Wednesday 24 November 2010

New Friends

I created this for Tomorrow's Memories, using some of the new Fancy Pants Love Birds PP. It's a cute range, but not my style... until you turn it over. How fabulous is this yellow damask print... I loved it, and although yellow is a colour I very rarely ever use, I had to use it!

This is one of the pics from the H&S Retreat, me and Kim... I think this is about the only pic of just the 2 of us, actually I have hardly any one on one pics with anyone, darn!! But I loved this... and thought the yellow suited the fun, new friendship.


Practically everything on here you can get at Tomorrow's, the papers, the gorgeous paper doily, German Scrap, Dusty Attic Skeleton Clock, Iddy Alphas, Friends Chippy word, all those delish flowers, real crochet doilies... mmm I love going through all the bits in the shop.

You can't see it well here but I used layers of Tim Holtz Mustard Seed Distress ink, white paint and Tim Holtz Picket Fence Distress Crackle to get a rough uneven texture on the chippy... loved it, the yellow ink bleeds through the white paint and creates such gorgeous shades of yellow, delish!

Take care of you.
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Loving Steampunk...

in all it's forms!

I LOVED these Graphic 45 papers the 1st time I saw them, quite different to my usual style/choice, but had to have them. Once I had them in my hot little hands though I had no idea how to attack them, or what to use with them!

So I started researching... looking at work by others, which weren't quite me... some were too dark, others too eclectic, nothing jumped out and inspired me [don't get me wrong, there were some stunners out there, but not what I needed to get that creative push]. So anyways, in my travels I immersed myself in the SteamPunk world, fell in love with a band - Abney Park {I now have 3 of their albums}, have bookmarked numerous websites for a new fashion wardrobe {yeah, I'm dreaming} and nabbed heaps of pics that really inspired me.

So months later I create... this:

Not heavy Steampunk but I feel it was suiting the pic of this bookcover that I can't wait to get my hands on... the prequel to a series I loved! But I love this, the TPC Grandma's Attic Embies gave it that bit of metal it needed, a Dusty Attic Lamp {thanks Tina} and new Ornate Corners added to the old London/Clockwork image... and of course the gorgeous Graphic 45 Steampunk Debutante papers!


Take care of you.
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Monday 15 November 2010

Red Earth Challenge

I created yesterday... this for my monthly challenge over at Red Earth Scrapping, it's felt so long since I've done a 'boy' layout, and for once I'm quite satisfied with a layout that is missing bling and flowers {thank goodness for shimmers and cogs}!

Just some everyday pics of Kel & Coco... and one of his toy dogs!

I was inspired by the whole Steampunk melding of wings and cogs etc... thought why not try blending the cogs in with some of the fabulous tribal chippies that Kel loves, personally I love the effect... not steampunk {maybe steam-tribal?! LOL}, still pretty cool in my eyes!!


Take care of you.
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Wednesday 10 November 2010

Feeling...

... happy, content... dizzy, but happy and content!

So much has been going on for us this last year, jobs gotten, left and found again for Darren, High School and all its miseries for Kellan {yes, we're still having dramas - poor kid}, my creative life gone from nothing to 3 DT's and teaching, a big event of a retreat over east for me and us trying to refinance so we can get some financial stability. It's been up and down and all over the place.

But I'm now feeling happy and content. Not sure why, work is quite stressful with everyone around me not happy and my workload {as well as everyone else’s} increased, and these stupid incessant dizzy spells again {stress that I keep denying I have}... but I think I feel hope again, hope that maybe 'next' year we'll be on top of all our worries and all things will finally come together for us, because this time we are making them come together!

My Saturday trip into Tomorrow's Memories has become a wonderful distraction for me, whether teaching or hunting & gathering supplies or just having a natter to whoever will listen to me, I really love it... it's something I look forward to every weekend, time for ME while still being useful to someone else, and now is a part of my, and my family’s, routine.

The build up to one of the highlights of my year {the Home & Scrapped Retreat} was exhausting, and I was exhausted there because of the chaos that was my weeks prior to it... it took me almost 3 days to settle and feel more myself. Never again am I catching a red-eye when I have more travelling and things to do the next day... it's not worth the drama, well the drama for my poor friends’ anyway - I was on zombie auto-pilot and had no idea what was going on LOL! But I got to enjoy time with some wonderful ladies, some of whom I have 'known' for over 5 years and have now met IRL. It was a treasured time, never to be forgotten.

I stayed with Angie at Summerleigh... thanks yet again Angie, you made me feel so welcomed in your home and it was so nice to be 'mothered' instead of doing the mothering for a change!

I had a roommate - Kim - poor girl had to put up with my late night giggling not to mention the inevitable snoring, but it was wonderful to have that girly fun time with her! I've not had many long natters with Kim before in the 'chat room' at H&S, but I felt like we'd known each other for years, love it when that happens!

I was greeted by Amy at the Airport. Amy and I have had many long heartfelt natters in the chat room, and she is just the same IRL as she was online, what a treasure to have her all to myself on the trip up to Taree and back... time I will hold close to my heart!

I got to meet Heather and Karen, Penny again, Larny, Suzanne {again, we met up in Perth the weekend prior - lucky me}, Linda and Maria... so amazing, I really wish I could have had more one on one time with these ladies, but there wasn't enough time {or me surprisingly} to go around, darn it!

I also was lucky enough to be invited to run a class while there at Scrapsidaisy in Wingham. What fun this was and with such beautiful warm friendly ladies, definitely one of the many highlights of my trip over, not to mention the beginning a new addiction – handmade hat pins!!

Over the course of the 5 days I shared as much of my creative knowledge as I could and learnt so much in return, came home totally exhausted, but bursting with new ideas!

So a couple of weeks on, all creative deadlines met, routine established... and life’s back to 'normal', whatever normal is! Creatively I have 3 classes to plan and am so excited about them and am itching to start playing… but I have one last project to finish before I allow myself to be immersed in all things paint, bling and chippy again!

And so… if you are still here reading, well done! It’s been quite a while since I’ve had a good old rabble on here, and this is what happens when I leave it so long… create a novel!



Take care of you.
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Sunday 7 November 2010

Totally Precious

Mmmm more Parisian Anthology papers, think I have a new addiction! And yes, another of Lily, I love this photo of her, she can be so cute when she wants to be!



Pink Paislee Parisian Anthology PP, Dusty Attic Dress Form #2, Prima & Green Tara Paper Roses, Handmade Dress Pattern Flower {thanks Karen}, ZVA Bling, Handmade Hat Pin {from Scrapsidaisy in Wingham}, Maya Road Trinket Pin, AC Thickers, Carolee's Alpha Stickers. German Scrap, Parisian Anthology Ticket, Ruffled Trim, Broderie Anglaise Trim {thanks Heather}.

Take care of you.
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Chamberlayne Sisters

My paternal grandmother and her sisters, I adore this old pic! I created this while away at the Home & Scrapped Retreat... more on that later {have masses of pics to wade through} but check out Penny's Blog HERE for a pretty cool run down of what we got up to.

I have used: Graphic 45 Steampunk {Reverse}, TPC Studios PP, Crochet Trim, Paper Doily, Prima Pearls & Lace Swirl, AC Thickers Emerald Flocked, Dusty Attic Vintage Clock #1, Dusty Attic Vintage Nameplate {new}, Prima Flowers, Carolee's Alpha Stickers

Take care of you.
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Scrapilicious Class - Simply Beautiful

Here is the layout we at Red Earth did last night with my online class... I can't wait to see the finished work when the girls load them, Megan already has and it's so beautiful! Thanks for playing ladies... you all made it so easy!!


I LOVE these Pink Paislee Parisian Anthology papers... have a little collection of them now! All that waiting was so worth it!

There are still a couple of kits left of this at Red Earth Scrapping, thinking not for long though after last nights success, so if you want one be quick!! Instructions come with it, as well as a couple of bonus mini card classes using the left over bits... great value for money!!  There's loads of deliscious goodies in there!  Pink Paislee Papers, Carolee's Alphas, ZVA Bling, Prima Flowers and loads of beautiful Green Tara Roses and Lace.


Take care of you.
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