Its a Dog's life

Here we are starting a New Year already, wow how time has flown. Luckily I am still finding plenty of time to craft.  Here at Creative Craft Cottage we are starting the new year with a wonderful challenge "Quote Me" which has our entire DT using the awesome quote sheets from our latest sponsor Imagineif.   By participating in this challenge you are in with the chance of winning some of these quote sheets for yourself.  Please go over to her website to see all the other goodies she has on offer. 
Here is my layout using a quote from her "I love my dog" sheet:

 

Here I've started with G45 'Steampunk Spells' paper which I punched with the Martha Stewart Doily punch to create the round page - LOVE IT ! ! !  As the paper was so bold I had to keep the rest of the page rather quiet, so the embellishments are rather limited. 

I've layered the photo upon some muslim, then created the big gold flower, added burlap roses & a mini rose.  The Dusty Attic Grass Clusters #1 DA0660 & Mini Grass Clusters DA0786 were painted then I flocked the flowerheads.  A tag tucked under the photo hides the journaling. 

 

The gorgeous quote I've used says  "What a beautiful world it would be if people had HEARTS like dogs".  How true.  I thought the saying matches this lovely photo of our son's dog Shadow, with his big kind eyes and that big smile.  Doesn't he just make you melt?

 

I've had fun making this page to share with you all, and am looking forward to seeing all your lovely creations as well.  Remember if you don't have a blog to link your entry, please email your photo thru to us and we will enter it for you. 

 

Thank you for visiting, and please leave a comment as I love to hear what you think.

Art Journal 5

Wow the time has gone so fast, here we are with Christmas already just a memory.  Its been such fun making Christmas related articles  (cards, decorations, layouts, gifts) so now its great to get back into something more normal again.

Here is my creation in the next Art Journal with the girls at Creative Dreams.  There was no theme to follow in this one so I hope the owner likes what I've done for her.

 

I came across these gorgeous serviettes, so was determined to use the poppies somehow.  Firstly I  painted the background, then modge podged the serviettes and lettering.  The resulting pages are as touch as leather (literally).  I couldn't find many 'poppy' related sayings, so had to use these lines from this timeless poem by John McCrae.  Lastly I added the little 'rows' of crosses.

 

I love the colours in this page and am very happy with the end result.  This has now been posted onto the next person in the group, so bring on the next one.  

 

Old Tin

Today's layout is the first layout I am creating for Once Upon a Sketch where they offer a monthly sketch challenge.  I believe this site is Australian based (please correct me if I am wrong). 

 

I started by turning the sketch once anti clockwise as this suited my photo better.

I have used G45 paper from the Ladies Diary collection, which I distressed the edges, then stitched around.  Next came some lovely texture.  Out came the stamps and stencils.  Spots around the edges, script stamping under the inside edges, and some texture paste script in between.

 

Believe it or not the blue doily is actually only scraps from the Martha Stewart circle punch set, which has been inked, I also tucked a little bit of muslim under this layer.   More stitching on the next layer, then a couple of small doily's.  Lastly comes some script paper and a black photo matt, which really didn't look right being straight and 'proper', so its been put at an angle.  I've finished the layering with the photo which I've distressed the edges also.
Dusty Attic hinges were painted brown, then distress embossed for a bit of a grungy look, handmade flowers, some little die cut branches, little cones and random cogs finish the embellishing.  The journaling was done on my little typewriter, then stacked up on foam dots for added interest.  The title lettering was painted brown, then finished with crackle accents.

I thoroughly enjoyed making this page, and as usual tried to used different techniques and colour combinations.  I like the look of the stitching with all the distressed edges.
(NOTE TO SELF:  I will have to do more of this)

Thank you for visiting, please come again.

Angelic . . . . NOT

Today I've had my teeth into another layout.  Here are two little rascals, Jack and Harry -  my English girlfriend's grandsons.  This photo is a real miracle as little Harry cannot sit still for more than 2 seconds, and I am told big brother Jack insists on poking his tongue out for photos.  Here they are posing for their Christmas photo, so I hope I have done the photo justice.

 

Here I used two of the same photo, the 1st in colour and the 2nd black & white.  I started by distressing my Kaisercraft paper, then started my layers.  I used old music paper, burlap, drywall tape & muslim under the photos, then added lots of handmade burlap roses, random flowers from my stash, all on top of a lovely little doily.  I've also used lots of  Dusty Attic chippies, DA0729 Branches & Berries, DA0476 Mini words #2, DA0435 Decorative Flourish, which have been finished with gesso, paint, texture paste, stickles & glossy accents.  I've finished it all off with some pearls and charms.

 

 

This is the Dusty Attic monthly sketch I have followed.  I will be entering this layout into the following challenges:

 

Dusty Attic - monthly sketch layout

Artfullcrafts - christmas layout    ****WINNER****

Lets Craft & Create - lets celebrate (xmas)

SEM - Christmas

 

Thank you for visiting, I hope all my friends in Britain like what I've done with their precious boys.  I hope you all have a very happy and safe Christmas. 



Mmmm . . . Shortbread

I like to have a little something on standby for a friend, or that last minute gift just as a little 'Thank You'.  I have been playing with the idea of a small goodie box of homemade shortbread, so thought I'd give it a practice run and see how they turn out.

 

I'm extremely happy with how everything worked out.  I've never made shortbread before, and was almost a little scared to try . . . EASY ! !  Next came the little boxes 3" square, made from cardstock with the tops punched, ribbon, cellophane and hey presto. 

So far I've made 6 boxes, all different colours, and I'll just make the shortbread at the last minute.  Each box will hold 8 biscuits, which are cut and stamped as xmas shapes - star, santa, snowman and bauble.

 

I'm going to share this idea with the lovely ladies at Artfull Crafts where they are holding four different xmas themed challenges.   I'll enter this into the xmas gifts challenge.

 

Thank you for visiting, I hope this inspires you to do that little extra also.

Xmas cards

Gee I've done very well this year, all my xmas cards are made and sent out.  I even tried out a new flower to put on each one.  I made a number of cards all being similar, but none the same.

 

What do you think of this lovely poinsettia?? Isn't it wonderful, and so easy to make too.  I learnt how to make this on one of the blogs I follow religiously.  Go and visit the lovely Vicki where she has a link to the easy instructions.  The only alteration I made from the instructions was I actually hot glued each petal to the next petal, I feel it just gives the whole flower a bit more stability.

 

Everything has been hot glued in place, so I hope its all strong enough to survive the post. 

I am entering these cards in the Xmas card challenge at Artfull Crafts and I'm sure I'll find others to enter as well.

Thank you for visiting, and if you are one of the recipients, I hope it reaches you safely and all in one piece.

Eternal Souls

Today I've finally got back into another layout, looking back thru my posts I see not too many layouts at all over the last month or two.  I've decided  I must get back into scrapbooking my 2010 holiday photos, before I totally forget the finer details.  I have mentally hit a bit of a brick wall now I'm up to the Egypt photo's, as the colours are all the same - drab, and flowers and other pretties just don't cut the mustard.  Hopefully I'll be able to use some inspiration from other sources as I have for this layout i.e. following a sketch.

 

This amazing photo was taken during the Light & Sound show we attended at the Great Pyramids of Giza, and BOY what a show! !  Sadly this was the only photo that actually turned out half decent, if you look hard you can just make out Khufu's Great Pyramid behind the Sphinx.  We were taken on a grand ride thru thousands of years of Egyptian history, it was so surreal, more like a fairy tale until you get to see and touch all the magnificent pyramids, temples, tombs & monuments left behind still standing the test of time.  I was even lucky enough to go down inside one of the smaller pyramids . . . AWESOME ! ! !

 

While doing my DT duties (commenting on entries) I came across an exciting looking sketch from Sketchabilities and straight away I thought of this amazing photo, which has just been waiting for the right sketch or paper or something???? to get me going.

 

I started with a G45 paper, then layered on several other random papers, along with muslim, hessian, corrugated card, lace, string, TH flourish die, handmade hessian flower, Dusty Attic Paris Post Mark DA0320, Mini Words #2 & #3 DA0476 & DA0477, distress ink & Hero Arts stamps - Tour De Luxe. 

 

I thoroughly enjoyed creating this layout, and now hopefully I will carry on with some more, strike while the iron is hot as they say.  I hope I have shown you into a little more of my amazing holiday, with more still to come.  Thank you for visiting.

Altered chippies

The weather has been unseasonably wet the last few days, so its been great to get my teeth into a bit of serious crafting.  I have been wanting to make some new xmas decorations for some time now, so this was a great chance to get stuck in.

 

Recently I bought a set of plain chipboard xmas decorations from Spotlight.  They were actually quite nice and  could have gone on the tree as they were . . . but NO . . . I couldn't help myself . . .

 

 

I tried to use as many mediums, techniques and embellishments that I could.  I had real fun.

Day One: I used gesso, paint, PVA, texture paste, stickles

Day Two: Alcohol ink, more stickles, crackle paint, glossy accents, ink, stamps, ribbon, hessian, feathers, music paper, lace, charms, pearls, buttons, string, glitter, trim

 

 

This has been real fun, now its time to get the xmas tree out I suppose.  But no, this year we are having the whole family here for xmas day, so I'm planning on putting up a REAL tree for a change.  I'll get onto that job later next week I think.

 

I will be sharing these with the lovely ladies at Artfullcrafts where one of their challenges this month is 'Xmas Decorations'.  Come on over and be wowed by the other wonderful creations.

 

Also a big thank you to Roberta from Scrapping Everyday Miracles with an invite to come and participate in their challenges.

 

Thank you for visiting, I hope these will inspire you to make some for yourself.