A few challenge layouts

Just a few challenge layouts to share today. First up I have my layout for The Color Room Color Palette #3.

I tipped the sketch on it's side and created a little window cut-out. This made it really hard to photograph though! LOL

Paper: Basic Grey, Kaisercraft
Other: DCWV chipboard, Basic Grey alphabet stickers, Carolee's Creations Adorn-It alphas

I had actually made another layout for this challenge but then I went and messed it all up with a black pen :( When will I learn lol Just imagine it without the black scribble and it looks much much nicer :D

Paper: Bazzill Cardstock, Lace cardstock for masking ( I think it was KI Memories?)

Other: Glimmermist, Fancy Pants rubon, Prima Flowers, Basic Grey Chip Alphas, Dimensional Magic, Making Memories Noteworthy Diecut, Kaiser Rhinestones and Pearls, unknown ribbons

This last layout was soooo quick. I guess you can tell that though just by looking at it LOL Still, I do quite like the simple-ness of it (is that even a word?!) Again though, I had trouble getting a good photo of the layout. It looks kind of washed out here where in real life the black is very black and the green is very green if you know what I mean?!! The April Ebony & Ivory challenge at Challenge Heaven was black or white with lime green and circles...

Paper: Bazzill Cardstock

Other: Prima Flowers, Kaiser rhinestones, Basic Grey Cardstock Alphas, Scenic Route Cardstock stickers, Kaiser Paint

Now that I have updated here I am off to clean this house (again) Have a wonderful weekend everyone and I will be back next week with more scrappy shares.

Luv Kirsti xoxo

Wahooo... mojo is in the house :D

 I've been scrapping my little heart out this week and I am soooo happy about it. I have missed this. The relaxation... the time to just sit and be quiet while I create something that is just me. I love putting my heart on a page. It's great therapy ;) But like so many people, when I am stressed or things are not going so well my mojo runs away. This time I think it packed a bag and went on a round the world trip... it was gone that long! Mojo... I missed you!

I finally used these 7 Gypsies papers I have had for soooo long. And I used this gorgeous photo my sister Nat took of her son Jake that I have had for a year. I've always wanted to scrap it but never had the layout for it. Until now.... andI must say I'm pretty pleased with it. I normally don't do boy layouts. In fact, I am a wee bit scared of them so the feeling of accomplishment I got from this layout is pretty darned good.

Paper: Bazzill Cardstock, 7 Gypsies

Other: Tim Holtz Distress Inks, unknown velvet ribbon, American Crafts Thickers, Dimensional Magic, Making Memories Tiny Alphas, Collections Ornamental Transparency

So that was a 'just cos' layout. These next couple are challenge layouts for Challenge Heaven. The first one is a scraplift challenge. We had to choose a layout from the CH gallery to lift and after hours of searching for 'the one' I settled on Ann-Marie's 'A Special Love' layout. I love her digi work and have wanted to paper-ise one of her layouts for so long.

Paper: Basic Grey

Other: Basic Grey Cardstock stickers, Prima Vine, Prima Flowers, Kaiser Pearls, Kaiser Rhinestones, Prima Ribbon, Dimensional Magic, lace trim

This next one I am not sure if I like. It was for the Cybercrop Puzzle Pieces Challenge. It certainly looks nothing like I imagined it...

Paper: American Crafts

Other: Fancy Pants Felt, Heidi Grace Transparent thingies, Cherry charms

And then we have what has kept me busy today... and caused me to create a big mess!! ScrapBoutique have a HUGE competition going at the moment so go check out the forum for info. The first weeks postcard is from Italy and we drew inspiration from the 'letter' on the postcard aswell as the photos. As soon as I saw the pics I knew the layout had to be elegant with rich colours and touches of gold and black. Now when I say I made a mess... I mean it. I decided to try gold leafing for the first time. Hmm... would help if I turned off the ceiling fans in future! The leafing is so super light and fragile that the fans blew it all over the place!!! Ooops! But I had fun and I like the final result :D

Paper: Bella, DCWV, old music page

Other: Petaloo Flowers, Prima Leaves, Prima Flowers, Prima Crystal Glitter Spray, Tim Holtz Grungeboard, Making Memories Ribbon, Bella Paper Ribbon, K&Co key and clock charms, Basic Grey Brads, Basic Grey Rubon, Delish Rubons, Tim Holtz Distress Inks, gold leafing

Ok well that is it from me for now. I am going to go and finish tidying up a bit before hubby gets home for the weekend. I do a good job of pretending to be a good housewife LOL Have a great weekend everyone and for those Aussies out there, I hope you have a great Anzac day filled with pride at being Australian. I know I will.

Luv Kirsti xoxo

Good To Be Scrapping!

After so long without scrapping it feels simply glorious to finally be getting back into it. It helps that there are some great challenges out there at the moment to inspire me too. So instead of boring you with my ramblings, I will just share a couple of layouts I've made the last few days.

First we have Palette #2 up on The Color Room. OMG... what a challenge this one was! I went through my 3cropper hoppers and 4 pizza boxes of papers and had not one single patterned paper with the right shade of blue... or anything close to it! I had resigned myself to trying to do a digi layout when I remembered the blue flowers. Saved! Phew... so here is the second palette and my take on it. 

 

 

 Papers: Basic Grey, SEI, Making Memories

Other: Making Memories Journalling Book, Basic Grey Micro-Chip Alphas, Carolee's Creations Adorn-It Alphas, Prima Flowers, Prima Butterfly, Basic Grey Rubon, Kaiser Pearls, Dimensional Magic, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Glimmermist

 

It's a bit hard to tell but I had some fun adding the dimensional magic to the rose to try and make it look like dewdrops. I think it kinda worked LOL :)

These next challenges are all for Challenge Heaven. 

This first one is my second attempt at the Word Challenge. Criteria was to use the word 'Relax' in the title and some paint effects.

Paper: Bazzill Swiss Dot Cardstock, MME, Basic Grey

Other: Prima Flowers, Making Memories Diecut, Kaiser Rhinestones, Hambly Overlay, MME Diecut, American Crafts Thickers, Kaiser Paint, cheapie stickers

The flourishes on here are actually some cheapie gold laser cut stickers that I came across a while back. Don't they look just like the Basic Grey Heart Swashes!?! Anyway, I simply coloured them with a black permanent marker because I didn't like them gold.

Next we have the sketch challenge for Challenge Heaven... a great sketch from Inspired Blueprints. And I have also used some more of one of the kits from Scrapbooking From Scratch :D

Paper: Bazzill Swiss Dots Cardstock, Scribble Scrabble

Other: Carolee's Creations Adorn-It Alphas, American Crafts Thickers Alpha, Pink Paislee Alpha Stickers, K&Co Ribbon, Fiskars Border Punch

And the last layout is for one of the CyberCrop challenges at Challenge Heaven. This was a photo/colour inspiration challenge. We had to use chocolate brown with one other colour from the photo.

 Papers: Basic Grey, K&Co

Other: Prima Flowers, Making Memories Brads, Basic Grey Alpha Stickers, Making Memories Journaling Book, Tim Holtz Distress Ink

 

 And that's about it for now. I am going to pry myself off my computer chair and get all this housework out of the way so I can get stuck into a few other challenges :D 

Luv Kirsti xoxo

Scrappity-doo-dah Day

Well I've had a very scrappy day today. I scanned some old photos last night and had a play with editing them a little because they weren't exactly the nicest quality and I've just had the urge to get stuck into scrapping them! This first layout is for the April Theme Challenge at Challenge Heaven. The challenge criteria were to use handcutting and the theme learning. I handcut the butterflies, the fairy and some of the flowers from the gorgeous Websters Paper.

The photos are of me with Rachelle back in 2001 when she was just a teeny tiny bubba. I miss those baby days with both my girls. :( It was such a steep learning curve for me back then. I thought I was so grown up having a baby at 20 but in reality, I was still so young myself. I've made mistakes along the way but I think what matters most is that I love her with everything I am. It will be my love she remembers later in life, not the mistakes.Websters Pages Paper, Making Memories Notebook, Prima Flowers, Kaiser rhinestones, Prima Decorative Tape, American Crafts Thickers, Glimmermist, lace trim, $2 shop flower sprig thingy
The next two layouts are using some more of the kits from Scrapbooking From Scratch. The count for this kit is 4 layouts, 3 cards and still more product left! :-0

This layout is another one I have made for the challenges over at Challenge Heaven. The word challenge for April was to use the word 'relax' in your title... and I have just realised the criteria was to use paint effects too!! Ooops... forgot that part. Oh well, now this layout is a just-because layout :D LOL

Thanks for popping by! I do have a favour to ask though of anyone who has actually read this far... apparently I had problems with the comment box last week. Would someone please be able to leave a comment so I know if it is working? And no... it's not some ploy to get comments, I promise ;)

Bye for now... I'm off to ignore my housework and pretend my kids aren't trying to kill eachother and scrap some more. ;)
Luv Kirsti xx

New Challenge Site

I came across this fantastic new challenge site in my blog-stalking travels this morning. It's called The Color Room and has an uber-talented design team from all over the world with lots of inspiration. Basically, each challenge will draw inspiration from a photo and you must create an item using the colours in the palette. There is also a bonus sketch that you can use to guide you. But wait there is still more... the site will have tutorials and videos to inspire everyone also!!! Well worth a look ;)

The very first challenge is up and closes on the 16th April. Here it is....Well I couldn't help myself with those colours and had to get scrapping straight away. Out the window went the good housework intentions... I got the scrappin bug and nothing was going to stop me :D

Basic Grey Papers, Making Memories Papers, Making Memories Spiral Notebook, Fiskars Border Punch, Basic Grey Cardstock Stickers, American Crafts Thickers, Prima Flowers, Making Memories Brad, Kaiser Pearls and Rhinestones, Prima felt stems, Carolee's Creations Alpha Stickers, trim

Ok so now that I have scratched that Scrapping itch, I had better go and finish my housework. Hope you all have a lovely weekend

Luv Kirsti xx

Easter fun and scrappy goodness

Wow isn't this year just flying by?! I cannot believe Easter has just been... it feels like only last month was Christmas.

Last week I had the great idea to repaint Rachelle's bedroom. I figured I had a few days of school left and would have plenty of time to get it done before the kids started holidays. Pffft... yeah right! Her room is still half done... the walls and ceiling have been painted. But the trim, skirting and cupboards are still sitting there half done making me feel awfully guilty. I guess I should get back into the painting this week and get it finished. Tomorrow... yeah, that can be a tomorrow job.

We had a quiet easter here. The Easter Bunny came and hid some eggs for the girls. They had a great time finding the not-so-sneakily hid eggs on Sunday Morning. Easter Bunny must have been really tired when he hid them ;) We took the kids for a drive after that with my niece Ebony. A nice day out on the river sounded great so we drove and we drove... and we drove a bit more til we got to the Dunham Bridge about 90kms away. It was worth it though... nice shallow water and lots of fun for the kids. I took a stack of photos but will only pop a few on here. Ashlea found an old-lady walking stick that she just would not let go of. When her daddy asked her what she had it for she just looked at him and matter of factly said "So I keep my balance and don't fall over". Come on Dad... surely you knew that! PML
And of course Rachelle and Ebony had to have their old-lady walking sticks too lol. These two had a great time exploring the riverbeds while I was constantly looking around for any signs of crocodiles hehe. I snapped this pic of them as we were getting ready to leave. Don't you just love the essential footwear - gladiator sandals!!! LOL Oh and I didn't spot any crocs either ;)
So yesterday I had a slack day around the house. I decided to get stuck into another of the kits from Scrapbooking From Scratch and got three layouts done. Fantastic for me since my scrapping has drastically slowed down!!! Hoping to use the rest of the kit maybe later today.

This layout is forthe monthly sketch over at Scrapbooking From Scratch using the 'Scribble Scrabble Nana's Trunk' Kit. I'm not exactly sure who the photo is of... I think it was one of my Nana's old photos. Looking at it I kind of wonder if maybe it's the Queen? Is that silly? lol I'm hoping my mum might know and solve the mystery for me.
The papers in the kit made me think of my Nana who passed in November. This layout was so very difficult for me. The photo is the last photo of Nana and was taken in October when we popped in to see her on our way back up here. Oh how I wish I had known it would be the last time I saw her. I could have stayed longer. I would have hugged her longer and told her more that I loved her.

here is the second layout I made from the kit.... my favourite at the moment.



Well that's it for now. I guess I had better go and find something to entertain these girls. I don't know why kids look forward to the school holidays so much when they are soooo bored in the first few days!

Take care
Luv Kirsti xoxo