Sept DT Autumn Leaves

While I a prefer to work with heavier weight patterned paper Autumn Leaves Poppies range is a wonderful line to work with. The centre daisy's have a raised and glittered surface and they're great for cutting out to use elsewhere on your layout as I did here, or on another layout altogether. I had a few compliments on the teal with the lime green and matching up the colour of the mug. Do you plan your layouts or are they mostly self evolving? The 'wave' was suppose to have been lime but I cut it out the wrong way and just couldn't get it to work with the photograph (Have now just realised I could've flipped the photo!). Teal was the only other colour I had in my stash that was going to work but I also realised I needed to add more of the lime to the mix. And how did I happen to have the Teal cardstock in my stash? I had bought it especially to create a layout for Innovations.....have they really gone to Sth Africa?

I cut out the poppies from one of the pp and adhered it to white Bazzil Cardstock. So different from what I usually do but I really like this one even if my red bow is wonky. Parts of the poppy petals are 'gloss' and very cool. The red tags popped in upside down in the bow read....for your birthday.

GOK Inspired Comp

Yeah! It's happening over on Scrapbook Outlet. Week one has been and gone (I'm such a slack butt not to have told you sooner!!) but it's not too late to join in the fun. Three challenges are posted each week over the 5 remaining weeks of the competition - do one each week or do them all. Receive a ticket for each completed challenge to go in the draw for a MM PINK SLICE! Awesome! You can earn more tickets, but I'm not telling you how. Hit Scrapbook Outlet, click on Forums, find Competitions for all the deets OR after clicking Forums click View Active Topics.

My example for Challenge #1 Wardrobe - to create a paper pieced fashion accessory. I created 3 handbags and the one on the left (or is it your right?) holds strips of journaling. Am so glad to have finally scrapped this pic of my Mum in the centre circa 1958-60

Spring is in the air

I am humming Love is in the Air.......when really I'm thinking SOMETHING is in the air over at Scrapbook Outlet! ....not yet but soon.

If you're not a member at SBO it might be a good idea get over and register.

Go check out the vid

(Love is in the Air)

It's really feel good.

It made me laugh.

Raewyn's Sketch

My take on this months Sketch using Autumn Leave's Cap'n Jack. I mirrored the sketch to better suit the position my pirate was sitting. Had lot's of fun with distressing; ink, glimmermist, versa mark gold ink pad on the corrugated cardboard and Stampin Up's Chocolate Chip. I used Stampin Up's Chocolate Chip again and Tombow pen on the papers. The skull tag tucked up under the Prima Flowers, the alpha chipboard and the 'dressed' tag are all of Cap'n Jacks. I love the name of the brown paper slightly curled to resmemble a scroll - it's called clean britches.

(terrible pic though :P)

In the cluster of red Prima flowers there's a dull gold heart, an old brass button, red brads with tons of bling, tulle and wired beads. I have missed the creative process of making my own embellishments so it was a lot of fun to do this layout.

One for the August Challenges

A Metal embellishment, fibre and two or more action/sporty pics.

Create a layout and here is mine.

Don't forget the Thursday challenges on SBO will you? For each of the

challenges you complete during the given month, you receive a point towards a random draw at the end of that month.

As Lesley has said already, "You'e got to be in it to win it"

Big Night Out Challenge.

Sharing a layout I completed during Big Night Out. Use 15 items - no more, no less on your layout. 15 being the number of years since the last telethon in NZ. For those of you that have to count, lol; Ink is free, Title and journaling is 1 each and Basic Grey doillies - even though you think you see 3 it is the same sheet (for want of a better word).

Sometimes I think the courier/green font might be a tad diffiult to read so I would love to know what you think abt it? I guess I could also ask abt the background too? Even though there are some gorgeous backgrounds around, I'm not keen on going fancy. It takes too long to load being on the good old (gag) dial up. LOL.

Hey how abt Navy Blue?

August Monthly Comp

Hey every Thursday on Scrapbook Outlet a challenge is posted by one of the Design Team. For every challenge you enter during the four weeks, you go into a draw for a wee prize from Andrea, owner of SBO.

Raewyns Challenge for the current set of challenges(upload to August Gallery by the 26th) is to use at least 7 DIFFERENT patterned papers AND embellishments. This is my take on her fun challenge. IRL you can see bling amongst the different papers - clear and pink circles of different sizes and tiny flowers from Heidi Swapp. Pen stitched around the centre design. I had fun with this one, each rectangle is inked and machine stitched indivually to the Bazzil c/s - 32 handknots on the back. As my internet buddy Lois is want to say "What was I thinking?" I told you it was fun.

More Spice than Sugar

Waste Not Want Not

Want a chance to grab SBO's July Monthly Kit? Head on over to Scrapbook Outlet NZ and join the Forum to be in to win these goodies. You're looking at a selection of Bo Bunny, Moxie and Jillibean Soup products and throw in some Bazzil for good measure. Also included are the cute Autumn Leaves Sweet Greetings Mini Clear Stamps. Four in the pack and I've used mine already :)

Your Task is easy!!

In Lesley's words....

The Challenge is a 'green' challenge and is to make the most of our scrapbooking supplies by using everything! We want you to use the parts of our scrapbooking supplies that arent 'normally' used or meant for use. The outer packaging, the inner packaging, the negative of stickers, etc. These of course can be mixed with actual scrapbooking supplies.

The challenge is to create a layout or OTP or a set of 3 cards using scrapbooking packaging or backings somewhere on your project. Upload your project to the Waste Not, Want Not Challenge folder by midnight Friday 14th August. All valid entries will be put into a draw for a fabulous July kit. Please let us know what 'waste not, want not bits' you have used on your layout.

See you over there!!

July's DT Layouts

Remember I was going on about Basic Grey's Junebug a tiny while back? Ooh la, la!!! I got to play with it for SBO DT work (what's another name for work that's more like play!!) I have to admit in the beginning I found it an intimidating collection of beautiful papers to work with. So much gorgeous colour! I think I was trying to tame it but realised I needed to go for broke and truly just play. Check out the tartan 'cos strange as it might seem it goes with everything and it's my favourite paper in the collection. Whoever suggested that it be included with these papers sure knew what they were talking about.

I will take another pic of this l.o one day. My camera is on it's way out. I don't want to over tax it by taking a zillion pics of the same thing to find the perfect one.

Two of my neices, one of whom will be 21 this month.

I can hardly believe it!!

Lunch at Molly's Irish pub! I'd been wanting to 'do' lunch on Christmas Day for years - finally. I can't wait to do it again.

My Fun loving brother and two of my nieces.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is one of the first LO's I made with Junebug. The circle and 'outer rim' (hmmm, sounds spacey :)) are machine stitched to the Basic Grey background. I had a task figuring out which alpha to use; stuck down white Thickers...nup didn't look right and c a r e f u l l y started to peel them off and argh - am I s'pose to tell you that? I still wasn't happy....perhaps a red font? But somehow the white always looked better so I decided it can stay. Yeah, look at all those e's!!

Merle Sze Yee is my Great Aunt and 1/2 my age. I met her once when she was two or three at a Motel in Te Atatu when my Grandad and his little family were visiting from Singapore, 20 plus years ago. She lives in Canada with her Mum and younger brother now. It would be awesome to meet up with her again.

I hope these pics are ok regarding size. Still working on it when I remember to (insert red faced smiley here). I also have no screen in the back of camera anymore and have to use the little hole in the corner - it's funny how I almost seem to lose my balance when I look thru it.

I met Yolande Fenneman

It's not often I get to a Scrapbook store but the last week I've been to Book'em not once but twice! YAAY. Lol, only 'cos Dh is home for the month (two more weeks to go, gaw'd!) and under the excuse of DT work we can pull anything right? ;) I'll tell you now that's probably it for the rest of the year going by previous years...anyway, anyway.....I met Yolande Fenneman!

Whenever I'm at Book'em I love to look at the walls and admire Yolandes work especially since she's no longer at SBO. So for her to be in the store at the same time as mere me...should I introduce myself? Er, did I really want to do that? Would I be able to lipread her or make a fool of myself instead?

And then she served me and of course I introduced myself and of course she didn't remember a Fruitybird on SBO from a few years back. But I'm thrilled to have met her, have always loved her work. Dang I didn't have a camera or something for her to autograph. Of course DH didn't get it when I had this huge grin on my face when I got back to the car :P


Oh and here's the silly part. I learned today that Kaiser is pronounced Ki- as in Kite- sir. Not Kayser. Well I'd never heard it said before had I never mind Dh told me it's King in English and Kaiser in German. Aaah! Lightbulbs flicking off everywhere in my head. Would it help if I told you he's a crossword fanatic?



And a show off?



Gonna leave you with this. An entry for Scrapbooking by Design for their Winter Warmer comp. I got in a bit late so this is only my 2nd entry out of 5. The 5th and last week is going down now which, unfortunately I don't think I'll be getting completed.

Notice the butterfly on my Mum's head?

We needed to create a distressed and grungy layout. Use glimmer mist, ink or paint(which I like to call paink, lol) and a stamped image. I stamped the butterflies onto kraft scraps and glimmer zapped them with Sea Glass and Creme de Chocolat. There's textured mesh peeking thru an inked tear. Stitched down wire and beads 'following' the butterflies. The lace cardstock I think is the tulip one; I flipped it over, then zapped it with Green Forest. Thank goodness for Tattered Angels Glimmermist!

CUL8r

My sincere apologies but I don't know what's happening when trying to link SBO, SB by Design or Tattered Angels to this post. Hopefully I'll be able to fix it.

Anybody out there?

Just sharing a few layouts I completed over the last month.

My daughter in 2000 a few weeks old with my Mum. The inspiration for this layout was the VERY cool Collage Press Knave of Hearts and Vicky Gibson, who set a challenge where you must use the word LIFE as your title. I might use this paper again - with a pic of my Grandad. Lol. Yup, I kid you not :D

Another purple card...was just playing around with some journal spots that have been feeling a tad neglected. Maybe I should've left them feeling that way?

I LOVE BASIC GREY!!!

Have you seen the newest Basic Grey collections? It's just gorgeous,happy,effervescent and oh so cool. I throughly enjoyed working with Lime Rickey for SBO. June Bug and Lemonade look like a whole lot of fun too. The Doileys and Designer Cardstock packs are so yummo!

Scroll down to the end where there are some beautiful flowers made with the Wisteria Collection then go and check out Kate's latest Design Team work at Scrapbook Outlet. Just beeauutiful!! I need to get myself some of this gorgeous collection. I wasn't sure about it at first because it was just too lovely, almost heritagey (I know that's not a word) for me to feel compelled to use it. But seeing what Kate Mills has done with it...!!

June 2009 Just the Basics


I'm not sure if I'm allowed to share the link I received in my inbox but I'm pretty sure it's ok to spread the word this way :) I'm sure someone will let me know if it's not ok, right?

It's official.

I can spill the beans!!

Scrapbook Outlets 2009 Design Team

has been announced

Lesley Cooper

Kate Mills

Ruth Ross

Raewyn Aldrige

and

Moi, moi, moi.

Flip!

It's so incredibly exciting and so incredibly scary all at the same time but what a ride it's going to be!

A special one off challenge from us all to you.

Use each element below in a layout.

5 Elements.

Lesley: ink or paint

Raewyn: something circular (patterned paper, photo's, chipboard, brads or buttons)

Kate: fabric

Lainie: use tearing BUT it can't be an edge

Ruth: stamping on flowers

You have all of June to complete it.

Plenty of time.

You can subscribe to SBO's Newsletters

Go and check out the latest - the Design Team Issue, It's chocka block with gorgeous, inspirational and funky work by past and present D.T, by the D.T at Autumn Escape, a tutorial by Neen, fab work by Trina plus more.

Those cards I said....

These cards are for Sandy and they've been a looong time coming. Sandy is also a SU Demo and I've left places where maybe she would like to stamp a sentiment. I really hope you like these Sandy.

Do you see the flourish stamp? It's from Basic Grey and because it's the clear acrylic I was able to bend it a little for variety. I was inspired by Nic Howard's Card Buffet to create these.

These two were for a mini swap. I used an "I went shopping challenge" of Lesley's at Scrapbook Outlet Forum, for my inspiration to create them. I used Nesties for them both which you can find at Scrapbook Outlets online store. I love Nestabilities!! The sheet music was cut from an oooold book I found at a market for a few dollars, the centres of the flowers are heart brads pierced thru torn and scrunched scrap bazzil and the leaves were handcut from bazzil and folded for a little 3D. So I have two more cards to share but I'm having trouble finding them in my recently re organised scrapspace.

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope you're all having a lovely day today. We've certainly got the beautiful weather to go with it - a bit windy but the washing's getting dry. Lol, yes - dirty laundry, washed, hung on the clothes line and I did it myself - on Mothers Day too, well Dd pushed the buttons on the machine ;) It wasn't so much dirty as just plain wet towels, after mopping the kitchen floor....left the taps on again!!

I had to sneak back to bed for my poached egg on vogels toast, side of avocado and freshly ground pepper. YUM. Breakfast favourites! Forever and ever when the word avocado pops into my head, or indeed my mouth I am remembered of Nic Howards cool Things That Make Me Go Grrr layout or the sign on a cardboard box at the local RSA "Free Avodacados". I'll never forget it!

I've been blog hopping this morning, visiting some of my favourites when I spied a cutie layout by Jamie Waters titled Bright Eyes...and then I started humming.....before you know it Dh, Dd and I are sitting here watching Bright Eyes on You Tube. Sniff.

I'm currently putting some cards together...abt time too I hear you say. Maybe later this eve or tomorrow sometime.

Leaving you with an old favourite...a layout of some of my favourite things.

One More

We were challenged at Scrapbook Outlet to use packaging on our layout. Can you figure where I've used it?

I love this one...

For 'So You Think You Can Scrap' comp at Scrapbooking by Design last year. It was a lot of fun.

Some Favourites

My Mum (sitting) and Aunty Fay who married my Dad's brother. Sorry about the flash glare...

Scrapbook Outlet

Another revamped pic... Ema's favourite outside Te Puke Mitre 10, 2002.

The photograph was originally scrapped in 2003 and I'm scrapping it again. I know what you're going to say, well a fair few of you. You wouldn't scrap your first pages again 'cos you get to see how far along you've come. Well sorry duckies, having been slipping recent layouts into their albums, I've come across a few pages that I think I would have a whole lot of fun redoing. Saying that, I'm not sure if like this one very much and might do it again if this paper's still available.

Trade Me

Arrrgh! I am so frustrated!!! I've been selling off the last of my TLC stock on Trade Me. Why do people not place feedback (I know it's optional but if I do for you can't you do for me?)? AND why cant they read the payment instructions?! I don't know who you are if you don't leave the #reference, your TM name or otherwise - especially when I'm not expecting the amount that shows up. CRIPES!! Unfortunately I'm not Harry Potter's sister....Ok, I've calmed down....deep breath....

I guess I'll make it official.......

If you'd asked me 3 days ago I couldn't have defined Challenge Junkie for you. I guess at best - someone who likes to complete challenges? Lol.

A Sketch Challenge from Trina McClune

Three things beginning with the letter A

Acrylic for Paint

Ahoy for the title

Altered photo

Completed for a Crop at

Heaven Sent

The last two years of layouts have been slipped into ziplock bags, hole torn page protectors and 12x12 packaging left over from product. T h e n, they were put into a plastic crate beside my scrapping table or the lonely empty-Cropper-Hopper-paper-holder-thingy behind me.

So You Think You Can Scrap

Comp going down at Scrapbooking Design last year.

Easter weekend I decided those layouts had to go into their albums! Pronto! And guess - bar a very, very few- were completed because I was inspired by a challenge! That makes me a challenge junkie does it not?

This crate was full, no more could be put in without causing damage to the layouts already inside or the layouts going in. It feels great slipping them into 'real' page protectors.

Ahem, I noticed quite a few without journaling or dates (YIKES!!!) and lots of Heidi Swapp letters swimming around inside plastic bags and the like. Rrrgh! Mission to fully complete all layouts and not one more new one started until said mission is accomplished. Ha!

Affordable Art

I have a Viva from earlier this month and in it is an article called Affordable Art. I was trying to remember why I kept it.....!! well do you remember the Russian dolls that fit into each other? Yeah? Iko Iko in Auckland have a 'nude' set of 5 you can purchase for $32.90 (no I won't be). They can be painted or you could alter them. I think they are so cool. However, if you got as scrap arty as we are want to do they prolly wouldn't fit inside each other anymore, as if it matters. You could have a lot of fun with these babies!

a pic of a set of Russian dolls found on the net

In the same article, Gorgi have flying wood pigeons, $55 for a set of 3 although I'm not sure they would lend themselves to the same enrichment as the dolls.

It's Carols birthday....

There's some yummo eye candy going on over at Carols and it's a great blog too. Thanks Jenny E for sharing her link with us.

Belated Happy Birthday Wishes Carol

Happy Mail

Wanna see what I got from a very special internet buddy? I'll admit I was expecting the nesties - (embarrassed smiley here)They were chosen under duress with both arms twisted up my back - truly! But she's so naughty, there's enough going on in her life right now and she's still thinking abt others! Always does and her sister's exactly the same. Thanku Arlene!!


Stampin Up rub-on's, Top Note diecuts - and some in leather too, some very cute, cute cupcake stamped and coloured images. I can see some neat cards made with these. Oooh, actually - thinking abt cards I must make 8 this weekend for Sandy, Lesley and Niella. Hang in there.

Sale Sale Sale

Lol. I've been frequenting my favourite forums this evening and Scrappin Patch is having a birthday!! They've been in their new Big store for a year today and so to celebrate ..... from Thursday 9 April until Tuesday 14 April everything in store is 30% off (excludes diecut machines and applies to all instock items only).

And if I purchase any goodies because I mentioned the birthday sale here I get a freebie - the operative word here being IF. Anywho, head on over and have a lookee. I'm headed that way myself :)

I won third!!

Whooo, happy dancing. Congratulations Raewyn who won 1st and Annelie who won second. I am in great company. Do you know Raewyn completed 29 layouts over the 10 days! 29 to my 10. And you gotta check out Annelie's work. I've loved her creations for ages.

I am truly stoked to have won a MM gift pack worth $100 NZ! I'll take a pic to share with youse all when it arrives.

Taupo

...home of the Autumn Escape.

The last challenge was called on Sunday night but I was too buggered to do anything. Next morning though I felt an urge, lol. Could I do the last one before the 10am deadline and before work to boot?

Scraplift a pic of one of Scrapbook Outlets Design Team members - decisions, decisions!! In the end I chose Neen's Roma layout.....and it took me all of 35mins to put together!! Whoaa - I gotta lift more often!!! Admittedly I started at 6am and had to get my kiddo ready for school as well as getting myself out the door at 8:30 so I had no time to dither and believe me I would've played more had I not been going to work.

Sorry abt the photographs for this one and Harajuku. Sending them from Google looks better.

Japan

Harajuku - the name of a band and a whole other culture in Japan. Our challenge was to 'do' CUTE. I googled Harajuku and found the definition - a fatal attraction to cuteness - and used it in my title - but somehow between taking a crappy pic at night for the Race and this 'fresh' pic this morning I've lost some of my title and there's no more of the pink paper in my stash. I'll have to figure on something else eh!

Fancy Pants Summer Soiree and check out the gorgeous felt yellow flower - co of Random Bits. Love it.

Two

Another one for the 'Other' album (yup, I'm thinking of Nicole Kidman in her 'Other' movie ;)). Two layouts in the album got you a ticket for the Amazing race....'cept I didn't know that until last night so I'm glad I had two that didn't fit anywhere. This one started off as China but the embellies didn't work with it.

The Other One

Andrea had a second album set up during the Amazing Race - where you could load the layouts you made during the race but didn't fit any of the challenges. I love this paper - Fancy Pants Summer Soiree. I turned the paper on it's side and added lot's of tiny shiny 3d flowers so it looked like the take off from a rocket if you know what I mean? Ema hit the water last and came second. Go Rocket Girl!

Mosgiel

On the home stretch...there's a Scrap Camp in Mosgiel in the Sth Island this weekend and Andrea's been talking to the Campers :) The ladies shared their favourite things to create with. Our challenge was to choose five items and use them on a layout of our own. Here I've taken Buttons, Birds, Ink, Ribbon and Stitching.....you'll need to look close for the stitching - around the outter edge below. A bit hard to believe I used such a soft colour background but I'm happy with the results.

China

Although most scrapbooking product is designed in the US it's most often made in China so....our challenge for this layout was to craft a handmade embellishment - and use it!

Lots of punchie hearts, individually inked with a Tombow pen. Adhered in layers to look like Pansies. Painted with Dimensional Magic - and then 'cracked' when dry. I can't remember where I 'borrowed' this idea since it's an old one but I'm thinking most likely Arlene, so thanku Arlene. Oh and hey, making these flowers for this layout wasn't planned, it just came abt which is kinda funny/weird 'cos Dot has a beautiful garden.

France

Layering as in clothing.... apply it to your layout.

Hmmm...

This is not making sense. I've edited the last two posts - and resized the pics. In edit posts it shows that but not when I click view blog???

Denmark the home of Hans Christian Anderson....and lego land

A Winter Layout..something very different for me. I had fun with this.

#2 Papau New Guinea

Use a colour from the PNG flag - black, red, yellow and white... If I knew how to graffiti this would be a whole lot different - I gave up looking for examples on the net. Lol. Yolande.F shared an awesome layout with us a few years back. All the background was graffiti - it was fantastic and I've never forgotten it.