You Rock | Scrap the Boys July Challenge

Hi everyone!

Thanks to a recent nasty virus and a severe bout of pneumonia, it's been a little while between posts for me. I am slowly on the road to recovery, but really wanted to to get this post up, despite the fact I have just missed the end of July. Today I am sharing my design team layout that I created for the July challenge for Scrap the Boys, but it also marks my final layout as a member of the team. After FOUR years as part of StB, the time has come for me to step down.

So this was the challenge I was working with...

And this is what I came up with...

I used pieces from the 'You Rock' and 'Boys Rule' collections from Cocoa Vanilla Studio, along with some cute snaps of my boys on their first day of school for my star-themed page.

On my background paper I used some starry stamps from Viva Las VegaStamps to add some extra depth.

I also added a bit of extra sparkle to my page using Colour Blast 'Bling' Shimmer Spray, which I splattered around.

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thanks to challenge owner Rachel Lowe (and all her predecessors over the past 4 years) for having me on the Scrap the Boys team. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the team and made some long lasting friendships.

Here's a selection of some of my layouts from my time over the past four years...

Now I am starting to get back on top of things I will have some catching up to do over the next week, so stay tuned for some more projects.

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

It's a Boy Thing | Scrap the Boys June Challenge

Hi everyone!
Stopping by today to share my design team layout for the June challenge at Scrap the Boys. This month, the challenge looks like this...

And here is my take on it using the awesome new 'Boys Rule' collection from Cocoa Vanilla Studio...

I started this page with the brand new 'Large Die Cut and Backing Kit'. This kit consists of the pre-cut star piece, along with a printed mixed media style backing sheet - it's perfect for those who love the look of cut files but don't have a cutting machine!

With the background work already done for me, it was simply a matter of adding some papery layers to create a photo mat. I used the Straight and Narrow; Boy Stuff and Entitled papers; along with the cute camera from the Die Cut Ephemera pack; a frame from the Miscellany pack; and the love it tab from the Accessory Sticker sheet tucked into my layers.

Alongside my photo, I fussy cut my title from the Entitled paper, which I then stitched down with my sewing machine. This also coordinated with the messy white cotton thread that I had tucked in around the edges of my photo. 

Beneath my photo, I added the Mr Fantastic die cut from the ephemera pack, and to the right of my photo, the star Flair Button.
At the top of my page I created a small cluster using stickers from the Accessory Sticker sheet.

To finish off my page I added my handwritten journalling and three small stars from the Chipboard Pieces pack.

I do hope you will join in on this month's challenge at Scrap the Boys. Up for grabs is a prize from Scrapping Fun Kits, so make sure you get your entry loaded up by the end of the month for your chance to win.
Thanks for stopping by today, I will be back again soon with another project to share. Until then, happy scrapping! X

Super Boy | Scrap the Boys May Challenge

Hi everyone! 

The end of the month is fast approaching, so I thought I better pop in today to share my take on the May challenge at Scrap the Boys. This month the challenge inspiration involves some of my very favourite colours and it looks like this...

And here is what I created...

I took the opportunity to document some snaps I took of one of my boys down at our new local park. They installed a huge (and very tall) climbing frame which made my little Spiderman very happy indeed! (He didn't hesitate going straight to the top, quite unlike his twin brother who isn't fond of heights and prefers his feet placed firmly on the ground.)

To create my page, I started with the fabulous Crackle Background stamp from Viva Las VegaStamps for my background. I chose this stamp because the pattern reminded me of the ropes on the climbing frame. Then it was a matter of adding some colour. I reached for my favourite 'Oasis' and 'Lime' Colour Artist Inks from Colour Blast and simply applied them randomly with a brush around my page, allowing the inks to mix and pool in places.

Once the ink had dried I needed to create a layered mat for my photos. I gathered together a variety of materials - tissue paper; paper doily; mini paper bag; cotton thread; as well as some patterned paper, chipboard pieces and die cut ephemera from the 'You Rock' collection by Cocoa Vanilla Studio. I also added some cardboard to the back of my photos to pop them up a little higher. 

Alongside my photos I added an awesome denim and hessian star from Charms Creations which I topped with a Cocoa Vanilla Studio wood veneer arrow.

I then added my page title using a couple of CVS chipboard pieces and added a few stamped phrases to finish off my page.

Don't forget you have until the end of the month to get your take on the mood board linked up. There is a fabulous prize from Helmar up for grabs for our Australian winner and a guest designer spot for the international winner.
Visit the Scrap the Boys blog for all the details HERE
Until next time, happy scrapping! X

#thisisawesome | Scrap the Boys April Challenge

Hi everyone!

After almost forgetting to share my take on last month's Scrap the Boys challenge, I thought I better get my act together a bit sooner this month! The April challenge at Scrap the Boys looks like this...

That's right! It's all about geometric this month! And here is my take on it...

As you can see, I went a bit mixed media crazy with this one! I started with some white cardstock and a hexagon stencil from The Crafters Workshop. I used the stencil and Colour Blast 'Saffron' Colour Spray to create a background on another sheet of cardstock (to be used for another project); before using the wet stencil to create a print with the excess spray. I then took the stencil and used some orange ink and a dauber to stencil some different sized hexagons; then used the stencil for a third layer, by tracing some out with a felt pen.

  

I then added some more layers using an eye chart stencil from Kinder Kreations with red ink and another Crafters Workshop stencil with black ink. I also added some stamping with my very favourite "Doodle Dots" stamp from Viva Las VegaStamps.

Next, I used my very favourite Flutterby Designs "Bubble O'Fun" stencil (last ones currently on clearance in store HERE); and some Colour Blast white heavy gesso; along with white paint pens to add some white circles. And finally, some doodled red hearts with a felt pen.

Now I had plenty of shapes going on, it was time to add some papery layers. I used patterned papers from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Totally Rad' collection along with some D-lish Scraps goodies - paper doily; paper bag; printed tag; punchinella and dyed muslin to create a mat for my photo. I also added some small pieces of torn washi tape around my page.

I used a Flutterby Designs wood veneer for my page title, which I coloured black using a Sharpie pen. I also added some Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Totally Rad' phrase stickers around my page.

To finish off my page I added a black and white Charms Creations star, which I topped with some messy cotton thread and a Flutterby Designs flair button.

Thanks for stopping by today so I could share this with you. Don't forget to play along with us for this challenge. Get your entries in by the end of the month and you will be in the running to win a store voucher from Cocoa Vanilla Studio! Head over to the Scrap the Boys blog for all the details and see what the rest of the team created HERE

Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Wicked | Scrap the Boys March Challenge

Hi everyone!
Popping in to share my final post for the month, and it's my take on the Scrap the Boys March challenge, which is a sketh designed by Laura Whitaker. (I just realised I hadn't already shared it!) Today is your final chance to get your entries in, so make sure you get them loaded up! 

This is what the sketch looks like...

And this is my (twisted) take on it...

Rather than using a large star shape as shown in the sketch, I took inspiration from the star and used it as a theme for my page, which I carried through my papers and embellishments. I used the sketch as a rough guide for placement of the fussy cut stars, as well as the use of 3 photos (which I did as a collage) and I also included a tag in my layers.

The papers and embellishments I used are from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'You Rock' collection. I used the 'Night Sky' paper for my background, and added a dry brushed frame around the edge using Colour Blast white heavy gesso. 

I used pieces of the 'In Line'; 'Galactic' and 'Stripped' papers in my layers under my photo; then fussy cut lots of stars from the 'Starshine' paper to embellish my page with. I also used pieces from the die cut ephemera pack and stickers from the accessory sticker sheet - including the tag that I simply added a bit of twine to.

To finish off my layout and tie in the bright yellow colour from my photos, I used a Charms Creations star embellishment; which I topped with the wicked flair button from the 'You Rock' collection.

That's all from me today. If you don't already have your Scrap the Boys entry in, hurry, it closes tonight! Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Bloom Grow | Scrap the Boys January Challenge

Hi everyone - happy new year!

Time for my first design team share of 2018, and I am kicking off the new year with my take on the January challenge for Scrap the Boys. This month's challenge looks like this...

And here is what I created, using a recent photo of my boys from their kindergarten graduation. (I can hardly believe I am saying that and they are about to go to school - it's been a long 5.5 years!)

"Bloom Grow"

As soon as I turned my attention to this challenge, I knew I wanted to use the 'Bohemian Dream' collection from Cocoa Vanilla Studio. (With a floral that good, how could I not?) I kept my page relatively understated, because I wanted to make sure the floral elements would shine.

I started with white cardstock as my base, but left it clean to begin with. I then double matted my photo using the B-side of the Gypsy Heart paper; and the miniature version of the Kaleidoscope paper from the 6x6" paper pad.

I then fussy cut 3 large floral pieces from the Abundant paper that I used to frame around my photo. I also used 3 mini chipboard frames from the 'Wild at Heart' collection that I tucked in behind my photo to add dimension and some structure. I also added the quote piece that was cut from the Boho Bits cut apart paper.

Next, I added some soft watercolour to my background using Colour Blast Colour Shimmer Cubes in Royalty; Lovely Lilac and Singin' the Blues. I used a small brush to apply the colours around the edges of each of the floral pieces.

For my title I used the wood veneer words bloom and grow from the 'Wild at Heart' collection, along with 3 wood veneer hearts; which I inked using a midnight blue ink. I applied the ink roughly, leaving a little of the raw wood grain to show in places to mimic the chalkboard sign in the photo.

To finish my page, I added some small phrase stickers from the 'Bohemian Dream' accessory sticker sheet and a coordinating flair button to one of the chipboard frames. I also stamped some phrases and the date; then added some Indigo Colour Spray splatters.

Thanks for stopping by today so I could share this with you. Don't forget you have until the end of the month to enter the challenge to be in the running for a prize. You can get all the details on the Scrap the Boys blog.
Until next time, happy scrapping! X

Joy | Scrap the Boys December Challenge

Hi everyone!

We are quickly creeping closer to the end of the year, so it's time for me to share my December design team layout for Scrap the Boys with you. This month's challenge is an inspirational image that looks like this...

I really loved the image, so I decided to take my inspiration from it quite literally and create my own interpretation. Here is what I came up with...

I took the opportunity to document a couple of photos of the boys getting their presents from Santa at last year's kindy Christmas party. 

I started my page by laying down the colour for my tree. I used the new Colour Artist Inks from Colour Blast, which are divine! I simply applied a small amount of water to my page, then added the ink in drops and blended it out with a brush. 

Once the ink had dried, I then added some details using stamps from Viva Las VegaStamps. My favourite 'Squiggly Star Collage' went on top of the tree; then I used the 'Doodle Frame' stamp to add some branch-like structure. Finally, I used the 'Doodle Dots' and 'Scribble Circles' stamps to add some "decorations" to my tree. 

I also added some splatters of 'Soot' Colour Artist Ink to my page to grunge it up a bit more.

Next, I took the 'Flourish Christmas Tree' die from Uniquely Creative (you can check out the fabulous range of dies and find a list of stockists on the Uniquely Creative website) and cut a white cardstock tree to lay over the top. (I love the way the vibrant ink colours showed through the intricate cut out sections!) I also added some torn pieces of washi tape to help add further structure to my tree. 

To finish off, I added some bows and a flair button - all of which were leftovers in my stash from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'Tis the Season' collection.

Thanks for stopping by today so I could share this with you. I know it'a a very busy time of year, but you have until the end of the month to get your entries in for this challenge and be in the running for a fabulous prize. You can link your entries up via the STB blog. Make sure you are also following the Facebook page and Instagram account for all the sponsor news and plenty of inspiration from the team and guests.

Til next time, happy scrapping! X

You Rock | Scrap the Boys November

Hi everyone!

Time to share another design team layout with you all - this time for Scrap the Boys. This month's challenge is a colour challenge and it looks like this...

I have to admit when I first saw this colour combination it didn't thrill me. (Nothing with brown usually does.) But once I figured that I could cover the brown using wood grain, and slightly tweak that sea green to a lighter aqua, I knew I could work with it. 

Here's what I came up with...

I started my background by laying down the orange using Colour Blast 'Amber' Colour Shimmer Dust and a wide brush. I then added some stamping using black ink and some stamps from Viva Las VegaStamps. 

I then created a layered mat for my photo to sit on using patterned papers from the Cocoa Vanilla Studio 'You Rock' collection and a printed kraft bitty bag and dip dye tag from D-lish Scraps. I also added some 'You Rock' die cut ephemera pieces.

Beneath my photo, I added a Charms Creations denim & hessian heart, which I topped with the Cocoa Vanilla You Rock flair. I also added a coordinating chipboard sticker arrow, and then a chipboard sticker star alongside my photo.

To finish off I added some small torn pieces of washi tape, 'You Rock' enamel shapes and some stamped phrases around my page. I also added a few splatters of mist.

That's all from me today. I hope you will join in on our challenge at Scrap the Boys this month. If you are looking for some more inspiration, or more details about the challenge or prizes, you can head to the Scrap the Boys blog HERE.
*Scrap the Boys also has a design team call out for 2018 - if you are a boy scrapper, head over HERE for all the details and get your application in!*

Until next time, happy scrapping! X