Good morning...welcome back to Scrapbookit's Christmas Challenge month!

I'm still pinching myself trying to work out where this year has gone...it is so crazy!

I'm just loving our challenge this month...I have so many great Christmas photos. It's always a nice feeling to scrap Christmas layouts...lots of great moments and memories.

Jane has set us a fantastic challenge this month for Christmas.

Criteria for the challenge is as follows:

*Create a Christmas layout

*Use the name of a Christmas Carol somewhere on the page

*Use some fabric OR tissue paper on the page

*Use white cardstock as the background

*Include a star, Christmas tree and a bauble on the page

It is a great challenge, thanks Jane!

Here is my layout...

I have used the gorgeous Simple Stories Classic Christmas collection. This is such a gorgeous collection. It has two cardstock sticker sheets, 12x12 papers and lots of different journalling card elements.

I started with a white piece of cardstock, some Colour Blast Colour Paste in Bling and the Kaisercraft Fading Dots 12 x 12 Designer Template. The template has larger dots at the bottom, however, I didn't want anything too large so kept to the finer dots in the background by just using the top section of the template.

I knew from the beginning that I was going to us the Christmas Carol "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" ~ I love this carol and it was perfect for my photo. It was also one of the journaling cards in the collection. I combined a couple of smaller journaling cards for the other side of the photo!

The baubles are gorgeous...unfortunately the photo doesn't quite highlight the beautiful gold stars and detail on the baubles.

I have used some black tissue paper in the background behind the patterned papers and have trimmed the papers with a gold paper to tie in the gold highlights in the patterned paper and the Colour Blast paste.

I also used some Uniquely Creative Washi Tape under the photo.

Whilst I had a rather large title with my Christmas Carol title...I just used the matching stickers from the Simple Stories collection to highlight the year.

My little Christmas tree is also a sticker from the Simple Stories collection. I have added a star from the Cocoa Vanilla - You Rock Wood Veneers which I have painted with the Colour Blast Colour Paste in Bling.

Well, I have loved creating this layout. This Simple Stories collection is gorgeous, so easy to use and so many different ways to use it.

I hope that you are going to join us this month for our Christmas Challenge.

Be sure to get your entries in by the 30th.

Happy Preparing for Christmas!

~Mel x~

So Much Fun!!!

Good Afternoon Everyone!

Welcome to November, and my first post for this month. I can't believe we are only a month and a half away from Christmas...I'm not sure where this year has gone!!! It is crazy!

Jo has set an awesome challenge this month...

Fun

Flowers

Five embellishments

The photo that I have used is a funny one of Jo, Anne and I at the Cocoa Vanilla Retreat in Coffs Harbour in May. We had a sensational time...and have made so many beautiful new friends (can't wait to see them in May 2019!) 

By the way HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Jo (for yesterday)! 

We all hope you had a wonderful day and were spoilt rotten!

Here is what I have come up with this month....it's a very busy layout!!!!!

As you may be aware all of the DT are using the papers by Creative PL. Such a bright funky collection...perfect for fun photos!

I actually started this layout by cutting out on my Silhouette Cameo the flower cut file and then backed each petal of the flowers with one of the patterned papers. This took forever...but I love how it turned out.

Then I started on my background...I needed to make it busy so that the theme of fun was created in my project. Just the black cardstock was a good background but it wasn't lively enough for the theme!

I started with the Kaisercraft template which has lots of tiny little dots, it is called Spotty. I used this with the Heidi Swapp Metallic Texture Paste in Teal and Pink.

I then added some Colour Blast Paste in Envy through the template Epi de ble by Carabelle Studio and finished with Colour Blast Paste in Lipstick through the Darkroom Door Polka Dots Template.

It was important between each of these layers to let them completely dry. I then used some watered down white paint to splatter.

I used a variety of the patterned papers behind the photos and then used a black patterned paper to matt. I also matted the photos in one of the black patterned papers.

I created a little pocket for my journaling tag behind the patterned papers. 

So I have, 

1. Fun ~ my photos are definitely fun and I have used the Heidi Swapp Puffy Stickers for the 'So Much Fun' title.

2. Flowers ~ I think I have this one in the bag!

3. Five Embellishments ~ 

* Chipboard - several pieces -  #happydays by Dusty Attic, Chipboard bracket from my stash; 2 Crafty Chipboard Circles Set 2 - Laugh circle

*Sequins from the Cocoa Vanilla Love Always Bits and Pieces 

* Flair by Just Add Flair

*Scrap FX Silhouettes - circles

*Cotton mesh - coloured with Tim Holtz Distress Oxide

Apologies about my photos...it didn't matter what I did today...they just haven't turned out so well!

Well, I hope that you have enjoyed my post today and that I have given you some inspiration to help with your challenge entry this month. Make sure you share it with us for your chance to win a Scrapbookit Voucher...this close to Christmas who wouldn't want to be grabbing themselves some freebies!!

Be sure to check back into the blog over the coming weeks and see what else Jo and Jane have been creating and I will be back later in the month to share with you another project.

Happy Scrapping!

~Melx~

Girly Afternoon!

Well, spring has sprung and even though it isn't saying it on the temperature gauge it definitely feels much warmer!

I am here today to share with you my take on Jane's fantastic September challenge.

The challenge is to take inspiration from the mood board; to use the word LOVE somewhere on your project; use a mixed media element and do some fussy cutting.

For my project I have been inspired by the flowers, butterflies and the aqua colour.

Here is what I came up with...

I love this photo of these two great ladies and I on their last visit. We had a lovely afternoon visiting some of the wineries and tourist places in the area.

I have used the gorgeous paper collection by 49 and Market 'Vintage Artistry'...a very user-friendly collection. I started with one of the patterned papers, the Distress Oxide 'Old Paper' and a Kaisercraft template 'Roses' to add some interest.

I then added some Heidi Swapp Metallique Texture Paste 'Teal' through the template. This is my mixed media element and the colour from the mood board.

I layered some pattern papers behind the photo and embossed one piece using the Kaisercraft Embossing Folder - Tiny Roses.

I also added some clear doilies that I had in my collection.

I then went to work on the posy of flowers at the bottom of my layout.

I have fussy cut flowers from the 49 and Market papers and I have also used the Uniquely Creative metal dies 'Bloom Outlines Die.'

I painted some of the die blooms with Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint in 'Light Patina' and 'Vintage Rose'

A couple of stickers from my stash and the layout is complete.

I hope that you have enjoyed looking at my layout today - cannot wait to see your entries this month...

~Mel~

You're Out of this World

Goodmorning Mel here to share another couple of projects for this month's challenge!

I have LOVED using this Echo Park - Imagine That paper collection.

And for someone who isn't a fan of green I have definitely challenged myself with the two layouts I have to share with you today!

I have continued with the challenge requirements today ~ Get inspiration from the word 'Imagine'!

Here is my first layout...

I started with a piece of Coredinations cardstock in Navy. It has been a while since I have used anything other than white.
I watered down some white acrylic paint and splattered it around my background to give it a "spacey" effect.

I layered blocks and strips of patterned paper to create this page ensuring that I kept the words 'Imagine' and 'Super Hero' in the green paper exposed. I have elevated the photos and the "You're Out of this World" journaling card.

 

I love everything about this paper collection, however, my two favourites are the element stickers and the featured journaling cards. These cards are so easy to use and are a quick and easy option for creating featured sections on your project. I am not a big 'Project Life' creator but love using these as features on my layouts.

I finished my layout with some element stickers and some white gel pen borders and journalling. I love how this layout turned out in the end!

When creating this layout "You're Out of this World" I had some other great photos of this same time that I wanted to use however I didn't want to create a 12x12 layout...so I tried my hand at a 9x12 layout...

I started with a wash of the "Fresh Lime" Dylusions Paint on some white cardstock.

I then used some Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint "Metallique Rusty Red" through the Darkroom Door Small Stencil "Arty Hexagons" randomly around the background.

I layered some of the gorgeous Echo Park "Imagine That" papers.

I have used one of the journaling cards from this collection which I have trimmed to use as my title 'Awesome'.

I have a couple of other words...possible subtitles...Love This - a Kaisercraft Wooden Embellishment from the 'Today' pack.

I have also used the "Imagine That" which can be found on the edge of the Echo Park paper collection papers.

I also added some American Crafts Remarks Alpha Stickers 'Playtime' from my stash to create the journaling on the page.

I finished with a hand-drawn border and some script writing.

I hope that you have found some inspiration from my projects today. All products featured can be found at Scrapbookit. 

Only a couple of days to get your entry in for this months challenge ~ what would you spend your winning voucher on???

Have a great weekend!
~ Mel ~

Imagine That!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Mel here on the blog today to share with you my first project for this months challenge.

It is a fantastic challenge...so open ended ~ you can take it wherever you would like it to go!

My layout features...a cheeky 3 year old (who is now 13 😲!!!) and the gorgeous Echo Park 'Imagine That!' Collection. 

Here is my layout...

I started with some Kaisercard 'Coconut' and decided that I needed to create a background with the colours from the paper collection but also leaving plenty of white space!

I used the Darkroom Door Small Stencil 'Arty Hexagons' with several different paints:

* Jo Sonja's Orange (from my stash)

*Dylusions - Calypso Teal and Fresh Lime

*Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint - Metallique Rusty Red

*Navy - a mix of old acrylic paints (from my stash); I also used this to splatter a little paint in the background

*Vicki Boutin - Acrylic Paints - Daiquiri Ice

Once dry, I used my Uniball Signo Broad white pen to doodle a little outline on each hexagon.

 

Now one of my favourite things about this gorgeous boy themed collection from Echo Park is that it has a variety of 'project life style' cards that you can cut apart and use. I used these in a couple of different ways. 

Firstly, I used the card "Imagination" as a focal point/subtitle on my page.

I also used another as a pocket and then another for my hidden journalling card.

Whilst I complete a lot of layouts with minimal journalling...I do see this as such an important part of the memory keeping process. When I do journal a lot you will often find it hidden in a pocket! A really cool way to include journalling.

I love the element sticker from the Echo Park collection "Today I will be...." featured on the pocket. It was perfect for my photo!

Actually, I love all of the little element stickers from this collection.

I have finished off my layout with the Dusty Attic Chipboard Blueprint ~ Imagine!

I painted this with the mix of Navy paint that I used in the background. I then splattered it with the gorgeous Art Alchemy Acrylic Paint - Metallique Rusty Red and the Vicki Boutin - Daiquiri Ice Acrylic Paint.

I just love that each of us in the Design Team have used this chipboard however each of us have recoloured it in such different ways!

I also finished off with the quote from the inspiration board...'Everything you can imagine is real'

That's as easy as it is this month! 

I love these inspiration board challenges...so much flexibility!!
We would love you to join in with us (check out the requirements in the right column of this blog)...you have until August 30 to get your entries in for your chance to win a Scrapbookit Voucher to spend in store!

Just imagine...with that voucher you could purchase all of these gorgeous goodies I have used this month in my project!

Happy Scrapping!
~Mel~

So Special!

Welcome to Scrapbookit!

I'm here today with you to share my next project for this month.

Have you seen the challenge that I have set this month???

It is such a fun challenge and I would really love it if you could play along. 

All you need to do is:

1. Use the Page Maps sketch (see below)

Include each of the following Grab 5 requirements in your project.

1. A mixed media product

2. Stickers

3. Embellishments - flowers, stars, hearts...

4. Fibre - cotton/thread/ribbon/twine...

5. A household item to create texture - bubble wrap, dishwashing sponge, napkins.

You can enter your project on our Facebook page, via the Inlinkz link here on the blog or email to Jo at joannecaird@gmail.com

Entries close July 30!

Here is another project from me this month using the gorgeous Welcome to Spring by Simple Stories paper collection!

A very special layout of my gorgeous Aunty (who is no longer with us) meeting my baby boy!

It has taken some time to find the right paper collection to use however I think this collection is just perfect!

Whilst I haven't followed the sketch I have used some of the Grab 5 requirements.

1. A mixed media product ✅

2. Stickers ✅

3. Embellishments - flowers, stars, hearts... ✅

4. Fibre - cotton/thread/ribbon/twine...

5. A household item to create texture - bubble wrap, dishwashing sponge, napkins.

I started by using some Finnabair Art Alchemy Metallic Paint in Light Patina and Vintage Rose in the background randomly to add some colour to the patterned paper. I then added some of the patterned papers from the Simple Stories collection, Welcome to Spring.

I have created a little embellishment feature using stickers from the Welcome to Spring collection as well as a gorgeous flower, I love how this cluster embellishment has come together.

I have used some stickers from the collection and have also used the title "So Special" using some of Cocoa Vanilla's previous alpha stickers from the collection 'Free Spirit.'

                                               

Again on this layout, I have used a lot of little stickers around my layout. That is the best thing about receiving collection packs, the stickers are generally amazing!!

I really love how this layout came together and ended up!!

I have also created a quick little card using this collection...

Well, I hope there is something here that inspires you to get crafty today!

Look forward to seeing what you create and share/enter with us this month.

Happy Scrapping!

Mel

The 2 of Us

Good morning Everyone!

Many thanks for joining us here at Scrapbookit.

Today I am here to share with you my take on Jane's June Challenge.

Have you seen the requirements?

It is such a great challenge!

All you need to do is use:

*The Sketch

and 2 or more of the following:

*Washi

*Watercolours

*Stamps

*Stencils

This month I am using the new collection by Kaisercraft 'Stargazer.'

It is quite a different collection for Kaisercraft but very lovely. 

I have loved using it for this challenge.

Here is what I came up with...

I giggled when I read Jane's post the other day...great minds think alike...we both used washi for the little flags!!! I have used some SP Washi and a few other washi tapes that I had.

I started with using my watercolours in a variety of different tones of blue and grey. I also splattered some Dylusions Ink Spray ~ Periwinkle Blue as well as the Dylusions ~ Black Marble around the background.

I have used the sensational patterned papers of this collection for the squares. It's not easy to find photos that you can trim to 2" by 2" size, so I printed my photos to the size. These were some selfies of us in Thailand earlier in the year.

It is a little hard to see in the photos but I have actually raised the photos. I just thought that by doing that they are now the focus of the layout.

I have decorated some of the squares with collectables or stickers from the pack. 

How gorgeous is the border sticker with the dots that I have used at the bottom of the larger square??

I added a little feature of the collectables in the corner (In my true style...it is my addition to the sketch 😬 whoops! I couldn't help myself!!)

In the collectables I found this gorgeous Mother Teresa quote. I love it...and so appropriate!

I have used the Uniquely Creative Clear Stamp Set - Have a Blast which contains the stamp 'You Mean the World to Me.' I just LOVE these stamps...they are very cool but most importantly they stamp so precisely! You should check them out!!

My journalling I printed from my laptop using the American Typewriter font!

Lastly, I used some American Crafts Foam Thickers from my stash called "Delight"

So in the end, I have used the sketch and all bar one of the extra requirements...

Now, all of these products you can grab at Scrapbookit...if you can't find them in the shop...just send Jo a message, she will get you sorted!
That Kaiser collection and those Uniquely Creative Clear Stamps are a MUST HAVE!

I hope that you have enjoyed checking out my take on the challenge today and make sure you pop back in as Jo's take is the next up in a few days! I'm sure it will be magnificent!!

Happy Scrapping Everyone!
x Mel x