A Layout to Share

I love using sketches, and I love this new challenge blog (Once Upon A Sketch) that has only recently started up. Their challenges combine gorgeous sketches with great journalling prompts, which I think is great as I'm starting to learn to document the stories rather than just scrapping pretty pictures.

When I saw the sketch for the current challenge, I couldn't resist and knew it would be perfect for my growing tummy photos. Of course, being the procrastinator I am, the LO has taken me all week to do and I uploaded this at the very last moment! LOL (Thanks to Blogger, I unfortunately had to link to my Flickr page rather than this lovely blog post in order to make the deadline!)

Here's the sketch:

And here's my LO:

Credits: My Wonderland Kit by KLewis; Flower stamp from Spring Vine Borders by MWise; Title from Pregnancy Brush by AEdwards; Strip Templates by LWeifenbach; Tab Journals by JBullock; Journalling font - LD Soccer Mom by ScrapNFonts

Click on the picture to get a bigger view. The journalling reads: Here I am in the last 3 months of pregnancy. What a journey it has been! It's been quite interesting watching both my tummy AND you growing, and now it's almost time to meet you!

Apart from taking part in challenges on UKScrappers (which I haven't done now for a loooong time!), this is my very first entry to a Challenge blog. How exciting!

Thanks for looking! :D

*hugs*

A Miscellany of Card Creations

Firstly, let me thank you all for your lovely comments on the Right Now and Thankful Thursday posts. ^_^ I apologise profusely for not being as lovely as you and leaving comments on your blogs lately. No, I don't really have an excuse other than the fact that I've been trying to speed read through all the unread blog posts that have amassed to a huge scary number and I've been trying not to spend too much time on the computer. Trust me, I have been keeping up with all your activities and will try to comment more soon!

Now, onto today's post. It's been a while since I've shared anything creative with you, hasn't it? The lack of craft projects does make sharing them a bit difficult. LOL

However, loads of birthdays and a house-warming over the past two weeks have seen me sitting at my craft desk trying to get the card ideas out of my head. This wasn't as easy as it sounds as my mojo hasn't been seen for dust! Therefore the cards I'm sharing with you today are nothing fancy and were born more out of quick necessity rather than a creative outpouring! (As always, click on the photos for a closer look. :D)

First up is a card for a friend's house warming that I attended recently. My friend loves the red/white/black colour combination, so at least I didn't have to stress over choosing the colours! I took inspiration from this gorgeous card by Sarah J Moerman (who designs for Lily Pad cards amongst others):

Credits: Kaisercraft To Have And To Hold:Forever paper; I drew the house in Illustrator and hand cut it;
Carl butterfly punch; Kindyglitz on the butterflies; Nestabilities Labels Four; button from stash;
white pen for the faux stitches

The next two cards were for my SILs birthdays and they were inspired by the Week 19 One Layer & Frames challenge on the Less Is More card challenge site. Unfortunately, I didn't make them up in time to enter the challenge, but there you have it.

Credits: Sweet Bird, Flower & Leaf Branch and Enjoy Life's Moments stamps from Heroarts; Memento Black ink; messily coloured in with Copics :D; black Artliner for frame.

Credits: Flourish Flowers stamp from HeroArts; Quote from Miracles Blossom set by Verve Stamps;
Memento inks; black Artliner for frame.

The next three cards I made for the birthdays of two nephews and one niece.

Credits: Freebie monkey card kit from Dustin Pike, cut out and decoupaged.

Credits: Papers, chipboard robot and star from Lil' Robots by My Mind's Eye; Peel off birthday greeting;
Nestabilities Labels Small; Colorbox Chestnut Roan Chalk Ink Cat's Eye for edges.

Credits: Printable picture from Popcorn Bear Birthday edition CD; ribbon from BigW.

So there you have it - my crafting efforts for the past week or two. Hopefully I'll have a bit more to share with you soon as I do have a couple of digi layouts in production.

*hugs*

A Lovely Day and the Play Chair

For the first time in about two weeks, I actually had an enjoyable day! I didn't feel as sick and tired today as I have been so we decided to make the most of that and venture out. Okay, so the main purpose of today was to go and get groceries, but sometimes the simplest tasks can lead to other more enjoyable things - like a nice brunch in a Katoomba cafe; a surprising lack of crowds in the supermarket (on a Saturday morning); everything I needed to buy being in stock(!); sunshine on a gorgeous autumn day (which then turned to rain by the afternoon, but at least I saw the sun today!!); a lovely impromptu picnic lunch by Wentworth Falls Lake, finding a HUGE dog park (old unused golf course) that we could take the dogs to and then enjoying a nice, uneventful and peaceful evening. I definitely need to enjoy these moments as I'm sure I won't get much peace AFTER baby arrives! LOL

Anyhoo, here's another LO I did during the week:

Credits: Echo Park Walk In The Park PPs and ticket; Dog Moments rub-on and paw prints from Dog Gone Cute by Mindy Terasawa; Dog sticker, bone charm and staple from Dog Park by Katie Pertiet; Title font: An Accidental Kiss; Journalling font: SS Play; Template by Splendid Fiins. Created in PS CS4.

We've been really neglectful of the dogs since I became pregnant and virtually incapacitated most of the time. They haven't had their daily walks and are becoming a bit feral! In order to combat this (although I do know it's not the best solution), we play indoor fetch with them of an evening in addition to small training sessions throughout the day (when I'm not working). We started to sit in a chair to play fetch with them and being dogs, they picked up really quickly that whenever we sat in "the chair", a game of fetch would ensue. Unfortunately this means that we can't even touch the chair without the dogs going ballistic and thinking that they were going to get a game of fetch! Thus the Play Chair was born. LOL

Hope you're having a fantastic weekend!

*hugs*

Oh my, is that another layout?!?!

Shock horror, yes, I quite think it is!!! LOL

Credits: Blue Sonata Kit by Mindy Terasawa; Scallop Template #5 by Crystal Wilkerson
(from Tons of Scallops Template Kit); Title font - Cafe Rojo; Journalling font - Angelina. Made with Photoshop CS4.

Early last week, as I made my way along the Ella Publishing Blog Hop to launch their new eBook, Scrapbooking the Everyday, I noticed several layouts documenting the mundane task of doing the laundry.

I must admit I don't often think about documenting such mundane topics as housework, but I'm a scrapbooker, right? Therefore there is no subject in the world that is off limits to being documented on a scrapbook page!

Once the idea of scrapbooking the laundry took hold, it wouldn't let go. So after I loaded up the washing machine, I grabbed the camera and took a few shots. After several hours of digi element procrastination and Photoshop manipulation, the above layout was produced. I can't say that the journalling came easily and indeed, I'm not that happy with it, but my creative brain is struggling with anything interesting to say about laundry! If I do come up with something better, I'll change it. Or perhaps you have some suggestions? How would the journalling to your laundry layout read?

This was a very interesting exercise for me and it has certainly broadened my mind as to the things I can scrapbook. I suppose I've always known this, but to actually put it into practice is a totally different matter. Regardless of the fact that I'm not particularly keen on remembering how I did the laundry, perhaps future generations will be interested. Isn't that what scrapbooking is all about in the end - preserving memories for future generations?!? And perhaps in the end, that is all that matters. :D

*hugs*

A Brief Soujourn into the Craft Room

I haven't ventured into my craft room for about six months (probably more), but a couple of weeks ago, necessity had me sitting at my craft desk assembling together a card for my FIL's birthday.

I saw this very simple and very cute card on a post about cardmaking on Write.Click.Scrapbook and knew I wanted to make something similar.

I printed out the hot air balloon and clouds from Crystal Wilkerson's digi version of Echo Park's Sweet Summertime (see blog header above!). It was perfect! For the background I used a Hero Arts shadow stamp with Memento Sky Blue dye ink. Some foam tape plus a Hero Arts sentiment stamped in black ink and voila!

I'll confess it's not the most creative card I've ever made, but under the circumstances, it was more than enough for my poor brain to handle! I wonder if this means the mojo is returning?!?

*hugs*

True Scrap

Some of you may have heard of the awesome scrapbooking event coming up in April called True Scrap - three days of awesome classes and make-and-takes by some of the top names in the scrapbooking industry. If you don't know what I'm talking about, check this out (click on the image for more information):

Looks great, huh? Well, I'm ecstatic to say that yours truly managed to win herself a place in this awesome event! How cool is that?!? I'm definitely looking forward to it.

Now I just have to figure out what time I need to be up as the classes will be based on US Eastern time, which will be about 14 hours behind. That makes it sound more difficult and gruelling than a UKS Cybercrop!! LOL The fact that I've got other things planned for that weekend will make things interesting too. Never mind, I'm sure I'll figure a way around all these hurdles!! :D

Will I see you there in the classes too?!?

*hugs*

My Mug Hug!

Hey there! I know I've been pretty slack with keeping the blog up to date. Been sick again and awfully tired. I thought the sickness and tiredness was supposed to disappear by the second trimester, but it doesn't seem to be the case!

Anyway, I thought I'd show you the gorgeous little HANDMADE mug hug and teapot hug that I won as a blog giveaway from Toni of My World...Sort Of....

(Excuse the oversaturation, my camera doesn't seem to like too much red! LOL)

Isn't it cute?!?! I'm going to have to get a new teapot though because the one I have is too small for the teapot hug! Thankfully the weather has been relatively cool of late so I can actually use it too and I don't have to wait until winter.

Thanks Toni, you're awesome!!!

*hugs*

Ramp Up Your Knitting Skills!

I'm not much of a knitter. Either I can't get the tension in the wool right, or my hands cramp up before I've even done two rows! So I do admire and envy those of you who can knit.

I'm especially in awe of a lady called Agata Olek who "yarn-bombed" the now-even-more-famous Wall Street Bull over Christmas:



Isn't that awesome!?!? I think it looks so much better, don't you?!? LOL

(To see a video of how she did it, click here.)

Time to ramp up your knitting skills, don't you think?!? LOL

*hugs*

TILT - Things I Love Thursday

A recent blog post by Shimelle contained a link to a scrapbooker by the name of Joy Madison. I quite like her scrapbooking style and I'm really taken with her heartfelt and very honest blog posts.

Last Thursday she restarted her weekly posts, TILT - Things I Love Thursday. She invited others to participate too and I've put my hand up. It sounds like a wonderful thing to do and I might even incorporate some things I'm grateful for as well as things I love. TILT is going to be great therapy for me as I really do need to be reminded of the things I love and am grateful for rather than continually dwelling on the things I hate or things that annoy/frustrate me.

If you want to participate too - pop on over to Joy's blog, let her know and she'll add you to the list!

So, for my first TILT post*, here is what I love:

(Click for larger view)

Of course, it's my hubby - Gus!!

I've known Gus now for 11 years and we've been married for 9 of those 11 years. He is a gentle, caring man who loves me unconditionally - which makes it easier for him to put up with my ever changing moods! He has taught me to be optimistic rather than pessimistic; to think logically and practically instead of emotionally (although I definitely need heaps more practice with this one!); to see things from a different point of view; and reminds me to remain grounded when life gets too overwhelming.

Today I love my awesome hubby.

(PS. That's not to say that I don't love him every other day!! I do! LOL)

*hugs*



* Just for clarification, none of these TILT posts will be in any preferential order. They'll be in order of whatever I can think up on the day! LOL

Rumble Layout

I did a layout last week that I want to share with you all. It was done for the UKS Sketches SG.

This was the sketch (from the Scrap-a-gogo Create & Co blog):

And this is my version of it:

More close-up photos:

Supplies used: Basic Grey Max & Whiskers, DCWV cardstock, Autumn Leaves "Pete's Dog" Clear Stamps, HeroArts "I Love My Dog" Clear Stamps, title printed and cut out (font used was Graphic Attitude), green DMC embroidery thread, white & black pens, silver brad.

I'm not completely happy with it as I think it looks very boring, but I'm very short on ideas for dog embellishments and how to make this layout look any better. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think. :D

*hugs*

A Couple of Cards

I made a couple of cards this week - one for a work colleague and one for my little nephew.

A lady at work has been with the organisation for 25 years. 25 years!!! Good grief - that's staying power for you! Anyway, a few of us convinced The Boss that the organisation should pay for her ticket to the final Wicked show since a group of us are going anyway. He agreed and I said I'd do up a card and voucher thingy:

I didn't take a photo of the voucher (which I stuck inside), but it wasn't anything exciting! Just a Wicked Logo with the details of the show underneath. The card was more interesting!

So onto the card for my nephew. He turns 9. I can't believe how fast all my nephews and nieces are growing!

And wouldn't you know it? I've already used some of that stash goodness that I showed you yesterday! I thought the My Minds Eye Lil' Robots collection would be fantastic to make cards from and sure enough, it is!!

It's been quite a busy weekend and I'm pretty exhausted so today is going to be a do absolutely nothing day! This week will be busy too, but I'll have a 5 day weekend next weekend, so I hope to do some scrapping or cardmaking at least!!

*hugs*

New Life Layout

Well, this week it's the Urban Faeries Team who are hosting the Weekly Challenge over on UKS. That's my team if you haven't already guessed. LOL

We had five elements to the challenge:

1. Make your own background or patterned paper
2. Embossing
3. Stamping
4. Use summer colours
5. Use lace

So here's my example layout:

Close-up shot:

Journalling close-up:

I made my own patterned paper by dabbing ink through an Impressibilities stencil onto orange paper. With the yellow cardstock, I used a Fiskars Embossing Border Punch to create the lacey border. The stamped elements were the little birdies and the journalling circle. The lace is pretty self-explanatory. LOL Finally, I did use Summery colours. Sort of. I couldn't help that by "going-with-the-flow", my summery colours tended towards late-Autumn-early-Spring colours! LOL

Right, well here are the materials used (are you ready?!): Bazzill White CS; Grant Archival orange paper; DCWV yellow & aqua CS; Spellbinders Flowers Impressibilities; Fiskars Eyelet Lace Embossing Border Punch; MS Arched Lattice Corner & Border punch set; Kaisercraft gems; Prima E-Line Celebrations Bright flowers; Green Tara mini flowers; The Paper Co Whimsical Birds clear stamps & Kaisercraft Journal clear stamps; Distress Ink Peeled Paint; Memento Dye Inks rose Bud & New Sprout; Green Sakura pen; Blue & Orange Whispers Markers; Staedtler pink pen; ribbon and lace unknown; Font for title is Storybook Regular, cut on CraftRobo. Lastly, I used a Pagemap Sketch from the first Pagemaps book.

I had fun doing this layout, although stressing at the same time because I was winging it along the way with regards to all the elements. LOL As I tend to scrap mostly in muted Autumn tones, I had to dig through practically every box in my craftroom just to find brightly coloured stash! Note to self: throw more bright coloured stash into shopping cart when stash shopping.

Oh, and what happened to the second week of Jessica Sprague's Cardmaking course and the rest of Shimelle's course?!?! Um . . . coming up in the near future!

Or perhaps not so near . . .

Stay tuned!

*hugs*

Shimelle's Love Your Pictures Love Your Pages

I signed up for my first formal Shimelle course last month - Love Your Pictures Love Your Pages and it started today.

Well, it technically started yesterday (5 July 2010), but with all the time differences (Aus, UK, US), I didn't start until late last night and not really properly until today! Considering it was close to midnight last night by the time I saw the challenges, I wasn't going to stay up any longer to post them here!

Anyway, Shimelle had posted two challenges to do before the official prompts. Challenge 1 was to find a photo that makes me smile. This was hard because there are a lot of photos that make me smile! But here is one of my favourites:

Wherever we go, if there's a ball to be found, Falcon will find it - even if the ball is almost bigger than him. And yes, he will want to play fetch with it. LOL

Challenge 2 was to take a picture within the next five minutes (of having read the challenge). So I took this one of Falcon sleeping in MY chair!! Incidentally, we had ordered two new leather recliners and they arrived last Friday. Since then the dogs have spent more time in the recliners than I have. LOL

I really love this photo. Without trying, it turned out perfect with the leading lines, the thirds and the nice depth of field towards the back. The lighting was just right too as I bounced the flash off the ceiling, but left enough shadow to make it look quite moody. Maybe I'll even turn it into B&W and see how it turns out? We'll see.

Stay tuned for more Shimelle and Photography goodness (I'm already two prompts behind!!! *rolleyes*)! :D

*hugs*

"Computer Tricks for Cards" - a Jessica Sprague Class

Wrap-up of Week 1

Jessica Sprague is currently offering a free course to teach hybrid cardmaking called Computer Tricks for Cards. It runs for two weeks and we are currently in the second week of the course already.

As usual, I'm running really behind, so thank goodness that it's a self-paced course despite the classes being posted daily. Over the weekend I thought I'd better catch up, so amidst lots of procrastination, taking the dogs for walks and feeding us all, I managed to go through all the lessons up to last Friday. So without further ado, let me show you what I did:

The first class was to try printing on different papers to see what they all look like. The top photo was the original file and I printed it on matt photo paper. In the bottom photo, I used different digital papers (Shabby Princess Vintage Floral), but printed on normal 190gsm cardstock.

Still on the first class, but a different card. As above, the top photo was the original file and the bottom photo I used different digital papers (Gina Jane Butterfly Gold from Daisie Digitals. I printed the original file on gloss photo paper and matt photo paper.

The second class taught us how to "clip" papers to various digital elements. A simple card, but I did learn something as I didn't know how to use clipping masks. :D

The third class is where the card got a bit more interesting, and not so "flat". This one had dimension and I learnt how to use digital elements paired with real life supplies to create a great looking card. I used Fiskars Threading Water and Upper Crest punches, and I have no idea where the ribbon is from! I changed the greeting as the original was "Congratulations". I don't usually give congrats cards so thought HB was more useful. :D

I think this one is my favourite card so far. The making of it was a teeny bit more complex, but still very easy. The top photo shows the outside of the card, nothing special but quite cheerful and colourful. I love the pop up bit when you open the card (bottom photo) as I think it's really cute. I added the greeting and tree border in a moment of rare creativity. LOL

Finally, Friday's class. I learnt how to use Photoshop Brushes as stamps (the different camera images on the background kraft card are all from a Photoshop brush), which was pretty cool. The rest of the card was just basic assembly. The bottom photo shows the inside which is something different - not an element I'd think of to put inside a card, but there you have it!

Saturday's class was about making a card holder to hold all our cards, but I think I'll skip this one and make it another day. Sunday was a revision day - to go back over what we learnt throughout the week and see if we can apply it to our own cards.

So far I'm loving this course as I've learnt a few things about Photoshop that I didn't know before. The cards aren't really my style and I do kinda find them a little "flat", if you know what I mean. I still love the lumpy bumpy look!

Join me again at the end of the week for a wrap up of this week's classes. :D

*hugs*

My New Hat Layout

Well, as promised earlier on in the week (although a little late I know!), here is the layout.

I pretty much used all Kaisercraft products and the paper range is Prairie Lane. I spent FOREVER cutting out all the flower/snowflaky things and my hands and arms are still trying to recover!

The journalling reads: "Winterfest 2010: After hours of enduring the freezing cold, I finally had enough and brought a hat to at least keep my head warm!!" And yes, I realised afterwards that I should have used "bought" instead of "brought", but I couldn't do anything to fix it! They should make brown liquid paper. LOL

Here are some close ups of the flowers:

Thanks for stopping by!

*hugs*