Together - Donna Salazar Designs

Hi lovelies!!  Today I have a layout of myself and Natasha to share.  This girl seriously rocks as a friend... she's always there for me, as I am for her.  We giggle over silly things, we say WTF over other kinds of silly things, we share silly stories and we do silly things together... even though she lives on the other side of the world from me.  Modern technology makes it possible for us to be in contact daily, ok twice daily... thank goodness for wifi - LOL. 

Click the image for a larger view.

I had lots of girly fun making this layout... sweet pink with brown using Donna's Family Jeans and Natural Beauty Collections from GCD Studio, always a yummy combination! I love that so many of Donna's Collections can be mixed and matched so easily.

I created a big boofy flower with Donna's Grand Peony die from Spellbinders as my centrepiece for the flower cluster and sat it on top of some chipboard scrolls from Want 2 Scrap.

Some paper from the Mixed Media Stax 2 made a sweet little ruffle... I love seeing the little hints of words, sometimes the combinations accidentally work just perfect!

And I couldn't resist cutting some butterflies from canvas with Donna's Wonderful Wings Die, love them so much, and the little resin heart is for Natasha, coz that's her thing!

 That's all for today... will be back again soon!

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Want 2 Scrap's "Happy Birthday Michele" Blog Hop

It's Michele at Want 2 Scrap's Birthday and to celebrate Allie has organised a surprise Blog Hop and asked if any of us Donna Salazar Designs girls would like to join in!

Want 2 Scrap have fabulous Bling and all kinds of Laser Cut Embellishments, plus loads more.  They produce some of my favourite items from Donna Salazar, such as the gorgeous Wonderful Wings Bling which is made to fit perfectly with Donna's Wonderful Wings Die from Spellbinders.

Pop over to Want 2 Scrap's Happy Birthday Michele Blog Hop for a complete list of the blogs participating.  Allie also has some giveaways via Rafflecopter HERE {because you can't have a birthday blog hop without a present}.  All the details are on the Want 2 Scrap Blog HERE.

Michele likes Pink with Black and White, so we've all created little projects using those colours and beautiful Want 2 Scrap embellishments.  I created a sweet little hat box featuring Want 2 Scrap Wonderful Wings Bling, Designer Embellies Chipboard, Designer Embellies Canvas and Silver Rhinestones.

I've teamed them up with some sweet Pink Polkas paper from Donna Salazar's Family Jeans Collection by GCD Studios...

... and accesorised with Green Tara flowers, ribbons and lace.

Happy Birthday Michele... I hope you have a truly wonderful day filled with lotsa blog lovin'!

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Cupcake - Keeping the Best Challenge Blog

Hi everyone!  Today I have something new {well new to me} to share with you... this is a sketch and layout to share with you that I was asked to create for Russian Sketch Challenge Blog "Keeping the Best".  I was delighted to be invited to be a Guest Designer for them and got my sketch app out and started sketching again!

I've created this using some new papers from Websters Pages, yep, I know... so different for them!  I loved it as soon as I saw it, such gorgeous patterns and colours!

[click on the image for a larger view]

This is my cute little niece Lily, like all kids and cupcake that's in the vicinity, she needs it!  This pic was taken while I had a girls day out with her, my sister Nev and my mum - need to have more {and we all need more cupcakes!}

So go check "Keeping the Best" out - the challenge is HERE with samples of their DT's work following my sketch.  They have fabulous sketches every 2 weeks as well as inspiring designers with such different takes on scrapping... I'll be visiting there much more often!  And don't worry, it may be in Russian but they usually take the time to also translate everything into English and there is a translation gadget on the blog!

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Random Ramblings - Finding Little Moments of Bliss

The other week we had an old friend stay with us, well she's not old but we've been friends for over 18 years!  She lives over 8 hours away and came up for a break.  I've not seen her for easy 7 years... perhaps longer?  And you know what the great thing is... even with not seeing each other for the longest time, our friendships {she's good friends with my hubby too} just picked up where they left off.  Just with a whole load of catching up in the conversations. 

Our kids were born 2 weeks apart, and up until they were about 8 we all saw each other every weekend... but we've kept in touch over the years, because we're family.  Family friends are the best!  Wonderful treasures... even with life's ups and downs and ins and outs our dramas never impacted on each other, or if they did, we got through it.

She arrived back on our doorstep at just the right time for me, funny how that happens.  With her came wonderful memories, laughter, tears... the whole shebang.  And then my sister arrived out of the blue as well... mid week surprises that renewed my soul and being.  This is true friendship... the giving of self and not expecting anything in return, no motives, no hidden agenda... just them as they are, being there for me even though I didn't realise I needed someone!  Funny how the universe knows these things hey?

So anyways, we looked through some of my old photo albums from back in my CM days, cried, laughed and remembered.  I used to journal, used to take photos of EVERYTHING and it all went into albums, unmatched, unedited... just as they were.  OK, I still take photos of everything LOL but I don't do much with them unless they are perfect.  And I want to do that again... and so I've taken the first steps towards scrapping the Project Life way, but my way, coz simple plain cards will need jazzing up for sure!  But enough on that later... this is about finding some little moments of bliss!

My hubby finds all the wrong angles, a photographer he's not LOL

When Julie {our family friend} lived up here, she was always organising things for us to do, and it was always on the spur of the moment.  She hasn't changed... and you have to do what she's decided because it's just not worth the nagging if you don't.  And you're always rapt that you did what she said, because she knows how to have fun... simple clean fun, the best kind.

Saturday we went shopping {yeah that surprised me, she's not a girly girl}, and we bought some clothes and bits that were sooo cheap, and since I LOVE shopping, that was lotsa fun... a little moment of bliss!

Sausages and Bacon sizzling away.

Then Sunday she decided we HAD to go to a BBQ up at the place we used to go every month.  We used to take the kids and they'd play in the playground while the adults cooked and chatted.  Then the kookaburras would come down for the left overs, and then we'd go for a walk through the many tracks.  Was always relaxed and lovely.  It's up in the hills, surrounded by bush, isolated and fabulous.  This time we couldn't get Kel to come {let alone get out of bed}... guess it's not as exciting for a 16yo LOL! Although 8 years ago he'd have been in the car before we'd even packed the lunch!

That's a well fed Magpie!

It was truly blissful... just to be out of the house, in the open air, away from technology.  OK I lie, I had my phone and had to use Instaplace because I'd been dying to try it LOL!  The kookaburras didn't come down though, but there were some well fed Magpies keeping us company!  I took my SLR and took photos of the things around us, and that was bliss as well...

Still asleep at 11:00am! And where did his doona cover go?

So I'm hoping that today, once my child surfaces from his dungeon that we head to the beach, because the sun is out and I have a full tank of fuel... yeah it's winter, but I love the beach in winter.  Perhaps we'll go closer to sunset and hope for some stunning photos... and sit on the beach, watch the sun set and just breath in the salt air... and find another little moment of bliss!

Sugar coated bliss...

This morning, while the house was quiet I was lucky enough to have my cat Sugar sit on my lap and allow me to pet her... I'm sure she hates me because she avoids me at all cost.  But look... she came for a cuddle.  She must have been REALLY hungry... but hey, I'll take what I can get and call it today's little moment of bliss!




Oh I just found another... my hubby bought me a cup of tea.  Me thinking it was normal tea took a sip to find it was Earl Grey... ahhhh a lovely tastebud surprise, a wee blissful moment!

I hope you find moments of bliss too... I'm going to be looking for more each day, to remind me to be grateful for all the wonderful things that happen to us, daily!


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Play - Green Tara

Hi everyone!  Here's another fur baby layout, this time it's my crazy pooch Coco.  She's such fun and has such personality... she's soft and gentle with me, loud and rukus'y with Darren and teases Kel like a sibling would.  She definitely knows each of our characters and our roles within the family!

Click on the Image for a Larger View

As always, Green Tara products add the extra little touches that make a layout.  Here I have used some small Roses tucked in under a fold of paper.  The cream and red works beautifully with the earthy tones of the papers.

I've also tucked in a sweet Satin Rosette for a touch of elegance, then added a snippet of red Burlap Ribbon for an added splash of colour.

I tied a big bow using Coloured Jute Ribbon.  All the Green Tara Ribbons tie beautifully, and this one is no exception... it always creates a perfectly shaped bow.

As a final touch I have used some 10mm Lace Ribbon over the top of my paper ruffle.  It's a perfect accompaniment for the vintage doilies I have used.

Thanks for visiting today!

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Scrapping, Sugar Style - Green Tara

Hi again!!  I have a layout to share today of my cheeky kitty cat Sugar helping me scrap.  She's become very affectionate these last few months {for her} and now follows me into my scrap room.  Unfortunately she likes to help LOL!  Although that's not really all so bad because it's somewhat cute... for now!

Click on the Image for a Larger View

I always manage to find just the right colours available in the Green Tara flowers and for this one I drew from the apricot and grey tones, with the sweet red accents. 

I have used some Roses and Cherry Blossoms, Petals, Burlap Ribbon, Polka Dot Organza and a cute Tutu Flower.

The Burlap Ribbon added a rustic edge to the pretty florals of the patterned paper, I love the contrast.  The Burlap Ribbon is such a versatile addition to Green Tara's ribbon range, I love snipping it up and using it to tuck in here and there as an earthy accent.

Here's another pic of Sugar 'helping' me... she's making sure the layout above was flat, just in case, little baggage!

Thanks for stopping by... I'll have another fur baby layout to share with you all soon!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin Edited to Add:  I forgot to say I used a sketch for this one, duh!   I wanted to try something a little different for me so I had a look through Pagemaps and used this one from the July 2013 Pagemaps.

July 2013 Pagemaps

Embrace your Dreams - Reverse Canvas - The Dusty Attic

I am still loving creating reverse canvases... I love that I start with a pristine base and end up with an art-piece that really invented itself.  From the tearing and rolling back the canvas, to adding the final touches, I just relax and create and then realise it's finished!

 [click on the image for a closer view]

This one actually wasn't looking so great at it's beginning.  I had a muddle of colours that were competing with each other instead of blending like well behaved colours should.  So I watered down some Dusty in Colour Mountain Meadow to create a spray and used that to help blend all the colours.  Because there is so much body in the paint, and it dries so fast, the spray version created a perfect medium and helped blend all my colours together beautifully!  {Remember to make up in small lots and rinse out your spray bottles after each use or the paint may set in the pump}.

This part I'm really excited about and had to share as my first closeup!  I used a whole bottle of Dusty in Colour Clear Crackle Varnish in the background once the canvas was completed, I took a chance that I'd get some impressive cracks this way.  It was a deep pool of varnish and took days to dry out... but look at those deep deep cracks, I LOVE them!  Dusty's Crackle and Gloss Varnishes are so well priced that it's really affordable to 'waste' a whole bottle as a background glaze... and as you can see, the effect certainly wasn't a waste!

I chose to use Dusty's new Corner Scroll #4 for this one... I like the bold yet dreamy pattern of the scroll, and with it coming in two sizes in the one pack I could create a layered effect with the smaller one tucked into the base under the large corner scroll.

The chipboard was glued onto the canvas raw, and sprayed at the same time as the canvas was to give it a flowing look.  The edges were defined with Viva InkaGold rub, as were the canvas textures.

Thanks for visiting today... I hope you love the deep crackle effect and are inspired to give it a go also.  Just remember, if you use a really thick coat, it will need time to dry through, don't get impatient and 'touch' it to see if it's dry {LOL like I do}.  If the weather is cold or wet, pop it in front of the heater to help it dry quicker.

Dusty Attic Products used:

Corner Scroll #4

Dusty in Colour Paint - Mountain Meadow

Dusty in Colour Clear Crackle Varnish

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Random Ramblings... Warm Bodies, Scrap Chat, Inspiration

OK so... I had a confronting post to share today, but it's been drafted.  It's a bit raw to share today, even though the emotions are from months ago, but I will one day.  Getting it written down though... was so freeing, I feel like a weight has been lifted already, likely because I managed to find some positives at the end.  Like a happy ending, and we all like a happy ending LOL!

In not sharing it though I feel a little cowardly, like I'm cheating myself... but hey, some days you don't want that stuff out there, waving in the breeze for all to see, I'll just keep it in the tumble dryer until the sun is shining again!

So... what to ramble about today, because I feel like rambling!  How about a movie?

My hubs and I watched "Warm Bodies" last night, even Kel came out of his dungeon to sit with us.  It was hilarious {not Kel surfacing from his dungeon, the movie was hilarious, Kel surfacing was just a freak incident}... we all laughed at different aspects, Darren totally lost it snort laughing at one scene {yeah Kel and I know he's demented - nothing new there}.  It's a Zombie movie... but a Romeo and Juliet kinda love story Zombie movie but with a good ending, no Shakespearean end there!  It was fabulous and "R" was a bit cute for a zombie!

It was a quiet weekend for me, I needed an 'in' weekend to try and get over this 'almost a cold/flu but not quite' bug I have.  No creating or anything, no ruffles or flowers made... just sitting back and doing nothing {I was SO bored LOL}.



Oh I fib, I made some little hairy snail embie things LOL.  I got a glue gun {yeah, I catch on slow to handy gadgets like that} and had to try it on something so I made little snail coils with hairy twine on buttons. They're cute and I think they'll look great on boys pages.  The glue gun is cool too... it's pink and cordless and so cute!  I need more glue sticks though, the 3 that came with it are all used up already... oops!

I moved my scrap area around a bit, then moved it back... LOL, oh and I found a spot for my new inspiration board my lovely friend Kim gave me.  I wanted a louvre to use as one and went hunting the other weekend with Mel and Sonya from TM's and found nothing, and then Kim goes, "I have one"... whalla, perfectly distressed just as it is inspiration board!  It's cool hey!  Now to put things on there for inspiration... I have a feeling it will end up covered in special things given to me though.  At first I tried to fit it in next to my desk, but over on the other side I get to just look up and see it, so that's where it's going to live.  Well until I move the scrap room around, again... because it never stays in one spot for too long!

So I spent lots of time in my scrap room... but doing nothing practical - but that was relaxing in itself!  It's nice in there, my girly crafty haven!  I have a little 23' widescreen TV I bought in the sales in there now, it takes USB drives and had a DVD player, so I'm set... I can watch my chick flicks in relative peace and quiet without too much interruption from the boys gaming at the other end of the house.

I was reading somewhere the other day, likely on FB or Pinterest... that when you have a clean out of your clothes, ask yourself if you were shopping right this minute would you buy it.  If the answer is no, it goes on the goodwill pile!  I need to do this.  I have a spare room where you can't see the bed because all my clothes that don't fit in my wardrobe live on it.  I need to go through them... tonight, okay soon... I'm a procrastinator but we have a friend coming to stay with us and I need to find the bed for her, so it will be soon LOL!  Oh... maybe I need to take that approach to my scrap supplies as well... oooh that will be hard, let's just start with the clothes hey, much easier to part with!

Thanks for listening to my rambling!  See you again soon!

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Trinkets and Treasures ATC Canvas - The Dusty Attic

Hi everyone!  This month's ATC theme at The Dusty Attic is Trinkets and Treasures, and for me this  was open to a plethora of ideas!  So far the ATC's everyone have created are just so gorgeous!  I decided to make an iddy reverse canvas that I had into an ATC, since it was ATC sized!    

I love trinkets and my favourite trinkets are my butterflies, so I have used these sweet Dusty Mini Butterflies #2 to represent them.  

I've popped some plain ones into a little bottle and as they've escaped they've been brought to colour!  Each was painted with Dusty in Colour acrylic paints {I've used Dusty Pink, Lavender Blush and Faded Denim} and then they were touched with some Viva InkaGold Rub in Platinum to highlight them.

The canvas had some texture paste added in random areas to add a little texture and then was sprayed with Smooch Spritz as well as Lindy's Stamp Gang Starburst Stains to create a rainbow of colour.  To pick up and highlight the textures it was touched with some Viva InkaGold Rub.  Once all the butterflies, jar, flowers and title was set the inside was coated in a thick layer of Dusty in Colour Clear Gloss Varnish and set aside for a few days to dry.  The Varnish really makes the colours pop!

So even though this wouldn't fit into an ATC sleeve... I do hope you like my Trinkets and Treasures inspiration!  I've titled it 'My Trinkets become my Treasures" because they do... once I've used them in my projects, layouts, cards etc... I've created a little treasure with them.

Dusty Attic Products used:

Mini Butterflies #2

Dusty in Colour Paint - Faded Denim, Lavender Blush & Dusty Pink

Dusty in Colour Clear Gloss Varnish

Dusty Roses - 1cm Eggplant & White / 2cm Candy Pink & Sweet Pink

Thanks for popping by today!  See you again soon!

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