Loving the earthy colours of Origins

A friend reminded me today that it's been three days since I last blogged.

I'm having fun in my Guest Stylist role over at Scrap Boutique. In January Chels sent me some of the gorgeous Basic Grey Origins range to work with, and these are the layouts I created:










These layouts are on the store homepage this week. I just love the colours, so perfect for me with the browns, greens, yellows and earthy tones.

I've done one more layout using this range, but I can't show anyone just yet.

In the meantime, I made this bookmark for the Monday colour challenge over at the Design Dollies. No Origins in this one (though I was tempted!) The colours this week are kraft, ivory and green:



I used some Prima packaging (just love it so much!) and a tag that I got in a Scarlet Lime kit in 2008.

Ferocious!

My friend Manon has set an inspiration challenge for the February Stylist Challenge at Scrap Boutique - I was drawn immediately to the gold and ornate touches of the picture she chose. I hardly ever use gold in my layouts, so of course I had to try :)





I'm entering this one in these online challenges:

# Design Dollies ~ Elements challenge ~ vintage
I used lots of distressing with gold ink, torn edges, rumpled papers.  I made some 'paper lace' punched from the old book paper.   Lots of sepia tones in the papers and ink.
# Secret Crafters ~ Challenge #68 ~ Hearts
I think you can see the heart in the detailed shot? I cut it from the flocked K&Co paper, and stitched around the edge.
# Polka Doodles ~ Week 4 ~ Non-traditional Valentine project
# Fussy and Fancy ~ Challenge 2 ~ Hearts

More 'Lazy Days'

At Scrap Pile, it's challenge central at the moment!

Our six-week Lazy Days of Summer competition continues into the third week. This week the theme is 'Christmas 2009'.  Here's my sample layout:






I had lots of fun making this one, though I was a bit over the blanket stitching by the end... and back in my monochromatic comfort zone too!

Red stuff

I'm loving RED at the moment... I seem to be working my way through my older stash in colour groups.  Not surprising really, because all my scraps and leftovers are stored in folders and ziplocks by colour.  When I need a bit of a particular colour, I just grab that folder and see what's in there that I can use up.


This one is for my Scrap Pile February technique challenge, incorporating negative space:






I also made a card this week:



# Design Dollies ~ Colour challenge ~ red, black and one neutral
# Humble Pie ~ Flowery challenge ~ I used five flowers
# Create 4 Fun ~ Week 5 ~ Sketch
# Sketchy Colors ~ Challenge #9 ~ red and black


Credits: Bazzill embossed cardstock, Cherry Arte paper, Spellbinders Labels 3 and Labels 8, Kaisercraft stamp, Bella gems, Kaisercraft flowers, Green Tara flower.

Wanna win the scene?

How cool are these? Leeann Pearce designs the most groovy chipboard embellishments!

Her newest ones are showcased on her blog at the moment :)

Purple stuff

Over at Scrap Pile  I'm hosting the inspiration challenge for February.  This month I chose a picture I came across on Etsy:



Source: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=38195311

This is the layout I created:



The colours really drew me in.  I've been making a huge effort lately to push myself beyond my comfort zone so I thought something purple would definitely do that!!  As much as I wear purple, and like purple, I still can't seem to scrap purple!!  It never seems to fall into place like the other colours I use.  I also used lot of older stash... that's something else I've been making a huge effort to do.

And on that note, I had a bit of a stash-tidying frenzy this week and I gathered together some goodies which might be better utilised by someone with a knack and appreciation for purple!!  Everything is new and unopened, and in tones of purple or lavendar.


The picture shows is what I've got in there so far.  I've also got some papers and some ribbons which I'll pop in there, and I'll be adding a few more goodies as I go along. I will post anywhere worldwide.


This is the first time I've hosted a blog candy.  Here's what I'd like you to do:

1> Please leave a comment on any one of my other blog posts from January or February this year.  (I really would appreciate some feedback or suggestions on any of my recent creations.)
2> Please leave a comment on this post letting me know that you'd like to be in the draw, and which other post you commented on.  (Not necessary for my friends who visit and comment a lot ~ you know I'll already recognise you!!)
3> Please link me up in a blog post or your blog sidebar with the picture. **There's absolutely no need to become a follower, but if you want to I'd be interested to know who's watching me!!**

I'll keep this open until 27th February and draw a random winner on 28th February.

February already!

Where did January go?? First of the month, so it's time to share some of the challenges that I've prepared...

Over at Scrap Boutique, it's my turn to set the monthly themed challenge. I've chosen "Gathering Together", and here is my layout:



I've also set a card challenge for February (check the forum for details). Here's my sample card:

Find Joy

Back in December, Manon set a challenge at Scrap Boutique to create a layout about goals for 2010. I knew straight away what I wanted to do, but my layout got shelved for awhile after a minor technical hitch (some damaged alphabets), and I only returned to it this week, just in time for the end of January.

Here's the original mishap:



I was misting the chipboard alphabets when all the paint squirted out the bottom of the nozzle, and made a huge mess all over the grass (no problem), the patio, my hands, everywhere.

But, following my intention to 'Find Joy' I called out to my daughter to come and take a photograph!! (Hopeless scrapbooker moment...) It was quite funny trying not to drip anywhere, not touch anything, and explain to her how to use the camera. It's a Rebel XTi (EOS 400D) which she is rarely allowed to touch, so I had to explain how to turn it on, how to reset the focus to auto, how to set the full-auto mode (which I never use) and then how to frame the shot and how to take the photograph. She was laughing, and so was I!!

By the time I had cleaned myself up and unblocked the nozzle, the alphas ended up with huge blobs of paint in some sections, which were too wet and partially buckled the chipboard where they had started to dry. Looking back, it was quite funny...

And here is the layout:

Sketching with the Dollies

Here is my final January project for the Design Dollies:



It's based on a sketch by Kristy, and this was the layout that featured on my 'December' page for the famous guinea pig calendar which taunted me throughout the last months of 2009!!

On that topic, my daughter loved the calendar! Here's some pics of her on Christmas Day (really must scrap these ones...)



I have had the best fun as a Guest Designer at Design Dollies in January, and I want to say THANK YOU to Karmyn and Adina and Kristy for the fun challenges and the other visiting Dollies fans for your fabulous supportive and encouraging comments on my creations xx

Sarah Lou is going to enjoy being the February Guest Designer - can't wait to see what you've been creating :)

PS ~ While I was at my favourite orange blog, I found a link to Meg's Twisted Tree (cool blog name!) which is full of gorgeous handmade goodies and cute stuff, and a current blog giveaway too... check it out :)

Monday creations

Over at the Scrap Boutique cybercrop, I created this layout for Em's challenge, using her sketch as inspiration and using only three colours:





# Simon Says ~ Punch It
I used a Fiskars decrative edge punch
# Colour Create ~ Challenge 36 ~ kraft, blue, white


And I also found time to make a card this weekend!

At Scrap Pile, Gill has challenged forum members to create a St Valentine's Day card .  So I pulled out a few bits and pieces and decided to combine it with a few other challenges around the blogosphere:



# The Pink Elephant ~ Recipe Challenge #51 ~ polka dots, a bow and pink
# Humble Pie ~ Love Challenge ~ Use red, pink and white, and include hearts
# Crafty Cardmakers ~ Challenge 13 ~ Hearts and Romance

I used a script stamp as the background - it's a borrowed stamp so I'm not 100% sure which brand it is (possibly Hero Arts, but I'm not sure...) If there's a stamping guru out there who recognizes it, could you let me know what it's called please??