Tamara's Scrapping

Project Life 2012 - Week Six

2012-02-14T18:07:00.003+08:00

Another week done, and more memories recorded!

Still totally LOVING this project!

Once again, I will be linking up with The Mom Creative, once the week 6 blog post goes live, if you haven't already done so, check the Project Life Tuesday blog posts out, so much inspiration!

Main Spread, with extra inserts:

Main Spread, without extra inserts:

Another fairly busy week in our household; Lily started Multisports (an after school sports program at the local sports centre), Benji, Lily and I all had haircuts, then on Saturday Lily had dancing in the morning, we went straight to a birthday party, and then that afternoon Ian and I went to a friends wedding ceremony!

I didn't add a lot of journalling cards this week, instead I chose to put in photos or Facebook screen shots. Ian took a photo of me sitting on the couch with the iPad looking at Project Life Tuesday posts, and I added a screenshot of the Project Life Australia Facebook group.

This week, I also had to speak to Lily's teacher about some bullying that was happening to her - it's not really something that I want on show for everyone to see, but at the same time, I still wanted to have a record of it written down somewhere, so that instax photo of Lily is actually attached to one of the journalling cards that folds in half, and in the middle is the story of what happened.

In the far right journalling card pocket, I kept some of Benji's hair, and sewed it into the pocket. Normally I would feel a little silly asking to keep his hair, but luckily I know the hairdresser!

Sorry for the glare, doesn't matter what time of day I take the photos, I always seem to have at least one photo have glare all over it!

Back Insert 1 & 2

The brochure (including timetable for multisports), and the birthday party invitation.

Back of insert 2 & 3:

On the back of the birthday invitation is photo of all the girls at the party playing pass-the-parcel, I thought it was a little more interesting to have a shot of the party games, instead of trying to force (ask the girls politely) to pose for a photo.

This is the photo of the girls playing pass-the-parcel, the right way up:

I did trim the photo down slightly, from it's original size of 6x8 - so that it was the exact size of the invitation.

Insert 3, is my 8x10 collage for Take Twelve: February. I really love how the collage turned out, and am so glad that I decided to have a go last month, and join in. Even though I didn't start mine until the 18th January.

Back of insert 3:

I just copied and pasted this blog post into a word document, and printed it out (sans photo)...I'm pretty technically advanced, like that! And yes, I did go back, and re-print this blog post for January's Take Twelve!

Take Twelve: February 2012

2012-02-12T22:01:00.000+08:00

I was so excited when the twelfth came around again (well technically I did my January Take Twelve on the 18th), another chance to capture the 'everyday'.

If you're not familiar with the concept check it out HERE.

I got the inspiration email this morning, but decided that I wouldn't necessarily use all the prompts (which are fantastic, by the way), I kind of just like the idea of doing my own thing, and trying to capture our family, and what we did today. The so-called mundane/boring things, that when you take a closer look, are actually pretty interesting.

Again, I have chosen to make an 8x10 collage, and will slip this into my Project Life album in Week 6.

February 12, 2012

It was just an ordinary (lazy) Sunday afternoon in our house:

1) We had a family photoshoot this morning, and imagine my surprise when I logged onto facebook tonight, and saw that the photographer had put up some sneak peeks for us! (Image courtesy of Inspired Photography).
2) Benji hopping into the shower with Ian and Lily (disclaimer: that's Ian's knee, and Lily's foot you can see behind the curtain...nothing naughty, I promise!)

3) Benji playing (cheating) Hungry Hippos

4) Ian being an awesome Daddy, and changing nappies!

5) Sausage Sizzle for lunch

6) Lily's dirty spaghetti face!!

7) Did a few loads of washing today
8) Lily playing with the hose, in the backyard
9) Fruit and Veggie shopping at the Spud Shed, Baldivis
10) I had a nanna nap this afternoon, and Ian snapped a photo of me curled up on the couch
11) Ian driving us home from the photo shoot this morning
12) Blow-drying my hair, ready to straighten it

*The photos don't appear on the collage in order, but I'm ok with that, and actually like the jumbled up look to the collage*

So, there you have it, another day documented.

Already looking forward to March 12!!

Project Life 2012 - Week Five

2012-02-07T13:30:00.001+08:00

Five weeks in, and I'm still loving Project Life, I'm pretty sure that this is a shared sentiment amongst other Project Lifers!
I haven't touched any of my 'normal' scrapping supplies all year (apart from one last DT commitment I had), and I can honestly say that I don't miss it. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE scrapping, but Project Life is exactly what I want to be doing right now, and so, I am fulfilled.

Main Spread, without inserts:

Sorry, I'm having some issues with the bottom right corner, and glare. This is the fourth photo that I have taken of this spread, and it's the best I can do right now.

I had a go at making my own subway art, for the information about Lily's classroom, and teachers, it was actually a lot of fun to pick out all the different fonts that I liked, and I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Main Spread, with extra inserts:

This week I had 4 extra inserts, Lily started Pre-Primary this week, and I wanted to get a photo of both kids on the first day of school (even though Benji is too little to go to school), and I will do the same at the end of the school year as well. I had a questionnaire that I wanted Lily to fill out, and Benji also started Kindygym this week.

Back of insert 1 & 2:

My big girl on her first day of school!

Back of insert 2 & 3:

Benji, on Lily's first day of school. Even though there were no photos of me this week, my voice is still there - the second insert is about my worries about sending Lily to school this year.

Back of insert 3 & 4:

I got into the habit of keeping our monthly calendars last year, and so it just seemed natural to slip that into my PL album too.

The other insert is an awesome questionnaire that I found online (here), it's American, so some of the words are spelt differently (colour/color), but I still thought it was cute, and wanted to include it.

On the back is an email we got from the school principal, in response to some concerns we had (some of which are outlined in the insert I wrote out).

I also wanted to include some links to some awesome Project Life groups, that I have joined (most are on facebook), you can never have too much inspiration and support, can you!?!

Project Life Australia

Project Lifers

Project Life Share Group 2012

Big Picture Classes

(you will need to purchase the FREE class, to access the forum and gallery).

Project Life 2012 - Week Four

2012-02-01T16:32:00.000+08:00

I'm not even going to make any excuses this week, I'm just going to start by saying -

Hi, my name is Tamara and I'm addicted to adding extra inserts into my Project Life album.

Ahh, that feels better!

This week, I *may* have gone slightly overboard and added in 4 extra inserts, I can't help myself - I love collecting/keeping things, and I love photos!

Main spread, without inserts:

This week saw us buying a new school bag for Lily, sleepovers at Nannie and Ya-Ya's for Lily (and a trip to the swimming pool), splashing in the clam-shell pool, celebrating Australia Day, Dad and Owen (a family friend) laying some slabs in our backyard, and also celebrating Chinese New Year.

Main spread with the extra inserts:

Inserts include: a print out of the weather forecast (in Degrees Celsius), a program from the Chinese New Year fair that we went to, an AC 12x12 - 6 up 4x6 page protectcor (cut in half), and an 8x8 insert.

Insert 1/2:

Insert 2/3:

Insert 3/4:

An 8x8 print of us at the Chinese New Year fair. I printed this as an 8x10, and just trimmed the extra 2" off to make it a square photo.

Back of insert 4:

Another 8x8 photo, this time with my sister, instead of me in the photo.

Project Life 2012 - Week Three

2012-01-24T19:54:00.004+08:00

Up to week three, and still loving Project Life!

This week I added in my Take Twelve collage into the middle of the spread. I had it printed as an 8x10, and am really happy with how it turned out. To read all about my Take Twelve photos, check out this post.

Week Three with extra inserts:

Week Three, without extra inserts:

The second half (right hand side) of this week was not very interesting, Ian and I were both very unlucky and caught a summer flu, he was ok within a couple of days, I am still not feeling 100%.

I also found that I was a little less interested in taking photos the second part of this week, but I think that's partly to do with not feeling very well, and the fact that I did my Take Twelve photos this week too. Actually, I'm sure that's what it was, because for this current week (week 4) I have already taken heaps of photos, and will be back to my usual problem, of having too many photos!

Back of insert 1 & insert 2:

I numbered all the photos on the Take Twelve collage, and then on the back I typed a quick little list up of what every photo was showing.

Lily also got her very first email this week! It came to my email address. but was addressed to her, and she was so excited!! I knew as soon as I got the email that I would have to print it out and slip it into the album.

I also wanted to share a close up of my title card, be warned it's not perfect...I suck at date stamping (this is the second week [out of three!] that I didn't press down evenly), but you know what!?! I don't care, I'm the type of girl who can't rule straight with a ruler, and cutting straight along a line - IMPOSSIBLE!!

These were some really old Pink Paislee alphas that I had laying around, and I thought that they went pretty well with the overall teal/aqua colours popping up in the photos and extras. I was in two minds about outlining the letters (you know, because I stuck at doing things like this), but I'm so glad that I did, it really helps the letters 'pop'.

I think that for now I have pretty much given up on ever having a 'normal' week with no extra inserts...Later this week we will be celebrating Australia Day (Jan. 26), and no doubt I will take half a million photos -so extra inserts will be needed. The week after (week 5) Lily goes back to school as a big Pre-Primary girl, so again I will have some extra stuff to add in (I already have a questionnaire that I have for her to fill out, about her favourite things).
Something else that I noticed this week, was that there were no photos of me at all! I hate having my photo taken (comes from years of being overweight) but you'd think that now I have lost all of the weight I would have let go of that! I spoke to my husband, and he promised to make sure that he picks up the camera too, and takes some photos of the kids and I. I guess that's the Mum's curse....we're the ones always shoving cameras in other peoples faces, so there's hardly any photos of us!

Take Twelve: January 2012

2012-01-18T18:05:00.003+08:00

I'm a little late to join the party! But joining in anyway!

I had seen a few people talking about Take Twelve on their blogs, but never looked into it, so I had no idea what it was about. This morning, someone had a link on their blog, so I decided to click, and well lets just say that I LOVE the idea!

Basically, the idea is to take 12 photos on the twelfth of every month in 2012. Since I only found out about it today, I decided to do January's today, and then from next month I will do it on the twelfth. I really didn't want to miss out a month, so starting it today was the next best thing.

I plan on making the photos into a collage, and then adding them into my Project Life album, as an extra insert (who'd have guessed!!)

January 18, 2012

I chose the colour of the date box, based on the common blue theme occuring in a lot of the photos, this is something I will continue to do every month, not always blue - but whatever is a prominent colour within the photos.

Today was just a normal day for us, Ian went to work, and the kids and I went out for a little while in the morning to a friends house for a play-date. While there Lily got to have a swim in their pool. I was also super-awesome, and went out, with two different coloured shoes on (I bet everyone wishes that they could be as awesome as me!), hence the photo of my feet in the top corner.

I know that I have only completed one month (and that wasn't even on the correct day), but I think that this is an awesome project, and hope that it brings just a little more of the 'everyday' into my Project Life (I should add, that I also think Take Twelve is an awesome project all on it's own, but you know us Project Lifers....we get obsessed, and find ways to include everything in our albums!).

Project Life 2012 - Week Two

2012-01-16T13:00:00.066+08:00

I'm back with my second week of Project Life, and I just can't say enough about how much I love this system, and how glad I am that I started. I've never been a chronological scrapper, I have always just scrapped whichever photos appealed to me, so I like that this is a way to fill in the blanks.

And even more so, I like that Lily is already showing such interest in the album, and is continually asking to look through it, or asking if I "want to put 'this' (whatever she has just drawn etc) into your Project Life album?"

Week two spread - with extra inserts:

This week I added in two extra inserts (so much for my claim that I won't add in extra inserts every week!), a custom sized protector (which I sewed with my sewing machine), and a 10x12 American Crafts page protector (Becky Higgins actually has a very similar design within the PL range [design G], but since I already had the AC ones, I didn't buy the PL ones).

Week two spread, without extra inserts:

This week was another busy week, the kids started (and finished early due to the freezing water temperature) swimming lessons, play dates with school friends, a birthday party, and an evening at an outdoor cinema.

Back of insert 1 & insert 2:

These extra photos are all photos taken from our night at the outdoor cinema, it was such a fun night, and the kids really enjoyed themselves, so I wanted to include as many photos as possible.

One of my family goals this year, was to try and get a family photo every month, and so far (one month in! hahaha), so good!

Initially my plan was to print these family photos at 8x10 to put in my album, but I printed this one at 6x8 and trimmed the top and bottom a little to make it the same size as flyer it backs onto (it ended up about 5.5x8), and I do like it like this. I think that I will take it month by month, and family photo by family photo and decide how it will work best in our album, and what size I will print it. I do know that I won't print it smaller than 5x7, as I do want it to be a focal point in the album.

Back of insert 2

some of the photos on the right-hand-side of the spread came out a little dark, and honestly I have no idea why! They were all edited the same (at home), and all printed at the same place - and none of them are that dark on the computer!?!

I think I've mentioned previously, I am not taking the photo-a-day approach, and instead my album is more an overlook of our entire week. In this spread I *technically* only have a few days represented in the photos - the one of Ian and Benji swimming as well as the duck pond photo are both from Tuesday. The photo of Lily and her friends, Benji sleeping in the high chair, and the two little photos of the kids sleeping are all from Thursday, and then the photo of Benji eating all the Oreos and Lily and Hayley at the birthday party are from Saturday morning, but all in all, I think that this is a good representation of our week.
Another thing I noticed was that last week I had a lot of photos of Lily, but this week I seem to have more photos of Benji - this wasn't something I did deliberately, I wasn't trying to even it up, or anything like that. I'm just using the photos that tell the stories I want to remember, and if one child ends up being represented more than the other in a week, I'm not going to stress about it...It will all even out in the end!
I also didn't journal about every single photo, I think that some of them are pretty self explanatory (like the one of Benji asleep in his high chair still clutching his noodles!). If it bugs me, I may go all old-school, and write the date on the back of the photo, but for now I'm happy to leave it as is.
I'm keeping it simple, sure I love looking at other peoples blogs, and their Project Life pages, but given that this is my first year, I just want to keep it simple and make sure that I am able to find enough time each week to work on my album, and keep up! Who knows, maybe in the future I will use that ever-growing-stash of mine, but for now I am more than happy with how my layouts are turning out just using the Clementine core kit, and a few little Jillibean Soup - Soup Labels, as date markers, or for small amounts of journalling.

Project 365: December 2011

2012-01-13T09:32:00.000+08:00

I can now show the final layout in my Project 365 series.

The December layout was done as part of my DT work at Mad About Scrappin, using a kit including some papers by Simple Stories.

December:

Since the papers and alphas were so busy, I decided to add no extra embellishing at all, so as to not distract from the photo collage.

Highlights for December included: CHRISTMAS DAY!!
Others included: the kids having a Santa photo (which was a drama!), going to a Big Bash League game at the WACA, NYE fireworks, my little brother buying me a new laptop as an early Christmas present, Lily finished kindy, I had an ENT appointment, and found out that I not only having hearing loss in my left ear (I already knew), but my right ear also has substantial hearing loss (it's just that my left ear is worse), and that it may in fact be permanent!

Details:

I'll be back in the next couple of days to share my other layouts from the DT kit I was sent.

Project Life 2012 - Week One

2012-01-12T14:02:00.008+08:00

I have finally gotten around to printing the last of the photos, and photographing the layout from week one.

It was no secret, that before I even started Project Life I was in LOVE. And I can safely say, that after having completed week one, I am even more in LOVE. I am loving the fact that it gives me somewhere to keep all the little things that we collect/the kids artwork...You know, the things that get shoved in a drawer for a little while, but usually, inevitably find their way to the rubbish bin (don't tell Lily, she'll be devastated I don't keep every.single.piece.of.paper.she's.ever.scribbled.on)!

I had a few extra inserts this week - not something I plan on having every week, in fact I'm going to try and not have 3 inserts every week....don't want to end up with 50 albums at the end of the year!!

I should also mention that I have decided my weeks will run Monday - Sunday, since January 1 was a Sunday, I simply made week one run from Sunday 01/01 - Sunday 08/01. From week two, the weeks will be back to normal (Monday - Sunday).

My finished title page:

Week One spread with the extra inserts:

Week One spread, without the inserts:

I really dislike my handwriting, but I think it's important that I include some of it in the album.

I actually contemplated starting my album, the week of Boxing Day because I knew that would be a busy week, and wanted an interesting start the album. Glad I waited though, because the first week of January ended up being a really busy week. We went to the movies, helped celebrate Lily's best friends birthday, enrolled the kids in swimming lessons, had a scrappy day at my LSS, and went to a birthday party for one of Lily's school friends, and had one of our credit card skimmed.

Close up of the inserts:

The program, and Popstick person that Lily made as part of the school holiday program at our local Officeworks.

The back of insert 1 & insert 2:

The birthday party invitation, and the first of the photos from our day in Mandurah (baseball card sized photos).

Back of insert 2, and insert 3:

More baseball sized photos, and an awesome painting of a tree, that Lily did for me (she even asked me if I wanted it for my book!)

Back of insert 3:

I made up a little sheet with some important things that happened on New Year's Day.

Project 365: November 2011

2012-01-08T11:59:00.001+08:00

I'm back to share my November layout.

I've had this one done for a little while, but hadn't gotten around to photographing it.

November

Highlights from the month included: Lily's kindy class presenting assembly in front of the whole school, attending the Midnight screening of Breaking Dawn, Benji went out for the first time on Jamie's boat (Lily and Ian also went), and Nannie and Ya-Ya came home after going on holidays in Thailand.

Details:

I have December's layout done also, but it's for a DT commitment, so I will have to wait a little while to be able to share it. I'm so happy that I managed to keep up with this project over the course of 2011, so many great memories to look back on!

Here's a sneak of my what completed album looks like:

Top Eleven from Twenty Eleven

2011-12-30T18:15:00.001+08:00

As 2011 draws to a close, I thought it might be fun to look back over all the layouts I did this year, and share my favourites. They're in no particular order (well apart from the way that my computer has ordered them, based on file name).

August

One of my monthly photo collages, and layouts from Project 365. At first I struggled with this layout, I couldn't find any papers that matched - but then, as so often happens, it all just fell into place and I LOVE this layout (it's one of my favourites from the Project 365 album).

Benjo

This layout was based on a sketch from The Scrappiest (if I remember correctly). I'm really glad that I got a chance to scrap this memory, although every time I see the layout, I can't help but get the song stuck in my head!

Mało Roman i Duzy Roman

(Little Roman and Big Roman)

For my parents birthdays (in March), I gave them a voucher to have a photoshoot with Lily and Benji (what better gift for the people who have everything!?!) From the shoot, this is my favourite photo, and I couldn't wait to use it on a layout.

Benji's middle name was always going to be 'Aidan', but a couple weeks (or maybe months) before he was due, I asked my Dad if he would mind if I named Benji after him. Of course he said I could, and so Benji's middle name is Roman. It was a good choice too, because they share a very special bond!

DJ Lily

When I started scrapping again this year, one of my goals was to have a layout published (no pressure or anything!), and after having a few layouts rejected the week before, on a whim I decided to submit this one. I still have the email that Scrapbooking Memories sent me, saying that they wanted to publish it!

July

Another one of my monthly layouts; the colour combo + the black matting + the splatters = all my favourite things on a layout!

Missouri

The photos on this layout aren't perfect, but they are special to my sister and her husband. It's always been Vanessa's dream to go to Hawaii, and in August 2010 they went!

The layout was based on a sketch from Sketchy Thursdays (but it wasn't actually the one I submitted, I liked the sketch so much, that I made another layout based on the same sketch!)

This is actually the first layout I ever did, where I matted the papers on black cardstock, and boy! did I get a shock when I picked it up afterwards....so heavy!

Just like Mum

A little 8x8 of Lily, and her love of taking 'selfies'.

Outdoorsie Kind of Girl

This was one of the very first layouts I scrapped at the beginning of the year, it's simple, and it's got no journalling on it (boo!)...but I still love it!

Just like Mario

Ian is a huge computer geek, and so while we were in Kuala Lumpur in March I couldn't help myself but put Benji on this ride inside The Curve shopping mall.

(It's a really crappy photo of the layout, but I'm too lazy to take another photo of it!)

Snuggles

My babies having a cuddle at the local park! This layout was actually done for one of the monthly challenges at Out of the Hat.

Summer Rain

I think that this is my favourite layout from the entire year! The photo, the colours, the papers and the layering. I only did this layout a couple of weeks ago for a CC challenge at Mystical Scrapbooks.

Project Life - Getting Ready for 2012

2011-12-23T19:01:00.001+08:00

I'm so excited about this project, I can't wait to start!!

The best part is that my sister is going to be doing it with me - she's not a scrapper, but with the way that Project Life is set up, you don't have to be.

I decided against getting one of the Project Life albums, as I think that I will more than likely need more than one album (my [still unfinished] KL 2011 holiday album took 2 albums, and we were only away for a week!) Outside of the US it can be hard to get your hands on stock, as the international suppliers, or at least the Australian/New Zealand distributor is only getting in one shipment of the albums (at this stage). Instead I am using a We R Memory Keepers 12x12 D-Ring Leather album in Vanilla.

I did however get the photo pockets/page protectors (commonly referred to as 'plastics') from Becky Higgins. I went for a 60 pack of Design A:

I'm actually a little worried about how I will go with these, as I know that I take the majority of my photos in the portrait orientation and not landscape...but I've been practising, and I hope that I will be ok.

Just in case, we also got a big box of variety plastics to share:

We both chose to use the Clementine Edition (so pretty with the oranges, yellows, greys and pinks):

I also have some extra pockets from American Crafts, that I plan on using in my album. Mainly the

6x12 and 8.5x11 sleeves.

I'm not tackling this project as a photo a day, I did that this year with Project 365, instead I will be using it to showcase a week at a time, and if sometimes it works out that I have a photo from each day, then that's great. If not, I'm not going to stress about it.

I'm also going to be adding in lots of extras, pamphlets/maps of anywhere interesting that we went, some of those beautiful works of art that Lily will bring home from school, certificates from swimming etc.

Another goal I have is kind of in the same vein as what Tara Whitney achieved in 2010 (she took a family photo every month of the year), I will be doing the same thing - some will be selfies (with the self timer, when I learn how to use it!), some will be by other people, and if we have a photo shoot with a photographer, then I will use that too. I just want to have a family photo of all four of us at the same time...too many times the photos consist of Ian and the kids, or me and the kids.

Some of my supplies ready to go:

Pictured is: Clementine Core Kit (with some of the cards missing, as I've already put in the weekly date cards), my awesome whale pencil case from here, I LOVE it! It's where I've got all my stationary-type things, that I need for Project Life (pens, hole punch, corner rounders, post-it notes etc). And finally my Fujifilm INSTAX camera. This is seriously the coolest camera ever, it prints out credit card sized prints in only a couple of minutes. The film is pretty expensive in Australia (about $19-20 for a pack of 10), so I plan on buying online (eBay), and stocking up when we are in Kuala Lumpur in June.

On top of the album is the first little card I made for my album. I know that technically I haven't started Project Life yet, but I just really wanted to have a play with some of my supplies, so I made a little card for one of 3x4 slots (using an instax print, and my trusty Dymo):

I've also started on my title page, I still want to add some alpha and spell out 'Roach' (probably on the top left card with the clock), and 2012 (on the bottom right card), but I can't find the letters that I want in my LSS, and obviously with Christmas in only 2 more sleeps, the online stores have stopped posting, so I will get them in the New Year.

(The photo of Lily has to be reprinted, I went a little overboard with the editing and her face was blown out when the photo was printed).

I love that bottom family photo - Benji may not be looking at the camera, but it's so typically him - shoving food into his mouth!

Published Layout

2011-12-22T07:15:00.001+08:00

I think it's been long enough for me to be allowed to share my first ever published layout.

It was published in Scrapbooking Memories Vol 12 No 13 (October 2011).

DJ Lily

A photo of Lily during her newborn hearing screening test (in WA most babies have the test in the hospital - Benji didn't as he wasn't in hospital long enough).

Details:

It was based on a sketch from (the now closed?) Inspired Blueprints.

Another unexpected surprise, was that my layout was also featured in the monthly inspiration newsletter (email) that was associated with the magazine. I had no idea, but a lovely friend Sue told me...thanks Sue!!

Mystical Cyber Crop (and Project Life)

2011-12-11T17:05:00.001+08:00

Mystical Scrapbooks had their CC last weekend, unfortunately I came down with a severe ear infection on Monday, so I only managed to get one layout done.

Trudie's Challenge was to chose a layout from the gallery and scraplift it.

I chose this layout from Scrapaddict:

I loved the polka dots, and the brights.

Here's my layout - SUMMER RAIN.

I LOVE this photo of Lily (it's actually one of my Project 365 photos from the beginning of the year) - from the mismatched clothes that she's wearing (singlet, shorts and gumboots!), to the serious look on her face...apparently waiting for enough rain to run under with your umbrella is SERIOUS business!

Details:

The papers are from Pretty Little Studio (April Showers collection), and that awesome (well I think so) Care Bear button is from Ronnie, I couldn't help myself and bought all four of the different Care Bear buttons that she was offering at her last sale - so they will soon be popping up on layouts everywhere!

And in other SUPER EXCITING news - part of my Project Life order is here!!

In the excitement of getting to open the box, I managed to stab myself in the finger with my scissors - the pain was worth it, getting to see those beautiful 'plastics' made my day!!

The last email I got from Craft House said that my Core Kit (I got Clementine) will be shipped next week!!

Project 365 - August

2011-12-03T16:10:00.000+08:00

I am now up to date with my monthly photo collage (well apart from November, but given it's only December 3, I think that's ok).

August - I really struggled with this layout, I think because I have scrapped the main photo (in the middle before), and so was having issues picking papers. In the end I got there, and I am really happy with how the layout turned out.

Because it was such a busy/full layout, I decided to keep the embellishing really simple, and chose to highlight one main journaling point with a label, and little butterfly.

Highlights from the month include: going out on Jamie's boat for the first (and last, for me) time, Benji stood all by himself, Lily was a sick with a chest infection, and Vanessa and I booked our tickets to Kuala Lumpur for our birthday next year.

Details:

I've really enjoyed this project, and can't believe I only have two more layouts to do and the album will be finished.

Next year I have decided to do Project Life - I'm so excited, and can't wait to get started. I already have so many ideas about things I want to include in my album - lets just hope I can keep up!

He's a Vegemite Kid

2011-11-29T13:38:00.001+08:00

Benji loves Vegemite, apparently I did as a kid too, but no way would I eat the stuff now!!

Evidently, the best way to eat Vegemite, is to rub it A-L-L-O-V-E-R your face and the high chair!

He's a Vegemite Kid:

Details:

This layout wasn't for any particular challenge, it was just because I had a photo and a story that I wanted to tell.

Project 365 Catch Up

2011-11-19T12:19:00.005+08:00

I was a little (ok, lots) slack! And didn't scrap any of my monthly collage photos for the past couple of months - but over the past week, I have rectified that, and now actually have only one month left to do.

June - I actually did this one at a retreat in July, but never added the journaling!

Highlights from the month include; my 27th birthday, Lily having a couple of friends from school parties, I saw Wicked with my sister, Lily had a kindy excursion to AQWA (Aquarium of Western Australia), Lily went to a school disco, and Ian and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary (and 7 years of being together - we were married on the 2-year-anniversary of the day we met).

Details:

July:

Highlights from the month include; my sister and I saw Ballet Revolucion, Lily had her very first sleepover at a friends house, I attended the Scrap-Away-In-WA Yanchep Retreat, lots of trips to the shops and play dates with friends (it was school holidays).

Details:

August: Haven't done this month yet - no reason, just the papers I had matched other months better.

September: This was also Kerryn's Monthly Manufacturer Challenge at Scrapbook Savvy, we had to use Jillibean Soup papers, and use a photo collage (or multiple photos).

September was an emotional month for us, my sister moved to Geraldton (about 4 hours north of Perth), for work - Lily, Mum, and myself lasted 4 days before we went up and visited her!

Other highlights included; Benji started walking, and got his first haircut..all on the same day! Lily got a merit certificate at school, and was so proud collecting it in front of the whole school! We also set up a Skype account, so that we could talk to my sister, without getting massive phone bills!

Details:

October:

Details:

Benji turned one this month, and we also had a party at home with all his little (and some big) friends. Other highlights included; getting my very first scrapbooking layout published in Scrapbooking Memories, Lily started gymnastics (so cute!!), Benji went to a birthday party for one of his little friends (teddy bears picnic theme...so cute!!)

Hopefully I will August's layout done soon, and then I will be all up to date!

Mad About Scrappin - Christmas Kit

2011-11-14T10:30:00.004+08:00

Leanne sent me a kit full of Cosmo Cricket's - Dear Mr Claus as my last DT kit.

I managed to complete 3 layouts, with a few little scraps left over.

Because I'm an 8.5x11" scrapper, and most of the customers that buy the kits scrap 12x12 layouts, I also include some sketches with my layouts - they are nothing fancy, just black and white line sketches, but I'm still learning.

Santa's Little Helper:

Details/Sketch:

Waiting for Santa:

Details/Sketch:

Xmas with the Roach's

Details/Sketch:

I did also make a card, but silly me forgot to email it to Leanne!

Some more 8x8 layouts

2011-11-10T12:06:00.002+08:00

I really like doing the smaller sized layouts, and have been doing more - now I just have to find an album for all the layouts I'm doing!

Generation Alpha

While wasting time on the net one day, I decided to look up what generation 'name' my kids belong to. Even though there's only 3 years between my two, they are actually in two different generations - Lily is generation Z, and Benji is generation Alpha.

Details

And now one of Lily - I LOVE this photo of Lil. I snapped it one day when she was mucking around in the cot with Benji. It's typical Lily! Whenever I get the photos of my camera, there's always so many that she has taken, her favourite things to take photos of are, her feet, and selfies.

Just Like Mum

Details

November Challenge at Mad About Scrappin

2011-11-05T11:41:00.005+08:00

It's a new month, so time for another challenge at Mad About Scrappin.

To be in the running for this fantastic prize (a Three Bugs in a Rug collection pack, valued at over $20):

All you have to do, is to complete a layout, and include 3 stamps.

Safe in Their Arms

I used the awesome HAPPY DAYS Collection by Echo Park, Leanne was nice enough to get it in for me when I asked.

Details

Did you spot my stamping?

I'm not a big stamp user (doesn't stop me from buying them though!!), so at first this challenge had me stumped, but then I came up with a clever way to incorporate the stamps - I stamped the date 3 times! I've seen it done so many times, and it looks awesome, so I figured now was as good a time as any, to give it a go myself!

You have until November 25, to load your layout up to the Facebook page...HERE

KL Layouts, Day 2

2011-11-04T19:30:00.001+08:00

To see the overview of Day 2...click here.

A Holiday for 4

A family photo, taken in front of the iconic water/light fountain in front of Pavilion Shopping Mall.

One of the many 8x8 layouts that I decided to put in my album.

Details

Workplace Safety

Walking to the Pavilion, we were shocked to look across the road and see the workers on the building - not a single safety line in sight! They were up a couple of storeys high too!!

Details

Kuala Lumpur 2011

Another photo in front of the fountain - we were lucky enough to find a kind passerby who offered to take a photo of all of us.

From L-R: Vanessa (my twin), Lily, Jon (Vanessa's Husband), Mum, Dad, Jamie (my brother), Me, Benji and Ian.

Details

Papa Johns

The BEST pizza place - the food is delicious, and best of all CHEAP!!

Details

Fountain

A whole layout dedicated to the Pavilion Fountain.

Details

Day 2 Collage

Scrapbook Savvy October Cyber Crop

2011-10-29T09:55:00.001+08:00

After not having scrapped for a couple of weeks, it was nice to be able to get back into it...with the help of Scrapbook Savvy's Cyber Crop.

I managed to get 2 of the challenges completed, and I was hoping to get at least the blind scrap done, but unfortunately I ran out of time.

Kerryn's Challenge Scraplift Challenge: Nice and easy, we had to chose a layout out of the gallery, and scraplift it. I chose one of Tess' layouts - it's funny I actually had the photo picked out, and decided I was going to one of Tess' layouts (I love her style!), and I came across this layout....fate!

Ronnie McDonnie (in our family that's what we call McDonald's famous mascot - Ronald McDonald):

Details:

I used a little owl button from Purple Pumpkin, and a lovely lollipop from Charm's Creations.

Anthea challenged us to make a layout with had the following on it:

- painting/misting

- layering and

- distressing

Papa John's

Details:

I used another awesome button from Ronnie on this layout - I think I am going to have to get some more, because Lily seems to have taken a fancy to them too!!

Some 8x8 Layouts

2011-10-26T17:46:00.001+08:00

Since I have been playing around and doing 8x8 layouts in my KL holiday album, I have discovered that I really like working in this size. It really allows the photo to be the main focus of the layout, and with a few embellies, and some journalling you've got yourself a beautiful little layout.

Ta-Mummy

The Bee is another cute little button from Ronnie.

Details

1st Trim

This layout is a scraplift of a layout I saw of Belinda Venables.

I only had scraps of those papers left, so it was perfect!

The little robot button is from an old release at Lil' Red Rocket.

Details

KL Layouts, Day 1

2011-10-23T11:55:00.001+08:00

Since it's a bit hard to see the layouts in the other photos, because of the plastic slips - I have taken some photos of the layouts on their own.

Jetting Off:

Opening page in the (first) album - scraplifted from a layout I saw on the Jillibean Soup blog.

Details:

Somewhere Over Asia:

My Dad, and Gerrie (who soon became our trip mascot) having a snooze on the plane on the way to Kuala Lumpur.

This layout is a scraplift of one of my own layouts, which was originally based on a sketch at Sketchy Thursdays (sketch 8.04)

Details:

First Meal in KL

After our first trip in 2009, Lily kept asking if, when we went back to KL she could have 'orange chicken and rice (sweet and sour chicken)' from the foodcourt. I thought that she would eventually forgot...but no! Kids are funny like that, they can't remember to brush their teeth or clean up their room, but they remember the important stuff!

This layout is also a scraplift of one of my previous layouts - based on the Purple Pumpkin sketch for August 2011.

Details:

Day 1 Photo Collage:

KL 2011 - Day 2

2011-10-22T12:53:00.004+08:00

DAY ONE - CLICK HERE

This was our first full day in Kuala Lumpur, and boy! did we manage to do a lot of stuff. At home there is no way that we would spend all day running around (and I certainly couldn't afford to spend all day shopping!)

Day 2 saw us visit the Lake Gardens. Within the park there is so much to see and do, we went to the Deer Park and the Butterfly Park. We also took a ride around on park on a tram (more like a tractor) - it was a nice way to see the whole park, without having to walk.

Later that day, we went shopping, went swimming in the hotel pool (Benji and I had a sleep in the hotel room), had a late lunch/early dinner at Papa Johns (the BEST pizza place!), and went shopping some more!

Page 8/9

We didn't actually go to the zoo on this day, but this was just where the map for the zoo fit into the album.

Page 9

An 8x8 layout - I actually really like doing this size - actually looking at the layout behind, this too could have very easily been an 8x8 too.

Page 10/11

Page 12/13

Page 14/15

Page 16/17

Page 18/19

Page 20/21

Page 22/23

Not all the 'fountain' photos are from this day, but I thought that it looked nice having them all together in the album.

Layout "FOUNTAIN" was based on a sketch from the sketch-a-day competition at SFS.

Day 3, has also been finished, but I will share that another day.

Childhood Memories

2011-10-17T18:49:00.001+08:00

I got some gorgeous buttons in the mail last week from Ronnie, and as soon as I saw the Raggedy Ann button, I just knew the theme of the layout I wanted to use it on.

Growing up with red hair, and freckles wasn't always easy! We (my twin sister and I) were always picked on, and teased (funny how things change - all I wanted was to have a little orange-haired baby...instead I got two blondies!)

Freckle Faced Fart Machines:

I just realised that I photographed the layout, before I put the date on it. But that's us way back in 1991.

In case anyone is wondering, I'm the one on the right, and Vanessa's on the left (if you look really closely my dress is actually red, and Vanessa's is pink).

Details:

The journalling reads: According to the logic of 6 and 7 years olds. Our read hair and freckles made us: [title]

It's easy enough to have a giggle now, but at the time it was really upsetting. Luckily our primary school had a good anti-bullying policy and it was stamped out pretty quick. Although I was more than a little shocked, when I heard this term being used by some of the bigger kids at Lily's school.

Maybe one day the message will get through and kids will stop taunting each other based on their physical appearance. Until then, I'm going to make sure that I tell my kids everyday how much I love them, and how beautiful they are. Hopefully that way they will never, ever have to have a moment of self doubt/hatred, brought on by the taunts of others.

Mark your calendars

2011-10-15T12:55:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow (October 16, 2011) is sale day at Eye Candy Magic!!

Sam, promises to have some new stuff, along with some old favourites. I have some of Sam's awesome embellishments, and let me tell you - they are fantastic! She was even nice enough a little while ago to make up a custom order, full of pins in my favourite colours.

Scrapbooking Top 50 - October CC

2011-10-10T08:14:00.000+08:00

I'm really looking forward to this months CC, I haven't scrapped in a couple of weeks, and I think this will just what I need to get my mojo flowing again.

Check out all the details HERE.

Aussie Scrap Jacked

2011-09-30T17:29:00.001+08:00

I got a chance to play along this month with Aussie Scrap Jacked, and I just love the layout that I produced.

I decided to 'jack' Vicki's layout:

And my layout - BIRTHDAY COCKTAILS

Another for the KL travel album (which is almost finished...yay!!)

Details:

Esperance Paper Bag Album

2011-09-22T09:29:00.000+08:00

A little while ago, I completed a paper bag album on our first family holiday after Lily was born. It was for a DT application, and I figure that since I made the team (Mad About Scrappin), it will be ok to share it now.

We were a little adventurous and decided that we would head down to Esperance, a town on the southern coast of WA, and only an 8 hour drive away!

Front Cover

Some of the inside pages

I left the ends of the bags open (I sewed down the closed end), and inside each of the pockets are some information cards, some are general information, and some include information about what we did that day.

Back Cover

Top View of all the pages

KL 2011 - Day 1

2011-09-17T12:23:00.004+08:00

A lack of updates on here, usually means that I haven't been doing much scrapping. But, this time it's the opposite, I have been really busy trying to finish my travel album, from our holiday in March/April.

I have been doing random bits and pieces in terms of the layouts (hence why the album is already so fat!), but have actually only managed to completely finish one day so far, the easiest one too - day 1, the day we flew in.

It's a mixture of layouts, memorabilia, place cards and photos - day one only has 8.5x11 layouts, but some of the other days I have mixed it up and added some 8x8 layouts, and different sized photo slips, just to add to the interactive-ness (is that even a word!) of the album.

I actually think that I was born to be a scrapbooker, I'm a hoarder from way back, and when trying to put together a holiday album it comes in handy!

I will apologise for the bad photos now, everything is still in it's slips - it would have been too much work (and you would have lost the effect) if I pulled everything out. I was in the garage, so I'm not sure why there still is so much glare on the plastic...sorry!

DAY 1: PERTH - KUALA LUMPUR

We didn't do much on this day, as our plane landed at lunchtime, and by the time we cleared customs (it takes ages, especially when there are 9 [we Ian, the kids, and I were joined by my parents, my sister and her husband, and my little brother] of you travelling together), found the mini bus I had arranged to take us to the hotel, and then checked in, it was about 3pm.

Ian, the kids, and I hit Pavilion Shopping Mall to get something to eat, and stock up on groceries - we only brought the bear minimum in nappies, wipes, personal care products with us, as it is all so much cheaper in KL. Genius idea to save on luggage weight and space, but meant that we couldn't have a shower until we'd been to the shops.
The rest of our travelling party went to Menara Tower, for a 'High Tea'.

Opening Page:

(this layout is a scraplift of a layout I saw on the Jillibean Soup blog - HERE)

Page 2/3

Page 4/5

Page 6/7

Close up of the Day 1 collage:

I really love the way it's coming together. I have a few scrappy days this week, so I'm hoping to get it finished soon, although I think that I may need another album, as once I add the rest of the photos to this one, I think it's going to be very full!

Some MAS Sneaks

2011-09-16T08:57:00.000+08:00

I was sent the beautiful 'Welcome Home' by Bo Bunny in my DT kit this month from Leanne at Mad about Scrappin.

Here's the kit:

For now here are a few sneaks of the layouts I completed.

Layout 1:

Layout 2

Layout 3

Mad About Scrappin - September Challenge

2011-09-04T12:55:00.000+08:00

It's my very first month on the DT at Mad About Scrappin - and my first DT assignment was to complete this months challenge. The criteria was to create a layout, and splash a little paint around.

Now, six months ago this criteria would have sent me running for the hills screaming, but recently I have been experimenting a little more with mists and paints - mainly as splatters...funny how things change!

Then there were 4:

Details:

Upload your entries HERE (to the facebook page) by September 25, to be in the running for this gorgeous prize:

It's an 8x8 paper pad of Graphic 45's ABC PRIMER.

Scrapbooking from Scratch - Sketchaday Competition

2011-09-03T15:29:00.002+08:00

I decided to join in with the new competition that Peta is running over at SFS. Basically every day for the month of September a new sketch will be posted, and you have until October 15th (2011) to load them into the gallery.

You can find all of the information HERE.

I'm a little behind (first Benji was sick, and now Lily is), but so far I have managed to do one of the sketches.

September 1st Sketch:

The Strawberry Thief:

I love these photos of Benji, he honestly wasn't sure if he liked what he was eating or not - but being the little piggy that he is, he kept on eating!

Details:

That cute little strawberry pin, was a special order that Sam of Eye Candy Magic made for me last month - that's how long I've had the idea for this layout in my mind, but never actually got around to doing it!

It's Giveaway Time at Purple Pumpkin

2011-08-30T09:30:00.000+08:00

Sam has put together another awesome pack for the August Giveaway at Purple Pumpkin.

Check out all the info...HERE.

I'm MAD...

2011-08-24T20:41:00.000+08:00

Mad about Scrappin, that is!!

I applied for the design team a little while ago, and I found out last week that I had made the team, but I wasn't allowed to say anything until the official announcement was made tonight.

I'm so grateful to Leanne for giving me this opportunity, and I'm really looking forward to working with, and getting to know the other ladies on the DT (some of whom, I have been a long time blog stalker of...but shhhh!!)

Sketchy Thursdays 8.11

2011-08-17T14:55:00.001+08:00

I actually finished this layout on the weekend, but I was waiting for a parcel from Sue, of Lovelybug Bits n Bobs to just add the finishing touch to the layout.

The Sketch:

Gerrie:

Details:

The giraffe button is from Lovelybug bits n bobs - it was originally white, but I inked it so it matched the papers better.

Cyber Cropping at SBT50

2011-08-16T15:15:00.000+08:00

The Cyber Crop for August is well under way at Scrapbooking Top 50 Australia, and so far I have only managed a measly solitary layout!

Sue's Scrap Bingo Challenge:

We had to do a layout based on the criteria in the following grid, we either had to pick a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line and use all mentioned criteria.

I chose the very bottom horizontal line; Mixed Alpha Title, Strip Journalling, Paint and Fussy Cutting.

Just like Mario:

Another one for the KL album. I have actually had this photo printed for ages, and ages (I think it was one of the first that I printed once we were home), but have only just now gotten around to using it.

Details:

A mixture of Jillibean Soup (Spotted Owl Soup, and Blossom Soup), and Three Bugs in a Rug (Dawson).

Speaking of KL, my twin sister and I just (as in yesterday) booked a holiday for next year on our birthday. No Husbands, or kiddies - just Vanessa and I. I feel a little guilty, but at the same time I'm really looking forward to it already...pity it's still like 10 months away!

In honour of our upcoming holiday, I made (well really, decorated), these little books, which I plan on using as my travel journal - a place where I can write everything I book/plan on doing over there, and then once we get there, I will also keep a record, so that in years to come we can see how much things/prices have changed or stayed the same.

This will be my third trip to KL since 2009, and I expect that it won't be the last.

The pink one is mine, and the white one is Vanessa's:

I used a couple of the gorgeous Asian Doll buttons, which were released in the last sale that Sam had, at Purple Pumpkin.

Everything is stuck down with my new favourite glue - Helmar 450 Quick Dry adhesive - so hopefully everything will stick down, and look just as pretty once we get back from KL.

Once Upon a Sketch

2011-08-14T11:03:00.002+08:00

First time I have ever played along at Once Upon a Sketch, and of course I only saw the challenge right at the last minute.

I started this layout last night (the photo I used was only taken yesterday afternoon at the park), and finished it this morning.

The Prompt:

Journalling Criteria: Finish this line "A PERFECT DAY IS....." . Your journalling has to be at least 2 lines long, and with the theme of a whatever a perfect day for you is or a perfect day that you have had already e.g. a birthday, a holiday, a childhood memory, a wedding day, graduation day etc. Your journalling can be ANY type : handwritten, typed, etc...

You MUST combine our journalling criteria with this sketch...

A Perfect Day:

It's not the best photo of the layout, but that's what happens when you leave things until the last minute...there's no time to try and get a better one!

Details:

The journalling reads:

With you, is spending time doing the simple things.

Watching you learn and explore the world around you.

I just realised that I forgot to put the date on it...will have to fix that up!

Sketchy Thursdays 8.04

2011-08-08T17:02:00.000+08:00

I finally found the time to play along with another awesome sketch from Sketchy Thursdays - I always love the sketches, and this one was no exception!

The Sketch:

Bim:

I kinda kept to the sketch, I obviously left out the circular element on the top right side of the sketch, and I also decided to forgo the misting, in favour of splatters.

I finally pulled out my mists, and actually did something with them - I like the effect (not bad for my first attempt), but I learnt some lessons along the way. If I want small splatters, I have to stop procrastinating, and do it quickly, otherwise you get the big splatters above the title.

Details:

Purple Pumpkin August Sketch

2011-08-08T16:47:00.000+08:00

This month is the first month, that I have gotten the Purple Pumpkin sketch finished early enough to get it photographed and uploaded in time. Every other month, I have last it until the last minute, and then didn't have enough time to upload it before the deadline.

Sensitive Soul:

I snapped this photo of a pouty Lily at the park a couple of weeks ago, and I did think about doing a layout bout how life can be sooo hard when you're 4! But instead, I decided to document the sensitive and caring little girl Lily can be, where her friends are concerned.

Details:

I really love this layout, and that cute Little Girl button was the perfect accompaniment to the layout.

Retreat Layouts Part 2

2011-08-07T18:59:00.002+08:00

Here's the rest of the layouts, I managed to do at the retreat.

Benjo and Ty-Ty:

My friend Emma, and I are lucky our girl were born months apart, and our boys are less than two months apart too....friends for life!

A nothing layout really, I just wanted to record the nicknames that the boys have been given (by me).

Details:

I used an awesome Lovely Lollipop by Charms Creations, and a pin from Marg.

Daddy's Boy:

Details:

Another layout using the June 'He's Savvy' kit from Scrapbook Savvy. It was based on the current (at the time) sketch from Creative Scrappers. Unfortunately I didn't manage to get the layout photographed, and loaded in time.

No Play No Fair!

I really wanted to document this, Lily was less-than-impressed when we walked to the local park, only to find that she wouldn't be able to play because, the playground had been all fenced off. I, on the other hand was over the moon!! You see, all the new playgrounds within our shire/area are being built with the rubbery bases, and all the existing ones (with sand), will be replaced. Yay!! No more bringing half the sandpit home with us, and no more having to worry about what may be lurking within the sand.

Details:

That's it for now

Ant's monthly challenge - Scrapbooking Top50

2011-08-05T13:24:00.001+08:00

Ant challenge use this month, to do/use three of her favourite things on a layout. They were: 1) Pin(s), 2) Stitching and 3) Spots.

Just so happens, that I also love these three things, this layout came together so easily for me, and I love the end result.

Lily and Elle:

Details:

I used Echo Park - Country Drive, and the colours in the papers matched the colours in the photo perfectly - the paper with the flowers, looks almost identical to the pattern of the little blankie that Lily is wrapped up in (except the blankie has birds on it).

The love heart pin is from A Little Bit fANTsy, the pink spotty button, and pink doily are from Purple Pumpkin, and the big pink flower is an oldie (although I'm sure that they are still available in the store?) from D-Lish Scraps.

Some retreat layouts

2011-08-04T17:57:00.001+08:00

At the retreat last weekend, I managed to finish 8 layouts...for anyone who knows me, that's heaps!! I spent a lot of time chatting to both old, and new friends...isn't that what it's about - preserving memories, and making friends along the way?!

Dream Big - this one isn't actually from the retreat, I did it before I went, but only got around to photographing it today. This layout it actually based (loosely) on the Purple Pumpkin sketch for July.

Details:

On your Bike:

Details:

Funtime Dance: Lily and her one of her little friends, getting their certificates at the end of dancing second term.

Details:

One in a Million:

The actual photo on this layout is dark, its not just the way it photographed. It was a crappy iPhone photo, but it was too funny not to use!

Details:

The last three layouts were done using Jillibean Soup - Blossom Soup. I LOVE this range, I actually still have one more layout with this range that I did at retreat, but I will share it, and the rest of my retreat layouts next time.

I've been retreating

2011-08-02T10:10:00.001+08:00

This past weekend, I was extremely lucky to have been able to attend a scrapbooking retreat up at Yanchep. It was hosted by the awesome Tamara from Scrap Away in WA. I was lucky, because I hadn't actually booked into the retreat until Wednesday morning, there was a cancellation, and it was just the kick up the bum I needed to book in. I've always wanted to, but with two kids, and one of them being a baby - my list of excuses about not being able to attend has always been endless.

But this time I didn't have any time to talk myself out of going, I saw a vacancy, and said yes...and then the panic started.

I managed to pack everything I though I might need (isn't that how you're supposed to pack for a retreat....pick up anything you find, and chuck it in the back of you car!), I even managed to have enough room to bring some spare clothes LOL

It was so nice to spend some time with my friends, and get to make some new ones. One of the ladies, even lives just around the corner from me, and our kids go to the same school...small world!

Here's a few photos from the weekend...I haven't managed to take photos of the layouts yet, as some of them aren't quite finished, and it's been raining here since I got back.

My scrap stuff all packed up:

Wally (the retreat mascot), and I

Me, hard at work

Room full of dedicated scrappers

My roomies, and besties

The car, all packed and ready to go (that's just my stuff, Christine's stuff was on the back seat)

The lovely bunch of ladies I spent the weekend with

Now, it wouldn't be a retreat without some late night stupidity!!

I bet Wally wishes, he could hold his alcohol as well as me!

I will be back soon with some photos of my layouts

Cyber Cropping at SBT50

2011-07-19T14:15:00.000+08:00

Last Monday (11th July), saw the opening night of the July CC at Scrapbooking Top 50 Australia. The theme is 'Lights, Camera, Action', so all the challenges are based on the film industry.

So far, I have managed to complete 3/5 challenges, I missed the deadline for the Opening Night Mini Challenge (it was due by Midnight Sunday), but I have an idea for the last challenge, so Im hoping to get into the scrap room, and play soon.

Challenge 1 - The spotlight's on you Baby!

For this challenge, we had to scrap a layout of ourselves, and if we were game to share a secret about ourselves.

Details

I used an awesome Hambly transparency and sewed it onto layout - I'm not the best sewer, but I think it turned out ok.

Challenge 3 - Action!

Sue's challenge was to scrap an action type photo, and to include the word action, either in the title or the journaling. I chose to scrap a photo I managed to capture of Benji when he rolled over for the first time - it doesn't look like he's moving, but that's just because of when the photo was taken he was on his side about to roll onto his tummy. He went the 'wrong' way, and rolled from back to tummy long before he ever rolled from his tummy to his back (he hated tummy time).

Details

Challenge 4 - I'm ready for my closeup.

This challenge required at least a 5x7 photo, and it had to be a close up of the face (shoulders were ok). I used a photo I took of Benji only a couple of days before hand - I loved it the minute I saw it, and it was perfect for the challenge.

I kept the embellishing really simple (even for me), as I wanted the photo to be the standout.

Details

Purple Pumpkin

2011-07-18T17:50:00.002+08:00

I LOVE Purple Pumpkin embellies, so when I saw that Sam is having a competition to pick some new guest designers, I figured that I may as well enter...you gotta be in it, to win it!

This is a recent layout that I did, and even weeks later, it's still one of my favourites.

He's Savvy Layout

2011-07-13T19:47:00.001+08:00

I was lucky enough to grab one of the June He's Savvy kits over at Scrapbook Savvy - thanks Sar!!

So far, I have only completed one layout - but there is so much stuff in the kit, that I know that I will get heaps more layouts out of the kit.

Play with Me?

Benji loves to play with the dogs, but ours are outside dogs, and are always pretty sandy - so they aren't allowed inside very often. Clever little Benji has realised that if he goes over to back door, and bangs on it, the dogs will come to the door and they play with him that way.

Details:

A HUGE Giveaway

2011-07-13T19:38:00.000+08:00

Sam, over at Purple Pumpkin is having another sale on July 22nd, and as a part of the sale she is offering a huge prize.

Click on the piccie below for all the details:

Some Scrapping

2011-07-03T11:29:00.001+08:00

I had a bit of a scrappy night last night, and completed 3 layouts...but I can only share 2 of them right now.

So Happy:

this is for Sara's Word Challenge over at Scrapbook Savvy.

The word for this month, was HAPPY.

I've had this photo of Benji floating around for a while, so I figured that I would use it for this challenge, I didn't have the greatest pregnancy with Benji, and so even though I may not look it in the photo (I was still being stitched back up after my c/s), I was overjoyed to be holding the little man who made me suffer for 9 months!

Details:

The gorgeous little orange pin, is something I picked up from the last SBT50 Crafters Market...it's by Ant, from A little bit fANTsy.

Next up, is Sue's sketch challenge over at SBT50, Sue gave us a beautiful PageMaps sketch, with the added criteria of keeping it simple...just up my alley!!

The Sketch:

Crazy Girls:

I love this photo of Lily and I - just being our usual crazy selves!

Details:

The gorgeous ballerina button is from Sue's - Lovelybug Bits n Bobs.

My Monkeys

2011-06-28T14:01:00.000+08:00

The sketch challenge over at Purple Pumpkin this month, called for two photos, and I knew exactly what I wanted the layout to be about.

Before Benji was born, I booked in, to have a newborn photo shoot, and I found the most amazing sock monkey beanie on Etsy, I bought it with the intention of using it in the photos. Well, when it arrived it was way too big for him, but fit Lily....fast forward 8.5 months, and it now fits both of them!!

My Monkeys:

(the photo is terrible, but with a storm in Perth today, and rain forecast for the rest of the week, it's the best I can do)

Details:

Scrapbooking Top 50 June Crafters Market

2011-06-23T16:58:00.000+08:00

Check it out on Friday night...but leave some stuff for me :)

Weekend Scrapping

2011-06-19T11:24:00.000+08:00

Friday night, I saw a link on friend's facebook page to the sketch blog Sassy Lil' Sketches, and I decided that I wanted to play along. I already had the title, photo and embellies in my mind, so you'd think that this layout would have come together quickly...well it didn't. Three hours later and I finally finished, I'm a slow scrapper, but even for me, this was ridiculous!!

I blame the machine stitching, because of the orientation of the layout, it meant that I couldn't just go around in the squares in one go, I had to do each line separately - but I'm really happy with the finished product, so it was all worth it.

[if you go into the] WOODS [tonight]:

This is actually a photo that I stole out of my project 365 album (every month, I print the photos and put them in a separate album..otherwise it would be a lot of work at the end of the year!), so I will have to remember to reprint it and pop it back in.

Details:

I LOVE that Little Red Riding Hood button, I got it from ebay...purely so that I could do a layout with this exact photo!

I also managed to do another layout yesterday morning, this time it's for Out of the Hat - this is a challenge site, that I have known about forever, but this month was the first time I have ever played along, but I will definitely be checking out next months criteria.

June Criteria:

KRAFT background with BRIGHTS

6 BUTTONS and

a BIRD

Snuggles:

One of my favourite photos of Lily and Benji - both of them are always so happy to be together, doesn't matter what they're doing. Poor little Benji misses Lily when she's at school, and often crawls down to her room to check if she somehow snuck in without him noticing!

Details:

Thanks for looking,

Recent Layouts

2011-06-17T10:55:00.002+08:00

I've had a chance to play a couple of nights this week, and this is what I came up with:

Missouri:

My sister and her husband went to Hawaii last year, and I stole some of her piccies. I really love this layout...I used Sketchy Thursday's sketch 6.09 again (told you I loved that sketch).

The middle photo of Vanessa and Jon (pretending to steer) has come out a little dark in the photo, IRL it is a dark photo, and I wasn't able to adjust it without blowing out the image, but I figured that scrapbooking is all about preserving memories, and so why not use a less than perfect photo that, helps to tell the story.

Details:

I tried a few new (for me) techniques on this layout - first I matted everything on black cardstock, for extra definition, and then I used some foam tape to lift the grey dot paper, and the photo block off the layout...I also bought some Crafty Notions in Black Tulip, solely so that I could splatter some over the layout...but when push came to shove, I couldn't bring myself to do it!

I tell you what, this layout is REALLY heavy....all that extra cardstock! At least I know it won't bend, when I eventually buy an album to keep it in.

I also managed to do another layout of my beautiful little man - I've had my eye on these Jillibean Soup Papers for a while, and so when I found them in my LSS, I just had to buy them. Even though they are birthday themed, I decided not to scrap a birthday layout (largely in part to the fact that Benji is only 8 months old, so apart from the day he was born...he hasn't had a birthday yet).

Big Boy Bath:

Details:

The blue pin is from HERE, I have a few different sets, in different colours, so I'm sure that they will be turning up on a lot of layouts soon!

It's Sale Time Again

2011-06-15T22:17:00.001+08:00

Charm is having another sale, so if you've been eyeing off her awesome 'lovely lollipops' - you will have another chance on Friday night to snap some up.

Check out all the info here.

Sketchy Thursdays 6.09 and May Collage

2011-06-12T13:28:00.002+08:00

Another awesome sketch by Sketchy Thursdays - I loved the sketch, and you know when you finish a layout, and it's exactly how you imagined it would look like...well, that's what happened here. I absolutely love this layout - one of my favourites for sure!

The Sketch:

I obviously shrunk the sketch down to fit an 8.5x11 layout, but that's the thing this sketch is so versatile, that it still worked in the smaller format.

Wheee!!

Honestly I'm not sure if the spelling in the title is correct, but it's one of those words, that we all say, but because it isn't really a word - so there's no official spelling of it.

Details:

I love, love, LOVE that little boy button - it's from the '50's retro kids playing' set from Yum Yum Buttons.A few of my other favourite shops made it onto the layout also...the bakers twine is from Purple Pumpkin, and the birdie pin is MLBOW.

I also used my Sizzix for the first time in a long time, and cut the title. One layer wasn't high enough, so I cut each letter/symbol three times, and sandwiched them together.

I finally got around to scrapping the layout for my May 365 project photos, I used some scraps from a layout i was working on the other night, and literally finished it within 30 minutes (uheard of, for me). It's not quite finished, I still have to print the journalling strips, but my printed has decided to not play nice, so they will have to be added when I get ~~more ink~~ a new printer (shhh, don't tell the husband!)

May

Back of the layout, with the calendar attached:

Sorry, for the shocking photo, I have no idea why the back of the layout photographed so dark?

Details:

I purposely never embellish these monthly layouts very much, as the photos are always so busy, and then with the journalling it can start to look too much...if that makes sense.

I did manage to sneak another one of the retro kids buttons, on there, and also a lovely lollipop from Charms Creations.

Kuala Lumpur 2011

2011-06-10T12:04:00.002+08:00

That's the title of the layout I completed last night.

Before I show you the layout, I have to say that it is a total scraplift of a very talented 8.5x11 scrapper, whose blog I recently started ~~stalking~~ following...Sarah Rice.

Here's the post <<>>

I love blog hopping, and always get that little bit more excited when I come across another 8.5x11 scrapper - when I first started scrapping in that size, not very many other people were, unless it was for a challenge. But now, there's heaps of other talented scrappers who favour the rectangle over the square.

Kuala Lumpur 2011

I love these kind of group shots, and we were lucky enough to find a lovely lady who offered to take a photo of all of us, at once. They often prove hard to scrap though - when we have our family portraits taken, I purposely make sure that we are all colour co-ordinated, but in real life it doesn't always work out that way!

We haven't been on a family holiday in years, and then add into the mix two extra husbands, and two kids and well, let's just say....I don't think KL knew what hit it, when our family turned up!

Details:

I purposely kept the embellishing simple, as the photo was so busy - I HAD to put another one of my bargain KL Pins that I bought on the layout.

I was hoping to get some photos printed today, but the kids had other ideas...maybe tomorrow.

Sketchy Thursdays 6.02

2011-06-08T10:01:00.000+08:00

I've had this layout on my scrap desk for a couple of days, but I was waiting for some fabric buttons that I ordered on etsy, as I knew that they would match the layout perfectly.

I always love the sketches that come out once a week on the Sketchy Thursdays blog, and the latest one was no exception!

The Sketch:

Close Up:

The lighting isn't the greatest, but the layouts are due today, and I thought that while Benji is sleeping, and Lily is at school I would get the photos taken. I always hate leaving it until later on in the day, because I usually always forget!

Details:

The papers, and doily are Kaiser (Bubblegum Hills), and that cute little girl button is from Yum Yum Buttons - I also got a few different sets of buttons, including some super cute retro kids playing, which I can't wait to use!!

Buffy has heaps of buttons in her store, and she's super nice to boot, so check her store out - as soon as pay day comes, I'll be buying some more....a scrapper can never have too many fabric buttons!!

Finally, she scraps!

2011-06-04T13:07:00.004+08:00

I haven't had much of a chance to scrap in the past couple of weeks, and then add that to the blogger problems I was having - means that my poor little blog, has been feeling rather neglected!

Bird is the Word - Sun/Sunshine:

I actually finished this layout a couple of weeks ago, but I wasn't able to login to my account to post it, and then today, it suddenly dawned on me that this challenge must be very close to being due....nothing like a last minute upload!

Enjoying the Arvo Sun:

Details:

A little bit of My Little Bit of Whimsy (the clouds), and some Lil' Red Rocket thrown in for good measure!

I also completed a layout, as part of the June Cybercrop at Chat with Charm. This is for challenge 2 - the sketch challenge.

We were given a list, of 5 different challenge blogs, and their current sketches, I chose to do the latest Inspired Blueprints sketch - #75.

The Sketch:

DJ Lily

I have always loved this photo of Lily as a baby - and right back when it was taken the nickname 'dj Lily' was coined, so it was nice to be able to finally scrap it.

I used the fantastic new range by Echo Park - dots and stripes (candy shoppe), and I am in LOVE!! I decided to only use the light/baby pink papers, and love how the layout turned out.

Some more Lil' Red Rocket, and a Purple Pumpkin small doily.

I've got another (almost finished) layout on my desk at the moment, so hopefully I will be back in a couple of days with that one.

A missed deadline

2011-05-26T15:12:00.001+08:00

I've had this layout finished, and photographed since last week, and I completely forgot to upload it!

It was for the June Guest DT spot over at Sketchy Thursdays (which it is obviously too late for).

My Everything:

Details:

That, cute little birdie bottle cap is from the lovely Mel. I have a few other different animals, and some cute little gnomes from the same set, I just have to remember to hide them from Lily (she now things that all my stuff is, her stuff!) The flower is from D'lish Scraps - I've had it in my stash forever, and was so glad to find that Lily hasn't yet claimed it!

I haven't managed to scrap anything since last week, Ian has been away for work for the past few nights, so my days and nights have been busy with the kids. Lily has taken to sleeping in my bed with me, and even though I keep telling her I'm sending her to her own bed, I secretly like having her with me (the kicks in the back, and stealing all the blankies, I could do without!)

Benjo

2011-05-20T16:40:00.000+08:00

When I was pregnant with Benji, he was never given a nickname, he was just called "the baby", and once we found he, was in fact a he, we started calling him Benji.

I will admit, that prior to finding out at my morphology scan that he was a boy, I secretly called him Gypsy a few times...the name we had chosen for him, had he been a girl.

Even when after he was born, he still didn't really have a nickname, until one day I was singing the B.I.N.G.O song to him, and it dawned on me that if I changed the "I" to an "E" and the "G" to a "J", I could still sing in the same tune, and at the same time it resembled Benji's name.

It's stuck, and now Lily and I can be heard multiple times a day calling him Benjo, instead of Benji.

The layout below, is based on sketch #120 at The Scrappiest. Here's the Sketch:

And Benjo was his Name-o

I changed the sketch a little bit, I rotated it to suit the portrait orientation of my photo, and I decided not to put in the small strip across the right hand side of the photo, but hopefully you can see the original sketch in there (if you squint, and tilt your head to the side LOL).

Details:

A few of my favourite embellies in there - the cute littla bunny button is from Purple Pumpkin, and the birdie pin is from My Little Bit of Whimsy.

I also used my dymo, but chose to run a piece of Kraft (I first saw this years and years ago, but it was a visit to Kerryn's blog that reminded me), cut to size through it instead of using tape - matched my layout perfectly, I will definitely be doing it again.

Recent Scrapping and a Sale

2011-05-19T10:12:00.000+08:00

The following layout of Lily is based on Creative Scrappers sketch #156 - at 4, Lily is such a bright little girl and constantly amazes us with the things that she knows, and the questions that she asks.

Wise beyond your years:

Details:

Used some beautiful embellishments from my favourite places - the doily is from Purple Pumpkin, and the bottlecap and pink bakers twine are from Lil' Red Rocket.

Now, a 'just because' layout. I have always envied the scrappers who use paint on their layouts, but was always a little scared to give it a go (why? I have no idea...maybe because it's messy and I'm a clean lines type-of-girl). Anyway armed with an old health insurance card, and some paint, I had a play.

I really love the simpleness of this layout - lets the focus be on the beautiful photo of my little man (not that he's this little anymore, this photo was taken when he was 15 days old, and he's now a happy and healthy 7 month old).

Details:

Another awesome "Lovely Lollipop" by Charm's Creations - I love these, and sadly I'm starting to run out...luckily there's a sale next week, so I'll be able to stock up again :)

Check out all the details, about the sale here - Charm's Creations.

Sketchy Thursdays 5.12

2011-05-18T13:46:00.002+08:00

Regular readers of my blog, or people who know/scrap with me are in for a bit of a shock...not only did I do a layout without any sign of my beloved Kraft (LOL) - it's a DOUBLE!!!

I've been hoarding this paper for a little while (which turned out to be more than a bit silly, because I can't buy it anymore, and I would ideally have liked another piece of the star background paper), and I thought that it went pretty well with the photos of Benji in his high chair having solids for the very first time.

The Sketch:

I stayed pretty true to the sketch, I just changed the direction of the scallops (mine point downwards), and I moved the position of the embellishments a little.

First Solids:

Click on the image for a larger view

I'm not sure why the smaller photos on the layout have come out looking a little darker than the rest?

Details:

Another Toot!!

2011-05-12T19:29:00.000+08:00

I was pleasantly surprised when I checked the Sketchy Thursday's blog to see if the new sketch was up (I can never work it out with the time difference) - to see that the winner had been announced from last weeks challenge.

Whilst I wasn't a winner, my layout was picked as one of the favourites !!!

It was for this layout:

Not sure why blogger is linking the words above the layout - but I can't seem to get rid of it!?!

A Toot

2011-05-11T14:04:00.001+08:00

Remember this layout:

From here:

(click the picture to be taken to the blog post about the challenge)

Well, it won!!!

To say I'm happy, is an understatement - I loved this layout as soon as I did it - not just because of the design, but also the meaning behind it, and for it to be chosen as the sketch of the month is amazing!!

Thank you to the lovely ladies over at Crafty Sketches.

Scrap the Boys

2011-05-10T17:59:00.001+08:00

This was my first time ever, playing over at Scrap the Boys - and I have to say it was a lot of fun. The challenge this month was to scrap a collection that a boy in your life has.

Given that Benji is only 7 months old, he doesn't collect too many things (apart from dummies LOL), but something that Ian has started collecting for him are ANGRY BIRDS plush toys. It's not really that much of a collection at the moment, as he only has two, but Ian has grand plans of buying him more!

Angry Birds:

Details:

The journalling reads:

In Kuala Lumpur, Daddy searched high & low, for these ANGRY BIRDS for you.

Although, I have a sneaky suspicion that - he's only pretending they're for you!!

That cute little ANGRY BIRD tag (which looks heaps more crinkled and bent in the photo, than it does in real life) is actually one of the swing tags that came on the toy. I made sure that I kept it, once it had been ripped off (I think that's how it got a little ruined - amongst the 55kg worth of crap that came back from KL with us...It's not as bad as it sounds, we went over with 30kg [for the 4 of us]).

The blue lollipop is another one of Charm's, and the air mail bakers twine is from my other favourite place - LRR.

Sketchy Thursday 5.5

2011-05-07T13:44:00.004+08:00

Another layout using MME - Stella and Rose (the Hattie collection), love, love, love this paper collection!

I used my monthly photo collage for April, and loved the clean, striking design, as it didn't overpower all the little photos.

The Sketch:

April:

I made the sketch a landscape 8.5x11 layout, and added an extra row of circles.

Details:

As always, I stuck the actual calendar page from the month of April on the back of the layout:

I love those Sugar Picks by Jillibean Soup - match the papers so well.

Bird is the Word

2011-05-07T09:04:00.003+08:00

Nothing like leaving things until the last minute!!

I saw the challenge over at Bird is the Word, was to use the word FOREVER on your layout, there was also a sketch that you could use as inspiration too, if you wished.

Since I normally run screaming from any sketch that has a circle on it (or I just ignore the circle component), I decided that for an extra challenge (to myself), I would use the sketch. But, you know what - I love the end result, it's one of my favourite layouts ever! No more shying away from circles on sketches from now on!!

Here's the sketch:

Forever Mine:

The grey under the Kraft, isn't a piece of grey cardstock, it's just the colour of the bricks at the front of my house - suits the layout though!

Details:

I used one each of my Lil' Red Rocket, retro boy and girl buttons, I think that they suited the layout perfectly, although I'm a little sad that I only have one boy and two girls left, hopefully Shell will have some more at the next sale.

May 123 Challenge

2011-05-04T18:34:00.007+08:00

This is the first time I have ever played along at 123 challenge - and I have no idea why it's taken me so long! It was so much fun, and I got to try things that I never would have otherwise!

For May, the criteria was:

Colour: RED

Word: FUN

Technique: HAND STITCHED TITLE

Waiting for You:

The Kraft background, didn't photograph very well - but out of the 7 photos I took, this was the closest to the actual colour. It was only the Kraft I had trouble with, all the other colours came out fine.

Detail Shots:

The journalling reads: The FUN part of setting up your nursery, was finished by early September - and then the waiting started.

Luckily, we knew that you would be born October 7th, so we didn't have to wait too long for you.

That cute little boy button is from, one of my favourite places ever...LIL RED ROCKET. I actually had this layout sitting on my desk, and was waiting for my parcel from the last sale to arrive, as I knew that this button would be perfect.

In true Tamara style the 'you' in the title is a little wonky (the 'Y' isnt quite on the edge of the paper, but I think that if I put a teeny tiny extra stitch in there, it might make it worse?), but I've come to expect that from myself!

In case anyone's wondering - Benji's nursery no longer looks like that - it's still pretty clean, but as was to be expected... a lot more blue, has crept it's way in there!

Show us your stuff - April Challenge #2

2011-04-29T15:30:00.007+08:00

I had these papers and the photo laying around on my scrap desk (I accidentally printed the photo without a border for my 365 Project album, and since the rest of the photos have a border, I decided not to include it in the album until it's reprinted...I'm a bit anal like that!)

I remembered seeing that the latest challenge at Show us your stuff, was about buttons - and since I had just gotten a whole heap of Purple Pumpkin buttons, and some Lovely Lollipops by Charms Creations, I had plenty of buttons to play along with!

My Favourite Ink:

The title isn't standing out that much in the photo, IRL it's much easier to see/read.

The flash mark in the photo, is actually in the photo (I took that selfie about an hour after I had Benji's name added to my wrist, so it was all shiny from rubbing nappy rash cream into it).

Details:

The second shipping tag actually has some hidden journalling on it (a rarity for me!), and it reads:

Dear Lily and Benji, I promise that no matter what, I will love you both forever.

I even have the tattoos to prove it.

Love Mummy

A Just Because Layout

2011-04-28T08:38:00.006+08:00

I really wanted to use this photo of Lily (it's another one from the Grandie's shoot with Rebecca Henderson), so the other day I pulled out a few bits and pieces and got creating.

Precious:

That pink spotty paper, is my favourite paper ever, it's an old October Afternoon, so Im not sure if I will be able to get it anymore (insert sad face, here).

Details:

It really is just a mixure of old stuff that I found when I (finally!!) cleaned up my scrap room - I guess I should actually keep my room clean, then I wouldn't lose stuff all the time!

Also in other exciting news, I got my package of Charm's LOVELY LOLLIPOPS - they actually would have arrived here last week, but because of all the public holidays, they only arrived yesterday. I haven't had a chance to play with yet...hopefully tonight!!

If you haven't already checked them out here's a link....CLICK. She's actually having her first ever sale tomorrow (Friday 29/04) night, the link above has all the details.

Giveaway time at Lovelybug Bits n Bobs

2011-04-27T18:10:00.003+08:00

Check it out HERE!

Stuck?! April 15th Sketch

2011-04-25T20:20:00.005+08:00

Lily and I had a scrappy morning today, I managed to complete two layouts, and she managed to trash (my newly cleaned and re-organised) scrap room - doesn't matter, we had fun in the process :)

I've had this photo, and these papers paired up for over a year (the papers came from an old What is Old is New kit, that I bought way back in 2009 sometime). So I figured, now was as good a time as any to actually do something with them.

The Sketch:

My Layout:

You would think, that given it's already an 8.5x11 sketch, that I would have left it alone, but nope - I still have to change it a little bit - sorry girls!

That's a photo of my parents at their engagement party, in you guessed it....1978! It's hard to imagine that my Dad ever had that much hair! LOL

Details:

Another little feltie that I made, using a Purple Pumpkin mini doily.

Stuck?! April 1st Sketch

2011-04-24T12:55:00.005+08:00

I have had this sitting around on my desk for a while, but only just remembered to photograph it - whoops!

I loved the April 1st Stuck?! sketch when I saw it, and knew it would be perfect for my March photo collage. I stayed pretty true to the sketch, and it's simple (even for me), but with so many little photos, I don't want to clutter the page up too much.

Here's the Sketch:

My take on it:

Close ups:

That little Malaysia button, is actually a cheap little pin that I picked up at a tourist-y type shop the day before we left. I got a pack of 10 for RM20 (about $6.20AUD), see told you they were cheap! I almost wasn't going to buy them, but then my sister suggested that they would be good for my scrapping - Im glad that she suggested it. It's nice to have a little bit of Malaysia on my layouts.

Give away time at Charms Creations

2011-04-21T20:13:00.008+08:00

Charm is having a giveaway of her awesome Lollipop Flowers - click HERE to check it out.

Crafty Sketches - April Sketch

2011-04-21T18:02:00.010+08:00

For my parents birthdays (they are born on the 30th, and the 31st March - 5 years apart) - which were while we were all in Kuala Lumpur (that's one reason I have been so slack in updating my blog), I booked them a photoshoot, so that they could some photos taken with Lily and Benji, and presented them with a voucher that a friend had made up specially for them.

The Voucher:

Shameless plug for the photographer....click!

As soon as I got the photos back and I saw this photo, and I knew what the layout had to be about, and the sketch at Crafty Sketches was perfect!

Dad, and Benji have a special bond - not just because I named Benji after him (Benji's middle name is Roman after my Dad), but they truly do have a special connection. Benji is only a little over 6 months old, and one of the few people that he recognises is Dad - which is surprising, given that Dad works FIFO and is only home for a week at a time, every 4 weeks.

Mało Roman i Duży Roman -

the title is in Polish, and translates to Little Roman and Big Roman:

Details:

I made those little 'felties' myself - they are actually fun to make, and at least I can get embellies for my layouts that match perfectly. I'm sure that more will be appearing on my layouts in the near future.

The doilies in the clusters came from Purple Pumpkin.