A layout especially for Challenge me Happy

So today I am uploading a layout I did espcially for a layout competition at Challenge me Happy. I was really blown away by the original layout by Piradee that we had to scrap-lift what an inspiring scrapbooker!

I had to look up whats 'scraplifting' meant lol I'm so new at this, scrap-lifting is a really cool idea (granted I guess you don't do it ALL the time) but copying a layout you like in some way should be a huge compliment (of course you have to say if you have copied) I think they say 'borrowing' ideas on the website I looked up which I cant remember right now...just Google it if you aren't sure.

I borrowed a lot of ideas from Piradee's original layout but I am so happy with the result it is so cute and looks great in my son's scrapbook album!

All the patterned coloured paper was from a paper collection I got from the warehouse by my minds eye and the background paper is Tim holtz craft resist paper which i LOVE (I have just got some new distress inks and coloursprays so I am looking forward to trying them out on the paper).

I recently purchased a new puzzle shape punch from creative memories so i put that to use and I made the flower in the top right corner using the new circle punch I just got from creative memories I had seen someone do something similar using ribbon to make the flower but i thought paper should work just as well...and it did!

I hope you like my layout, I know I do tee hee hee :)

Oops I almost forgot to mention its this cheeky little boys birthday today he is my big 2 year old now! Seriously who pressed the fast forward button? I love this photo of him taken in may I love his face :D

Beautiful day isn't it?

Well its a brand new day and a delightful one at that here in SUNNY Nelson in my opinion there is nothing nicer than a nice sunny winters day (maybe a slightly coolish day in summer...?...nah).

I have a new layout to share with you all, I have completed this layout to enter into a monthly challenge at Eye Candy Magic im not too sure if I can enter seeing as I am in New Zealand but I'm going to give it a shot and if not I have a super fun to show everyone :)

Eye Candy Magic is AWESOME the owner Sam makes amazing embellies and has really inspiring layouts they are really fun...like SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO fun! I dont know how I came about her blog but I'm glad I did its pretty cool you should check it out!

The competition was to use the technique 'masking' on a layout or card, masking is really cool it looks quite striking and its fun to get your colour sprays out and have a play I dont really own many fancy masks but you can get really creative with masking using punch cut outs etc. I used a doily looks cool and it was easily accessible

heres some close ups:

Like I said i had SO much FUN creating this layout everyone go get masking :)

Memorable moments layout

Good day to you wherever you may be! Its a beautiful sunny day here in Nelson couldnt ask for better weather really (well you could ask for it to be a bit warmer but its winter and that would be a little cheeky).

I have another layout to share with you all...taaadaaaa!

This layout has been a tricky one...I wanted to try make it a little different to the norm (of what I normally do) I tried: ripping the edges, sewing the edges (awful shouldnt have used cardstock), gluing on yarn, splodging glimmermist and glimmermisting a pattern onto the paper.

I had a lot of trial and error on this page, at first the glimmermist splodges looked ridiculous! so i dabbed them with my thumb and it toned down the colour and then I lightly sprayed over it, I am happy this had the effect I was after phew.

I attempted to sew around the ripped edges of the cardstock but quickly gave up and used distress ink on the corners where I had already did some sewing...thankgod for distress ink!

I managed to use up some more stickers from my stash that were just lying around waiting to be used...yay! I tried something new I added clear cracked paint to get that old vintagey feel to them, because of the type of stickers they were (plastic like stickers) the cracked paint just flaked off of most of them but owell it was worth a try!

I bought a new gadget called sew easy from artfull crafts which is here, I must admit I was not THAT impressed with it the stitcher is made out of a rubbery plasticy type of material and it really did not do a good job of poking holes in my paper (cardstock) AND on top of that it seemed to wear it down as well...I dont believe I am using it right though because surely this shouldnt happen upon the first use? I dont have the mat that comes with it I just used my cutting mat...maybe the mat is the secret? Has anyone used the 'sew easy' tool successfully and has any tips for me?

Free online scrapbooking festival

hmmmm not a very big icon but if you click on it, it will take you to bigpictureclasses.com you have access to a free online festival I dont know much about it but I am intrigued to say the least.

I havent been up to MUCH scrapbooking lately which is a shame :( well I have been doing mini books with my neice that took up a bit of time actually but they were quite cute.

Hopefully I can post some new layouts sometime soooooooooooooooon

bye for now :)

Something different

Here is something a bit different to the norm for me today, I have made a mini book using paper bags! I got the idea from a tutorial I found on youtube here.

The pictures aren't great I know maybe later if you would like I will retake them so they are clearer, I took them on my iPod touch using the app 'hipstamatic' I really love the effects it creates with your photos and I would love to do a layout using the photos I take on the iPod.

I made this mini book for a friend who is moving overseas (hopefully they dont see this before they receive it) It is not completely finished I would still like to decorate it a little bit more just not sure how! and of course I have to find the photos I want to use and stick them on with a bit of journalling.

It is a 10 page (in all book) with another 10 pages on 5 inserts (so 2 pages to one insert) I really loved making this project as it was alot easier than I thought it would be and the end result is AMAZING! The quality of my book could be a lot nicer I think maybe next time I will use cardboard as the strips that bind it together rather than paper just so it is a bit sturdier. The paper I used to make this was a my minds eye pack from the warehouse which I cant remember the name of but I really like it.

I changed the design a little bit on the inserts, on the tutorial the lady made them look like an actual tag and used flowers etc as the part you pull up, as you can see I just rounded the edges and left them as is, I then used decorative safety pins with ribbon tied on to them as the part where you pull the insert up I love the effect I think it makes the book look a little like a present.

so I am pretty pleased with my shabby first mini book heres a few more pictures I have taken

I think this is such a cute wee book to make, I would really love to try make a book using the wood next time I want to make a yummy baking recipe book mmmmmm!

new post with a new/ish layout

My 'perfect' kid...most of the time!

I finished this layout last week sometime and I am in love with it because I was able to use new techniques, I was able to use new products AND this page was one I had done awhile ago but wasn't completely happy with, so i jazzed it up and now i am so happy!

I should have taken a before photo! Originally it was the photo with the title and the perfection sticker, where the 3d effect is on the right side was this beautiful design that was already on the paper I bought 2 pieces so I could do a 2nd page with other photos but I had a flash of inspiration to cut out the design and layer it over the pattern to create a 3d effect! I had bought some rock candy crackle paint a couple of weeks ago but really hadn't had the opportunity to use it I really didn't know what to expect putting it on the cut out but I am so glad I did I love the glossy effect! I pretty much rock candied everything on the right lol that's how much i love it. I also glimmermisted this beautiful bit of lacey flowery ribbon I just got and it makes my heart melt...just a little.

Hope everyone is good in the big wide world of the web, we are currently on dial-up and it is not very fun at all I am addicted to reading scrapbooking blogs and the photos take forever to load...only 5 more days to go until a new 'internet' month starts so yay!

tired *yawn*

Today I held a creative memories party at my house, it went well although I didn't get a page done I could not for the life of me think about how I wanted to present my page I had another go tonight and I still don't know what to do...I am too tired to care too much tonight however so no biggy.

The 3 other people who attended did a great job, what I love the most about creative memories and the parties you hold at home is that there is no pressure to be perfect or outstanding you just have a play and you come away with a great looking first page, I think most people surprise themselves with just how creative they actually can be.

You may be interested to know I made a few purchases today though, I made about $250 worth of sales which gave me 4 half price products and $50 spending money (woop woop) so I bought a paper edging tool to give it that rough edge look, a puzzle maker punch, a sweetheart maker punch and some sticky tape refill all for the price of $63 so I did pretty OK...still wish I hadn't spent quite so much but its done now. My mother in law bought a bit but the main purchases were a flower punch and a cutting tool set, and my mother bought a star punch that actually embosses it at the same time...so I will have fun playing around with all of these toys when they arrive!

I was thinking today about what scrap booking means to me and scrap booking to me is the best way to honour, preserve and tell the stories behind your photographs. I love looking at photos, new or old but there's only so much looking you can do before you think ok next...with scrap booking your giving photos life again and telling stories that will be treasured for generations.

Well I might go to bed just wanted to write in my blog a little to keep up to date with it all...

g'night