Precious Memories - Scrapmatts Design Team

The second brief for this month over at Scrapmatts was to use more than three photos in a LO. I cheated a little and created a double page LO. The three photos on the right are from 2005, 2006 and 2007. I'm not sure when the photo on the left is from but it's one of the last ones I have with my Grandpa.

 

 

Anyone who is a regular reader of my blog will know that there is only one time each year when I create double page layouts and it's that time of year again. :) The Gold Coast Show is coming up at the end of August so I have left my run of entries a bit late this year since this is the first one I have created.

 

 

I love creating Christmas layouts, I think because it's one of the few times of the year when I get to take family photos. I also have so many different Kaisercraft paper ranges to create with now. :)

 

I've used lots of classic Scrapmatts chipboard in this LO. I love the variety of pieces they have available, from holly to reindeer to ornaments. Couldn't resist some scrapwords as well.

 

Watching You Grow - Scrapmatts Design Team LO

My silly internet is playing up so I can't upload anything in my normal browser which has delayed me in getting this post up. This is my first layout for the Scrapmatts DT this month. I've decided to post them as separate LO's just to spread to joy around a bit as I'm not creating too much at the moment. I just can't seem to get my thyroid medication right so the doctor keeps having the play around with the dosage.

 

 

We had some very exciting briefs for this month, the first of which was to create a LO showcasing whatever we thought the current trends in scrapbooking were. I have done some masking with paint, used metal embellishments, an Instragram photo and some messy thread under the photo. It's the first time since I've done the thread thing. It's fun but hard to get it to stick down.

 

You can see in the close ups that I've used an old flourish (love these and have used multiple packs) as well as the new release banner. They have both been painted with a mixture of blue and white mists.

 

Scrapmatts chipboard used: CB1003, CB1189, CB1204, CB5106.

 

This LO design was inspired by the challenge over at Once Upon A Sketch... blog. The journaling prompt this month was "Grow". I have written on the back about how it's difficult to watch little Harvey grow knowing he has a terminal heart condition. Here is the beautiful sketch: 

 

Imagine ATC

The June challenge over at Scrapmatts was an ATC swap. I had so much fun creating some ATCs recently that I had to sign up to take part. I went with a steampunk feel to it and played with the gesso/lace/gears/misting technique again.

 

Wonderland High Tea - Unstampabelles DT

UnstampaBelles is celebrating their second birthday this month so the theme for July is Birthdays! I have created this layout celebrating my 29th birthday which had an Alice in Wonderland High Tea theme. The chipboard fobwatch frame and tea set are both from Scrapmatts. Flowers are from a mixture of designers, patterned paper is from Kaisercraft.

 

You can't see it in the photo but I created a very cool altered tea pot as the centrepiece for this high tea. You can see my blog post about it here.

 

 

You can see in the detail shots below that I have covered the whole fobwatch frame with silver embossing powder. This still let the texture show through but created a very cool effect. I also hand painted on some floral details to the tea cup chipboard pieces.

 

If you're interested in joining us over at UnstampaBelles there is a great prize up for grabs.

 

Wonderful prize offered by Susan for our July Challenge #25 - Birthday Cake

 

SU brads

SU ribbon

SU Dazzling Details Silver Sparkle

Wooden topper

Glitter Butterflies

Some HB Buttons

Forever Friends Toppers (male)

Foam Dots

Rub-ons – Happy Birthday

Paper Doilies

Rhinestones

Total Value around say $80.00

Family Fun - Expo Class LO

One of my goals for this year was to take more classes, so it was an easy decision for me to attend the Brisbane Scrapbook and Papercraft Expo this year and complete some classes. I only had one day free though, so trying to pick three classes out of the 30 available was much more difficult. Sometimes I pick classes because I love the look of the finished LO but other times I pick a LO because I want to learn a new technique. This LO was one of those choices.

 

 

I got to play with texture paste, embossing folders and die cuts. While they are all things I have used before I did pick up a couple of new tricks, plus the folders and die cutting plates were included in the class kits so I got to pick up some new supplies as well.

 

I wasn't really 100% with the LO when I got it home, however this weekend I sat down a had a play with it to add a couple more touches to it and I'm happy with the result. You can see in the detail shots I added a metal filigree piece which I trimmed into three pieces. I also stitched around the edge, doodled around the title and added some journalling to the bottom.

Love a Good Lazy Weekend - Once Upon a Sketch LO

Love a good lazy weekend is the title of this LO and what I got to enjoy this weekend! For the past three months I have had the busiest weekend plans in my life and it was starting to wear me down. We were meant to head out for a BBQ with friends this Sunday but unfortunately the host got sick so we had to cancel. It did free up this weekend though, hence why I managed to create two LOs and finish off one from the expo.

 

(Removed for publication)

 

I popped by Spotlight this weekend too and picked up a paper pad of 5th and Frolic by American Crafts. The flowers were just calling out for fussy cutting and it was the perfect way to de-stress. I've worked to build up the layers and finished it all off with a Eloise flourish from Flourish With a Bling.

 

This LO was inspired by the Once Upon A... Sketch challenge for this month. The theme was 'What's your guilty please?' My journalling is on a tag being the photo and talks about how Ben and I will sleep in, relax on the lounge and have breakfast together (hence the photo of the matching tea cups) around 11am when we get a lazy weekend. Here is the sketch:

 

 

It's also pink with spots so fits the criteria for The Lollipop Ladies for this fortnight.

 

 

Lastly, Frosted Designs is also having a polka dot challenge. I've got two sheets of patterned paper with polka dots on it.

Reach for the Stars, Josh - Kaisercraft Saturday Sketch

My local Kaisercraft outlet is running a competition this month using the new Blast Off paper collection. I picked up some supplies at the start of the month but had forgotten I had also bought the collectables until I sat down to create my entry this weekend. The collectables are just so adorable! I had to use them as the main feature on this layout featuring little Joshua, who is the child of my other friend who had a baby a little over a year ago. This is his first appearance in one of my scrapbook pages.

 

 

Once I placed all the different collectables I added some twine to link it all together and then scattered some star-shaped brads, pearls and rhinestones around. The wooden flourish had been painted with perfect pearls to give it a metallic finish. 

 

 

I have used Saturday Sketch June #1 as my inspiration for this LO.

Scrapbooking on a Budget - Scrapmatts June DT

One of our June challenges was to scrapbook a page/card on a budget, so it could only include one sheet of cardstock, two patterned papers and NO store bought embellishments. I found this really valuable, as it reminded me that the focus of scrapbooking is capturing the memory and you don't always need to most expensive or newest materials to do that.

 

 

I ended up only using one sheet of cardstock, ric rac, washi tape, gesso, mists, twine and of course Scrapmatts chipboard. Creating your own backgrounds are all the rage at the moment and they let you match your photos perfecting generally for a fraction of the cost of patterned paper. For my background I have applied gesso over a template and then a mixture of mists over the template again once the gesso dried. I didn't need to use any patterned paper, though I did matt my photo using the running number from the race. If you ever have to scrap on a budget, make sure you save memorabilia from any event you plan on scrapping. I have used maps, free postcards, pressed pennies etc on LO's before instead of patterned paper or embellishments.

 

Here is a close up to showcase the chippie. The nestled stars were perfect accents to this LO and the pre-printed metallic gold finish worked so well with the sparkle of the mists. The banners I primed with gesso then painted with the mists before punching holes through for the twine. The chipboard word is just painted black then edged in white pen to match the alphabet on the banners.
 

Scrapmatts chipboard used: CB5021 Nested Shapes 07; CB5101 Flags 02; CB4055 Assorted Words 09.

Reminder that Google Reader is closing

Hello to all my readers. I just wanted to quickly remind everyone that Google Reader will be closing at the end of the month so if you use that to follow my blog, or the blogs of anyone else, you will need to find a replacement program. I'm not sure how this applies to those of us who use Blogger but I figure it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

Like a lot of people, I have transitioned over to BlogLovin'. It's a similar setup to the Blogger feed, allows me to mark posts as read so I can save some for later when I have more time and it's easy to transition all the bloggs you current follow over.

 

Here is a sample of the set-up:

 

Want to know how to move your Google Reader feed to BlogLovin'? I've got a link for you right here. It is easy as, only took me a couple of minutes to do.

If you're already signed up with BlogLovin' please make sure you still follow my blog, I'd hate to see you go. At the moment I only have 13 people following me on BlogLovin, but 95 via Blogger. If you follow my blog via some other means please let me know what that is too. 

 

 

Fobwatch Scrapmatts LO - Angella Peardon Class

The first class I took at the Brisbane Scrapbook and Papercraft Expo this year was 'A Day to Remember' by Angella Peardon. Angela is the design team co-ordinator at Scrapmatts and does the most amazing designs so this was an easy class to choose. I also really enjoy doing Scrapmatts classes because Sofie makes sure you can complete them in the class time, which is great for me because if I have to take it home and finish it chances are it will sit around for ages. :) All I had to do was add the edge flourishes to the back when I got home as it now extends past 12" x 12".

 

 

This is totally not my normal style but it's always good to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. This was actually the first time I had used a hot glue gun and I ended up purchasing a mini one at the expo afterwards. I also learnt how to make some cool rustic leaves. Now I just need to find somewhere to display this piece.

 

 

Here is a close up of the embellishment clusters, just because I love the look of them. I have an extra piece of the fob watch design so I'll show more details from that when I create my layout.

 

Scrapmatts chipboard used: CB8007 Layered Fob Watch 01; CB4063 Leaf Spray 13; CB1204 Ribbon Banners 01; CB1189 Scrapwords 01; CB1194 Sewing 02.