ScrapFriends Sketch Challenge #8

Hi there!

I love this time between Christmas and New Years. I always find it the most relaxing time and the best time to catch up with the past year and to prepare for the year ahead...although a couple of extra days would always be nice! Time just goes SO fast!

Speaking of time - the ScrapFriends Challenge #8 is due today. Here is the fabulous sketch:

And my interpretation with some close-ups:

Supplies used: paper (Studio Calico, Crate Paper, Basic Grey), flowers (Prima, Kaiser), stamps (Kaiser), punches (EK Success), lace, sequins, ink (Glimmer Mist, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Lumiere metallic), gesso, die-cut off-cuts, wood veneers (Studio Calico, Kaiser), clip (Basic Grey), twine (We R Memory Keepers), Prismacolor pencils, alphas (Webster, Basic Grey).

The area that is torn away, has a left over die-cut piece of paper over some white cardstock, sprayed with glimmer mist, then swiped over with gesso. It didn't work as well as my last layout because the die-cut piece I used this time was a dark coloured paper instead of plain white. Doesn't have quite the same effect. At least I learnt!

Thanks for looking.

Happy New Year to all!

Keeping the best...Sketch Challenge #49

My personal challenge for this month of completing a layout a few days before it's due has not been too successful! Keeping the best... has challenge #49 due today!

The challenge:

And my version:

Supplies used: paper (Basic Grey, Webster Pages), punch/dies (EK Success, Sizzix), chipboard (Kaiser, RW Laser Cuts), stamps (Tim Holtz, Stampin' Up), flowers (Prima), leaves (Zva Creative), rhinestones/rub-ons (Kaiser), inks (Copic marker, Versa Magic, Versa Cube), gesso, glimmer mist, alphas (American Craft) twine (We R Memory Keepers), stitching.

The border strip was inspired by the texture created by Celine Navarro on the Sizzix blog. Fabulous inspiration! I love this concept for making more texture on the page. Shall be doing it more often I think.

Thanks for popping by. Hoping you are all having an awesome weekend!

Cards and Tags

Hi there all,

The end of the year is the end of the school year here in Australia. As a result, giving a little gift to a teacher at this time of year is often a combination of thanking them for their time and commitment throughout the past year as well as a little something for Christmas.

Last year, I only did two cards - one for my eldest daughter's dance teacher and another for her reception teacher. This was them:

The little elf sitting next to the card was made by my mother who makes cloth dolls. I gave each teacher an elf. Some people love them, some are not so sure about them. I love their colour and quirkiness.

Anyway, this year I had a few extra teachers to give to, so made some tags instead of cards. I was inspired by Stacey Young (I LOVE her work - truly amazing!) who made these gorgeous tags found here and on the Shimmerz blog here.
My version followed her same principles:

Thankyou Stacey for the inspiration. These were really fun to make!

The Shimmerz blog  has so many wonderful designers and is bursting with inspiration. Definitely worth taking a look also if you haven't already.

Thanks for coming by!

CSI Case file #50

Hello there!

CSI have case file #50 open for entry. I just loved the colours and knew instantly what photo I was going to use. Here is the case:

I decided to enter a digital layout. Initially I was wanting to do a traditional paper layout but the elements I wanted to use for the design I had planned, I didn't have and wouldn't have been able to source in time. So, I went digi and changed the design entirely.
Here it is:

Supplies used: Template (K Pertiet-Inspiration 8.11.12), Brushes (K Pertiet, Anna Aspnes-Travelling USA), Overlays (Ju Kneipp-Dirty Splat (Hello Beautiful); White Border (Beautiful Day)), Stitching (Katie Pertiet-Assorted Messy Stitches No1 & No2), Paper (Stripe Chevron & Wood Panel: Ju Kneipp (Just the Basics Summer); Karen Funk (For the Boys); An Wood (Solid Paper)); Acrylic Alphas (Patti Knox-Absolutely Acrylic Alpha No1).

The photo is of my nephew that my brother (his father) took in 2011 when he was 6 years old. I love this photo and think it says so much about him (my nephew that is).

For the evidence I used:

• wood (wood panel paper)
• stitching
• stripes (stripe chevron background paper)
• transparent thing (acylic alphas for his name)

For the testimony I used:

• inspiration words - tradition and light.

The journaling reads:

• I love this photo of you. You are my nephew. My older brother's son. His first born and the first grandchild for both sides of the family. I have only met you in person once, when you were a young baby as you live in Germany, but we see each other on Skype. This photo of you was taken by your father in Silt, Germany where you traditionally take your holidays. | Know that you are the light of your father's life. Both you and your sister. | You are very loved. 2011.

Although the layout looks fairly simple, is still took a couple of hours to do....and there I was thinking doing a digi would be much quicker! Hahaha!


Thankyou for looking.
Hoping you are all enjoying the festive season!

CSI Case File #49

Hello there!

I'm sure everyone is really busy at this time of year, so thankyou for taking the time to pop by.

CSI have challenge #49 still open until the end of today. Here is the file:

And my take on the case:

Supplies used: cardstock (watercolour paper), paper (October Afternoon), washi tape, masks (The Crafter's Workshop), acrylic paint, stamps (Basic Grey, Tattered Angels), ink (Versa Color, Stampin' Up), stitching, brads and buttons (Basic Grey and craft stock), Glimmer Mist (colours-Key Lime Pie and Sunflower), elements (Basic Grey, Studio Calico kit), stickers (Amy Tangerine), number title (cut with Silhouette), tiny alphas (Cosmo Cricket), rhinestones (Kaiser), punch (ek success), twine (jillibean soup).

Evidence:

• numbers
• stickers (Amy Tangerine - leaf and 'Love')
• punches
• rhinestones (black)
• buttons
• baker's twine (around the brads for envelope closure)
• circle notch (envelope)

Testimony:

• Story inside something that opens (the envelope).
• Inspiration words: JOY in journaling, which reads: PHOTO: January 2009 | JOURNALING: December 2012. | At 3 you have led a very unsettled life. We have moved countries twice, spent 3 weeks in Morocco (where you didn't sleep a wink), and welcomed a baby brother, then a baby sister.  At this time also, we became known as a sole parent family.  Throughout, your joy and laughter had been very reserved, and this photo is a prime example of your everyday expression. | Almost 4 years later, no-one would know you are the same little girl.  You are very chatty and enjoy much laughter.  But you have always been beautiful, and you have always brought me great joy and happiness. | I love you. Mummy.

The background is made up of glimmer mist, stamping, acrylic paint over a mask, then more stamping before the washi tape, paper, photo and stitching.


Whilst I was working on this layout, my daughter (the one featured above) who will be turning 7 during this coming week, also wanted to do a layout and requested it go on the computer. So, here is her work:

She came up with the idea, design and colours. I only helped her spray on the glimmer mist and showed her how to roll the petals of the flowers to give a little more shape. I thought she did an awesome job!

Thanks for looking.
Hope everyone is enjoying this festive season and not getting too stressed!

Keeping the best...Sketch Challenge #48

Hi there,

The sketch challenge over at Keeping the best... is due today. [Another submission of mine on the due date!].

Here is the sketch:

And my version which used two smaller photos for the place of one:

And a few close-ups:

Supplies used: Paper (Echo Park; Basic Grey); acrylic paint; stitching; elements (Echo Park); washi tape; alphas (American Crafts, Echo Park).

This photo of my 6 year-old was taken in the first half of the year. She was practising her cartwheels all the time until she was able to do it really well consistently. So proud of her.

I started off doing a different background with a slightly different style, but didn't like it at all for what I had in mind, and when I decided to leave it aside and try again, the layout came together relatively quickly and became really enjoyable. I might resurrect the other background another time - if I'm ever game!

Thanks for stopping by.

CSI-Case File #48

OK - my personal challenge for this month of submitting an entry to a scrap challenge with days to spare hasn't got off to a good start! I'm entering the CSI challenge due today. [LOL - I have to laugh at myself!]

I just love the challenge colours so felt compelled to enter this one. Here it is:

I'm entering a digital layout. I asked in the Interrogation Room at CSI if is was permissable, and so far haven't received a negative on that, so am assuming it is allowable. I'm sure someone will tell me if it's not, in due course.

So here is my entry:

Supplies used: Template (Studio DD Layered Works No. 190), Paper (Sabrina -Almost White; Echo Park-For the Record (recoloured); Elements: Chevrons (Patti Knox-Absolutely Acrylic:Chevrons); Alphas (Katie Pertiet - Wire Rimmed Alpha No4; Brushes (Katie Pertiet - Watery Banners No1, Watery Chevrons No2); Word stickers, clock (Echo Park - For the Record (recoloured); Stylized flowers (Jenna Desai - Boy Wonder (repainted)); Cross-stitch (Katie Pertiet-Candid Kit).

Evidence used:

• clock
• silver metallic accents (wire-rimmed charm elephant, brackets and alphas)
• transparent element (chevrons)

Testimony: 

• inspiration words - create, time

Journaling reads:

Every time you have some spare moments, you are creating something. Either you're rummaging through the recycle bin to make something with loads of sticky tape (or 'stippy take' as you call it), or you are drawing with your favourite current medium, oil pastels.  I just love that you are expressing yourself in creating little masterpieces with such focus and dedication. I love you.

Thankyou for coming by.

ScrapFriends Sketch Challenge #7

Hi there!

There's only a few hours left to enter the ScrapFriends Sketch challenge #7, and as usual, I have just made it in time! I really must try and get my entry in much sooner. That will be my personal December challenge.

Here is the sketch:

And my version:

Supplies used: Cardstock (Bazzill), paper (Basic Grey), acrylic paint, sequins, gesso, gemstones (Kaiser), enamel dots (My Mind's Eye), alphas (Bella; American Thickers), twine (We R Memory Keepers; Jillibean), stamp (Stampin' Up), ink pad (Stampin' Up), washi tape.

The photo was taken early 2009. I have very few photos of myself with my children, so it's quite special to me to have this one of my youngest and myself. As you can see also, I've been experimenting with paint. I'm the sort of scrapbooker who measures everything and quite fearful of ruining the paper, so I was trying to extend myself and just go with the flow. There are a few little things I would change, and looking at it via a photo makes it more obvious to me what I could have done differently. But I'm pleased with myself for letting go a little.

Thanks for coming by.

ILS November Sketch Challenge

Hi there!

I only recently came across the ILS (I lowe scrap) blog and found a sketch challenge that had AMAZING design team layouts for the great sketch offered. Thought I'd give it a go.

The sketch:

And my interpretation didn't waiver much at all from the sketch:

Supplies used: Cardstock (American Crafts); paper, stickers & alphas (Echo Park 'Little Boy'); arrows (Studio Calico mistables); paint/ink (Mont Marte acrylic paint, Studio Calico Mr Huey's); gesso (black and white); sewing thread; speech bubble (Studio Calico wood veneer; liquid pearls (Ranger); The Crafters Workshop template.

Although I love white cardstock as a base, I had been wanting to try black for some time, and thought this photo would suit. I used black gesso over the black cardstock, then added the white gesso followed by the paint and inks. I probably didn't need the black gesso, but wasn't sure at that stage what paint effect I wanted - I only knew that I wanted something.

I really admire scrapbook designers (and there are many of them) who are able to make their layouts look so free and easy. I am still so restrained in my style - 'neat' is a word that has been used. I guess style is so much a reflection of one's personality and where one is at that time of their life. Still, I'm sure with more practice, I'll settle into a style that is more the inner me. In the mean time, I'll enjoy the journey of self discovery.

Thankyou for coming by.

Skissedilla Sketch #185

Hello all,

Thanks for coming by.

One of my favourite sketch challenges is Skissedilla. However, I've only entered it once, so today, I'm making it twice, and entering Sketch Challenge # 185.

Here is the fabulous sketch:

And my version:

Supplies used: Paper (Becky Higgins, Project Life); Cardstock (Core'dinations); vellum, crackle paint (Tim Holtz), chipboard (Maya Road); brads (Basic Grey, My Mind's Eye); paint/ink (Jenni Bowlin, Adirondack, Kaiser, Studio Calico-Mister Huey's), gesso, silhouette die cuts, gems (Kaiser), embossing folder (Craft Concepts).

(I have to apologise - I photographed the layout in the evening, and my lighting isn't too good. I'll have to redo in daylight).  (I have now updated the photos, taken in natural light).

One of the trends going around at the moment is using bundled thread behind paper or elements. It's the first time I've used this idea and love the subtle texture it gives. I've used DMC metallic embroidery thread combined with sewing thread for a hint of sheen - it's more obvious in reality than in a photograph (especially when done in bad lighting). But I was thinking, does anyone know who started this thread trend?

The photograph is of my two girls, in the midst of playing dress-up. I just love that they play so well together.

Just also wanted to say a big THANK YOU to those of you who have become followers and/or leave such lovely comments either in response of my visiting your blog, or just because you feel like it. I greatly appreciate it.

Hope you are all having a great day!

Scrap entre Amigas - Sketch #14

Hi all,

There are just a few days left to enter Sketch Challenge #14 at Scrap Entre Amigas. This sketch is by one of my favourite scrappers, Maisa Mendoca.

This is the sketch:

The colours are optional, but I can't help but be swayed by them when I do a sketch.

Here is my entry:

And a few close-ups:

Supplies used: Paper (Prima, Crate Paper, Basic Grey, vellum); Flowers (Prima, Petaloo), Diecuts/Punches (EK Success, Cheery Lynne Designs); Distress Inks, Other (Flourish: Kaiser; Floral vine: Basic Grey; Pebbles: Prima).

The photo was taken almost 2 years ago, and I finally got around to scrapping it! It was my eldest daughter's dance graduation. Her shoes had lights in the heels so that everytime she took a step, they would light up and flash.  She certainly shone that day as she performed a little dance on stage.

Thanks for coming by.