Flowers and Celebrations

I promised more great layouts, and I tried really hard to find some, but these were the best I could come up with. As you can see, I am still really behind on my scrapping, but I am getting caught up....slowly.



One afternoon we were heading down the peninsula to Patonga and whilst passing through the national park we realised the Waratah were blooming so we pulled up, when for a bit of a hike and I shot some amazing photos of the NSW state flower. This layout, I'm proud to say, uses all scraps from my scrap bin, other than the full sheet I used for the background. All of it is Bazzill I think, it sure looks like it anyway. I cut the tag and title using my Fiskars Shapecutter and added a ribbon from my stash and some penwork using pink and green gel pens. I wanted to keep this one really simple to let the photos really stand out.

These are photos of some of the other wildflowers (or maybe their just pretty weeds) that I snapped on the same day. This layout uses patterned paper from The Paper Company and Chatterbox. The cardstock, fibres, and flower cutouts all come from my stash. The title uses letters cut out using my Fiskars Shapecutter and letter stickers from Club Scrap. By the way, we did eventually make it to Patonga that day, just a little later than planned.

This one of my MIL birthday uses some more of those fab papers from the Flea Market collection from HOTP. I added some matching Bazill card, ribbon from my stash and chippy letters I got from the bargain store. The tags and labels come with the paper collection, I just used a brown gel to journal with.

This one is of my daughters year six graduation day. All of the patterned papers, stickers, tags, labels and embellishments come from a Daisy Hill album kit I got from Big W in Dubbo, NSW over a year ago. I just loved the colours of this kit, and they worked with these pics. I added a couple of bits of yellow cardstock from my stash.

This last one documents the first, and one of the few, swimming days of the summer. Everything on the layout, papers, cardstock, rubons, tags, chipboard, stickers, etc is from TLC. The only extra bits are some ribbons from my stash.

More Layouts to Share

These are some more of the layouts I have been working on lately. I still have to get 'round to photographing some of the looming, knitting and crochet I've been doing, but I will get there eventually. All of these layouts feature my wonderful husband.



The first one uses a kit I got at the scrapbook shop in Dubbo, NSW when we were still living in the outback of NSW. I came across when I was sorting out some stuff and thought it would work well with this photo. I have no clue who makes this patterned paper, but it is really pretty. Everything was in the kit (I just punched out the flowers and cut the title using my Fiskars Shapecutter). I didn't add anything except the photo.

This next one uses yet more paper from that now infamous KI Memories stack (which just might last forever) and chippy letters from the bargain shop. These photos and the one above are still from when we visited the Japanese Gardens.

Go the Mo! (okay not really) but this next layout is all about "Movember" (no I didn't spell it wrong). For those of you who don't know, Movember is all about guys getting sponsers to sponser their mo and raising money for mens health. Hubby decided to take up the challege so, of course, I had to document the event. This layout is the result. Let's see, I used some really old Club Scrap patterned and plain cardstock I had in my stash, along with some ribbon and TLC monogram and rubons.

Since I documented the mo growing, I also had to document the mo going...it seemed the only fair thing to do. I definitely prefer my man clean shaven...I don't get whisker burn that way. This layout uses all Basic Grey papers and stickers from the Skate Shoppe collection. I fell in love with it and bought the entire collection, and I now only have a couple of sheets left.

This last one of hubby's birthday uses more Basic Grey. This time it's from the Gypsy collection, including papers and mini monograms. I also used some really ancient Provocraft stickers, Heidi Swapp photo corners and some cardstock and ribbons from my stash. And look...I'm even in one of the photos! It does't happen often because I'm usually the one taking them. Unfortunately, I kinda clash with the rest of the layout, but I had to go with the colours everyone else was wearing.

That's all of them for now, but there are still more to come!

Long Time No Blog

Well, I've been a bad blogger. I've been so busy doing stuff I haven't had time to blog about it. Now I have some catching up to do. It's going to take a few posts to get back up to speed. I still have to scan/photograph some of the stuff I want to post here, but I will get around to that....eventually. In the meantime, I will show you just a few of the layouts I have been working on. These are all from the pictures I took when we visited the Gosford/Edogawa Commemorative Gardens. If you visit the area, I highly recommend a short visit to the Gardens, they are beautiful and best of all they are free. In fact, so is the ajoining art gallery!


This first lot is part of a six (yes I said six) page spread just showing off some of the gorgeous gardens, ponds and statuary. I kept them very simple because I didn't want to detract from the photos themselves. I used cardstock from my stash, patterned paper from a MAMBI pack I got a Spotlight a couple years ago, tiny eyelets from my stash, a bronze gel pen for the journaling and I used my Fiskars Shapecutter to cut out the title. The first two-page layout below opens (barn door style) to reveal the four-page layout (further below) on the inside. I just use extra sticky double-sided tape to stick stick page protectors to the edges of the page protectors in the album to make a (or in this case two) double-wide pages that fold into the centre of the album.

This next one is a layout of my two favourite people (my hubby and daughter of course!) feed the koi at the Gardens. This one uses some Rusty Pickle papers and alpha stickers that I have had floating around my stash for awhile, cardstock fibres also from my stash, and Heidi Swapp photocorners.

This one of my gorgeous daughter hanging out in the Tea House uses a bunch of papers from that KI Memories stack I'm always on about, ribbons I got on special at Spotlight a little bit ago and letters cut out using my Fiskars Shapecutter...oh...and a gel pen for the journaling.

I had a riot doing this next one. I know it's a bit funky do dah but like it. The window in the Tea House is round, but because I took the photos on an angle, it looks oval, so I decided to use lots of ovals on my layout. I had these really cool oval patterned papers in that famous (or is it infamous?) KI Memories pack and the matching solid came from the same pack too. I used my Fiskars Shapcutter to cut all the oval shapes and the title and a gel pen to journal. I love these silhouette photos, they look so cool with the view of the garden in the background.

Some More Scrapbook Layouts

This first one uses some Club Scrap papers and cardstock I have had since shortly after I started scrapping (about 9 years ago). The ropey letters are Provocraft (also from a long time ago) and Dress It Up buttons. The pictures are taken from the forshore. I was playing with settings on my camera and this is what I got...not necessarily the best, but I like them.



I was haveing some fun with my circle cutters on this next one. The cardstock is TLC, and the patterned paper is KI Memories. The epoxy stickers are part of a pack I picked up at the dollar shop. I cut the letters with a Fiskars Shapecutter.




This Dads Day layout uses some cardstock from my stash, TLC patterned paper, TLC rubons and a TLC chippy shape. The typewriter letters are punched from a HOTP paper and the brads are from my stash.



This next one is my new favourite layout. The cardstock is from my stash, the patterned paper is Fancy Pants Designs (I just love this stuff), the chippy shapes are from Collections, the blue chippy letters are from my stash, the pink chippy letters are Scenic Route and the heart brad is from Creative Impressions and the ribbonand ric-rac are from my stash.



This was a quick one, not too fancy. Bazzill card, letters cut using a Fiskars Shapecutter and ribbon from my stash.

Well, that's it for now. I'll share more when I have more!

What I've Been Up To

I've been slack with posting, but with good reason. I have been busy creating. So today, I'm going to take the time to share my latest looming projects. Up first is a scarf and hat set I made for my gorgeous daughter. Be kind, it is my first ever project on my new round looms. They are made with Moda Vera Dazzle, in the Blossom colour. Because it is a bulky yarn, I used a single strand.

The scarf is twelve stitches wide and I'm not sure how many rows long, but a lot. I used three balls to make it. The hat was done on the second largest loom. I didn't make a brim because I like the way it looks rolled up at the bottom. The little flower was a crochet embellishment I picked up on sale at Spotlight for only 50 cents (regular price was about $4). I was going to crochet something to put on it when I found this one.

This is my gorgeous girl modeling the fashion scarf I made for myself. It is my second ever looming project and I so love the way it turned out. It is made with Moda Vera Medley, colour no 54 (which is pink, red and green). I fell in love with this yarn when I first saw it and I just had to get some. I made the scarf with a single strand of yarn. It is 14 stitiches wide and I used three balls to make it.

This is a close up showing this amazing yarn. I can't wait to get some more in another colourway to make another one!

This is a winter hat I made. My first hat, but third project on my round looms. I made it on the largest loom so it fits me, but is a bit big for my girl. Her pony tail kind of fills it out though.

The brim is made with Moda Vera Flurry (not sure of the colour because I can't find the ball band but it is pink, rose, silver and charcoal grey), 1 strand, and Moda Vera Wisp, colour 48 (which is a lovely charcoal colour with little shiny flecks), 1 strand, held together. The Wisp is one of the softest and prettiest yarns I have ever seen. I have some more of it in a soft pink colour to make something for my girl. Anyway, I get distracted. As I said, I used one strand of each for the brim, I worked about 12 rows then made the brim then I changed to two strands of the Wisp to work the rest of the hat. I worked about 20 rows or so, not exactly sure, but I got to the end of the ball so I did the gathered top and finished it off.

Below is a close up of the hat, just to show you how soft and pretty the yarn is.

That's it for today, but I have to tell you I will have more the share very soon.

Friday Fun

I have been exceptionally inspired this week, which has been a nice change from recent times when I was sure that my mojo had gone walkabout permanently. I'm still working on all the photos I got printed before Christmas, and the 200+ photos arrived yesterday from Snapfish. Boy am I going to be busy. I haven't forgotten that I told you I had another yarn project to share either. I have probably one more evening's work to go on it then I will snap some pix and share it here. In the meantime, here are some of the layouts I have been working on this week.



This layout uses some Chatterbox papers I have had for ages, Bazzill cardstock, a Bella blossom, Heidi Swapp chippy letters and ribbon and rubons from my stash.





This layout of my wonderful hubby uses KI memories paper from that giant pack I have been working my way through lately, cardstock from my stash, Heidi Swapp chippy letters, saftey pins from Creative Imaginations, and fibre and ribbons from my stash.

This one of my gorgeous daughter uses mostly scraps from my scraps bucket, so I'm not really sure who made the papers, other than the 'K' which is a scrap of Bazzill Bling cardstock. The rubons are TLC and some I picked up from the $2 shop, Heidi Swapp photo corner, the chippy bits are from collections, painted with MM paints and then coated with Kindyglitz for some sparkle. The phototurn and ribbon are from my stash and the sticker is from a pack I picked up at the $2 store.

Most of the papers and embellishments used on this layout are from a Heidi Grace pack I picked up at Big W. The exceptions are the black cardstock, chippy letters and stripey ribbons, which are from my stash, and the flowers which are from Petaloo.

The spring layout uses Basic Grey papers (I'm so addicted), flowers from Prima, a TLS sticker, Eyelet Factory eyelets, Kaisercraft rhinestones (they have some really nice bling at the moment) and ribbons and cardstock from my stash. I cut the title letters using the Fiskars Shapecutter my wonderful hubby got me for Christmas.

That's it for now. I hope you have a great weekend. I promise I will put up some pix of my yarn project as soon as it is finished.

Scrapbook Layouts

I've been busy trying to catch up on my layouts before my huge photo order (230 prints) arrives from Snapfish. I still have about 80 or so photos to get through from the last lot before I can start on the new ones. Anyway...enough of that...here are the layouts.

The first one uses paper from KI Memories, prima flowers, letter stickers from American Craft, stickers from Pebbles Inc and brads and a scrap of cardstock from my stash.


This layout featuring my gorgeous furbabies uses TLC paper and cardstock, embossed stickers from Marcella and Dress It Up buttons. I used a template to cut out the letters.


The next one uses Cherry Arte paper, some very old Bazzill cardstock from my stash, Bella flowers and brads, American Craft letter stickers and some lace and ric-rac from my stash.




The next two use Daisy D papers, Bazzill cardstock, a Kaisercraft flower, ribbons, rubons and a button from my stash. The letters were cut with a Fiskars Shapecutter.

This layout of my lovely daughter making me mother's day brekkie uses papers from a Brenda Pinnick pack I picked up at Spotlight. The flowers were made with a large funky flower punch and circle punch for the centres. I cut the letters using a Fiskars Shapecutter and hand cut the matting for the letters.

For the ducks layout I used more Brenda Pinnock papers (not from the same pack though), Bazzill cardstock, a scrap of hand made paper, EK Success letter stickers, Petaloo flowers and some ric-rac from my stash.

The Koolewong layout uses more of the papers from the KI Memories pack, Collections brown typewriter alphabet and rubons, photo turns and brads from my stash. I did some penwork with my trusty white gel pen and a cirle template too.

And last, but not least, one of me! I used some papers from the DCWV glitter stack I got for Christmas, DCWV cardstock and glitter mat stack, ribbon, chippy letters, gemstones and iridescent flowers from my stash. I should say, these photos (as my journaling states) are among the very few of me with my hair dyed a chestnut colour. I didn't like it so dark so after a couple weeks I went back to blonde.



Have I bored you yet? LOL. I guess that will do for this installment. Till next time...have a cuppa ready for me!

Look What I Made!

I haven't been doing any scrapbooking because I've been busy making this for my gorgeous girl. Isn't she lovely? Okay, so I am biased.


I got the pattern for free here (http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/60485.html). If you want to download the pattern, you will need to sign up for an account. It's definitely worth it because they have stacks of really cool patterns.

I made it with Anchor Magicline No. 2 cotton in the pink colourway that I picked up on sale at Spotlight earlier this summer. I made a size medium for her, but if I had it to do again, I would make a medium, but make the bra cups in size large and modify the pattern accordingly. This is because the cups seem a little small and don't seem to cover as well as I would have liked at the sides. My version is also two rows shorter than the pattern calls for because I ran out of yarn (they only had so many balls in the sale bin). I didn't worry about it being about 3cm shorter because it is an adult woman's pattern and my girl is only 11 and not yet adult height, although she is taller than a lot of the shorter women I know.

I'm in the middle of another project, which I will share when I have finished and taken some pix.

The Time Has Come

For my baby to start highschool. Can you believe it? I sure can't. I'm sure she was just a tiny baby not that long ago. But still, here we are, the first day of highschool. She looks so grown up in her new uniform....don't you think?

She hasn't lost her silly sense of humour though, as shown in this goofy pose she struck whilst I was snapping some pix to record this milestone.

She does have a much more serious side now though, as you can see in this shot (I think she had had enough of me taking happy snaps).

She had a great first day at her new school. Let's hope that everyday is as good as the first one.

Some Recent Scrapbook Layouts

Well, I've been a little slack with sharing of late, so I thought I would do a little catch-up. Actually, I'm still catching up on my backlog of photos I have to scrap too. All of these photos were taken before we moved back from Cobar, but I have only just got around to scrapping them over the summer.

This first one uses a bunch of Sandylion papers (and a Sandylion border sticker), a chippy flower and buckle from TLC and some ribbons and a button from my stash.

I used some of the papers from the huge KI Memories designer paper pad I got from Spotlight fro this next layout. I have distressed them all by sanding with fine sandpaper. The chippy letters and photo corners are from Heidi Swapp. I covered them with some of the plain paper from the paper pad and then sanded them. There is also some black fibre and some word beads from my stash.


This is another one using papers from the same KI Memories pad. I also used some cardstock from my stash that I have had for eons. The chippy letters were picked up really cheap at the $2.00 shop. The ribbons came from a giant ribbon pack I got at Big W. The photo corners are Heidi Swapp. The flowers were made with my new medium funky flower punch and a circle punch for the centres.


This one is really simple. The Basic Grey paper was so pretty, I didn't have to add much. I didn't want to cover it up. All the cardstock is Bazzill (don't as my the colours because they are all scraps from my scrap box - LOL). The letters were cut using a template. The flowers were made using Carl punches and I used tiny silver eyelets for the centres.


More Basic Grey paper here (don't you just love the stuff?) and bazzill card (I know the colour is Java because it is my favourite dark brown colour). I used a scrap of pink bazzill to mat the photo. I cut around the flowers and leaves on the paper and tucked the photo underneath. I journalled with a gold pen around the leaves. The chippy letters are Scenic Route.


Yet more Basic Grey papers. (Yes I have and addiction.) The card is Bazzill from the Doodlebug line. The letter stickers are from American Craft. The chippy buckle is TLC. The mesh and ribbons are from my stash.


And now for something completely different. I try, at least occasionally, to use up some of the million different bits of 'must have' pattern papers I have collect over the years. I used up a stack of those on this layout. All the papers are diamond dust papers from Paper Adventures (so they have lots of bling!). I cut the butterflies from one of the papers and used foam tape to pop them up a bit. Unfortunatly, the scan doesn't do it justice. It really is pretty and sparkly.


This layout is another one made with papers from the KI Memories pad, except the orange paper which is some old TLC paper from my collection, as is the chippy buckle. I have distressed all the papers with fine sandpaper. The chippy letters and brackets are from Collections; I covered them with the orange paper and then distressed them with sandpaper. The ribbons are from the pack from Big W I mentioned earlier and the flowers are from my stash.

Although it doesn't show up well in the scan, this layout uses Bazzill Bling paper. The pattern and texture papers also have the same pearly finish. I couldn't tell you the brands, they were A4 sized sheets I picked up at my local craft shop in the cardmaking section. The lacing is opalescent (although it doesn't look it in the scan) and it is from Francheville. The letters were cut using a template. The flower and gem are from my stash.

This one uses cardstock from my stash (no idea were I got it since I am such a collector). The flower paper came from my local craft store, but I couldn't find a brand name on it. The ribbon is from the Big W ribbon box. The ric-rac is from my stash and the epoxy sticker is from a pack I picked up at the $2.00 shop.

Well, as they say in the cartoons....that's all folks. I hope you enjoyed them.