What to do on a Cold Winter's Day?

Create, of course! This mini album was made from one sheet of 12x12" paper (except that I found out after I assembled it that the paper was a little shy of 12" - it still worked out and I'm not going to tell you where it went wrong and how I covered it). Here's the link to the site where I got pictures and instructions from: http://papervinenz.blogspot.com/2011/01/baby-mini-album-plus-tutorial-day-3.html

Scotties crafts is having a challenge where the theme is: use paper from your stash that is at least a year old - I've got plenty of that! I used a piece of paper from K&Co which is definitely more than a year old (but still good). I also used some K&Co tags and rub-ons, My Minds Eye papers and [old] expoxy stickers for the inside pages. My trusty photo corner punch got a workout as well - have you noticed how often I use it on my layouts? I decided to use the mini album I made and use pictures from our day at San Diego Zoo. I'm a fan of mini photos so off I trotted to Harvey Normans to save money on photo developing only to walk out with an external hardrive as well - hmmmm, how did that happen?

Here's the link to the Scotties challenge page: http://scottiecraftsnz.blogspot.com/2011/07/july-challenge-finally.html

A Card and A Freebie

Let's hope the recipient of this card isn't blog hopping, but then again, she is turning two so I think it's safe to share. My original idea was simply an excuse to use the [new-to-my-stash] mini rosette die from Tim Holtz with a large #2 in the middle. I remembered that the recipient is mad on ducks at the moment and is having a duck theme birthday - boy, I really hope she isn't reading this! I looked at all my punches and discovered that, although I have many of them, not one of them was a ducky. I knew none of my cricut cartridges had a duck on it because the Mum had already asked me (for the invites I think). I was pretty sure that amongst my entire stash I would find at least one thing ducky - and I did (while searching in my Girl/Boy/Childhood box for the base patterned paper - I knew I had that!). Unfortunately ducky was too big for the mini rosette so it had to be hand cut down to size (too thick for EK Success scallop circle punch it turns out!). I guess that means I have to buy the standard rosette size die now, right? Ducky also had the word "baby" on it which I didn't think Miss Two would like but luckily I could stick with my original intention of putting #2 on it strategically placed to cover most of the offending word.

Now, for the freebie. While I was blog hopping yesterday I came across a link for a scrapbook and card magazine website. The magazine is published for the Canadian and US market but international viewers can download the magazine in its entirety for free!

Here's the link: http://www.scrapbookandcards.com/

Enjoy!

New Sites Added

It seems that I check my favourite sites on my lunch break through my blog. I have now added more sites to the right simply to make it easier for me to indulge my addiction without having to sign in to my blog (and therefore avoiding feeling guilty for not posting). I did see a great mini album idea on the Artfull Crafts site which I menat to have a go at last night but I got distracted by 'researching' on Joann.com ;)

Final SENZ Layout

Remember that box of goodies I showed you last month? Well, here's another layout that I whipped up with the contents. It sat on my desk for weeks and I couldn't seem to get it right but now it's done, I am more happy with it than I expected. The photo doesn't do it justice but it has a real deep richness to it and when the light hits all the bronzed and glittered bits, it glows. The photo corners and the flower got a dose of Zing Glitter Embossing powder to match the bronze trim from the box (German Scraps?). The Journal Spot (place for my own photo when I eventually get to Italy myself) and some of the cut-out embellishments were all popped up with foam dots. I got to play with the Tim Holtz resist kraft paper and spray inks. I even got to use some new Spellbinders dies to cut the trim (not that I am admitting to having bought more stuff ;) Keep an eye out for it at Fiona's stand at SENZ next weekend: Create.

PS the photos of Italy came from a free photo website: www.freefoto.com

That's the legal bits out of the way then!

Im Bored So You Get A Blog Post Today

It's really boring being home sick so I am filling in my time by blogging and catching up on my own blog-hopping. Lots of ideas make me want to scrap but not feeling up to it. I have had a layout sitting on my desk for weeks (no exaggeration). I just can't seem to get it 'just right'. Seems I have forgotten my 'just glue it down' philosophy but it is a design for someone else which will be on show at SENZ. Only one week to go till SENZ (I better be better by then!). Sadly I missed out on booking into the class I wanted to do but I will just have to console myself with shopping instead.

It was my Dad's birthday this month so here's the card he got. I meant to photograph the inside before I wrote the sentiment but I forgot. I am really happy with this card. I added clear OHT to the bottom of the trimmed card front so that it could still stand up on its own. The blue felt trim was a last minute addition and I was worried that it wouldn't work with the green but I think it turned out great! He liked it and that's the main thing.

I am submitting this card and post to the latest challenge at Southern Girls Challenge site:

http://southerngirlschallenge.blogspot.com/

The challenge was: anything goes! (Lucky for me, eh ;)

Ta Da!

Still having trouble with blogger but I managed to get one blog post posted - let's try for another.

Here's the layout I created from the goodies from Create for Create. As usual things didn't go smoothly. The ink on the word memories matched the burgundy trim perfectly, that is, until I added Glass Finish to it! The beautiful, matching burgundy faded to a paler shade of red. Then, my favourite glue (Pritt Power Gel) ran out right when I needed to glue the plastic/chipboard bits down {while nearing a personal deadline too}. I had to use the same glass finish to attach the chipboard and the buttons. This is a great tip/glue for using on buttons/plastic but not so good on my Glass Finish Chipboard word - the ink ran, again, and became more orange then red. O well , still looks good and I am happy with the overall layout - it could work with any two landscape 4x6 photos.

The torn out strips are backed with printed tissue tape. To strengthen the torn out sections of the page while still retaining the opacity of the tissue paper I backed the torn bit with heavy acetate.

I had a lot of fun distressing everything - a new technique for me. It did feel a little unnerving using the Heidi Swapp Distresser, inking everything heavily and tearing! It was more nerve-racking because I was creating it for someone and it was going on display. At least, whenever I felt I had overdone it I could shrug it off and call it distressed!

Look What Arrived....

This little package from Fiona @ Create arrived a week ago but this is the first time I have been able to blog and load a picture of the goodies - thanks Blogger Update! I have been having difficulties publishing posts from the laptop since I upgraded Outlook and have to publish them from work. Let's hope this works today or you will have to wait, again, until Monday.

I have already completed a layout from the pack using some pics from my trip to Ireland in 2009. I took a picture of it today to load to the blog but, go figure, my watermarking software had a hissy fit and froze! Grrrr, times like these I really dislike not being tech savvy!!!

Fingers crossed.....