Tuesday 14 June 2011

Looking for something to do during these cold winter days?
Tomorrow's Memories have just the thing…

Join Mel for her first class at Tomorrow’s Memories this Friday 17th June from 10am - 12noon.

The ‘Cardmakers Tea Party’ is a fun class based on the idea that we should all take time to sit down, chat and enjoy great food - home baked scones with jam & cream!  A wonderful atmosphere… and you make cards too!!!

‘BUBBLEGUM HILLS’
Friday 17th June
10am-12noon:  $23.00




…And on Saturday

This amazing class, designed and taught by Evana is a class not to miss! There are only 3 spots left in this class, so don’t delay booking your place. 

Take a trip down an old Parisian Road. This project is a stunning book housed inside a beautiful little case – all with a vintage French feel. A beautiful art piece or a gift for someone very special.

‘PARISIAN ART BOOK’
Saturday 18th June
10am-3pm:  $56.00





Call Tomorrow's Memories on 92792183 to book your spot or go to www.tomorrowsmemories.com.au for more information.

I'll be there at Evana's Class... this book is stunning and I can't wait to make one mine!!

Take care of you.
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Sunday 12 June 2011

So... about me...

All these layouts... and nothing about me and what I'm up to.  That's actually a good indication of about where I am at right now, I can create, I can chill with my boys... I can do the things I have to with work and my creative commitments, but that's about all I have in me right now.   I signed up for Christy Tomlinson's She Art & 3 Hearts Art Journal Workshops... and for Sharon Manning's Get your Camera Off Auto Workshops, and that's about as far as I have got with all of them {although Sharon, I HAVE printed out the PDF's, that's something right?}... don't even have time {energy} to do them right now, and these were things I REALLY wanted to learn!!

Some have asked if perhaps I have taken on too much with my creative commitments, with DT & Teaching at Tomorrow's Memories, creating for Dusty Attic {and I am now also the DT Co-Ordinator for Dusty Attic}, creating for Red Earth... but no, it's fun, it feeds and motivates me... I love it all and my 'bosses' are understanding and don't push - I'm allowed to say 'no'!  Yes, it does take up more of my time... but not as much as you'd think.  I'd be creating all weekend anyway, whether on a DT or not, and I only have a few classes each schedule, so that's not the reason I'm time poor.  I think it's just that I am enjoying true down time now.  I don't feel like I have to be doing something somewhere all the time anymore, plus I've stopped inviting myself places... might be something in that as well LOL!!

But at the same time, I am content and for now I am happy with content... I love my creating, it's always going to be a part of my life whether it's public or private, it's my 'thang', I enjoy it so much... just the whole process, it's so relaxing and I can live in the moment of the memories I'm scrapping for a few hours and forget any other dramas!  I love hanging with my boys... I love sitting on the couch with Coco on my lap {she thinks she's a cat}, watching movies with the boys and just 'being'.  Maybe it's me who has changed... likely is.  

 Isn't she gorgeous... love our girl!!

We plan to start repainting the house... don't think it's been done since Kel was a bub!  Although we have been 'planning' for weeks now and haven't started, but Darren has been working Saturdays and we've been sick, gone through the gastro, to throat infections, sinus things and now head colds... we're blaming it on the crazy weather!   I plan to move the scrap room - yes again LOL!  I need to downsize, I have this massive area and only use a portion of it.  If anyone comes to play, which isn't as often as it used to be, then we can use the dining room like we all did back in the old days.  And I will have my glass table again which can fit 2 of us easily if I just have 1 friend over.  We're going for light colours... painting the whole house in an off white colour, with just 2 walls as a feature {yet to be decided on the colours there}.  And my scrap room will be all off white and I'll have walls to put my shadow boxes etc up on... very much looking forward to it!   So big time clear out of scrap goodies will be happening again soon, as well as mismatched furniture we have collected over the last 16 years... yep, time for a new fresh look!

Ummmm what else, not much... I have a boring life!!  I did buy myself a fixed 50mm lens for the camera.  My usual lens that came with my camera hasn't been quite the same since I fell over with it in my hands {funny that}, it's ok on macro but everything else wouldn't focus well and it's been getting worse and worse.  But this little beauty... perfect, so so happy!   Now I just need us all to get a life so I can capture it on camera!!


So.. that's a 'me' update, nothing exciting happening, sorry LOL!! 


Take care of you.
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Garden Secrets...

Just a couple of snippets from mum's every changing garden.  She has a wonderful green thumb... didn't pass that gene on!!  I just love how even something that has just been left behind looks perfectly placed!



I had fun with this... I have been trying to use papers that I normally wouldn't jump for.  These ones are Echo Park and Little Yellow Bicycle... and I have used some Echo Park {For the Record} and Studio Calico Stickers, some cute Ada Flowers, a butterfly from Kay's Kreative, Crochet Trim from Chan's Doilies, Zva Pearl Swirl and Dusty Attic Mini Vines, Chicken Wire & Watering Can


The Dusty Chippy was painted with warm white paint and coloured with Dark Denim Glimmer Mist and Faded Jeans Distress Stains.

Take care of you.
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His Song...

...makes me happy.  It does, whenever I hear the kookaburra's sing I smile, love listening to their laughter!!  
I started this at Tomorrow's Memories Moonlight last Friday, what I call an upside down LO {for me, because the pic and embies are at the top}... but it wasn't working.  All it needed was these alphas... now I'm rapt!!


I have used some gorgeous paper from Kaiser here, apparently it's an old one, pity I missed seeing the range when it came out because I love it!  Have also used some delish Dusty Attic Leafy Stems, painted with warm white paint and then misted with various Glimmer Mists, some Prima flowers and gorgeous Zva Crystals.



Take care of you.
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The Canary Cage

This is one of my mum's favourite photos of her childhood... and I love it too, because she loves it.  I've called it the Canary Cage because I know that whenever mum says "the one of me with the Canary Cage" I know exactly the photo she means!



I felt these Pink Paislee papers were perfect for this... actually I think they are perfect for a great many things, they are fast becoming one of my favourite paper manufacturers!!

I have trimmed down one of the Dusty Attic Baroque Frames to fit the photo here {the medium frame trims perfectly to fit a 5x7 photo!}, and hidden under all the flowers are some the Dusty Attic Pots.



I've also used Green Tara Paper Roses, some Kaiser Blooms, Tim Holtz Label Holder, and crochet trim from Chan's Doilies.

Take care of you.
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Red Earth Road Trip - Lake Argyle

The Red Earth Road Trip is off and running over at Red!  12 weeks, 12 challenges... and prizes up for grabs.  And the good thing, you don't have to do every single layout to be in with a chance to win!
This week we are visiting Lake Argyle {we all needed to warm up}... and Lake Argyle is home to Argyle Diamond Mine, so I HAD to scrap about Diamonds!  Look at this Tiara, perfect for any diva!!


I wanted to have lots of pink and keep it simpler {for me}... am having fun setting myself little challenges while thinking up challenges for others!  I was able to use the cutest poststamps with cameo silhouettes from Dusty Attic, as well as one of the sweetest borders... I am so in love with the April release!!
The flowers and trim and diamonds have come from Red Earth, Helen is stocking the sweetest bits and pieces, love her shop!!


Part of the challenge each week is to make the layout and also a card, following the criteria given.  I am not a card maker, I get so lost as soon as I think 'card', but I created this little simple one... my joy from it however is the little sparrow, she turned out perfectly!!


Isn't she sweet!!   She's coloured in with Smooches Ink... love this stuff, it's perfect for this kind of fine detailed work!


If you haven't heard of the Red Earth Road Trip,  pop on over HERE and check it out... it's good simple fun, and not only do you have a chance to win some goodies, you'll get some layouts created!!

Take care of you.
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The Lads... & Dad

Seems I really take my time updating my blog with my work!   These ones I did weeks ago, just forgot to share!!

Mum gave me these old pics of dad... I loved them.


Dusty Attic Hinges and new Damask were just perfect for this one!  So love that new Damask, it's one of those generic ones that can work well for any kind of layout! 


This one here... dad is the 2nd from the right and he's only 14yo!  Spinning me out, my son is 14 and looks nowhere near as grown up!!

 

Cogs have become one of my favourite embellishments, as you've likely noticed!  And twirled, entwined ribbons... with all the embies clustered through them... such fun to create!



I have journaling to add to these one day... once I get the story behind the photos down properly, but for now I just enjoy looking at them!

Take care of you.
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She Inspires Me: Inspired by... Evana

Last fortnight it was Evana's turn to be our challenge inspiration at Dusty Attic.  She'd doesn't have to try hard, she has always inspired me... and in more ways then just her scrapping style.
I lifted one of the layouts she was creating on one of our first 'scrap dates' together.  She just threw together this gorgeous embie cluster with wings and a mini Dusty Frame and I loved it... 


I have chosen to follow Evana's gentler style... with her cool colour palette's highlighted with Pearl paint and black hints here and there.  I would have sewn as well but my machine needs thread, and I have none LOL!!


I am loving these Inspired By... Challenges so much, and am learning and trying new things.  If you're looking for inspiration, why not pop on over to Dusty Attic and check it out!  There's a new Sketch each month and a new Inspired By challenge each fortnight!


Take care of you.
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Victoran Summer Garden - Shadowbox

Finally, Summer in my Season Series of Shadowboxes is done, just needed those cute pots and topiaries to be invented!  


I adore this paper... I picked it up when I was over east last year, after seeing it online at Scrapbooks.com or 2 Peas, one of them.  It's by Ruby Rocket {or Rock'it, forgotten now} and is called SummerHouse... to me it was perfect, it felt hot and warm like summer! 


So I just have autumn to go now... have the papers put aside for that and some Dusty bits, just need to be in the mood for it.  These are my 'fun' things, I create them when I want to do something different, when I want to experiment!

Take care of you.
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Butterfly Fairy Garden - Shadow Box

I have been working on this for months!  Got the frame all done, the shadow box inserts all ready.. and then lost the oomphf.  And then Jennifer released Toadstools and Mini Fairies and I was off... they were just what I needed to finish it!



There are piles of Dusty Attic deliciousness here!  The new Baroque Frame, Flutterbies, Mini Butterflies, Toadstools and Mini Fairies.   I have used some gorgeous Graphic 45 papers, Green Tara Roses, Leaves and Silver Stems, fusible film behind the Flutterbies, Smooches, Stickles and Rock Candy Crackle... had lots of fun!!



Now I just need to get my new scrap room started so I can put it up somewhere to look at!!

Take care of you.
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That's my Boys!

Yayyyy... was finally in the mood for a boy's layout.  The new Dusty Attic Art Deco Frame, teamed up with some Dusty Attic Jumbo Cogs felt just right for this photo!


I coloured the frame and the cogs with warm white paint first, and then added Tim Holtz Stains and Inks, dabbing more paint to blend and tone the colours.  Rock Candy Crackle was applied afterwards.


Once the layout was assembled I went over the metal elements and chipboard with some white paint using a dry brush, just to help them all integrate with one another better.

I have used some K&Co Ancestry.com papers here as well as some Tim Holtz Kraft Resist paper, 7 Gypsies Transparencies, Tim Holtz & 7 Gypsies Gears and Cogs, String and some watch face surrounds.


Take care of you.
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Wish: Inspired by Finnabair...

Another layout for the Inspired by... challenge over at Dusty Attic!  This last fortnight it has been Finnabair's {Anna Debrowska Pecocka} turn, and I so love her style.  I lifted one of her most recent layouts as I adored everything about it!!


This is my mum when she was about 2... so love it!  I have used some of the gorgeous Decorative Trim Set from Dusty Attic.  These were painted, sprayed with Sugar Maple Glimmer Mist, some Apricot Nectar Chalkboard Glimmer Mist {as was the background paper}, dabbed with more paints and inks to get the right tones and then coated with a thin layer of Rock Candy. 


Tim Holtz Rock Candy Crackle has become one of my favourite 'go to' supplies in my medium kit.  It lifts all the colours of inks and glimmers, and then crackles... so much impact for so little effort!

My next favourite... Zva Crystal Swirls, so in love with them.  They are always perfect for every project, such good quality, well priced and the best part - easy to use, they don't get all tangled up into a mess as you're pulling it from the carrier sheet!

Take care of you.
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