Male Birthday card

Here's a card with a bit of a difference today - a birthday card for my friends husband.  This shows how versatile the gorgeous Maja Designs paper collections really are.  At first glance they look all sweet and florally but they really cater for all interests.

 

I've used papers from both the 'Vintage Autumn Basics' and 'Life by the Sea' collections, which I've distressed, embossed and layered on my manila card along with some burlap & string.

 

I've used the colours and am entering this in the Maja moodboard which features colours from their latest collection 'Summer Crush' which is so fresh and beachy feeling (can't wait to get my hands on some).

 



Fish the Family Dish

Todays layout has been a real joy to create, especially after pushing the boundaries so far out for my last layout.  Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed that challenge, but its also nice to ease back into familiar territory again.  Here I have created a layout using the Maja moodboard, which in itself was quite a challenge to create this 12 x 12 page out of only a 6 x 6 pad.

 

Luckily the colours choosen here match my one and only 6 x 6 pad perfectly .  I decided to create a 'patchwork quilt' for my background by using 4 pages which were cut into 3" squares.

  

I've used the 'Vintage Autumn basics' collection, where I've distressed all 16 squares before arranging on my page.  I stitched around 4 squares only, just randomly placed around the page, also stitching around my photo.

 

 

 

I've used lots of Dusty Attic chipboard which were mostly painted, I glued micro beads to create the reed flower heads.  The anchor was crackled under the paint and looks very aged now. The Imagine if sea egg has been finished with Perfect Pearls, so its really shimmers. The little starfish are actually real starfish which I've just painted. 

 

 

 

 

I enjoyed making this male page and really loved achieving a page with no flowers.  

Its been a pleasure working with these gorgeous Maja papers as they are so versatile, they can be used from soft 'baby' projects right thru to grungy 'male' creations.

Hauby turns 70

Don't you love it when you've been saving special photo's for a special project, then when completed you are 100% proud of how it turns out.  I've had this photo (and others) for sometime, of our friend, the retired race commentator Keith Haub's 70th birthday party.

I've used lots of different supplies on this layout, which started with a Heartfelt Creations 'Countryside Evening' paper, with layers of Maja, Kaisercraft and BoBunny scraps.  I've distressed, inked and punched edges.  The burlap helps with the 'male' feel of the page. 
Under the layers I've attempted to add texture using micro beads attached with crackle paste thru a stencil.  More crackle is added on some of the Dusty Attic chipboard.  The Prima bottle caps are also filled with micro beads.

 

I've used lots of Dusty Attic chipboard, Pointer Hands, Music, Page pebbles, Jumbo cogs, Hinges, Hashtag sayings.

Prima Art basics used, 3D Matte Gel, Texture/crackle paste, Micro beads in bronze & splash.

 



This is the sketch I've followed which is the monthly LO sketch from Artfull Crafts.  I'll also be sharing this layout with my newly found friends at Finnabair & Friends FB page 

Playtime

Gee how time has flown.  Here I am back again with my 1st layout since rejoining the Southern Girls Challenge DT.  Lou has selected a 'Boys Theme' for this latest challenge, so I was excited to do something with this awesome photo of my son Troy playing with his xmas present (oh dear, poor neighbours).

 

Such a fun page, which I tried very hard to keep simple . . . . this is real hard for me, and to do a page without flowers is such a rarity.  This is the back side of a Kaisercraft 'Now Boarding' paper, with lots of random bits of paper, stencils & splotches.  Several Imagine if . .  cogs just add a little more of a 'male' feel to the page.

 

When creating this I had in mind to enter a challenge at Artfull Crafts where this month one of their challenges is to add 'splatters & splotches', so now I've ticked both boxes.

 

I would love to see you all support both these challenges, as they are both NZ based, and we've got to support the locals now don't we??

'Something to Brag About' mini

Time to get back into some serious crafting now after all these weeks off, mind you with xmas and work commitments there's been no time to even think of such pleasures anyhow.
Todays project is something I've been working on for sometime (on & off) and is still unfinished, with more embellishments, the closure and the all important photos and journaling to be completed. 

This is my 1st DT project for 2015 and is FULL of awesome Imagine if . . chipboard, which is so versatile on all your projects.  We are also running a wee competition for you all to be in with a chance to win your own chipboard, all you need to do is leave a comment here, and we would love it if you visit and LIKE the facebook page

 

This mini is a project I purchased from Kathryn Krieger and you can get a getter look at it on her You Tube video.  The cost was minimal and so worth it I think.  Throughout I've used Kaisercraft "Off the Wall", "Garage Days" and "Take Note" papers, on black cardstock.

 

These are the pages that I've finished embellishing so far, with many more to do.  There is a total of 12 pages, each being a pocket for a folding tag, so HEAPS of places for the memorable photos and journaling to go.

 

 

These are the next pages to be finished, then the all important task of adding photos.  This album is for my son to keep together all the photos of the many cars he has had.

 

Imagine if products used are: houses in a row, large cog set , small cog set , corner flourishes, steampunk scissors, arrows with words , quotes sheets , vehicle set , filmstrip, chicken wire , arrows with words 2 , key set , flourish  , circle frame .

 

Lots of exciting products used here.  Remember to leave a comment here and also to visit all the other DT ladies to have a chance to win on their sites as well.  This is the wee prize up for grabs, and who doesn't have a need for good words for those projects.  Good luck to you all.

 

 



We are Family

Another busy week  has been had by us all yet again, so instead of a blog hop as we usually do just follow the links at the top of the Imagine if . . home page.

This week we are all showing off the new range of frames, and from what I've seen before this has even gone live . . . WOW . . . there is some amazing work being done.  As I'm now really busy at work I've stuck with something fairly simple, which I'm sure showcases the Imagine if . .  products well.

 

Lately I've been spoilt with lots gorgeous photos, which are usually mostly 'girly', so I'm loving this chance to show off a male page. 

Another Kaisercraft paper has been used, this one is from the 'Honey Chai' collection and is a lot bluer than the photo is showing.  I've distressed, inked & stamped the background, then underlayed some burlap & fluffy trim.  I've used 2 Imagine if . .  frames on this lovely 4" x 6" photo, which were firstly embossed to give a bit of texture, then painted, inked then finished with some crackle accents (they look great in person).  Cogs and arrows add more 'male' items to the page.



 

And lastly, no matter how hard I try I just can't seem to do a page without using some flowers.  I love this big blue Bo Bunny bloom, it works well with the I am Roses daisy and the whole colour theme of the page.

Thanks for visiting, please take a look at what the other DT ladies have created for you also, you'll be amazed, and also check out all the gorgeous products now available on the Imagine if . .  website.  As always your comments are greatly appreciated.

mm . . . fish

Here's a masculine layout without a flower in sight (very hard for me to do).  Hubby recently took part in a local fishing competition and after an overnighter out at sea they returned with a large chilly bin full of mixed fish.  What a great excuse to use this gorgeous felt cut out 'fishing boat' from Imagine if.

 

I started the page with a paper from Heartfelt Creations which I cut to shape using a template. Once the edges were all distressed I added a bit of interest with some modelling paste thru the TCW template, which I heat embossed with silver while the paste was still wet, then added some random script stamping.  Once the photo was matted & distressed the page came together very quickly.  All the embellishments are from Imagine if - felt fishing boat, sea shells & corner flourish (both of which I flocked to give that 'felted' look).  I chose to leave the chipboard lettering raw as the colours fitted so well.

 

These embellishments are proudly 'NZ made' and most are available in chipboard as well as felt, although its not too hard to change their appearance to suit as I have done here.  Jo and her team are still extremely busy turning out lots of new items to excite us all.  Keep visiting to see what they come up with next.