Saturday 30 October 2010

Back in the Day...{L'il Red Rocket/Colour Combos Galore}

Just back from the Currie Cup Rugby Final - Sharks v/s Western Province.  Love, love, LOVE living in this province - our stadium ROCKS, the vibe at the rugby is second to none & of course the Sharks ate the opposition ALIVE!  Also got to watch South Africa's soon-to-be-announced next Pop Idol, Lloyd Cele,  perform LIVE right before our very eyes.  What an amazing live performance & a great day out...

Need to get this layout posted because it is due in today over at Li'l Red Rocket - their first challenge!
I combined it with the Colour Challenge over at Colour Combos Galore here.

I've had these {pre-digital} prints in a box for a decade & am glad that I could finally scrap this silly, happy memory.  Chelsea & Jack were 7 & 5 years old in this layout & now they are 17 & 15!  The other 2 kids in the photos, Lauren & Jason, are also siblings & it just so happened that at this stage they were both best friends with Chelsea & Jack, 2 of my kids.  Eventually the kids grew apart & the obsessive friendships dwindled but their mum & I are still good friends & we are all still very fond of her sweet children.

Supplies:-Cardstock - 2 shades of green, white & pink{bazzill}, Pink print - Prima Paradise City Collection, Raspberry print - K I Memories "Bloom", Checked print - SassafrasBo Bunny Persuasion Forever Die-cut, White lace cardstock {Making Memories I think}, Doilies -  Little Yellow Bicycle, Pop-up sticker - K & Co. Serendipity Grand Adhesion,  Pink brads - Making Memories,  Alphas - Making Memories Lovestruck {re-coloured using red Pretty Colour Ink} & Tiny Alphas, Pink & Green Inks {Colourbox}, journaling pen Creative Memories, Self-adhesive felt flower - Fiesta felt,  red glitter flower - K & Co, leaves - LCS, ribbon from stash, staples.  {13 manufacturers}

Couldn't live without my Creative Memories Circle Cutter but this is the biggest circle it cuts - can anyone recommend a good circle cutter that cuts larger ones?
The story behind these funny outfits is that, when my older 2 were little, they were a lot more difficult to entertain than my 2 younger kids, & always wanted to "do something" so on this day I taught them how to design & make their own clothes using cellotape & bin {trash} bags!  They really enjoyed it!!

I made this little embellie using the smallest size doily, my huge scallop punch, a not so perfect circle {don't have a punch that size so inked it to hide the wonkiness!, a pop-up sticker, some MM tiny-alphas & a hand-written word.  I'm really enjoying adding little touches like this {hand-made embellies} to my layouts these days.  

Now it's time for tea & apricot coconut squares, eaten in bed reading the latest edition of CK!





Friday 29 October 2010

100% PINK {Get Picky/Create - Make it Happen}

Had to wait 'til just after midnight to get this layout posted to come up with today's date {Friday!}.  Not the best photos but it has been BUCKETING down here for hours & I had to take them indoors.  This is my PINK layout for this challenge site hereCreate {Make it Happen}it is called!  Combined with the sketch from a brand new challenge blog - Get Picky here. {See the lovely sketch below}
I knew straight away that this was a challenge I would enjoy.  Love Pink - check.  Have lotsa photos of daughter who loves pink - check.  Have lots of pretty scrapbooking supplies - check!  If you want to enter a PINK layout you still have a few days to send yours in to teamgroovie@yahoo.com to stand a chance to win a RAK!  Get Picky Challenge One is now closed but follow on for the next one...
Supplies:-Cardstock - white & pale aqua bazzill, Pink Stripe {no name}  Stick-Pins & Doily {from Little Yellow Bicycle set}  Pink Thickers {American Crafts} Large Pink Alphas {from stash} Glitter nailvarnish {to paint big alphas!}, lace cardstock {Making Memories I think} Cerise & sugar pink crepe paper {hypermarket set} Blue/Pink lace/pink satin ribbon - local haberdashery, Webster's Pages Silhouette {Cameo}, Creative Memories journaling pen, chestnut Colourbox chalk {ink}- 12 sources!
I raised the large alphas on some foamcore {equivalent to foam squares but better as it comes in 12" sheets that you cut to size so no sagging in the middle.}then I painted the letters with some clear nailvarnish with silver sparkly glittery bits - very subtle & not so effective photographically!
Not much going on in the top right corner except a bit of inking.  Every layout needs a bit of "white" {breathing} space to avoid looking busy & cluttered.
This is where I had the fun part!  I started off by pleating up the pale pink crepe paper then cut off the section of white lace cardstock for over the top of it & placed it on top of some darker pink crepe paper which I then zig-zag cut with my pinking shears.  Layered the pink & blue lace under & the ribbon on top.
A blurry photo here which I am blaming on the weather!  Used a lovely WP Cameo {Silhouette} & a couple of my favourites {stick pins} to jazz-up the satin bow.  I always hold down the ends of my bows with a tiny glue-dot each, just to ensure they stay in place always.  Journaling reads:-  Kushinga Lodge 2004 "Almost every item you own & wear is pink!"  

So true...she is such a girly girl & 6 years later nothing has changed - in fact, she asked me the other day if all brides had to get married in white & I said "Of course not!" {I love to get my children thinking outside of the conformist box} She was delighted.  She thought a while & announced "I'm getting married in pink!  And my bridesmaids will be wearing silver!"  So there you have it, at 10 she already has her wedding outfits all sorted...


HAPPY WEEKEND BLOG PEOPLE!

Thursday 28 October 2010

Outgrown {Layout Share}

I've had a terrible headache for most of today, so bad that I had to go to bed early so of course now I have woken up in the middle of the night & can't get back to sleep!  Well this layout needed posting so may as well do that now hey?! 

It is for Colour Challenge Blog Colour Combos Galore that you can find here.  I am enjoying this site, along with The Colour Room this year.  Colour Challenges are easy.  Sticking to a limited palette simplifies the creative process.

You are always allowed to add in black, white/neutral and/or craft, to the palette.  I used Colourmates Dark Terrific Teal cardstock followed by Jenny Bowlin Ledger Paper on top of that & Lily Bee "French Couture" print on top of that, then matted my grid with Bazzill "Raisin" cardstock.
I titled the layout "Outgrown" because this little friendship has recently ended.  As you can read from the journaling it's been difficult to maintain & impossible to grow because Deveshnee's parents are not happy to allow their daughter to socialize with Cami outside of school, except on rare & limited occassions.

The Designer's challenge {see the text on the right of the colour challenge palette above} was to mix stripes & damask.  I did this using the Sassafras striped scalloped sticker strips above & below the grid, as well as the Lily Bee Damask paper.  Adage tickets - Tim Holtz Idea-ology.
I used a couple of Jenni Bowlin butterflies - flying off in different directions - to signify these girls going their separate ways.  I cut down the JB Ledger paper at the sides, using my pinking shears & reduced the border curve manually with my regular scissors then trimmed the top & bottom off slightly using my trimmer.

Hand-journaled again -**Photos taken by Cami at camp using a disposable camera **  Alphas - Making Memories Holiday Alphabet Stickers + Basic Grey alphas.  Fleur-de-Lis & 2 scrolls also part of the MM Holiday Alpha set.  I made a blunder on this layout - can you spot my cover up?  Scroll up to the main photo & take a look...
See how I used the flower & leaf in place of the 'O' in "grown?"  I got the creative munchies & decided very foolishly to take a bite out of my delicious bovril toast while scrapping & dropped a blob right on top of the O!  Thank Goodness it was only a teeny one & that I found a way of covering it up!

Hope your week is going well blog friends!  I am ever so excited because this weekend we are going to a really big rugby game here {Curry Cup Final Sharks v/s Bulls} & the 2 Pop Idols finalists will be performing LIVE right on the field!  {Lloyd is one of them - I posted his video here on my blog a coupla days ago}

Roll on Saturday... 

Tuesday 26 October 2010

Win, Win, Win!!!


WANT TO WIN???!!!
 



A fan of My Mind's Eye?  Go looky here real quick - become a follower, leave a comment & post about it on your blog!  Yonly have 3 more days to do this before the give-away closes so enter now!
Another one for you over here.  Go & read about it now & have a look at all Kirsty's lovely creations while you're at it will ya?!  There is also an awesome challenge going on at PIXIE DUST PAPERIE, which you can read about here.  They sell sweet, vintagey kits.

So that's it from me today - short & sweet.  I am having a crafty morning.  Trying to get as many challenges in as I can before the end of the month when there are always so many due.  I am enjoying the video of L'loyd that I have posted below.  It loads really quickly so if you have 3 minutes check out our local musical talent.  You're bound to be impressed ;-D

Happy Crafting Blog People!

Monday 25 October 2010

What's it Like Where I Live? {It's Rocking man...}

***I have 2 layout posts below so please take a peek but I needed to post this today in the hopes that I can garner some more votes for Lloyd Cele, our amazing local {Durban} singer from Kwamashu {our local, crime-ridden township}.  He is absolutely amazing.  He has a truly beautiful voice & is a pastor by profession, take a listen & see what you think***  {you need to vote TODAY because tomorrow one of the top 3 will be voted off!}

We have just as much talent in this country as anywhere else in the world!!!  It's just unfortunate that there just isn't the market for local music here as there is in 1st World countries & there is so little self-belief here in home-grown "products".  Lloyd deserves to make it BIG - I mean HUGE!!!  I know that when he comes back home he is bound to have a concert soon & WE'RE ALL GOING ;-D
 


Everyday Bliss {Layout Share}


Good Morning Blog People!  Yes I have been suffering from scrapbooking withdrawals so started this challenge after all my busy weekend plans were over & have just finished it now!  It's due in any minute over here.  A sketch challenge using the sketch below.


I spent ages cutting out the hearts - because I don't have a heart punch would you believe?!  Definitely GOTTA get one - high time!!  So I cut out FIFTEEN of the things - and ended up only using 6!  Oh well - at least I have some pre-prepared home-made embellishments for another layout ;-D

Supplies:-  White Bazzill Cardstock Swiss Dot.  Various printed papers plus journaling sticker from October Afternoon Fly A Kite line.  Yellow Cardstock - Colourmates.  White Thread.  Turquoise "Pretty Colour" pigment ink.  Yellow Vellum.  White Flocked ribbon {from Stationery Store for wrapping gifts}  Making Memories "Lovestruck" alphas & yellow brad.  American Crafts ribbon.  Tim Holtz Idea-ology Adage Ticket.  Echo Park Sweet Summertime sentiment sticker & blue swirl.  Creative Memories navy blue journaling pen {12 manufacturers}.
I've been dying to use this ticket for FOREVER as I have a whole book full of them!  I hope people will realise that the title of this layout is "Everyday Bliss"  {I showed it to my son & he said "Hmmm... Everyday?..." }  Hmmmppph...kids!
I made this here little embellie by adding part of the Echo Park Swirl underneath the heart.  It was too big to fit under the photo so I chopped a piece off & used it here instead!  Have you noticed that vellum is making a bit of a comeback?  That's some there under the heart {another heart in yellow vellum}.
I wanted this layout to be really summery so as soon as I saw this photo I pulled out the white cardstock.  I love the embossed dots of the Swiss Dot.  I wanted a few co-ordinating papers that were fresh & modern so I actually used the back-side of some OA journaling cards, which worked out perfectly.  I've had the wide, flocked ribbon for YEARS & wanted to use it to create a WHITE ON WHITE {monotone} look.  I adhered wide double-sided tape to the entire back-side of the ribbon then just crunched/bent it along as I went. 


***For the hearts I cut them out then glued them all onto the yellow cardstock, then cut around them with my pinking shears, folded them in half using my bone-folder, then cut out another, slightly larger heart from the yellow vellum & adhered both hearts together lightly in the centre using a small glue dot.  I used another small glue dot to stick the hearts to the cardstock for ease of stitching.***

I needed to post this here now in order to get my challenge in on time ;-D  Have a great week!

Saturday 23 October 2010

Sparkler Love...

Hi All!  I don't usually post over the weekend but yesterday just ran away with me & I had a date night with ***the hubbs*** which involved a spot of shoe shopping for us both!  Combined retail therapy is a joy - you should try it!!  It didn't end too well though because my new shoes {very pretty nude thongs with diamante on the straps} have PVC uppers & after sitting through the movies {The Joneses - good concept but not a powerful enough delivery} it looked & felt like my feet had been stung by a swarm of angry bees/mosquitoes!!  Oh dear...not a good look...all is well now thank goodness but looks like I'll have to return the shoes ;-(

Supplies:-  White Bazzill cardstock.  Offcuts of blue/green/yellow - Sassafras/October Afternoon.  Edge strips from Sassafras.  Lace cardstock-Making Memories.  Yellow Glimmer Mist {Tattered Angels} Staples.  Fiskars daisy edge punch.  Dear Lizzy journal sticker & white glitter alphas & asterisks{American Crafts} Blue rhinestones - Bo Bunny,  Sparklers - Jolee's Boutique  Polka-dot ribbon-LSS.  Orange embroidery thread - LCS.  Wonder sticker - ancient stash.  Clear sparkler & sage rose ribbon {bloomers} - Webster's Pages.  Multi-coloured doily stickers - Hambly,  Leaf stick pins & Blue Maya Mist {Maya Road}  Scalloped sticker - Basic Grey Lemonade,  Bling swirl - Prima, Pink/Yellow Colour Box Chalk {inks}  {17 Manufacturers}.

I completed this challenge according to the above sketch, for Ingeborg's Sweet Memories blog here.  There is still time to enter - check out all the details here.  As you can see I flipped the sketch because...well just because I preferred the look of it the other way around ;-D


Because the location of the photo was an ice-cream parlour I decided to go with "ice-cream" colours on white & started by first spraying my cardstock with blue & then yellow glimmer mist {so that the parts where they overlapped would come out green & I'd have a nice rainbow effect. *** I have a box I use to do my misting in but when I am just doing a quick spray I just stick a plastic bag underneath the paper - spray- then wipe the bag with a wet-wipe, dry & re-use.***



I had quite a lot so say so put my journaling down the side of my photo & then added the balance on top of my embellishment cluster at the side. *** It works because it doesn't matter whether you read this bit first or last - it still makes sense.***

I loved using my new Jolee's Sparklers {below} & used 3 in total - delish!

And layered up some Hambly rub ons because they reminded me of fire-works & the story is about my son loving to have a waffle that was presented with 2 lit sparklers crackling as it was carried to the table.  He used to love it because it reminded him of his birthday when he gets presented with his cake with candles on!


My last addition was part of a Prima bling flourish added to the right of the title that also represents the sparklers.  I even did a bit of sewing on this one.  I had to stop & start this layout {usually I complete my layouts in one session} & as a result I kinda lost momentum here & found it a bit fiddly.  Anyway, Reilly is very happy with it - Check! One photo less in the box - Check!  Another story told - Check!  And now it's time for me to shower & sleep.  I have another layout to share with you all soon!  Happy Weekend!







Thursday 21 October 2010

What's it Like Where I Live? {The Talent of Africa}


I have a guy that helps me in the garden a couple of times a week.  Where I live everything grows at a rate of knots because the weather here is so condusive - sunny & humid!  He would prefer to make a living as a craftsman, creating beautiful things, but sadly wire-art is so common here, and most folk so undiscerning, that when someone is especially talented they are not set apart from the crowd.  When he's not working for me though he travels around with a rucksack on his back, setting up shop in parking lots outside schools & busy supermarkets {grocery stores} in the hopes of selling some of his gorgeous creations.

This is what I bought from him this week - not because I felt sorry for him but because they are really cool!

This is going on the wall of my bedroom, at the side of my dressing table.  I love costume jewellery & can never have enough places to hang a necklace!  If anyone else is interested in this item the price is R60 for locals & US$12.50 for anyone outside of Africa, plus postage & packaging.  The hearts are slightly convex {they bulge outwards} giving a lovely 3D effect.
These stars are gorgeous & come in 2 sizes, as you can see, one being slightly bigger than the other.  I bought 6 of each size & plan to string them across my dining -room wall as "African bunting" for Christmas.  They are exceptionally well-crafted with seeds in the centre & beads for the "spikes".  I have no idea if sending seeds to other countries is a problem if opened by customs, but I did send Tricia from Cocoa Daisy a few necklaces made of the same seeds & she got them in the States just fine.

Stars cost R20 {local price}for the smaller ones or US$4.50 {international} while the bigger size are R30 for locals or US$6.50 for overseas orders, plus postage & packaging. 

I'm planning on packaging sets up nicely for him in cellophane with some raphia bows & marketing them for him at local decor/gift shops.  If I help him out he has a much higher chance of getting a decent price for his work than if he takes them around himself as store-keepers are likely to take advantage of him. 

Sad but true!

***E mail me your order if you are interested & I will check out what the postage & packaging will be & get back to you***   

{the plus side = this type of work is pretty lightweight!}




Wednesday 20 October 2010

Broadway? Yes way! {Okay not Quite...} Layout Share

Ooh Blogger is on a go-slow for me today so just a quick LO share ;-D  Every coupla years we head up to Botswana to visit the mum-in-law & stay for a week or two.  She has always loved the theatre so she makes the kids put on a show that they rehearse each day & we all sit down to watch it on our last night.  The kids used to LOVE it - now of course, they are getting a bit old for it & starting to LOATHE it lol...but this was a few years ago when they were still happy to be treated like circus animals hee hee...

I sprayed the black cardstock with some bright yellow at the top, to mimic the effect of stage lights.  Whenever I mist I find I have to back my entire backing sheet onto another piece to stop it from buckling.  I have read about Studio Calico's "Mr. Huey" {inspired name ;-D} not causing the paper to buckle but I now have a whole wooden crate full of glimmer mists {Tattered Angels & Maya Mists} & am going to be using them up before purchasing any more!

I didn't have an "O" left in my Sassafras stickers {the big yellow & white ones} so I used a "C" & stuck the "A" right next to it.  The disco ball in the top left corner is a hambly studio doily sticker.  I got a couple of packs of them in my last online goody box & they're almost finished!  The printed paper is very old, a "no-name brand" manufacturer but it is a versatile print I tell you.  I got quite a bit of it & that's the last sheet.
A little tip {especially for the locals} - see that bright pink strip there under the punching?  That's a Lever Arch File Spine Strip - self-adhesive- bought @ Waltons in a pack with various other bright colours - about an inch thick each - inspired!  Just peel & stick ;-D

I came up with probably my longest title ever - "Broadway?  Yes way!  Okay, not Quite!"  - I think up these weird & wonderful titles as I'm working on the layout btw...I also sanded the edges of the photos ever so slightly - to help them "pop" against the black-based print.


A quick one as you can see!

Supplies:-  Cardstock {Bazzill} mustard & black, Multi-colour p/p, Hambly Screen Prints doily stickers, Sassafras Alphas, dots & brackets,  Dear Lizzy by American Crafts alphas,  Pink Paislee alphas, white journal pen Inksentials, Yellow Maya Mist, Sanding block, Martha Stewart punch, Pink Lever arch file strip. {11 manufacturers}

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Life through a Lens - October 2010

This month is simply whizzing by & these 3 pics are all I have worth sharing so far.  What with big exams coming up for 3 out of 4 kids they are not the most willing posers right at the minute!  I took a few of Chelsea on her way out to a school dinner but she is always in such a rush that I have no time to check my settings {it is usually at night that she is all glammed up} & while you may see those photos on a layout eventually, they'll never make it into a photo post!

This one I took on manual {well I take 95% on manual these days} - just an impromptu on my way past - no editing bar slight desaturation of the tones.  Wow, the camera just loves this girl.  Just minutes later Reilly sat on that gorgeous alice band & snapped it in 3.  Thanks buddy...


These 2 naturally pair off together, as do the other 2, not girls with girls & boys with boys, as you would expect.  These 2 are more like me & the other 2 are more like Shane.  Funny how they gravitate toward the one that looks most like them?  She hates these pics but the truth is they reflect her personality, because they are not posed.  My kids are enjoying the gym these days.  They are allowed in a certain section on their own {without an adult} & the older 2 are allowed full access by themselves now.  Finally I am seeing light at the end of this parenting tunnel!
All I did here was crop into a square, add the text & the warm hue.  He is so sweet, and so determined to do well in his exams, but such a flipping fidgeter!  He is up & down like a yoyo & I am having to place an eggtimer on the sideboard set for 30 minutes, during which time he is not allowed to bounce up.  Then he gets a 10 minute break ;-D  He heads straight to his brothers room to play FIFA 11...I think I need to tie him to the chair tomorrow {;-D}

***Edited to add*** Just had a mind-change about the yucky photos - I kept trying to get them into a collage in Picasa, and failing, as her head kept getting chopped off no matter what size or orientation I chose.   Then I discovered that you can make your own dimensions for your collages in Picasa.  Did you know that?  Just look at the bottom of the dimensions list & you'll see that there's an option to work with your own custom measurements.  The first one I tried - 25cm x 25cm - worked a treat!  Not the best photos technically but they document the occasion & therefore serve their purpose well enough...

Monday 18 October 2010

Why Do I Scrapbook? {Something different for today...}

I have just a half an hour to whip up a post here as my daughter finishes early every day this week as it is her last week at school {sob, sob...a very difficult time for both of us!}.  These last 10 days have been HECTIC.  The pace has been relentless.  DH has been away in China/Hong Kong & I have been holding the fort here.  Between my computer work, free taxi-services to & from A - B for 4 not-so-little ones at 3 different schools & cooking-washing up-drying up & putting away only to start the cycle over again in a few hours {at least 3 times a day!} I have somehow managed to fit in my artistic ventures & blog maintenance too.  Phew....

Well DH arrived back last night, new lens & flash diffuser in hand {loves xxx} so hopefully he will be relieving me of some of the cooking duties this week at least {hint, hint...he reads my blog you see!}  Anyhoo...as I can hardly find my desk today & my studio is in seriaaaaaaaaaaas need of a clean up I decided to take my cue from Diana, aka The Lonely Scrapbooker, & begin my Scrapbooking Questions & Answers series,  which I will save under one of my top tabs, for any new blog followers I may be fortunate to acquire along my journey!  This really should be a post/series of posts all of us scrapbookers have in an easy to find spot on our blogs & one that is updated annually, which I hope to do.

I know I owe a lot of you some love & hopefully later today/this evening I will be able to pop in & leave you some!

1.  Why do you scrapbook?

1.  It's an efficient & artistic way to display one's photographs as opposed to the more common route of storing jpegs on a computer, where they are hardly viewed and, worse still, could get lost, & the old-fashioned but slightly preferable {perhaps} alternative of keeping one's photos in shoeboxes in the attic/basement/under the bed!

2.  I originally began scrapbooking for the sheer love of it - not really knowing which direction it would take - but simply because I am a creative person & stumbled upon scrapbooking quite by chance & was completely & instantly captivated.  Having tried most crafts no-one was surprised that I was onto another one, but I knew, immediately, that scrapbooking would be my forever craft.

3.  As a way of recalling precious moments & retelling stories that I know I {& those concerned} would otherwise eventually forget, and because I believe that my children, and hopefully their children, will be grateful that their childhood years have been so well-documented in an easily storeable format.  I have VERY little that was saved for me from my childhood & my husband has nothing & it really does make one feel rootless.

4.  I scrapbook {& stick with it} because I have lived through a scenario where I was forced to leave the country of my birth {Zimbabwe}, after 40 years, & the house we had had built & garden I had landscaped, leaving behind so much of my time/effort/artistic love, in the mosaics concreted into our walls & floors, the flowerbeds, rock-features etc.  That took a lot of getting over so I vowed {although I am recovering & starting now - 5 years later - to invest time/energy/artistic love into our new home now that we finally own one again} that I would restrict my artistic ventures to within the confines of my scrapbook albums so that, whatever happened in South Africa in the future {oh me of little faith - and vast experience - of 3rd world countries} I would be able to pack up & leave & TAKE all my creative outpourings WITH me next time!

5.  Lastly, because I am a fashion designer/merchandiser by profession I am attuned to trend-spotting & love putting lines together.  As I was unable to work here until I naturalised {5 years} I really missed the trend-research/spotting that my job required & the merchandising of fabrics/trims & ultimately garments into cohesive lines.  Scrapbooking is identical to the fashion world with the paper replacing the fabric & the embellishments replacing the trims.  I love online shopping & putting together my stash box every few months, following the CHA releases, etc & it makes me feel that I still have my finger on the fashion pulse.

6.  I get a serious buzz from all things scrapbooking - a natural high - and I just LOVE to do it...and also NEED to do it, I can't really go a week without scrapbooking without feeling like I really need to get back into my studio.  I'm a very introverted, reflective person & need my scrapbooking time to get my balance back on track.  In othe words, it nourishes me. {& is calorie free!  Win/Win!!}

7.  While it definitely has nothing to do with WHY I scrapbook, I LOVE being involved online, with the internet/blogging community & it certainly enhances the whole scrapbooking experience aplenty.

Wow, who knew there were so many reasons why I scrapbook!?  Not even I did!!  So there you have it...now it's your turn...if you take up the challenge let me know & I will come over & have a read & compare notes ;-D  I am certainly going to look forward to coming back to these posts every year & seeing if anything has changed, although as far as the reasons for my scrapbooking go, I think these will probably always remain the same...

Thursday 14 October 2010

Gentle is what I'm told {The Colour Room Palette 27}

I'm enjoying playing over at The Colour Room these days.  I looked for a gentle photo to go with this gentle & natural colour scheme.  I am almost through with "the Reilly pile" although I am sure that there are more {photos of him} where they came from LOL!

Supplies:-  Rust, beige, kiwi & sage-green cardstock - Bazzill,  Martha Stewart Edge punch.  Music paper & butterflies from Jessy {thanks again sweetie!} Making Memories Chartreuse Metal Pagemark, MaisyMo Designs - Easily Suede flowers, Pink Paislee pleated twill-tape.  Maya Road split pins. American Crafts thickers - foam & wooden.Staples.  Creative Memories journaling pen. {9 different manufacturers}.

I love this layout.  It took every ounce of self-control I had in me to create it.  I'm sure you'll agree it's not my usual style.  I'm not having a style crisis & am happy to evolve & develop as is the way of all artists - but I am veering towards this more controlled, pared-down style. {I think?!} I really planned this one out, which is not my normal modus operandi, but the result was worth it IMO.
I cut the bookmark & added the other 3rd down at the opposite bottom corner.  While I love certain printed paper lines {Crate Paper Restoration being my current fave & on it's way to me as we speak...} I just a.d.o.r.e cardstock, especially bazzill with it's subtle texture.  I have enough of it to start a small business!  I wish I could bleach it all white though...
I am constantly inspired by this girl & she has been big into big butterflies recently, which got me thinking along these lines...then I've recently started following this girl & I feel this layout is as a result of the influence of both of these artists.  I still subscribe to 3 leading scrapbooking magazines because I like to be able to take one with me if I'm waiting in the car for kids, etc {laptops are too much of a hot-property item to carry around here} but truthfully, I get all my inspiration from the internet, don't we all?


In my opinion it really is an uneccesary indulgence to spend money attending scrapbooking conventions by "experts" when everything we need is right here online.  For social scrapbookers I can understand the excitement of scrapping in large crowds but I far prefer my quiet time {well not always so quiet with my media player going!} in my studio, with my supplies @ my fingertips.  Of course if money was no object I may well attend luxurious scrapbooking events but quite honestly my money is better spent on a stash-box of new goodies - one of which is on the way to me right now!

HAPPY WEEKEND TO YOU ALL - I had to post twice yesterday because I had to get a challenge up, which means the second post yesterday was really today's & today's is really tomorrow's - get it?!  Which means that's enough for this week - over & out! {more layouts to share next week...}

I have a giveaway link to put up over the weekend so do check back in as there is an awesome RAK up for grabs, & some family photos to share too - Sweet Dreams {for me here in any case} ;-D

Wednesday 13 October 2010

You SHORE do have alot of FUN together {Twisted Sketches Challenge 70}

Just pretend the date you see at the top is THURSDAY okay?!  'Cos I can't wait up 'til after midnight to get this post up {which would work as the challenge is due in today but we are 8 hours ahead of the States here in South Africa}.  Anyhoo, this is my post for tomorrow {which is probably today for you reading this now!}  Okay, I'll shut up now & stop confusing y'all...




Supplies:-  Cardstock - Treasures Deep Blue, Bazzill Tan,  Graph Paper - Fancy Pants, Craft Print paper - from my stash,  SHORE bingo card, journal card & gold glimmer mist - Tattered Angels,  Big Alphas - Sassafras, Small alphas - October Afternoon, Frames - Pink Paislee Artisan Elements, Brown inkpad - Colour Box Chalks, Rose Ribbon - Dear Lizzy for American Crafts, Metal sentiment - Making Memories, Stickpin - Maya Road., Journaling pen - Creative Memories, {15 manufacturers!}

I did this in response to a sketch challenge you can find here & I have posted it here for you too.

I am loving the Pink Paislee Artisan Elements frames & centres {see the cream centre above}.  They are soft & pliable & you can ink/spray/paint them - a great, versatile product.  That company has gone from strength to strength in recent years I've noticed!


I bought a set of giant bingo cards & journal cards with a beach theme, last time I got a box of goodies from the States {Tattered Angels} & enjoyed using this one here as a play on the word "sure" as it tied in nicely with the neautral papers & I used a matching journal card below too.


I am so in love with this rose ribbon & have it in scarlet, brown & green too but have to hide it from my daughter who keeps wanting to sew it onto her T-shirts!  If you scroll up to the main photo you'll see that I also used some gold glimmer mist on the bottom left-hand corner - it looks a lot more effective on the layout than how it has photographed.  The "twist" to go along with the sketch was that we needed to use a PIN somehere so as you can see I have stuck a pin into the ribbon next to the word FUN.

And with that I must now leave you for my bed, which is calling my name!  It is raining here AGAIN...very tedious...and my poor gardener is not earning a living at the moment because every day that he is due to work the heavens open!!  The upside obviously is that my garden will flourish & I have just completed quite a bit of Spring planting so my timing there was spot on.  Have been watching the Chillean miner rescues all day today.  Wow, how amazing.  God is certainly great.  How anyone can doubt him is beyond me!