It’s July and time for another challenge. This is a busy month (actually a busy summer) for my family and I. We have a lot going on. Some of it planned, some of it not. Our son will be going off to College in September so we have to get him all ready! Like that wasn’t emotional enough, we decided to buy a house and sell the one we’ve been living in for 15 years and raised our kids in. Maybe it’s fitting. We’re becoming empty nesters so time to move into a house that’s more suitable for just the two of us.

So with all that being said, I thought I would reach out and ask a friend if she wanted to host the challenge for July! I didn’t even have to try and talk her into it. She happily accepted right away! How awesome is that!

Beth Broadway is one of the sweetest, most encouraging women you will meet. You may know her on Instagram as maxsblts. Like myself, she does a lot of collage, but you can also find her playing with Dina Wakley Media and Dylusions products. She has also been practicing and becoming quite fantastic at drawing faces! So do go check out her Instagram feed and start following her!

Now I am going to hand things over to Beth!

Hello and welcome to the July Challenge.  With Denise’s upcoming move to her new house, she reached out and asked if I would guest host this month. YES!! My name is Beth Broadway and my art journey started 7 years ago. Denise has been a continual inspiration during my mixed media adventures.  She is the main reason I fell in love with quirky (and snarky) collage!  In addition, she was full of encouragement when I first started hand lettering in my journals.  Wow, that was a hard inner critic to overcome. THANKS DENISE…(wild applause in the background).

This month I thought we would keep it simple.  Let’s create a one (1) page zine.  This version consists of 4 simple folds and a single cut.  As for the theme, ANYTHING GOES.  Paper size,  background and content, all your choice.  I chose to brayer on acrylic paint, stencil and add simple mark making. My finished piece will consist of the above mentioned collage and hand lettering…SARCASM at the ready.

Below are the instructions on folding the zine:

Fold your sheet of paper in half lengthwise. Then fold in half on the short side to create quarters and then in half again to create eighths.

Open your paper so that it is folded in half with the short sides touching. Cut halfway across the middle from the fold.  When you open the paper back up, it should have a slit in the middle.

Fold your paper in half lengthwise (along the side that has the slit). Hold the paper at either end, then push the ends toward each other. The sections should fold into each other to form and 8 page booklet.

Now that you know how to fold, it's time to create.  I recommend creating the background prior to the fold.  I would use a light weight mixed media papers. It should be strong enough to hold whatever medium you use, but remain thin enough to fold.  I used 9x12 sulphate paper.  It's a little heavier than copy paper, but takes whatever medium I throw at it.

 I created my background using acrylic paints, stencils and a FAT black Posca pen.

Here is my final project.

Individual photos will be uploaded to Denise Lush’s Creative Peeps Facebook Group and my Instagram feed (@maxsblts).

 I look forward to seeing what you create.  Be sure to use the hashtags #julyzinechallenge and #deniselushchallenge and be sure to tag @deniselush

 And an HUGE thank you to Denise for having me as a guest host. It is an honor.

 Happy creating, Beth