Challenge #18 SEM - Created Beauty

Oh what joy!

 Photo credits to Amy Allday Photography

Since I have been deliberately seeking answers to my questions about my faith it seems only fitting that I should find this blog -  Scrapbooking Everyday Miracles. This month the challenge is called Created Beauty. Scrap about the things you see around you, everyday, that remind you that God created everything. 

The journaling reads:

Oh what joy!
A new baby has arrived!
A perfect little bundle to love,
to bring laughter and tears into your home,
to learn from and to teach,
to remind us to look at the world with fresh eyes and wonder.
Welcoming Madeleine Maree, beautiful daughter to Chris and Kylie,
safely arrived July 7, 2012.

Now this photo is not my everyday, it is my adorable newborn niece Madeleine Maree. But it does reminds me of my own children, and how blessed I feel to have them in my life. Sometimes we all need a reminder that God created everything. The arrival of this little beauty was enough to make me to think hard about how fortunate I am, to not only have a husband that I adore, but to be given the gift of two healthy children. A son and a daughter - they are my everyday miracles. 

I typed my journaling on the computer and  re-purposed a die-cut paper as a mask with some Glimmermist (Viva Pink).My flowers are lollipops cut out of paper and tulle, layered together with a brad and the nappy pins are from Madeleline's baby shower. Finally I have finished the layout with some machine stitching and  lace.

KIU July - I am on a journey

I am on a journey

This month Kraft It Up wanted to see a layout that tells a story of something you want/wish to do in the future... Yesterday morning I was lucky enough to wake up and see this stunning sunrise over the hills in my backyard and I was reminded of the miracles we encounter everyday. This ties in nicely with my personal commitment to find my faith - in myself, in others and my religious beliefs.

 While playing with my supplies and came up with this simple flower that I used on my July KIU layout. As I am always happy to find a tutorial for a new technique, I thought I'd share with you my instructions to make your own loopy flower.

 1. Cut strips of paper to loop for the petals. My strips measure 1cm wide and 3", 2.5" and 2" long. Also cut a circle of cardstock to use as a base. Using these lengths my finished flower is quite large and measures approx 4.25" across.

 2. Using the longest strips bend each of the strips in half and secure - do not fold, you want the loop. I used a hot glue gun but glue dots or quick drying Helmar 450 would work just as well.

 3. Attach the petal loops to the circle of cardstock. The size of the circle you cut out and how wide your strips are will determine how many loops you require.

 4. Flip the flower over. Continue to attach the petal loops onto the back of the cardstock circle, spacing them so they fill the gaps left by the petals on the other side.

 5. Bend the next size of strips into loops. Attach them between the large petals.

 6. Round the ends off the smallest strips and attach them between the last layer of petals. Alternatively you could loop these petals and glue them down, but I found it was a bit fiddly for my hot glue covered fingers.

7. Finish the flower with a button or large brad.

I used Kraft cardstock and two Prima patterned papers from my stash, and finished my flower with a Prima button. Just for a little sparkle I sprayed my loopy flower with both Sand and Wheatfields Glimmermist.

It is really easy to make, a great way to use your scraps and looks lovely when finished.

What are you waiting for?

Give it a go and leave me a comment, I'd love to see what you can come up with.

Thanks for looking xx

Beth is scrapjacked

Playing at Scrap Jacked for the first time this month and Beth's layout really
took my fancy.

Fun

I have used some older supplies and tried to create a cutesy feel to my page, not my usual style, but I've gotta work with what I've got since my local scrapbook shop closed down earlier this year. The sun, flowers and title are cut out of some craft foam and I've made grass by fringing my paper. The Kaisercraft clouds have been painted white and very liberally sprinkled with fine glitter, I doodled a border around my patterned papers and  used my trusty Colorbok journal tags - again!

These photos were taken of Connor in the backyard of our old house. It was like a child's paradise with a swing set, cubby-house, lots of climbing trees, places to hide and flat spaces to ride bikes and scooters.

My journaling reads: Today you ran, you imagined, you played.

This could be any day in 2006. You make everything fun.

SUYS update...

And just who do you think ran off to school with a big smile on her face this morning?

You guessed it - Savannah. She was totally thrilled to win a prize at Sophies Corner for her lovely June layout and now is more eager than ever to scrap like mummy. The benefits for me are endless, she helps use my stash (therefore creating more space for more goodies), she has a creative outlet that is productive and she is building an album about herself for herself.

Sophies Corner @ SUYS

This month Sophie has asked the kids to scrap a photo of you and a friend.

BFF

The journaling reads: Lucy and I will be friends forever, December 2010

Savannah layered the flowers and used coloured brads to hold them together and cleverly stitched the birdcage chain with some embroidery floss. The papers are from my Fancy Pants stash.

Another really lovely layout by my little miss. I am especially fond of the record of her handwriting and will be keen to see how it changes over time.

Hoopla theme: celebrate!

Eight



Another layout completed for the Challenge me Happy Hoopla, this time taking inspiration for Norine's birthday theme. These photos were taken at Savannahs belated 8th birthday party. Lots of friends from school joined her for lunch at  

Mc Donalds and then we watched 'Arthur Christmas' in 3D at the cinemas (hence all the cool kids in shades).

I have literally thrown this layout together using pretty much whatever was left on my desk, so the haphazardness of it all is not deliberate but rather the result of mother guilt at having not scrapped her birthday yet. I pulled the Princess Jasmine 8 card from a game and used the last of some glittery AC Thickers for the title. I tried my hand at the confetti look by punching through my page and putting a contrasting colour behind it - I'm not convinced by it and doubt I will try it again.

CMH Hoopla continues...

Stop and Smell the roses

And so theChallenge me Happy Anniversay Hoopla continues.

I was inspired by the simplicity of Marie's sketch and wanted to put my own spin on it and love the result!

I adore these photos of my sweet and gentle goat Souva (yes, it's short for Souvlaki). She is just like a big puppy dog - with horns - who loves nothing more than a scratch and a cuddle. Don't be concerned, she will never meet her fate in the kitchen, can't you see what a wonderful job she does of pruning?

The background paper is from one of my fave Bo Bunny collections, and I have rummaged through my scraps and found some beautiful Pink Paislee and Prima papers to make my rosettes from. I picked up the frame from the Warehouse, zshushed the Kaisercraft wood flourish with some glimmermist and filled the gaps with some simple Prima blooms. The Basic Grey vines have been rubbed onto some acrylic and attatched to my layout with Scrap Dots to add just a little more dimension.

And here's the sketch that provided the inspiration:

Don't forget you have until the 15th of July to enter the challenges so get to it!

Help wanted...ho hum...

At last school holidays have started! It seemed like the longest term EVER! The kids are completely exhuasted, and having already had the entire household home sick at some stage this winter I am keen to keep them well fed with nourishing homemade soups, lots of cuddles on the couch and sleeping in!

I  thought I might find a little extra 'me' time while the kids are home, what with mum's taxi service temporarily relaxed and no routines to adhere to most days. But no - I haven't found any spare moments to scrap and to be honest have found my mojo has left and gone on holiday too. I am honesty concerned that when I seek out my fave mags, online stores and blogs for inspiration I seem to come up empty. I can't seem to find any techniques that I want to try my hand at, or a sketch that takes my breath away, let alone a color combo that sparks a twinge of excitement. Ho hum...

Many of the challenges sites that I often (albeit unsucessfully) tackle are leaving me a little disappointed. Oh no, please don't get me wrong, the challenges are marvellous as always, the DT samples are still stunning and the entries are always above par - but I just don't feel motivated. I have so many supplies that I could not step foot into a store for a year and yet......hmm, I don't know what it is. Ho hum...

So I'm putting out a call for help to the scrapping community that always manages to provide me with a smile - If you read this blog post please comment.

Leave me a hint of inspiration, the link to a great new blog or store, a personal challenge or the directions for a fantastic technique.

I need help - I'm asking for your help.