Number 200!!

I started blogging on June 10th 2007 and this is my 200th post! So in other words I am a slack blogger! Not sure if that will change in the future as I don't think anyone but a couple of scrapping friends read it anyway, but I know it will always be here waiting for me if I want to post something.

I do want to share some pics of some things I have been up to lately, especially these projects for the latest ScrapbookOutletNZ ezine...

First up is a Christmas recipe book which was oh so easy to put together using the Making Memories Mistletoe recipe book kit. It came with this lovely ring binder album, plenty of page protectors, poinsettia flowers & leaves, recipe cards, patterned section dividers, tab labels and pre-designed layouts.. I simply added my own titles and photos and recipes.

My intention for this album is to add recipes over the years and when my children host a Christmas dinner/party they can use the 'old family favourite recipes' to impress their guests.

I also created this Christmas canvas using the Fancy Pants Christmas Magic collection.

The poinsettia petals have been squeezed slightly to make them look 3D. I love these colours together.

You can see the whole ezine here, it is a must-see as there is a tonne of inspiration to be had and all for FREE too!

Yesterday Today

I have been taking an online class at Big Picture Scrapbooking by Ali Edwards called Yesterday Today. If the class comes up again then take it, I have enjoyed every single week so far and it has also inspired me to create a digital album (8x8) for my brother for Christmas using photos from yesterday and today. Ali has provided a tonne of digital elements as well as formats for hybrid or paper scrapping.

Here is a layout using this weeks YT digi template which I have adapted to suit the theme for a challenge at SBO for the Ready, Steady...it's nearly Christmas competition. I am not entering the competition as we were required to create a paper layout to be eligible to enter. I have a photo of my brother's giant Christmas card (Father Christmas) so will adapt the digi template yet again to a 8x8 size for his album.
you can click on the layout for a bigger size.

Catwalk finale

The Gok Fashion Inspired competition has ended and the SBO gallery is bulging with wonderful creations! I spent some time on the weekend counting layouts and photos and came up with these competition statistics...
75 layouts were created by 19 scrappers and between all these wonderful layouts almost 400 different photos were scrapped!

Plenty of prizes were given out along the way and the final draw last night made three scrappers very happy, with Bridget winning the big prize of the Pink Making Memories SLICE!! Have fun with your new baby Bridget, I am sure your students will have fun playing too ;)

Here are a couple of layouts I created for the Catwalk finale...

This one of TJ having fun wheeling the dogs around the back yard. I used Fancy Pants Rough and Tough range with some hand stamped stars on the background.

This is my attempt to create a silhouette of me! LOL This layout is about having to rethink our disaster evacuation plan (see previous blog post).

I have been busy creating some Design Team layouts using the Glitz Designs Olivia range. This range is both pretty and grungy at the same time and was perfect for some recent photos of Alyse...

Using title stickers, alphas, glitzers and patterned paper from the range to list '9 things the I (Alyse) love'. A very typical teenage girl list.

Alyse met Tori whilst she was working at the Holiday Programme and they hit it off immediately. The title spot (clock) inspired me to use these photos of these two cuties!

When I first saw this photo of TJ's funny face I was ready to delete it but then realised it was perfect so used it for Alyse's album. These two have a love hate relationship and I thought it was quite funny that Alyse had to be nice to her brother whilst she was at work in the cafe! hehehehe

Time to rethink

Last week I panicked when I heard the call to say we could expect a tsunami hitting our beaches within the hour after an earthquake in the pacific, so what did I do? I got my kids to pile all the scrapbook albums and photo boxes into the car whilst I jumped in the shower! I think best while in the shower! LOL

Once I was clean and dressed and had a plan in my head, I got the kids to pack a bag with some of their clothes whilst I organised a back up of the accounting program onto my external hard drive and got a chilly bag full of food for us and the dogs. As soon as the external hard drive was backed up we jumped in the car with the three dogs on their leads and headed to a playground in Hastings (friends had text to say Civil Defence had told them to take their Holiday Programme crew there).

Long story short, thankfully the warnings came to nothing even though we were confused by differing reports all day, and after spendind the morning at the playground and the afternoon at a good friend's place (who was willing to take our three dogs too) we came home in the rain. I didn't dare ask the kids to help empty the car as they had told me in no uncertain terms all day that they will NEVER take all those scrapbooks and photos in an emergency again!


If nothing else the day made me rethink my priorities. Whilst the kids are the most important to evacuate, if I this happened again and we got warning of an impending evacuation I would only take...

* us
* clothes
* food
* blankets
* pillows
* toiletries and medication
* personal documents
* survival kit (torches, batteries, matches etc)
* irreplaceable photos (some of which are already scrapped so will put these all into one album)
* the external hard drives
* and the box of negatives.
(what else should be a priority??)

at least then there would still be room in the boot to put the chooks (DH decided they would be more important than the dogs as they could produce eggs or if needs be could be killed and eaten!!)

That would leave room for us (and the cat and dogs) in the car!

btw - DH thought I was nuts when I called him at work and asked him to come home and help pack up the car or to at least meet us at the playground. He never once called us throughout the day to see how we were. Next time I won't bother packing him a change of clothes or his toiletries! LOL

Gok Inspired challenges - Catwalk 5

This weeks Catwalk challenges can be found here.

If you want to see a fantastic tutorial for making chipboard buttons, check out what Lesley posted here . I am going to give this a go today for my challenge sample.

Here is my sample using bingo cards. I found some printable bingo cards online, if you try a google search you will find even more links.

I used the Bo Bunny Popsicle patterned papers here and cut the bingo cards into butterflies using a Cuttlebug die.

For my vintage tag I scanned and altered the colour of a 7 gypsies tag added some vintage metal 'bits' a couple of handmade crochet flowers and a vintage apple crate label.
Oh and the 'O' in OLDE is actually and upside down 'Q' which looked more fancy as an 'O' LOL

I have used the tag on a layout about Alyse's class going to the Victorian Christmas display at the museum and dressing up in period costumes. (the layout isn't finished yet hence the sneak of the tag only LOL)

Catwalk 4 - Gok Inspired challenge

It's my week to host the Catwalk challenges over at the SBO forum, check out the details here

I have been busy busy busy creating layouts lately for the Gok challenges and upcoming Design Team work and for the ezine so cannot show you everything right now but these are my layouts for this weeks Catwalk...

Use white space on your layout (my white space is in fact dark brown!) Journalling block and layout design by Cathy Zielske from her BPS class Design Your Life

These two layouts are using inking and glimmermist.

Create a layout for under NZ$5 (my layout cost $2.15 to create).

Check out the forum for more details.

I have only just realised I forgot to upload my layouts from Catwalk 3, so here they are...

Using sewing on your layout, I am quite chuffed with my little Title element esp the handstitching.

Using pearl bling on your layout - simple little pearl bling flower centres

Using fabric on your layout - I created this layout (Maya Rd chipboard design) with jac paper and some scraps of fabric.

Catwalk 2 - Gok Inspired competition

I am uploading these layouts in a hurry as I have a tonne of work to catch up on after a weekend away at a scrap retreat, if you want to know more about this weeks Catwalk challenges then head over here. (you can click on each layout to see it bigger).

Gok inspired Fashion (on your layouts) competition

Are you ready for a FASHION extravaganza?
Are you ready to STRUT your stuff down the weekly catwalks?
Are you ready for the chance to WIN?
Are you ready for a whole 6 week heap of FUN?

If so we have the competition for you!

SBO’s GOK Inspired Fashion Competition

Did you watch Gok's Fashion Fix on TV 1 when it was on? Gok Wan is a renowned stylist in Britain who is the presenter of this very entertaining program about fashion and looking good. An overview of this program can be found here and more info about Gok can be found here


We have taken inspiration from Gok and his program to bring you our latest competition.

SBO’s GOK Inspired Fashion Competition check out all the details.

Catwalk 1 challenge 1 WARDROBE - here I have tried to 'replicate' the handbag that Alyse took to the school disco with a bit of paper piecing.

Catwalk 1 challenge 2 ON TREND - I chose to use the purple and hot pink as my main colour scheme with the teal as the accent colour (with a little bit of black and white thrown in for good measure).

Catwalk 1 challenge 3 HIGH FASHION - I just love everything about my layout here, esp the photo of the two youngest grandchildren with Aunty Alyse. The MME Pretty Please papers are definitely a favourite range and the handcut felt heart complete with handstitching was the perfect accessory. (btw - IRL the pink matches).

Two more sleeps till the big competition begins

Here are some sneak peeks of some of my layouts for a couple of the challenges...

no explanation about these sorry cos I don't want to give any clues.

I am so excited to be part of this competition, if you are like me and are motivated by cooooool challenges then join us in the forum.

Bo Bunny Popsicle layouts

I created five layouts for my August DT gallery using the Popsicle range. My absolute fave patterned papers in this range are Juicy Orange, Bubble Gum, Banana Split and the double sided Cut Out sheets.

I have used white Bazzill cardstock for most of my backgrounds which works so well with anything including this very bright colourful range.


Check out the range available in the shop you won't want to miss out on these goodies.

R

Teenage boys - sheesh

Today is my birthday, my husband and kids aren't all that great at remembering - something I have finally learnt to accept, but god help me if I ever forget their birthdays! LOL

Anyway Ross went to work without remembering, Alyse wished me Happy Birthday and TJ, well the little turd said this when I told him today was my birthday...

T = so what is it, forty... five or...?

R = forty four

T = Well that's one more year

R = What till?

T = (closer) till you die, yeah

You have to understand his dry sense of humour I suppose, made me laugh though.

My good friend Wendy is taking me out for a mystery morning tea today and Mum has already bought me a present - a trip to Adelaide in November!!!! That will count for several birthdays and Christmases to come that's for sure.

Tonight once I have reminded Ross its my birthday I will tell them all I want a present - a family photo shoot on the next sunny weekend. They will all groan!

I've been shopping!

Lesley's challenge at SBO this week is a shopping challenge. You will need to check out the forum as the list keeps changing.

I bought bling, stitching and stamping.

journalling: with a desire to spend time at home to get a long list of projects completed and the need for the Board to make some budget cuts, I made the decision to resign from the Library. Semi-retirement here I come!
(I now work from home as a treasurer for a before/after school care programme so I am not totally lazy! LOL).

To stitch the flourish shape I chose a favourite bling flourish, lay a sheet of copy paper on top of a mouse pad (or similar foamy sheet) placed the bling flourish upside down on top of the copy paper (the bling was still stuck to its backing sheet), then using my brayer I rolled it over the back of the bling a few times (gently) until the bling made slight indentations in the copy paper. I then drew the shape with pencil going from indentation to indentation (bit like connect the dots) to get my flourish shape onto the copy paper. The copy paper drawing was my template which I laid on top of my layout background and photo. I slid the mouse pad under the layout and started poking holes equi-distance along the lines with an awl (or you could use a large needle or thumb tack), which became my stitching holes. I used embroidery floss for the stitching.
I call this kiwi ingenuity and I am pretty pleased with the results. The template is still usable for future projects however if it gets a bit tatty I can always laminate it and re-poke the stitching holes. Hope this all makes sense.

I've gotta a secret

I can't tell you too much but there is going to be a brand new competition starting on the forum over at the ScrapbookOutletNZ on September 3rd. If you are not already registered then may I suggest you make it a priority on your to do list! *smile*

Mango Luau DT work

WOW it was such fun scrapping some recent Fiji photos with the Bo Bunny Mango Luau available at ScrapbookOutletNZ. The colours are just gorgeous together and any range that uses my favourite COLOUR has to be fantastic!

I designed the sketch for this month's DT work...And this is the layout I created.

It would suit one enlarged photo or two (or more) smaller photos. The scalloped edge is from the 12x12 ML sticker sheet as are the green alphas. To read the journalling click on the pic to view it larger.

A simple layout design. I used our duty free alcohol to weigh down my crocs whilst trying to soak them in the hand basin in Fiji.

I like scallops and even more so the many floral/circular elements just waiting to be cut from some of the Mango Luau patterned papers. This photo is showing the footpath to/from our bure, that we walked several times a day to and from the restaurant.

The bracket shaped element is the reverse side of the labels pp and this is one sheet of pp I was loathe to cut into, but I forced myself. I did some photoshopping with the main photo as the blouse I was wearing was hot pink and orange stripes and clashed with the paper. Love how it turned out.

I was also sent the Bo Bunny Popsicle range and will upload my layouts at the end of the month to the SBO gallery and then post them here.

Lesley's cardstock only challenge

Lesley's Challenge is to CREATE A CARDSTOCK ONLY layout. You can add paint, ink, chalk, stamping, embossing (dry and wet), cutting, tearing, stamping but no patterned paper or other 'items' to be added. You can add embellishments but they must be made from cardstock!


I have been mulling over my layout for a few days now and this is what I came up with...

As the challenge would not allow any patterned paper I finally decided to emboss the plain kraft cardstock with my Cuttlebug folders. The butterfly was cut using a Cuttlebug die and the word 'butterfly' is hand cut (font: Segoe Script which I custom kerned). The 'kisses' word is a 2peas block font.

(These photos are of me and my little step-grandaughter Cahlia who will be two in exactly one week!)

Telethon challenge

Lainie had a fabulous idea that in honour of TELETHON. Apparently it is 15 years since the last one.

the Challenge is...
to create a layout with 15 items only. Paint and ink are free (but a stamped image is counted). Your background carstock, any pieces of pp, photo, each embellishment are all counted as 1 item each. Your title is 1 item - doesnt matter how many letters. Your journaling (size doesnt matter) is 1 item.

I got started on my challenge layout this morning with Telethon playing in the background, here is what I came up with

Purple is not a colour I use often but I managed to find some purple embellishments and ink to help create this layout which includes:- 1pt background cardstock, 1pt journalling, 1pt photo, 1pt transparency, 1pt flower, 1pt butterfly, 3pts brads, 1 pt button, 2pts metal tabs, 1pt scallop pp, 1pt ric rac, 1pt title, inked masking free.

My TELETHON memories...

I managed to get into one of the Telethon events in Napier I think I was 4th form at the time, and got to do the 'Thank you very much' dance around the hall. Met up with a second cousin Tina Cross (the NZ singer) and also Stu Dennison (Nice One Stu) too from memory and got their autographs. I was recognised on TV by our neighbours as I had arm in plaster that I kept waving it in the air.

When I was older (and now working), we threw a friend in a wheelbarrow and pushed him in and out of several bars in town asking for donations which we then dropped off to the Telethon centre.

ScrapbookOutletNZ ezine

I recommend you take some time to read the latest ezine HERE. It is a free online magazine full of heaps of layouts, product reviews and scrapping inspiration all put together by my scrappy friend Vicky G.

I was lucky enough to work with the SBO July kit and these three layouts were included in the "one kit 4 ways" article in the ezine. The kit includes a tonne of bazzill, moxie, jillibean soup and bo bunny and a set of Autumn Leaves stamps....

The kit includes a tonne of bazzill, moxie, jillibean soup and bo bunny and a set of Autumn Leaves stamps.

These three layouts were also created using the July kit but went straight into my Design Team album in the gallery.