The last of them plus a few stats

Today is the 14th January 2013 and I am only two days passed my personal TWELVE deadline...yes that means I have completed my 156 layouts (plus there were about 4 or 5 extra layouts not counted), one of these 156 layouts was an OTP (off the page) project and that includes 473 photos in total scrapped!!! Admittedly some photos were triplicates as I created a layout for both kid's albums and ours but I'm still counting them.

Here are the last few layouts...

Everyday Life - gosh if it wasn't for the flair button at the bottom this would have been an embellishment-less layout LOL. But my main embellishing was in the title, by using the different fonts.

People - super easy layout only made to look better because I used some transparent stickers and some rub-ons.

Me - yes this is a photo of me and hubby but the little bit of journalling is how I feel when I look at this photo. This is my first attempt at Steampunk inspired by Finnabair and Nic Howard. While I loved using texture paste with the brick wall stencil and the glimmermisting I didn't like how it was hard to keep everything stuck down so there wasn't a white margin around the elements.

Photos I Love - our old cat Molly who just walked in the door as I typed her name LOL

Seasons - this little positive test was the very beginning of my season as a mother of two! I have the photos of my first pregnancy test (with our daughter) and the layout will look almost exactly the same but in pinks! (I crocheted the large flower aka tiny doily).

Family Stories - this story is one of my daughter's school-family stories. Again a layout with very little embellishment and the skewed photo makes it look weird LOL

My big goal for 2013 is to create travel albums for the kids big holidays and I am going to use the Project Life Clementine and Turquoise kits throughout the albums. I have purchased the digital kits in these versions also just in case the paper kits are discontinued at any stage. 
Wish me luck because already there are over 1000 photos to scrap and I am not sure if they will be in the correct orientation for the pocket pages!

I can't believe it...

but I am on target for my goal of 144 layouts for 2012. I have created at least 12 layouts every month plus one 'photo I love' layout every month up until June. I have all the patterned paper scraps, the photo, the kraft cardstock backgrounds, the titles as well as the heart/tag embellishments all ready to go but just need to make some time to glue everything down. (will share them when they are done)

Here are some of my latest layouts from August, September and October...

Fun - this is definitely a fun way to cut up onions and not end up in tears LOL Layout based on one by Nic Howard in the Dimensional Details class I recently took at Big Picture Classes. If this class is ever offered again then take it! Credits: Nic Howard & Big Picture Classes

Things - based on a layout by Nic Howard. I used an old Heidi Swapp flame mask that I copied, cut out and sprayed with glimmermist. The tyre tracks strip is actually washi tape. I am very proud of my finish- line flags embellishment. I got the idea to adhere the mini alphas (spelling Oakleys) to some transparency and laid over the chipboard letters.

People - I am waiting for some journalling ideas from DD for this layout. This layout is based on another of Nic's layouts (from her Dimensional Details class), I used different alphas for the title.

Family Stories - a recent family snapshot. I can't remember if this layout is based on another Dimensional Details class layout or from a sketch.

Rituals - bit of an icky topic I suppose but don't ya like the choice of icky/grungy papers I chose LOL. Having his ears flushed out is going to be a regular occurrence I think. Based on a page maps sketch

Inspiration - Stu Duval is a very popular author and TJ was lucky enough to go on a writing retreat with him in Year 8. A copy of his handwritten poem inspired by Stu D. is on the back of the layout. Another layout based on one from Dimensional Details. I am fast becoming a fan of these easy to make banners.

Me - one place I had to re-visit when last in Sydney was the Pancakes on the Rocks restaurant, some 30 years after my first visit. Yummo

Places - so pleased to finally have these old photos scrapped. Once again I have used the tyre tracks washi tape and even included a transparency under the title that I created using a grungy digital mask.

Rituals - my weekly electrocution therapy - aka electrolysis treatment as Alyse's beauty therapy course model. Based on a layout from DD class, the butterfly is a digital element by Louise Williams.

Everyday Life - this is a photo of Alyse with my old dolly called Pansy, but the journalling will be about how Pansy was my everyday companion from the age of 5yrs old. (Still to get details from Mum as to where she was bought from etc).

Fun - sketch offered up as inspiration by Nic Howard in our DD class, this is my take on it. Grandaughter Cahlia is my favourite date for Fruit Salad, fizzy drink (or fluffys) and funny faces LOL

Things - fishing isn't one of TJ's fave things to do LOL and it doesn't help when his father doesn't give the best instructions. I have to mention that I just can't get my old printer to print right to the edge so have to get the journalling done at the local Warehouse Stationery and could cost up to $8 a pop, exorbitant I know! I have a full size printer on my wish list that would make printing onto 12x12 layouts a breeze.

Seasons - whitebaiting season 2012 was almost the last one for Ross after this incident. I used facebook statuses for the journalling which is printed out on computer paper and simply stuck to the back of the layout. I have used a couple of Typo post it strips (keep calm and help) as extra embellishing here.

Seasons - the beginning of a new season in my life, becoming a Mum. The photos are really crappy as we only had a disposable camera (with no flash) way back then. Another DD class layout.

Places - the longest place name in NZ somewhere near Porangahau. I have used a digital element printed on transperancy behind my journalling spot and added a chipboard NZ shape (not quite positioned correctly oops) I have added more journalling to the back of the layout from the information board in the photo.

Me - I love mine and my brother's smiles in this photo taken on my 47th birthday a couple of months back. I love the clustering I have created here, thanks to more inspiration from the Dimensional Details class. Thanks to Nic Howard I have stepped out of my comfort zone and tried new things, so maybe there will be less KISS (keep it super simple) layouts in the future.

Holidays/Celebrations - I was so inspired by a layout by Nic Howard that I just had to try a couple of her techniques on this layout... the painted ornate chipboard frame on one photo and the leafy element that I hand cut from a canvas sheet. I really like this stuff for added texture so you may see more of it on my layouts in the future. You can see I am continuing my 2012 tradition of including a tag of some sort on most of my layouts. If I notice any layouts have missed out on a tag element I generally add one before I file it away in an album.

People - I am waiting for Ross to help me with the journalling here, I have asked him for anecdotes about growing up with Tony as his big brother and will include them on a 6x12 layout using the same patterned papers.

Places - Tauranga mid-winter Christmas festival. I was determined to use the little snowflakes but once they were adhered they got lost so I added black circles around them to help them stand out more.

Personality - Mum hates having her photo taken but I have noticed that lately she is happy to smile when the camera is pointed at her (see last photo on bottom right hand side). LOL. Yes this is one of my simple '9 patch' layout designs but with a little more embellishing than usual.

Holidays/Celebrations - based on a layout by Nic Howard (DD class), I coloured the large tag with spritzed distress inks inspired by Lynda Manning in a recent Scrapbook Corner class. I bet your mouth is watering just looking at these yummy desserts, I know mine is.

This layout was created at Spring Escape as taught by Natalie May. I love it and learned so much about creating my own backgrounds using inks and stamps. Each layout created in Natalie's class is different as she allowed us to add the chipboard gears/cogs wherever we liked. Credits: Natalie May and Imaginarium Designs

Inspiration - The other class I attended at Spring Escape was Paula Cheney's, where I created a gorgeous 'off the page' project. I love how mine turned out (a wee bit differently to Paula's sample tray). That is a little pull out booklet in the bottom right block and I have a series of family photos to add from the last 20 years starting off with just Ross and I, then both of us with Alyse as a baby then lots of us as a family of four when TJ came along. Credits: Paula Cheney

making page kits and not so many layouts

Only nine more sleeps and Wendy and I will be off to the Spring Escape retreat held at Wairakei Resort in Taupo, so big excitement here, but that means I have been creating page kits and not so many layouts recently. 

However last Saturday at the last minute, I gate crashed the Scrapbookin' 2D Max weekend retreat to crop with some friends for the day, so managed to create a few layouts with some of my page kits. Some are based on layouts/techniques that I have learned in Nic Howard's BPC class 'Dimensional Details' and I have used them for my TWELVE class too cos I am a bit behind for that class...

Seasons - my DH and his mate are wannabe market gardeners and one year planted hundreds of giant garlic bulbs and a few loooong rows of lettuces, cabbages and leeks, whilst the harvest was reasonable we didn't make enough money to retire! LOL (journalling has been added now). This layout is not a Nic Howard design however she has inspired me to use transparencies on my layouts so I made the blotchy (aka dirt look-a-like) one under the wooden flourish.

Inspiration - my inspiration certainly came from a Nic Howard idea here... using circle punches around the edge of the layout to create a scallop border as well as the punched border the photo placement, in fact the whole design! The 40+ circles took a while to ink and glue down in place and I was left with a nasty gap at the end but I cleverly covered it up with my fussy cut flower/leaves. LOL These photos of my family were taken on the 10th October 2010! (a couple of lines of journalling have since been added)

Personality - my DS asked me recently how come I didn't breakdown when he had an emergency operation last year so it got me thinking that I needed to document my ability to go into  'practical mode' in times of crisis. I usually crack up/cry afterwards but am proud to say I can generally hold it together when needed. (I have blurred some of the journalling which is private). This layout was a out-and-out scraplift of Nic, I used the same chipboard pieces too (love them) and she taught me how to create a mitred frame using strips of chipboard. (new technique I love).

Everyday Life - journalling has been added now which is about how Ross quit smoking cold turkey but swapped tobacco for lollies and how he put on heaps of weight in the first 12 months! He has stopped eating the lollies now and even though he still craves the odd smoke he hasn't gone back. I am so proud of him. This layout might be rather flowery for the subject but I initially chose the papers to match the colours of the lolly packets then at the end I changed to photo to black and white! This is another Nic Howard layout design and includes my first chipboard mitered frame.

Family Stories - this photo is very precious to us as it is the last photo taken of Ross and his three siblings because less than a year later we lost his brother Tony. I am wrapt how this layout came together (another Nic scraplift) using a whole lot of different elements.

 

Me - about a job I had back in high school. This is an older Nic Howard layout design and one I have scraplifted often. It works so well for photos of landscape or portrait orientation. Just add a few strips of patterned paper and cardstock (and in this case a bit of washi tape too) to cover up the join in the background (cut so the journalling piece could go through the printer) plus a few embellishments and a title and call it done. I found this fancy paper frame in my pink colour drawer and thought it worked perfectly with my chosen papers! I have added a couple of transparency elements too, the frame tucked underneath is a digital file that I printed out at home and the butterfly is a photocopied piece from a clear stamps packet. I fussy-cut those pink flowers and am on the lookout for more papers that I can cut up in the same way!

 It is currently the school holidays and as I work in a primary school library I have two weeks off too so will spend the next few days making more page kits and getting my bags packed for Spring Escape... but before then we have a VERY IMPORTANT birthday for my Mum which we are celebrating with a nice lunch this weekend and cake on the actual day next week. Yay!

sharing over 25 layouts from July & August

Whilst taking Stacy's TWELVE class I have also signed up for Nic Howard's DIMENSIONAL DETAILS class, this is a scraplift of Nic's layout (she designed the text background). I am hoping to learn a whole lot of new techniques to help me create more beautiful layouts in the future. (note the use of my tracing wheel creating a 'holey' border?)

Another scraplift of Nic H, with a whole lot of distressing, tearing, inking and paper rolling going on, not my usual linear style but I am loving it (does help that I have a couple of great photos on there too ay?) LOL

Two versions of a layout scraplift from Nic, again we used some tearing and distressing but I broke out some old masks and the glimmermist this time, I like both the feminine & the masculine versions here.

Photos I Love - May - I am enjoying creating these simple layouts from the scraps of patterned paper used in the month. (me at Sydney Fish Markets eating a danish! LOL)

Photos I Love - June - even though some of the patterned papers stick out more than others (eg the black and white rugby ball pp) but I use them anyway and this time the rugby ball pp suited my brother Len so I stuck it down on his side of the layout.

Family Stories - a layout scraplifted from Nic Howard in the Dimensional Details class, even though my rectangular lacy doily didn't reach right across the layout I am pleased how it looks underneath my layout. The technique was to use (leftover) alpha stickers for the background, I thought I was going to have trouble with this but it looks fine.

Fun - a fun photo-shoot with DD but the journalling reflects the year just gone and the year ahead. I went a bit overboard misting the slice of rectangular doily! I have used a very old canvas-on-kraft tag along with some newer products and it all works.

Everyday Life - the layout is a scraplift from Nic Howard's Dimensional Details class.

Seasons - Ball Season, this is a double page layout using a Nic Howard/May Flaum Double Take sketch and worked perfectly for my photos. I especially love the title element.

People - Cahlia is our youngest grandaughter and is definitely one of our favourite little people, I just love her facial expressions captured in these three photos. I think this is a Page Maps sketch.

Things - another Page Maps sketch from memory. Just be glad I didn't add the rather loud expletives Ross says when he says a fly come into the house, it is enough to make your hair curl! I thought it was so funny when this fly landed on him while he was snoozing one day, I can just hear it saying "ha ha I am going to poop on you while you are asleep!!"

Holidays - my holidays category includes Christmas, Easter, New Years etc but also the vacations we take, so this weekend retreat layout can fit into the Holidays category according to moi!

Personality - the journalling is hidden on a tag behind the photo, the layout is a scraplift from Nic Howard's DD class again. Bit of an eclectic mix of products on this page, some old some new and the funny colour on the top left side of the photo mat is the glare on the transparency.

Rituals - my DH Ross tries so hard on most weekends to catch us a feed of fish but it doesn't always work out how he planned, so Mum bought him this sign but when he finally caught a fish we added the 'yeah right' caption to it. (btw - Ross has one full album all about him whilst the kids and I have at least ten albums each so now I am just going to add his layouts to my themed albums, well we are married you know! hahaha).

Me - no journalling as yet, but this is my group of friends with the exception of two, out for dinner at Breakers. I have used some old Scenic Route papers here and one of my new fave product - Flair Buttons which I have been buying from etsy 'aflairforbuttons' this wonderful lady makes these buttons herself and ships really fast.

Holidays - Ross enjoying a couple of huge oysters at the Sydney Fish Markets recently. Again a bit of an eclectic mix of products here but it didn't quite look balanced until I added a star flair button to the right side now you can see the visual triangle using the red elements.

Personality - I was getting so mad when these two wouldn't smile for me, I was hoping to get a nice 'dad n daughter' photo for my Photos I Love (PIL) album, but you know what in the end I did get just that cos I love these two and these photos (you can see the PIL layout here)

People - TJ's 3rd birthday, holey moley that was 13 1/2 years ago, awww he was so cute and I did prefer his hair length then (now it is a real mop but at least he keeps it clean). A very simple layout design but I used some washi tape however it's not shown off to its best advantage here. I have plenty more so will do a better job next time. I have used patterned papers from three different companies but they still work well together.

Family Stories - this is more a family outing than a story but I needed to get this very old page kit made up into a layout so I just added it to this category. Note the lack of embellishment, sometimes you just can't be bothered ay but at least these photos will now be in an album and not stuck in a WIP binder (work-in-progress)

Inspiration - Stacy Julian's June triggers had an image of some LittleMissMatched socks, the socks are three socks (not three pairs) that perfectly coordinate - stars, stripes and spots. I found the colourful bubbles and striped papers (diff companies) and created a coordinating star block using punches). Can you see how this is the same sketch as TJ's 3rd birthday layout above?

Things - whilst this could have easily fitted into the Personality category I needed a layout for the Things category too so I slotted it in there, they are my layouts/albums and Stacy is quite okay about making these executive decisions in her TWELVE class LOL I have since added a wee jewellery tag with a red heart brad to draw out the faint red light on the stud finder thingee.

Places - my two teenagers hanging out at an old haunt from when they were about 3 & 5 years old. This is a scraplift of a Nic Howard layout.

Fun - whoa this is a crazy looking layout but works ok with these photos, my son would have a lot of fun confusing the pitcher by swapping sides each time he faced the ball.

Rituals - every morning Ross plays Spider Solitaire whilst sipping his coffee, I am sure you can read the rest. That cool flower made from an old sewing pattern was made by a friend whilst I made the crochet flowers, the black stripey strip is washi tape.