Hello Blog!

My computer has had a $100+ overhaul and it's now communicating with my wee camera so I am back to play!...once I work out how to crop and resize!! When the comp was fixed my beloved ACDSee was wiped.  The only programme I'd paid for and there's no pinga to replace it! So frustrating. Yep, I did the back ups every time I was asked but the CD's are all blank every single one of 'em. Arrgh!  Something I obviously didn't do right. Arg (again). But I'll be back to share a few LO's  with you just soon as I can.

Before I go, there's a new home on the web for New Zealand scrappers set up by the talented Louise Williams. Hopefully this will become the go to place for everything a Kiwi scrapper might need to know from Competitions, DT calls, general chat etc.

Hope to see you there!
NZSCRAPCHAT

See you Soonish :D

Scrapbook Dreams Retreat

Not long to go now. Friday to sunday of nothing but scrapping :D My second retreat ever so I'm really looking forward to the 16th Sept.  I made my take list last night - now to put it altogether.  Apart from the classes that Shell is going to teach; rather than take photographs that need new layouts I went thru my UFO's and will take a few of those instead.
I'm sure I'll be kept busy completing classes and the yummy challenge pack. Love those colours! Orange, teal, black and a coordinating stripe. Like I said - Yummy!
I'll take supplies for other things...just incase. There's an ATC swap at The Crop Room. Challenges at Paper Chase, Scrappin Patch and Birds of a Feather.  Ha! Anyone would think I was going away for a month.

Feeling Lucky!

A few days ago I learnt I won a prize from NZ Paper Chase for a layout I created for July's Sketch Challenge. I only made the layout after reading Sonya's post on NZ Paper Chase Facebook that layouts were urgently needed. I never expected to win!!  This week I also won Authentique's Glowing collection from Aussie Scrap Source simply for commenting on their Facebook wall. I am rapt! Did I tell you I'm rapt? I love all of the collections from Authentique; Blissful, Uncommon and Journey being right up there but Glowing has lovely rich and earthy colours. However, I didn't know it was Halloween themed! Lol.  I can't wait to see it, play with it and hold it in my hands!

Thanku NZ Paper Chase and Aussie Scrap Source :D

A new face :D

I finally found a background that I really like! Just a pity I don't have a wider monitor so I can see more of it - I know it's my monitor 'cos I see more of other sites on the larger monitors at the Internet Cafe than I can from my piddly sized monitor at home. Oop's did I say that? It's ok dear monitor I didn't really mean it. True ;D

I was Googling Tim Holtz Configuration boxes earlier this evening because I've one of the Kaiser chipboard thingee's that came out around Christmas a few years ago and still haven't used it. I know what I want it to look like but saying that and what I actually end up with is going to be two different things! So anyway I thought I'd go a Googling for inspiration and I came across the lovely Dragon's Web which led me to Elegia's Background Garden. She really has some gorgeous work on her blog and the instructions are easy to follow so go check it all out.

Leaving you with a pic before I hit the sack....

This wee box and cards were made for Sarah Gough's OTP Challenge at Scrappin' Patch last month. You can see her gorgeous box and 3x3 cards here

And so goodnight, I woke at 2am yesterday in a fit of coughing and then proceeded to peel wallpaper off the hall wall while sucking on a strepsil. I need some ZzzzZzzz's.

Yay for Creativity!

I can hardly believe I'm posting another layout so soon! I made this for a Challenge on Birds of a Feather but didn't get it finished and loaded by the deadline last midnight...finding the right font and enough letters to make wahine was frustrating....I need to go shopping!

I ended up using number 3 thicker for an e otherwise it would've gone in the UFO crate and that is full enough already!

Another one for July..and last May

A Sketch Challenge at Scrappin Patch for July using these colours with this sketch. The weirdest thing is that we also used this sketch at The Crop Room for National Scrapbooking Day AND I used the same colour story.

Challenges for the end of July

I didn't complete as many challenges as I'd hoped for this month but I'm happy with what I did get finished. Girls n Berrys is for NZ Paper Chase. Thanku Sonya for posting that layouts were urgently needed 'cos I liked that I had to use my brain with this sketch.  Haha. Where I've got my 'ladder' - in the sketch it was a photo strip but I didn't want to use mine with these photo's so I had to use the old brain to come up with something else. Made from the negatives of chipboard shapes and painted. Each boysenberry is made from two wee cloud punches overlapped just a little, Dimensional Magic, beads and a tiny sprinkling of Diamond Dust - any excuse to use it...love that stuff :D

Hey Jenny E. my most regular visitor...what do you think about the size of this layout? Is it better than the smaller size I normally post - yep even with my blog list up the side, lol... or should I stick with the usual?

I'm still here....

I made this recently for a challenge on Scrappn' Patch. The layout needed to have a royalty theme, shabby chic and include a crown somewhere.  All credit for the ribbon and how I used it goes to Denise who I met during a class at Art of Craft last month. 

 

May, June...July!

Gabrielle Pollacco has an awesome giveaway happening, you seriously need to go check it out at Such a Pretty Mess and indeed it is. I haven't visited her blog in a while but it's looking lovely with a new background and banner since last I was there.

Thanks Dianne. H, I read about the giveaway on your blog first :D  Also congrats on your gorgeous layout at Birds of Feather I hope I can get my A into G and join you this month.

Queens Birthday Weekend

For my internet buddies over the ditch and beyond, we have an extra day this weekend. I intend to spend it scrapping at Scrappin' Patch completing challenges, via the computer. The last weekend was suppose to be one of scrapping but a bird (we think a pigeon) flew thru a CLOSED window and left a lovely mess of glass and bird do do over my tables. I had to move storage boxes out from under the tables and all the mess I haven't put away in ages on top of them.... in order to move the tables so Dh can reach the window. Twice he's been to town already this week and has forgotten to take the measurements with him!!   He'll replace the glass himself 'cos as a kiddo he had to learn....with 7 brothers and all being fans of rugby, his Dad got sick of calling in the glazier!

I'd better go and do some more reorganising in my scrapping room so it's ready for the weekend...oh and clear the coffee table!

C Ya L8r

Reminder List

Add Art of Craft and Scottie Crafts to your favourites :D

Wow two posts in one night!! LOL

Edited to add: Done and Done and changing Nicki's link to her new blog also done...about time I changed that!

For your information....

but mainly mine, however what the heck lets share! Lol.

There are a couple of comps going on at the moment and I thought I would post them here instead of that notebook I forget to look inside, the scratch pad on my desk that becomes another layer of many, the shopping list on the bulldog clip hanging by the teacups or the post it I slap on the side of the monitor screen that our cats think I placed there for their amusement.... Why not add them here and that way I'll never lose them and other people can see them too. Good idea?  I do hope it's ok to do this though. If you think not please let me know.

Page Maps 5th Anniversary
Becky Fleck is celebrating with a card and layout challenge. Entries are accepted world wide. 

Aussie Scrap Source  Style Lounge.....scroll down the page some when you hit A.S.Source. The challenges being here to create a layout in the style showcased. This week being the gorgeous Shabby Chic. Feast your eyes on Janines layouts. I especially like ...no Excuse. Just love that colour combo!!  You have until Wednesday May 4th! Hurry, hurry, hurry!


Do you have plans for Inter/National Scrapbooking Day?  I'm a moderator for the Crop Room and one of our members has set up another group that we will be invited to this weekend where there's a dozen+ various card and layout challenges. Of course I'll also be jumping to all my favourite spots on the web to see what's going on elsewhere. Whatever you do have fun!


Lastly, did you watch THE Wedding last night? I loved it, loved every bit of it, all the pomp and ceremony (never mind some of those hats!!). I was so glad we were able to share in Williams and Catherines day besides which we needed it after all the seriousness and tragedy we live in, in the everyday.

Yes, I did think of Diana a lot during the evening, did you? Of her marriage and her funeral. I expecially remembered the anticipation of the wedding and being wowed by her dress all those years ago and I also remember the scrapbooks I had of all the clippings of the Royal Family that I collected for years. I had a centre page spread of Princess Diana and Charles dressed in their wedding finery and another of Princess Ann and Mark Phillips on their big day.

...and when we found out she had died. My boyfriend and I had just walked in the door having been at the local sports club that evening, when my flatmate waved to us from the couch.... and I didn't believe him! No way, I thought he was having us on and turned to walk to my room for a tick...then I remember being rooted to the floor of the lounge with my hand on my mouth.  Mother Teresa died soon after and my Dad too so he's in great company don't you think?!

Anywho William and Catherine (perfect name for a queen!) wishing you all the very, very best of everything in your new life together. You deserve it!


PS: Dd was in Auckland and watched American Idol with my sis and her cousins. Dh was 'up' the road watching the Breakers and I had the whole house to myself....and the TV :D

ATC's for The Crop Room

I bet you think the only thing I do these days are ATC's and if you do you'd be pretty near correct. I misunderstood the 'theme' for this one, the theme being 'digital'. The photo was downloaded from the net and altered - I added a Prima flower to her hat! Lol. Not the altered that was sought after I think. This was the best pic of many that I took from different rooms, different angles, different this and that but because I mod podged it and I'm not a pro photographer I just couldn't get rid of the shine over the whole pic.

Two more ATC's not too far away. Theme's being Love for February of course! Teal and Purple for the other which is proving a tad difficult as there isn't much of either in my stash.

C U L8r 

For Sandy

An 8x8 layout I made for my internet friend Sandy. This layout is way overdue and hopefully going postal very soon along with some others.  I had a really hard time coming down from a 12x12 size layout but I enjoyed the process in the end.

Waitangi Day post

Dd and Dh are at Te Matai school watching a raft race down the Kaituna river, eating hangi and probably getting burnt...while I'm being a wuss and not straying very far from the fan!

Collage ATC's for the Crop Room. My first ever collage type...and once I knew what I was doing and the look I was aiming for it was lot's of fun!  The base card is core' dinations Whitewash collection not that you'd notice! I used an ancient packet of Basic Grey Brads, some gel stickers - yes! Shock horror - stickers!  A stamp of a kiwi, some pin thingee's I bought from a hardware store that were originally for a steampunk project....which never happened!  There's some old Gypsy paper in there and I printed off a free sheet from The Graphics Fairy, finished off with a coat of modge podge. Love The Graphics Fairy!!

I hope you all have a lovely week.

Catch U L8r

Swaps

My first ever Stickpins and I had no idea what I was getting into. Had fun with these and so easy to get addicted to making them. I have some I made with a Halloween theme somewhere, I'll post them when they turn up or when I find them...whatever happens first eh? ;D

Orange and pink theme ATC's. They were all bagged and ready to post when I took this pic that's why they look shiny when they're not. Sorry about that.

and some extra's.... I normally cut my ATC's from 12x12 sheets so that I end up with 12 cards when I've only ever needed 9 and sometimes less. If I have enough in my stash to complete all 12 I make them all up. Sometimes they'll be a little bit different and sometimes not. But they're cool to have for swapping one on one.

And one more.... the theme was birds. I need to take a pic of the ATC's I received back and share them with you, they are so sweet!

Catch U L8r

PS: Can someone please tell me why my pics turn out so small when I post them here?

Swap fun.

I was involved in a few swaps during 2010 with the ladies at Crafting PassioNZ. These were for a tag swap that had to include a vintage lady. These gorgeous pink women are silk prints from Peggy who trades as kalikokottage on TradeMe. I had to ween myself from her silk prints but I still keep an eye out for her goodie bags. They truly are goodie!

Lot's of inking, glimmermist, a stamped image, beads, laces and dry embossing. It felt pretty good using some of the older things from my stash like the MM gold photo turns which are ruddy ancient!



...the tags I received back. I'm so sorry I cannot remember who made which except that the centre tag was made by Paula Lynne and the tag with lovely beaded fringe was created by Lynne Samkin

While I like them all this one is probably my favourite....check out all the 'holes'. Love that!

During 2010 I was in quite a few swaps, more swaps at one time than I've ever done before; here with Shar and the girls at Crafting PassioNZ and my friends from waay back at the Crop Room based in the USA. It is where I first learnt what Scrapbooking was, whoa....going back to 2001! Love those ladies!

Catch U L8r!

You're nothing but a pack of cards.

I was lucky enough to 'hear' some chatter on Facebook about some leftover kits available from Rachel Tucker and Trina McClune's Creative Wonderland held in Wellington in 2010. Anything with these ladies names attached to them...I'm so keen! I was aiming for a layout but I wasn't fussed so when Rachel suggested the Album, need I say more. I'm delighted with it! The instructions were so clear and easy to follow and the kit was overflowing with product - although I did add some wee bits from my stash.

Already sewn together when the kit arrived scrunched into my mailbox; the front with a verse already stamped on the tag and the reason why I chose to use scrap fairy paper - can you read it? Don't get me wrong, I adored everything included in the kit I just didn't want to cut into the pretty 8x8 papers when I had so many scraps to choose from. Yeah, that included the paper doiley that was meant to go behind the tag. I couldn't bring myself to use it so some crochet lace did the job instead. Thanks for that Shar!

Probably my favourite. Can I say it looks whimsy? I love the layering and the use of the muslin and string. I added a prima flower...couldn't help myself! :D
Another page that arrived stitched together. The ribbon was creased and I KNOW a quick swipe with the iron would've fixed it but I was too lazy to get it out, find a plug in another room and flick a switch. I also could of gently rubbed it over a hot light bulb but I don't have a desk light and using the ceiling light was bordering on riccidoodlelious! So I tipped a jar of coordinating ribbons onto the table and went thru it, nope nothing. I grabbed an already made bow - no good! Some lace - no good! Turned to another draw and dumped the fibres on the floor - no good! Would a chipboard bow work? Nope!! Just goes to show, you don't mess around with a kit by a-la-Rachel and Trina. Lol. Yup, I plugged in the iron! Loved the number 6 on the wee card, my birthday!

I'll be sharing more with you over the next few weeks from some swaps I was in last year.

Catch U L8r

Another year

I'm off to a good start already having completed some simple 6x6 pages for SCKC. A camp for underprivileged kiddo's, these pages are made into books of 20 or so, one for each child. Possibly the only childhood photographs these children will have. It's great to be involved.