Our Magical English Christmas

Wow Shazza, what a profound painting this was of
Botticelli!! Full of colour & wings & love, &
that is what I have used as my inspiration.

I have scrapped a photo of my man & lovely
daughter at Christmas, a few years ago when we
visited England.  Our daughter was working over
there & having never travelled OS it gave us the
'push' to go. It was freezing cold, but yet so
english & so lovely, we had a marvellous time!!

I have included all the criteria I believe &
enjoyed doing so I might add! I have made a stable
out of twigs off a tree in my garden, & that was
inspiration from my scrapping friend Melinda Spinks.
I have hand cut 2 little angels, & embossed some
chippie pieces just to help set the scene.  I
had fun sanding the Core-dinations cardstock,
to give a mottled effect & ended up with a rustic,
yet precise LO.

Many thanks again for a great challenge,

Love Deb x

Deb! I loved your interpretation of the painting .....and your handmade twig stable is just the best, I love the chipboard pieces you embossed too, its come together beautifully...Well done!
Cheers Shazza

Another submission from our DT member....

Amanda Taylor - Away in a Manger

here is my submission using 'the mystical nativity' by boticelli............................. ive got all the criteria... gold embossing (doilie and embossed ribbon), stable(on the card) and an angel.................this is Connor when he was a bub, my fave xmas photo of him.....................thanks for the great insiration this month shazza

Hi Amanda, What a cute christmas photo of Connor...I can see why its your favourite :) Glad you managed all the criteria..the embossed doillie looks fantastic :) The stable card looks like a swap card :) Well done - Shazza

Look ar this beautiful submission from......

Melissa O'Neill - Four Years ago a Child was Born

Hi Shazza, hope this email finds you and your family well, I really enjoyed the challenge this month, not a prima girl but I just had to do a girly layout, sorry Nate, well he has pink sheets.....it all matched. I embossed the word "Child" and the star , you are looking through the window of the stable and the gorgeous angel on the right is cut from an old diary. Love Melxx

Mel! I love this...I love how you are looking through the window of the stable, great idea!!! Its turned out just gorgeous with the mix of pinks and blues and very 'Shabby Chic'. An Excellent sub from you this month Mel and great inspiration for the followers. - Cheers Shazza

Some more inspiration today from......

Lisa Hanrahan - Christmas Angel

Hi there Shazza,
Here is my layout for December called "Christmas Angel". I have included two angels, one in the photo and one to the side of the photo. I have gold embossed music paper and a clip art stable thanks to the gorgeous Shelee! This photo of my little angel was taken on Christmas Day while she was blowing bubbles in the backyard... she was having so much fun! Thank you for the fantastic Christmas challenge! xxx

Lisa! Tis is just gorgeous, how cute is you daughter she truely is, a little christmas angel :)
I love the flower spay on your page its just stunning. Great idea to incorporate a stable goggled image. I bet you are pleased with how it turned out :) Cheers Shazza

Another great inspirational piece.....

Sarah Cooper - Far Far Away

I drew inspiration from the rich, royal colors in this painting...
I scraped some pictures from the Live Jousts we watch every year at the Osgood Medieval Festival.
This man, playing Sir Eric or Ireland that year, is one of our favorite Jousters. Canadian (yeah!!!!) and always a Fan Favorite because he is also a very talented speaker, able to engage the crowds and promote audience participation.
Paper is DCWV Happily Ever After; as are the Epoxy stickers (mini blue corner dragons, shield, purple Celtic dragon and Knight on horseback), Crown Ribbon and the Knight & Shining Armor Rub-on (enhanced with 2 teal crystals).
The Stable is a photo of a medieval stable (located in France) printed on photo paper and cut out. I rubbed some blue chalk behind the image to bring it out a bit.
Swirly stamps in burgundy are Fancy Pants.
Key and Key hole are 7 Gypsies.
The Gold embossed Wings (Wing It) and Angel (Renaissance Angels) are Stampin'Up!, colored with chalks and a wet pen.

Hey Sarah!
I love that you try and come up with something a bit different. this looks like it was so much fun on the day :) Great photos too. I love how you try all little techniques like chalking, stamping etc... Well done!! - Cheers shazza

Here is a gorgeous submission from.....

Shelee Lark - Joy

Hi Shazza,
"I have scrapped a picture of my sister and I taken 
last Christmas in front of her beautiful Christmas 
tree. I have included all of the criteria - 2 
angels which I have glimmermisted in 'Suede', 
stamped onto and then gold embossed and a stable. 
Thanks for another great challenge this month."

Regards,
Shelee

Shelee!! What a lovely photo of you and your sister taken 
at Christmas. your page just looks so festive...
and how gorgeous is that chipboard angel. 
I love those holly leaves too!!
Well done and a great Chrismassy page!
Cheers Shazza

Our next inspirational piece comes from.....

Megan Vinn - Freya's 1st and 2nd Xmas

Hi all!
Merry Christmas! Hope you all enjoy the silly 
season, I know I'm really looking forward to 
it! I've made a page this month with an 
aluminium foil base. I scrunched it up and 
painted some yellow/gold colour on to it. 
My attempts at shopping for scrapbooking 
needs have been foiled.... ehem sorry for 
the pun! So this is what I thought of. The 
pics are of my oldest child. The arch at the 
top is meant to represent the stable, a safe 
haven for her. I cut up some ribbon and made 
bows and hot glued on some other nic nacs. 
What a beautifully epic painting this month's 
challenge is! So many colours and such movement! 
Anyhoo, Have a great month!
M

Hey Megan!
Thanks for the Christmas well wishes :) I am
amazed at how you can scrunch and paint 
aluminium foil and have the whole page look 
like a master piece. If I tried that technique 
mine would look dreadful :( I love how you did 
the arch at the top of the page to look like the 
Stable. I love your pics of Freya, its amazing 
how much they grow in twelve months. 
Great work Megan! - Cheers Shazza

Here is our first submission for December......

Peggy Schenkels - Guardian Angel

Hi Shazza,

I have to admit, this challenge wasn't the easiest one for me. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what to do ... the painting is extremely difficult to follow (which you know I love to do), and the criteria weren't all that easy either!!! I mean ... how do you include a stable (and make it look nice!)???

So, it took me quite some time to get a clear image in my head of what I wanted to do, but once I did, it came together beautifully. The picture shows my 1 month old son (picture taken 11 years ago) and our German Shephard Jenny, who passed away several years ago. She was extremely protective of my kids, and this picture means a lot to me. It really shows her wonderful and kind nature.

I painted a "brick structure" which represents the stable as the background, and copied the angel from an image by a very talented artist named DJ (http://djpettitt.typepad.com/djpettitt/), which I'll include on my personal blog. The achieve the brick structure I used gel medium and sand before painting, and the structure in the wings was made with mere gel medium. I'll put some close-ups on my blog as well.

Though I struggled a bit at first, once again I'm very happy with the result. Thanks Shazza, for always making me have to use my imagination and creativity that little extra step further!

Love xxx Peggy

Peg! You are an amazing artist and no matter what the criteria you always come up with something 'jaw dropping' :) I Iove how you used the angel image and used gel medium to create the dappled affect on the wings...amazing! and painting a brick structure for a stable........just a brilliant idea. I love this layout and I love the photo you used. This is so inspiring, the DT and followers will love it. Well done! - cheers Shazza

Decembers inspiration will come from the Botticelli painting 'The Mystical Nativity'

'The Mystical Nativity'
by
Botticelli

Diva Demand for an extra 6 bonus points try and
work the following into your layout.

1. Angel/s = 1pt

2 Gold embossing (Somewhere
on the page) = 2pts

3. A Stable=3 pts

Please dont be put off by the 'Stable' you can google a pic, make one your self from twigs or straw, use a drawing etc......

**********************************************

I'm sure everyone would have a nativity kids photo or a Chrismassy photo to use :) photo to use this month :)

Please email your layouts compressed/resized for web viewing to shazzaalleyes@hotmail.com

ALso, please add your blog address to your email so I can add it to the post, that way we can come and visit :)

The Design Team have put together some great submissions,
so lots of inspiration to share with you all shortly :)

Entries for 'The Mystical Nativity' will close
Wednesday 29th December at midnight.

Cant wait to see this months entries !!!

Cheers
Shazza