Bits and bobs

Oh dear, my scrapping mojo seems to have all but disappeared at the moment. Too much going on to concentrate on anything else. In an attempt to find it I managed to get one of the cybercrop challenges done at the LSBS on the weekend. Belle's challenge was to use her image and layout as inspiration and scrap about something or someone who turned out differently to what you expected. We also had to use blue somewhere on our layout. This is what I came up with -

I chose the subject of my youngest son. I was absolutely convinced that Tom was a girl - for no reason other than that I couldn't see myself with 2 boys. When we were about to go into the operating theatre, there was a whiteboard outside with a poem on called Awaiting Grace. This seemed a sure sign it was a girl, since our chosen girl's name was Grace. Obviously I was completely wrong as out came a little bub, complete with dangly bits! Of course, now I can't see myself with anything other than boys, although I have to say that scrapping in pink would be nice for a change....

Since my scrappy mojo has gone AWOL I took up Julie's card challenge over at Scraptherapy. Her challenge was to make a card using fussy cutting and lace. Since I'm one of the least girly girls on the planet, using lace was a first and a definite challenge so I just left a strip peaking out from behind some patterned paper.

I used Kaisercraft's Peachy Keen collection for this one. It's got flowers but isn't too feminine so perfect for both boys and girls. I expect I'll be making a few more 40th cards in the next few months...how depressing! It doesn't seem 2 minutes since I was celebrating 21st birthdays. Time to discover the wonders of Botox perhaps.....?

Cheers and thanks for stopping by,
Claire xx

A new challenge

I've been taking a peep at the Handmade by Suzanne site for ages so thought it was about time I had a go at one of the monthly sketch challenges. There is some absolutely stunning stuff in the gallery so go and take a peak for some scrappy inspiration. The sketch for this month looks like this -

I found it a really tricky sketch to work with - it's not like me to use up the whole of the paper space. On top of that I was working with one of my LEAST favourite colours...purple. Love it on my favourite flower (hence the irises in the wedding bouquet) but don't like it on my scrap pages! Anyway - here's the finished layout...

I've been meaning to scrap the story behind my wedding dress for ages - as the journaling says I won it in a competition...there's definitely not too many brides who can say that! Unfortunately the lovely, expensive tiara I bought fell half way down my head for most of my wedding photos. Never mind...makes a funny story and some may say that was an improvement to my overall bridal look anyway....

Cheers and thanks for stopping by,
Claire x

MME Sketch Challenge

It doesn't seem two minutes since I was doing the April MME sketch challenge but May is already upon us so here it is....

As you can see my obsession with all things Stella and Rose is continuing. I think it's their best collection yet, but then I always think that until another collection of MME goodies comes out. The theme is 'Anything Goes' so I picked another photo from Mothers Day - let's face it, it's so difficult to get a good pic of the kids that when we get a few decent ones we want to scrap them again and again and again!

Image courtesy of LSBS

It's pretty much all MME except for the chipboard, letters and pin. The flower was done using a leaf punch I've had for ages but never really used. Just shows how we should all raid our stash once in a while and use those things that have sat there for years gathering dust! Now that reminds me...where's my husband?

Cheers and thanks for stopping by,
Claire xx

Another day, another challenge...

Got your scrapping mojo? Then check out Scraptherapy for some more fabulous challenges. I chose to do Mandy's colour room challenge again and was this a struggle! Yellow and brown almost always make it on to my layouts, but not normally together. I had heaps of yellow/brown papers but none of them seemed to work and because I'd halved the die cut I couldn't get the page balanced either....oh the pain!

Anyway, it came together in the end I think. I'd like to say the drawing of the flowers was due to my amazing art skills but since I have about as much talent as my 2 year old in that area, I actually just traced over the white image that was already printed there.

The photo was taken on Mothers Day at beautiful Newport Beach. Fish and Chips (although no tinned mushy peas...that delicacy doesn't seem to have been picked up in Australia) with hubbie and the kids - what more can a Pommy girl ask for? I was well and truly spoilt last Sunday. Hope everyone else had a great time too!

Cheers and thanks for stopping by,
Claire xx

Express Yourself....

Well I had a lovely email from Scrapbooking Memories yesterday to say that my layout has made the top 20 in their 'Express Yourself' competition. I was completely blown away as I'd actually forgotten all about entering! It's to be displayed at the Scrapbook and Papercraft Expo and Convention in Brisbane on the June long weekend. Attendees are invited to vote for their favourite layout - first prize is $250.00 and runner up wins a Canon printer.
So, for those of you who are lucky enough to be going (wish I was one of you), make sure you take a look at all the beautiful entries and cast your vote. For those of you who can't make it, log on to Facebook where some of the other entries can be seen and add a bit of love in the comments section!

Cheers and thanks for stopping by,
Claire xx

Just because....

I always seem to be taking part in challenges and cybercrops recently but sometimes it's good to do something just because you absolutely love the photo. I love this photo of my eldest son. It was taken at his preschool by a local photography company for a fraction of the price of a professional indoor shoot. It was a great way to raise funds for the school and we got some fantastic memories caught on camera, including a lovely family pic with all four of us managing to look at the camera at the same time - a complete miracle.
I used Crate Paper's School Spirit collection and a couple of Paper Whimsies from Sassafrass Lass. The stitching took forever. I'd love to try some machine stitching one day but haven't attempted to use a sewing machine since I was at school - sewing was definitely not my strongest subject. (Neither was anything else unfortunately...)

Hope you have all had a fabulous Mothers Day,
Cheers and thanks for stopping by, Claire xx

Time was running out....

Scraptherapy has now introduced some great monthly challenges instead of a weekend cybercrop. A whole month to get some challenges done and yet I still left it pretty much till the last minute.
I hadn't done a card for ages so I did Julie's repeater card challenge. We had to make 2 cards and repeat only 2 elements on the second card, that were on the first. Get it? Took me a while to work out what I was going to do. Mother brain and 3 glasses of champagne whilst watching the royal wedding aren't recommended for creativity.

I also did Mandy's colour room challenge. She had 3 different pictures from which to draw some inspiration so I went for this one -

I love orange, black and white and judging by the gallery, it looks like a lot of other people do too. Here's what I did...

Image - courtesy of LSBS

So check out the gallery at Scraptherapy. There's some really beautiful and inspiring work there this month.

Cheers and thanks for stopping by,
Claire x