older layouts

Here are a couple of older layouts that I have done. The first is extending on a photo with sketching. It's good to have something with obvious lines to follow. eg. fences, timber planks etc. Do the sketch in pencil first then go over it with a fine black marker pen. I added a partial coloured border so the layout didn't look so stark.

I had the paper for this layout & was just waiting for the right photos! I can't resist some of the gorgeous papers that are out. If I don't have an existing photo I wait for the right photo oppotunity to come along! I used ready made co-ordinating embellishments that matched the paper to make this a quick layout of my DH.

Happy Valentines Day

A couple of days late with my Valentines greeting (computer problems!) but here is a photo of my minature red roses in bloom just in time for Valentines Day!
Here are a couple of untraditional love colour schemes but made with love all the same! This first layout is of my husband & myself when we were first going out about 34 years ago. I sometimes can't believe we have been married 30 years this October! The colours are more muted in these papers but it matches well with the photos. The big flowers were handcut from patterned paper. The border piece was made using Martha Stewart punches.

This layout was a quick one using bits & pieces. I sprayed a paper doilley with Glimmer mist & coloured the journal tag with smooch paints. The verse is "How Do I Love Thee". I used ready made tags, flowers & used Sizzix dies to cut the bird & the word love.

So in this month of Love, SMILE.....it makes people think what you've been up to!!

Catching Up

I have had some free time to finish off some of the layouts I started last year. A couple of them have been quick & easy & some others started that way then I got carried away with what went on them! This first layout started out that way. I ended up inking white doillies & punching small ones with the Martha Stewart punch. I couldn't resist the flowers & butterflies and what girly layout wouldn't be complete without pearl bling & glitter letters! This layout is the furtherest from girly bling-it is my husband stuffing his face with cheese rings. They taste like pulped cardboard with flavour to me...yuk! But he loves them. I used a 12x12 mask & glimmer mist on a white background. The corner circles were stamped in black ink. The title "Rings" were painted with Tim Holtz distress paint then rubbed over with metallic cream. It is all quite yellow-just like the cheese rings!

I can't believe January is finished & we are in the second month of the year already. There is another cyclone on its way to north Queensland and it is shaping up to be a bad one. I hope & pray that everyone will be alright. Possessions can be replaced but not people's lives.

Happy Australian Day

Here are some things you can do on Australia Day as it is a public holiday......... 1) Go to the beach & swim & relax.
I masked & misted plain card to create this background. The flowers were cut from patterned paper & topped with buttons. I used a sizzix die for the swirls.

2) Catch up with family & friends.

The background on this layout was layered with vellum & tags. Staz on ink was used to stamp the collage bird scene & the swirl border.

3) Go fishing or take the boat out. Eat seafood & drink beer & wine!

A Martha Stewar punch was used to make the edges. The fish were make from fimo & coated in perfect pearls. The tags were inked with Tim Holtz distress ink & then the letters stamped onto them.

Whatever you end up doing I hope you enjoy celebrating the wonderful country we live in and have a moment of gratitude for it.

New Year New Look

These photos are from a "Bling" Challenge. This layout has a pearl & rhinestone swirls with a shiny plastic ribbon.
On this next layout we had to use rhinestones. I used them on the flowers, ribbon & on the handstamped journal & title blocks.

This layout was all about metallics. I used a mask & gold spray mist to create the background. The photos was matted with gold card & gold German Scrap was used a s a border. The embellishments were all metal with gold coloured gems in the flowers. Gold lacy stickers were used in the corners. This was actually part of a 2 page layout & the other page matched this one.

Well this is a year for change & new things so a new look for this blog. Feel free to leave comments about what I post & let me know about things you would like to see & know about. At the moment I am cleaning up my craft room in preperation for our move. I've found bits & pieces I forgot I had-I guess its good to do a major clean up every now & again to freshen up what is in the stash! The trouble is now I want to get to and do some more scrapbooking. I am trying to enter more challenges this year so apart from the fun of it, I can challenge myself to try new things-part of the year of changes. So challenge yourselves & try something new.

A few Ideas to Try

The border was made by cutting a strip of paper, punching holes along the center & threading ribbon through them. The chipboard pieces were inked & embossed & the title was inked & metalic cream rubbed on it. I stamped feathers onto acetate then used alcohol ink on the back for colour.

On this layout I made the pearl flourish by dotting dimensional pearls onto acetate. You can do this with any swirl design. If you have used a ready made flourish before, save the backing it comes on & you can use the imprint left behind as a template. Border punches were used for the top & bottom borders as well as the edge of the big matt. A rectangular paper doilley was used as a matt for the photo.

Felt leaves, bead spray, paper doilley flowers, paper doilley, small flowers, crackle paint title, die cut wings & heart were used to bring a sense of fun to this layout. Just layer it all together & move the pieces around until you are happy with how they look!

The background to this layout is patterned acetate over white cardstock. The photo matt is black bazzill bling. The dress form was painted white with material adhered down to look like a dress. The row of ribbon beads went along the whole matt piece. The title was coloured silver with alcohol ink. The corner pieces & the side border piece are from Kutalicious (laser cut embellishments)

I hope some of these ideas will bring you some motivation to start off 2011, so happy scrapping.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011 !

This is our traditional Christmas Eve photo in front of the tree shoot. We have always taken some of our children in front of the tree since they were little-now they are not so little at 22 & 24 years of age but they still get in the Christmas spirit & pose for us. Now we ask the kids to take photos of us in front of the tree-we usually have to take a few as not all of us can be poised at the same time-too much Christmas cheer I think! 2011 is going to be a year of changes for hubby & myself with a seachange up north, More to come on that with lots of new stuff to scrapbook.