This and that

Deborah's challenge over at Scrap Pile fit in perfectly with my ongoing effort to use up my stash of scraps... I chose a double page to get through my older stash of Basic Grey even faster, and I delved into my little ziplock colour bags to do the borders:



And while I was doing that one (feeling in the mood for green and brown) I scrapped a few more photos from our Christmas holidays just for fun:

Revisiting orange

The 123 Challenge blog this month has orange, black and white as part of the criteria... how could I not have a go??



And over at Scrap with V, the monthly challenge is to create a layout using autumn colours:



Still loving orange!

50? 51!

O-M-G... it was my turn to do the 'roadblock' challenge for ADSR this week. And it was another doozy of a challenge too.

Challenge 10 - use at least fifty different elements from at least ten different designers!! I nearly died when I saw the challenge, but I did it. I actually did 51, just in case I mis-counted, from 13 different designers. This is my layout:



All the credits are listed over in the NDISB gallery; too many to list here. My favourite part is the 'paper' though... from 'Inspired' by Kate Pertiet over at Designer Digitals. And the yummy flowers are from Kikinou's 'Esperanza' kit at Colorscraps.



Challenge 9 - complete a layout in 'altered art' style. What does that mean exactly?? It's not really my thing, so it was definitely a challenge:



Mostly used brushes with this one, including my favourite text brush from spyglass.net

Water Babe

My final class kit is now available over at Scrap with V.  The kit is suitable for beginners and contains enough product to create both layouts, with full step-by-step instructions:





** The gorgeous little girl is not my daughter... she is the 4yr old daughter of my friend, who kindly allowed me to scrap her photograph. Thank you xx

Just a little bit

...of scrapping over the long weekend. No holidays for me, so scrapping has been an add-a-bit-more-in-between-other-jobs affair this week.

This is a layout I did for Krissy's challenge over at Crafting in Style - in honour of St Patrick's Day on 17th March, scrapping with green



And just another one for J's 8x8 Seaworld album:

Into the deep end

Last month when I decided to help Ally out and join her on the Amazing Digital Scrap Race, I thought it would be a great way to challenge myself and learn a bit more about digi-scrapping along the way.

This week I got well and truly thrown in the deep end with Challenge 7, which stretched my capabilities so-o-o-o-o much. The criteria was really tricky, and at one stage I lost count of how many layers I was working with and I was going cross-eyed trying to fit in all of the required elements. But after counting and double-counting, and checking it all off, I'm sure I've got it all covered with this layout:



My chosen designer was Shabby Princess, and all elements are from her freebie kits online.


Challenge 8 was much more relaxing! The criteria included black-and-white holiday photographs, a one-word title, and using song lyrics. I chose used lyrics from U2: Van Dieman's Land.

March 'Computer Tricks'

I'm still enjoying the Photoshop lessons at Crafting in Style. There's one lesson and one challenge each fortnight, and each time I've been learning something new!

March Lesson 1: Emphasise a focal point

I found this a bit tricky at first until I realised I missed one tiny detail... which turned out to be the key to making it actually work!! I love the effect and I think I will be playing around with it a lot more.




March Lesson 2: Focal point with colour

Along the same lines as the other technique, but a little bit different, and I actually found this a little bit easier too.

Sisterhood of Scrap

I'm happy about being selected as a 'Sister of the Week' over at the Sisterhood of Scrap blog. I even get to wear this cute blinkie.


Monday's challenge was to create a layout with a question mark, and at least two types of ribbon:



There's a different focus each day - challenge Monday, teaching Tuesday, web Wednesday, text Thursday, 'foto' Friday, sketch Saturday, sister Sunday ~ lots of fun ideas contributed by scrappers of different styles and experience levels.

Still in the race

Week 3 of the Amazing Digi Scrapbooking Race is over, and we made it through to Week 4.

Challenge 5 was a bit different; we had to create a layout which incorporated an interview with an inanimate object. This was my entry:



Challenge 6 was a 'roadblock' challenge, meaning only one team member could enter. So Ally did the honours this time - and she had to scrap-spin one of my digital layouts - spin it around and have the theme the total opposite of my original. Tricky, especially considering I haven't done many digitals and she didn't have a wide range to choose from. Thanks Ally :)

Momentum

I've got the momentum happening lately, with some fun photos and lots of ideas, a bit of creative energy, and a stash that is overflowing with scraps and complemented by some gorgeous RAK items from generous friends.

This is a layout I did based on a sketch by Vanessa Waller (the 'V' in Scrap with V):



I am totally in love with RED lately (more so than usual). The ribbons were a RAK from Jules at Scrap with V, and the rub-ons were sent to me by Miss D - thank you both xx


I also finished this one for a cybercrop challenge over at Chook Scraps:

Saturday Sketch Artist

Back in December I received an email out of the blue... Dea Burton from the Canadian site Sisterhood of Scrap sent me an email inviting me to be a Saturday Sketch Artist. I have always been inspired by sketches and occasionally create my own, but sharing them with the world is only a very recent experience for me.

So I was a little surprised by the email and a little nervous about accepting, but I thought it would be fun to create a digital sketch instead of my usual scribbly ones.

This is my sketch:



CREDITS: My sketch created with Photoshop Elements 4 using digital elements downloaded from the internet:
* Scrap Girls - "Love Love Love" paper by Theresa Kavouras and "Altered State" ribbon lace by Valerie Randall
* Two Peas in a Bucket - Anne Langpap's Oct 2005 collection - pink flower paper, and Rhonna Farrer's "Free Love" journalling spot
* Shabby Princess - "Shabby Mommy" alphabet letters, "Spring Breeze" pink paper, "Amore" brads
* Font: Stylograph

And this is my layout based on the sketch:

Chocolicious!

I'm having fun at the Crafting in Style Chocolicious cybercrop this weekend.

Challenge 1: Tatum challenged us to use hand-colouring.


Challenge 2: Ally challenged us to seek inspiration from a Faberge egg. I used the colour red, curves, pearls and metallic thread:




Challenge 3: My turn to create a sketch and create a layout about chocolate!





Just love that quote by Lucy from Peanuts: "All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!" A girl after my own heart!

And on the topic of chocolate, no-one has guessed the correct number of chocolates yet (as of 3pm Queensland time)



so there is still time to post a guess or two.

Oh dear...

... I have been tagged by Liz (and I will find a way to return the favour).

Here are the rules ->

1. Once you are tagged, link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Post 7 weird or random facts about yourself on your blog.
4. Tag 7 people and link to them.
5. Comment on their blog to let them know they have been tagged.

So... here's seven random facts:

1. There is nothing weird about me. I am perfectly normal, to the point of being boring, actually.
2. I used to switch between four different pairs of glasses until I underwent lasik a few years ago.
3. I would love to learn to surf.
4. I have been to Cabo da Roca
5. I will NOT turn 40 this year, unlike someone I know
6. Despite my numerous half-hearted attempts to quit, I am addicted to coffee
7. I cannot think of seven people to tag!

Lucky

I love green! So I enjoyed this month's challenge over at the White with 1 blog. This is my layout:

Cyber-scrapping with V

I made some time to do a bit of cybercropping with the girls over at Scrap with V this weekend.

Kristy's challenge: paper strips, stitching, bubble-wrap stamping, hand-written journalling:



This was my favourite one! Quite timely too, since I tried bubble-wrap stamping only a few weekends ago and loved it!! I won a voucher for this one... so I'm going shopping in the Scrap with V store very soon. Thank you to the people who voted for my layout.

Karlene's 'Haberdasher' challenge: Use three different fabrics, five buttons, stitching, at least two different ribbons, and a handmade paper embellishment.



Jo's sketch challenge:



Some other news over at Scrap with V is that they now have a sister site, Scrapbook Kits. Some of my earlier class kits are now online for March 2008.

Still racing

Ally and I made it through to Round 2 of the Amazing Digi Scrap Race and we're now up to the next two challenges:

Challenge 3: A layout about yourself, include half a page of journalling.



I love text brushes! I used a brush from spy.glass.net for the background and a brush from youthless.net for the photograph.


Challenge 4: Include blending, one large photograph, four elements, and 'spill it' with the journalling.



I loved using the Rose Vellum by Becky Soto on this layout and also the butterflies from Vicki Stegall's "Rock On" kit over at Oscraps.

Full credits for all digital elements are found in my gallery notes over at NDISB (or just ask if you want to source something) - I don't claim credit for any of the digital supplies because I am simply not that clever!

Going off the page...

This month it was my turn to complete an off-the-page project over at Crafting at Style. I was given a photo frame and some gorgeous Luxe Design patterned papers to work with, and I had some fun playing with some flowers and bling too. Here's a sneak peak:



And the completed project, with step-by-step instructions, is over in the online class forum ---> HERE. And the best part, it's free... no cost, just pop on over.

I dare you...

It's my turn to set the dare over at the CISter's Stylish Gossip Spot.



Go on... I dare you...

Fun in the Sun

There are still some of my February class kits available in store at Scrap with V. The kits contain Creative Imaginations patterned paper, Bazzill cardstock, Hambly Screenprints rubons, and other embellishments, with sufficient product to create three layouts, each with full step-by-step instructions.





March kits will be in store very soon.