Scrapbooking Top 50 February Challenges

Talk about last minute! I found myself at a bit of a loose end today so decided to do a challenge. I found this cute "Love" themed mood board at Scrapbooking Top 50 so thought I would give it a go...

The first thing that jumped out at me was the red, white & black colour combo, along with the pop of glittery gold; I also drew inspiration from the doilies, the word 'love' and of course, hearts.

Here's what I came up with...

{Papers by Prima Marketing}

Given that these are not the usual style of papers I scrap with, I was pretty happy with how this layout came out. Here's some close-ups...

{Flair, flowers and gold doily from D-lish Scraps}

{Large flower from Manor House Creations, other flowers from D-lish Scraps, die cut by Shimelle for American Crafts}

I wasn't the only one scrapping today - my 6 year old daughter Brielle was also busy. She spotted the kids challenge that had also been posted on Top 50 and insisted on having a go (her first ever challenge!) The kids challenge was to create a layout and include at least one heart.

Here is her layout...

She says "this layout is about my birthday party last year. I used the scrapbooking stuff mum and dad gave me for Christmas. Mum cut me some hearts and I chose green glitter paper".

I think she got enough hearts on there! So proud of her efforts. (I had to help her by cutting the paper to her specifics, as I usually cut with a ruler & knife and I don't trust her with that yet!) The design is all her own (but I do think I can see some influence of my style in her work). :)

Thanks for popping by! (If you do happen to leave any words of encouragement for Brielle, I will make sure she sees them, thank you!) X

Flying High for Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Well here it is - my first official layout for Cocoa Vanilla Studio!!! (You might have already seen this published on the Cocoa Vanilla Studio blog a couple of days ago.) I was seriously SO excited when I received the email from Zoe asking me to join her Design Team. I fell in love with the Cocoa Vanilla products as soon as I saw them, as they are full of colour and gorgeous patterns and right up my alley!

For my first layout I decided to tackle the super cute 'Flying High' collection and scrap a pic of my boys. I love using bold patterns and lots of colour on my boy layouts, as the papers tend to do most of the work, and it reduces the need for embellishments. (A good tip for anyone on a budget!)

{Papers by Cocoa Vanilla Studio}

That being said, I couldn't go past adding SOME embellishments, and these cork stars were the perfect choice! By adhering them using foam tape, they add an extra bit of pop and dimension to the layout, whilst the cork adds subtle texture. (The stars come in packs of 24 various sizes, so they go a long way!)

When it came to adding a title for my layout, the 'Journal Cards' paper sheet provided me with the perfect one. I also cut out a blank one for my handwritten journaling and jazzed it up with a coordinating sticker and flair button. (And how seriously cute is that little plane sticker? Love it!)

Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I hope I have provided you with a little dose of "boyish" inspiration! I am so happy I have the opportunity to work with these fantastic products and to share them with you. 

If you would like to get some of the 'Flying High' collection for yourself (or even just to see the rest of the range), it is available from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio shop HERE or check with your favourite scrappy retailer.

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Show Us Your Stuff February Challenge!

Time to share my mid-month reveal for Show Us Your Stuff. (Forgot to post this the other day - ooops!) This month's challenge was lots of fun - it's a "Countdown Challenge" designed by DT member Ali, and it looks like this...

(Of course I couldn't stick to the quantities listed and had to have more, but that is perfectly acceptable, you just can't use less than the amount specified.)

Here's my take on it...

{Papers by Studio Calico; Teresa Collins; Fancy Pants and Heidi Swapp}
Published in Scrapbooking Memories magazine Vol 18 No 4

I didn't write much on this page, but I did include some, by incorporating my handwritten journaling as part of the title...

One last thing, check this out for a super sweet embellishment combo - D-lish Scraps flair layered with a Burdy's Embellies fabric yoyo flower - isn't it gorgeous? The pop of yellow, was just what I needed!

You only have until the end of the month (that's the 28th this month in case you had forgotten!) to enter the challenge, so make sure you have it on your list! There is a fabulous prize up for grabs from Scrapping Life (and a special offer for SUYS fans too!) Details on the blog HERE

Scrap the Boys February Challenge!

I can't believe it is February already and my daughter is now in Grade 2! (When did that happen?) Not too long now, and my boys will be starting their own little adventure at daycare a couple of days per week. (I can't wait to finally have a bit of time out, that cheeky pair runs rings around me every day!)

Speaking of boys, I am here today to share the latest challenge from Scrap the Boys. And this month it is all about "Out of their mouths". (Believe me, I could have done 20 layouts about the things that come from the mouths of my two...and not all good either! LOL) I did manage to decide on one though, and it's a recent favourite of mine.

Here's my take on the challenge...

{Papers by Pebbles; Bella Blvd; Pretty Little Studio; Bo Bunny; and PL and MAMBI cards}

A few close-ups...

{Ephemera pieces by Heidi Swapp; flowers from D-lish Scraps}

{Flair and flowers from D-lish Scraps}

{Handmade flower by Charms Creations}

{I even STAMPED on this layout - stamp by Heidi Swapp}

Thanks for stopping by today, I do hope you will all join in this month's Scrap the Boys challenge, it's such a fun one! There are some fabulous prizes up for grabs from Flutterby Designs and Faber Castell this month.
I am so looking forward to seeing what comes "out of the mouths" of everyone else's boys! ;)