once upon a sketch may challenge..

Hi all.. i have been busy with my friends album.. just doing the layouts for her has been a labour of love as my friend is one of those people who just are so precious.. i hope you have someone like that in your life too...so when i saw the sketch from http://onceuponasketchblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-1st-challenge-meet-our-may-guest.html i thought i would use it for the next two pages in my friends album.. yes that is right.. i have done a double.. i don't usually do doubles, but for this album i am.. so this is the sketch that inspired me.. and we had to use hand written journalling on a journalling spot..

My dear friend Marlene is a single mum and she and her daughter have a special bond which i hope is captured in these layouts..
thanks for taking the time to pop in and please let me know you were here so i can come to your place too!!xx

bird is the word!

in the midst of scrapping an album for my dear friend, i have wandered off to do a challenge!! i came across the challenge at http://birdisthewordchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/04/sunday-april-24th-challenge-word-begin.html

and thought ...hummm.. let me see what i can do with this!! my youngest daughter started a new school this year.. she was going up to toowoomba each day and i thought.. hey this travelling is a bit much.. so we put her into our local school for year 5.. not an easy thing to do for her. but she has been brave and hasn't had a day off and goes off happily to school. so i thought i would do a layout about her 'beginning a new school'..

and a close up.. i have been seeing flags appear on layouts with the trend of banners, and so i thought.. how hard could it be to make one? not hard at all..if i can do it, anyone can..
a close up of my flag which is part of my title!

i bought a bag of wooden sticks from a cheap store thinking they would be good to make fences.. but they are really fabulous for flags too! So glad i got a bag,  they certainly are going to come in handy for scrapping! hope you are having a great day!!

Calendar Girl

this months challenge at http://www.flourishwithabling.com.au/blog/?p=845 was to use this picture

 as inspiration for your layout as well as using a flourish with a bling product.. when i saw the flowers i knew what photo i was going to use straight away.. Nisha's photo was in the calendar for the school she was attending in 2009 wearing the costume for Hawaiian day..the flowers on the hat in the picture above, were quite similar to the flowers she wore around her neck! Aloha!!

Hoping you have a Blessed Easter..xx

Life Changing Moments..

the latest CC at scrap of difference had the theme of life changing moments..  the sketch we had to use  was from Kaiser.. and then my take on the sketch.. certainly was a life changing moment for my Daughter to go overseas for a month holiday, and for us in letting her go..this photo is a bit small but it is of Bethany under the boarding sign at the Airport showing Singapore as checking in.. her flight!!

the color challenge was to use the palette from the color room...and do a layout with these colors..  it is a life changing moment when you finally get your license and dont need mum or dad sitting beside you anymore.. and also for us as parents, as now our child was driving on their own.. and this is something all parents would understand!!

and the technique challenge was to use fussy cutting... ummm.. one of my favourite things to do.. i find it so relaxing.. My SIL has just turned 50, and it has been a life changing moment in that she has realized she can get a seniors card!! so i was able to do this layout and put it in a frame for her for her birthday.

and just a close up of the layers..i  love this range of papers from Kaiser..thanks for visiting and the comments you leave are like flowers in my garden of creativity!!!

scrap jack...

another new challenge site i have stumbled upon is scrap jacked..http://aussiescrapjack.blogspot.com/
and i think the idea is to scrap lift one of the layouts on display.. so i took Lisa's layout...https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2p5NwWfCovyytq0AjDj1QPhsoZVYi1B5ptgnUt5u1baSoDagiwUebLLw257WtoC-C2caqQJyo70a5J7pA_ojpohaQXuSknUHriRDZAUmGr5NN8dv3Zng-gFM-CKGLOOGOqmAbymtlEe41/s1600/piano2Lisa.jpg
and used it for my inspiration... i had this photo of nisha from last year which i thought needed to be scrapped.

a close up of the flowers.. i have heaps of these kind of flowers, so when they are layered up they look quite nice i think....

so thanks for coming by!!

look inside your heart - once upon a sketch challenge

Hi there.. with so many challenges going on at any given time... how do you pick which ones to do?? well in my blog travels, i usually just go with what 'grabs' me!! and so when i came upon this site http://onceuponasketchblog.blogspot.com/ with this sketch ..i just thought i would have a try..
  there also had to be at least 25 words of hand written journalling...
first the sketch...then my layout..


and then a close up of the journalling.. i love the new Kaiser papers.. so pretty... thanks for coming by..

peace, love

this months inspriation challenge at http://getpicky.blogspot.com/2011/03/march-inspiration-challenge-6.html

was to use this picture as your inspiration for your layout..
and so i took the many colors and the butterflies and came up with this layout using lots of Kaiser..

i love photos of  these two girls together.. (i think i may have mentioned that once or twice!!) thanks for visiting!! hope you have peace and love in your day!

scrap lift from Australian Scrapbook Ideas

on monday i picked up the april edition of Australian Scrapbook Ideas which i really think is a great magazine..
and on page 40 i found a scrap lift challenge is use the layout for inspiration on your own layout.. well i must say that was like waving a red flag at a bull to me.. i love scrap lifts... so i had a go.. and this is my layout... i have flipped the bracket shape to the other side but the layout is still similar to the sketch.. my daughter Hannah has the most beautiful eyes.. so the title is simply... your beautiful eyes...

thanks for poppin in.. and check out the magazine.. it has lovely freebie papers and stamps this month too...

autumn angel

dont you just love a new month!?  a fresh picture on the calender, closer to Christmas... and new challenges!!! the new challenge at ARTastic http://artasticchallengeblog.blogspot.com/
this month is to take this painting
and use it to inspire a layout, as well as using clouds, trees and autumn colors..
i think this painting is so peaceful and beautiful it could be a scene from Heaven.. so the photo i used was one of Nisha with the sun shining down from heaven, with some gorgeous leaves from a park in Toowoomba. there is water in the painting, and water in my photo.. i have some happy clouds, trees in my photo and the lovely scrapware tree, and i have used autumn colors in my layout...
i think this season of autumn is so pleasant at the moment... i hope you are enjoying today!!

a new blog..

my scrappy friend Rhonda has restarted blogging after having had surgery and moving states.. enough to make anyone need a break.. well she is back.. and she is one of those amazing scrappers who do beautiful and creative layouts and OTP. she has been published many times in various magazines.. and received HM's for her masters entries.. and i simply love everything she does.. she has been an encourager to me to start blogging and i just want to share her addy so you can check out her blog.. you wont be disappointed and will want to keep going back for more inspiration. thanks.. have a fantastic day!!
http://scrapscraps.blogspot.com/

my girls

this layout is my beautiful daughters and i.. Photo taken Mothers Day 2010.. i am truly blessed to have 3 daughters, each one unique and special and i love them so dearly it hurts at times.. thanks for visiting C o C!!

smiles, frowns and funny faces..

this last weekend was CC time at Scrap of Difference, a forum i have been a part of for a while now. the theme was smiles, frowns and funny faces... the sketch challenge was to be inspired by a layout from the gallery, and the technique challenge was to use misting/masking.. there was a color one, but not really sure i will have time to get one done.. but if i do i will post it later...
my layout of my very dear friend Marlene is the sketch challenge as well as  the first page in an album i am working on to celebrate her fiftieth birthday on the 27th march.. she is such a beautiful friend and a wonderful person. she loves roses so the album will be made using the glorious english rose papers from kaiser...

the technique challenge was to use misting and masking which is always fun.. i drew clouds on paper and cut them out and put them on the cardstock as well as a prima mask and then drew around the sign post to give some definition.. this fun photo is of my daughter nisha with my friend marlene's daughter ella.. our girls were so cute  when they were younger!! i love this photo of them together..
i even made the bird house!!
thanks for stoppin by.. hope you are having a great day!

Flourish with a bling feb/mar sketch

i have joined in once again this month at FWAB sketch..http://www.flourishwithabling.com.au/blog/?p=636 partly because Liz Weber did the sketch this month!! i rotated the sketch once anti-clockwise and i used the bella silver rhinestones on this layout of Nisha in a dress she got for her 10th birthday.. i also used a packet of 3-d stickers from a cheap shop and i am happy with how this turned out!!
and just a close up!!

thanks for visiting!! and as always.. your comments make me smile!!

the 2 divas

for Out of the Hat challenge this month http://outofthehat.spruz.com/forums/?page=post&id=735E03F8-2456-4089-8579-773E01924D5D&fid=2978C0A4-0267-4784-BBDB-00AB96D38F42
we had to create a layout using twine, a hand made journalling tag and use a number in the title..
so this is what i came up with.. i just had to use this photo of Nisha and her dear friend Ella when they had been dressing up..they really are little divas!!
Thanks for droppin by!!

Ride the Carousel..

ARTastic's march challenge http://artasticchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/marchs-inspiration-will-come-from.html was to take this painting...



and have bright colorful colors,
an animal somewhere,
at least 3 circles, and a bonus
for a horse on the layout.

 well the photo of Hannah on the carousel at Dreamworld seemed to grab my attention for this layout. The painting looked like there was a lot of activity, so my layout is busy too!! and i have all the criteria needed to fit the challenge.. my circles are in the banner, i have birds and butterflies, lots of color, and i have the carousel horse!!


i have also covered a Kaiser notebook to give to my MIL for her birthday.. so before i put it together i took a photo of the back and front covers..i don't do many OTP things so this was something different for me! i hope she likes it!!

thanks for poppin in!!

Jacaranda Joy

A challenge site i have been enjoying is Out of the Hat..the new challenge for march is just up..http://outofthehat.spruz.com/forums/?page=post&id=735E03F8-2456-4089-8579-773E01924D5D&fid=2978C0A4-0267-4784-BBDB-00AB96D38F42

but this is what i did for February.. the criteria to include in your layout was misting and masking, clouds, and a tree on the layout somewhere.. i couldn't go past using this photo of Nisha sitting in our jacaranda tree with the beautiful lavender blooms...
if you are looking for something to do, think about popping over to Out of the Hat.. (this is not a paid ad for them, but just sharing in case you would like to join in!!!)
Hope you are having a great day!

Two of a Kind - themed challenges..

hi.. this last weekend was the challenge weekend for Scrap of Difference..http://www.scrapofdifference.com.au/messageboard2/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=2641 and the theme was TWO OF A KIND.. we have a sketch, a color and a technique challenge..using the theme to inspire the layouts..

 the layout called "a special bond' is about my daughter and her special friend Eloni who shared their lives together in Treasure House Childrens Home Fiji before they were both picked up by their family's on the same day in January 2003.. what a wonderful opportunity to get each others details and stay in touch for the sake of these two girls and the bond they have..we were able to re-unite in January 2010 and the girls were able to just get to know each other again.. so definitely a very special two of a kind..

i used lots of die cuts and layered them with foam tape for dimension..(now sorry for the gap...dunno why!!...still learning about these bloggy thingys!!)
scroll down please........

the color challenge was to use lime green and black...so for this layout i used a photo of Hannah and her bestie Jess.. they have been close friends since grade 8 in 2004, so as teenagers they are two of a kind.. you know ... the teenager kind!!! i am lovin bows at the moment.. and used a soft gorgeous ribbon for the bow in the corner..


the technique was to do a double layout.. i don't usually do doubles.. so this was a good challenge..

this is of course of my two daughters.. two of the closest kind... sisters...(now for some reason i cant seem to put up the double, or get the two layouts  side by side.. but you can get the idea.. the pages are like a mirror image.. ) I will put one layout in each of my daughters albums.. and just a closeup of the flowers which include the new kaiser paper blooms and kaiser dress form..(which i LURVEEE!!) thanks for popping in today.. hope your day is going great!!

kraft it up Feb challenge

looking for something different to do i came across the Kraft it up challenge for February.http://kraftitup.blogspot.com/2011/01/february-challenge.html

. it was to use these colors...on kraft cardstock..so i thought i would have a go...and i couldn't go past this gorgeous photo of my daughter Hannah! and i got to use up some old kaiser rubons!! thanks for poppin in!!

love is...

a recent challenge at http://scraphappykat.blogspot.com/2011/02/februarys-sketch-challenge.html

called for a layout using the sketch using white space and to do with love.We also had to have a tag with special journalling.  Being valentines day monday i thought it would be nice to put this on my blog to honour my husband. The photo on the layout was taken on the sunday and we are walking down our road.. On monday 10th January we had the most tragic day with the floods in so many parts of S.E. QLD. My husband is a truckie and on a trip when he got my desperate call telling him how the water in our creek was rising and to be honest i don't remember exactly what i said but he would have heard the distress in my voice.. the power went down, the land lines weren't working and my mobile seemed to just go to message bank so i would text my daughter and tell her to pass on the messages. At one stage my 10 year old daughter and i got out of our house and went to our neighbours on a hill.. i told my husband not to come home, it was just too dangerous, bridges were under water and probably missing, roads were cut.. I was just going to spend the night at my neighbours.. but to my amazement and shock he got home at 10 pm that night.. over flooding roads and broken bridges.. i can only say love and angels got him home.. so if you ask me what LOVE IS.... this is it... may you share love with your special someones this week...xx

Broken Wings Can Fly!

this month at ARTastic http://artasticchallengeblog.blogspot.com/ the challenge was to use the painting for inspiration as well as use multiple photos of yourself, use wings and the layout has to be about yourself.. i saw this quote somewhere in my blog travels and always wondered if i could use it one day.. well now i have.... the reasoning behind the title is that at times i have felt quite useless and not amounting to much, even broken at times.. but with Gods help i have been able to achieve things that have blessed my life..  thanks so much for visiting and sharing your thoughts on my layout..hope you are having a great day!xx

Get Picky January Inspiration Challenge

         Get Picky http://getpicky.blogspot.com/ for this month has song lyrics for the inspiration..i took the first line .. "May God bless and keep you always"  for my inspiration and title for this layout of Nisha..i cut up an old calendar for the daisy flowers and the cherub and dove, so make sure when you put up a new calender for the year you don't throw out anything you may be able to use on your next layout!! thanks so much for popping in!!