Capture the moment

This month Let's get shabby set Challenge #59 all about transparency. 

I made this cute little mini to feature recent photos of my kids from a photo-shoot. 

It really 'captures the moment'.

I used stencil template plastic to create my transparent accents, including the scallop circle on the cover. 

 The right hand page is completely transparent, with elements from the next page peeking through.

 Likes: footy, basketball, listening to music, Nerf guns

When I grow up I want to be... an AFL footballer and electrical engineer

 Likes: hockey, being creative, Lego, Monster High

When I grow up I want to be... an -ologist, marine biologist or geologist

 You 2 bring a smile to our dial every day!

 I slipped my journaling card into an envelope pocket, with a stitched transparent tab.

I had so much fun making this mini! 

Lots of messy stitching, pops of color and little notes about the kids - their likes, ambitions and quirky character traits that may be forgotten in years to come.

Thanks for looking xx

my girl - Kraft it up June 2014

Yes! Another photograph from our photo shoot last November, but I just love them all! 

My not-so-little girl is growing into such a beautiful young woman she needs to be celebrated. Every single day I thank my lucky stars that she came into our life, our family. She brightens our darkest days with her quick wit, her funny stories, her creativity and the generosity she shows to others. 

Sadly, Kraft It Up have set their final challenge this month. This is the sketch we were given to work with. Now I know that I have taken some liberties, but the structure of the sketch is there and I've met the requirements of including the colour pink and paint or ink splatters. I love creating in 6x12" format but sometimes find there just isn't enough space to fit everything, so I made it a double.

Materials used include kraft cardstock, Echo Park Everyday Eclectic pp (love this range), Carta Bella So Noted pp, Simple Stories pp, paper doily, Colorbok chipboard accent, Kaisercraft gems and brad, glimmermist, paint, cotton and machine stitching.

My journaling reads: 

Whatever happened to our tree climbing, mud slinging little tomboy?

She's made way for a pretty young lady.

You love to dress up now, choosing your outfits carefully, styling your hair and even wearing a little lipstick. That's not to say you still don't like trees of mud (wink).

Thanks for looking x 

# favorites - SUYS June 2014

This month Show us your stuff set a recipe challenge. 

Ok, here's our recipe for June:

One hand made item - check, large red button made from Sculpey clay
Sprinkling of stars - its hiding! My little file folder behind the second photo

Dash of sequins - they are there, clear sequins scattered about my buttons

Title with at least 2 different alpha stickers - old reliable Thickers in 2 varieties

3 buttons/flair -  they are red, you can't miss them

2 photos -  my  favorites!
1 arrow - its pointing to said favorites

I found I had lots of cardstock lying around that was creased, wrinkled or just a color that I would never use, so decided to randomly cover some with book pages, give it a light coat of paint and make myself a blank canvas. Products used in this layout include papercraft pp, Heidi Swapp die-cuts, AC Thickers alpha stickers, embroidery thread, paint, washi tape, polaroid frame (manufacturer unknown), sharpie.

Love, love, love these pics of my kiddos! They are both my favorites!

Thanks for looking x 

Gifts of the Holy Spirit - SEM June

This is my entry for the June challenge at Scrapping everyday miracles.

James 1:17  ^"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Last Sunday my son made his Confirmation in our parish church. He made this sacrament with our love and support, but ultimately it was decision. The first of many important decisions that he will make for himself as he transforms from boy to man. I hope and pray that he chooses to embrace, use and live the gifts that he has received.

Products used in this project include PaperLoft pp, a kraft shopping bag, Kaisercraft wood veneer branch and rub-on, Evalicious flair button, twine and cross from haberdashery. It has been so long since I have scrapped that I had to search online how to use my Cuttlebug embossing folders! 

Thanks for looking xx

Always remember - Scrap the Girls June 2014

This months challenge at Scrap the Girls was to take inspiration from their new banner. 

I have kept the embellishments of my layout in a linear pattern, added ric-rac, random pearls and a subtle background. And its super girly! Somewhat of a rarity for my tom-boy daughter who put in a lot of effort to look like a young lady when Dad took her on a movie date. 

I love this quote, a little something that I found on Pinterest:

Always remember you are braver than you believe

Stronger than you think

And smarter than you seem

I hope my girl always keeps this in mind for the days when it seems too hard. She is brave, strong,smart and loved oh so very much xx

Thanks for looking.... comments always appreciated! 

SEM November - Thanks

Thankful for their service, lest we forget

Busy, busy

After literally months of having no desire to create I decided to make a special birthday gift for a special friend. She loves handbags - who doesn't? - and her favorite color is red so I stitched together this little bag last night.

It is hard to see the detail, but there are five rows of ruffles on the front, just adding a little texture more than anything to an otherwise simple little bag.

Her birthday is coming up in July so I won't have to wait long to find out if she likes it!

Finishing the project in an evening made me realise just how much I miss sewing. The feeling of accomplishment when you start and finish making something that is practical - until I decided to make another bag which is totally impractical.

This itty bitty little tote is not particularly useful as a bag for me or most women I would say. I would be lucky to fit my purse and keys into it, never mind my phone, lipgloss and all of the obligatory "stuff" that we seem to carry around. Instead I will put it away for the next time my daughter gets a party invite.

Thanks for looking xx

SEM January Sketch Challenge

Believe, grow, love, live

I used my cute new tripod to take this timed selfie - yeah, a bit more practice required, I know. But I wanted a picture with the tools that have helped me in my journey of faith renewal - my Bible, my text At Home with Gods People, my Catechism and a prayer book.

My journaling reads:

I turned to you because I want to believe, grow, love. With my faith renewed I am ready to have faith in myself and live my best life.

Enough said.

Marjolaine designed this months fantastic sketch and her twist? Fussy cutting. This is a technique that I never, ever use, and I found out why when I cut 2 butterfly antennae off during my attempt. It sure was a challenge for me!

Why don't you try using Marjolaines sketch? You have until January 30th to upload your entry to Scrapbooking Everyday Miracles blog.

Thanks for looking, comments always appreciated xx

SEM January Challenge #24

Nan

Sadly, my Nan passed away on the 1st of January this year. She was my last living grandparent, my Dad's mum and my childrens' Great Nan.

Yes, she was 88 years old and lived a long and full life, but still it came as a shock as her health deteriorated very rapidly. I took this happy snap of her on the 1st of December, just one month before her departure from this life, still smiling, so happy to see the kids and I, becoming excited about Christmas.

To reflect Nan's personality on this layout I made sure I included some of Nan's favorite things. I stitched my elements down - Nan was a skilled seamstress, even sewing my wedding gown for me,  I added pretty flowers and bling - Nan loved to garden and she never went anywhere without some glitzy jewellery on, and I included some paintbrushes - we shared a love of art and craft, and Nan was a gifted oil painter. 

I included my journalling on a tag behind the photograph, just a little note about how I feel that I am not yet ready to share with everyone who looks at the layout. This is an ideal method to include journalling if it is personal or you don't know where to add it on a page. I can't stress enough just how important it is to journal... a photo cannot tell the whole story, write it down, even on the back of the page, but write it down.

Svetlana set the challenge at SEM this month -

This month’s challenge is to scrap about a "not-so-happy" moment in your life

and the twist? * include a bird on your project

I glimmermisted a Collections chipboard bird and added it to my flower cluster. Funnily enough, when I was a little girl all of my grandparents were living and I had a special way of identifying them. My Mums parents were 'Nan and Pa with the dogs', because they had 2 black poodles. My Dads parents were 'Nan and Pa with the birds', because they bred budgies and finches, had an old galah called Billy and a trained, talking budgie called Maxie. Nan would love this little bird, chirping a sweet little song to her.

Just a little tip - if, like me, you add dimensional elements to your layouts and projects and you know that glue or tape won't do - think about hand sitching. I used stiching to add both my paint brushes and flower sprays to this layout. It was quick and easy, but best of all secure.

Now its your turn to take the challenge and scrap about a not so happy moment in your life. It can often be difficult to scrap about those times when we feel sad, upset or even lonely, but by getting it down in a project or layout can be cathartic.

Thanks for looking xx

 

2012 Reflection

I decided to try something new in 2012 and give myself a focus word (think Ali Edwards and her one little word) - I chose FAITH, in the sense both of a trust and confidence in myself and my religious beliefs. So I embraced 2012 with a new found faith. 

 

 

I returned to my local church parish and asked for help in my journey towards renewing my faith. Not only did I find the RCIA program (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) but I was welcomed by so many kind parishoners and other curious people on the same journey as me. We have a long way to go as we travel toward Lent and our sacraments, but we are on this path together and we are making steadfast progress.

Like so many mums, mothers and carers I have struggled with trying hard to do it all. I know now after trying unsucessfully to be everything to everyone that I need help. I have relinquished some of my obsessive/control mamma behaviour and accepted the love, help and support that my husband always had offered. I'll admit it was hard, but I have put more faith in Scott than I have before. No, he doesn't hang the washing out like I do - but it still gets dry. Maybe the childrens' lunchboxes are not quite as balanced as I would make - but the kids don't go hungry. And Yes, I sometimes I still struggle with the new dynamics of our household - but I'm dealing with it and love my husband all the more for what he does for us.

I have also put my faith in my skills. As much as I love to scrapbook for myself, I so desperately wanted to put my work on the line and try to get onto a design team. This is such a giant leap of faith for me, submitting my work -which is oh so personal- to criticism and scrutiny. So I applied, and was rejected, and rejected again, and still I applied. Success! Finally a scrap team that wanted me on board. Funnily enough, with my focus on Faith, the blog that offered me a design team position was Scrapping Everyday Miracles.

Is that just luck or divine intervention? I do wonder.

Sure, there are many other aspects of my life where I could renew my faith. The list is limitless to be honest, but I am working on it. At least I know that what I set out to achieve this year I have put my all into and made some progress. Where will 2013 take me? I haven't decided on my focus yet, but have some ideas floating around in my head.

Have a wonderful evening ringing in the New Year.

May 2013 bring you all health, happiness and prosperity.

SEM December Sketch Challenge

Beach

I took some photos at the beach in September, we just stopped for a while after visiting family who live nearby. The kids had so much fun collecting shells and skimming the flat ones out into the bay. They found a jelly-fish, chased sea gulls and had a lovely time, although it was too cold to even dip a toe in the water!

I decided to scrap this photo in particular because it captures the relationship that my kids are sharing right now. They are still children but rapidly becoming more independent of me and their Dad, and turning to each other for company, comfort and support. It is a beautiful transition to watch, and I don't feel sad that my babies are growing up - instead I feel blessed. They have each other, and I think even they are beginning to realise this now. They have each other.

Sherri set the sketch challenge at Scrapping Everyday Miracles this month, and as always I took the sketch that we had to work from and changed it... turning it 90 degrees clockwise. I didn't find three photos I wanted to use so instead printed a pic in a larger size and sliced it into three. On my canvas I used lots of distressing, ink and glimmermist to get my background just the way I like it and then I added lots of paper layers, flowers, hessian, ribbon, shells... pretty much whatever I could find. These are actually some of the shells that we found at the beach on this day, neat huh?

Now it wouldn't be an SEM challenge without a twist * use a punch* I have used a border punch along my paper layers.

I can't wait to see what you create! Don't forget to link up @ the post for your chance to win!

Thanks for looking x

December WW1

The search for the perfect tree

1. Gather friends

2. Start the search

3. Find the tree

4. Take it home

This has become a new tradition for our families, spending an afternoon at the Christmas tree farm carefully looking for that perfect tree. It can't be too big or too small, can't have a crooked trunk or any gaps in the foliage. I am almost certain that we could choose a tree within 5 minutes of arriving, but where would the fun be in that?  Our afternoon adventure normally leads to a bbq feast, lots of chatter and laughter among friends, and a very, very late night!

White with 1 set the challenge-

WHITE + RED + CHRISTMAS PHOTO

Thanks for looking and a Ho Ho Ho to you!