Buttons and Bows

The Crafting in Style Buttons and Bows cybercrop has inspired me this weekend, and I'm all over the place with my layouts... all different colours and styles, which is fun!!

Challenge 1: Sketch challenge
This is actually Manon's challenge, but I created the digi sketch based on her original LO:


Credit: digital elements by July Designs

My layout has heaps of product from the May Scarlet Lime kit, as well as lots of older product from my stash... still on a use-my-stash mission!!




Challenge 3: Technique challenge
Keeping with the 'buttons and bows" theme, I set a challenge to use handmade paper ribbons on a layout. This is my sample layout:



DT challenge:
Once again the CISters nominated three criteria for the DT to scrap - this month it was felt, flourishes and bling:




Mini challenge:
Scrapping a layout inspired by a tshirt - I chose the red/white spotty shirt, and this is my layout:

New New New

Crafting in Style has moved to a new home. The format is new to all of us so, the CISters are learning together and decorating is still ongoing :)

Manon Keir and Laura Overdyk have joined the design team and I'm really looking forward to working with these talented ladies. I'm a little sad that my dear friend Liz has stepped down, but she has moved on to some new adventures of her own too.

There's also a new Stylish Sketch Blog team AND a new Stylish Card Blog team... so it's going to be lots of fun working with such a diverse group of creative people.

On the weekend we'll be putting the new forum through its paces with the November cybercrop:

Another Stylish class kit

... now in the store at Crafting in Style.




PS: Something very exciting is happening at CIS... coming VERY soon.

Boutique scrapping

The Scrap Boutique had another fun cybercrop over the weekend.

I created this layout based on Liz's sketch:



For another challenge by Liz I stepped out of my comfort zone to create a shaped card:



Kate's challenge was to 'scrap like Kate' and use distressing, brads,brackets, staples, paint, and ribbon:



Manon's Sunday Roast challenge was a fun 'blind scrapping' challenge. This kind of challenge takes me out of my comfort zone in a huge way. I was thrilled with the result:





Some of the other monthly challenges at the Boutique ~

"Big O" challenge:





I started with the 'Original' chipboard embellishment and built my layout around it, which was an interesting way to scrap :)

Stylist challenge:



The first part of the criteria was to use a non-digital photograph, and the second part was to incorporate this quote: “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

Bits and pieces at CIS

Just a little summary about what's been happening at Crafting in Style, quite a lot really!

Ready, Steady, Scrap is just about over. The challenges have finished and the winners will be announced once the votes have been counted. This is my interpretation of Recipe 5 (cooked up by Tam):




A new mid-monthly challenge has been launched today. Something a little bit different ~ kind of like a scraplift, kind of like a puzzle, kind of like an inspiration challenge...

I really enjoyed scrapping the sample layout because it brought back some special memories of a fun morning out in Brisbane with some of the lovely CISters - Jolene, Leone and Ally:




I've also been creating some more class kits. These two Stylish Class Kits are up in the store:

100% Original (Can you tell I still love orange??)



Some Kind of Wonderful (I'm loving the Cosmo Cricket 'Fleuriste' range)

Sweets and Treats

October cybercropping at Crafting in Style is all about 'Sweets and Treats'.

It's my turn to host the sketch challenge this month. This is my sketch, and my layout:





I just love this sweet Irish blessing:
May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.


This is my layout for Liz's technique challenge:




Once again the CISters have provided a DT challenge. This month the criteria is circles, OTP and pink. I made a simple Christmas tree ornament from a ribbon spool, inspired by a project I saw on Julie's blog last year.






And the last one isn't mine. It's a layout share from the littlest scrapper in our house, created for the Little CISters and Bro's challenge, with the theme of scrapping a favourite treat. I'm very proud of her because she took time to plan her layout this time, and even did a practice run with the stamped title:

Sketching with the CISters

This is my contribution to the CISters Stylish Sketches blog for October.

It was my turn to do a sketch, and I also did a sample layout:





Credits: I used elements from July Designs to create the digital sketch.

The fabulous sketch CISters have done some gorgeous, gorgeous layouts again this week; I just love how a basic sketch can be interpretted so many different ways.

Mars Bar inspiration

Over at Scrap Boutique I joined in the Long Weekend Challenge and created a layout based on a Page Maps sketch:



Mars Bar slice:

3 Mars Bars
3 dessertspoons butter
3 cups rice bubbles
1 family sized chocolate block

* Chop up the Mars Bars.
* Add Mars Bars and butter into a bowl and microwave till melted together.
* Stir in the rice bubbles.
* Spoon mixture into a tray and press down.
* Melt the chocolate block and spread over the top of the slice.
* Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes, then cut into pieces.

September round up (part 2)

Just a few more layouts from September:

This layout was for Manon's inspiration challenge at Scrap Boutique. I've been wanting to scrap those pictures for a while and I'm so happy with how the layout came together with hardly any product at all:




The next one was for a Basic Grey product challenge at Scrap Pile ~ everything Basic Grey except for the flowers and ribbon:





This one is based on the September sketch over at Scrap Lounge:

September round up (part 1)

Just a few layouts to share that I completed here and there throughout September ~

Over at Scrap Pile I completed two of the cybercrop challenges.

The challenge by Leone was to scrap a non-people photograph taken within ten minutes of home:




The challenge by Leah was to scrap a spring layout inspired by the qpac website. I made a digital layout based on a template by Queen of Quirk (Jan Crowley) and using some of her new Art Greco products, which I dramatically altered to suit my colour scheme:




At the Scrap Boutique "Spring to it" cybercrop I finished three layouts.

The first one was based on Liz's sketch:




The next one was for Kate's challenge to use products by only one manufacturer (I chose Scenic Route). My favourite part was doodling on the alphas to match the patterned paper:




The last one was for a challenge by Manon, to use spring colours, paint, and something found in a spring-clean of my stash (some old Heidi Swapp rub-ons). I scrapped the same photograph twice - this layout is for my mother-in-law for Christmas (and I can very safely assume she will not see this blog entry, not having a computer nor knowing how to use one!)

Happy 40th birthday

Happy birthday Liz!!

Just for you:



And don't forget to drop in to the CISters Stylish Sketches for some more special birthday presents :)

Coming soon

A shameless plug for my latest Stylish Class Kit over at Crafting in Style:

Sketch-blogging with the CISters

This is my September contribution to CISters Stylish Sketches, based on a sketch by Liz:



It's fun doing little boy layouts for a change, only wish I had some more little boy photographs. Although... I don't know that I scrap them any differently to my little girl layouts, because
1> My little girl layouts aren't really all that girly
2> I can find a place for flowers on any layout, even a boy layout

Still cooking

Not a lot of scrapping happening again this week, but I've still been cooking up some creations for Crafting in Style.

This week it's my turn to present the weekly 'recipe' for Ready, Steady, Scrap.



I've really enjoyed all the recipes so far. My favourite layout has been the one based on Recipe 2 by Manon. I especially liked creating with all the different patterned paper layers, which is a bit out of my comfort zone, and I loved the result:



In other CISter news I also have a few new class kits underway. Not quite ready to share those yet but I may have some sneak peeks in a few days.

Just a catch-up

With too much going on with my work schedule and also experiencing the dreadful migraines again, I haven't been creating very much. Just a small catch up:

This one was created for a cyber crop challenge by Leone:



I was thrilled to be a winner for this one and I'm going shopping at Scrap Pile again soon. Yay!

Another cyber crop challenge, based on a sketch over at Scrap Therapy, and it also fitted in nicely with Ally's technique challenge over at our CIS cyber crop:



I really need to use those Fancy Pants stamps more often, because they are gorgeous!


I used heaps of buttons for the Scrap Boutique Stash Stomper challenge:

Spicing it up!

The Crafting in Style "Spice it Up" cyber crop is now on (a week earlier than usual, just for this month).

This is my layout based on Liz's sketch:




It was my turn to do an OTP challenge this month. I struggle with OTP projects so I kept it simple and tied it in with the theme, and made a very small altered jar.











'Challenge the DT' criteria (decided by the forum members) was to use paint, purple and four photographs:




Other CIS news:

My newest Stylish Class Kit - 'Mild Panic' - is up in the store. This is the layout:



These class kits are excellent value, under $10, with enough product for the layout AND a bonus card design, and it includes full colour step-by-step instructions. I am in love with teal and red!!

Keep'n the Memories

Thank you so much to Toni for the opportunity to be a guest designer for September at Keep'n the Memories. I've been working with some gorgeous products from the KTM Dude Kit - lots of bright Prima 'Dude Collection' double-sided papers and some fun coordinating embellishments.

These are some of the layouts I created with the kit:






As guest designer I also had fun setting the monthly challenges:

Sketch challenge ~

The sketch was created using the elements from Digi Crea "Devine" collaborative kit, and my layout was created using more products from the KTM Dude Kit:






Criteria Challenge ~



Full details of this challenge and also the Card Challenge can be found over on the Keep'n the Memories forum.