Kayden

Time for a new challenge at Southern Girls Challenge and this time Lou has chosen 'Stripes'.  Easy peasy I thought until I received my new toys - 3x Martha Stewart 'Around the page' punches, so I just HAD to use one of these on my layout.  Actually incorporating stripes with pretty edges really made me think a bit, and then when I decided to use this gorgeous boy photo I had to be very careful.

 

Here I've used a random paper from my stash, which I punched with the 'Large Spiral Arches' punch, then kept everything very simple and let the photo & trucks speak for themselves.  Don't you just love these gorgeous felt trucks?  They come from Jo at Imagineif and come in a set of 3 (digger included as well), you can buy these in felt or chipboard, gotta love them for anything boy related. 

 

I am really happy with how the edge has punched, I can see I'm going to have fun with these.  I've managed to keep the whole page clean & simple, but it was hard as this is not really a style I do much.  Overall I'm please with the end result. 

 

Thanks for visiting, I'm glad to share this with you all and hope to see your awesome projects on our challenge site also.

Apr. IAR Challenge

Here's another gift box I've whipped up full of Easter goodies, (and a few naughty bits as well) which I'm entering in the monthly challenge at I am Roses.  Surprise, surprise this month their theme is 'Easter', so we have to include eggs as well as their luscious flowers.

 

This paper mache box was first painted on the insides & edges, then covered with a DSD 'Truck in the Attic' paper.  Lace, doily, pearls and lots of gorgeous flowers decorate the exterior.  I am Roses flowers used include, Daisy's (in 3 different colours) little S-10 flowers and white buds.  I love these little S-10 flowers, they are so versatile.  The inside is packed with Easter eggs, grapes & a wee tipple, all under the care of this cute little bird.

 

Enjoy these extra photos from different angles and some close ups.

 

 

Do I need to tell you again how much I love making and gifting these little goodie boxes?  Such an easy way to give a gorgeous little gift without very much effort.  The recipient of this one is actually my postie, she is always sad when delivering me yet another parcel, so I'll surprise her with a small parcel of her own.  I'm sure she'll love it.

 

Thanks for visiting, wish me luck with this challenge.  Until next time have a happy, scrappy day.

 

 

Sleeping Beauty

I am so excited to be writing this, as it is my 1st official post on the Imagineif/FixDesigns design team.  For our big grand entrance owner Jo has cleverly created some awesome chipboard footwear for us all to show off for her.  As you will see by visiting everyone's blogs, we have all created something entirely different to the next person . . . WOW!!

I have stayed somewhat within my comfort zone to start with and have created this layout using the 1st of my 2 boots.

 

I've started with a gorgeous Kaisercraft 'Precious Moments' paper, which I distressed, then inked & stamped randomly.  I've also attached strips of script paper.  The chipboard boot has been painted, then covered with lace fabric, then topped off with fluff & a seam binding bow.  I've also added some chipboard butterflies which I inked & finished with rhinestones.  The Imagineif quote sheets are great for any occasion, here I've found a quote to fit my picture perfectly.  The chipboard lettering has been inked, then finished with glossy accents.  The few flowers & pearls just continue the soft girly theme beautifully.

 

Jo is busy creating some more fantastic pieces for us all to create with, she will have us all thinking 'outside the square' with a lot of the upcoming projects.  Keep an eye out for our next creations. 

 

Until then, thank you for visiting and have a happy, scrappy day.

 

 

 



Black & White

A new month brings a new challenge at Creative Craft Cottage, the theme this time is 'Black & White'.  This really made me put my thinking cap on for a while, but I'm happy with the choices I made.

 

I've always wanted to try a page with this quilted look, so when my sister decided to visit, I took advantage of her sewing skills and put her to work with me hand stitching all these squares. 

Once the background has been completed it took a bit of thinking as what to do next.  The doily broke up the black nicely, then luckily I managed to find this gorgeous photo of my grandmother. 

I've used a mixture of flowers from Retail Girl, Dusty Attic, Petaloo & I am Roses along with feathers & pearls.  The scrabble tiles, although not strictly black & white, match the vintage photo.

 

Thank you for visiting, come & join in with us at Creative Craft Cottage for the chance to win a wee prize. 

Art Journal 8

Its quite amazing how fast we are getting through these journals, as here we are already with No. 8 done.  Not long now until I get mine back all filled up with loveliness from all the wonderful new friends I have made.

For this journal the theme was 'Things with Wings'.  All the other ladies have done birds & butterflies, so I decided to try something different.

I painted the background, then ripped up music paper and stuck down, then gesso'd.  In my stash I have some lovely 'Flower Fairy' party tablecloths, so that was the source of my inspiration. Lots of fussy cutting & modge podge later, the page was finished with ribbon & lace on 2 of the edges then I stamped & coloured the longer sides.  Glitter has been stuck in random places.

Gotta love doing these journals, its a great chance to try something new.  To see all the other pages I have done in this challenge (1 per month) they are all labelled 'CD'.  Let me know what you think.  Think about joining in a similar group yourselves.  It is so much fun with people you've mostly never met before.

Forbes Museum

Here is my entry for this months sketch challenge at Artfull Crafts.  Its great to take advantage of these sketches that require more than one photo.  Here are some more of my holiday snaps taken last year.

 

This was a quaint little disused railway station that had been converted into a café & museum, that we came across in NSW, Australia (hence all the gorgeous lush plants).

 

All the papers I've used here are only random unnamed papers from my stash, that I've distressed, stitched, inked & stamped.  The colours work well with the photos I think, and the handmade flower fits in with the sketch well.

 

One of the prizes in this challenge is a paper pad of the new Kaisercraft collection 'Blubelle', which is stunning, with all the colours I enjoy using.  Wish me luck with this.

Mar.IARDC

Today I've made a quick card using my favourite colours - blues & yellows, on top of some brown kraft card.  This is my entry for the monthly colour challenge over at I am Roses.

 

Firstly I embossed my piece of kraft cardstock, then rubbed over the impressions with chalk ink.  Next I stitched around the distressed edges, before attaching to my blue card.  The sentiment came from a Heartfelt Creations collections (gotta love these).  Lots of IAR flowers finish the card, here I've used Daisy's, Cherry blossoms & the little S-10 blooms.

 

I make very few cards, so have enjoyed this challenge.  Thank you for visiting, please leave me a comment.

Another Gift Box

It was time to send a friend some goodies, so I thought they would look much nicer packed up in a lovely little gift box, than just wrapped up in bubble wrap, what do you think?

 

Lots of 'softness' in these colours.  G45 Secret Garden paper used over a painted paper mache box, finished with luscious lace, pearls and some I am Roses flowers.  This was made in an evening.

 

I hope the recipient likes it as much as I do.  Thank you for visiting.

New Design Team

I have real exciting news to share with you all today.  I have been chosen to be part of the new Design Team for Jo over at Imagineif/FixDesigns.

This is a great little New Zealand business producing designer laser cut craft, cardmaking & scrapbooking supplies for crafting, of which my first package of goodies has just arrived for me to play/create with.  Keep an eye out as our first creations go live on April 1. 

To get the ball rolling we are having a giveaway, all you need to do is visit all the DT's blogs, follow our blogs and leave a comment.

A lot of you may be familiar with some of the other lovely New Zealand ladies that have been selected along with me:

Tash

Beth

Katrina

Ngaire

Carol

Lilian

Year of the Horse

Here we are with a new challenge at Creative Craft Cottage, gee how time flies.  This challenge has the more serious theme of  'the Year of the Horse', so I thought it was a great opportunity to dust the cobwebs off some of the old photos of my beautiful pony I had as a young girl.

 

Earlier today I was bouncing emails with a fellow crafter about different gorgeous paper collections, she uses the absolute, most gorgeous of papers Maja and Websters, just to name a couple whereas I have a more limited access to the 'names' and use mostly Kaisercraft or G45. 

Where I'm going with this is . . .  this page I've done here today is actually made with only random 'no-named' papers that have been growing dust in my stash forever, and I think it is just as nice as all those fancy collections we all drool over (mind you I'd not say no to any of those fancy papers tho).

 

After distressing the edges I was thinking about stamping or stencilling, then I came up with the idea of adding this ripped script paper - I LOVE how it looks, and inking the edges has really lifted it as well.  I wanted to keep the flowers to a minimum, or at least keep them grungy - FAILED miserably.  I did at least make these burlap flowers and this is my 1st attempt at zipper flowers.  I've left the DA chipboard raw as the colours matched the page perfectly.  Pheasant feathers finish the embellishing.

 



I hope to see you over at Creative Craft Cottage with your horse projects.  The other DT's have some lovely projects to inspire you as well.  Thank you for visiting.