A year in review -2008

What an amazing scrapping year I have had I have been a guest designer for Paper Pesto and am currently one for Scrappin' Patch. I was a designer at Stampin' Scrap and am a contributor at The Sketchbook. I have been published at Basic Grey twice - only submitted twice. Went on holiday to Melbourne and spent a lot of time scrapping with my sister for 10 days. Had a mini retreat with Scrapbook Dreams. Did heaps of challenges and contests and for some reason have to buy more albums - could it be the 250+ layouts done this year - didnt realise I had done that much. This on top of off the page items , ATCs, cards, Inchies and participating in my first circle Journal. I definitely cannot complain about too little time creating!

Annelie has put her top ten favourite layouts of hers and wants to see others top ten. Well Annelie here are mine (no particular order) favourite layouts (more then 10) and OTP projects:

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My favourite OTP items would be my Kiwi Xmas Calender and my SBO christmas Village house and the last two images are my favourite ATCs. What are your highlights this year?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Just a post to wish my family and everyone who reads my blog a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and all the best for 2009. Thanks for taking the time to stop by.

Sketchbook last Friday night challenge for 2008

Well I set the Friday night Challenge this week and my challenge was to do a layout with metal included and to use some scrapbooking packaging of some sort. My metal bits on my layout are fake metal mesh and metal beads and the dotted card is from a doodlebug chipboard house's packaging. (I have made the house for SBO's Christmas contest but cant reveal it until later in the week)

Here is my layout for the Friday night Challenge



if you have time in this busy season why dont you have a go - you have until midnight on Monday the 22nd to upload to to the Sketchbook gallery. Here is the link to the challenge on the forum Sketchbook Friday challenge

Scrappin' Patch Guest designer

A couple of weeks ago I decided to go for a spot on the design team at Scrappin' Patch and I didn't get on the design team but I have been chosen to be a guest designer. The design team chosen are Delys, Tracy, Annelie and Kate - and along with Heidi another guest designer - I have seen their awesome creations - they are all extremely talented and I am looking forward to being part of the team.

Here are my layouts and OTP item I submitted







And a canvas I made for my father in law



You will notice in my Rockstar layout there are some white twine flowers - I finally worked out how to use my birch daisy wheel I bought the other month after seeing the flowers in a magazine (I as putting the twine on the wrong side of the wheel!). I used white twine and sprayed it with white pearl glimmermist the green on it was an accidental transfer of dry green glimmermist from a cardboard sheet I was using as a mat - next time will use a clean board!

Scrap the girls - December challenge

My sister Kim and Annelie who I know are now designers at Scrap the Girls and I thought I havent had a go with one of their challenges for ages so I did a layout yesterday for it. Luckily I did the sketch Challenge with the colour pink and had a couple of flowers on it as it was a criteria I didn't see : ). I used some pink paislee papers I got from Scrappin' Patch with a basic grey backing page and some K an Co berry berry sweet stickers and a prima flower thrown in.



I also got my third round of the Circle Journal yesterday I am doing at Scrapbook dreams and was so inspired I did it yesterday too. It required me to do a layout before doing the circle journal so I had a good scrapping day yesterday.

A couple of layouts and some cards

Just a couple of layouts to share and my cards I made at the card morning I went to that was run by Kate from Paper Pesto.

The first layout is for SBOs week six of their Xmas contest. It was to do a layout of your Christmas Tree so the kids and I ended up putting the tree up on Sunday and I did this layout yesterday.



Scrappin' Patch's Fortnightly Challenge is a sketch with three small photos and here is my take



and finally the cards I did seven and had a great time thanks Kate!

Scrappin' patch week 2 - Mou Saha

Last fortnights challenge at Scrappin' Patch was to scrap a layout in the style of Mou Saha - lots of doodling and paint - FUN- I had this transparent butterfly and this photo and this challenge inspired me to create this.



Next challenge is to do a mini album Emily Falconbridge style which is going to be interesting..........

Whoo hoot Wednesday and other stuff

My whoo hoots

Well I took part in a secret Santa swap at Scrapbook Dreams and my parcel arrived today and hopeless me just had to open it. An amazing amount of goodies for me perfect choices too. Thank you Santa. here is what I received:



Cool hey?

Kiwi Jack is up (the final one ever) and I chose Neilla Han or Paper Button as some may know her by. I just loved the layout she created for a contest at Scrapbooking by Design and have wanted to have a go with her style (thanks Neilla). The felt flower is from her little Kit Business Random Kits and Pieces Here is my layout:



I came second equal overall at Scrapbox after getting three points in the last round with this creation



I had a great time at Kate from Paper Pesto card making morning on Saterday and made seven cards (have to take a photo) with the yummy goodies there (and ate some yummy goodies too) Thanks Kate!

Thanks to finally having a proper go with the Cuttlebug at the card making morning - a cuttlebug and some cutting and embossing folders are at my place to go under the Christmas tree for me from Santa.
I decided after a year or so of humming and haaing about a diecutter that the cuttlebug would be perfect for me. I think the other diecutters would just be a novelty thing and the simplicity of the bug is perfect for my scrapping time and style and I love the embossing feature.

Another whoo hoot was getting a Scrappin' patch order today from their sale the other week (was waiting on a little prima stamp)- lots of ZVA crystals glue dots , Crate paper and pink paislee papers.

Another project to share is my entry for week five at SBO - a very quick bag and tag done on the day the challenge was posted. I have since discovered it is possible to get more raffle tickets for the MM Slice per project if it is a more complex or original idea which is fair enough. Here is my entry:



Something else I didn't share was my ATCs that I did for Scrapbook Dreams as a Host for Swap 5 "Celebrity Spotlight" - I chose Johnny Depp - here are my ATCs:

We have got Singstar ABBA too Janine and its awesome the kids are learning ABBA - I remember listening to my parents LPs of ABBA (along with Elvis and John Denver) as a child.

Have a great week everyone!!

A couple of things to share

My final inspiration for the build up to Christmas over at The Sketchbook was an altered tin. I used a chocolate tin and converted it into a gift tin.



I did a quick layout for Scrappin Patch's last fortnightly sketch and had a go with some glimmermist again so a sparkly layout was made.

Scrappin' Patch Week One - Nic Howard Style

I love Nic Howards style her layouts and other creations are stunning. I enjoyed doing this layout and love the techniques that Nic uses. I can now reveal my layout as all is revealed in the Gallery.....

Chrstmas Inspiration and contests

My contribution to the build Up to Christmas at Sketchbook this week was Christmas ornaments made from ring boxes and a gift box - I got the idea from my sister who saw something similiar in a magazine using matchboxes.







After I had put these up at Sketchbook - Scrapbook Outlet announced part four of their contest so I decided to use a couple of the lids from the boxes to create these as my entry



Scrapbox contest week three was to create a table ornament and I created a little mini lolly holder out of kiti bags. Had some fun glueing things onto the kiti bags NOT.



Scrappin' patch is about to do their round one reveal of the NIC HOWARD layouts so will be able to share mine soon - new round was announced today before lunch which is toscrap in the style of Mou Saha - which when I first saw it I thought it would be a bit tricky but was inspired and have created mine and it was uploaded this afternoon (you won't see this until two weeks time).

Stampin Scrap Monthly Sketch

After doing a few OTP projects I decided to do a layout for the Monthly Sketch at Stampin Scrap. Cool sketch and I tried something new with putting the photo under the PP and ripping a hole in the pp where the photo is.

A different creation and a 8th Birthday

I cant believe Brendan is eight. Eight Years ago he was in his second day in NICU (he was eight weeks early). HAPPY BIRTHDAY for yesterday Brendan.

We had five boys including our boys and Kaitlyn of course for a sleepover on Saturday(sleep only took place between 11pm and 6 am). Lots of fun and games.

The Birthday Boy



and Brendan at 2 weeks old



And the birthday cake I made

Scrapbox Christmas Challenge week two

As promised here is my layout for the contest week two. the criteria was to do a layout using non traditional Christmas colours as you can see I went PINK!!

Im still here!

I haven't blogged for a while being creating instead and I had run out of broadband. Lots of Competitions, ATCs, challenges set and inspiration creations for Christmas for the Sketchbook. Sit back and relax this post is long!

The Sketchbooks having a Buildup to Christmas where Me and the other contributors are providing some inspiration for Christmas every day except Sundays for the whole month of November. Here is the three items I have come up with:

Matching Bag and tag



Mini Xmas canvases



Christmas list board



I have also set the Friday night Challenge for this week. the challenge is to use haberdashery on a Xmas layout, card or OTP project or Xmas traditional colours on a non Christmas layout - Have a go you have until midnight the 16th of November to get creative. Here is my sample:



I am also a forum member at Scrapbook dreams. They have weekly challenges., monthly challenges and ATC swaps (which I am really enjoying). Here are a creations creations I have done from there:

Weekly Challenge



ATC swap Four Picture perfect -needed a photo on the ATC



I have been joining in Scrapbox's Xmas competition as well - the first challenge was to do a Layout costing less then $10 mine was under $8 (all the bling adds up) - here it is



I have also being participating in Scrapbook Outlets competition and week 2 was to do a set of three Christmas Cards - here are mine - must be feeling patriotic hey!



And if you still here here is my layout for the Scrappin Patch's fortnightly sketch



Thanks for hanging round thought I might do a catchup as have an extra three boys having a sleepover for Brendans Birthday and they might just be settling down now. More to Share on Monday - Have a great week.

NZ Dares 57 - Its for the birds

I have not done a dare for awhile but when I saw the prize (taristo kit X 2) and when I got this Paper (Websters) I just had to give it a go. The dare was to have a bird or birds on your layout. I have used chipboard birds sprayed with glimmermist. The title of the layout is one of my favourite songs by Evermore (I have seen it on a few layouts) but it just suited the photo of Christopher.

Second Try - Second Success

Well I got some offbeat papers and element stickers off trade me from Meg - awesome trade as usual. I decided to do I layout with Christopher dressed up for his funfest at school as the photo looked great with the papers. Then I decided to submit it to Basic grey and it was accepted so a late whoo hoot about that.

Here is the layout - it is what I call my simple style not as busy as some of my other layouts :)

SBO Christmas competition part one

The first challenge was to create a countdown to Christmas I nearly decided not to do the competition as I couldn't think of something different. But the prizes are awesome (Like an MM slice) and you have to be in to win so I thought of something and did this :

Whoo hoot wednesday

Well I have had a busy week:

Whoo hoots this week:

- The kids behaving at my sisters wedding on Saturday other then Katie blowing raspberries at the time of the question "does anyone have any objections" luckily not to loudly and also yawning really loudly and saying it has been such a long day - the ceremony was only about a half hour. This is a big whoo hoot for me as I was so worried about how they would behave.

- my sister being happy again and newly married and off for a jet setting lifestyle.

- I have been chosen to pick Decembers Jack me up with my last minute layout from last month - Ive already picked who I am going to Jack but need to do the layout.

- winning not only the weekly sketch (sole participant) but the monthly one too at scrapbook Dreams - more scrapping goodies yippee.

- another monthly win at Scrapbooking by Design - got the voucher yesterday and my lovely DH doing the kindy pick up and adding money for me to go shopping today - and bought some lovely goodies - a lot of prima stuff.

- setting my first challenge at Sketchbook and a few people have already done it and love the sketch as well as doing the First day of inspiration to the build up to Christmas.

- getting my countdown to xmas challenge for SBO big Competition done as could not think of anything and getting the $10 challenge done for Scrapbox Competition and I have also entered Scrappin Patchs one too - what have I got into.

- getting involved in my first Circle Journal at scrapbook Dreams - and a big whoo hoot for Jane we thought her one had gone awol with NZ Post but it has turned up thank Goodness

well I think that is it - have a great week everyone!!

Bossy Scrapper SBBD

I don't do the bossy scrapper very often but when I saw there was a menu to chose I was curious so sent a pm to Meek who was the boss with my order of a meal for the "work" do. Had a great time chatting in the chat room - which I could chat so easily IRL.
Here is what I chose and what they meant
Appetizer
Shrimp Cocktail - 6x12
Salad
Cobb Salad - bling
Main Entrée
Steak and Lobster – red, powder blue, white, grey
Side Dish
Glazed Carrots - brads
Dessert
Tiramisu – use creative type/alphas

Some interesting menu items there.
Here is my layout - done in less then twenty minutes being a 6 x 12!!

Kiwi Jack me Up - October

Margo Thomas has been Jacked this month and with one day spare I have done my Jack with Papers I only got in the mail yesterday....I really should use older ones :)

Here is my Jack

Sketchbook Fortnightly Sketch

So after some help from Hannah (thanks Hannah) with the gallery I have set my first fortnightly sketch as a contributor over at The Sketchbook.  I decided on a multi photo one and used the photos of the tiger cubs from our recent zoo trip.  The sketch worked with these as the photos were taken long distance.

Heres my Sketch



and here is my layout



Here is my post at The Sketchbook

Upload your layout into the gallery to be in to win an awesome RAK from Adrienne at SBO.
Also check out Sketchbook on Friday for a Friday night challenge and the new celebrity guest will be announced next week.

Little Shop Of sketches Sketch no 24

Here is this weeks sketch - this is my last layout for Little Shop of Sketches - its been great - thanks Tanya Leigh - there is a designer starting next week - so be sure to check the Little shop of sketches out.



My Layout - I went a bit crazy with glimmermist on the background :)

Scrapbook dreams October Sketch challenge

I have not done many layouts recently. I have been very busy at the Scrapbook Dreams forum with ATC's, Inchies and a circle Journal (my first one) so decided to do the October Sketch. It is a multi photo sketch with the theme been Collections and as my collection of home made teddy bears is packed away I have done a layout with my scrapbooking products collections and instead of photos have used the products themselves.

Here it is: