Flash! Aa-argh

I'm still in shock from discovering my trousers had split and I don't know when it happened - while I was out all morning? (please no) and of course it was a white undies day! Must stop eating all the pies...

It is Salt challenge day today and Hazel chose the theme Power to be Witnesses, reflecting on the coming of the Holy Spirit. At the church I led worship at on Sunday we have a large cross outside covered in chicken wire and we want to use that more to do something arty and share our faith. So on Sunday I took along banner shapes for people to write the letters of "Pentecost" on them for us to hang up. Once more I fell foul of having a great idea but not really thinking it through... It took FOREVER to tie the banner shapes on - and we were in the middle of worship. Note to self: think more about how to attach pennants and practice. Still it made a nice little display along with some ribbon.

However I had not learned my lesson by yesterday when I had a visual idea "take photo of bubbles" without the skill to do it. It was quite windy and so it proved quite hard to take a photo even when Phil had fiddled with the camera settings. The one I used on my layout was the best of a poor set really!
You'll need to click on the photo to even spot the bubbles in their grainy reality.
Next thing to go wrong was decided to use A LOT of paint to make the circle. Made the paper really hard to work with. If it wasn't my new favourite Basic Grey Basics I would have given up. Anyway I am glad I perservered. My idea was to have the bubbles representing the Spirit that blows into our lives - usually unseen though! It was lovely that the tiny letters set I used (Cosmo Cricket) had the word "spirit" at the bottom of the individual letter stickers.
Also used:
Costco papers
Tim Holtz die
Making Memories paint
Grungeboard heart coloured with Distress ink and red sharpie pen
Hambly overlay
Nestabilities die
QVC chiboard coloured with brown sharpie
I'm following Christine Middlecamp's embellished paper doily posts which give insight into her wonderful layers which led to this

You can also see my attempts to layer embellishments on this page. My younger two just love spending time teasing each other - in a loving way (usually). Just goes on and on! So I used that as a theme for a random (but rare) photo of the two of them on a fossil beach last summer
Its a layout that was a disaster to start with (like the one above!) but has gradually turned into one I love. The papers are Scenic Route Grafton. I also used Banana Frog stamps; Scenic Route Stickers; American Crafts Thickers; Martha Stewart butterfly punches; Tim Holtz die - ooh and lots of real sewing! The monograms were peachy coloured so I alcohol inked them.
Plus more Christine style layering
I'll be back tomorrow with a Daring card - my challenge this week!