Ahoy Me Hearties

Recently we held our annual Bookweek Parade at school and I love to join in and dress up each year too. This year a few of us decided to go as pirates and I just had to scrap this photo of the event.

I just love that Julie Fei-Fan Balzer template I used with gesso in the background. Chels has them here in her shop along with many of the other new templates at a very reasonable price.

I made this layout for my CyberCropcolour challenge, all the details are here in the forum. Entries close at midnight tonight so there is still time to get your entries in. 

Thanks for dropping by, if you are in my part of the world hope you are enjoying this warmer weather, I love it!! 

CSI - Special Investigator

I was so surprised, and very excited, when Debbi contacted me to see if I would like to be a Special Investigator for the month of September at CSI.

I love the Case Files the super talented Debbi puts togther each month and jumped at the chance to join in! If you haven't had a chance to try her challenges pop over and take a look at the current file Case File No. 38.

I've already created three layouts and have been so busy with the end of school term that I haven't had a chance to share any of them here. So here are my layouts so far for September.

Case File No. 36 This first one is a photo of my youngest and his gorgeous friend taken just before they headed out to dinner. I've glued an old Maya Road chipboard alphabet onto the background and covered the letters with gesso and tissue paper to fit in with the criteria for the challenge.

Case File No.37. I found these photos of my eldest son and one of his friends on my computer and just had to scrap them!

 This is the most recent one for Case File No. 38 with a close up shot of the journalling. Photo of my hubby taken at the National School Rugby championships last year where he coached the NSW side to victory for the fourth year in a row!
There is still plenty of time to get this one in....take a look, it is due 30th September.

Hope that you can find the time to come and visit and take look at the amazing layouts created by Debbi and her very talented group of ladies who make up the design Team.

Thanks for dropping by and leaving comments, they always make my day!

There is still time...

.....to get your August entry in for the Stylist Challenge at Scrapboutique.

This month we are scrapping about memorable holidays inspired by the London Olympics. The extra criteria is to use your own handwriting and to journal at least 30 words.

Get you entry into the gallery by the end of the month to win a prize voucher to spend in the store!

Here is the layout I created.

Lots of gesso, mists and a little stitching in the background (seem to be my favourite three at the moment!). Hope you get a chance to join us!

Playing Along at CSI

I just love the case files created by Debbi each week for the challenges at CSI. They are a great starting point for colours and I find the inspiration for the journalling (testimony) always gives me the kick start I need to tell my stories.
If you haven't played along pop over to have a look at the current challenge, beautiful beachy colours!!
Here are my entries for the two most recent challenges.

I love this underwater photo of my gorgeous niece Amaka and it was perfect for the colours in Case File 30. One of the things I love about these challenges is being pushed to use colours I would not normally use!

I used another photo I have been wanting to scrap for quite some time for Case File 30. The little girl in the photo is me, taken in our backyard sometime in the late 60's.

Thanks for dropping by and leaving comments, I know everyone says it but comments really do make my day! I hope you get a chance to be inspired by the challenges at CSI.

Speed Scrapping

Speed and scrapping are not two words that I would normally put together!
I take days to finish a layout, I move bits around until I am happy and often come back the next day to change the position of papers ever so slightly or add another embellishment until I am happy and eventually glue it all down!
So having to run the Speed Scrap for the ScrapBoutique Cybercrop was a challenge for me to say the least!!
It was made a little easier having this wonderful sketch from PAGE DRAFTS as inspiration.

Anyway I managed to put this layout together and photograph and upload it in 1 and a half hours. A miracle for me and, apart from the heavy ink splotch caused by dropping the ink pad on the layout while I was rushing, I am reasonably pleased with how it turned out.

Hope you have a great weekend and thanks for dropping by!

A SALE, a CyberCrop and a feature!

There are still a few days left to pick up some bargains at the best ever BIRTHDAY SALE happening at Scrapboutique!!!
Chels always has the store stocked with the latest products and, with 20-50% off everything in store, there are some amazing deals to be had!!

Also in the Boutique forum this weekend (and lasting for a week) we are holding a Birthday CyberCrop. There will be fabulous challenges, speed scrapping and store vouchers up for grabs. Come and join us for a weekend of fun!!
The Boutique is a very friendly and supportive scrapping community and new members are always welcome!

On a final note I am very excited to be the STAR WITNESS at CSI this week with this layout:

Thanks for dropping by and leaving comments, they make my day!

It's not too late...

... to get an entry in for the July Scrap the Boys challenge.

THIS MONTHS CHALLENGE IS...

SCHOOL PHOTOS

This month is school photo time at our school so what your challenge is this month is to create a layout featuring your child(rens) school photo, if your child isnt at school but playgroup, early learning or creche try and get/use a photo of them there....

There are two fabulous prizes on offer:

SCRAP THERAPY...

Scrap Therapy are offering a 25.00 voucher...


SCRAPBOOK DIVAS...
Scrapbook Divas are offering a $20.00 voucher...

Here is my sample:

So dig out those unscrapped school photos and get your entry in by 31 July.  Hope you can join us!

Most Wanted at CSI

Super excited to have made the Most Wanted list at CSI this week!

This was my layout which can be viewed here in the CSI gallery.

These photos are so typical of Joe each time I try to get a serious shot of him!
I created the background on grey cardstock using gesso and then a Crafter's Workshop stencil, quite pleased with the effect it created.
Drop by CSI and check out the fabulous boards Debbi puts together each week. They are sure to ignite your creativity!!

July Challenge at Scrapboutique

I have a terrible habit of buying ALL of the die-cuts, tags, stickers and labels to go with a paper range and then find that I never use them all.
SO this month at SCRAPBOUTIQUE we are challenging you to use at least 4 (but more would be fabulous) of these items on a layout.
I have used 8 of the die-cuts from this awesome Kaisercraft pack which Chels has in store plus I also used a transparency and some of the stickers. Can I tell you there are still oodles of die-cuts left in the packet, it is great value for money!!

I'd love you to come and join us!

CyberCrop at Scrapboutique

Just a few layouts I made for the weekend CyberCrop at Scrapboutique.
The theme was School (Holi)Days to mark the start of the school holidays here in NSW!
The first layout was for Chelsea's challenge to use the quote from the Cat Stevens song 'Remember the Days of the old school yard, we used to laugh a lot'. Haven't been able to get the song out of my head since!!

I also did Leanne's challenge to scrap about a holiday first. I have just returned from a retreat at the beautiful Noonaweena conference centre and as it was my first retreat to this location I decided it was the perfect topic. We had the most wonderful weekend and I will post some layout shares soon. Can't wait to go back next year!

I used the Amy Tangerine line and although it is far from my usual colour choice I am happy with the way it turned out.

Thanks for dropping by!

Scrapboutique Layouts

A few layouts to share which I created using products sent to me in my first designer kit for Scrapboutique. Chels was very generous and sent me loads of papers and some divine Dylusions Ink which she now stocks in the store here.
So the shares, a layout using Simple Stories Summer Fresh.

Love the new Echo Park, Paradise Beach. It was perfect for these photos from our recent trip to Phuket. I used the Dylusions ink on this one in the background and to colour the fabric, these inks are so bright and intense, beautiful!

I also used some of the papers from this range to make a page for my Phuket mini album.

And a final layout using the new My Minds Eye Nostalgia Range. There are papers suitable for male and female pages in this range, very versatile.

Pop into the Boutique to have a look at these new ranges. 

CyberCrop @ Scrapboutique

This weekend is the May Cybercrop at Scrapboutique and our theme is Upcycling/Recycling!
The first challenges are up in the forum here and we'd love you to come along and join in, new faces are always welcome!!

My challenge for this crop is to Reduce, Recycle and Reuse to make a layout.

Reuse - something that has been used before eg. concert tickets, receipts for recent purchases, shopping bags
Reduce - your stash by using at least 4 pp and 3 different alphas
     and
Recycle - a scrap related item eg. packaging, tissue paper or twine that scrap supplies come wrapped in, pizza boxes

 I used the ticket from our trip to Parliament House question time and the negative from some corrugated cardboard alphas as my reused and recycled items.

Hope you get a chance to join in!

Scrap the Boys May Challenge and some exciting news!

Since arriving home from our trip to Thailand I don't really feel like my feet have touched the ground! Work has been super busy, one of the busiest times of the year with assessing and reporting, and things at home have been hectic too.
I am very excited to share that I have been selected to join the design team at Scrapboutique. The community of girls at Scrapboutique is very welcoming and filled with insporational ladies. Chels stocks great essential supplies in her shop and runs the most fantastic retreats. I can't wait to get started in my new role!!
We are having a Cyber Crop in the forum this weekend so if you feel like a challenge drop in and join us, new face are always welcome!!
In all the madness of everyday life I have realised I have not posted my Scrap the Boys layout for May.
The May challenge is to scrap your boys getting dirty and to use the photo as inspiration in your layout.
Not too hard!
There is still plenty of time to join in so pop over to Scrap the Boys and have a look.
Here is my take on the challenge:

Thanks for dropping by. Hope to see you at Scrapboutique!

I've been away....

... on a short trip to Thailand and it was amazing!
Andrew and I spent 10 days in this glorious part of the world and it was magical. Warm weather, delicious food, beautiful scenery and incredibly down to earth, friendly people.
It has been hard coming back to temperatures below zero here today.
It was our first trip to Asia but we hope to do many more. Would love to hear of any recommendations about place to see in Vietnam, it is high on my list of places to visit.
Here are just a few shots from our 10 day visit. I really must learn how to make a collage!

Sorry for the photo overload. Now to scrap the several hundred must keep shots!!

I will be back soon with a layout share. Stay warm. :) xx

For the love of chevron!!

Chevron is huge at the moment and I must admit I have developed a love for anything chevron too!
So the current theme at Paper Issues was the perfect inspiration to create this layout!

Take a look at the great layouts created by the team at Paper Issues and join the chevron craze!

Scrap the Boys - April Challenge

The April challenge is up at Scrap the Boys!! It was delayed as Mel had some issues with her Telstra connection during her recent move BUT to make up for it the deadline has been extended.

APRIL'S SCRAP THE BOYS CHALLENGE..

RE-CYCLING....

We would like you to re-cycle some form of PACKAGING that is BOY related, this could be toy related, scrapbooking packaging, something from a magazine or book use your imagination....



For my layout I used some packaging from a Nerf Gun box. I bought the gun for Joe, as a bit of a joke, during our holiday to the coast in January. However, it provided everyone, young and old with hours of entertainment and loads of laughs!

Take a look at the fantastic layouts created by the other team members at SCRAP THE BOYS! 

Hope you get a chance to join in this month!

Super excited......!!

.....to have been selected to be part of the Creative Team at Scrap the Boys. Being the mum of two boys I love the challenges they put up each month and decided to apply for the team. Wonderful to have been selected!
I look forward to the months ahead as part of this great team.
Check out the other fabulous ladies on the team here and give this months challenge a try. Great prizes!
This is my layout for the March Challenge.

You need to use red, handwritten journalling and the title 'Life is Good', easy!!
I hope you get a chance to play along.

My Blogging Fear Realised!

I held off starting a blog for so long due to a fear of being able to keep it updated and sure enough, my fear has been realised!!

So today I have decided to look at it as not failing in my blogging but just that I had to put it on hold while I enjoyed life. 

I have to remember that it is not important how often I create BUT that I create!!

The end of the school year, Christmas and being away for the majority of the past 4 weeks on summer holidays has not allowed a great deal of time for scrapping or blogging. I have had limited internet access, except for my phone, and not many opportunities to scrap.

However, during our recent trip to the coast I decided to pack an Amy Tangerine Notebook, a few stamps and bits and pieces and make some time each day to document the trip.
I loved that this sweet girl thought it was fascinating and watched me as I put the album together each day. She has declared that she wants to be a scrapbooker when she grows up and I have quickly let her know that she can start now!

Today I added a few final embellishments and I am really happy with the way it turned out.

I need a few more of these great little books!!

Have a great week and thanks for taking the time to read my blog, it means a lot to me!