More September cards

Just a quick share of some more cards I made in September:

For Scrap Pile, using some of my DT kit scraps:



For a cybercrop challenge at Scrap Boutique:




For a surprise challenge at the Crafting in Style cybercrop, using scraps from a cybercrop layout.  I've got the perfect alphas to add a name to this one, but I'll leave it blank for now till I know who it's for:






For my friend Liz, who celebrated her birthday a few days ago:



Today we had the most amazing scrappy day so she could celebrate all over again!


And the last one for today, another birthday card, which I made for Basic Grey Challenges ~ using Basic Grey product (Sugared paper) and embossing (Cuttlebug 'Moroccan Screen' folder):



The little Russian doll was sent to me by a friend in Japan.  I don't think it's a scrapbooking item, just a cute Sanrio diecut, which I thought would be perfect for a card :)

Thank you!

Thank you Karmyn for your lovely blog candy RAK!!

Your parcel made me smile and I especially loved the Cloud 9 papers - the teal and brown tones are so perfect for me!!



This is a layout I created for the Scrap Boutique cybercrop last weekend, using some of the papers I received:



This was for a 'changeover challenge' - scrapping the random criteria set by one of the other forum members. My partner was Gail, and her criteria were white, cut out flowers, and circles. I'm still scrapping old photos, and this one is from 1977!! I raided some of my husband's photos, and found a cute one of his first puppy :) I scrapped it in 8x8 and I'm going to frame it for him and it will be one of his Christmas gifts.


And long overdue is a thank you to my fandabadoosey friend Krissy who bestowed me with this fun blog award:

Thank you Krissy C, right back at ya xxx


I'm supposed to pass this on... Hmmm, I am inspired by all of my scrappy friends, and by the amazing work of scrappers I will never meet in person.  Today I will pass this on to Jewls (whose cards are amazing), Karmyn (whose love of orange rivals mine) and Miss D (who inspires me in entirely too many ways, creatively and otherwise).

*** UPDATE:  Just popped over to Karymn's blog to let her know about this little blog award, and I see she has a new "surprise" blog candy on offer... open till 3rd October ***

Some 8x8 layouts

I've been doing a few 8x8 layouts lately, and loving the smaller format.

This one was based on Leanne's challenge over at the Scrap Pile cybercrop:



# Midnight Madness ~ Sketch 20
# Simon Says ~ Stitch it Up
I stitched around the distressed edges of the patterned paper.

This one was for the September monthly challenge at Scrap Lounge ~ using fabric, polka dots and a journalling card:




And the last one is my entry for the September 123 Challenge Blog ~ using a book page, a non-scrapbooking item (broken butterfly brooch) and the word 'smile' (on the journalling card):

Scrap Pile - Spring Cybercrop

Cybercrops are back at Scrap Pile!   We're cybercropping this weekend (Friday 25th Sept - Monday 28th Sept) and it's all about spring.

I'm hosting a sketch challenge ~ here's the sketch, and my sample layout:



Digital credits: Anita Stergiou (scalloped swatches), Amy Collifello (flowers) and Joyful Heart Designs (scalloped background).



Check out the forum for the additional criteria for the challenge, and to see the challenges by Melanie and Leanne too.

Scrapping in our environment

We're cybercropping over at Crafting in Style this weekend - and it's all about the environment. Our challenges are all about REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE.

My challenge is a sketch:



but of course you need to check out the forum for the additional criteria!!

Here's my layout:




And a few other layouts I've done for the fun challenges set by Laura and Kerryn:

This one is a scraplift of Kerryn's layout:



Kerryn's layout was a 12"x6", where mine is a double page 8"x8".


This one is for Kerryn's challenge, another 8"x8":



I used a quote from ee cummings: The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.

Purple stuff??

One of my scrappy New Years Resolutions this year was to conquer my purple phobia.  It shouldn't be hard - I actually LOVE purple, I wear it a lot and I find it very calming... but I never feel comfortable scrapping purple, it never looks right when I use it.  Anyway, I've been working on it... using the odd bits of purple that find their way into my stash somehow!

Last month over at Scrap Boutique, Manon did a fabulous tutorial on making a never-ending card.  With my OTP track record, I wasn't very confident that it would work for me, so I used a piece of pale purple cardstock from my stash (no great loss if I mess it up!!) and lots of mauve patterned papers offcuts.  It actually turned out better than I expected, and I was happy with how the colours came together:


This one is a layout I did based on Liz's sketch at the September Scrap Boutique cybercrop this past weekend:


The colour scheme (purple and aqua) wasn't a requirement for the challenge, but Liz did issue a me personal challenge a few weeks ago to use that colour combination on a layout.  I've been procrastinating, but now that I've done it, I really like it!!  And I noticed afterwards too... no patterned paper! 

Scrap Pile creations

Gill has started re-stocking the Scrap Pile store and there are new goodies being added all the time.  This month in my design team pack I was able to play around with some gorgeous  papers from GCD Studios.  I loved the elegant motifs and the texture of the flocked and foiled papers.


 



I decided to have a bit of fun with the black & white, so I scrapped another older photo and added some lime green to funky it up a bit:



# Colour Create ~ Challenge #27 ~ neon green and black
The lime green accents are all items from my stash - FTI ribbon, Kaisercraft paint, Kaisercraft stamp, Prima flower



I've also had my eye on these 7Gypsies papers for a few months now, and I decided I'd love to try them for myself:



I played around with these for a while, and did lots of paper-cutting, stamping and distressing:






# Simon Says ~ Oriental theme
I didn't have any 'oriental themed' stamps but I did make the most of the chinese ideographs on the patterned paper, and themed the whole layout.  I used Kaisercraft stamps from the 'Flora & Fauna' set.

Loving Bo Bunny

I'm becoming more confident with card-making, and I find using a sketch really helps me.  There's so many fabulous card sketches available!  This one is based on a sketch at the Bo Bunny blog, and I used all Bo Bunny papers too.  Still loving orange.

Ella's Antics

Last night I hosted an online class over at Crafting in Style.  This is my layout:



I love the Collage Press papers, and it is the first time I've used one of the Cosmo Cricket spinners too.

Card sharing

And I even did the inside this time too!




# Simon Says ~ Heidi's Choice ~ sketch by Iris
# Whimsy Stamps ~ Challenge 18 ~ Sew,sew,sew

Basic Grey

Still loving Basic Grey. I'm yet to get my hands on any of the newest ranges but I still have lots of older ranges in my stash.



# Basic Grey Challenges - Week 3 - Inspiration
I took my inspiration from the light teal bedspread and lace curtains, with the cream/teal colour scheme and decorative edges.   Patterned paper is from the Basic Grey 'Marrakech' 6x6 paper pad.


This month at Scrap Pile, Melanie challenged us to create a card with six layers: 



# Cuttlebug Challenges ~ Challenge #47 ~ invitation
I used the 'Textile Texture' embossing folder, Basic Grey 'Infuse' pp, Kaisercraft flower, Prima flower, unknown chipboard flower, Coredinations cardstock, Versacube 'Bark', Crystal sticker alphabets, Provocraft alphabet stickers

Master Chef

I've reached the bottom of another packet of June photographs - these ones were taken the day we baked a cake for Peter's birthday. I've put off scrapping these ones because I wasn't sure what to do with them:



# Stamp Something ~ Favourite stamp
I had a hard time choosing my favourite stamp, but my favourite category is journalling stamps.  I used a Kaisercraft journalling stamp. 
# Secret Crafter ~ Challenge #48 ~ Hearts and flowers
I used a Stampin' Up! heart stamp, and lots of different flowers - Green Tara, Petaloo, Prima

Boutique challenges

I had a very rare weekend at home this week, and spent some quiet time with my daughter. I also got a little bit of scrapping done. My photo shortage is keeping my mojo levels way down, but I've focussed on a few challenges to keep me scrapping.

Both of these are for Scrap Boutique September challenges.

The layout is for Manon's Stash Stomper, based on her sketch and using lots of chipboard:



** I'd love some hints on how to photograph layouts with transparency or lace cardstock backgrounds ** I can never seem to get a nice photograph. Photographing them flat loses the impact of the background, so I've been using an easel, but it never looks right either. Any suggestions??



The card is for Liz's card challenge, to make a male themed card, with at least three shapes, in bright bold colours:

At the Scrap Pile

Monthly challenges are back at The Scrap Pile.

Here's my layout for the September challenge:



I enjoyed playing with Leone's Cuttlebug leaf dies, and the new Victoria embossing folder:



Full details of the challenge can be found in the forum.

Back to school

With my printer still out of action, I've reverted to scrapping some older photos which have been sitting in an envelope for a few years.  Most of them are school events from 2005-2006. I always get stuck on how to make school photos look nice, especially since most of them are taken in a classroom or auditorium, with bad light and moving subjects.  Anyway, I started with some school concert photos on the weekend, and came up with this one, which I'm reasonably happy with:



# Simon Says ~ Back to School
# Colour Create ~ Challenge 26 ~ ruby, cream, gold
# Paperplay Challenges ~ Week 32 ~ Back to School