How Much Is Too Much - 178 Just Relaxing

I don't know where the time went, I cut it really close getting this one done. The lovely Tracee Proves and Debbi Tehrani hooked up and skype to ensure that each of us did not cheat on randomly picking our stuff.

You can check out what each of these ladies did and read the selection process by clicking on their names taking you to their blogs. For me I picked out about 40 pieces of scraps ranging in size, then both Tracee and Debbi selected 3 numbers each giving me a total of 6 random pieces of paper. Because each of the papers selected where quite small I decided to work on my 8" album that I had been neglecting.





The challenge 178 was to do a layout with the following:

- About something that you find relaxing. A moment relaxing with my husband.
- Close your eyes and dig into your stash of scrap patterned papers and randomly pick out at 6 or more pieces of papers and use those on your layout. No peeking!
- Do the same thing and pick 10 or more random buttons, ribbons or pearls. 2 Pins, 3 Websters Sticker, 1 button, 1 Star Sticker, 1 scrap of felt,1 Prima pearl leftover, and date sticker.
- Use 3 bits and pieces lying around on your desk (not patterned papers). If you have a clean desk, use 3 left-overs from your last project. A bulldog clip, Websters bloom and BG rubon,found that on the ground in the rubbish pile.
- 1 recycled item - I used some cutouts from the packaging in Websters Celebration Kit.

I hope you have enjoyed looking and hopefully inspired you enough to come on over and join in. Thanks in advanced for any comments that you may leave and have a great week.

Fi

Color Combos Galore - Palette 204

Debbi created another gorgeous palette and put together some great inspirational pictures. I decided against beach pictures, the colours inspired me to still use outdoor pics but I went in a completely different direction. The designers prompt to use a grid was a great idea so I thought I would incorporate my photos into a grid style. I did this not only on the front page, but I also created a flap that opens up and I have added more photos and journalling.

My photos are from the early 90's taken with an old film camera, Oh!!! to have had a digital camera back then, but I didn't and these photos hold lots of memories so whilst they might not be the best photos they are ones that I am fortunate enough to have. So this week why not challenge yourself to use up some of your old photos that have been forgotten about, I am sure you can still make a awesome page without a contrived photo. So I will keep my eye out in the gallery to see if anyone does this. So now onto what I have used on my pages.




The front page is made up from Kaiser "Nan's Fav Apple Pie for the Boardwalk Brown, BG Periphery for the Palest Lemon Coral although not photographing that well, Bazzill Basics Hillary for the Seaweed and some BGrey again for the Deep Sea Blue.



I have stitched down the photo grid mat that I have done with a zig-zag stitch so that it can be opened, this is where I have added the remaining photos taken that day.



I have used a heap of rubons from K & Company's Blue Awning and raised some cutouts that I cut from the Periphery paper.


Dusty Attic chipboard barbed wire has been spritzed with Glimmer mist and I have overlayed a Hambly transparency over the photos. Stickers are from Websters I have also used a 7Gypsy stamp, prima flowers and border punch from Martha Stewart.

The hidden journalling explains about the place we were living at, why were living there and about some funny things that happened to my dog. One of these stories include how the horses on the property were fascinated with our dog, even thought there was a dog already living on the Stud. I couldn't pass the opportunity to snap the photos of the horses trying to sniff our dog....too funny.

Well thanks for looking and for your wonderful comment that you leave me each week.

Color Combos Galore 203

Beautiful tranquil colours this week, I decided to stick with the theme and use some pictures of my kids and their cousins. This was my first kids trip to Perth on their own although a little home sick they really had such a great time catching up with family.





For the background mat I have used Blue Oasis from Bazzills range of Fourz and then Basic Greys Black tie and vellum. Layered all 3 and machine stitched, distressed and spritzed with Sand and Riptide from Tattered Angels.

I also used a TA Mask and spritzed with turquoise cut out and adhered to the background.



Other papers used are from Websters and Kaiser. I had a light blue doily that I spritzed with Turquoise and Riptide and some fabric mesh that also go the spritz treatment. I then stitched all of these down. Frame was cut from a old diecut sheet by a company called Patchwork and I have distressed and gesso'd it. I used the vellum in strips and curled it and entwined them underneath the photos to mimic seaweed, well thats what was going on in my head...lol

Lots of micro beedz were used as my form of sea glass.



Other products used are: MME rubons, Tim Holtz pearls, Melissa Frances resin, Prima flowers and Dusty Attic chipboards.

Thanks for looking and would love to hear your feed back and comments.

How Much Is Too Much - 177 Clowning Around Challenge

This was a little daunting when I first read the requirements, especially when I saw the picture of the clown. It did get me thinking along the lines of having fun and I remembered that I had a picture of my Nephew and Brother. They had spent a fun day at the fair which I am sure their would have been a clown lurking around some where. Now I say lurking because there is quite a few people that are quite frightened of them, weird thought process for me but we each have our own fears and for some its clowns.



Well represented the red circle by stitching one around the doily, I also machine stitched lines down my page to represent that clown game, you know the one you drop the balls down and hopefully it lands in one of the decent numbers so you get a decent prize and of course the buttons are the balls. Was really getting into whole spirit of clowning around...lol



I stitched some scrappy muslin to the side to represent the clowns fluffy hair poking out from his hat and used the white paint for what their faces are usually painted in. I cut 8 patterned papers into strips then punched decorative edges on each before I layered them together and the background, doily and die cut piece make up the remaining 11 topping it off with my one flower.



So as you can see I had heaps of fun and the best part is that all but the background pieces were from scraps that I had.

Thanks for looking and I look forward to reading your comments and hopefully seeing you over at HMITM playing along.

WHITE + AQUA/TEAL + CHIPBOARD

Well this was my take on this months Challenge.

I decided to also take the challenge of using only scraps, which I did adhere to. The picture is of a friends niece that she gave me two years ago to scrap for her, well she gave me a few to scrap and this is the first one that I have done. I was more than happy with how it turned out.




I have used the nestabilites labels twenty inked and stamped them.



I machine stitched around the paper and the photo frame, which is a Webters Sticker.



Products Used:

Papers - My Minds Eye, Bo Bunny, Sassafrasslass, K & Company and unknown
Stickers - Basic Grey Chipboard Urban Prairie
Rubons - Prima Reflections, Basic Grey L Urban Prairie
Flowers - Prima Sugar Blooms
Stamp - Prima
Alphabet - Petal Possibilities metal
Quote - Grants Archival Sticker book

Oh and if you noticed the slight peek of green and pink I do apologise about that, the rules seem to be blurred for some and I figured it was no different to using black or kraft when it comes down to the nitty gritty of it all. I can never figure out why some colours are classed as okay when DT members choose to throw it in to highlight their layouts, for some black might be their neutral as for me green seems to be mine.

Thanks for looking and feel free to comment, always look forward to reading what others have to say.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Color Combos Galore - Palette 202

Welcome to another new palette release, but before I move onto that I just wanted to shout out to Shaunery who was the winner of the CCG 200th Celebration Blog Hop, Congratulations.....

This weeks colours were so fresh looking, I loved working with them. Although the White Washed Wood colour was maybe a little tricky, it was a grey that had a violet tone to it. I found some bazzil cardstock in Lilac Mist that worked perfectly with it but it photographed a little light as did my Lime Ice color which is an old cardstock by Colorsense called Mountain Air/Chambray. These were one of the original doublesided cardstocks that were created for tearing.

Well this is what I came up with this week, the inspiration challenge was to use some sort of wood grain effect on our page, and for some reason it drew me to a picture taken of my DD when we had a bomb fire, we had to use sticks from the push to toast marshmallows. I know weird way to go for the inspiration but that's what I ran with. And much to my DD disgust that I used in her words ""the worse picture" lol, night shots taken with a flash are not always that good but for me its a natural photo of her in a moment. Her journey at that age braces an all..... I love it and hopefully when she is older looking a back through her album with her children she will be greatful that I did capture these moments candidly.





On the black background I have used a combination of rubon borders from K & Company that I cut down the middle and then randomly rubbed around the edges then sanded some back off. I also used a Prima template that I misted with Maya Rds Silver Plated mist and then chalked over with shimmer chalks. I splashed a little paint using MM Celery but it dried a little dull.



I have used Websters papers for the fussy cutting and a combination of MM flowers, Kaiser and Prima. Their is hidden journalling behind the tag up the top which is braded down and can just be spun around to read. Other elements used are more old rubons, K & Company Amy Butler die cut shapes, mixed stickers and transparency from Fancy Pants.



Thanks for looking and I hope you enjoyed enough to leave me your thoughts, would love to hear other peoples opinions about how important it is to scrap these candid style photos.

Color Combos Galore - Palette 201 & Once Upon A Sketch

Wow what a busy week, and it looks like everyone has been busy blog hopping. Don't forget you have until Sunday to Blog Hop for your chance to win some prizes. A big shout out to those who did stop by so far leaving your lovely comments.

This weeks colours were soft and dreamy with a gorgeous chocolate topping, hmmmm thinking of pistachio gelati with maybe some melted chocolate dribbled over it...yummy. Unfortunately I didn't have any pictures to do with ice cream but I did have some of my DD and her Great Aunt and these colours went perfectly.




Their was a little recipe to use with the colours this week. We also had to try and incorporate the following:

3 Circles - MM circle number, circle sticker and I matted all them on a die cut circle cut from glitter cardstock.
Fabric - muslin which I machine stitched down
Polka Dots - K & Company patterned paper
Metal - MM metal circle number
Leaves - I used the leaf from my sizzix die




A prima stamp was used on the background which I then brushed over with Cherub Pink glimmer mist. BB Mud Pie cardstock was stitched and then torn away. I placed the muslin over it all and machine stitched it.


Flowers were cut from Basic Grey paper, 3D'd and I have used crackly glossy accents and kindy glitz to decorate.



Other Products used. Zva Pearls, BG Alphabets, Life Documented Stickers, Heidi Swapp Sticker, Matha Steward Micro Beedz and Kaiser Bling.

Thanks for looking, hope everyone has a great weekend and I look forward to seeing your creations in the gallery.

Fi