I have a good excuse!

I know, I know, absent without blogging again, BUT I have a good excuse! Last week I was away for almost a week, when I travelled all the way from the Sunshine Coast in Qld to Mount Gambier in SA (via Melbourne). The reason for my trip was that my best scrappy friend Vicki (owner of Scrapbooking Top 50) turned 30. Her husband Matt & I cooked up a devious plan that saw me arrive on Vicki's doorstep as a TOTAL surprise!!! It was the first time we had ever 'met' and she had no idea I was coming, so I don't feel too badly that the after the flowers I was 'delivering' were handed over she almost shut the door in my face...LOL Once the penny dropped that is was ME, there was much excited hugging, kissing and jumping up and down.

Here's a pic of us visiting the famous 'Blue Lake' (we'd known each other officially several hours by now)...

But poor Vicki, the surprises weren't stopping there! On Friday night her cousin Shaz (who happens to be another Top 50 member) drove down to see her for her birthday weekend. She arrived late and we went out to greet her and out of the car stepped Anthea (the 3rd member of our Top 50 DT). Vicki had no idea she was coming either, and it was the first time I had met either of the girls in person, so it was another round of hugging, kissing and jumping up and down...LOL

Here's me with the gorgeous Ant...

Saturday was scrappy day (or so Vicki thought...LOL) and we all headed over to the home of the newest member of the Handmade By Suzanne DT, Charm. Along with my fellow HBS DT member Charm, I also got to meet her mum Bronny in person, and also found a new scrappy friend in Jodie. Here's the scrappy crew...

BUT, (poor Vicki) the surprises weren't stopping there! Unknown to her, the scrap day at Charm's was the perfect ruse to get her away from the house...while they set up her surprise birthday party!!! LOL We arrived back at Vicki's house to the sight of her husband Matt pacing around saying 'look at the time' so she would think we were running late to get ready to go out for dinner...hehe Matt walked over to the shed, pulled back the door and "SURPRISE' - out jumped lots of Vicki's family and friends. Another great moment!!! I also got to catch up with fellow Top 50 member (and another Mt G local), Treens.

Here's the 'Top 50' crew...

Vicki & I...

The SBT50 DT...

And again (OK, a few drinks had been had by some of us by this stage)...

I had a fantastic time meeting so many of my scrappy friends in person and am so thankful to Vicki & Matt for letting a 'stranger' into their home to stay. Perhaps next time we all catch up I might actually be scrapping...not just drinking!!! LOL

I have to also put in a special mention for my gorgeous man, who not only paid for my portion of the trip, but also took annual leave to stay home and look after Brielle and take care of the house for me. It was a gold-star performance too - I arrived home to a happy, healthy pair and a clean house! Thanks babe!

Love you all! XXX

March White With One

This month's challenge at White With One is white (of course), bright PINK and artisan shapes...do you think I could resist that one??? LOL Here's my take on it...

I started with a yummy sheet of American Crafts 'Taffy' cardstock, and the piece of Paper Inklings doiley left over from my last LO. I also used some Kaisercraft 'Bubblegum Hills' pps and coordinating printed chipboard pieces, along with some gorgeous Kaisercraft 'Fuschia' Paper Blooms. The alphas are Pink Paislee 'Cushies' (currently on sale at 40% off) - of course, everything came from Handmade By Suzanne!

March 123 Challenge

I had one gorgeous sheet of pp from the Kaisercraft 'Bubblegum Hills' collection left, aptly called 'Blue Lemonade' when I remembered that the March 123 Challenge was something to do with blue. I checked the criteria and sure enough it was light / medium blue; the word to / too / two; and to use doilies...how could I resist? Here's what I came up with...

Besides the Kaisercraft pps, I also used a Paper Inklings 12x12" doiley, which I cut the centre from (can you believe you can purchase these from Handmade By Suzanne at the moment for only $0.56? they're just awesome!) I also used a stunning Dusty Attic chipboard decorative frame; Kaisercraft Paper Blooms; a flattened bottlecap, which I filled with a punched circle of coordinating pp (these are only 4 for $1.00!) and of course, the obligatory sprinkling of pearls & Bakers Twine (I know, I know - I have a problem right? LOL) The alphas are Sassafras Lass 'Blue Linen' cardstock stickers and foam Thickers 'Delight - Cherry'. (The only thing on this LO I used that didn't come from HBS was the pen I used to journal with, but I could have used one from there if I wanted to - the store has EVERYTHING!)

Out of the Hat March Challenge

I love playing along at Out of the Hat, as the challenges there are usually great! This month's challenge is right up my alley - use twine, a handmade journal spot and a number in the title. I couldn't resist the 'Bubblegum Hills' pps that were still beckoning from my desk...

To start, I slapped a bit of white paint and a flick of 'Tiger Lily' glimmermist on my Kraft cs, then added the 'Orange Pop' pp, a doiley, 'Niki Riki - Grapefruit' Thickers and some Bakers Twine. For the little cluster, I cut a journal spot from Kraft & sprayed with mist, and teamed it with a Scrapware butterfly and a gorgeous coordinating bottlecap. I used a standard bottlecap, a 1" circle punched from paper and then covered with an epoxy dot - SO EASY!!! (It took about 1 minute!) Check out the DIY bottlecaps and accessories now available at Handmade By Suzanne HERE

(I actually went to post my March OOTH entry and found out I won the Feb challenge there...woo hoo!)

Bubblegum Hills Goodness!

This month I was sent the aptly named (coz it's soooo yummy!) 'Bubblegum Hills' collection from Kaisercraft in my DT kit from Handmade By Suzanne. The hoarder in me came out as soon as I saw the pps, coz they were so pretty I didn't really want to cut them up! LOL I did get over it though, as was soon happily cutting away...

For this LO, I actually used the reverse side of the 'Berry Surprise' sheet, as I loved the patchwork look of it. (I just added some machine stitching to make it look more authentic.) The cute flowers were handcut from the 'Calipso Punch' sheet and then layered with foam mounting tape. The larger layered flower is one of the coordinating printed chipboard pieces, which even have the button already attached for you - gotta love that! The alphas are 'Cushies' from Pink Paislee (you can snap them up now at 40% off!) Of course the LO wouldn't have been complete without my beloved Bakers Twine and a sprinkling of coloured pearls - can't get enough of either of them! I also snuck on a bit of green spotty washi tape.

I also made this card...

I love how the orange / pink combo came out on this card! I used the 'Orange Pop' pp for the base, and the sentiment came from 'Berry Surprise' (the top side this time). The gorgeous butterfly (as with the one on the LO above) was cut from the stunning 'Fruity Galaxy' specialty glitter paper (and was the sheet I most wanted to hoard...LOL) I also used a Queen & Co felt 'Doodle' border, more yummy pearls, an old Kaisercraft epoxy brad and a chenille button from my stash.

If you haven't shopped with Handmade By Suzanne before, pop over and register, as everyone receives 15% off their first order. The store is always bursting with new stock as well as lots of 40% off sale items and even 60% off sale items to tempt you! In other exciting news, ALL orders are now sent via registered post at no extra charge (so still only flat rate $5), with orders over $50 being posted for free. Significantly reduced express post rates are now also offered - so if you just can't wait for that parcel, ask for a quote when you order! :-)

HBS March Sketch Challenge!

First up, sorry to all my friends in Blogland as I haven't been around to visit much over the past couple of weeks - time has gotten away from me. But rest assured I am back in stalker-mode and will be around to visit you all again as soon as possible! ;-)

This month's sketch challenge at Handmade By Suzanne has again been designed by our uber-talented DT member, Michelle Fowler. You can see Michelle's fabulous sketch HERE. And due to the awesome response we have been getting to the sketch challenge each month, Suzanne has now increased the prize to a $30 store voucher!!! (Even more reason to give it a go!) Entries close at the end of the month, with the prize being randomly drawn so everyone has equal chance of winning. :-)

Here is my take on the sketch...

I had a bit of a dig through my stash for this LO - I used some photos of my dad & I that were taken back in 2008 (when I was 30 weeks pregnant). I used some older Basic Grey 'Olivia' pps (which you can get really cheap at HBS right now!) and an (even older) BG sheet for the base. The gorgeous flowers are 'Charm's Creations' Fabulous Flowers, which you can purchase for yourself via the SBT50 Crafters Market HERE. Of course, I also snuck on some Bakers Twine (I just LOVE this stuff), which you can now get in 11 FAB colours from Handmade By Suzanne (AND for only $0.40/m!)...check out the range HERE And yes, that is hand-stitching on my LO too! :-)

March Monthly Challenge!

March already? ARGH! Where is the year going???
New month means new challenges, and my March monthly challenge at Scrapbooking Top 50 is a style challenge - GRUNGE! I love grunge, (mainly coz I love to get messy! LOL), but also because it provides me a way to scrap pics of my DP (that he seems reasonably happy with). In addition to creating a grunge style page, challenge criteria also includes a one word title and book or newspaper.
Here is my sample LO...

If you would like to have a go at my challenge (and maybe win yourself an awesome prize), or see what the other challenges on offer are, pop over to the SBT50 forum HERE (I promise we won't bite! LOL)

I'm still here!!!

Yes, I'm still here and although the past week hasn't been as scrappy as I would have liked, I did manage to get a bit done. (Unfortunately some of it is secret squirrel stuff though, so will have to wait!) A couple of things I can share though is this card, that I did for the February 'Dare' challenge at SBT50. The criteria given to the DT were edge punching / tearing; red; something fabric (of course I used one of my own Lovelybug Bits n Bobs buttons) and something 'shimmery'. I took the opportunity to create a card for my BIL's 40th next week...

I also managed to complete Vicki's February Challenge @ SBT50, which was a sketch challenge. Besides using the sketch, we also had to include lots of journalling and at least one heart. I decided to use the sketch and turn it into a 8.5x11" LO, and instead of journalling a story, I included a recipe...

I decided to keep it simple and created the LO using some left-over Imaginisce 'Cottage Christmas' pps, my fave 'Patchwork' fabric Thickers, a My Minds Eye brad and a machine stitched a border. And although I usually hate to look at my own handwriting, I figured Brielle will treasure this LO more in years to come if the recipe was handwritten.

Final CC LO!

I can't believe I have finished all the challenges for the SBT50 'Colour My World' CC already!?! (With almost a week to spare!) Mojo definitely kicked in at the right time. :-) Anyway, the final challenge was Anthea's Lyric Challenge, where we had to use lyrics from the Petula Clark song 'Colour My World' (of course!) We also had to use at least 2 alphas in the title (I hope using different colours was enough!), doodling and flowers. Here's my take on it...

I started this LO with the Bo Bunny die cut, as it was one of the few sheets of paper I had with the right colour blue on it to match the sky. (I didn't realise how hard it would be to match a blue sky!) I used Bella Blvd alphas for the title, and the calendar spot was from a Bella Blvd borders & blocks sheet (both of which are currently some of the MANY items on sale at Handmade By Suzanne). For the flowers, I used a gardenia & stemmed star flowers, both from My2Angels, and a stunning My Vintage Blossoms twister rose from Wicked Princesses. The bottle top was purchased from Vicki via the Scrapbooking Top 50 Crafters Market. You can see Vicki's bottle tops HERE.

I hope mojo keeps hanging around, I've got a few more challenges on my list I'd like to have a go at yet before the month is out! ;-)

Another CC LO!

I got stuck in last night and managed to complete another challenge for the Scrapbooking Top 50 'Colour My World' Cyber Crop. For Vicki's Colour Palette Challenge we had to use this palette:

and to also had to include a mixed alpha title and at least one bracket. I decided to tone the colours down slightly and scrapped some cute pics of Miss B I had been waiting to scrap...

I used a mix of random pps from my stash for this one (Echo Park, My Minds Eye & Scribble Scrabble). I also used a Scrapware wordlet & a chipboard butterfly (brand unknown), both of which I coloured using 'Tiger Lily' glimmermist. I used 'Sunflower' 4mm pearls to decorate the butterfly, the glittered alphas are Sassafras Lass, and the handmade flower I purchased via the SBT50 Crafters Market. There is also a Lovelybug Bits n Bobs fabric butterfly button on there and a couple of MME stickers. Really happy with how this one came together and love that this challenge pushed me to scrap with these colours.

There is still plenty of time to participate in the 'Colour My World' CC challenges - entries are not due until Sunday 27th, so still a full week to go! There are some great prizes on offer from wonderful sponsors, you can pop over and see all the challenge details HERE.

More Love Notes!

Yep, I'm back with even more Kaisercraft 'Love Notes' creations...LOL (Who would have thought I'd love all this PINK??? LOL) First up is this LO I created for Sarah's Cyber Crop Challenge at Scrapbooking Top 50. Sarah's challenge was to create a LO using black, white & one other colour; obvious layering; buttons and ink / paint...RIGHT up my alley!!! :-)

Besides the 'Love Notes' pps, I also used the matching journal tags and clear stamps (flourish, heart & sentiments) on this LO (all available at Handmade By Suzanne of course!) So colour scheme was there, layering was definitely covered with the heart embellishment I made, buttons are there (including one of my own fabric buttons) and as for the ink / paint? Ummmm...I think there's enough! LOL

With all the scraps I still had lingering on my desk I decide to whip up a card for an upcoming wedding we are going to (yes, I even prefer to do wedding cards a bit 'funky' and non-traditional)...

We Have a Winner!!!

My trusty sidekick has drawn a winner of the Lovelybug Bits n Bobs giveaway (it's quite hot here today, so please forgive her for being in her undies...LOL)

So without further ado, the winner is...

Congrats Heather!!! Could you please email me at lovelybugbitsnbobs@hotmail.com with your details and let me know which 2 packs of buttons you would like (click on the Lovelybug tab at top of page) and, for being a follower I'll also send you a pack of doilies. :-)

Thanks to everyone for all your support, encouragement and orders for buttons so far, it really is very much appreciated. (And seeing as I got over the 70 followers mark fairly easily, I think we'll have another giveaway when I get to 80!) XXX

Latest Button Giveaway!!!

Don't forget if you haven't already done so, to enter my latest Lovelybug Bits n Bobs button giveaway. Check out this post HERE to enter (I promise, it's a VERY easy one this time!) You even get to pick your own prize! ;-) I will announce a winner on Saturday (19th Feb).

Show Us Your Stuff Feb Chall!

This month's first challenge at Show Us your Stuff is a theme challenge - create a LO, card or OTP based on love and include a handmade heart. My Kaisercraft 'Love Notes' pps, journal tags & stamps were PERFECT for this challenge and I decided to think outside the square a little and did a LO based on Brielle's love of chocolate (never more evident than at Easter!)...

I used a couple of handmade items on my LO, the first was one of my own Lovelybug Bits n Bobs polka dot fabric buttons, and the second was the handmade beaded wire heart that I got from my gorgeous friend Katrina in an embellishment swap at SBT50. (You can see her beautiful beaded creations available HERE or view more of her range of handmade items via the SBT50 monthly Crafters Market HERE.) Thanks Treens!

Mini Challenge Card!

The Opening Night Mini Challenge for the Scrapbooking Top 50 'Colour My World' Cyber Crop was to create a card or LO smaller than 12x12; use any colour you wish but to also include the colour word in your title / journalling / sentiment. I couldn't go past my beloved PINK, so whipped up this card for it...

I couldn't go past using my gorgeous Kaisercraft 'Love Notes' kit from Handmade By Suzanne for this challenge and also included some black cardstock; hot pink satin ribbon; and stunning black picot edge trim - all from the store. I printed the sentiment (a quote I found and then altered slightly) on transparency, and then used foam mounting tape to raise the sentiment block and the handcut hearts for dimension. A bit of machine stitching was the only other addition, and I am pretty happy with my PINK perfection card!

(Don't forget that there are still PLENTY of bargains to be had in the HBS 40% off Sale Section, so grab yourself one before you miss out!!!)

My Cyber Crop Challenge!

Have you been over and checked out the Scrapbooking Top 50 Cyber Crop yet??? This month's theme is 'Colour My World' and it promises some GREAT challenges (if I do say so myself...LOL) There have been 3 challenges posted so far - the mini challenge, guest DT Sarah's challenge and now MINE! Even if you don't have time to complete them all, I would love it if you popped over and had a go at my 'Triadic Colour Challenge'! Besides using a triadic colour scheme (see details HERE), the additional criteria are stamping & a paperclip. Here's my sample LO (I don't often get to do something a bit 'boyish', but this pic of Miss B definitely called for it)...

Giveaway time!!!

Well I promised a little giveaway when I reached 70 followers and when I logged on here this morning, there were 70!!! :-D
Sooooo...if you would like to be in the running for some Lovelybug Bits n Bobs goodies, just leave me a comment on this post simply saying "I LOVE BUTTONS!" and I'll put you in the draw for your choice of 2 packs of buttons. And if you also happen to be a follower of my blog I'll throw in a pack of hand-dyed doilies for you too...

I'll draw a winner on Saturday (19th February), so make sure you post your comment before then. Good luck & thanks for stopping by!!!

It's Cyber Crop Time!!!

Yep, that's right, it's THAT time again at Scrapbooking Top 50...

As usual there will be LOTS of fun & games, chat, great challenges and awesome prizes to be won! (You can do as many or as few of the challenges as you wish.) So if you have some time to spare and are looking for some CC fun, be sure to pop by the forum and join us, we would love to see you all there!

Kaisercraft 'Love Notes'

Yummo! This month's DT kit from Handmade By Suzanne was brimming with goodness! Kaisercraft's 'Love Notes' collection is right up my alley - lots of PINK, teamed with black & white, hearts, sheet music...*sigh* PERFECT for scrapping pics of my little princess! I couldn't wait to dive in, and decided that the 'Song Challenge' @ Challenge Heaven would be the ideal place to start. The song we had to use was "I Will Always Love You" and the additional criteria was stitching. I was really happy with the framing effect on my last LO of stitching the pp to a black cardstock background, so I did it again...

Besides the 'Love Notes' pps, (which I just had to mess up with some 'Black Cherry' glimmermist), I also used one of the coordinating journal tags, which I stamped with one of the 'Love Notes' clear stamps. I added some hand-dyed recycled crochet trim, and used Cosmo Cricket 'Tiny Type' alphas and AC Thickers for the title.

For the embellishment cluster, I hand cut some hearts from the pps, added some Green Tara flowers, Prima flower centre, pink taffeta check ribbon, Maya Road pins, a crochet flower from Lime Tree Creations and one of my own Lovelybug Bits n Bobs 'All Girl' misted bling buttons...

Have just noticed I am almost at 70 followers...hmmmm...might be time for another giveaway soon??? If you are a 'lurker' and not officially a 'follower' yet, be sure to add yourself to the list! I'd love to give someone a shot at winning some of the new buttons! ;-)

Feb's Out Of The Hat!

This month's challenge at Out of the Hat, is to create a LO including misting & masking; clouds; and a tree. I thought this sounded right up my alley and I even had the perfect sheet of pp for it sitting right on my desk! As my Jan DT kit from Handmade By Suzanne had been bursting with Bella Blvd 'Sunny Happy Skies' goodness, I still had some left to play with. I had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to use the gorgeous cloud sheet, and here's what I came up with...

I started by machine stitching the gorgeous pp to a sheet of black cardstock, and then cut my own (rough) mask for the misted rays in the top corner. Given the theme of the pic & journalling, I wanted the LO feel a bit whimsical, so I spun the pp around so that the clouds would appear upside down...

The cloud, tree and flowers were handcut (Bella Blvd again) and I used foam mounting tape for extra dimension. Thickers for the title, a couple of Green Tara mini flowers, and a decent splash of brightly coloured pearls completed the look I was after. The gorgeous chipboard monster came from Meant To Be, and I hand-coloured her using gel pens...isn't she cute???

HBS Feb Sketch Chall!

February's sketch challenge at Handmade By Suzanne has been designed by our very own, (very talented), DT member Chloe Nielsen. I found Chloe's sketch irresistable, and couldn't wait to have a go at it. Before I started I had a vision in mind of how I wanted this page to look, but after a couple of mini disasters along the way, I had to alter that vision...LOL Nevertheless, I am still pretty happy with how it came out...

Pop over HERE to see Chloe's original sketch and also find out who our super-talented guest DT member is this month! :-)  Have a go at the sketch yourself and post your LO in the gallery, and you go in the running for a $20 (randomly drawn) store voucher! You can see what everyone else has been doing with this month's sketch, and find many more inspiring LOs in the gallery HERE
PS - as an added bonus for those who complete the sketch and upload their LO to the HBS gallery, Chloe is offering an extra giveaway via her blog. Check it out HERE

Lovelybug Bits n Bobs New Release!

Thanks to everyone who placed orders via the Scrapbooking Top 50 Crafters Market last night, I am packing all your orders today. For anyone that didn't get a chance to stop by and see what was on offer, the market will be open all weekend. The new range of buttons has also just been posted on the Lovelybug Bits n Bobs page and are available now. For fans of the best-selling stamped calico buttons, these are now also available in brown and red. Denim, stamping, misting & a touch of bling all feature in the new 'All Boy' and 'All Girl' button sets...

Click HERE to see what else is new.

Crafters Market NOW ON!!!

The February Crafters Market at Scrapbooking Top 50 has just begun!!! Be sure to pop in and see my new range of buttons HERE or browse the other gorgeous goodies available HERE

A quick LO...

I completed this LO for the January 'We Dare You' challenge @ SBT50. (Where members set the challenge for the DT.) The criteria we ended up with were: use the numbers 2-0-1-1 somewhere; colour blue; string or twine; and summer / water themed. As it was right on deadline, I decided a clean (no paint, but I did sneak on a tiny squirt of g'mist), simple design would be best for this pic of Brielle & I in the pool on Australia Day (and yes, again I used the 8.5x11" in landscape - I am starting to love this size & orientation!)...

Lovelybug Bits n Bobs sneak peek...

Just thought I would post a quick sneak peek at some new Lovelybug Bits n Bobs buttons.

a bit whimsical...

denim, stamping, misting, bling...

The new sets of Lovelybug Bits n Bobs buttons will go on sale tomorrow afternoon (Friday 4th February) via the Scrapbooking Top 50 Crafters Market, prior to release here on my blog the following day. If you have a chance though, be sure to stop by the market, there will be lots of gorgeous handmade goodies on offer!

1st month = new challenge day!

If you are anything like me, you get a little excited about the first of the month, because it means brand new challenges on all your favourite sites! :-)
Scrapbooking Top 50 has 3 monthly challenges each month - one from each member of the DT. My challenge to everyone this month is a technique challenge...handmade titles! As well as creating a title, you will also need to include a page border and a flourish. Here is my sample LO...

The border was created using washi tape ripped into small pieces and layered, then machine stitched over the top. Thanks to Chloe for inspiring me to use the white pen on the chippie (I told you I would borrow that idea!) The title alphas were created using Jac paper and denim fabric and I am pretty happy with the result. I'm looking forward to trying it with some other fabrics / templates now!

To create the alphas, I laid the denim face down, then simply peeled one side of the backing from the Jac paper and adhered on top...

I used some old chippie alphas as a template and used a white gel pen to trace around them...

Then I simply cut them out (scissors work better than a knife with denim because of how thick the fabric is) and once cut, I re-traced around the outer edge with white gel pen to define them...

And there you have it, some very cool denim alphas!

If you are wondering where to get your hands on some Jac paper, pop over to Handmade By Suzanne and pick some up! Its really versatile, and can be used with fabric, glitter, beads and even in die cut machines. :-)

And again!!!

Yep, I managed to squeeze out another LO, so have finished just in time to enter it for Ant's January Monthly Challenge @ SBT50. The criteria for her '2011' challenge were 2 - patterned papers; 0 - a circle; 1 - photo; 1 - word title. Here's what I came up with (in keeping with my resolution to journal more, its pretty "journalling laden")...

Here's a close-up of the journalling...

It's been a while since I used a die cut background like this, so it was nice to dust off this cute one from My Little Shoebox. I paired it with a scrap of MLS pp; journal tag from My Minds Eye; Green Tara mini flowers; 'Sunny - banana' glitter foam Thickers and 4mm 'Sunflower' pearls. (I seriously love these pearls from Handmade By Suzanne - at only $1.80 for 100, they are SUCH good value!) I also used my own hand-dyed recycled doiley and an assortment of flowers I got from My2Angels. My fave embellie on this LO though, is the cute bottletop I bought from Vicki at the Scrapbooking Top 50 Crafters Market. (Pop in this Friday, 4th February for a chance to purchase some awesome handmade embellies for yourself!)