Show Us Your Stuff December Challenge!

I can't believe this is the last Show Us Your Stuff challenge for 2014! And this month the challenge is to create something inspired by our fabulous Summer themed inspiration board (not forgetting to include a handmade embellishment!)

Here is the board...

And here is what I came up with...

{Papers by Echo Park and My Minds Eye}

Although it's not necessary to create a summer themed project, I just couldn't resist scrapping this cheeky pic of my boys that I took last summer. (Don't you just love little baby bums? hehe) When it came to paper choice for this layout I couldn't go past the aptly titled 'Perfect Summer' collection from Echo Park. I also used some of the cute coordinating stickers...

As the papers I used were quite busy already, I kept embellishments fairly minimal. I included a flair from Flutterby Designs, an acrylic die cut from Heidi Swapp and I even cracked open the old brad container and used a few of those!

I would love to see you all play along with us, we have a fabulous "Secret Santa" prize up for grabs this month! (Details on the blog HERE) :)

Scrap the Boys December Challenge!

So here we are - the last Scrap the Boys challenge for 2014, and this month it is a nice, easy one - a sketch! This month we are keeping it simple - you can interpret the sketch however you wish, and scrap any theme you like, as long as you are scrapping BOYS!

Here is the sketch...

And here is my layout...

{Papers by Simple Stories}

As you can see, I interpreted the sketch fairly loosely (as I do...hehe), but I am pretty sure you can still see the bones of it there?

Besides the Simple Stories papers which formed the basis of my layout, I also used a couple of Heidi Swapp ephemera pieces; a handmade star from Charms Creations; flair from Flutterby Designs and wood veneer stars & gold spot washi from D-lish Scraps. (Even I managed to keep it relatively simple this month!) ;)

Even though I know this month is super busy for everyone, I hope you will find a little time to join our challenge. (The sketch makes it really easy for you!) Plus we have THREE prizes up for grabs from our amazing sponsors - Scrapmatts, Scrappers Garden, and Scrapbook Fantasies, so get scrapping those boys! :)

Scrappy Canary November Sketch Challenge

One final layout from me this month, and yes, it's a challenge! I stumbled on the Scrappy Canary November sketch challenge and decided to play along.

Here is the sketch...

And here is my take on it...

{Papers by American Crafts; Glitz Designs; and Kaisercraft. 

Pocket cards by MAMBI. Transparency by Hambly Screenprints}

As you can see, the sketch is still visible in my layout, but I did manage to put my own spin on it! :)

{Flair by Flutterby Designs; acrylic number from Heidi Swapp}

{Heart die cut by American Crafts; wire from D-lish Scraps; glitter sticker by Heidi Swapp}

I really loved indulging in a total pink overload on this layout, it's been too long since I last did that!
Thanks for stopping by, I will be back tomorrow with the first of the new DECEMBER challenges for the month! (Eeeeeeek!) :)

D-lish Scraps November Inspiration Board

Some months it seems like the only scrapping I ever do is all for my DT commitments. Now don't get me wrong, I love being part of the teams I am on, and I really love that I have multiple opportunities to share my work and connect with people BUT sometimes its nice to create something that's not a "have to" or that I'm not under any pressure to get it finished in time.

So, I was determined this month to play along with at least one challenge just for myself. Top of my list was the D-lish Scraps Inspiration Board. (Of course, the fact I managed to snag one of this month's sold out "Just Add Paper Kits" that was perfect for it, probably helped too.)
Here is the board...

And here is my take on it...

{Papers by Crate Paper; Echo Park; Teresa Collins; Kaisercraft; Basic Grey; American Crafts;

Transparency by Hambly Screenprints; Die cuts from Heidi Swapp & American Crafts; Alphas by American Crafts}

I loved this board! Besides the colours, I also used the sketch to start (although I did deviate a bit). Specifically, the cushions inspired me to combine a mix of floral & patterned papers, including a strip of chevron; whilst the gold dots on the wedding cake immediately made me think 'gold sequins'; and just about every image on the board screamed 'layer upon layer' to me, so that's just what I did!

I did have a slight dilemma whilst creating this layout - I was in two minds about how best to use my D-lish kit. Did I "go for broke" and use as much as I could from my kit, or did I savour the contents and spread it across lots of layouts? (It's probably at this point I should make a small confession - I am a bit of a hoarder when it comes to my supplies.) You can probably now guess I opted for the latter. ;)

Anyway, I did manage to use quite a few D-lish goodies on my layout - gold glitter flag & scalloped trim; flair; flowers; washi and a quote from the Minifetti word sheet...

So happy I got to play along with this challenge! :)

Prima Princess for Wild About Scrap

Just a quick post from me sharing a layout I created using the Prima Princess collection for Wild About Scrap that was featured on the blog the other day.

Here are a couple of close-ups...

{Dusty Attic - Dusty in Bloom flower and Speech Bubble chipboard; Kaisercraft - Paper Blooms (sage)}

{Prima - Divine Roses, Prima Trinkets - Mixed media doll metal embellishments, Princess collection Fairytale flowers; Dusty Attic Heart Arrows chipboard and Dusty in Bloom flowers; Kaisercraft paper bloom}

Additional store products used:
Prima Elementals - 12 x 12 star stencil
Donna Salazar - Mix'd Media Inx
Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mist
Gesso

Detailed instructions (including photos) for how I created this layout can be found on the Wild About Scrap blog HERE
And don't forget there are heaps of bargains to be had in the Wild About Scrap store at the moment (including lots of Prima goodies!) Visit the Clearance section HERE to see what's available.
Shop til you drop! ;)

Show Us Your Stuff November Challenge

Back again today to share my take on another of this month's challenges - this time for Show Us Your Stuff. This month's challenge is a really fun one, because you get to choose your own criteria! DT member Amanda Hartmann has designed a "Choose Your Own Scrap Adventure" challenge for everyone...

I chose to use the word love; a 5x7 photo; stitching; and couldn't decide which embellishment, so used butterflies, bow & button! hehe

Here's what I came up with...

{Papers by Glitz Design; Jillibean Soup; Echo Park; Prima; Teresa Collins; Hambly Screenprints; 

and pocket cards by MAMBI.
Published Scrapbooking Memories Vol 17 No 11 - COVER layout!}

{Paper twine bow; Heidi Swapp acrylic die cut; and loving my paper straws right now!}

{Flutterby Designs flair; Lovelybug Bits n Bobs button & balsa wood butterfly; D-lish Scraps wood veneer star}

And yes, continuing my efforts to include some (meaningful) journaling...

{Heidi Swapp glitter word sticker; MAMBI journal card}

I hope you will all get a chance to play along with us this month and choose your own scrap adventure! We have a fantastic sponsor - Flutterby Designs, with us this month which is a prize definitely worth playing for! (You all know how much I looove me some Flutterby goodies!) Looking forward to seeing lots of entries! :)

Off the Rails November Challenge

The November challenge at Off the Rails is another beautiful mood palette inspired by autumn tones with a touch of purple...

I was immediately drawn to the yellows and green on the palette, but studiously ignored the purple (purple is not my favourite...LOL) I also thought I would use the quote as a title, and include flowers too.

Here is what I came up with...

{Papers by Echo Park; Jillibean Soup; Glitz Design; American Crafts; Sassafras Lass; Hambly Screenprints}

A couple of close-ups...

{Some gorgeous D-lish Scraps flowers, and my fave EVER piece of Hambly transparency}

{I love this cut out piece from Jillibean Soup's "Chilled Cucumber" range, it was perfect for this photo}

So there you have it - short & sweet today. You have until the end of the month to scrap your take on the mood palette and link it up on the blog. 

Happy scrapping! 

Scrap the Boys November Challenge

November!!! Just that word is enough to strike panic into me knowing that Christmas is hurtling towards us now (and that I am FAR from organised!) Anyway, the November challenge has now been revealed at Scrap the Boys and I really loved this one! This month's challenge theme is "the softer side"- we want to see your boys showing their softer side - think holding babies, stroking a pet, etc...

Here is my take on the challenge - scrapping my boys (particularly Hunter's) current obsession with dressing up...

{Papers by Studio Calico & Pebbles; alphas by American Crafts}

I loved that this challenge gave me the perfect excuse to scrap a "girly" style layout for my boys. (One I will definitely be whipping out at the 21st!) To go along with the fairy theme, I included a pair of chipboard wings and a wand that I had in my stash. These were first painted with gesso, then I dabbed on some purple mist and gold paint. Of course I also indulged my flower fetish - the ones on this LO are a mix of Kaisercraft from Wild About Scrap, and D-lish Scraps...

{Flair from D-lish Scraps}

I have been trying to make more of an effort to journal on my LO's lately, even if it's only brief, because what use is a pretty picture if you don't know the story behind it?

I hope you get the chance to play along with us this month. As always, there are some awesome prizes up for grabs - this month the sponsors include Scrapmatts, Scrappers Garden & D-lish Scraps! So what are you waiting for? Get scrapping! :)

Show Us Your Stuff October Challenge

Back again today, this time sharing my take on the October challenge at Show Us Your Stuff. This month it is a sketch challenge designed by my fellow DT member Chloe Nielsen, and of course, you have to include a handmade item! You will find Chloe's sketch HERE

Here is my take on it...

{Papers by Kaisercraft; Echo Park; and Teresa Collins; alphas by American Crafts}

Published in Scrapbooking Memories magazine Vol 18 No 2

A few close-ups...

{Heavenly Heart from Charms Creations; flair and chalk board photo cut out both from Flutterby Designs}

{Transparency by Kaisercraft; and gorgeous silver glitter washi tape from me!}

I would love to see lots of my friends playing along this month. There is an awesome prize from Kellie Stamps up for grabs, which you can see on the blog HERE. 

Happy scrapping! X

Canvas for Off the Rails

Just popping in today to share a canvas I created based on this month's mood palette at Off the Rails Scrapbooking. For those who haven't seen the palette yet, it looks like this...

As soon as I saw it, I was drawn to the bright, happy colours and I loved the quote too. It made me think of a special friend of mine who has been through some really tough times this year, and now she is coming out the other side, I wanted to create something for her to celebrate that.

Here's what I came up with...

Initially I had planned to use all the colours from the palette, but as my project evolved I found myself sticking to just the warm tones instead. I used a variety of materials for this canvas. Besides my mediums (gesso, mists, texture paste, gel medium), and the obvious flowers, I also included twine; a number of chipboard pieces (painted with gesso, then highlighted with mists brushed on); gauze; pearls; skeleton leaves; sequin butterflies; pins; and Project Life cards.

Here's a couple of close ups...

Now, I didn't end up stopping at just one canvas. After seeing what I had made, my partner asked me to create one for someone special to us following a death in our family. I decided it was easiest to simply stick to the same design, change the quote and use the remaining 2 colours from the palette instead.  

This is the only photograph I have of it which was taken on my phone in full sun outside the funeral, so the photo is less than perfect...

Thank you for stopping by and for all those who take the time to leave me comments. They really are appreciated. X

Scrap the Boys October challenge

It's been a rough week at our place this past week, so I am just playing catch up now.
I am sure many of you would have already seen the challenge at Scrap the Boys for this month - the theme is "Technology Savvy" (think iPads, phones, X Box, etc). Whilst my boys are both already clearly suckers for technology (they climb up and tap dance on my computer keyboard every time I turn my back), I immediately thought of a photo I had taken of one of them with his dad a while ago...

{Papers and embellishments from the 'Be Different' collection by Fancy Pants}

As you can see, I went with a clean, graphic style for this layout, as I thought it suited the theme better. The Fancy Pants papers I had from Wild About Scrap were perfect for it! Most of the embellishments were from the same range. I added machine stitching for some extra subtle texture & dimension.

{Flair from Flutterby Designs}

I tried SO hard to keep this page clean, but just HAD to add a few flicks of mist at the end...

{Fancy Pants 'Be Different' ticket roll tickets}

I hope you get a chance to play along with us this month. (I am sure everyone has at least one "tech" photo of a male in their life these days.) This month there are THREE prizes up for grabs for participants, so definitely worth playing for! :) 

Show Us Your Stuff September Challenge!

Mid-month reveal time at Show Us Your Stuff, and it's time to share my take on this month's gorgeous Spring themed mood board...

I found lots to inspire me - the soft pastel colours, the flowers, the hearts...

{Papers by Websters Pages; Teresa Collins and Basic Grey. Frame from My Minds Eye.}

As soon as I saw these papers by Websters Pages, I knew they would be perfect for this challenge! I even managed to scrap a photo I had long been hoarding (as full family photos are very rare around here!) 

Here are some close-ups...

{Ivory silk heirloom flower & flair button from D-lish Scraps; pin from A little bit fANTsy}

{Acrylic heart by Heidi Swapp; flowers from D-lish Scraps}

{Wood bit from Flutterby Designs}

{Photo cut out tab from Flutterby Designs}

I hope that everyone has a chance to play along with this month's challenge and share their take on this stunning board. There are plenty of elements to draw from, so something for everyone! Until next time, happy scrapping! X