Lilac Haze

 I found a fun "Inspiration Board" challenge at D-Lish Scraps:


I've always been a bit averse to purple - not because I dislike the colour, but because I find it really hard to coordinate the different shades.  So this really was a challenge for me!  I added a smidgen of teal/turquoise as a minor accent colour just like the photos in the inspiration board, and I 'm happy with the result.  Here's my layout:



This is one of my favourite photographs from 2013 - taken at the Creekside Cafe at Dolphin Marine Magic in Coffs Harbour, on my daughter's birthday.

Materials:
Spellbinders Nestabilities - Beaded Oval
Bazzill Basics cardstock
Three Bugs in a Rug Rhapsody patterned paper
Sassafras Lass In a Stitch blossoms - purple
Bo Bunny Jazmine stickers
Prima Homespun Elegance burlap flower
Kaisercraft rhinestones - turquoise
American Crafts Thickers - Shoebox alphabets
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphabet stickers
Signo gel pen - Violet

Scrap the Girls

Today I finished my layout entry for Scrap the Girls.  The January challenge is a sketch, and this is what I created:



Materials:
Echo Park Life is Good patterned paper
American Crafts/Dear Lizzy Thickers - Glitter letters
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphabet stickers
Martha Stewart Garden Trellis punch
American Crafts pearl brad
Prima Essentials flower
Making Memories Hydrangea blossom
Kaisercraft Snow White paper flower
Kaisercolour paint - white
May Arts plaid ruffle ribbon

Blue Fern Studios

I've been blog hopping this month. A lot. Having just returned to scrapping after quite a long break, I've been having a poke around, checking out my old favourites and discovering some new ones. I'd forgotten how addictive it can be.

I have to admit, I never heard of Blue Fern Studios before I came across Valerie Serfozo's blog.  (Thank you to Valerie for your kind comment on one of my layouts - which prompted me to link back to your blog. )  This US company has just released their first patterned paper collection - Blue Fern Garden - and it's beautiful.



The great news is that they have a very generous GIVEAWAY to celebrate the release - with chances to win the entire collection.  I've entered, keeping my fingers crossed, and also hoping I can source this collection in Australia!

C'est Magnifique

I'm a girl on a mission - I'm going to scrap as much as I can before I have to go back to work on Monday!  This layout was inspired by the Pink & Ribbon themed challenge at Really Reasonable Ribbons, and based on the January sketch at C'est Magnifique:



Here's a little detail shot of the lace, which is my favourite part of the layout:



Materials: I used lots of bits and pieces from my "pink" folder of scraps and oddments

And speaking of bits and pieces... C'est Magnifique is having a January 'Bits and Pieces' giveaway - how amazing is this?

Family vacation... the album begins

I have started an 8x8 album to record our 2013 family vacation.  We were away a full 5 days - the longest vacation we have had for over four years.  I took TONS of photographs and I plan to print up a bunch every few weeks to add to the album.  Hopefully it'll be done before year's end!

This layout is based on a sketch I found at Chic Tags for their Challenge Sunday:



It looks a lot brighter on screen than it does in real life! It's a bit of a change from my normal pages, but I enjoyed the challenge of using all the circles.  I personalised the page by adding handmade flowers and doodling around the edge.

Materials:
Bazzill cardstock
American Crafts pearl brads
Jillibean Soup Sprouts journalling tag
Lil Davis Away We Go journalling sticker
Carolee's Creations AdornIt alphabet stickers
Lots of paper scraps - Kaisercraft, Daisy Bucket, We R Memory Keepers, 7Gypsies, Scenic Route, Doodlebug (and a couple I can't remember)

White with one please...

I'm playing along at White with 1 this month, using this fun combination:



I love this combo!! I had lots of fun with my layout too, using paint and stitching:



Materials: 
Kaisercolour Mango paint
Bo Bunny Gypsy - Henna patterned paper
Green Tara 6cm petals - gold and orange
Prima Say it in Crystals swirls and circles
Kaisercraft rhinestones - orange
Scenic Route Ashville label sticker
Making Memories Tiny Alphabet stickers
Carolee's Creations AdornIt alphabet stickers

Flashback to Christmas 2010

We've had a heatwave the past few days and it's been too hot to work outdoors in the garden - a great excuse to stay indoors and scrap! Working my way through an envelope of assorted older photographs, I came across some from Christmas 2010.

Scrapping Everyday Miracles is featuring a lovely multi-photo sketch this month which was perfect to get this set scrapped all at once.

Scrapbook Fantasies Challenge #1/2014 is to use a number in the title:



Materials: 
Bo Bunny Mamarazzi patterned paper
Crate Paper Emma's Shoppe patterned paper
Making Memories Noteworthy glitter diecuts
American Crafts Thickers - Subway foam alphabets
Christmas ribbon from a Crafty Ribbons prize pack

PS - Here's a flashback to Sept 2011 - a layout I created about one of Jasmine's sewing projects using her machine.

28/01/2014 edit to add:  My layout was selected as a Scrapping Everyday Miracles Design Team Fave

04/02/2014 edit to add:  My layout was selected as a winner at Scrapbook Fantasies :)

Friends

On New Year's Day I was thrilled to spend the afternoon with a very dear friend and her new husband.  I met Miss D when I first started scrapbooking, and we have remained friends ever since.  We live in different parts of the country and only meet up in person every couple of years.  So spending those precious few hours together at Surfers Paradise was a wonderful way to start off the year.

I thought it was fitting to use a photograph from 1st January as the subject of one of my first layouts of 2014:



I'm submitting my layout for the 'Friends Forever' theme at Scrapping Everyday Miracles.

Happy New Year

 Photograph taken 31/12/2013 Viney Park, Coomera

The New Year has arrived, and it's time for me to return to my creative pursuits.

My main creative goal in 2014 is to set aside at least 1 hour a week for scrapbooking and/or other craft projects.

My next creative goal is to finish at least one layout this week.  Watch this space.

Some other goals for 2014 - in no particular order:

• Ride the Wheel of Brisbane
• Climb Bald Rock summit
• Attend a meditation retreat at Chung Tian
• Paint the bathroom
• Dine at a Turkish restaurant
• Read:  "The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul" (it's been on my bookshelf for 2 years!

There's more, not to be shared here.  Some are personal and some are professional.  Maybe one of my creative projects should be a "Goals and dreams for 2014" journal?  Hmmm...

Abandoned? Not really.

I feel I have abandoned my blog... but really, I still consider it a hiatus.

My blog has always been about my crafting projects, not about my "real" life.  Real life has taken some interesting and unexpected turns over the past 18 months or so, leaving very little time for craft projects.  Also, I don't share my personal trials and tribulations in the public arena.  Thus, nothing to blog about in this space. And blog-hopping only makes me feel like I'm missing out :(

I need to immerse myself in a project to enjoy it.  I need to surround myself with supplies. I need the time and space to clear my mind and just let go and create... and I haven't had that luxury for, well, it feels like forever.

On the plus side, I have been involved in some other wonderful things - volunteering in my local area, gardening - taming the wilderness just a little bit, and attending my daughter's school activities - which have taken up time and energy and also generated some great photographs!  So when I get back to scrapping (and I believe I will) I will have no shortage of subject matter.

So, not abandoned.  Just set aside.  For now.

Handmade flowers

We're focussing on handmade flowers this week at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge. I made some fabric yo-yo flowers to adorn a cheap little tank top:

Catching up

I've a few personal issues to overcome lately and I haven't had a lot of time or energy to devote to crafting or blogging.  This is a layout I completed for C.R.A.F.T. Challenge last month:

 

Just a quick, fun 8x8 layout using some leftover bits and pieces, based on the sketch provided.  Memories of Harriet Jersey Caramel, who is no longer with us...

No designer paper...

When I first started scrapping, I tended to shy away from patterned paper, but now my collection is so huge and varied that I rarely make anything without it. So, this week's theme at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge did push me a bit to look beyond my papers and use NO DESIGNER PAPER:



I used: Cuttlebug 'Jules Jewells' EF, and Affirmations quotation card

I'm also posting my card in the following challenges:

# Allsorts ~ Free & easy February
# Crafty Cardmakers ~ Monochrome magic

Jasmine's card

Jasmine loves joining in as a Junior DT at CRAFT Challenge.  This week she made a Valentine's Day card for her best friend, using NO DESIGNER PAPER:

Jasmine used Bazzill cardstock and some foam hearts, which we found in our local craft store.

This card is also for:
#  Dream Valley ~ Valentine
#  Hooked on Craft ~ Hearts

Love, love, love...

All you need is love...

I've had a break from crafting over the past little while, due to some events beyond my control.  I really missed the peace and relaxation that creating something brings me, and it's fabulous to be able to return to something I love.

This week at CRAFT Challenge, we have a Valentine's Day theme.  I wasn't able to create a card in advance or to use any of our fabulous sponsor images, but I did alter a little gift bag to use for the occasion, using some fabric scraps.  Here it is:

 

I'd like to submit my gift bag for the following challenges:

# Hooked on Craft ~ Hearts
# Crafting for all Seasons ~ Love is in the Air

Grateful

 

"It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks."

I don't know the author, but the words resonated very clearly with me, and I wanted to share them.  The photograph is mine.

Today I am thankful for the obstacles and lessons of the past month, for the gift of life, and for the blessings I find in my life every single day.  I'm ready now to move forward.

Here's the full poem:

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire.

If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don’t know something

For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.

During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations

Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge

Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.

They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary

Because it means you’ve made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.

Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings.

Another card

This time of year, I'm finding it so hard to fit in crafting time.  But I still managed to make one more Christmas card for C.R.A.F.T. Challenge.  The theme is "Christmas card with removeable item".  I made a double pocket card and added some flavoured teabags, for my husband's aunt: 



Our sponsor this week is Bows and Berries, and I used the adorable Warm Penguin image.  I also used:  Fancy Pants patterned paper, Echo Park patterned paper (for the paper piecing) and Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphabet stickers.

To make the card, I followed this tutorial at Splitcoast Stampers.

I'm submitting my card at:
# My Mum's Craft Shop ~ Cute and funky Christmas
# Paper Sundaes ~ Anything Christmas

A card sketch

This week at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge we have a sketch.  We have two wonderful sponsors and so I've made two different cards.

The first card uses 'Funky Flower' from Floppy Latte Designs:



What I did:
1> I resized the image to create several different sized flowers.
2> I printed the flowers onto patterned paper (Echo Park 'Victoria Gardens')
3> I cut out the flowers, crumpled them, then layered them.
4> I secured the centres - a Basic Grey brad for the big one, and a button for the smaller one.


The next card uses 'Asia' from Glitterbabe:



What I did:
1> I printed one image onto cardstock, and fussy cut around the edges.
2> I printed a second copy of the image onto patterned paper.
3> I cut out the patterned image and paper-pieced the kimono onto the first image.
4> I added some extra colour with gel pens, then assembled the card with embellishments.

I used: Scenic Route paper, Limetree Creations doily, Kaisercraft tiny alphabet stickers, and my own fabric yo-yo flowers.

I'm submitting this card at:
# Crazy Challenge ~ Anything goes

Guest designing

I'm guest designing over at ARTastic this month, and I'm also providing a RAK prize for one of the winners.

The December challenge is inspired by Thomas Kincade's painting 'A Blessing of Christmas'. The other criteria are: include a snowman, include a Christmas tree, include 'Christmas' in the title.

I have to say, I did find this quite challenging on a number of levels. First, I have hardly any Christmas photographs remaining unscrapped. Next, we don't have snow at Christmas in Australia, so combining the criteria was a little tricky!


Click to enlarge

I took inspiration from the soft lighting in the painting, which gives a kind of ethereal 'blurry' effect. I chose a blurry Christmas photograph from last year, and some dark papers. No snowmen for me, but I thought that the white spotty patterned paper did give a kind of 'snowy' effect... maybe? And the Christmas trees - I made them myself from some offcuts and added a little machine stitching and pearls:



I used papers from 7 Gypsies and Bo Bunny 'Mamarazzi', Lily Bee Designs alpha stickers, lace, Kaisercraft pearls, and some upcycled product tags from a recent shopping trip.

Something different

This week at C.R.A.F.T. Challenge our theme is 'Christmas Present' - perfect timing for sharing our Christmas gift crafting projects!  One of things I love about the C.R.A.F.T. Challenge blog is that any project is okay - it can be a card, layout, or any kind of hand crafted item.  We encourage young crafters to join in too - everyone is welcome.

I made something a bit different - it's a beaded bookmark:

Not so easy to photograph - in real life it looks pretty cool :)  This is how it's used:





The pictured book is How to Guzzle Your Garden - a non-fiction children's book by Australian author Jackie French.