A bit of Glitz

I'm joining in at Glitz Designs for the February Color Trends challenge; such beautiful colours.  I'm not sure I did them justice, but this is what I came up with:



What I did:  
* For the pale pink and neutral - I cut into a sheet of Glitz Designs paper. I'd been saving it for just the right layout (yeah, right - I just like hoarding pretty papers...) but I never envisioned using for a Chinese New Year layout!
* For the gold - I altered the alphabet stickers with heat embossing powder to cover up the original hot pink colour.  It was a bit fiddly because I had to remove the stickers from the backing sheet, then stamp with VersaMagic, then transfer to a clean sheet for the powder, etc - by the time I finished there was no 'stickiness' left and I had to adhere the letters with glue.



I also heat embossed the chipboard in the same gold.



* For the silver - I added edge-stitching with silver thread.

Materials:
Glitz Designs Beautiful Dreamer - Floral patterned paper
Glitz Designs alphabet stickers
Moon Glow King Midas Gold embossing powder
A2Z Scraplets Shapes - Dragon3 chipboard

Create your own embellishment

This is another 2013 vacation layout that I created for the Scrapbooking Top 50 Australia cybercrop.  The theme was Twister and the criteria:  use green, yellow, blue and red, and use circles. 

 

I enjoyed using bright colours for this layout, and I also loved making concertina flowers with some of my offcut strips:



Now that the cybercrop is over, I can also submit this layout to Off the Rails Scrapbooking for their challenge to create an embellishment


Materials:
Echo Park Sweet Summertime Alpha Stickers
Echo Park Sweet Summertime - Sunny Days Border patterned paper
Echo Park Life is Good - Journal Cards patterned paper
Echo Park Victoria Gardens - Cheerful Words patterned paper
Echo Park A Walk in the Park - Flutter patterned paper
Echo Park A Walk in the Park - Lazy Days patterned paper 
Rivers product tag

Single photo sketch layouts (2)

Some more single photo sketch layouts; I've been doing few lately...



This one is for the sketch challenge at Scrapbook Savvy:



Materials:
My Memories patterned paper
Making Memories Noteworthy glitter diecuts
Kaisercraft 5cm Lime paper flower
Prima E-Line - Yellow Mix paper flower
Prima Rondelle alphabet stickers


  ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~

This one is based on sketch #232 at Skissedilla:



Another January day trip album layout.  I submitted this for a cybercrop challenge at Scrapbooking Top 50 Australia on the weekend, but according to their rules, I couldn't submit it elsewhere until after the crop was over. So, here it is!

I received the felt stars in a RAK package and I don't know which company makes these. 

Materials:
American Crafts Thickers - Patchwork alphabets
Studio 18 Rhinestones - Strass
Kaisercraft Rhinestones - Silver

 ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~

This one is based on February sketch #3 over at the Kaisercraft blog.  This is yet another layout for my January day trip album, and all of the product is Kaisercraft:



Not sure how I feel about this one; I think it looks a little bare?

Materials:
Kaisercraft Elegance - Elizabeth patterned paper
Kaisercraft Grunge - Rebel patterned paper
Kaisercraft inkpad - Bark
Kaisercraft Wood Flourishes - Curls
Kaisercraft Tiny Apha - Cream stickers
Kaisercraft After Five journalling tag

Scrap Challenge Yourself

Over at Scrap Challenge Yourself the February prompt is to create a layout about someone you love.

Here is my layout:



Materials:
Prima Fairy Flora patterned paper
Scenic Route Sonoma -Journalling Label diecut
Bazzill Bitty Blossom - Apple flower
Kaisercraft 5cm Lime paper flower
Heidi Swapp Florals - Kiwi flower
Kaisercraft Curls wood flourish

Single photo sketch layouts (1)

I have a lot of 'one shot' photos so I really like sketches that feature single photographs when I want to do a bit of quick scrapping.

This one is for Scrapbooking Top 50 Australia:



I made a 6x6 layout for my 'house and garden' album.  I use album this to record our local flora and fauna.  For the background I embossed a piece of transparency, which actually looks really nice but doesn't photograph very well.  Here's a close up of the layers:



Materials: 
Cosmo Cricket Garden Variety - Bloomers patterned paper
Scenic Route patterned paper (leaf motifs)
Making Memories Noteworthy glitter die cut
Kaisercraft Tiny Alpha - Latte stickers
Cuttlebug Textile Texture embossing folder 

~~ ** ~~ ** ~~

This one is based on the February sketch at Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge:



How I used the sketch:  I went with a larger photograph, and I filled the negative space with my journalling.

Materials:
Sassafras Lass Mix n Mend - Sweet Treats sticker
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - Golden Terracotta
Kaisercraft Tiny Alpha - Latte stickers
Vintage dressmaking pattern
American Crafts Pearl Brad - Elegant

It's a hard life...

I've been played around with gesso and layering a bit more this week,  and I really enjoy seeing how patterned papers transform and miraculously coordinate together!   I'm finding it a great way to use up some of my older papers, or ones that are almost (but not quite) right for a photograph.

I used Scrap Friends Sketch #22 for this layout:

I have taken the theme "It's a hard life" from Scrapbook Fantasies.  Yep, it's a hard life, but (as they say) someone has to do it...




Materials:
Basic Grey Two Scoops - Spumoni patterned paper
Sei Lovebird Blue cardstock
7Gypsies Avignon - Ecriture patterned paper
Kaisercraft Flutterby - Painted Lady patterned paper
Close to My Heart Silhouette patterned paper
Martha Stewart Floral Lace border punch
Prima Rondelle alphabet stickers
Daisy D's diecut journal shape

Delicious inspiration (2)

How delicious is this February Inkido inspiration board?

I've taken inspiration from the colours in the centre picture - lovely warm chocolate brown with a splash of red and cream, and the gold serving plate too.

This layout pokes a bit of fun at my Tim Tam obsession, so I'm also submitting it at Lasting Memories for their Guilty Pleasures theme, and at Stempelgarten for their Yummy theme:



According to news.com.au:  Australians get through 400 million of them every year, making Tim Tams the world's most popular chocolate biscuit per capita. 

Materials:
TimTam packaging - 50th anniversary
Pink Paislee Cupid - Postcards patterned paper
Pink Paislee Cupid brads
Green Tara Gerberas - dark chocolate, red
Prima Artful Collage paper flowers
American Crafts Thickers - Jewelry Box alphabets

28/02/2014 edit to add:  My layout made Top 3 at Lasting Memories!

Another day trip layout...

I was playing around with sepia tints and found some photographs from our January day trip that would be perfect.  I created this layout using the February sketch from Scrapbookit:



Materials:
Close to My Heart Silhouette patterned papers
Scenic Route patterned paper (leaf motifs)
7 Gypsies 97% Complete journalling tag
Prima Rondelle alphabet stickers
Martha Stewart Floral Lace border punch
Kort & Godt metal butterfly
Kaisercraft inkpad - Bark

09/03/2014 edit to add: My layout was selected as the February winner at Scrapbookit!

First time...

... playing with paint splashes!    AND
... playing along at Page Drafts

I have used mists before but never tried paint splashes using a pipette - and I can't believe how fun it is.  Why has it taken me so long?

I thinned down some acrylic paint and just started playing.  This is my very first attempt:



I didn't want to tempt fate, so I decided to leave it alone and stick with just one colour.  Then, I used the first sketch in Em's February 2014 release to create this layout:



PS: the photo was taken by my clever daughter Jasmine, using my Canon Rebel XTi - she's getting much better!

I'm also submitting my layout at Lasting Memories for the colour challenge to use pink or red with white .

Materials: 
Basic Grey Sultry - Fandango patterned paper
Prima Paisley Road journalling notecard
American Crafts Alpha Pals - Champion Block alphabet stickers
Provocraft Alphabitties - Girls Are Weird alphabet stickers
Kaisercolour paint - Candy

26/02/2014 edit to add:  My layout was featured at Lasting Memories

Self-confessed craft hoarder alert

I have found some more kindred spirits in blogland... Craft Hoarders Anonymous!  I love this new challenge blog - it is totally congruous with my scrapping - use your stash!  Challenge #2 is called Let's See that Hoard and it's based on this colour palette:

I have a huge hoard of just about everything, but I thought I would 'fess up and declare my Basic Grey patterned paper stash. I have been a huge fan of Basic Grey since I first started scrapping, starting with Phresh & Phunky, and all of the other Aged & Confused collections, circa 2006.

I still have pieces in my stash.  Not just scraps.  Whole, uncut 12x12 papers. Admittedly, not many fit within this colour palette, but still - I haven't used them in years.  I love them, but actually using them would show how dated my stash is... Until today.

I didn't set out to make a double layout; it just kind of evolved that way. It actually turned out very different to my original plan, but I'm happy with it!  Everything on the layout is from my "very very old" stash - papers, journalling page, diecuts, flowers...  everything except the photographs, which I took this month.

Click to see it better:



I used some of the smaller paper scraps to make some hearts:



I'm submitting this layout at Scrap It Girl for their February HEARTS challenge.

Brenda is celebrating her 5 year blogoversary, and wants to see my all-time favourite crafting item for her blog candy challenge... I don't have much in the way of tools or stamps but BASIC GREY patterned paper would still have to be my favourite item to scrap with. And I guess, my Janome sewing machine.  I add stitching to just about everything, couldn't live without it.

Materials:
Basic Grey Marrakech - Blue Nights patterned paper
Basic Grey Two Scoops - Spumoni patterned paper
Little Yellow Bicycle Traveler cardstock stickers
Bella! denim alphabet stickers
Martha Stewart Garden Trellis deep edge punch
Making Memories Poolside journalling page
Green Tara 4cm petals - midnight blue
Prima E Line - Chelsea flower
Prima paper flowers
Daisy D's die cuts

More summer vacation layouts

I've been cybercropping at Scrapbooking Top 50 Australia this week, and I completed some more pages for my summer vacation album:

Tic Tac Toe challenge (using circles, buttons, arrows):



Materials:
Basic Grey Lime Rickey - Rob Roy patterned paper
Rouge de Garance Aile ou Fleur - No 1 patterned paper
Buzz & Bloom Wiggly Worms arrow pointers
Kaisercolour paint - Spearmint
Making Memories paint - Ocean Blue
Lil Davis Glitter Glaze - Ice
American Crafts Thickers - Subway foam alphabets

~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ 

Uno challenge (rectangles, layers and a number):



Used more scraps for this one too, very happy that I am whittling down the contents of  my "tiny scraps" bags.

Materials:
Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg - Borders patterned paper
Echo Park Sweet Summertime - Journal Card patterned paper
Echo Park Sweet Summertime - Sunny Days border strips
American Crafts Thickers - Gift Box alphabets

14/03/2014 edit to add:  This layout was a winner at the cybercrop! 

All you need is...

Love is in the air... all over the blogosphere!

The February challenge at A2Z Scraplets is another love-inspired mood board:

I used an A2Z "Owl" scraplet that I've had it in my stash since 2009 (?) - it's about time I used it!!  I painted it up with gesso, then Twinkling H2O paints, then a bit more gesso around the eyes, and then I placed a heart charm in the middle:



Other materials:
Basic Grey Urban Prairie - Weather Vane patterned paper
Luminarte Twinkling H2O - Golden Sand
Luminarte Twinkling H2O - Iridescent Red
Pebbles Roller stamp
Close to My Heart ink - black

Sikh Gurdwara

Something a little different... a visit to the Sikh Gurdwara in Woolgoolga.  Out of respect for the culture I didn't take any photographs inside the temple, but I did get a snap of Jasmine outside so she would remember the visit.

This layout is inspired by a sketch challenge at The Scrapbook Store:



How I used the sketch:  I kept the basic structure with a top and bottom colour, and followed the suggested placement of photo, journalling, title, and date.  I used a larger photograph for the space, so I left out some of the smaller elements.

Materials:
October Afternoon Sasparilla - Tumbleweeds patterned paper
Basic Grey Motifica - Chalk patterned paper
Bazzill cardstock
Kaisercraft After Five journalling card
Kaisercraft Mini Alpha Stickers - Latte
Making Memories Noteworthy glitter diecut
Kaisercraft paper flowers - taupe
Prima mini rose
Doodlebug Shindig alphabet stickers
EK Success Double Moroccan Lace border punch

Mystical cybercropping

I can't remember the last time I participated in a cybercrop...  must be a couple of years I think.  I stumbled across the Mystical Cybercrop while bloghopping this week, and I really liked the Fruits of Love theme.

Unfortunately I only got time to create one layout; this is it:



Materials:
Lime Tree Creations red doiley
American Crafts Chap - Tim patterned paper
Bella Happy Holidays patterned paper
Basic Grey Sublime - Cinnamon patterned paper
Martha Stewart Garden Trellis deep edge punch
Heidi Swapp Ghost Shapes - Clock
Purple Pumpkin Carnival Ticket - red
Pink Paislee Cupid - Postcards journal card
Rouge de Garance felt alphabet stickers

04/03/2014 edit to add:  My layout was selected as a winner for this challenge!  YAY...

Evans Head

One day I will get used to iPhoto and learn the best way to sort and locate my photographs.  I seem to have multiple copies when I sort them into folders, then I lose track of which have been printed etc etc.  Any suggestions gratefully received.  I found these photos in a folder that got misfiled - but can't find them in iPhoto...

These layouts both have photographs from our two day winter break last year.

The first one I scrapped as a double layout.  I kept it very simple, but I did add the buttons as an afterthought because it looked a little flat.  I'm submitting my layout at Scrapbook Fantasies for Weekly Challenge #06/2014 which is to "create a layout using six photographs":

Click to enlarge:



Materials:
October Afternoon Sasparilla - Pony Express patterned paper
Sassafras Lass Mix n Mend - Sweet Treats stickers
Crystal alphabet stickers
Carl Corner Rounder punch 

19/03/2014 edit to add:  This was selected as the winning layout at Scrapbook Fantasies.

~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~

My second layout is another simple one, made easier by adding my journalling to the photograph before printing:



I also added some crocheted motifs to fit the winter theme (not that we get snow in this part of the world!)

Materials:
Collage Press Scrooge & Marley - December 24th patterned paper
Basic Grey Sultry - Friar patterned paper
May Arts 3/8" gingham ribbon
Doodlebug Shindig alphabet stickers

I'm submitting this one for two different challenges:  a winter theme for Lasting Memories; warm chocolately and red tones for Inkido - inspired by the middle photo on the February inspiration board:

22/02/2014 edit to add:  My winter layout appeared on Friday Features at Lasting Memories

A little bit of Kaisercraft

I found a mixed bag of old Kaisercraft papers in my stash this week - so I thought I'd have a go at some Saturday sketches on the Kaisercraft blog.  Most of my papers are one-off leftovers from different collections, and it was a fun challenge to see how well I could coordinate what I had.

This layout is another for the 2013 vacation album, based on February sketch #1:



Materials:
Kaisercolour paint - Mocha
Kaisercraft Reminiscing - My Love patterned paper
Kaisercraft Elegance - Elanor patterned paper
Kaisercraft Fozz Fontz - Fonzo felt alphabets
Kaisercraft After Five journal tag
Kaisercraft Mini Alpha Stickers - Latte
Kaisercraft Bark inkpad


This one is for my January 2014 day tripping album, based on February sketch #2:



I used some old book pages on this one to matt the darker brown paper, and two buttons and a paperclip from my stash, but everything else is from Kaisercraft.

Materials:
Kaisercraft Elegance - Elizabeth patterned paper
Kaisercraft Duchess - Heiress patterned paper
Kaisercraft Mini Alpha Stickers - Latte
Kaisercraft Rhinestones - bronze
Kaisercraft Brown inkpad
Kaisercraft paper flowers - taupe assorted

Read more about this issue: Keep the Scenic Rim Scenic

D-Lish inspiration

I feel in love with this month's D-lish Scraps inspiration board the moment I saw it.  So much to love about it...  I was particularly inspired by:  the colour palette, the crocheted square, the string of hearts...

This is my layout:



I got my idea for the heart garland from the Cosmo Cricket blog - although mine is hand cut and I used embroidery thread:



Materials:
Lime Tree Creations crochet motifs
Dream Street Delight - Relish patterned paper 
American Crafts Thickers - Dacquiri foam numbers

It's not at all my usual style to cut out photographs, but I wanted to play around and do something a little different and whimsical for J-girl's birthday layout.  I'm still not sure about it ~ but she loves it and that's all that counts :)

Black with 2

Love love love the bright, funky colour scheme at Black with 2 this month.  Here is the inspiration board:

 

And this is what I created:



How I used the sketch:  I kept the placement of the large photo in the middle, and kept the balance of elements underneath.  Instead of patterned paper either side of the photo I used the gates. Instead of the smaller photo, I made a journalling block. Instead of the scallop/trim along the top, I added a long title.

How I used the image inspiration: I used hot pink gates to frame my photograph

Other criteria: I used the word DREAM in the title, and I followed the colour scheme.

Materials:
Core'dinations Ranger Distress - Black Soot cardstock
Rouge de Garance Aile ou Fleur - No 1 patterned paper
Bo Bunny Gypsy Lace patterned paper
Purple Pumpkin Carnival Ticket - Fuchsia
Glitz Design Pink Alpha stickers
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphabet stickers
Green Tara 6cm petals - turquoise
Dusty Attic Ornate Gates Mini lasercut chipboard
Kaisercolour Candy paint

New stuff that makes me smile

Post arrived this morning!

I was thrilled to be a winner at Jot Magazine in January, for this layout; I won a voucher from this amazing store:

 

Even though I was a voucher recipient, I received amazing customer service and will return to go "real" shopping.

As tempted as I was to go crazy and buy a bunch of yummy products, I decided to choose a couple of special items that I wouldn't usually buy for myself, like a special treat. This is what I bought:

I've always loved doodling on my layouts but I've also played it fairly 'safe'. I want to learn some new doodling techniques and get a little bit more adventurous.

And this:

I read a few reviews and decided that yes, I would get a lot of use out it. It's really versatile, and it looks like fun to use:) I'm looking forward to giving it a workout! 

And I also can feel a little bit smug I didn't have to rearrange my scrap space to fit my new purchases!

Scrapping with sketches

I scrap using sketches.  A lot.

Often it's the challenge of using a new sketch that motivates me to actually sit down and get those photographs scrapped.  That's been the case this week.  I had a lot happening this week and a lot on my mind, and I just needed to sit down and create without thinking too much.  So I got out some sketches, and these are some of the layouts I created:


This one is based on the February sketch at Life. Paper. Scrapbook.  I'm also submitting my layout at Craft Hoarders Anonymous; part of my signature style is keeping things simple.  I used lots of tiny scraps of yellow, and I kept it really simple to keep the focus on my photograph, but I also couldn't resist stitching.  I love, love, love stitching on my layouts:



Materials:
Echo Park A Walk in the Park - Element Cards patterned paper
Echo Park A Walk in the Park - Element Stickers duckling
Echo Park Sweet Summertime - Sunny Spots patterned paper
Echo Park Sweet Summertime - Alpha Stickers letters, hearts and border
Echo Park Victoria Gardens - Cheerful Words patterned paper
Bumble Bee Crafts flowers

** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ ** ~~ **

The next one is a double layout.  The right hand side is based on the February sketch at Purple Pumpkin:

Click to enlarge:



I really loved the triangle element and couldn't shake the idea of making it into an arrow - so I chose a set of photographs to stretch across two pages.  Because most of the visual interest is on the left, I made a large title on the right to balance it, and duplicated the embellishments on both pages to make it flow better.



There's a few things on this page that I can't credit - I don't know who made the felt star trim, and I can't source the diecut journalling card (I have a set of them, all black and white which I know came as a 12x12 sheet).

Materials:
October Afternoon Sasparilla - Wagon Train patterned paper
Kaisercraft Thrill Seeker - Prankster patterned paper
Bella Blvd Sunny Happy Skies - Magic in the Sky patterned paper
Little Yellow Bicycle Traveler cardstock stickers
Rouge de Garance felt alphabets
Collections File Dividers - small, navy

Happy Valentine's Day

I've made some "love" themed cards this month:

This one is based on a card sketch at Scrapping Everyday Miracles:



I used some older papers in my stash, and added dimension by matting the heart motif with a piece of pale pink felt.

I'm also linking up at Scrap It Girl - where the theme is HEARTS this month.

Materials:
Bo Bunny Sweetie Pie patterned paper
Kaisercraft Flutterby - Painted Lady patterned paper
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type aphabet stickers
Dew Drops Versa Magic - Sahara Sand fluid chalk


My next card was inspired by the February challenge at Show Us Your Stuff.  The quote reads: "Follow your heart and happiness will follow":

I made the little felt heart - I cut the shape freehand, stitched around the edge, and added a diamante brad to the centre.
The hand-dyed wrinkle ribbon is from Prairie Bird Boutique.

Other materials:
Bella Sarah Jane - Narratives journal card
Kaisercraft Tiny Alphabets - Chocolate stickers