Fireworks and a challenge

Here is a layout I have completed today for a challenge over at Pixels and Paper challenge blog:

And here is the inspiration photo:

The criteria was anything goes but tell us how you were inspired by the photo. I found this challenge a challenge (if that makes sense) I did not have any wintery type photos, and certainly  had none that featured an umbrella.  Okay, Margaret do not be so literal.   I went for a black and white background - that if you look closely could be rain!! I had a photo taken New Years Eve this year (technically 31st December, 2014), it was a dull and overcast evening,  looking towards Gosford from Koolewong (on the Central Coast of New South Wales) and so I decided that I would put strips of brightly coloured paper down to resemble the large firework burst on the photo.  It was looking a bit flat so I wet the ends of the strips and wrapped around a toothpick to curl the ends.  See close-up below.  I have not been precise with my placement of the strips as if you look at the large firework again it is not even (that is my excuse and I am sticking to it).

I love how I was able to get the curls going every which way - just like as they were exploding in the sky.  My ever faithful Stampin'Up! Designer Series paper came out again.

Thank you for looking, why not head over to their blog and submit a layout - all entries regardless of your experience have an opportunity to win some prizes.   Margaret :)