Adventure Awaits

Love, love, love this mood board at Life.Paper.Scrapbook:

I was inspired by the colours, the layered documents, and the words "adventure awaits".

My layout design was inspired by Sketchabilities #118:



I'm also submitting my layout at Scrapbook Fantasies for their challenge to create a layout about bird/s.

Materials:
Cosmo Cricket 2wenty Thr3e - Postcards patterned paper
Pink Paislee 365º Degrees - Daydream patterned paper
Polar Bear Press Rustic Retreat patterned paper
Prima flowers - assorted collections
Bazzill Basics Primula - Slate Blue paper flower
Kaisercraft Mini Alpha - Cream alphabet stickers

Swirlydoos and shopping my stash

I created this layout using the June sketch from Swirlydoos:




I used some new photos and old papers, and I also 'shopped my stash' to join in the challenge from Scrap Our Stash:

Scrap Our Stash criteria:
* punches (3 types - heart, butterflies, daisies)
* diecut (Spellbinders - Nestabilities Beaded Oval)
* flowers (3)
* tags (2)
* buttons (3)

The challenge at A2Z Scraplets this month is a fun one too - it's a puzzle challenge, to include each of these shapes:

A2Z Scraplets challenge criteria:
Scraplet ~ title, inked in black
Arrow ~ handcut from patterned paper and layered onto my tags.
Heart ~ punched from patterned paper, outlined with fine marker, and positioned behind the title.
Zigzag ~ machine stitching in black thread
Clock ~ layered with paper flower on righthand side of layout




Other challenges:
Crafty Ribbon - Anything Goes - I used gingham ribbon and plain satin ribbon

Materials:
Kaisercraft Sublime - Vogue patterned paper
Kaisercraft 5cm Lime paper flowers
Prima Brights Mix paper flower
Heidi Swapp Ghost Shapes - Clock
A2Z Scraplets PL Word - Love this Life chipboard title
ColorBox Catseye - Black pigment ink
May Arts gingham ribbon
Kaisercraft Rhinestones - black

Perfect Day

In May,  I played along at Country View Challenges for the first time, and I was thrilled to be offered a Guest Designer spot for July.

This month the theme is Stencil It.  I am very new to the world of mixed media, and it is only recently that I have started using stencils on my layouts.

For this layout, I used a 6x6 stencil to apply texture paste to my base cardstock.  It took quite a while, because I had to wait till the first application dried before I could reapply the stencil to the next part of the layout, because of the wide overlapping edges.

When it was dry, I painted over the top with Twinkling H2O's water colour - which was really fun!  Not only did I get an unexpected resist effect, but it is also very shiny!  Unfortunately the photographs don't do it justice.

I used a sketch from Chic Tags to create my layout, and this is what I created:



And here is a little detail shot of the stenciled texture:



I'm also submitting my layout at:
* Scrap Challenge Yourself - Oh boy!



Materials:
Scrap FX Whirlpools 6x6 stencil
LuminArte Twinkling H2O - Garnet watercolour paint
Kaisercraft Pink Damask printed tape
Portacraft paper flowers
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphabet stickers
Bo Bunny Passion Fruit Dot cardstock
Chic Tags Vintage Note Stamps journal tags

A card for Peter

Just a quick share of a gift card that I made for Peter:



He tells me it's Louis Bleriot's monoplane...

Submitted at these challenges:
* Scrap it Girl - Things with Wings
* Crafty Ribbons - Stitching
* Flying Unicorns - Monochromatic

Materials:
Coredinations Nightfall cardstock
American Crafts Travel Collection - Bus Pass patterned paper
Echo Park For the Record - Element Stickers
Satin spotted ribbon

Karen and the boys

This week at Lasting Memories we have a sketch challenge, and just for something different, it's a double pager:



The sketch was designed by our June sponsor, Stacey Lokovic, from Inspired to Scrap.  I changed the sketch just a smidgeon to work with my photographs:
(Click to enlarge) 



About this layout:  The "boys" and I serve as volunteer firefighters at our local rural brigade - the photographs were taken at the wedding of our First Officer last month.  Usually when we meet up we're in fire gear or old work clothes... so it was quite an occasion to be "all dressed up"!  They all looked very handsome in collared shirts and ties, and I think they were probably shocked to see me in a frock and make up ;)   (I scrapped a layout with the girls last month.)

I wanted to add flowers and butterflies to the layout, but I didn't want it to look too "girly" so I tried to strike a balance by choosing my colour scheme very carefully.  I'm happy with the teal and orange :)



I'm also submitting my layout at:
* Back Porch Memories - Alissa's patterned paper challenge - two papers from different manufacturers
* Scrap Challenge Yourself - Oh boy! 
* Southern Girls Challenge - Use punches


Materials:
Basic Grey Sublime - Raspberry Blue patterned paper
Echo Park Life is Good - Brown Floral patterned paper (reverse side)
Echo Park A Walk in the Park - Flutter patterned paper (reverse side)
Prima E-line - Aqua paper flowers
Petaloo Botanica - Mini - Teal flowers
Kaisercraft Rhinestones - Deep Yellow
Martha Stewart Garden Trellis deep edge punch
Butterfly punch
WRMK Comstock Collection - Miracles chipboard alphabets
MFT Die-namics - Little Letters alphabet dies
MFT Die-namics - Little Lowercase Letters alphabet dies
Sullivans Regal Trim - magenta & silver

A dip in the creek

This layout was inspired by the mood board at Frosted Designs:

 

and the sketch challenge at Purple Pumpkin:

Materials:
Basic Grey Perhaps - Daphne patterned paper
UHK Gallery Winter is Coming - Wheel of Fortune patterned paper
American Crafts Thickers - Rainboots glitter foam alphabets
Sassafras Lass Mix'n'Mend - Sweet Treats stickers
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphabet stickers

Sunshine

The weather experts tell us it will be a warmer winter this year, but I can still feel it getting colder!  Perfect weather for hiding inside and scrapping...  and I still have an abundance of summer photographs to scrap too.

This layout was inspired by the sketch challenge at Scrap our Stash.  I used one larger photograph instead of the two in the sketch, all the other elements of the sketch are there:



The extra criteria:
> enamel dots/sequins: I don't either of those items, but because the spirit of the challenge is to use your stash, I decided to make my own enamel dots.  I cut out some some small circles using the scraps of patterned paper from this layout, and added an enamel effect using Dimensional Magic:
> two different alphas: Check!  ... I love doing this!




At Crafty Ribbons this week's challenge is to include stitching and of course, ribbon. I love machine stitching on my layouts - and for this one I stitched around the distressed paper strips:



I used some vintage trim from my habby-stash (actually, I think this trim might have come from my mum's stash originally!)

I'm also submitting at Back Porch Memories.  This is another layout with lots of buttons (Danielle's challenge) and also several different patterned papers from different manufacturers (Alissa's challenge).

Materials:
Pink Paislee Queen Bee - Worker Bee patterned paper
Basic Grey Sublime - Cinnamon patterned paper
Cosmo Cricket 2wenty Thr3e - Postcards patterned paper
Carolee's Creations AdornIt - Tiny Whoopsy Red alphabet stickers
GCD Studios Red Glitter alphabet stickers
Portacraft paper flowers

Bannerific

This week at Lasting Memories our theme is "Bannerfic" - with a challenge to use banners on your layout.  I chose to use up some scraps on my layout, and my banners are laid horizontally:




I used the sketch from Life.Paper.Scrapbook. and I also used buttons for Danielle's challenge at Back Porch Memories.  Here's the full layout:



As for the full story about the tumbleweeds ~  We were on a LONG drive and somehow we got to  talking about movies and special effects and stereotypes, and we were laughing about how there were always tumbleweeds in the old American westerns.  My husband recalled seeing a YouTube compilation of tumbleweed scenes, and was telling me about some of the funnier ones.  And then, only a few minutes later, a tumbleweed came out of nowhere across the road in front of us.  Honestly!  Tumbleweeds are NOT something that are commonly seen in the Australian landscape, at least not in the parts of the country where we had travelled.  But here we were, in the middle of nowhere, and suddenly for the next 50-80 km we saw tumbleweeds everywhere!  So of course, we had to stop and play with one and get some photographs...

Materials:
K & Company Mira - Chocolate Rose patterned paper
Dream Street Menagerie - Foliage patterned paper
Basic Grey Perhaps - Daphne patterned paper
WorldWin Colormates - Orange cardstock
Cuttlebug Floral Fantasy embossing folder
American Crafts Thickers - Niki Riki glitter alphabets
Bazzill Basics Bitty Blossoms - Arroyo flowers
Imaginisce Bazzill Itty Bitty Blossoms - Red flower
Portacraft paper flower - orange

Video tutorial

I've been dabbling a little with mixed media techniques, trying to gain confidence with small projects first. Elena Murgun has a wonderful video tutorial on her blog, which shows how to make a mixed media heart like this one:



She's also giving this one away!  Check her blog for details (link above).

Friends Forever

This week at Lasting Memories AND at S.W.A.T the theme is "Selfies".   I'm not huge on taking selfies but my daughter is!  I think it's quite funny really - these days she hates it when I take her photograph but she'll pose for hundreds of selfies...

This is my layout:




I'm joining in at Craft Hoarders Anonymous for their Fold It challenge.  I love making concertina flowers and couldn't resist adding one to this layout:



Also submitting at:
Back Porch Memories - Danielle P's button challenge



Materials:
Echo Park Victoria Gardens - Blooming Blossoms patterned paper
Echo Park For the Record - Noteworthy patterned paper
Echo Park A Walk in the Park - Element Card
Pink Paislee Queen Bee - Worker Bee patterned paper
Martha Stewart Floral Lace decorative edge punch
Prima E-line - White paper flowers

Harriet

I came across an envelope of photos which were printed a few years ago - somehow they had escaped being scrapped...  so I started on them this week.

This one is a quick layout about the late Harriet Jersey Caramel, guinea pig extraordinnaire:



Challenges:

* Scrapbook Fantasies - Weekly Challenge #22 - Create a layout about a pet or animal
* Flying Unicorn - Monochromatic challenge

Make a wish...

This is the June Inkido moodboard:

I chose to use a vintage-inspired text-print background for my layout:



I used sketch #92 at Feeling Sketchy as my starting point, and a gorgeous A2Z Scraplets laser cut as the feature embellishment.  I painted the title in two contrasting colours, then covered with Dimensional Magic to give it shine:



I'm also submitting at Country View Challenges this month, for their Only Men Allowed theme.

Materials:
A2Z Scraplets Make a Wish chipboard title
Making Memories Scrapbook Colors - Ocean Blue acrylic paint
Kaisercolour Mango acrylic paint
Glitz Designs Beautiful Dreamer - Polka patterned paper

UPDATE 7/7/14:   My layout was featured as one of the Top Picks at Feeling Sketchy:

Scrap the girls

This month the challenge at Scrap the Girls is to take inspiration from their new banner:

This is my layout:

 

I was inspired by the pink spotted background and the dark pink roses.

Materials:
Trinket Track laser cut frame
Kaisercolour Candy acrylic paint
Bo Bunny Passion Fruit Dot cardstock
American Crafts Thickers - Giggles foam alphabets
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphabet stickers

Tags

I don't make tags very often; I find it really, really hard to work on such a little canvas and I get stuck for ideas.  I had some leftover corrugated card from another project so I trimmed it up and decided to decorate it as a tag set:



Here's a little close up of the bronze birdie charms:




I was inspired by the following challenges:

* Flying Unicorn - Make a tag using metal
* Scrap it Girl - Things with wings

Materials:
corrugated card
Kaisercolour Candy acrylic paint
Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage Creative Scraps - Garden images
Prairie Bird Boutique wrinkled ribbon
American Crafts Dear Lizzy - Spring House crocheted flowers
Inque Boutique Isn't it Romantic - Mini Felts shapes
DMC embroidery thread

Wishing you blue skies

Our theme at Lasting Memories this week is "Wishing you blue skies" - and the challenge is to create a layout using blue and white.

Blue is one of my favourite colours, so I loved this challenge!  I based my layout on the current sketch at Swirlydoos:



I coloured the flowers and the leaves with paint and glitter to tie it all together:



I'm also submitting my layout for:
* Scrapbook Fantasies - Weekly Challenge #21 - Create a layout using leaves
* Scrap our Stash - Stash Challenge - Create a monochromatic layout using five different embellishments (flowers, leaves, pearl flourish, alphabet stickers, rubons)
* Scrap Challenge Yourself - Oh boy! 
* Just Two Midwest Girls - Let's Go Monotone

Materials:
Bazzill Basics cardstock
UHK Gallery Winter is Coming - Wheel of Fortune patterned paper
UHK Gallery Winter is Coming - Letter from Home patterned paper
Prima Nieve - Crysanthemum paper flowers
Prima leaves
Prima Say it in Pearls flourish
Making Memories Scrapbook Color - Cornflower acrylic paint
Derivan Crystal Glitter acrylic paint
Pink Paislee Holly Doodle - White alphabet stickers
Basic Grey Bling it On rubons & rhinestones
Tsukineko VersaColor - Polar Blue ink

Selfy

This is my layout based on the May Sketch It Out challenge at Chic Tags:




The materials and colours were inspired by last week's Snow Holiday challenge at the Scrapbooking Top 50 Australia cybercrop.

Materials:
Chic Tags Birthday Cake - Artisans journalling card
Kaisercraft Candy acrylic paint
Bo Bunny Gypsy Lace patterned paper
Prima E-line - Aqua paper flowers
Petaloo Flora Doodle daisies
Bazzill Wings of Imagination - Polka Dot brads
American Crafts Thickers - Sprinkles glitter alphabet
upcycled corrugated cardboard

Savvy cybercropping

I only managed to complete one layout for the Scrapbook Savvy cybercrop this month; this one is for Chloe's sketch challenge:



Materials:
Bo Bunny Passion Fruit Dot cardstock
Kaisercraft Pink Damask washi tape
Echo Park Victoria Gardens - Element Stickers sentiment
Twin Seven DIY Tapes - Harlequin washi tape
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type alphabet stickers

Life.Paper.Scrapbook

This is the May mood board at Life.Paper.Scrapbook.

I adore the colours, and I took inspiration from the circles and alphabets.  I created my layout using the perfect complementary sketch at Scrap Challenge Yourself:




Materials:
Cosmo Cricket Social Club - Manhattan patterned paper
Cosmo Cricket Social Club - Blue Eyes patterned paper
Echo Park Life is Good - Happy Borders patterned paper
Prima E-line - Aqua paper flowers
Kaisercraft Rhinestones - Deep Yellow
Twin Seven DIY Delights - Winter Trees washi tape
Twin Seven DIY Delights - Harlequin washi tape
Cosmo Cricket Social Club journal sticker

Emu

I used up **lots** of scraps for this week's Lasting Memories layout share.  The theme is 'going wild' - we're asking you to share your layouts about animals.

My photographs were taken during our long drive to Lightning Ridge last year.  Living in a rural area, we are used to seeing kangaroos everywhere, but this was the first time we had seen emus in such great number:




Materials:
Black Market Paper Society Letters from Paradise - Desert Palm Shores patterned paper
Arctic Frog By the Sea - Floral Wave patterned paper
Chatterbox Scrapbook Walls - Sky Paisley patterned paper
Basic Grey Wisteria - White Dynasty patterned paper
Memento Pluie/Rain patterned paper
Bazzill Basics - Whirlpool cardstock
Making Memories Velvet - Peapod alphabet stickers
Kaisercraft Rhinestones - black
Bella Flowerz - black
Prima E-line - Green paper flowers

Circle of Friends

For the record, I'm NOT a "girly" girl.  At all.  I am most comfortable in jeans and tshirt, and I never wear skirts or dresses to work.

On Mothers' Day this year I attended a very special wedding which, of course, required me to dress up (in a DRESS!)  It doesn't happen very often [some of my friends have never seen me wear a dress - I think the last time was at my brother's wedding around six years ago...]

I created this layout for the Mothers Day challenge at A2Z Scraplets, using the May sketch from C'est Magnifique:





I used Doodlet-18 which I painted white, then coated with glitter varnish:




I'm also submitting at Scrapbook Fantasies for the friendship theme.

Other materials:
Dream Street Romantique - Simplicity patterned paper
Heidi Swapp Ghost Shapes - Pink Flowers
Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - Key Lime Pie
Making Memories Boho Chic - Tiny Alphas stickers
Kaisercolour White acrylic paint
Derivan Crystal Glitter acrylic varnish
Portacraft paper flowers