Oh Hello You | Scrap the Girls October Challenge

Hi everyone!

Popping in today to share my take on the October challenge for Scrap the Girls. As this month is breast cancer awareness month, we have an awesome challenge called "It's All in the Bra". Find your bra according to your star sign and use it to inspire your page - fun, right?!

I am a Virgo, and I was SO happy to get the denim bra! (I am a massive denim fan and would live in jeans all year round if I could.) I even decided to document a photo of me in my favourite denim jacket (enjoying a sneaky lunchtime wine).

Here is what I created...

I began my page by creating a watercolour background on white cardstock using 'Faded Jeans' Distress Oxide. To do this I simply swipe my ink pad onto my non-stick craft mat, spray with a little water, and then lay my cardstock over the top and smooth it down with my hand before drying it off with a heat tool.

Next, I set about creating a distressed strip design that was inspired by a layout created by Anna Komenda for Cocoa Vanilla Studio whilst we were on retreat back in May. (You can see Anna's page HERE). 

I used patterned papers from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Hello Sunshine' collection (including a denim fabric print); mixed with the specialty vellum sheet from the 'Wild at Heart' collection. I distressed the edges of each paper strip using a pair of scissors and layered them vertically down the page. I also interspersed the papers with a few pieces of denim fabric cut from an old pair of jeans.

Once the background paper and fabric strips were in place, I added some thick cardboard to the back of my photo and stuck it down on top. I then added a chipboard frame (also from the 'Wild at Heart' collection) on an angle over the top of my photo.

  

To embellish my page I chose a couple of floral pieces from the 'Wild at Heart' die cut ephemera pack, which I tucked in under the edges of my photo; and a butterfly from the chipboard accent stickers which I tucked in under the edge of the uppermost strip.

Alongside my photo I added a handmade denim star from Charms Creations, which I topped with a Cocoa Vanilla Studio limited edition flair button. 

My title was a mix of 'Hello Sunshine' denim print alphabet stickers and the word hello from the 'Wild at Heart' chipboard stickers. 

To finish off my page I added a couple of stickers from the 'Wild at Heart' Accessory Sticker sheet; a chipboard arrow label; and stamped the date. (If you love this range as much as I do, check it out in the Cocoa Vanilla Studio store HERE and grab a bargain!) 

I was really happy with how this page turned out, and was surprised how quickly it came together (all done under an hour).

I would love to see you play along with this month's challenge. We have a prize pack from Helmar up for grabs for our Aussie winner and as always, Scrap Accent are generously sponsoring our international winner. You can head over to the Scrap the Girls blog HERE to see what the rest of the team created for this challenge.

That's all from me today. Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Scrap the Boys July Challenge!

Hi everyone!
Just popping in today to share my design team layout for the July Scrap the Boys challenge. This month's challenge theme is...

And here is what I created...

This fun layout features some snaps I took of my boys at the beach a few months ago, which I paired with the Hello Sunshine collection from Cocoa Vanilla Studio. This collection was so perfect to go with my beach photos! I also used a Faber-Castell Gelato to create the watercolour effect on my background paper.

I created a this cute little cluster using die cut ephemera pieces, puffy sticker, wood veneer shape and enamel shape for my title.

I embellished next to, and directly onto my photo using more die cut ephemera pieces, and then tucked the cute little sun wood veneer shape behind the edge of my main photo. 

For my final embellishment cluster, I again used ephemera and wood veneer, but this time I also added a flair button which I nested on some cotton thread, and a woodie.

A relatively simple layout (and a short post!) from me today, but I am happy with how it turned out.

I hope you will join in with the Scrap the Boys challenge, there are fabulous prizes on offer from both A2Z Scraplets and Charms Creations this month! Entries close 31st July, so plenty of time to create something gorgeous.  

Happy scrapping! X

Hello Summer Days for Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi everyone! Just popping in to share another layout using the gorgeous Hello Sunshine collection from Cocoa Vanilla Studio.
This layout features a recent photo I took of my sister, niece and one of my sons during a swim in the pool. The reason I love this photo so much is the natural smile on Kaden's face. (Usually when he is asked to smile for a photo we get what we call "monster teeth", so this one is a bit special!)

I decided to stick with the blue tones from the collection for this layout, as they worked so well with the water theme and colours of my photo. I also included some small pops of peach as a highlight.

I started with the B side of the Chill Out paper, which features the awesome denim print as my background. I paired this with circles cut from the B sides of both the Solar Flare and Happy Days papers. My photo mat, which is a fabulous light woodgrain, was cut from the B side of the Full Bloom paper. (B sides rule! hehe)

I used the die cut script words from the ephemera pack for my title. I found that the light grey colour of the words didn't stand out enough from the papers I had chosen, so I used a coloured pencil to highlight around the words. I really like the effect it gave as it reminded me of water.

I used a number of blooms on this layout. Their beautiful tropical appearance helped add to the summery feel I was looking for and they also provided some great dimension. I also used a flair button and scattered a few enamel dots around to echo the circular theme I had used.

I used a variety of pieces from the ephemera pack, accessory stickers and puffy stickers to embellish my layout. (How seriously cute is that little anchor?!) I also used one of the woodies and a piece from the Summer Hits cut apart paper for my journaling.

Thanks for stopping by so I could share this with you. You can find the Hello Sunshine collection available now in the Cocoa Vanilla Studio store or please ask your favourite retailer for it.
Til next time, happy scrapping! X

Show Us Your Stuff January Challenge!

Happy new year peeps! I hope this post finds you fit & well and ready for 2016! (Or like me, you might be feeling a tad dusty after last night's celebrations and will think about the coming year tomorrow instead! haha)

Kicking off 2016 with my first design team reveal, and this one is for Show Us Your Stuff. This month's challenge is a mood board designed by ME and is being sponsored by Cocoa Vanilla Studio!

And this is my take on it, featuring a photo of Kaden in the backyard pool last summer...

All the papers and embellishments on this layout are from the new Hello Sunshine collection by Cocoa Vanilla Studio, and they were just perfect for the summer themed board!

As you can see, I went a little sewing crazy on this layout and even sewed my photo on! I embellished around my photo with wood veneer pieces, die cut ephemera, stickers (including the new puffy stickers), and a little heart.

The 'too cool' piece came from the Summer Hits cut apart paper, and you can also see one of the new fancy buttons there too.

A gorgeous flair button, wood veneer, ephemera, puffy sticker and one of my new faves - a woodie, plus a couple of enamel dots. I love the huge variety of embellishments in this collection - there is always that perfect 'something' to finish things off.

Now I would love to see your take on my mood board! For all the challenge details or to link up your entry, you will find the Show Us Your Stuff blog HERE. If you love the Hello Sunshine collection I used on this layout, you can head over to the Cocoa Vanilla Studio store HERE or ask your favourite retailer for it.
Til next time, happy scrapping! X

Hello Sunshine for Cocoa Vanilla Studio

Hi friends! A spot of catch up blogging from me today, and I am here to share my first layout featuring the brand new Hello Sunshine collection from Cocoa Vanilla Studio. I chose to scrap this photo of my daughter with her new friend at the beach, as it sums up exactly what this collection is all about - sunshine, fun, cute and colour! Just PERFECT for all those summer photos!

My starting point was the amazing paper I used for my base sheet - it's called Solar Flare, and I was drawn to it instantly. The title was easy - it came straight from the Summer Hits cut apart paper. Layered behind it is another piece from the same sheet, which I clustered together with a cute die cut sun and cloud from the ephemera pack. The sweet little heart is one of the brand new embellishments to the Cocoa Vanilla range - puffy stickers. (And boy, are they super cute!)

Also new to the Cocoa Vanilla embellishment range, are the Woodies. (I think these are going to be a personal favourite of mine!) These gorgeous little wood buttons feature epoxy centres with cute coordinating patterns and images. I layered this anchor one with pieces from the ephemera pack and added a round enamel shape. (There are 50 pieces in the pack including hearts and stars as well this time!)

More ephemera and another Woodie (I told you I loved them!) form this sweet cluster alongside my photo. And I love all the beautiful colours in the layered papers too! The tiny triangle print is from the Sunny Spot paper, and that divine floral is the Full Bloom paper.

I couldn't resist adding a touch more of the stunning floral print along the top edge of my layout. It served as a good grounding point for my journaling cluster as well. My journal tag came from the Summer Hits cut apart paper, and the sweet tab and hi there speech bubble were both from the ephemera pack.

Thanks for stopping by today. If you love what you see and would like to get some Hello Sunshine for yourself, it is available in the Cocoa Vanilla Studio store now. Alternatively, please ask your favourite scrapbooking retailer if they have it (and if they don't, ask them to order it in!)
Til next time, happy scrapping to you all! X