When they put you in my arms - Once upon a sketch challenge

the July 15th challenge on http://onceuponasketchblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/july-15th-challenge.html is to use this sketch

and the journalling has to be a quote, so when i decided to use these photos i just had to use this quote...my youngest daughter is adopted. when we went to get her she was so afraid of us and when they put her in my arms to take her away from the only place she knew, she was terrified and cried so hard she made herself sick.. my heart broke so badly for her.. so the quote i have used "when they put you in my arms, you slipped into my heart" is such a profound one for me. this incredible love just came into my heart for her....  and so my layout.......

i have used the Chantuese papers from Kaiser and layered up the flowers with foam tape...
thanks for visiting and thanks for all your comments.. i love 'em!!

Sweet Suzanne

I am so blessed to have 2 older sisters.. my eldest one shares my love of crafty things.. she has made some wonderful creations including porcelain dolls, sewing, quilts, and also scrapbooking. so when she took me down to Brisbane earlier this year to the convention i wanted to say thanks.. so how does a scrapbooker say thanks.. by a layout of course!!  this layout was done with love.. my sister is a toddler in this precious photo... this photo was taken over 50 years ago of my sister, Sweet Suzanne........

thanks for coming by .. and your comments make my day!!

a scrap sell off...

i am a bit sad to post this but my friend Rhonda is going out of scrapping and is selling her stuff.. i have a link to her blog post http://scrapscraps.blogspot.com/2011/07/selling-it-all.html where you will find her email address for further details... Rhonda is a wonderful scrapper who has been published many times and who has been a great source of encouragement and inspiration to me.... but i do understand and wish her all the best enjoying her love for her horse.. as a horse lover i know how precious the bond can be... so for further details pop over to Rhondas blog or email rhonda on dionharvey@aol.com.. thanks...
and some of Rhondas layouts to share with you... i will miss your scrapping Rhonda..... i know our friendship will continue on....

Black with two - july challenge

Amongst the many challenge blogs out there is a site called Black with two.. i did last months and actually won it.. so i thought i would have another go as the criteria for July  is to use black cardstock as base, and white then stripes of black and white.. how fabulous is that?
http://blackwith2challenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/july-1st-and-winner.html

so this is what i created.. i have used a photo of my daughter Bethany when she was a bridesmaid last year.. she looked so very ELEGANT...


and a closeup...

thanks for dropping in!! and thanks for any comments.. i read them all and appreciate you taking the time to say hi!! have a great day!!

Bird is the word - HOPE challenge

the next challenge at http://birdisthewordchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/07/sunday-july-3rd-challenge-word-hope.html is to use the word HOPE on your layout.. well there were so many quotes with the word HOPE in them, but i had to use the verse from Jeremiah 29:11. this is a verse with promise.. and i used a photo of my daughter Hannah in her formal gown.. getting through 12 years of school and beginning a new chapter in your child's life has been for me quite emotional..suddenly almost overnight  they are in the world and begin to make decisions that affect their future..so i hope she can look back at this layout and know that God is on her side and with Him, her future is in His Hands..

I copied off the butterflies and DM-ed them and put them on foam to give a bit of dimension..

thanks for looking.. HOPE your day is going great!

OUAS 1st july challenge.. whatever happened to this little girl?

i was somewhere and i heard the words "whatever happened to that little girl" and the person was talking about themselves.. and i thought about myself.. whatever happened to me?so the july 1st challenge at http://onceuponasketchblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/july-1st-challenge-meet-our-july-guest.html was to use this sketch

and to say who is in the photo and 2 sentences about them..
so i thought i would take this photo of myself when i was about 7 and do a layout.. and this is what i came up with.. i found an old range of Kaiser papers called peachy keen.. and did some fussy cutting and layers and i used my new tim holtz distresser on the edges.. 

and a close up of the layers..

thanks for coming by.. and do you ever wonder what happened to you in the busyiness of life...??

Flourish with a bling Jun/July sketch

i loved the sketch in the current flourish with a bling challenge http://www.flourishwithabling.com.au/blog/?p=1109

and so i just had to do a layout.. and of course use a flourish with a bling product.. the winner is a random draw so everyone gets a chance..but i just love a sketch.. (all the hard work has been done.. you just have to fill in the bits!!haha!!)
so my layout is not perfectly the same as the sketch.. but was definitely inspired by it..  my sweet child..she lights up my photos!!

and a close up of the grace pearl flourish...gorgeous big pearls, easy to use and cut up as desired!

thanks for coming by.. have a great day!!

Take time to admire... bird is the word challenge

well much excitement for me the other day when i checked in the bird is the word challenge "life" and found i had won.. i couldn't believe it.. the layouts in these challenges are very beautiful so i am really encouraged by my win..
and so onto the the next challenge from bird is the word...http://birdisthewordchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/06/admire-sunday-june-19th.html and it is to use the word "admire".. there are so many people i admire so narrowing one down was impossible.. so i used a photo of Nisha in the flowers at Queens Park. Toowoomba... I like to go to this park in spring where the gardens are magnificent and just take the time to walk around and appreciate the beauty of flowers..
thanks for all the comments.. and i am blown away by the number of scrap friends who list my blog as one they follow.. i truly am so encouraged by you all!
so take time to admire the beautiful things!!