Welcome 2012... even if it is almost a month late!

I know, I know, we rang in the new year almost a month ago! But, well, I have been doing other stuff so I haven't been on here so much! But that is OK, kids are back at school now and routine is coming back and I am having time to do things for myself! Yay! That includes being creative! Double Yay!!!

So just in the nick of time I have some monthly challenges to put up and then link over to the respective challenge blogs....

First of all - Kraft it Up, this challenge was a colour scheme with kraft of course.A nice bright summery colour scheme!

I have been playing around making my own masks lately too. This one I used my Cricut and the Paper Lace cartridge and some transparency material, worked a treat! I also "acquired" a doily die (a Cheery Lynn one) and all I can say is it is gorgeous!

Next, White with One: White + Lime + Buttons

Again playing with my own masks (the doily like one), also did some stamping with a great background stamp and then coloured with copics, and only one button!

Scrap the Boys - Favourite summer holiday past times.....

Loving the orange and yellow hues at the moment! So bright and fun.

And last but not least, Scrap the Girls - Monochromatic

I love how this one turned out! And see the bookpaper flower?! That was a doily cut using my new die, makes a beautiful flower I think! All the little flowers are ones I have made from clay too, they look so cute and are so easy to do!

So, I do have one more layout to add. This one is a special one, and probably part of the reason I didn't get up to much over the holidays. I lost my "grumpy old man" fur baby just after new years. It wasn't so much a surprise, but still a very sad time and I still keep thinking about him. Chookie has been with me (mostly) since about January 1993 when I brought him home from the pet shop on a whim. And to put it in perspective, I met Andrew in April 1993, so Chookie has been with me longer than my husband (but only just). All the kids were sad to see Chookie gone, but he got a lot of attention in his last days and plenty of photos too. I made sure to take photos of the kids with him, I just forgot to take any of me with him and that makes me a little sad. But I am lucky to have photos of him over the years so I will always be able to remember him. So this page is dedicated to our "grumpy old man" (he was equivalent to about 100 in human years, 19 calendar years) and the joy he brought to our lives...

I will be back soon with some "First day of school" photos too. That was last week and all are settling in well. I am now the mother of a High School student, but I will deny this if you ask me!! Niamh is settling in really well at high school and I think she was more than ready for this transition.

Until next time,

Katie

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.....