Junkitz rocks

To celebrate National Scrapbooking Day (5th May) in the USA, each of the designers over at Junkitz Blogz hosted a week-long challenge. I love Junkitz products so I entered a few of the challenges and uploaded a few creations to the customer gallery... and I won one!!

This is the parcel that arrived on my doorstep this morning. How cool is that?

Thanks Tessa Ann Watte for your challenge, and thanks Junkitz for the prize.

Okay, so it was by random draw, not judged on artistic merit or anything... but I am still over the moon! The prize is a US$50 Junkitz pack. It includes a groovy Junkitz t-shirt, ideas book, Classic Rock 'Rhythmz' papers, and some other goodies too.

Thanks Kaz

Crafting in Style has a great "Scrap my photo" forum thread, where you can upload a favourite photograph, and one of the other forum members volunteers to scrap it for you. This is the layout created for me by the lovely Karen Day:



It arrived on my doorstep this morning and I am thrilled. Thanks Kaz, I just love your work. xx

Retreat class - Stampin' Up!

I totally loved the Stampin' Up! class that Jane Logan presented. I had heaps of fun and made two cards:

After seeing all of Jane's yummy Stampin' Up! products and trying some of them out, I am looking at stamping differently (and I have extended my wishlist!)

Retreat class - Steph Caskey-Devlin

The Saturday afternoon class at the retreat was taught by Steph Caskey-Devlin. She presented a really groovy technique using paper napkins, Mod Podge and acetate... lots of fun!! I'm definitely going to use the technique again, and it's made me look at paper napkins in a whole new light. I've also fallen in love with Heidi Swapp bling circles.

I deviated from the class layout quite a bit - I used a different background, switched the elements around a bit, added buttons and KindyGlitz... and I love how it turned out. This is it:



And this is just a quick pic of some of the retreat layouts on display:

Retreat class - Kathie Link

Our first class at the retreat was presented by Kathie Link. Kathie challenged us to use hand-writing on our layouts in both the title and the journalling. I found Kathie totally approachable, friendly and professional. She engaged everyone in the class through discussion and constant feedback. And she wasn't at all put out that my layout was nothing like the one she asked us to work on!!



I am a huge fan of Kathie's work, so another thing I really enjoyed was the opportunity to see some of Kathie's layouts up close, in real life. Awesome...

Oh, and Kathie also showed me how easy it is to use watercolour pencils. They have to be one of the world's best kept secrets - so easy that even I can use them!

I had the BEST time...

at the retreat in Adelaide... what an amazing, inspiring group of ladies to spend time with. (You know who you are, and you all ROCK.) And in the company of such amazing, inspiring women I scrapped, and scrapped, and scrapped!! I did nine layouts.

This was my first one... It's for the CISters Stylish Sketches challenge. I am getting back into blue patterned papers and blue embellishments lately. Not the best pics of my little girl, but I really do love that they capture the playfulness of the moment:



Thank you Lea for the lovely little handmade dragonfly:



And here is the journalling detail:

More retreat layouts to follow next time I update my blog.

Last layout...

before I go to Adelaide for the retreat!! All my essential supplies are now packed and I'm just about ready to go.

This one is my entry for the May Aussie Scrapjacked challenge:



This is a scraplift of a layout by Mardi Winen. She does some amazing work.

Cropping with the CISters

I love cyber-cropping because it really takes me out of my comfort zone and makes me try new things. But on Sunday I went to a live crop and met up with some of the CISters face to face! It was really great to put faces to names and to chat. There was definitely more chatting than scrapping :) We also shared some ideas and some tools and products, and it was really fun.

I started a couple of layouts but didn't finish them till I got home. Just had to add some machine stitching... Here they are:



This one is for the May 1,2,3 Cybercrop.
Challenge 2 criteria: Use the sketch, use ribbons, alter the photograph in some way.

And, this layout is one for the Crafting in Style May/June challenge:



I had a chance to play with the Li'l Davis journalling stamps on Sunday, and I am totally convinced that I need to have a set.

Buttons

I love buttons so much! I have always loved buttons... even when it was daggy (and maybe it's still daggy, but I still love them!) A while back I was drooling over Color It buttons by Adrienne Looman, and trying to justify the cost of ordering some from the US. I couldn't, of course. The cost of postage was way too high. But I recently noticed that Scrap World stocks them... so I bought some with my voucher from last month. And they are so-o-o-o yummy! They arrived today and I can't wait to use them.

Melbourne 2002

This is my entry for the May monthly challenge over at the 1,2,3 Challenge blog. I haven't scrapped very many pre-2004 photographs, as they are all film photographs and mostly in albums already. But I found a forgotten folder of enlargements from 2002 in a filing cabinet and have scrapped a few of them lately.

May criteria: Use at least three different patterned papers for the background; include flowers; include transparencies.

You've got mail...

The Australia Post parcel delivery lady got her most enthusiastic response of the day when she arrived at my house this morning!

I got TWO deliveries today!!

First, my MaDscraps May kit. This is a first for me because I don't usually buy kits. I have too much in my stash already, and I love to mix and match for myself. But Mistra puts together the most amazing kits and I couldn't resist this month. Here it is:



The Crate Paper 'Crush' collection is so 'me' with the rich orange, brown and lime green colours. I can't wait to use it!! (BTW, Mistra's kits have SOLD OUT.) You've got to be quick!!

My second parcel was from Ribbon Palace. I am totally impressed with Simone's customer service and attention to detail in packaging my order, even including a little something extra. Thanks Simone :)

Check out the Ribbon Palace monthly raffle for May -

* One Basic Grey Ribbon Pack (Winners Choice)

* One Lil Davis Ribbon Card (Winners Choice)

* One Fancy Pants Ribbon Card (Winners Choice)

* One Francheville Ribbon Pack (Winners Choice)

Every time you spend $20 or more in store, you will receive a raffle ticket into our monthly draw. So if you spend $40 you will receive 2 tickets, $60 three tickets and so on.

If you refer a friend to Ribbon Palace, who is not already an existing customer and they place an order for $20 or more, not only will they receive a ticket into the raffle, but so will you!!!

All your friend needs to do is, at checkout, write in the special comments section “referred by (your name)” and you will automatically receive a ticket in the draw for that month! It’s that easy!

So if you go shopping at Ribbon Palace, be sure to put my name in the comments field!!

'Low Cost' cyber cropping

The May cyber crop at Crafting in Style was based on the theme of 'low cost' scrapping - Jolene set some interesting challenges based on stamping, hand cut titles, hand made embellishments,
using up odd chipboard alphas, and coming in under a set budget!

Here are some of my favourite layouts from the weekend:

Challenge 1 criteria: Only one cardstock or patterned paper, hand cut title, handmade embellishment.



Challenge 2 criteria: Stamped title, materials to cost under $7.
I really love the simplicity of this one, and it actually totals under $3!!



Challenge 3 criteria: A layout based on this sketch, using at least three different alphabets in the title.

I did two layouts for this challenge. I'm not sure about the first one; I think maybe I overdid it and it's a bit too busy. I do love the photographs though, and Miss Princess likes it so I should be happy with that. I used lyrics from Backstreet Boys' "What Makes You Different, Makes You Beautiful" - very inspirational, and I think I'll revisit the lyrics for another layout soon.



I like my second one better, although I did have issues with the Kindyglitz!! It's not as "pretty" as the first one but I feel much more comfortable with the linear style:

Circles, Junkitz and more circles...

I am still in love with circles and still working through my Junkitz stash! These are some layouts that I finished over the weekend:



This one was inspired by a Becky Fleck 'RoundMap', which I did for one of the May cyber crop challenges over at Scrap World. I won a voucher for this one (which I have already spent!) Thanks Melissa.



This one was done for a cyber crop challenge at Scrap Therapy. The criteria: scrap a celebration, use three or four of something, use circles or bling. Happy birthday Natalie!


And with the leftovers I made a few folded flowers to use on some cards!! Thanks heaps Vicki for your gorgeous flower technique.

EDITED 16/5/07:
Thank you to the scrappers who voted for my leftovers challenge! I won a small prize in the mail for this one. Thanks Natalie.

Bon's Scraps April Cybercrop

Bon's Scraps cyber crops now run for a whole week, which is great for people like me who don't really have a normal "weekend". The crop started last Sunday night and finishes tonight at midnight.

Challenge 2:
These were Bon's criteria:
Doodling - I doodled a flower stem and stitched over the top.
Holes - I was a bit inventive here - I made lots of holes in the layout for the stitching.
Yellow or gold - I used both!



I've had this photograph for a while because I wasn't sure how to scrap it. I didn't want to change it to b/w because I wanted to retain the purple of the scarf and hat. And I am not at all confident scrapping with purple. I'm not sure how I feel about the layout, but it's growing on me.

Challenge 3:
This layout just fell together for me. I love that photograph and the earthy colour combination. It is based on Bon's criteria of one large photograph, distressing, and handwritten journalling on a journalling block:

I am feeling blessed

... because some more happy scrappy things happened today.

1> My Carolee's Creations prize pack finally arrived from Aussie Scrap Source today, from the For Keeps Online Everyday Moments competition in November 2006. A.S.S included a very nice letter and I know that they are not to blame for the delays. This was my winning layout:



And it is still one of my favourite layouts ever. Although I didn't win any prizes in the main competition, I was thrilled to win two of the monthly online prizes.

2> I won one of the April prizes over at the 1,2,3 Challenges blog for my "Grandma" layout. Thank you so much to Charm and Karlene, and to Jane Fitchett from Crafty Matters for donating the prize.

I love the idea of Australian made, handmade, scrapbooking embellishments. Jane sent me a lovely email and I have already chosen my embellishments. Thanks Jane :) Can't wait to see them in real life.

Aussie Pub Calls Competition 21

I received this email today, from Michelle Perry at Aussie Pub Calls:

Congratulations Karen

Your name was drawn as a winner in the Scraploot Hidden Logo competition. You have won a $25 Scraploot voucher!

I'm SO thrilled... I'm going to buy a few scrap indulgences because I WANT them, not because I NEED them!

 Thank you Scraploot for such a generous prize.

Featured scrapper

I just found out I am the 'Featured Scrapper' in the One Stop Scrapping May 2007 newsletter. The layouts were ones I submitted for their March competition, and this one - "Love You" - one was the monthly winner. It's also featured on the One Stop Scrapping homepage this month.

I've never been 'featured' before so it's kind of fun!

Happy scrapper

I am having a great evening! After some pretty heavy family goings-on today I was so excited to hear some more good news.

I won a prize for my "Heaven Sent" layout at the Crafting in Style cyber crop last weekend. I really enjoyed doing a pink, girly layout (despite all those eyelets!!) Thank you to the CISters who voted for my layout.

Jolene has lots of new yummy stuff in the shop and you have to check out her new homepage designed by Karen Day.

Not long now...

until the scrapbooking retreat in Adelaide... I am getting excited!

Lea & Lynn are hosting a Scrapbooking Retreat from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th May, 2007.

Join everyone for a weekend full of fun, great prizes & games. Make new friends & join in for our Saturday night PJ party. There will be classes by talented and gorgeous Kathie Link and Steph Caskey-Devlin. Come and relax, be pampered with a great massage and facials. You'll have a fantastic weekend.

All meals are provided for the weekend. Accommodation will be at the Adelaide Shores Holiday Village, close by for those coming from interstate or country, or simply for those who really want a get away weekend! Everyone has a single room in either a Double or Triple Share Bungalow.

Retreat will be held at the Glenelg Scout Adventurers Activities Head Office, Anderson Ave, Glenelg North (not far from the Adelaide Airport).

BE QUICK... ONLY A FEW SPOTS ARE LEFT NOW!!

For more information and bookings contact:
Lynn Cresswell on (08) 83223379 or lynn0407@internode.on.netLea Adcock on (08) 83815909 or sharai0304@yahoo.com.au

He is...

a winner!!



This was my entry in the The Scrapper's Hub monthly competition for April. The criteria was to use at least three different kinds of ribbon and at least two different ribbon techniques.



I used two different grosgrain ribbons, organza ribbon, and narrow satin ribbon. I stamped on the grosgrain with Sassafras Lass 'Stitched Borders' stamps, and used the satin ribbon as ties on the flower centres. My layout was inspired by this sketch over at CIS.

I loved putting this layout together and I was so excited when I heard it was the winner! My prize is a voucher to spend at the Ribbon Palace... thank you SO much to Simone Tyrell for sponsoring the competition. Can't wait to go shopping!!

Blue-eyed girl

This is my entry for the Crafting in Style April portrait challenge:



I loved putting this one together. The colours are a bit different to what I normally use, but I'm really happy with the result. I actually did another one that I loved too, and I was SO tempted to upload, but I'm keeping that one to myself. Trying to build up a portfolio to submit for the FK Excellence Awards in a few months. If I'm brave enough. Hmmmm...