Stuck Sketches - January 15th Sketch

It has been really busy in this household the last week or so. School started today for my eldest two, we had Australia Day, and my birthday, and our last moments to play and relax before the year gets into full swing once more.

I have though, managed to sneak in a layout for Stuck Sketches. This one is for the January 15th sketch, and the first time I have entered a layout for this site. Here is the sketch:

I thought this was a great sketch as it involved a circle (I love circles...and triangles, and hexagons, and rectangles, and diamonds, and others!). I also thought it allowed a lot of room to play. However, I started my layout, and almost put it aside and started again because it just didn't correlate to what I had in my head, and so thought I had ruined it. Instead, I walked away, came back a few moments later, and thought, 'I may as well just play as I'll probably throw it out anyway'.  As a result, my layout is more painterly than I had initially envisaged. Here it is:

Supplies used: paper (Basic Grey, Kaiserfraft), cardstock (Bazzill), wooden veneers, stamps (Amy Tangerine, Dear Lizzy, Kaisercraft), alphas (Kaisercraft, WeRMemory Keepers), circle mask (Sodalicious), buttons (Crate Paper), Twine (WeRMemoryKeepers), flower (Basic Grey), gesso, acrylic paint, Derwent Inktense pencils, washi tape, ink (Mister Huey).

I hope you like it.
Thankyou so much for coming by.

Big Announcement

I am SO UBER EXCITED!! I am one of seven chosen to be on the design team for Paper Stories, headed by the super-talented Georgia Heald! I was so happily surprised when I received the email, I had to read it a few times to check!

Besides myself, the team consists of:

• Georgia Heald - www.startingtoscrap.blogspot.com
• Riikka Kovasin -www.paperiliitin.blogspot.fi
• Anita Stokes - www.sweetneatz.blogspot.com
• Pauline Kanoha - www.kalipssa.blogspot.com
• Victoria Freze - www.evoliscrap.blogspot.com
• Olennka - www.olenka-handmade.blogspot.com
• Melinda Thompson -www.minseverydaymoments.blogspot.com

Be sure to check out the announcement on the Paper Stories blog to read more about them. It is such an honour for me to be working alongside such esteemed talent. I am so glad for this opportunity.

Also at Paper Stories, there is still the December/January sketch challenge open. It closes in just under 5 days. So still time to get an entry in, if you haven't already!

Thankyou all , and thankyou for your support.:-)

ScrapFriends Sketch Challenge #9

ScrapFriends has an awesome sketch challenge. They always have interesting details on them. I really love this month with the zig-zag effect along the bottom edge:

I pretty much knew what I wanted to do straight away, which is unusual for me, normally it takes me about a week to decide just on the photos let alone the papers and design/style (no wonder I'm always a later entrant!). The designers did amazing work on this sketch, and definitely worth a look if you haven't already.

Here is my entry:

and some close-ups:

 I happened to have some feather printed vellum from Studio Calico and of course had to use it with this photo of my eldest stroking a feather against her cheek loving the softness of it. The feather trend is rather quirky and many scrappers work it really well, but it's not a trend that I have really embraced. However, I was glad I had some feathery stuff for this photo.

I have a fair bit of stitching on this layout, a little paint, some doodling, stamping, inking, and a die-cut feather from the vellum.

Thankyou so much for coming by!

ScrapFriends Colour Challenge #8

Hi there!

Apart from having fabulous sketch challenges, ScrapFriends also has gorgeous colour challenges. The one due this month is no exception. Here it is:

I decided to go digital for this one, mainly because I hadn't been able to get my photos printed. I love digital for this reason of convenience.

My two daughters are modelling the dresses I made them for Christmas. One is a costume/dress-up dress, the other, just a pretty dress that my eldest had chosen the fabric for. They would both wear pretty dresses all day, everyday, if they could. One of the fabulous things I love about them.

Thanks so much for looking!

Paper Stories December (2012) Challenge

Hi there!

I'm a great fan of Georgie Heald's work and follow her blog. I don't know how I missed it, but I did. She has a monthly sketch challenge happening as part of her store's blog. (Think I'm a bit slow on the uptake!). So thought I'd enter as I had the photos ready to go for just this sketch to come along!
It's a December challenge that has been extended for another month and is now due towards the end of January in about 14 days.  Here is the sketch:

And my interpretation with some close-ups:

The layout is of my eldest daughter. It shows her at age 3, and also at 6. I find the difference in children between these ages just incredible. Their development in all aspects of their growth fascinates me. It's not until I look at photos do I truly realise just how much change has occurred. I wanted to write something under the title, but I had so much emotion and so many thoughts that I just couldn't, so just left it as is. For me, the photos are enough. So glad I found scrapbooking!

Thanks so much for looking!

PS: Whilst you take a trip over to Paper Stories, be sure to check out their design team call...if you haven't already!

Skissedilla Sketch #191

Happy New Year to all!
Hope everyone has recuperated after the Christmas activities and New Year's fun, and all set for the year ahead!

Skissedilla always have fabulous, quirky sketches. This week is no exception with sketch #191:

And my take, followed by some close-ups:

The title is, ' you CRACK me up'. Some of you may not know this expression. When someone 'cracks you up',  it basically means they make you laugh out loudly, or rather, break out in laughter.
The photo is of my son and youngest daughter. They were sitting together reading a book, and when I asked them to, 'smile for the camera', on cue, they both pulled a face! Previously to the book, they had been playing with the hair gel, hence their hairstyles.

The painted effect on the background was green acrylic paint, watered down, blown with a straw. Then I added strokes of the light blue colour. Over the top right corner of the photo, where the owl sits in the sketch, I agonised for ages as to what to put, trying all manner of things that never quite looked right. I'm still not greatly happy with my final decision, however, I think it's better to have it than not.

I loved this sketch, and shall use it again.
Be sure to check out the what the designers have done with the sketch as well, and whilst you're at it, check out who the new recruits are to the design team!! Lots of fabulousness!!

Thanks for looking!