Celebrating nature

The theme this week at Lasting Memories is Earth Day.  The challenge is to create a layout celebrating nature in any of its forms.

I took quite a lot of native flora photographs last year during our walk in Dirawong Reserve, Evans Head.  I love banksia, and I'm always intrigued by the forms of the flowers and the spent seed pods.   I couldn't resist the Banksia Man reference in my layout:



My layout is based on the April sketch at Anna's Craft Cupboard.

I'm submitting my layout at Inkido for their current mood board challenge, which encourages us to create a piece about something from our country or culture:

My inspiration was the Snugglepot and Cuddlepie series of classic children's stories, written by May Gibbs.  The stories feature creatures living in the Australian bush. I think most Australian children of primary school age are familiar with the characters.  The banksia men featured on my layout are the "scary bad guys" in the stories!

I used an illustrated book page on my layout, taken from this book:

It was a damaged book, with torn and missing pages, which I purchased at the Lifeline Bookfest for 50c.  I often buy secondhand books to use on my craft projects - just another way to recycle and contribute to Mother Earth.

Other materials:
Echo Park Life is Good - Journal Cards patterned paper
American Crafts Thickers - Sprinkles vinyl alphabets 
Smooch Spritz - Emerald Sprinkle mist
Kaisercraft 5cm Lime paper flower
Prima green mulberry flower