Scrapbooking From Scratch - June colour challenge

This one is for my girlfriend (heh Di!) who is having surgery any day now. Have a speedy recovery hon and let's not leave it so long to catch up again!!!

Those days are gone

SFS colour palette

with the gorgeous Donna White's sample layout

What most inspired me was the bright, spring colours, the pinks and yellows with the freshness of the aqua tones. I immediately thought of Fancy Pants' Hopscotch range and a photo I'm embarrassed to admit I've had, to scrap, of Di's daughter since 2009.   :O

Thanks for the fabulous inspiration Donna!

You can find all the details of Donna's colour challenge at Scrapbooking From Scratch in their forum HERE. Happy scrapping!   :)

When is a double not a double?

When it's two single layouts designed to compliment each other but created individually with the same products. Well that's my claim and I'm sticking to it. Because I really don't care for doubles!

The story ..

I had the most adorable photos I wanted to scrap of our friends' gorgeous little girl but I hadn't known what size I wanted to scrap them in. So I printed them all in 5x7, 4x6 and 2Ups. I'm also a challenge junkie, and because of my recent battle with anxiety (see HERE) I really didn't want to create a 'mess' with these photos. So I turned to some challenges for inspiration.

The layouts ..

First is the layout I created with the current sketch at Anna's Craft Cupboard, the details of which you can find HERE.

Cutie patootie

published in Scrapbook Creations No. 103

Anna's sketch

Next is the layout I created with the current sketch from Scrapbooking From Scratch, the details of which you can find in their forum HERE. 

Made with love

published in Scrapbook Creations No. 103

SFS' sketch

Do you see how fabulous they will look together in an album, but that they're not actually a double? LOL well that's what I'm telling myself because on the odd occasion I have too many photos for a single layout, and I come up stumps for inspiration for a double, I'm going to do exactly this, create two single layouts which 'compliment' each other. Simples! LOL!!!!

I'd love to know what you think. Do you see two single layouts or a double? Oh and if you see a double, which would you put on the left or the right? Hmm??

In the meanwhile if you'd like to give these sketches a go you have until the end of June if you'd like to enter them in the challenges. Otherwise bookmark them for the future. Oh and I highly recommend you visit both of these stores if you haven't already. They rank in my top five favourite stores, for varied reasons, yet both equally inspiring and full of fun products!

Happy scrapping!!!   :)

The 'card making frenzy' ...

A girlfriend (and my local Stampin' Up! demonstrator) (heh Miriam!!) sells her beautiful cards through a local florist (who also has a shop in town) and the local market. You can visit Miriam's blog HERE. Her most recent market has involved an enormous amount of preparation (whilst she's been deathly ill!) as it was part of a larger fundraising effort in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With her usual commitments seemingly having quadrupled and being extremely sick, Miriam sent out the smoke signal to myself and another girlfriend to make up some cards to help her out.

As Miriam is a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, for the most part all the products I've used are Stampin' Up!. LOL I no complain ... I love, love, love Stampin' Up! products. One day I plan to join Stampin' Up as a demonstrator, but in the interim I need pantry shelves, umm ... an electrician to finish installing some light fittings and ceiling fans, ahh ... that's right outdoor tables (we have the chairs!), oh yeah and a BBQ. LOL and that's just the tip of the iceberg!!!

Anyways October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if you care to make a donation to the Breast Cancer Network Australia (visit them HERE) you can do so VIA THIS LINK.

These are a few of the cards I made ...

Fresh Like Spring

Stampin' Up! products used:

cardstock - Crumb Cake, Wild Wasabi, Watercolor

inks/markers - Crumb Cake, So Saffron, More Mustard, Wild Wasabi

stamps - Love & Care, French Foliage, En Francais background

other - Basic Black designer button, Linen Thread

from my stash:

black sewing machine cotton, embroidery thread

Wild Marigolds

Stampin' Up! products used:

cardstock - River Rock, Wild Wasabi, Poppy Parade, Watercolor

inks/markers - River Rock, Wild Wasabi, Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait

stamps - Love & Care, Medallion background

dsp - Peach Parfait from 2010-2012 In Colors pattern stack

punches - Scallop Trim Border

other - Brights Designer Buttons, Linen Thread

White Butterfly Delight (green)

Stampin' Up! products used:

cardstock - Confetti White

inks/markers - Wild Wasabi

stamps - Friends 24-7

dsp - Certainly Celery from Subtles Stack and Melon Mambo from Brights Stack

punches - Scallop Edge Border

other - Basic Pearl Jewels, Sizzix Embosslits Beautiful Wings

from my stash:

Sizzix/Tim Holtz Mini Paper Rosettes die

White Butterfly Delight (blue)

Stampin' Up! products used:

cardstock - Crumb Cake and Confetti White

inks/markers - Marina Mist

stamps - Friends 24-7

dsp - Bashful Blue from Subtles Stack and Regal Rose from Brights Stack

punches - Scallop Trim Border

other - Sizzix Embosslits Beautiful Wings

from my stash:

Sizzix/Tim Holtz Mini Paper Rosettes die

Kaiser Pearls - Denim

Hello - Have a Great Day

Stampin' Up! products used:

cardstock - Confetti White, Regal Rose, Tempting Turquoise, Real Red

inks/markers - Tempting Turquoise, Basic Black

stamps - Lots of Thoughts

dsp - Real Red, Regal Rose and Tempting Turquoise from Brights Pattern Stack

punches - Owl Builder

other - Clips, black 3/8" grosgrain ribbon, Sizzix Top Note die

from my stash:

Sakura Aqualip pen - Black

Inkssentials Glossy Accents

That's it for me just now. I'm not sure what October holds. I know what I want to do. Scrap. Create. Paint. I know what I should be doing. Sorting filing, working out, gardening, cooking, cleaning, blah blah blah LOL. Weather permitting our roof is being replaced this month. We're having our 12 months maintenance inspection with our builder this month so who knows, maybe I'll have tradies crawling all over the house? Wouldn't that be nice LOL?! Whatever October holds for you I hope it's a good one.

What do flowers, songs, and creations have in common?

They are all weekly favourite challenges over at ScrapChat.

September has been a difficult month. Coming to the realisation that it was time to let Max go. Accepting that realisation. Acting upon it. Difficult times. There have been countless days when I have quite simply not known what to do, where to turn. Days of having to drag myself out of bed when all I've wanted to do is stay under the covers with Max, and, later, with his blanket. But for what purpose? When he was gone, what was I going to do when I got out of bed? My life revolved around him.

I am thankful for that time spent in hospital when I learned how to make cards as occupational therapy. I am thankful for all those months spent in therapy learning about mindfulness and how to implement it in my daily life. Without either of these tools I think I would have succumbed, in the end, to the urge to never get out of bed again. I did get out of bed and, although without inspiration, I had a long list of 'favourite' challenges which were overdue. Those challenges, together with a frenzy of card making for a girlfriend have got me to today.

Ye Olde English Roses

(favourite flower)

products used:

cardstock - Stampin' Up! Very Vanilla; patterned paper - Kaisercraft Timeless Collection Sheet Music, 7Gypsies Savannah Flock Paper Harlequin, red flocked paper; Heidi Swapp clips; Cuttlebug alpha dies - Harmony; Sizzix/Stampin' Up! Embosslits - Beautiful Wings; Kaiser Pearls - Pewter; Kaisercolour acrylic paint - Antique White; fine, gold tulle and red sewing machine cotton

Harmony

(favourite song)

opened

products used:

cardstock - Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake; Tim Holtz Idea-ology Grungeboard Nature (as masks); Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist - Denim Blue, Suede, Sunflower; Tsukineko Walnut Ink - Willow; FolkArt acrylic paint - 527 Forest Moss; Jenni Bowlin alpha stickers - Reverse Black and Vintage Black; Stampin' Up! Linen Thread; Pure Black Zig Writer, Uni-ball Signo white pen

Tim Holtz Junkie

(favourite creation)

products used:

cardstock - Bazzill; patterned paper - Tim Holtz paper stack Lost and Found; black Smooth Spritz (and mesh tape used as a mask); Tim Holtz Idea-ology - plain Grungeboard, metal embellishments; Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations dies - Hanging Sign and Heart Wings; Jimnie Gel Roller silver pen; Dymo and black label; black leather, black sewing machine thread, embroidery cotton

Next up I'll share the cards I've been making this past week. Stay tuned ...

Troubled moments

"However long the night, the dawn will break."

~ African Proverb

The day these photos of GB were taken, we were at Point Henry with Max, expecting to lose him in only a few short days. Where had this come from? What was going on? It was all so sudden. We felt like we'd been slammed side on and been left in the dirt and decaying leaves in the gutter. Ultimately, Max was granted a reprieve and almost four months on, he is still with us. For how long? We don't know. I can't speak for GB but I know it is something that seems at times to consume me. Perhaps because I'm home full time with Max and I see his deteriorating health and his daily struggles worsen? All I know is we don't have him for very much longer, and it's breaking my heart.

Days like today I'm thankful for scrapbooking. Whether I've used it as occupational therapy or creative self-expression, or both, today, scrapping has eased the load. Perhaps because these photos were taken on a sombre occasion, they are particularly meaningful? I know I love the candid images of GB simply wandering in the shallow waters. It's taken me a little while (okay ... almost four months!) to scrap these photos but I've been waiting for the right time. Today was it, apparently ...

be

products used:

Tim Holtz - Lost and Found paper stack, Distress Crackle Paints Linen and Weathered Wood, Distress Inks Stormy Sky, Shabby Shutters, Frayed Burlap, various metal embellishments; various crocheted elements; American Crafts Thickers - Delight, Fabric, Green; Kaisercolour acrylic paint - Antique White; Stampin' Up! - Not Quite Navy ink pad, Weathered background stamp, antique brads; Cuttlebug Harlequin die; font - CBX Monument; Making Memories staples;  fabric, hessian

Special thanks to Purple Pumpkin for the fabulous sketch designed by Belinda Spencer which they've used for their July sketch challenge ...

for information re Purple Pumpkin's July sketch challenge

check the details out HERE

Well that's today's efforts done and dusted. Tomorrow? I have a hankering to give White With One's July challenge a go. GB is having my photo printed as we speak ... hopefully ...

More favourites

When my world is falling apart, I find myself unable to sit inactive staring into space or to curl up under my doonah and let the days merge into one.  Not because of any sense of fighting spirit but because its in the quiet the demons are at their loudest.  However as my world continues to darken, finding the motivation to do something, anything, is becoming increasingly difficult.  Thank god for scrapbooking as a form of occupational therapy.

Being physically unable to do many 'domestic' things, and those things I am still able to do, and do do, not needing to be done on a daily basis, rules out consuming my time with domestic goddess tasks.  Not being independently mobile sees me at home most of the time, so I can't pop out for a few hours to go down to the local shops or visit a friend.  Speaking of friends, I can't bring myself to have contact with them for fear of the bubbling turmoil of desperation in the pit of my stomach spewing forth.  I so desperately need to keep it contained.

As it is, Magoo now needs constant company.  Last Saturday his rear, right leg 'gave in' on him (so to speak) and he is now struggling with his walking.  When he falls down, he sometimes can't get up.  So he needs me here with him.  He's very sad too.  Which is heart-breaking, but I understand the need for the silent company of someone who loves you when you feel sad.  I understand he needs more cuddles than usual at the moment.  I'm willingly giving them to him.  We're also taking him to the vet later this morning to discuss this latest development in his health.  Deep in our hearts GB and I know what will be happening very soon but right now are holding on to the slimmest, desperate sliver of hope that our vet is able to do something to help, even though she told GB this past weekend on the phone that there is nothing more she can do.  We're not ready to let go of Magoo.  We acknowledge that we'll never be ready to say good bye.  But we know we need to do the right thing for him, so at today's appointment we'll be discussing quality of life issues.  He will be coming home with us though.   Today is not the day.

So whilst Magoo is asleep in his bed by my side in my studio, I am 'making' myself scrap.  It passes the time of day.  It occupies my time.  I may not be creating anything particularly spectacular and, in fact, are holding off from scrapping special photos because I really don't want to ruin them if you know what I mean.  But I can potter.  The 2011 Weekly Favourites Challenge at ScrapChat is a good form of pottering, as is one of the 'special projects' I was hoping to complete this month.

Speaking of the 2011 Weekly Favourites Challenge here are my weeks 10 and 11.  I hope they speak for themselves because, quite frankly, I've run out of words ...

Week 10 ... favourite scrapping supply

die-cutting equipment used: Big Shot Pro and Big Shot

dies used: Sizzix Big Shot Pro die - Heart, Ribbon; Sizzix Sizzlits border dies - Flowers, and Dots & Scallops; Sizzix Originals dies - Bird, Sparrow and Paper Sculpting, Daisy; Big Shot Thick Cuts alpha dies - GoSlim

Week 11 ... favourite country

Until next time ...

More weekly favourites

The themes for weeks eight and nine of the 2011 Weekly Favourites Journal Challenge at ScrapChat really threw me.  Week eight's challenge was to scrap your favourite room.  Week nine's challenge was to scrap your favourite time waster.  Uh-oh.

Week 8 - Favourite Room

My favourite room should have been a cinch.  Really.  We've only been living in our newly built home for a little over six months.  Honestly, I have favourite rooms in our new house ... as you would hope!  In fact my favourite room in the house is our lounge room (as opposed to the open plan 'living room').  It is a beautiful room which reminds us a little of our old period home in Brunswick, perhaps because we have a gas 'fire-log' heater in the lounge and at Brunswick we had open fireplaces?  Maybe because it is 'our' room.  LOL that sound so strange yes?  The whole house is 'our' house but this room has just two chairs ... gorgeous leather, modern looking recliners ... a very large, vintage Tibetan drum for a coffee table, an enormous red feather African headdress hanging above the 'fire', a Buddha wall hanging from Bhutan, an old children's rocking chair from when GB was a toddler, antique cabinets from China, and more.  Oh and last but not least, this room has one of my gorgeous Yhi ceiling pendants by Brian Steendyk.  Seriously this room is stunning.  It is a tranquil room.  Everyone who has ever relaxed in one of the recliners in that room has loved it.  I love it.  The only problem was that I couldn't photograph it because right now all those beautiful things are gone, the room is empty.  Without all those 'things' its lost its tranquility, its soul I guess you could say.  'Come again' I hear you say, 'empty?'.

Several weeks ago when Melbourne had some serious freak storms come through, our house was hit pretty bad on the west side.  Although a new build, as a result of the combined ferocity of the winds and the angle at which the rain hit our house, we flooded.  Compared to the loss of life, and damage and destruction mother nature is leaving in her wake wherever she stomps her feet, we are blessed.  We are still in our home.  We still have our roof.  We are safe.  We are simply waiting for our flooring, plasterboard, light fittings, etc to be replaced.

So if I couldn't scrap my favourite room what could I scrap?  Then I remembered our laundry at our old home in Brunswick, and how that laundry was the 'bane' of my life for a good 15 years or more.  Which caused me to stop and think about just how much I love our new laundry.  Which prompted me to stop and remember how excited I was every time we came out to the new house during construction and how I would stand in what would become the laundry and just wordlessly turn around in delight picturing what was going to be my 'dream' laundry.  What a relief ... I had a new favourite room to scrap.  But again I had no photos and the current state of the laundry was really not something I wanted to share.  You know the saying along the lines of 'not airing your dirty laundry in public' LOL?!  Well needless to say I was not going to share the current state of our laundry!  But I had photos of our old laundry from the day we locked up our home in Brunswick for the final time.  I also had the elevation plans of my new laundry.  Add the two together with some crisp, white fabric to represent bleached and starched ironing and I had a page in my Journal for week eight ...

BTW I didn't really use many products when creating this page but must mention the fabulous arrows are a Sizzix die, Arrows #2, and the perfect sized hearts are from the Stampin' Up Heart to Heart punch.

Week 9 - Favourite Time Waster

Tell me ... what does someone who almost compulsively multi-tasks every minute of their day do to waste time?  Let me tell you ... nothing!!!!!!!!!  I cannot abide wasting time.  If other people want to do it that's their choice.  But for me, wasting time goes against everything I try to do to be as efficient as I possibly can.  I don't waste time!  Everything I do, LOL even relaxing, has a purpose ie, relaxing!!  This was not a challenge LOL this was seriously big time 'freak Alz out bait'!!!!  Time spent online has a purpose ... whether that be shopping, researching, social networking, or whatever!  Time spent scrapping is, for me, a version of occupational therapy.  Time spent watching TV is relaxing, entertaining, informative.  The only thing I could think of that 'some' might possibly consider wasting time was colouring.  Doodling.  Drawing.  'Some' might think that a 42 year old sitting down and colouring when her laundry is in such a state she can't photograph it to share (LOL) is wasting her time.  I disagree.  For me, colouring, doodling and drawing are types of occupational therapy.  Finally, I had an 'angle' from which to approach week nine's challenge.  Colouring, doodling, drawing ... occupational therapy?  Call it what you want ...

Products used include "The Crafter's Workshop Template" (Daisy Cluster), Sizzix/Tim Holtz Paper Rosette die, Sizzix Dots & Scallops die, Stampin' Up! scallop circle punch, Carolee's Creations AdornIt Sleek White Alphas, and various colouring pencils and pens.  Oh and a brad (LOL).

The background was originally a piece of pale blue 12x12 Bazzill which was fairly marked and faded in places.  Using the leftovers of a spray mist I had made up, and the TCW template I created a faint patterned background on the cardstock.  After diligently drawing around all the outlined daisies, I coloured them in with various coloured pencils I borrowed from a girlfriend (I was away at a retreat).  I used an aqua brush to soften the colouring lines and I used a white pen to add highlights.  Finally I coloured the external border of the template in black and again used an aqua brush to soften the colouring lines.  Did creating my own background with this technique take a lot of time?  Yes!!!  Did some of the girls on the retreat think I had completely lost the plot?  Yes.  But it was enjoyable and relaxing, and something I could stop and come back to.  And I created it at a time when I was feeling a little anxious, out of my depth and like a fish out of water.  So it served a purpose ... it gave me something to do (an occupation) and it helped me to relax (therapy).

Oh and did I mention that taking the time out to sit down and colour like we did when we were children, is fun???

We interrupt this broadcast to bring you a technical hitch ... LOL ... please excuse me whilst I test something with this post ... stay tuned ... BRB ... it worked!!!!!