Handmade By Suzanne Sketch

Whilst at the retreat for Scraphappy Kat's I ran out of pre-packed kits so Vicki handed me this sketch from Handmade by Suzanne...

and with a bit of a turn and a tweak here is my LO :)

Hanging Around

It's simple by what I usually do, but I like the end result ;)

Hmmm I could be in trouble...

because I've discovered, well not so much discovered as no one knew about them and I announced them to the world, but it's a shop I didn't know about and have now been introduced to and now I could be in trouble because I want to buy lots of stuff LOL It's Scrapbooking and Craft. Melinda who owns the store joined us on SBT50 and Vicki said to check out the shop so I did and now I'm regretting it at the same time as being very excited because their chipboard is sooo cute (seriously, if you want something girly then check THIS out!!!!)

I'm resisting the urge at the moment - yes AT THE MOMENT.... that doesn't mean that I wont for much longer ;) LOL But I have an Epic to finish paying for and dies and folders to purchase and other bits and bobs and... and... and... and..... Oh darn it - it wont hurt if somehting accidentally falls into my cart will it???? ROFL




BTW retreat post to come... I was soo excited about this shop... I think I need to go find me a bib ;) LOL

Cyber Crop Over :(

Well for another month, but I was able to *squeeeeze* in the last challenge 25 minutes before closing time!!! LOL talk about last minute!!! It was a great CC - lots of different things to try too :) All about food - of course I had lots of birthday photo's to scrap so that pretty much dominated my LO's... Here's what I created!!!

Challenge #1 - Kids in the Kitchen:

Criteria:
1. the use of ink and/or texta (There is stamping on the recipe card, the bottom right hand journalling has been written in black texta as well)
2. Staples (yeps, in the distressing on the edges of the page)
3. hidden journalling (Under the recipe card are the details about the LO and some mini photo's of and the recipe's that Aleks cooked that day)
4. paper rolling or curling technique(do you see the little spoon and fork? Their handles are rolled, I made them out of PP)

the case of the Killer Kebabs

Aleks chose what he wanted for the title of this page - he decided as he was cooking they had to be "Killer Kebabs" "killer" is one of his new phrases - ahh pre-teen boys!!!!

Challenge 2 - Recipe Scrap:

For this one we had to use the following 'recipe'

Ingredients:

1 sheet cardstock
2 word title
3 photos
4 patterned papers
5 buttons

Turning Two

Challenge 3 - Made with Love:

This page has been scrapped using the recipe that nan hand wrote more then 50 years ago into her recipe book. It's the cake she would bake for every Christmas, boil to turn into everyone's Christmas puddings and used to bake for everyone's wedding (mine included) It's a very very precious recipe to me - if not my family. I'm very blessed to have had it passed on to me when nan passed away and will be using it to continue the tradition of baking this cake for my family It's a little fragile piece of paper that is filled with a lot of love and memories xxx

Criteria:
* Patterned paper as a base (MME Life Stories "roses")
* At least 2 flowers (lots there )
* Some distressing (the calico under the recipe has been torn and inked, There is tearing on the music paper and inking on the journalling card.)
* An embellishment cluster (yeps - with the added charm under the green brad - it's the word "love")

I added the journalling and photo of nan as hidden items to not detract from the importance of the recipe. And on the back of the photo is a bit of journalling to say what was happening in the actual photo. The calico has been included as the puddings nan would make from the recipe were always boiled in calico and hung to dry (strung on a broomstick in between two chairs in her kitchen!!!) and I chose roses for the pattern on the paper as they were nan's favourite flower - she was so proud of her rose garden

The Little Things (are often the best)

Challenge 4 - Hamburger with the LOT!

For this one we had to chose 4 items from several common hamburger ingredients listed HERE and then when the challenge was issued (about a week later) we had to use the elements that these ingredients stood for... Hard to explain but if you check out the above link it'll make sense ;) Anyhoos, My 'hamburger' elements were:

Lettuce - tear/distress (PP torn, Orange beside photo has been sanded and fabric has been ripped and left thready)
Onion - glitter (title Alphas, page has been 'glimmered')
Bacon - fabric/felt (border of image and on top left hand corner has fabric strips) and
Pickle - something green (background of PP and ribbon under image both green)

The poem that I've used on the LO reads:

A One-year-old child is so many things --
A tiny discoverer of butterfly wings,
A hugger of Teddies,
A sweet sleepyhead,
And someone to dream for in bright years ahead...

One

This piccie is from Dommy's cake smash - it's also my avatar for the month.

So there you have it, another Cyber Crop over, the next on I'll be Guest Design Team member!!! Woohoo - I'm really looking forward to it :) Roll on September - then again, maybe not, it's another month closer to Christmas!!!! ROFL

I Won!!! And a Scrappy Share :)

I can't believe I've done it again!!! I won one of the monthly challenged for July on SBT50!!! I didn't think any of my LO's would be good enough last month to be in the running for a prize, let alone win!!! I also won (as preciously mentioned) a product giveaway for the cyber crop so things looking good there :)

The LO that won was Challenge 1, Antheas Colour Challenge, you can find my blog link to it HERE....

Yaayy!! I win a gorgeous Vintage Blue pack from Wicked Princess - it looks sooo delish and right up my alley :)

they are still purchasable from Wicked Princess HERE if you like the look of the prize :)

Now for a scrappy share I've been holding on to as it was part of a monthly challenge pack for Scraphappy Kat. Others have started sharing and lodgement date is well and truly over so I'm comfortable with sharing even though the winner hasn't been announced yet...

Soooo This months challenge was to use ONLY what was provided in the pack the only allowance was to use adhesives... no ink or anything - which ruled out journalling other than using the alpha's provided - definitely one for thinking outside of the square!!!. It was a gorgeous pack to use!! Lots of blues and yellows and I believe suited the photo of Kahli that I used to a 'T' :)

Baby Blue Eyes

Handmade flower from PP

Flowers and Tags

The flowers I cut from one of the PP's included. I used a distressing technique to shape the petals and then mounted the flowers from the centre with mounting tape. I'm kind of addicted to cutting and distressing at the moment :P

The tag was included in the pack, I've cut a thin bit of paper to use as a 'ribbon' to thread through the hole that was punched.

The background 'doily' looking paper was made using my smallest punch for my eyelet setter - some of them aren't that great but I think I was able to hide most of the wonky ones LOL and

The buckle on the 'ribbon' is a square sticker that was in the pack that I've cut to allow a ribbon of paper to be threaded through - I thought it was quite effective to finish off and frame the image.

Finally, I know the punched border isn't the best, I wanted a beautiful flourish up in the top right hand corner, but wasn't quite able to pull it off... It definitely needed the border to complete the page, I just wish i had another sheet of paper to re-do the flourish again....

Class with Tracey - My2Angels

Yes, my mojo is still missing, but I think I can smell it lurking somewhere - being that it's been away from showers and civilisation for a while it's a bit on the nose.. I'll have to go on an active search and give it a good shake and scrub ;)

In the meantime SBT50 had a class with Tracey from My2Angels this month which has kinda kept me going ;) You can buy kits for the class from My2Angels or alternatively there is a materials list on SBT50. You can find the class information HERE and can purchase several versions of the kit HERE - GIRLS BLUE GREEN and RED

I used the blue kit. I found it came together really well :)

My finished product - photographed at night with flash, not the best pic, I'll try to get a better one in the morning if I remember ;)

My letters 'B' and 'S' were too dark to stand out against the background for me so I gave them some extra treatment. The 'B' I inked with copper and then embossed some pewter over the top and the 'S' I painted aqua then sprinkled over some glass glitter - I wasn't totally happy with that effect so splashed some crackle paint over the top.. and voila :)

extra distressing on the circle, oh and a little different action with the string ;)

I did a bit extra to what was mentioned in the class - I really took liberties with distressing adding in some sewing, extra inking and tearing - oh and a few rips and staples LOL

So there you have it, even though Mojo wasn't around (although I swear I can smell him/her!!!) I was still able to pull off a decent job with the kit - it's a great way to get the scrapping blood pumping... Now to go find Mojo and scrub him/her until she/he's too scared to leave me this long again!!!!

Wanted: MOJO!!!

My mojo has gone AWOL :(

ooooh that's a bit scary!!!! I hope my Mojo doesn't look like this when he/she returns!!!

I'm trying hard to get onto my scrapping challenges but it's a real struggle at the moment. We've had a stressful week at home towards the end of last week which ended up with me being unwell with my stomach ulcer flaring up - so have a reason for no mojo.... but it's easing now so I was hoping Mojo would be found... but he/she is not quite here yet...

a BIG call out for Mojo.... Someone please find him/her!!!

So I'm looking for my Mojo, wanting him/her to return desperately....

maybe a pretty little call out then???

Mojo, wherefore art thou?????

hmm this doesn't look quite right....

BTW, I've got giveaways to list and to update on my page, it will be done over the next few days (I'll be husband less so have a couple of days to myself yaayy!!)

My Hands are Shaking....

Why?? Because I've found something so very very precious to scrap. It's something that has no worldly value, in fact a lot of people out there would take one look and toss it aside... It's my grandmothers old recipe album. It's tattered, stained and falling to pieces. It's one of the old albums that we were warned about many years ago would destroy our photo's and memories - well this one contains so many memories!!!

Nan's Old Recipe Album

I got the prompt to search the album out by the SBT50 challenge set by Ant HERE. I'm going to scrap the hand written recipe that my nan used to make everyone's Christmas cakes and puddings with, the same recipe she also used to make all family members wedding cakes with - my wedding cake was made with this recipe - this is such a special special recipe and memory for me.

Nan's Original Fruit Cake Recipe

I remember nan mixing up this recipe year after year, the aroma that would permeate the house with this recipe was just the thing to set the mood coming up to Christmas season or make the run up to someone's special day so much more exciting to a young girl :)

When nan passed away I was passed this album. It was originally mums, I borrowed it for something but then she said I could have it - so it's remained one of my prized possessions since then - even though I've admittedly not taken the best care of it...

Some of the memories inside Nan's Recipe Album

But oh this recipe, the paper is so fragile, it's like rice paper. The ink is faded there are stains on the paper and the lines from the original glue in the album has stained through the paper... It's sooo precious to me though... it was hand written by my grandmother. It shows where she made an error and crossed it out and corrected it. It shows weights and measures in imperial - the temperature for the oven is in farenheit... so many memories, and I have the honour to preserve this one for my children to look back on - and yes, this year I am making this cake for Christmas and hopefully continuing the tradition for my children and grandchildren in the future....

This is what scrapbooking is all about!

xxx

Why Scrap??

Seriously, I'd love to know why people scrap.

For me, it's about preserving memories and creating something beautiful with the memories we've captured on film. I love beautiful things - I guess it's the girl in me. I love to make things pretty and add more meaning. It's leaving a little piece of me in this world, my viewpoint, my say on things.... It's my legacy to my kids, should something ever happen and I have to leave this world early they can look at my photo's and albums and see just how much I loved them, what I thought of them, my dreams for them - and that we had fun, we have good memories and to never ever forget that above all we are family and nothing will take that away!

I love that my kids are starting to scrapbook too as it gives a different viewpoint on an image. What I saw as them playing make believe, playing with friends, having a quiet moment etc could have been them being a multi milionaire riding their friend in their new porche, learning how to co-operate and negotiate or them having a sad moment I didn't realise they were feeling - these photo's mean different things to each of us, and seeing what they see really opens your eyes to another world.

So why do you scrap? Why is it important to you?

My Little Carrot Top

Ok, I know this looks a really simple layout, but I was struggling with what to do for the SBT50 mini challenge put forward at the cyber crop. A Mini challenge is jsut that - a mini-challenge, to be done on a LO smaller than 12x12 and within a smaller deadline to opther cyber crop challenges. For the month of August the theme is "What's Cooking?" We had to think of an endearment that is based on a food item and use that on a layout - and put a handmade embellishment of said food on the LO as well. I was thinking pumpkins, I seem to recall calling William my little pumpkin at one stage, although no one else seems to remember it!! Then I was thinking of using the kids baby photo's as 'peas in a pod' but I didn't - not sure why, I might still do it and see if I can get it done before upload finishes midnight tomorrow....

Anyhoos, here is my Carrot Top Layout....


Each of the boards on the sign and holding the photo up are hand cut and coloured with Tim Holtz distress ink (tea dye)



lots of paper curls for the top of the carrots - some of the paper preferred to shred and tear rather than curl grrr

Augh, this orange handmade thready paper I used for the carrots was horrible to try and stick down!!! It kept putting threads on the double sided tape so it'd lose it's stickiness!!!

So this is Kahli's response to being called a 'carrot top' (which she hasn't been called for AGES!!!) "Carrot tops are green", and yep - I guess technically they are ;)

Purple Pumpkin - Giveaway

Well Purple Pumpkin, one of the lovely sponsors at SBT50 are having a giveaway - so of course as per usual you need to be in it to win it, so putting some linkey love here for myself, oh and to give any browsers of my dribble a chance to win too :)

These are the spoils.....


So if you'd love to win some of this gorgeous scrappy goodness hop on over HERE

My2Angels Scrapping Relay...

Ok, I did it - I put my name forward for yet ANOTHER challenge!!! One day I know I'll look back and say I put too much pressure on myself - no idea how far away that day is so until then I'll keep going hahaha There's only one way to learn and see where your niche is, and I believe that's with practice, practice and more practice (oh and a little encouragement along the way is good too ;))

So the new challenge was to join the birthday celebrations at My2Angels. It's a shop/forum that I was introduced to via SBT50.

So the challenge - as copy and pasted from the SBT50 forum....

Teams of 5 will be picked from the entrants - register by leaving a comment
(if there is a day YOU CAN NOT participate in please let me know when you register)
Everyone will be advised ahead of time what day they are scheduled to complete their layout on Sunday morning
Sunday night, 8^th August, at midnight I will upload the first criteria eg cupcakes on a layout or could it be a banner or perhaps presents on your layout! You will have to wait and see at midnight on your day of allocation.

The member from each team who are allocated Monday will be required to complete a birthday layout with the criteria incorporated on it.

And then every midnight after that for 4 more nights a new criteria for the team member chosen for that day will be uploaded (ending Friday)
They are to be Birthday layouts and to be completed within a 24 hour period, uploaded to your blog & our gallery BEFORE midnight and a comment left on the my2angels blog so we know you have completed the task

As luck of the draw would go I got to be first cab off the rank with the theme of PRESENTS!!!

My baby boy is my present :) The quote that is on my LO is "Your birthday is a special time to celebrate the gift of 'you' to the world" - anonymous

And here is my layout...

It's completed with items mostly purchasable from my2angels :) the list is as follows...

Core-dinations Cardstock

Pritt Power Gel (my new 'must have'!!)

Kaiser Patterned Paper (the link is to the full range) Thrill Seeker and Lone Ranger are the two ranges I used

Glimmer Mist - coffee shop

Buzz and Bloom Chipboard Alpha's - that 70's alphabet - covered with core-dinations cardstock

Double Sided Tape

Foam Mounting Tape

"forever" brass tag from the 4 tag charm pack

incidentals from my stash...

train brad, kaiser 'Lush' and 'Mumma Bushka' brads, thread and sewing machine, ribbon, black DMC thread, Glimmer Mist - Oriental Poppy, Carolees Creations - Tiny teal alpha's (although you can find some more of these Carolee's Creations tiny alpha's HERE and HERE and there are more tiny alpha's to spy in store as well) and tiny gold brads.

all done then - right???? pffftttttt this is me we're talking about!!!

I misunderstood that it wasn't just a THEME of presents, the LO had to INCLUDE presents!!! My original idea was to have a painted present background and do the LO on top of that, I have the painted background, but didn't like it in the end thinking it was too 'obvious' LOL maybe I should have gone that way and saved myself this last minute headache!!! Anyhoos, presents are now added! I wrapped some Kaisercraft brads with ribbon and thread to tie them as presents and fitted them on - just!! I'm not sure I like the new additions, but hey, I had to meet the challenge!!! Go team 3!!!

SBT50 August Cyber Crop

Come and cook up a storm with us!!!


Seriously we have LOTS of fun, challenges, scattegories (although no one is allowed to beat me mwahaha) Bingo, Chat and fun Fun FUN!!!

now I've totally pilfered this information form the forum - hope they don't mind LOL

The program for the night will be:

8.00pm - Chat begins HERE
8.30pm - Mini Challenge revealed HERE
8.45pm - Bingo! Post your words HERE
9.00pm - Let's play Scattergories! HERE

PLEASE NOTE THAT TIMES LISTED ABOVE ARE IN SA TIME!!!
QLD, NSW, ACT, VIC, TAS - ADD 30 MINS
WA - TAKE 1.5 HOURS

Scrap the Boys - Giveaway

Well I really do need to start working on my 'giveaway' tab up above to get all these links in!!! Well Scrap the Boys (whom I've recenly discovered) are having a BOY giveaway!!! It's such a change from all the pink frilliness that you see around - one reason I love this blog/website already!!! With 3 boys and a redheaded little spitfire I don't have all that much use for pinks **sigh** One day my daughter may act girly - I live in hope!!!

Anyhoos, for details on how to win all this:

follow the link HERE of click on the piccie above
~got to be in it to win it!!!!~

Cake Smash!!!

Okies, this month, as I said, I've decided I want to really try some new stuff so decided that beside my regular challenges I'm going to work with brights and different styles... I don't know if I've really pulled this one off, I wish I had a bit more oranges and yellows in my stash, but I had a go at least...

For the challenge requirements:

Use paint in a creative way that you've not done before - I've spread turquoise paint over the background with sponges, dropped lime over the top once it had dried, and then used the edge of a piece of card to make red and white lines as well as using one of my brad containers to make little circles of red and white as well. So lots of different paint things that I've not done before

Brads: Lots all over the place!! Centre of flowers, picture brads and gem brads scattered throughout.

Eyelets: again lots scattered throughout, they are little flower eyelets in and around the flowers.

Journal Block: yeps

and

Old PP: there are some quilted paper flowers that were part of my original stash - so over 8 years old!! They have been cut out of a full size PP; also on the back of the LO there are some of the same quilted square PP's that came from the same collection. The bee paper behind the journal block also comes from my 8 year old stash.

Ok, let me have it - good or a big mess?? I'm still not sure myself!!!