Why did I click that???

Becci, I blame YOU!!!!!

**sigh** there are SO many online stores filled with the most tempting fabric and Becci has introduced me to yet another... This one I've found the most delightful trims and ribbons I have no choice but to purchase to make some beautiful headband and accessories etc for my girls and for photo props **sigh**

Beach Vintage is the blog, Fabric Traders is their shop!!! They are currently running a special offer/give-away!!! Be one of the first 50 to blog about their new shop and telling people about your favourite fabric and you can win a suprise fabric pack!!! So I'm up for a chance at a game of "fastest finger" as the case may be ;)

So on perusal of the many pages of fabric I've finally drenched my crafty bib with drool and fallen in love with so much stuff (those ribbons - I must get me, no my daughters some!!!!) but my absolute fave fabric is one I could use for trims or as a feature piece, it is called "Pretty Butterflies Grey by Alexander Henry" I love the muted colours against the black background :)

It's natural beauty, soft and pretty with the ability to blend but still strong enough to stand alone if need be :)

Soooo want a peek at the ribbons I've fallen in love with as well??? Here one is...


Imagine this as the top of a headband, held on the head with a back elastic and soft run of felt under the ribbon to help the science of friction hold it in place.... Ahhh sooo pretty!!!

Anyhoos, this isn't getting the housework done (thanks Becci :P) so better run now I've blogged, drooled and avoided the housework for yet another 20 minutes ROFL

And go check Beach Vintage or Fabric Traders out!!! And if your credit card or bank account become a little bruised in the process don't blame me, we can all thank Becci for inviting us to click the link!!!!

I Scrapped!!!

It's the first layout in ever so long, and it felt wonderful to get it done!!! If it wasn't for the gorgeous Charm having a Girls Night In evening I don't think it would be done though.. the ability to go out of the house and meet with like minded people is such a great influence in the ability of getting arty stuff done ;)

Anyhoos, here it is :)

Hush-a-bye Baby

It's a very simple LO for me, and is part of a 30 minute challenge or Speed Scrap that was on offer over at Red Earth Scrapping for their pink weekend. There's a little bit of fussy cutting of the base paper to allow the photo to settle under the pattern, then some layers of washi tape from D'lish Scraps (thanks for letting me use you're Charm!!!) and of course some Charms Creations products, the page runner at the base of my photo and a Fabulous Flower :) So nice and easy, but I love how it came together :)

Having this page completed and some time to myself makes me hungry for more.... I really want to sink my teeth into some more scrapping, but at the moment baby girl has other ideas with what I should be doing with my time ;) I know my scrappy time will come, it wont be that far away - at the moment baby girl has to come first... They are only this small for a short amount of time and she is definitely our last so I am soaking up every second I can and creating as many new baby memories as possible <3

Did Ya Miss Me???

Yeah a long time between posts I know **blush** But in that time I've done something absoutely amazing :) I've brought our little baby girl earthside!!!!

Aerynn Paige Nalani Bricknell was born on her due date at home, in water and with no complications at all. She is absolutely perfect in every way imaginable <3 yes we are totally besotted by our littlest princess :) As for stats, she was 48cm long and weighed in a HUGE (not) 2890g (6lb5oz) I've lots of photo's (that should come as no suprise!!!) but here's a few just to share...

12 hours old

14 hours old
with littlest big brother Domenik

13 Days Old
playing (un)dress-ups

13 days old

2 Posts in 1 day!!!

Yeps, this has to be a record I'm sure!!!

Last night I completed another LO for the RES RERT... This time for week 2 where we 'visited' Lake Argyle in WA! I'm loving the fact that these 'challenges' are hop on, hop off, meaning no pressure - also they're not overly difficult so anyone can participate regardless of skill or energy levels ;)

Once again I've incorporated some Words or Whatever chipboard into my LO (don't forget to check out their new DT call!!!). I absolutely ADORE this little chippie sign :) I've simply inked and embossed this one - sooo simple!!! The little centre of the sign is removable, I was going to journal but decided against it in the end... There's a gorgeous handmade flower from Pretty Paper Petals (the yellow/orange one under the sign - and don't forget the store is re-opening July 1st!!! There's sneaks of new designs coming up on their blog now **swoon**) and one of Treens Trinkets soon to be released Bingin' Birds nestled in amongst the flower cluster... Umm what else is there?? Hand dyed lace from Lovelybug Bits n Bobs and hand crochet lace by Becci at Lime Tree Creations... Prima goodies, mini doily, Ada flowers, ZVA bling and I think the mini roses as well all from Red Earth Scrapping and star flowers from My2Angels... Whoo, I think that's everyone who needs crediting!!!

RERT - Week 2 - Lake Argyle

In honour of this area being famous for their pink diamonds participants were to complete a LO using PINK!! Not necessarily ALL pink, but noticable...

And the bonus item clue this time was "They are a girls best friend"

"I'm So Pretty Mummy"

Anyone who knows me knows how much I struggle with pink - mostly because my daughter has to be one of the worlds biggest tom boys, and pink tends to clash badly with the colour of her hair... Anyways I did it!!!! the fact she was covered head to foot in pink lipstick helped with the colour challenge LOL

And a close up of the gooooorgeous WOW chippie and Pretty Paper Petals flower... I love the pink, aqua and yellow colour combo!!!

I Might Still Have It!!!!

The ability to do a decent enough LO to take out a scrapping challenge that is!!!! I received notification yesterday that my Bee LO won a prize in the challenge on Red Earth Scrapping!!! Yay!!! Considering it was my first proper LO in soooo long I'm really thrilled with that!!! :) I'm still easing my way back into scrapping and the scrappy world, I'm taking it one thing at a time ;) I've been looking around for little challenges that pique my interest and things that I don't feel pressured to have to complete 3-4 LO's in a set amount of time... taking it REALLY easy :)

Bee
a Winning Lo!!!

I have completed another LO and a card of sorts **gasp** yes a card - I'm working out that I'm not very good at cards hahhaa Anyways they were both for the Red Earth Road Trips first week.. I did it!!! LOL They're by no means my best work - actually a little different than what I'd normally do, but completed, another photo from the pile scrapped and I know that in good time I'll be shaking my head wondering what on earth I was thinking of when I did the LO hehe

RERT - Week 1 - COWRA

So this week we 'visited' Cowra. The challenge elements for this LO were based on Cowra being renowned for its Peace Bell, its Centre of World Friendship and the Japanese Gardens and links with Japan. We were to create a LO incorporating something that represents Peace of Friendship and they were to include the word "peace" or "friendship" in the title.


My LO is a photo from when I did a shoot for a friend/client back when I was portfolio building and working towards starting a business in photography (on the backburner at the moment for obvious reasons.. baby, time, lack in clients etc etc) Dommy was sitting playing, I think he was still in leg casts at the time so really restricted in what he could do and the little boy I was going to be working with came over to play with him. I love the body language in this photo, it's like he's saying "I'll be your friend and here for you" sooo sweet!!!

This is What Friendship is All About

Under the bulldog clip is some naked and inked WOW chippie border... You know you must have chippie on all layouts ;) (coming from someone who didn't even know what chipboard embies etc were 12 months ago!!!!) Part of the challenge with the RERT is to locate a 'bonus' item to place on the LO. RES had mini kits made up that included the bonus items required (or you can use bits that you already have at home) - it is the participants job to work out from the clues which one is needed!!! This weeks clue was "Solid, strong and malleable... etched with the symbol of hope" It's the little metal embellishment with the dove on it - very sweet don't you think :)

Anyhoos, it's a side step to the work I usually do, I'm not sure if it's a style I will work with much, but I gave it a go ;)

And for the card.....

We were to create any type of card and include some style of Japanese origami. For my card I chose to make the whole thing out of origami! Well it's a card which is an envelope which is really a wallet/gift card holder... Anyways, here's what I did...

inside are little pockets where you can include up to 3 gift cards! I've used one of the childrens library cards to illustrate how the gift card goes inside.. So it's a car, and envelope and a gift all folded up into one... The way it is folded will allow it to sit up like a card as well!!! A little something different all around ;)

She's a Bright One This One....

in more ways than one!!! Yes the LO is bright, but the brightest thing with this one was the fact I was doing the LO based on an online challenge, and about to submit it - only to realise it was an April challenge, not a May one!! *doh* Oh well, at least I scrapped and have used one of the dreaded school photo's to boot!!! ;)

This is my little girls first official school photo, from kindergarten **sigh** How time flies, she'll be leaving primary school next year!!! Eeeeekkkk 2 in high school - how will I cope?!?!?!

The challenge I based the LO on was one centered around misting. We were to use a household item and mist with it... You probably can't tell much from mine because when I finally laid out the LO I ended up covering up my misted negative areas LOL But I used paperclips and pencils to reflect that the LO was a school based one...

Kindergarten

Again I've used some of my own Treens Trinkets creations (snail, small daisy and wire stemmed balloon) and some GORGEOUS WOW chippie!!!

To colour the chipboard little girl I've gone old school - as in textas and coloured pencils!!! Who said you need expensive supplies to work with chipboard products?!?!?! And the scalloped border is simply inked - patting it straight onto the stamp pad, nothing special there at all :) Nice and simple, quick, cheap and EASY!!!!

Hold Onto Your Hats!!!

There must be a storm a-brewing somewhere... or something magic is afoot - because my MOJO has RETURNED!!!!!

WOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!

yes, I SCRAPPED!!!!!

oh and just a widdle bit excited about it hehehhe

At the moment I have 1 LO completed, and another almost there - I'm going to take some frustrations out on it tonight with the sewing machine and then I can finally say it's completed ;)

So for now, I have 1 LO to share - And it features some GORGEOUS Words or Whatever Chippie!!!!!! :)

This LO was influenced by a Cyber Crop Challenge set by Mistra over at Red Earth Scrapping :)

Haiku
Bumble Bee

WOW Chippie lamp-post is inked with gold and then had embossing powder in polysparkle melted followed by a light overlay of pewter embossing powder. The light ball is coloured with silver ink and then overlayed with diamond stickles.

My Haiku
Also a Treens Trinkets "Bling Birdie Pin"

The Haiku technically has an extra syllable in the final line (a Haiku is 5,7,5 sylables per line per stanza) but it's the best I could do, no matter how I played with it it didn't have the same feeling I was aiming for, as in description of the image followed my a title, like a poem in reverse I guess...

I'm hoping to keep the mojo flowing by joining up for the Red Earth Road Trip - it's like a series of mini challenges with no pressure to complete them all etc... Just what I need I think to get back into the swing of things... Monthly challenges and CC I feel will drown me at the moment with everything else going on with bubs etc, this road trip is a hop on/hop off kind of thing so no pressure but should give some inspiration and some cues for scrapping and keeping things ticking over ;) Well that's the plan :) No pressure - ahhh I love the sounds of that!!!! :)

2 Weeks - Really?!?!

Wow, Time sure has flown since I last posted here!!! I can't say I've been the most productive little beaver out there of late... It seems little Aerynn has taken my mojo and has been using it to grow bigger and stronger - I don't mind sharing, but she's been a bit of a hog... that's got to change!!! Mummy's going to start setting the rules methinks!!! LOL

Anyhoos, In the meantime i've ironed out some things with Australia Post, designed a few new little bits and pieces for Treens Trinkets and decided that I'm mostly going to concentrate on TT and my DT work for the next few months until Aerynn arrives and we settle into our new adventure with her :) No pressure in other words!!! I'll participate in an online challenge or three, but not pressure myself with completing too many deadlines in regards to those (they're meant to be fun afterall, not a stress-pile at the end of each month!!! ) and do whatever the crafty whim leads me to do :) Hmmm relaxing - something I'm not very good at, but am going to work hard at working it out and doing it right!!!! :)

LOL I mean only a perfectionist control freak would be worrying about getting the art of 'relaxation' right hey bahahaha

So with that I sign off, I have a craft/scrap room that desperately needs some attention after being sick for a week (awful head cold grrr) and my family deciding as the door could be shut that it was the appropriate place to use as a dumping ground (yeah thanks for that guys!!!!)

BTW, I'm planning on having monthly or fortnightly (whichever I can fit in with my relaxation schedule (what an oxymoron that sentence is bahaha)) stockings on Treens Trinkets with a proper opening coming up - look out for it before the end of this month!!!! :)

It's Friday....

and that means.....

at the Pretty Paper Petals Store!!!!

What flowers will be featured tonight I wonder??


Details will be released on the PPP Blog, don't forget to check it out!!!

Waiting For You - Full Reveal

Well the time has come, I can now share with you the album I've created from the WOW MDF Teddy Bear Album for our much awaited baby and will also show you how easy, simple and fun it is to alter these albums to make the covers into fun little shaker boxes!!!

Firstly here is the album!!! I love how it has come together, and the fact I was able to use pink when I live in a household full of boys and 1 tomboy was a GREAT change!!! :)

So did you see the little shaker boxes on the feet of the Teddy Bear cover? Do you want to know how to make them? Well read on :)

HOW TO MAKE A SHAKER BOX
featuring WOW mdf Teddy Bear album

To start with choose your album. Any with a fully enclosed cut out part on the front cover works best. I have used the WOW MDF Teddy Bear Album that is illustrated HERE

The materials you will need other than general scrapping supplies are:

~ sheets of acetate
~ glitter or pretties to out inside your shaker box
~ glue that is suitable for acetate - or double sided tape

Before we really get started you will need to decide what part of the album you are going to turn into a shaker box. I've decided to use the large foot pads on the bear. The sections that are 'cut' are either loose or can be easily removed for this purpose. Once you have decided on what part will become a fun toy make a template of your cover. Make sure you mark in the holes that will become the shaker box - THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT!!!! I didn't do it on mine and wasted HOURS getting the cover decorated which should have been an easy thing to do (trust me to miss something super simple!!!)


Step 1: Cover one side of the album with glue where you are going to adhere acetate. I have used a full sheet of acetate to cover the whole of the album as I wanted the eyes and 'hands' to be clear to allow the patterned paper on the 3rd page to show through.

Step 2: Carefully lay the acetate over the required areas

and smooth the glue underneath. Don't worry too much if the glue 'bleeds out',
it can easily be cleaned up with a moistened cloth.

Allow to dry overnight. I recommend weighing the acetate and mdf to avoid any possibility of buckling.

** Not all glues adhere acetate successfully. You can use
Double Sided Tape if you prefer - make sure there are no gaps in the DST,
you don't want your pretties to escape!!!
(I had to change to DST as my glue didn't work)

Step 3: Once the glue has dried or you've adhered the acetate with DST trim around the OUTSIDE of the album to make sure there are no bits sticking out and to keep things nice and tidy.


Step 4: Flip your album over and it's time to add your 'pretties' Avoid anything too heavy as it can scratch the acetate or even worse make the seal between the acetate and MDF separate!!


Step 5: Trim up a piece of acetate to cover the back of your shaker box. Adhere using glue or DST, again making sure there are no gaps for your pretties to escape through!

VOILA!!!

Step 6: Time to Decorate. Remember the template you made? It's time for that to be used, choose what papers you wish to use to decorate and cover your MDF page with and using the template cut out the holes that will allow your shaker box to be revealed. Alternately you may wish to paint your page - as with the glue, not all paints will successfully cover acetate.

Trim, primp, decorate until you're happy with your page and enjoy!!! :)

My finished and decorated Shaker Box "Paw"

A Sneaky Page, A Mini-Tute and Several Plugs....

So who wants to see a page from the "Waiting for You" album?? The album itself is a MDF product from Words or Whatever WOW - and it comes pre-drilled ready for putting together, but I decided I wanted to change mine - so have covered the pre-drilled holes and will be joining it at a paw and an ear instead of at the top of the two ears... If you check out the album at THIS LINK you'll see what I mean about it being pre-drilled at the top of the ears ;) And I hope you don't think I sound like too much of a nutter!!! LOL Don't forget that Words or Whatever are a wholesale distributor - if you want their products (and I know you will) you need to get your local scrapping or craft store to contact them and order it in for you if they aren't already enlightened enough to be stocking their wonderful products :)

Now as I said, I can only share part as it's a work in progress, but the page I am sharing today is beautifully complimented by a Pretty Paper Petal's Coloured Storybook Flower which I have done a super simple enhancement on further down the page. I hope you like it!

"My Wishful Dreams for You"
OTP Bear Album

It's a basic papering technique that I've used to cover the MDF page with. It's simply pink cardstock adhered to the surface with a simple acid free glue and then trimmed to the edges of the MDF page with a craft knife. I've then inked the edges, glimmer misted the surface with pearl GM and then laid on and adhered the lace and embelishments with double sided tape.

Dragonfly charms come from Tracy at the My2Angels online store

the Hand dyed lace was purchased from Sue at Lovelybugs Bits n Bobs

the journalling is a portion of a poem I thought mirrors my wishes for our new little girl,

it reads:

I Wish For You
Comfort on difficult days,
Rainbows to follow clouds'
Laughter to kiss your lips,
Sunsets to warm your heart,
Gentle hugs when spirits sage
xxx
Friendship to brighten you,
Beauty for your eyes to see'
Confidence for when you doubt,
Faith so you believe,
Courage to know yourself
xxx
I Wish You Enough

*****

So, the flower doesn't look all that different from a regular PPP Storybook Flower does it - well take a closer look....

See the little sparkles dancing on the petals?? It's an incredibly simple enhancement - and I mean S.I.M.P.L.E!!!!

I'm sure most people have tried gluing glitter or the likes to the petals on flowers and discovered how difficult it can be - not getting the glitter any further than the edge of the petals and how messy the glue (and whole project) gets in particular. So, this is an alternative. Instead of glue use clear varnish/sealant spray!!! I purchased a can of this clear 'paint' from spotlight months ago and it lasts forever!!!

Now when I say it's simple, I really mean it...

Step 1 - put your flower onto a surface that wont be damaged if it get's sprayed. I've opened up an old pizza box.

Step 2 - Spray the flower you are wishing to enhance.



Step 3 - sprinkle glitter over the top.

And voila - flower completed!!! The varnish/sealant dries super quickly, it's clear and no one would even know that you had glued the little sprinkles of glitter on - they appear to be sitting ever so delicately onto your petals - but in fact the are stuck fast!!! If you want to be doubly certain the glitter will stay in place a light top coat of varnish/sealant will do the job ;)

Told you it was simple!!!!

The complete 'Waiting for You" OTP album will be featured on the Words or Whatever WOW blog in the first week in May - I really am thrilled with the way it has come together in the end (despite pulling it apart a few times LOL - one of the beauties of working with MDF - it can take a beating!!!!) and can't wait to show it to the world :)

OTP Sneaky Peek...

Ok, I've mentioned a few times about the "waiting for You" album I'm doing. It's all going to be revealed on the Words or Whatever blog in early May, but for now, here's a little sneaky of one page... I might reveal this page (and ONLY this page) early - I'll see how generous I'm feeling LOL

This page ALSO features a Pretty Paper Petals Storybook Flower which I've altered - I will have a super quick little tutorial on how I've altered the flower when I post the page... It's sooo simple to do and soooooo effective!!!! :) But for now this sneaky peek is all you're going to get :P