Butterflies and other small wonders

Over at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge this week we are sponsored by The Crafty Pad and I was very fortunate to be given Butterflies with Verse and Borders to create with.  The theme is Gardening ~ and I used one of my favourite quotes from Alfred, Lord Tennyson:



I printed the quote directly onto smooth cardstock, and kept the design simple to keep the focus on the butterflies, which I printed onto photopaper and coloured with Twinkling H2O's 'Summer Breeze'.  I added some Kaisercraft Rhinestone Strips to finish it off.  And something different for me ~ I added some extra butterflies to the inside as well:



This is also for:
# Paper Sundaes ~ Gems and wings
# Truly Scrumptions ~ Things with wings


Moving on to some other little miracles of nature - I was enthralled by these tiny toadstools which I saw at Mount Tamborine last month. They are only about an inch high and the prettiest shade of orange. I couldn't resist scrapping this photograph with Cosmo Cricket 'Earth Love' paper - finally my decision to 'wait for just the right layout' has been vindicated!





This one is for:
# Scrapping Everyday Miracles ~ Use paint and type-written journalling
I used Jo Sonya 'Titanium' acrylic paint for the background, and 'Courier' font for the journalling
# Tip Top Tuesday ~ T is for ~ 'tiny' and 'toadstools'

Sunshine

I love the Design Dollies Trifecta challenge - mostly because it always takes me out of my comfort zone and makes me think :)

This week I found it a little easier than most - the colour palette (orange, yellow, white, aqua blue) matches the elements requirement (summer) so perfectly, so it was just a matter of choosing what project to make with the sketch. I made a sunshine-y card which hopefully brings a smile to the recipient:



I used: Kraft cardstock (never get tired of this stuff!!), Sassafras Lass papers and diecut sticker, Green Tara mesh, satin ribbon and satin flower.

I'm submitting my card at:
# Southern Girls ~ Anything goes
# Shopping Our Stash ~ Tools of the trade
I used my Cuttlebug and my favourite embossing folder ('Swiss Dots) and also my sewing machine to do some zigzag stitching around the papers. 
# Papertake Weekly ~ Here comes the sun 
# Sketches in Thyme ~ Open challenge 
I used my own sketch which I created for the Design Dollies

A teacup and a recipe

Thursday again, and it's C.R.A.F.T. Challenge day :)  This week it's all about a following a recipe.  I always procrastinate with recipe challenges, but it's also a good feeling when it all comes together!  So... the recipe is:
~ one tag
~ two circles
~ three squares or rectangles (I used rectangles)

My card is for a dear friend who is currently bed-ridden following an accident, and I'm hoping it brings a smile to her face:



The image is from our generous sponsor, Louby Loo at Digital Delights - I printed it on Kraft cardstock and coloured with watercolour pencils. I also used: paper offcuts from Bella, Basic Grey 'Origins' and Dream Street 'Tea for Two', Prima flower, American Crafts button, October Afternoon alpha sticker, DMC embroidery thread and Stazon ink.

I'm submitting my card at:
# Secret Crafter ~ Something from around the house
# Creative Inspirations ~ Stitching
# Kaboodle Doodles ~ Food and drink

A little bit sketchy

Monday again, and it's Design Dollies time!  This week it's sketch week.  Here's the sketch:

And here's my 8x8 layout:

Click to enlarge

It's yet another one from Mother's Day 2011- still working my way through a heap of lovely photographs from that wonderful day!   Be sure to check out the blog to see what my fellow Dollies have created too.

I'm entering my layout at:
# Frosted Designs ~ Use journalling cards
I used a journalling spot (artisan shape) by Bella! and a journalling sticker from October Afternoon.
# The Paper Variety ~ Mixed alphas
I used American Crafts 'Niki Riki' Thickers and Cosmo Cricket 'Tiny Type' alpha stickers

I also used: Papers from October Afternoon 'Cherry Hill', Cosmo Cricket 'Garden Variety', Kaisercraft 'Flutterby', Prima flowers


Another Mother's Day layout, this time based on the June sketch at Show Us Your Stuff:


Click to enlarge

My "something handmade" for the challenge criteria is the pair of devine pink crocheted flowers from Lime Tree Creations. I also used: lots of ribbon scraps; papers from Cosmo Cricket 'Nutmeg', American Craft 'Dear Lizzy' and Kaisercraft 'Flutterby'; Prima 'Essentials' flowers; Rouge de Garance felt alpha stickers; unk alpha stickers from a RAK; buttons from my stash.

I'm entering my layout at:
# Lime Tree Creations ~ Winter
# Scrap Boutique ~ Inspired by winter

Circles

I'm not a tidy scrapper.  My desk is... well, I know I've got a desk under that mess.  It's there somewhere. I've had a pile of Echo Park offcuts on my scrap desk for months.  Months.  This weekend I was determined to use some more of my scraps. (Use them up, so I don't need to find somewhere to put them...)  I didn't quite use up all of the offcuts, but I reduced the pile :)  I also used a really old sheet of Cosmo Cricket paper from the Wonderland range.

This layout was inspired by Sonia's Stash Stomper Challenge at Scrap Boutique:


Click to enlarge



Sonia wants to see something that gives us 'warm fuzzies' (Jazi's smile, and New Year fireworks), stamping (I used my Kaisercraft 'Flora and Fauna' set), mixed alphas, and at least four of the same kind of embellishment (I used flowers - Green Tara and Kaisercraft).

This layout is also for:
# Frosted Designs ~ Use journalling cards 
I used a journalling card from Echo Park
# Challenge Up Your Life ~ Circles
I cut a large circle from a half-sheet of Echo Park patterned paper, and it's got lots of large polka dots on it too.  I made a spotty title, and added a few buttons too.

Little Fairy

The challenge at C.R.A.F.T. this week is to use stitching - one of my favourite things to do!

I used an image from the 'Ella Collection' by our sponsor AiFactory, and I made a little birthday card for my workmate's daughter:



I also used: Bazzill cardstock, Basic Grey 'Romani' and Kaisercraft 'Flutterby' papers, American Crafts foam Thickers number, Distress Stickles 'Worn Lipstick', Green Tara flower, May Arts gingham ribbon

I'm entering my card at:
# Frosted Designs ~ Stitching
# Emerald Faeries ~ Petals
# Digital Tuesday ~ Gingham

Blooming late!

I mean to upload this last Monday!! I thought I'd scheduled but just realised I had a typo in the date (2012 instead of 2011, silly girl)

This was my creation for the Design Dollies June Colour Challenge. Wendi chose the devine colour combo of yellow, orange, white and aqua blue - and I had a ball playing around in my scraps folders to come up this layout:

I also had a ball with the machine stitching.

Back story: My sewing machine has been playing up for a few months, and I finally gave up and took it in to my local Janome shop a few weeks ago to see what was wrong. The lady there asked how long it had been since its last service. I gave her a blank look - I've had it since around 1996, and it belonged to my Mum for around 10 years before that... so at least 25 years, maybe longer? The lady was shocked (and made me feel really ashamed that I'd neglected my baby!!) Nothing had ever gone wrong, so it never occurred to me to have it serviced before. I handed my baby over to her care, and after a long-overdue tweaking, my Janome is running smoother than I ever believed possible!

This is the first layout I did after getting my machine back so I just HAD to play around a bit ;)

I'm entering my layout at:
# By the Cute and Girly ~ In the garden

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Someone amazing is having a birthday today, so I made this a little canvas-inspired creation to honour her special day:



Some of the Design Dollies are also helping to celebrate ;)

I do have a confession to make... I made a birthday card (I haven't shared it online, so there's NO peeking!) and I mailed it on the weekend, but I'm pretty sure it won't arrive in time. SORRY.  And this little project didn't make it into the package, so I'll have to send it later ;)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, gorgeous girl x

I'm sharing my project at:
# Getting Cricky ~ Vintage Appeal
# Scrap Fit ~ Around the house
I used - corrugated cardboard packaging, paper doiley, kitchen twine
# Sugar Creek Hollow ~ paper flowers, lace and bling
I used - Green Tara paper flowers, lace paper doiley, Kaisercraft rhinestone and glittered buttons
# Paper Sundaes ~ Let's get sentimental
I used - AdornIt alpha stickers, Basic Grey white chocolate chipboard alphas

I also used: Kaisercraft paint, 'Tiny Bubbles Tia' from Some Odd Girl

Read it...

Prologue:

A chicken entered a library and walked up to the desk. It clucked, "Book, book, book, BOOK!"  The librarian set a pile of four books in front of the chicken. The chicken grabbed the books and disappeared out the front door.

About an hour later, the chicken returned the books to the library and squawked, "Book, book, book, BOOK!"

The librarian wondered what the chicken was doing with these books, but since they seemed to be in fine shape, she gave the chicken four more books. The chicken zipped out the door and down the road.

Another hour passed and the librarian heard a loud "Book, book, book, BOOK!" She looked up from her work and saw the chicken back again! She gave the chicken four more books and it headed out the door.

The librarian's curiosity got the better of her, so she followed the chicken down the road for a half mile to an old farm. The chicken disappeared into a cluster of trees.

The librarian snuck up to the trees, moved some branches aside, and saw the chicken standing by a pond handing each book to a frog. The frog looked at the cover of each book and croacked,"Read It. Read It. Read It."


Time for something masculine - I don't do many masculine projects so it's always a challenge for me.

This week C.R.A.F.T. Challenge is celebrating Father's Day (in the US and UK). The challenges at this time of year always take me by surprise because in Australia we celebrate Father's Day in September... So I decided I'd make a gift for my husband's birthday instead. He's an avid reader (even more so than me, which is really saying something) with several books on the go at once, so bookmarks are always in short supply at our house!

We are sponsored this week by Some Odd Girl and I had fun creating a corner bookmark using Tobie and Buddie:





I'm submitting my project at the Some Odd Girl challenge blog for the "manly" theme.

This was my first time making a corner bookmark, so I went searching on the internet for some instructions. There are zillions of tutorials - all taking a slightly different approach. The one that inspired me most was HERE - hints and instructions for three different methods, and some fun samples and variations too.

I'm also entering my bookmark at:
# Craft Your Days Away ~ Special Man
# Papertake Weekly ~ Anything Goes

A summer card in the middle of winter

Today I'm sharing another cute card that Jazi made!  For this one she used an Anya stamp (from the Rain, Snow, Shine set) and a few little diecut tags from the depths of my stash:



This card is for:
# Dream Valley ~ Stamp Something
# Fairy Fun Fridays ~ Summer Fun
# CES Challenge ~ Clean and simple

J-girl's been creating!

Over the past month or so, Jasmine's attention span has been almost non-existent, so card-making has been on the backburner. But this weekend she got creative and made a card for her dad's birthday (which is on Monday):



And a little detail shot to see the glitter:



This card is being submitted at:
# Kaboodle Doodles ~ Show your colours
Inspired by Australia's sporting colours of 'green and gold'.
# Cute Card Thursday ~ Embellish it
Jasmine added lots of glitter to the diecut sun
# Party Time Tuesdays ~ Anything Goes
# Craft Your Days Away ~  Special Man

A little bit of love

At C.R.A.F.T. Challenge this week the theme is Weddings or Love.   I have no weddings on my social calendar any time soon, so I went with the 'love' theme...

Thank you to Digi Doodle Shop, who kindly sponsored the challenge this week and provided this cute 'Love Frogs' image for me to play with!  I cropped the image and moved the lily pads around a little - isn't that the beauty of digital images?

I had a lot of trouble coordinating colours this week - I tried lots of different combinations but none seemed to work. I was determined to have a green frog! (Perhaps if I had compromised on that little detail, it would have been easier ~ a pink frog probably may have been easier all round...)



This is what I did:
1> I printed the image on plain white cardstock, then die-cut around it (Spellbinders Nestabilities - 'Lacey Squares')
2> I paper-pieced the froggie (Autumn Leaves paper) and lily pads (American Crafts paper - reverse side), then added some extra colour touches with water colour pencils.
3> I mounted the die-cut on green cardstock (American Craft, from the 'Travel' kit) and mounted that onto the card background (Basic Grey 'Offbeat - Light Hearted')
4> I added ribbon to the top of the card. I couldn't find a perfect match so I chose two to (hopefully) balance each other out. (The green is from Prairie Bird Boutique and the white spotty organza is by May Arts.)
5> I didn't add a sentiment - making it suitable for various occasions.
6> I added a small amount of faux stitching and penwork around the edges.

What I didn't do but wanted to:
I really, really wanted to add a glossy medium to the lily pads, but I ran out of that too... might be an extra touch for another day!


I'm entering my card in these challenges:
# Paper Playtime ~ Digi Monday + Love
# Digital Tuesday ~ Animal Friends
# Top Tip Tuesday ~ Wrap it Up with Ribbon 
My tip ~ It's fun to mix & match styles and textures of ribbons - two different styles together in a bow looks great!

Toucan Scraps

Angela at Toucan Scraps kindly invited me to be a Guest Designer this month, and I am thrilled to share some projects created with her new pack, A Touch of Grunge. It's part of the 'Black n Whatever' range - the designs can be printed onto coloured paper or cardstock for a different look each time, or the files can be altered in a digital program to a custom colour to suit any project.



It's been a while since I scrapped a 100% digital layout, and I enjoyed playing with some of the digi papers from the kit:



I used three different papers from the pack -  Grunge Stripe, Grunge Fine Script, and Grunge Floral Script.  I coloured each of the designs in Photoshop to match my photograph.

I also used: buttons and journalling brush from the free Courtship DigiKit by Stacy Marks at 2peas in a bucket.


This is my paper project using the same kit:



No modification required for this one - I printed the Grunge Floral Script design onto coloured 8"x8" cardstock and folded the sheet to make a gift card holder.  I also used: Prima flower (grey) from 'Essentials 9' pack, Blueye-Dezines flower (black), red grosgrain ribbon and a button from my haby stash.

I'm entering my paper project at:
# Party Time Tuesday ~ Anything Goes
# Top Tip Tuesday ~ Wrapped in ribbon

I love the versatility of these digi papers and can see myself using them over and over. There are six different designs in the pack and the pack is very reasonably priced at only $2.00