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??

Splashes of colour

It's been a while since I did a monochromatic layout, even though it's one of my most favourite ways to scrap. This week at Design Dollies, the colour challenge is to use monochromatic blues. I loved doing this one!!

Here's my layout:






And over at Scrap Pile, the Lazy Days of Summer competition continues into Week 2. This week the challenge is to create a round card, and include a 'sun' themed embellishment.  I kept my card simple and colourful:



# Raise the Bar ~ Challenge # 2 ~ The gift that keeps giving
The 'gift' I used on this card was a Provocraft smiley stamp set I received from my fabulous friend Karmyn in a blog candy win last year.  It's the first time I've used this one, and it's so cute!!

More is more...

That's the theme of the Scrap Boutique cybercrop this weekend... starting tonight!

Here's my challenge:



And my layout:



Check out the forum for the extra criteria, and to see what other challenges that the Stylists have lined up :)

More Sylvestre

Sharing some more of my creations using the Rouge de Garance 'Sylvestre' papers from Scrap Pile.  I love this range, but I did struggle a little bit with them. In the end I just let the patterns do the work and only did a bit of cutting and stitching:







I chose that title because my daughter decorated her grandma's Christmas tree all by herself and was so proud of her efforts.

And the last of my layouts features my brother. While we were moving house last month I came across this photograph that he sent me.  It's been pinned to a corkboard near my desk for over a decade, and it was just perfect for these papers.

Dollies Colour Challenge

This is my contribution for the Design Dollies Colour Challenge this week. The colours are lime green, turquoise and white. I am so in love with the Basic Grey lace doiley papers.

Lazy Days of Summer (1)

Over at Scrap Pile, the Lazy Days of Summer competition has started and the first challenge has been posted...

Having some WATER FUN first up:




 
I really enjoyed putting this one together and playing with paints too!

Loving 'Sylvestre'

This month over at Scrap Pile I am working with Rouge de Garance 'Sylvestre' papers, and I am so in love with the silvery greens!!

Here's a peek at my first layout:



and a couple of details too:







Then with one of the offcut pieces I made this card:



# Humble Pie ~ Bling challenge

I used two kinds of bling - Kaisercraft pearls and Derivan 'Crystal Glitter' acrylic medium.  I tried hard to get the glitter to show up in the photograph ~ if you squint you can just see the shine on the wings.  This is the first time I've used my Humble Pie 'Chrysanthemum Fairy' stamp too ~ she's so cute!!

Winter Wonderland

It's a hot, hot, hot summer here in Australia. But this week's Elements Challenge at Design Dollies is all about creating a Winter Wonderland.

Here's my project:





I made these for my Dad and husband for Christmas, a fun novelty gift and stocking filler. The digital image is a freebie from Roberta at Prairie Fairy Digital Stamps.

Girly stuff!

Just sharing something a bit different for me - a sewing project. I used to sew a lot, but since I took up scrapping, my machine has seen more cardstock and paper than it has fabric. This is the dress that I made for my daughter for Christmas:



I was originally planning a skirt but I found some awesome rouched fabric and thought it would be fun to make a sun dress for summer. My little tomboy only owns one dress, but lately she's become a bit more interested in dressing up. I even bought some matching hair ribbons!





She loves it, all I need to do now is get it away from her so I can shorten the straps...

Yellow and fuschia

Here's my second card for the year, which is a (very) belated birthday card for a friend whose birthday I forgot.  I feel so bad :(





# Design Dollies ~ Colour challenge ~ fuschia and pale yellow
# Just Magnolia ~ Special Monthly Challenge ~ paper pleating
# ABC Challenges ~ L is for Layering
# Fab'n'Funky ~ Any occasion

I used: Bazzill cardstock, Black Market Paper Society paper, Making Memories paper, Spellbinders 'Labels 4', Magnolia 'Tilda with Puppy' stamp, Stazon ink, watercolours, Kaisercraft rhinestones.

First card for 2010

Just sharing my first card-making effort for 2010. This year I'm going to *try* to make at least one card a week... wish me luck!!



# Simon Says ~ Hot Chocolate ~ pink/brown colour combo
# Quixotic Paperie ~ Challenge #8 ~ Hot Chocolate
 # Delightful Inspiration ~ Free Stamp of the Month

I used: Digital stamp "Love Collage" from Designed2Delight, My Minds Eye and Kaisercraft papers, KindyGlitz, Martha Stewart edge punch

Lazy Days of Summer

To celebrate the start of 2010, Scrap Pile is holding a "Lazy Days of Summer" competition. It will run over six weeks, starting Monday 18th January. Each week, participants will be challenged to create a layout or other project, with a different summer theme. There will also be weekly games and challenges, minor weekly prizes and an overall prize for the winner.

Here's a sneak peek at the prize which has kindly been donated by BUMBLE BEE CRAFTS:



Everyone is welcome to join in.

Leanne and I have been busy behind the scenes, dreaming up the challenges and creating our sample layouts, not long now before we can start sharing them :)

Happy birthday Jude

Jude at Crafts International is celebrating her birthday today... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

She's also giving away a fabulous blog candy... you can see the details in my sidebar ---->

Dollies in the New Year

Woo hoo... It's January and I'm thrilled to be a Guest Designer at Design Dollies! I love the girls there, and I love the fabulous challenges, so it's a perfect arrangement for me :)

My first assignment is a colour challenge ~ create a project in primary colours - blue, yellow and red:



I love brights but I don't usually stick to a primary pallette, so I had lots of fun with this one.

Scrapping at the Pile

In January over at Scrap Pile it's my turn to host the monthly sketch challenge.

Here's the sketch, and my layout sample:






Credit: Digital elements are by Summer Driggs - freebie kit "Thanks For Giving".



Also coming up really, really soon we have a fun, six-week summer scrapping competition, with some fun challenges and fun prizes. Everyone is welcome to join.

Thrilled to be...

Guest Stylist at Scrap Boutique! Thank you so much to Chels for the wonderful opportunity to create for you from January - March 2010.

My first assignment is to host the January Stylist Challenge. My sample is here:



and you can find the details of the challenge over in the forum.

I'm really looking forward to working with Manon again, and getting to know Em better too. Both of these girls are amazing, as are the other Boutique Babes!!