If only I had as much to show as the hours I put in ....

Okay so I am on the homeward stretch of the most jam packed scrappy weekend ever, I just don't appear to have the layout count to back it up!! lol

I kicked off my Saturday teaching a class at my lss before heading home for a few hours to pack my scrappy stuff. Saturday night I went to the tail end of the 12 hour crop for Mad About Scrappin at Leannes house. It was such a lovely night with a group of lovely ladies. After the crop finished a few of us got to chatting and before we knew it the wee hours of the morning had arrived. I got home (when the clock started with a 4 - naughty me) and managed to squeeze in about an hour and a halfs sleep before having to head back to my lss for the breakfast crop. Managed half a layout before having to take cover at the counter for a few hours (those of you that get what I mean will be lol-ing about now) and decided that I would tag along for Jenny's 3 from 3 class in the arvo. I used some of the new pp's from the Max and Whiskers range from Basic Grey but didn't get any further then the bases ..... cause it was a last minute decision I didn't have any pics with me. :-( I then stayed for a further few hours after hours to keep one of the other teachers company while she worked on some of her class samples.

Then this morning I woke up (not quite as fresh as a daisy - lol) but awake none the less ..... and guess what?? I got straight back into it! hehehe

3 layouts is my effort for the weekend and two of them even have dates AND journalling!!! A finer detail that was falling by the wayside :-(

Happy First Birthday is the May Number challenge at Challenge Heaven.



Sweet Kisses is also for Challenge Heaven this time for the May Word challenge.

And lastly my sample layout for the May Out of the Hat challenge is this one titled "Family".

Gotta run ..... the boy is awake and I need to rescue my scrap stuff that is currently spread all over the dining room table! :-O oops

Ta da!!!

I finally finished my latest tote design!! How cute are those bright pink spots and butterflies?? I just love it .... (if you can't already tell that by my excitement) .... hehehe. The bag measures 13" wide, 14.5" tall and 4" deep so it is perfect for carrying my 13x13 glass mat and some page kits when I go to crops. Those butterfly pockets are on both the front and back and as an added bonus it also has two huge internal pockets on one side that would be perfect for housing packets of alphas or similar type embellishments. This is the only one I have made so I don't have any on offer atm but if you are interested in having one custom done pricing would be around the $45 mark.


I have also managed to squeeze in some creative time. I started this page at my lss Pizza Crop on Saturday night .... and no I didn't get it finished! Geez ..... your expectations of a girl are a little high don't you think?!?! lol I finished it off yesterday morning and it is my take on the Challenge Heaven Themed Challenge for April. The theme was "learning" and you aslo had to incorporate hand cutting. The circle, star and tip truck were all cut by hand on this one. If you look carefully you will also spy a "Date Tab" from Journal It's .... funny cause it's got no date on it!! and I also got to use one of my super cute new buttons from Little Red Rocket!!

These next two were my attempts at the Cybercrop challenges at Challenge Heaven ..... I use the word "attempt" cause they don't really count if you fail to actually upload them!! Not one of my finer moments ..... must of been having a "special" day that day!

Fast asleep was a colour type challenge .... there was a picture of three different coloured eggs .... blue, green and pink .... and you had to choose one of them to team up with brown for your layout. I found these seriously old American Crafts papers in my scraps and created this layout. I even managed to "road test" the new Library Cards from Journal It's which are hot off the press right about now! I used the Library Pocket Template to make a matching pouch from the papers and finished it all off with some ribbon and chippy clouds from 2 Crafty.

This next one was also for the cc and was a scraplift challenge ..... and I'm sorry but I don't have the link to the original layout I lifted .... but I am sure if you went over and had a peek in the gallery it wouldn't be hard to find. Little bit of paint splatter and some of my fave papers from October Afternoon and whalla .... finished!!

Phew!! And if you are still with me .... either I am getting midly entertaining or you have nothing better to do with your time ..... most likely the last one ;-) But if you have stuck with me I think I have saved the best till last ..... hehehe ..... little bit chuffed with myself here!

I have been invited to particiate in a closed ATC group called "Full Sleeve". We work from a private blog and our first theme was "Something Sweet", I came up with this STUPID idea to make a miniture ATC sized box of chocolates .... and then to make matters worse .... I bragged about it to others members on the group! lol So .... either I pull it off or look like a dumb bum!!

Several expletives later .... here is the first one .....

First closed .....

And then open ..... to reveal the drool worthy choccies inside!! (Carefully sealed under a layer of acetate so don't get any ideas) and besides I am not sure how delicious 3D Kindy Glitz would be??

Okay .... so if you are still with me ..... thanks for hanging in there and having a look at my little creative efforts ..... and if your not ....... (well your not gonna see this are you??) ;-)

Some creativeness .....

Have managed to get a little scrapping done lately. I created these first two at a staff only crop at my lss on Good Friday.

10 Tiny Fingers 10 Tiny Toes is my take on this month's Out of the Hat challenge; At least one B&W photo, a stamp and pop dots.



The bracket shape and lion are on pop dots and the fake stitched border is a stamp from Crate Paper.

This next one was a just because layout .... just because I thought the new paper from Memento was too cute to pass up!!

This one I made a few weeks ago at a crop night at my lss. I saw it in the folder when I was uploading the others and thought I would share it too. I think it was meant to be for the sketch challenge for Challenge Heaven for March .... but you know me .... start with good intentions but sadly never get the time to finish it all. :-(

I have used Sass Lass papers and embellies which I have had for quite a while and never used. Bit of a long story but I ordered the full range from an online store and only the papers turned up .... it took quite a while for the embellies to show and by the time they did I was a bit over it. Just goes to show that it pays to keep that "why did I buy it stuff" in your stash cause you just never know when it will float your boat again!! lol

This last one was the Puzzle Challenge at Mad About Scrappin's Friday night in. This would have to be one of my fave layouts ever!! I just love the bright playfullness of it all! Gorgeous new glittered papers from GCD and some of the matching diecuts.

I have also used the new chipboard alphas from Cosmo Cricket which I am in love with!! You will notice them on the Wild About You layout up /\ there as well ;-) I love them soooo much I bought two packs and am seriously considering a 3rd!! hehehe

You might also spy on the bottom two pages one on the new range of Journal It's by Star .... Mini Note Tabs ..... they come in packs of 5 for just $1!! Interested?? then go and see the full range here. :-)

I hope you are all enjoying the long weekend for Easter .... I know I am!! mmmm ...... chocolate!!

Asian Delights ATC's .....

The theme for the Born 2 Create March ATC swap is Asian Delights. Here is what I made:

It's a hybrid ATC .... I've used photoshop brushes to create the Bonsai tree and pot using three separate layers and colours. I made one blue, one green and one brown and then erased through to colour the different areas of the design. The writing is two separate brushes also. The one in the top right says "creativity" and the one in the bottom left says "friend" .... two things I feel are indicative of ATC's ...... being creative and making lasting friendships!! For the "traditional" part I have used the Summer Flower Soft to create the leaves and blossoms of the bonsai.

Now I just need to wait for the glue holding the Flower Soft to set completely and put the backs on them .... reading for posting tomorrow!

How cute is this?!?!

Shell is giving this away at Lil' Red Rocket so if you want the chance to win make sure you click the link and become a follower of her blog!! You can get 2 chances by posting on your own blog! I even spy some cool Journal It's in the mix!!! ;-)

Blog award ....

..... from Lisa K!!!

I have to pass it on to 5 people so instead of choosing I am just going to send it to the last 5 people who left me lovely comments!! So ...

1. xoxoAlyssaxoxo
2. Corinna
3. Chris W
4. Shimano (aka Christine)
5. Pauly

... this one is for you!! For bringing me sunshine in the form of lovely comments, the Sunshine Award is all yours!! Mwah xx

Inspiration ....

... for March Out of the Hat Challenge.


March challenge is:

- fabric
- 3 different size flowers
- chipboard

I made three types of fabric flowers using the cuttlebug, pinking shears and strips of denim. The scalloped star border and title were cut on the Cricut using Sure Cuts Alot. More details on the challenge blog.

And just a more detailed view of the fabric flowers.

TFL and I hope you will join in the fun!!

Haunted House!

Over at Born to Create the February ATC swap was to use the house template to make an ATC. Straight away I printed out a brick wall pattern onto some cardstock then literally "hit a wall" .... hehehe .... pardon the pun!!! I have mulled over this for weeks and then with all the retreat organisation they sat on the backburner.

Yesterday morning I was searching for pics of gingerbread cottages (Lou's suggestion) when I found a pic of a haunted gingerbread house and thus the Haunted House ATC was born.

I finished them off yesterday and popped them straight in the post. Fingers crossed they get there in the 2 days that Aus Post said it will take otherwise Loobs might just fly all the way from WA to smack my bum!!!! hehehe

OMG!!!

Scrapbook News and Reviews are publishing 6 of my layouts in the Toddlers and Tots gallery in the next issue!! I think it is out on Sunday the 21st!

I am a little shocked and very excited!!

New beginnings ......

2010 for me is all about "BALANCE" and finding the happy medium between work, family and play. There were times in 2009 where the "work" aspect well and truly took over and left me little time for much else. During 2010 I inspire to be more organised and also adopting a "do it now" attitude which means not putting off those little things till they become one huge time consuming problem. I am also learning to make the most of my time by setting achievable goals and NOT PROCRASTINATING!!!! hehehe

My new outlook on life means I am finding more time to fit in the little things in life that I missed out on.

I love ATC's!! They are highly addictive and I just love having a little piece of all my online friends to treasure forever. I wonder if in hundreds of years these little artworks will be selling for big $$'s at antique auctions????

Anyway, over at Scrap n Art the theme for February is "New Beginnings" and this idea popped into my head right away!

I have created a chrysalis hanging from a branch using stamps and 3Ded leaves.


When you open the chrysalis it reveals a beautiful butterfly!!

A wonderful New Beginning!!!

See .... I DO scrap!!!

Hehehe ..... The amount of times I turn up to crops and do NOTHING .... my friends have been beginning to doubt that I actually do scrapbook!

I started these two at Lisa's yesterday .... got the papers and photo's down and then struck a wall with both of them. Mojo came back to play this morning and I finished them off over a cuppa!

Taking a Dip with Dad is the numbers challenge at Challenge Heaven this month. 1 heart, 2 lines of journalling, 3 buttons and 4 photos. I used Sassafras Lass Bungle Jungle pp's which I love!


This second one is the sketch challenge for Scrap N Art this month. The base of this one is similar to the layout I did for Leanne the other day. I just loved the way it turned out so much I had to do one for myself! I used Coredinations Whitewash CS as the base and the papers are Vintage Valentine by Fancy Pants.

Another layout .....

.....wow ...... my mojo took over me this morning and my little brain was going faster than my poor little finger could cut! hehehe

Last Saturday night at Leanne's (for Coz's birthday) we decided amongst ourselves that it would be nice to scrap each others wedding photos as a present in the month of their anniversary. Leanne's was in December so we did hers first.

I used core cs which I cut into the shape and then lightly sanded around the edge. PP's are Bloom and Grow by My Minds Eye and the alphas are Bella.



And a close-up of the handcutting and layering. Also you can probably just see the Stickles on the birdie!

Hold onto your hats .....

..... not only is this my 3rd post this week ..... but ...... I have also scrapped more layouts!!

"Present from Santa" is for the January word challenge over at Challenge Heaven. Had to use the word "present", a scalloped circle and striped pp.

My layout uses pp's from the Collage Press - Joyride collection. It's a bit hard to see from the pic but the outer frame is mounted on foam tape ane the fringe is sticking out from underneath it. I have also used 2Crafty chipboard that I painted with Twinkling H2O's, inked and then Spritzed.


The pics are of Cody opening his wheel from Santa .... it is now mounted on his fort in the backyard and he absolutely loves it!!

"Babysitting Pop Style" is my take on the sketch challenge over at Born 2 Create. I have used the new Origins range from Basic Grey for this one. The sketch is from Pencil Lines #113.


And just a little close-up of the handcutting and layering I used to create the flowers ... it was a little hare to see in the main photo.

January Inspiraton for Out of the Hat ....

This is my take on the January Challenge over at Out of the Hat. Challenge this month is Striped paper, circles and a one word title ..... a pretty is one to ease us all back into the scrapping for 2010.

I love this pic of me and Cody and thought that the new Sugar Rush range from Basic Grey would be perfect!

Photo credits: Christine Wormald

Hmmmm......

Maybe my New Years Resolution should include something about updating my blog?!?!?!?! ;-)