Almost Christmas!

Well, it is almost Christmas and so much has been going on lately! Where to start... well I have been busy wrapping up the local Kindy photo orders and distributing as well as getting wedding photos from earlier organised so that has kept me pretty busy. Add into the mix being on the decoration committee for the year 7 graduation and all the other school end of year events and you can just imagine that I have barely had time to scratch let alone scrap or blog.

But let me assure you, even though I haven't had time to scrap, I have been accumulating "must have" products for when I do have time!!! LOL!!! So to share some photos, first of all is Niamh all dressed up for her graduation evening. It was a lovely evening and all the kids seemed to have a great time (even if the night that it was on was my birthday!!).

 

Niamh accepting her graduation certificate from her Principal.

Having a dance with Dad, apparently he has "two left feet" according to Niamh!

And this is what some of the decorations looked like on the night. The theme was "Let's get this party started" and it was full of fun and bright colours like a carnival.

Liam lost his first top front tooth a couple of weeks ago, and all I can think of is this is the beginning of loosing my little boy! As soon as those adult front teeth come in their face changes and they are no longer little kids. I wish I could hold onto it for just a bit longer!

Erin has lost some teeth also, not to mention she has had her hair cut short again. She always seems to grow a couple of years when she gets her hair cut. I can see that she is changing, but I am not sure who she is looking like at the moment! I can see elements of my brother Richard and also of my Mother in Law! Andrew just says she looks like Erin!

I have also managed to get the kids in for a Santa photo, but I think this will be the last one that all three will co-operate for! Niamh keeps telling me she is too old for this stuff, so I promised this was the last year that I would "make" her join in, hopefully she gets past the idea she is too old for it and wants to join in for the fun of it!

I never put up my sample for Out of the Hat's November challenge, so I will pop it up now. In fact that was the last thing that I scrapped! OMG that is so sad! I really am feeling the yearning to do something and slowly our lives a quietening down, so hopefully I will be able to get back into it soon!

The criteria was: Two punches; Spots or Stripes; Handmade flower. So I naturally used border punches, including my great new one from EK Success called Flower Burst and I love it! I have also used a MFT rolled daisy die to create my flower and I have a spotty button and spots on my blue paper. I just loved seeing the big cats when we went to Melbourne zoo earlier in the year and so this page was born!

Anyway, I think that about sums up the last couple of months in my neck of the woods. Tell next time!

Kraft it Up and White With 1

Back again with some more monthly challenges. This time Kraft It Up and White With One. It is so nice to have time to get these challenges done.

First up is the White With One challenge which this month is:

White + Black + Paints/Mists

As you can see I decided to use black as my back ground colour and white for most of the accents and details and of course white mist (gotta love Mr Huey's white mist!). I really love how this one came out and think it suits the photos perfectly and the little splash of colour from the photos is great!

Next is Kraft It Up which had this criteria for October:

Kraft and one of these Styles - Monochromatic or Minimalist or Vintage/Romantic/Shabby Chic

I decided to go for the Minimalist style as that suits my work most of all, and I had the perfect little photo of my gorgeous niece to use for the job! I love how this one turned out, definitely one of my favourites!

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully I will get the chance to do some more challenges soon!

October Out of the Hat

Hello, here we are into a new month already. So along with a new month we have new challenges.  For Out of the Hat the October criteria is:

1. Complimentary colour scheme

2. Paper Tearing

3. Felt

Plenty of scope to play around with and opportunity to make my own stuff. So here is my end result:

I also have done another couple of layouts over the holidays.

This one I did do for the Scrap the Girls September challenge of using "clips" but I didn't get it loaded up in time. But I am pleased with how it turned out. Having a lot of fun playing with my new big punch and using up some of my EP For the Record papers.

And here is one of my cute little niece from a while ago.  Lots of hand made goodies, the felt flower using my beautiful new MFT rolled daisy die and the little blue flowers made from clay using my own molds. I have so much fun making my own goodies!

Well that's it for now. Catch you soon.

Back so soon?!

Well, yes, I am! Back to share some challenge layouts! Yay! I have actually had enough time this month to complete a few!

First of all I have done the White With One September challenge:

White

Pale Pink

Journal on Photo

I chose to use the pink for my main colour with splashes and highlights in white, and I even scrapped a photo of myself! Now there is something you don't see every day!

And now for the Kraft It Up September Challenge:

Kraft

Fabric

Stitching

My fabric is in the form of filling in the rainbow between the two photos and also a lollipop flower, and my stitching is on the title label and also along the rainbow.

So there, some shares, and now I am ready to go off and scrap some more!!

Layouts to share

Hi Ho, thought I would jump on and share some layouts. I haven't been up to too much lately, which has been nice, and the kid's start their end of term break on Friday so I am looking forward to lots of down time and hopefully crafting time! I am even off on a crafting day on Saturday so I might even get stuff done soon!

Last weekend was a busy one with second shooting at a wedding on the Saturday and then meeting with my own wedding clients on the Sunday. Weekends really don't seem to last long any more. That is why I need the week days when everyone is away to recover in peace and quiet!!

So, Liam had a hair cut on Sunday. Just the usual short all over kind that I usually do, and I say this every time, but it makes him age a year or two when his hair gets cut. I especially noticed this at school on the Monday, with his height and the haircut he looked like he was in the wrong classroom and he needed to be in the grade 2 or even 3 block! So, here he is, with Lego in tow of course, not a fantastic photo (taken with my phone), but you see what I mean, this boy does not look 7!

Now for some pages. Just because kinds of pages, because I felt the need to craft!

These photos of Liam make me laugh, the faces he pulls! Especially when he is trying to look down the telescope and at me at the same time. The yellow button I made from white fimo clay and then coloured with alcohol inks.

Here my big boy is looking very pleased with himself as he has mastered the art of no training wheels! Using some Basic Grey Oxford papers here.

I love how this page turned out. Liam with his buddy Kian on Kian's last day before moving overseas. Using up some old Pink Paisley papers.

And last but not least, using some Crate Paper Neighbourhood papers, a simple page but again with photos that make me laugh!

So that's all from me for now. I might even go and try some scrapping right now (well until school pick up which isn't long, well maybe after school....).....

Katie

September... Already

Well, here we are, September already! That means that my baby has just had his birthday and is now a big 7 year old. He had a wonderful party with his good friends in the park after school and of course received lots of lego (about his only toy interest, although the nerf guns did go down a treat!!).

September also means new scrapping challenges! Firstly, Out of the Hat's September challenge is a good one. The critera is:

1. Use something handmade

2. Include  a heart

3. Use chipboard (shape or alpha)

and this is what I came up with! I have used Basic Grey's Oxford papers for this one, and a new punch! Yes I have an obsession.... but at least I can admit it! I am also loving playing with tape at the moment too, I have used some 7 Gypsies tape on this page.

And while I was on a roll I did the Purple Pumpkin September challenge. This month is not a sketch however, there was a number criteria:

1 lollipop/flower

2 doilies

3 buttons

and this is what I came up with!

I am still getting great value out of my Crate Paper Emma's Shop kit! I think this must be about the 4th or 5th page using this collection and I still have more to use, and I just love the colours too!

So I have used a lollipop and crocheted doily from Sweet Vintage on Etsy, two of the buttons are Purple Pumpkins while the third is one I made myself from fimo, and the last doily is a paper doily which I coloured with distress ink and cut in half. Even if I do say so myself I love how this one finished up! And can you see my new punch in there too?! I think it is called eyelet lace and isn't it sweet??!!Oh, and do you like the ticket? That was a recent purchase from My Favourite Things! Lots of lovely dies and stamps over there!!! Just saying....

So, let me think, anything more to share.... no I think that will do it for now. Oh, here is one more picture, Liam's buddies put in together to buy him a big lego set for his birthday and this is what they chose:

How cool is this set? Liam already had the shuttle and smaller sets in this collection, now he has the complete set! I think I was just about as excited as he was!! And to give you an idea, the rocket stands about 50-60 cm tall! Very very cool!!

OK, now I am off! Til next time.....

Some Layouts...

Well, time is getting away again. It always seems to be a downhill run after the Ekka hits town and this year is no exception. We are thick amongst birthdays, fetes and other events so there is certainly no rest for the wicked here!

I have also realised that I have not uploaded my Out of the Hat samples for July let alone August! Oops!

So without any further ado, this is the July Out of the Hat challenge which was Monochrome, White Space and a Doily. So here is my result, with Niamh when she used to be small (now she is only about 6 inches shorter than me and I am not short at 5'9"....).

I am loving these My Minds Eye doily stamps. They are just devine and stamp so well. I am also loving making my own flowers and love how these came out, and the pearl flourish was created using dimensional pearl paint on transparency, pretty cool! Did I mention that I am loving yellow at the moment??!!

So, that is July, and this is August. Criteria was - Square photo (at least one), Strip Journaling and Paint.

Now, I just have to say that this is my most favourite page in a long time, there is nothing complicated about it, but it just works! And I had so much fun creating it too!! I immediately thought of the old polaroid style of photos when I saw the square photo criteria so sourced some free frames to use, and I think the frame suits the photos, which make me laugh every time I look at them!

Aside from late sharing of those, I have just completed the August sketch challenge for Purple Pumpkin. I must say that I do enjoy a good sketch! And adding some Purple Pumpkin goodies into the mix is certainly no chore!! So here is the sketch:

And this is my take on the sketch:

Again I have been making flowers, and playing with my ever growing stash of border punches (did I mention that I have just precently purchased some more??!!), and again with the yellow!

So I think that is all for now, and hopefully I will be back sooner this time!

Thanks for stopping by,

Katie

Purple Pumpkin Guest Designer

Well, I came back from Melbourne to find out that Purple Pumpkin were looking for two Guest Designers and seeing how I love their bits and pieces I thought I should throw my hat in the ring!!

So, to enter you need to throw up one of your favourite layouts (whether you have used Purple Pumpkin goodness or not!) and talk about Purple Pumpkin. Well, it just so happens that I have a couple of layouts that I haven't shared yet which use some PP goodness and I have a hard time narrowing it down to favourites so I consider them all favourites!

So here is my first one, and probably my favourite of the two. It shows some photos from UN Day at the local high school (where DD#1 will be going next year!). I thought the owl button was perfect to go along with the "school" theme to the page, and I loved getting four pictures on the page without it looking overdone.

And this one, I love for its simplicity. I do like my clean lines and white space (if you haven't already noticed!). The button here amongst the flourish and flowers just finishes off the page, and helps create the red visual triangle too. I love these photos too, catching these two at their best!

Well, that is it for now. I will have to come back with some photos from Melbourne and my OOTH sample for July. There is still time to get your entry in for OOTH so get over and take a look if you haven't already!

Catch you next time.

Katie

School Holidays

Well, the next round of school holidays have begun. I for one am glad! I think we all needed a bit of time to unwind and relax. The past term, while short was pretty action packed! The kids all had great report cards so we are both very proud too.

Later we will be going to Melbourne for a nice short break. Looking forward to that, it has been around 20 years, I think, since I was last there. And we will be there for the King Tut exhibition which is ultra cool!

So apart from that, things are pretty normal. I have a little bit of scrapping to share and then I am off to check on dinner. Slow cooked beef casserole! Smells delicious!!

I think all of these are based on sketches. I am finding to get things done at the moment that is the easiest way to work! Less thinking on my part too :) From top to bottom I think they were from: Becky Flecks Page Maps 2 (a great book for inspiration!);Write, Click, Scrapbook; Inspired Blueprints.

Oh, see the cool fabric buttons on all three pages?? I have been making my own! Aren't they cool, and so simple too, so now I can co-ordinate with whatever I am working on. Sweet!

Catch you next time.

Katie

Time to share

Thought I might just pop in and share some stuff, you know, just because I can and I haven't for a while now!

A couple of weeks ago we had the big Scrapbook show on at the convention centre. I was really looking forward to stocking up on some Martha Stewart punches, which I did and some gorgeous stamps too. Because you can never have enough stamps!

I have been playing and creating too. Always a good combination! So, what to share?? Well how about this one...

Playing with a sketch from somewhere ( I should write them down shouldn't I?? I think it was Creative Scrappers), and using some Sassafrass and lots of hand made goodness!

And maybe this one too?

Playing with some Pink Paisley, new border punches (an old one, but one I decided I really needed to have!), making flowers, embossing, all sorts of things going on here!

And one last one for today.

Another new border punch (yes another older one...), the beautiful Girly doily stamps from My Minds Eye (another show purchase and they are just to die for!) and some of the very pretty (one of my favourites) Crate Paper Emma's Shop papers.

So I think that will do for today! Now I need to go back to my desk and make stuff!

Thanks for popping on by!

June OOTH Challenge

Well, we are right into another month, already, and that means another challenge over at Out of the Hat. This month the criteria is:

1. Kraft and bright colours

2. 6 buttons

3. A bird or birds somewhere

So this is what I came up with.

I have used some Basic Grey "Fort Lauderdale" papers which were appropriately bright, 6 clear buttons with a rainbow of coloured twine to make bows in each and finally a cute little bird from Fancy Pants "Its the Little Things" line. Throw in an inked doily and hey presto, my page is done! So if you want something to do, go and give this one a try!

I have also managed to do the Purple Pumpkin June sketch. Here is the sketch:

Apart from using the sketch you also need to use some Purple Pumpkin goodies on your page. Here is my interpretation of the sketch:

I have used some Echo Park "For the Record" papers, along with 3 spotty buttons from Purple Pumpkin (these spotty buttons are my favourite!).

I am now counting down to the Scrapbook show at the convention centre this weekend! This will be the first time in years that I will just be going to go and not working, which is both a little sad and a little good. I am hanging out to buy some more border punches so I hope there are lots of great specials!!

Until next time,
Katie

Kaisercraft Sketch

Back with another layout! I regularly check out the Kaisercraft blog and try to do one of their Saturday sketches when I can, and this weekend I really loved the sketch that went up and I had time to work on it!! So first of all here is the sketch:

and this is my interpretation. I flipped the sketch around 90 degrees to suit the photos.:

I really enjoyed putting this one together and did many things that I don't do too often. I stamped onto transparency and did some fiddly cutting and made some flowers! This was one of those pages that you just knew what papers to use and how it was going to come together! I wish more were like that!

Apart from that, I have another few pages from the retreat to share. These were done using some of the Fancy Pants range "Its the Little Things", I just love this collection! It is so varied and so beautiful! I simply love the colours in this collection!

I used some sketches for the first two. Pencil Lines and Inspired Blueprints are probably the likely place, I can't remember now! And they probably took on a life of their own along the way!

Well that's it for now! I still have more to share from the retreat so I will be back soon!

Katie

Challenge Scrapping

Well, I have to say I have been scrapping up a storm this weekend! I was lucky enough to spend the weekend with girlfriends at a scrapping retreat and I was very proud of myself having completed 9 pages!! Can you believe it?? I almost couldn't. I rarely get much done when I scrap with friends (I am guilty of talking too much and scrapping very little!), so I really didn't expect that I would achieve much at all. But I think I packed right, didn't think about things too much and took challenges and sketches to work from and then things happened!

So, I have a Purple Pumpkin sketch challenge entry (because my order arrived just in the nick of time on Friday before I left!). So here is the sketch:

and here is my take:

The only other criteria was to include some Purple Pumpkin goodness! Which I did with the cool pink spotty button. I used Crate Paper Emma's Shop which is absolutely lovely to work with too.

The other challenge was for Scrap Jacked. I chose to use a page by Bec as my inspiration and used some Basic Grey Life of the Party for a simple boy page. Here is the inspiration page:

and here is mine

I still have trouble looking at this photo of Liam for too long, he just looks too grown up, certainly older than his six years!

Well that is enough for now. But rest assured I will be back with some more pages to share soon!!

Catch you later,
Katie

May Out of the Hat

I remembered that I should put up here my sample for the May Out of the Hat challenge! The criteria is:

3 Different brands of patterned paper

Include a bow somewhere

No Alpha stickers - think rub-ons, chipboard, hand written, stamped, sewn etc for your letters!

So this one made me think a little, and then have lots of fun mixing my papers! The result is this:

So the papers I used came from Sassafrass, Pink Paisley and Basic Grey. I used some old Scenic Route chipboard letters (I used to love these ones!!) and my bows are obvious!! I love this photo of Liam with his cousin. They do love spending time together which is so wonderful to see.

OK, that's it for now. Catch you soon.

Katie

*Warning*

Lots of layouts ahead!!!

Some new ones for May challenges and some older ones done for challenges that I didn't quite get up in time!

White With One May Challenge was "White, Orange and Scallops". I didn't realise how much orange stuff I had in my stash! I really love how this page turned out too. I think maybe because these are some of my favourite photos of my niece!

Kraft It Up May challenge. This was fun, the criteria besides Kraft - No Patterned Paper!! I had to think, but when the idea started I really had fun with it. I painted some squares and stamped various patterns into them as my base, turned out great for a boy page!!

I can't remember the site for this sketch challenge, maybe Stuck?! but either way it was for last month, or even the month before! I am loosing track. Another set of photos that make me smile. My little niece dancing. You make up your mind whether it is "I'm a little teapot" or "All the single ladies"!!! I think both work, but I immediately thought of Beyonce when I saw the sequence!!

This was done for White With One - April Challenge, which was White, Olive and Twine. I quite liked this one too, but of course I left it to the last minute to start and finish and ran out of time. Oh well, at least I am scrapping! It was nice to use some photos of DH for a change too!! (Not that he is so impressed about it!!)

And this one was a just because kind of page. It started out being inspired from some sketch I saw (perhaps a pencil lines or page map, I really can't remember now), but it took on its own life, as sketches often do. My cheeky little man and the faces he pulls. He still pulls faces, but now he looks a lot more grown up!

So that is the update for now. Lots of scrapping to catch up on and hopefully a lot more to be done. Especially since I am off on a crafty retreat this weekend!! Lots of chatting and scrapping and someone else preparing the food, who could think of anything better??!!

Catch you soon.

Katie