Boutique cybercropping

The December cybercrop at Scrap Boutique got me scrapping LOTS... I think it's the first time I've completed every single challenge:

Sketch layout:




Kate's Christmas challenge (bling, stars, paper-tearing, ribbons):




Manon's Sunday Roast (blind scrapping with teal, red, and silver):

Making a list and checking it twice...

The December cyber crop at Crafting in Style had a quasi-Christmas theme - "Making a list and checking it twice", and I enjoyed creating some projectss for the fun challenges.

Laura's challenge was to use transparencies:



I'm so much in love with teal at the moment!!

My OTP challenge was to create some gift boxes or gift bags using a template from packaging at home:



The Challenge-the-DT challenge was an unusual one, but I did manage to put together a layout I'm happy with. The criteria: dark red with one other colour; mesh; and something from the bathroom. I don't have any mesh but I used a piece from the garage to stamp a background for the photograph, and I then I grabbed the bathroom plug and stamped with that too :)

A Page from my Sketchbook

My dear friend Liz Weber has launched her new sketch blog, A Page from my Sketchbook.

I am so thrilled to be on Liz's team, with some lovely friends. This is my layout based on the first sketch:

Just some fun ones...

Here's Trouble:



Fish ~ which is another one for the Seaworld album:



Coach ~ one of my last footy photos:

Tagged

... by the gorgeous Jolene, who nominated me for this:

The 'rules' say:
1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.
2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
3. Nominate five blogs.
4. Put links to their blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees



I nominate:

KRISSY... flower queen, and recently, doodler extraordinnaire.
MANON... who does "fun and funky" like no-one else I know.
LAURA... who rocks at both 'boy' and 'girl' LO's, just love her versatile style.
ALLY... soon to be my team-mate again in Digi Scrap Race 4.
VICKI... one of the most inspirational scrappers and designers that I know... her work is gorgeous and her tutorials are amazing.
MELISSA... another fellow lover of flowers and whose pages always brighten my day.

(And just sharing a random fact about me... I can't count!!)

Some more layouts

Last weekend I created some layouts for the Scrap Boutique cybercrop, and these were my favourite ones:

Speed scrapping ~




Kate's challenge ~




And another one for the Almanac:

Can't resist

... a challenge or two.

Scrap Lounge cybercrop challenge:



I won a voucher for this one, yay me!!


Sketch challenge over at Anna's Craft Cupboard:



The last three are all for monthly challenges at Scrap Boutique:

Stash Stomper challenge ~ using rubons:




Inspiration challenge ~ pink (!!)




November challenge ~ include a poem:



For the last one, I scrapped some photos taken by other family members, which is really hard for me to do! I usually tend to put photographs back into their envelopes when I don't think they're "good enough" to scrap... but this time I decided I'd scrap them anyway, and I was pretty happy with the result. "Family Fun" photographs by Jean Brierley.

Here and there

Just a few challenge layouts that I've done here and there...

For the Top 50 October monthly challenge: using two black and white photographs:



I won a voucher at Anna's Craft Cupboard for this one - YAY!! I do have my eye on something, just waiting for it to come back into stock.


Over at Scrap Pile I had a go at Mel's challenge, using Kaisercraft products:





And at Scrap Boutique I've been working through some pages for my 2008 Almanac:

Crafting in Style

Busy creating... two more Stylish Class Kits are up in store now:






I also had a chance to play with some Black Market Paper Society papers:






AND... I'm looking forward to teaching an online workshop next month, getting ready for Christmas with Stars and Baubles.

Buttons and Bows

The Crafting in Style Buttons and Bows cybercrop has inspired me this weekend, and I'm all over the place with my layouts... all different colours and styles, which is fun!!

Challenge 1: Sketch challenge
This is actually Manon's challenge, but I created the digi sketch based on her original LO:


Credit: digital elements by July Designs

My layout has heaps of product from the May Scarlet Lime kit, as well as lots of older product from my stash... still on a use-my-stash mission!!




Challenge 3: Technique challenge
Keeping with the 'buttons and bows" theme, I set a challenge to use handmade paper ribbons on a layout. This is my sample layout:



DT challenge:
Once again the CISters nominated three criteria for the DT to scrap - this month it was felt, flourishes and bling:




Mini challenge:
Scrapping a layout inspired by a tshirt - I chose the red/white spotty shirt, and this is my layout:

New New New

Crafting in Style has moved to a new home. The format is new to all of us so, the CISters are learning together and decorating is still ongoing :)

Manon Keir and Laura Overdyk have joined the design team and I'm really looking forward to working with these talented ladies. I'm a little sad that my dear friend Liz has stepped down, but she has moved on to some new adventures of her own too.

There's also a new Stylish Sketch Blog team AND a new Stylish Card Blog team... so it's going to be lots of fun working with such a diverse group of creative people.

On the weekend we'll be putting the new forum through its paces with the November cybercrop:

Another Stylish class kit

... now in the store at Crafting in Style.




PS: Something very exciting is happening at CIS... coming VERY soon.

Boutique scrapping

The Scrap Boutique had another fun cybercrop over the weekend.

I created this layout based on Liz's sketch:



For another challenge by Liz I stepped out of my comfort zone to create a shaped card:



Kate's challenge was to 'scrap like Kate' and use distressing, brads,brackets, staples, paint, and ribbon:



Manon's Sunday Roast challenge was a fun 'blind scrapping' challenge. This kind of challenge takes me out of my comfort zone in a huge way. I was thrilled with the result:





Some of the other monthly challenges at the Boutique ~

"Big O" challenge:





I started with the 'Original' chipboard embellishment and built my layout around it, which was an interesting way to scrap :)

Stylist challenge:



The first part of the criteria was to use a non-digital photograph, and the second part was to incorporate this quote: “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

Bits and pieces at CIS

Just a little summary about what's been happening at Crafting in Style, quite a lot really!

Ready, Steady, Scrap is just about over. The challenges have finished and the winners will be announced once the votes have been counted. This is my interpretation of Recipe 5 (cooked up by Tam):




A new mid-monthly challenge has been launched today. Something a little bit different ~ kind of like a scraplift, kind of like a puzzle, kind of like an inspiration challenge...

I really enjoyed scrapping the sample layout because it brought back some special memories of a fun morning out in Brisbane with some of the lovely CISters - Jolene, Leone and Ally:




I've also been creating some more class kits. These two Stylish Class Kits are up in the store:

100% Original (Can you tell I still love orange??)



Some Kind of Wonderful (I'm loving the Cosmo Cricket 'Fleuriste' range)

Sweets and Treats

October cybercropping at Crafting in Style is all about 'Sweets and Treats'.

It's my turn to host the sketch challenge this month. This is my sketch, and my layout:





I just love this sweet Irish blessing:
May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.


This is my layout for Liz's technique challenge:




Once again the CISters have provided a DT challenge. This month the criteria is circles, OTP and pink. I made a simple Christmas tree ornament from a ribbon spool, inspired by a project I saw on Julie's blog last year.






And the last one isn't mine. It's a layout share from the littlest scrapper in our house, created for the Little CISters and Bro's challenge, with the theme of scrapping a favourite treat. I'm very proud of her because she took time to plan her layout this time, and even did a practice run with the stamped title: