Nature's glory... new beginnings

This is my DT reveal for the Lasting Memories new challenge theme, Nature's Glory.  Your layout could feature natural scenery, plants, or animals.  I have so many photographs of beautiful landscapes just begging to be scrapped, but in the end I went in a different direction for this layout when I saw the New Beginnings challenge at 7 Dots Studio.

I took quite a lot of photographs when our very first chicks hatched in July.  They were the most adorable little things!!  So amazing to watch as they pecked their way out of their shells, emerged all wet and bedraggled, then dried off all fluffy and sweet...  This is my layout:



I used the September sketch from Pretty Little Studio to build my layout.  I really liked the simple blocked design, and it worked perfectly for my photographs.

Materials:
7 Dots Studio 9th Wave - Golden Sand patterned paper
A2Z Scraplets Welcome to the World chipboard title
Derivan Flesh Base acrylic paint
Chromacryl White acrylic paint
Corrugated card packaging
Green Tara 1cm roses - ivory and yellow
Kaisercraft Ivory Cream paper flowers
Prima Essentials mulberry flowers 

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Birthday card

I made a card for a friend's birthday, using card sketch #102 from Feeling Sketchy.  She's a no-fuss kind of lady, so I kept it simple:

(That's a block of Lindt chocolate peeking out from behind the card - which I enclosed with the card!) I used a handwritten sentiment, and the butterfly is partially fussy-cut from the journalling card, to make its wings stand out:



I'm entering my card at Clique Kits, where Anything Goes for their inaugural monthly challenge, and Butterfly Challenge, where the theme is butterflies in autumn colours.

12/10/2014 Edit to add: My card was selected in the Top Picks at Feeling Sketchy:

Thank you for visiting my blog!

Fingal Head

I scrapped this layout late yesterday, during a hail storm...



I used a sketch from Stuck?! Sketches {rotated 90º} and I took inspiration from the water theme and muted pink/blue tones of the picture at Pixels and Paper. 

This is a very simple layout, so I added some interest with machine stitching {still my favourite technique, ever}, fussy cutting {bottom corner motif}, painted muslin and edge punching.  This was the first time I've tried punching both sides of a single paper strip with different designs, and I was very happy with the effect:



I 'm also submitting my layout at Clique Kits for their Anything Goes challenge.

Materials:
Webster's Pages Nature's Storybook - Soar Blue Skies patterned paper
Blue Fern Studios product packaging
EK Success Double Morocco Lace edge punch
Fiskars Threading H2O edge punch
Prima Rondelle alphabet stickers
Lined label stickers {RAK from a friend}

08/10/2014 Edit to add:  My layout was selected for a prize at Pixels and Paper.


Thank you for visiting my blog.

Peter & Goldie

I am a slow scrapper.  Even simple layouts take me forever because I move things around and take ages to make a decision!  However, following this month's sketch at Scrap Our Stash I put together one of my quickest ever layouts, even including the machine stitching and penwork:



Stash criteria:
1 - journalling card {behind righthand photograph}
2 - photographs
3 - patterned papers {Little Yellow Bicycle, Pink Paislee, American Crafts}
A - Alphabet stickers
B - Button
C - Charm {heart}

Over at Scrapbook Fantasies, weekly challenge is to create a layout with hidden journalling. I altered my journal card by outlining with black pen, and added some twine and a button to stop it slipping back behind the photograph:



Although I love hidden journalling, I don't use it as often as I used to.  There are a few reasons:
~ I'm a lot more comfortable with my handwriting than I used to be, and I don't need to hide it away
~ It's difficult to access hidden journalling when layouts are filed away in page protectors!
{For this layout I positioned the card so it can be easily slipped in and out from the top without removing the page from its protective sheet.}

Materials:
Little Yellow Bicycle Traveler - Orange Wide Stripe patterned paper
American Crafts Chap - Tim patterned paper
Pink Paislee 365º Degrees - Daydream patterned paper
Scenic Route Omaha - Red alphabet stickers
Fancy Pants Creative Cards - Simple Sentiments journalling card

Thank you for visiting my blog.

RFB

I'm getting much better at including myself in my scrapbook layouts; this is another one.  I used sketch #130 from Sketches in Thyme:



I'm submitting my layout at Berry 71 Bleu, where the challenge this month is Things we love.  I hope I'm not too far off the mark here.  I didn't scrap about how much I love beautiful teapots, or anything with red/white polka dots, or exploring secondhand bookshops to find a special treasure, or magical ocean views, or pretty scrapbooking papers {and all of these are true}.  My page is not pretty or romantic or whimsical.  It's linear, basic and pragmatic, and probably a bit too bold with patterns that clash.  But I still like it :)  Community involvement is very important to me, and for the past few years I have been actively involved in my local rural fire brigade.  My journalling reads (in part):  I have been a volunteer firefighter since 2012 and I love everything about it.

Other challenges:
* I used four colours from Kelly's colour challenge for Scrappy Friends - I love the way the colours work together.
* I used chevrons for Scrapbook Fantasies Weekly Challenge #38/2014

Materials:
WRMK Fiesta - Hola patterned paper
WRMK Fiesta - Nuevo patterned paper
My Memories Chevron - Gold patterned paper
American Crafts Thickers - Roller Rink glitter alphabets
A2Z Scraplets Cog Set 3 chipboard shapes
DewDrop Brilliance - Pearlescent Poppy ink
Fabric {old fire overalls}
Washers {acquired from my husband's workshop}

Thank you for visiting my blog.

5/10/2014 edit to add:  My layout was featured in the Top 3 at Sketches in Thyme:

Inspired by...

... this picture at Mei Li  Paperie:

The ferris wheel in the middle of the image with the winding river, immediately brought to mind a visit to the Wheel of Brisbane in January with my daughter.  I scrapped this layout:



In line with the inspiration pic I tried to keep it fun and a bit childlike and a bit whimsical.  I used a sketch from Let's Get Sketchy - perfect with its large circle to ground the layout and carry through the Wheel theme.

I added lots of simple little doodle details for the Graffiti challenge at Frosted Designs:




Materials:
Alison Ellis Design Very Merry- Cosmic Blue patterned paper
Kaisercraft Pearls - Teal
American Crafts Thickers - Roller Rink glitter alphabets
American Crafts Thickers - Sprinkles glitter alphabets (asterisks)

Autumn colours

At Lasting Memories, our final September layout challenge is themed on Autumn Colours.  I created another layout for our winter mini-vacation album:



I used the September sketch from Stuck?! Sketches, which was perfect for using up lots more scraps. It feels good to see the pile of offcuts dwindling, and transforming into scrapbook pages!

Materials:
Pink Paislee 365º Degrees - Daydream patterned paper
Cherry Arte Party Days - Grapevine patterned paper
Cherry Arte Party Days - (Stripe) patterned paper
American Crafts/Dear Lizzy Thickers - Bliss glitter alphabets
Martha Stewart Floral Lace edge punch
Versamagic Dewdrop - Sahara Sand fluid chalk
Green film strip embellishment - {RAK from a friend}
Portacraft Rhinestones - Yellow
My Memories butterfly punch
Crate Paper Crush - Bands,Tags & Frames diecuts

Another sketch layout

I loved the sketch challenge at C'est Magnifique this month and wanted to create something with it.  This is my layout:



I did some stencilling in the background - I like the effect but I think I need a bit more practice to achieve some cleaner lines:



I think a bit of online searching is in order to find some tutorials to help me out!  Despite my blurry results, I'm entering this into the stencilling challenge at Scrap it Girl this month.

I'm also submitting at Scrapbook Fantasies Weekly Challenge #34/2014 - create a layout using flowers you made yourself.   I made the roses (rolled spiral technique), and the daisies (with a punch and pearls for the centres).

Materials:
Pink Paislee Spring Fling - Rain Showers patterned paper
Basic Grey Sublime - Raspberry Blue patterned paper
Basic Grey Two Scoops - Mint Chocolate Chip patterned paper
Glitz Designs Beautiful Dreamer - Polka patterned paper
Crate Paper Brook - Pebbles patterned paper
Fancy Pants Kraft Kuts - Green/Blue Alphas letter stickers
My Memories butterfly punch
Martha Stewart Floral Lace decorative edge punch
Kaisercraft Pearls - Teal
Maya Road chipboard scroll
Plaid Dimensional Magic glaze
Smooch Spritz - Emerald Sprinkle mist
The Crafter's Workshop Mini Chicken Wire 6x6 template
Chromacryl paint - White
Carl Mini Daisy punch

2 girls...

I had fun with this layout, using up some more older stash (I doubt I'll ever run out!) and getting a little bit girly too:



I was inspired by these September Scrappy Friends challenges:

* Brenda's sketch ~ I simplified the sketch a litle bit, because the extra patterned paper behind wasn't working for my photograph.
* Rochelle's Tic Tac Toe ~ I used the middle vertical row {stitching, numbers, jewels}

I'm also submitting at Scrapbook Fantasies Weekly Challenge #36/2014 - Create a layout using stitching.  I have machine stitching around the photograph, and faux stitching for my border using a gel pen.
 
Materials:
Basic Grey Sublime - Raspberry Blue patterned paper
KI Memories Painter's Palette - Pink Bliss patterned paper
American Crafts Thickers - Giggles foam alphabets
Gin-X He Sings at Weddings - Table Nine patterned paper (fussy cut circles)
Felt doilies
Rhinestones - various oddments from my stash!

Driving

Another layout from our winter mini-vacation...  This was the first holiday that J-girl has shown any initiative in taking photographs for her own enjoyment.  She took lots of photographs from the back seat of the car while we were driving, so (of course) I swiped some of those files from her tablet so I could scrap them!



I used sketch #101 from Feeling Sketchy ~ I love Deb's sketches!

I also followed the Scrap our Stash challenge which involves using items with a Back to School theme.   

What I did:
Part A:  I used a text paper
Part B:  I used paperclips, ruler and alphabet letters

Materials:
Polar Bear Press Rustic Retreat - Majestic Stripes patterned paper
Glitz Designs Beautiful Dreamer - Polka patterned paper
Charm's Creations White Gold & Cream Mixed Embellishments - Map Marker
American Crafts Travel Collection flair button
MME Miss Caroline - Dolled Up - Cute twine
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphabet stickers
Jenni Bowlin Apothecary - Brown sticker (ruler)
American Crafts Thickers - Roller Rink glitter alphabets

12/10/2014 Edit to add: My layout was selected in the Top Picks at Feeling Sketchy:

Another birthday layout...

I have LOTS of photographs from AJ's 90th birthday, so I've been madly scrapping them... I hope to get our Sydney album done by Christmas.  (Not going to promise myself, but I will try to focus on those photographs first.)

This layout is based on the September sketch at Anna's Craft Cupboard:



I used a tag that I made a few months ago {blog post here}

Materials:
MME Wild Asparagus - Sisters - Stripe/Red patterned paper
MME Wild Asparagus - So Pretty - Floral/Dark Pink patterned paper
K&Co McKenna - Pink Swirl patterned paper
Vintage book page
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphabet stickers
American Crafts Thickers - Jewelry Box chipboard numbers

Wild Asparagus and a touch of glitter

I have been scrapping some more photographs from our trip to Sydney last month.  I really loved this one of the J-girl and her J-granny:



I used Sketch #277 from Creative Scrappers.  I dug through my stash and found some older My Mind's Eye papers, flower and twine, and added a touch of glitter card for the MME September challenge.

Over at Pinkfresh Studio there's also a challenge to create something with gold ~ perfect!

I don't scrap a lot using soft pinks, but I'm really happy with how this layout came together.  Here are some of my detail shots:





Materials:
MME Wild Asparagus - Sisters - Stripe/Red patterned paper
MME Wild Asparagus - So Pretty - Floral/Dark Pink patterned paper
MME Bohemia - Bliss crocheted flower
MME Miss Caroline - Dolled Up - Cute twine
My Memories glitter cardstock
My Memories butterfly punch
Heidi Swapp Centre of Attention - Metallic Pink chipboard alphabets
Tsukineko VersaCube - Bark ink

A windy day

This is my DT reveal for Lasting Memories challenge #208.  The only requirement is to add leaves ~ something which probably isn't too much of a challenge at all!    I scrapped the last of my "tumbleweeds" photographs from last year's Lightning Ridge holiday:



Here's a little detail shot of the delicious texture of the Crate Paper die cut shapes, and my beloved machine stitching:




Materials:
Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg - Autumn patterned paper
Crate Paper Crush Collection diecuts
October Afternoon Farm Fresh - Farm Yard patterned paper
Portacraft paper flowers
Kaisercraft Fozz Fontz - Fonzo felt alphabets
Rose Moka Appel de la nature alphabet stickers

More brightness...

I've had a lot of bright papers and scraps on my desk in the past week, so I created a little gift card for the Clique Kits Anything Goes challenge ~ using Sketch #100 from Feeling Sketchy:



I have a recipient in mind, and I hope it brings a smile to her day :)

Also submitting my card at Butterfly Challenge this week; ever since unearthing my long lost butterfly punch, I've been putting butterflies on everything!

01/10/2014 EDIT TO ADD:  My card was one of the Top Picks at Feeling Sketchy!

Bright and happy...

I had a lot of fun with this layout!



I started building my layout with sketch #129 from Sketches in Thyme.  I deviated just a little by using two portrait format photographs instead of the suggested four squares, but all other elements are there. 

The colours were inspired by this amazing picture from the September colour challenge at Mei Li Paperie:

I'm also submitting at the August Tic Tac Toe challenge at The Studio Challenges.  I chose:
  * hot pink (lots of that)
  * four patterned papers (main papers and punched butterflies)
  * something that sparkles (rhinestones and glitter alphabets)

Thank you for visiting my blog! 

22/09/2014 EDIT TO ADD:  My layout was selected as a favourite at The Studio Challenge
23/09/2014 EDIT TO ADD: My layout was runner up at Mei Li Paperie

It's a celebration...

This week at Lasting Memories, we have the fun theme of Let's Celebrate ~ scrap a layout about any celebration.  Because it's such a universal theme, we're hoping for lots of entries! Birthdays, Christmas, festivals, weddings, anniversaries, New Year... 

I've started a new album for our trip to Sydney last month, where we attended a 90th birthday party, so I'd like to share this layout:



I created my layout using sketch #122 at Sketchabilities.  I love Karan's sketches, and the single photo ones are always so versatile.  I'm also submitting at Studio Challenges, where the current theme is to use buttons.  I used some fun layered felt flowers with wooden button centres:



My other favourite part is the layering, and I love how the title just blended in, with a little bit of DM to add dimension:



Other materials:
My Memories Chevrons - Aqua patterned paper
Creative Imaginations Narratives - Honeydew patterned paper
Glitz Designs Beautiful Dreamer - Polka patterned paper
My Minds Eye Everyday Tango - Lime Twist diecut alphabets
Plaid Dimensional Magic glaze
Kaisercraft Rhinestones - Turquoise
Portacraft Floral Stack felt flowers