Get Picky November Sketch Challenge #14

On a roll this month - I have done the Get Picky November Sketch # 14 Challenge. This sketch was actually easier than I thought it was going to be - when I finally found the right papers to use! I have used Echo Park - Happy Days - good to open that collection pack up! I didn't end up cutting my photos into circles - would have lost too much of the reason for the layout. I have to admit I am still bearing scars from all the Creative Memories circle cutting I did in the early days - eeek!

It is good to be making some inroads into the pile of photos sitting on my desk to be scrapped, until I get the next lot printed out ....

Pencil Lines Sketch 258

Wow - my second challenge for the week - I am feeling good about my scrapping for once!

I have taken on Sketch #258 at Pencil Lines - I have changed it a bit but still used the sketch as my inspiration. I am in love with all the October Afternoon lines at the moment. The colours and embellishments are so gorgeous.

Get Picky

I have been looking on the internet for great challenge sites and came across Get Picky.

They have two challenges a month - one a sketch challenge and one an inspiration challenge. All layouts need to have multiple photos - I think this is great motivation to get more than one photo on the page - heaven knows I have enough photos! The first photo is the inspiration photo and then my layout inspired by the picture. You also needed to use some fabric - in mine I have used a lace doiley/s.

I was inspired by the shapes in the quilts as well as the circular "doiley" like shapes on the mat.

Great to get a layout done!

I'm Back

Wow - has it really been that long!!

I have had a busy couple of months. I have been overseas and spent a couple of months scrapping my photos from my trip. I have also scrapped quite a few layouts that I can't show on here.

This afternoon though, I have finally sat down and done a layout that I have been wanting to do for months. I am now starting to use some of the papers that I bought quite a few months ago. I am in love with all things Crate Paper and I have bought all of their new collections but I hadn't even done anything with one their collections - Emma's Shoppe - which I would have to say is one of my most favourite collections of all time - big call I know - but the colours as just so gorgeous. Their new collection Random is following closely behind though!

I am looking forward to doing a few challenges in the next couple of weeks as well as maybe a Pencil Lines sketch or two.

Great News

Well my exciting news for the week is that I came runner-up in the My Scraproom Room Rules at Scrapping Outback. I was pretty excited and I believe that I will be getting a prize which is great as a bonus! This comp was great for me to get the creative juices going. It has also shown me that I work best with deadlines and with a track to run on. I will definitely be taking advantage of any other comps I can enter as well as doing some more sketches from Pencil Lines and Scrapping Outback.

Another bit of exciting news (for me anyway) was that Jen Gallacher from Two Peas asked me if they could use one of my Echo Park layouts in a feature they are doing. Of course I said yes!

Hopefully I will get a little bit of scrapping done this week - although it is going to be a busy one.

Week 6 My Scraproom Rules

On the Friday night in Week 5 we had a Masterclass with Ebony van der Starre. This was such a cool and funky layout but totally not what I would normally do. I had some photos from my birthday dinner taken on my iPhone which were perfect for the papers and style. Thanks Ebony for such a wonderful layout to copy! I have blocked out one of the photos for privacy reasons.

Well the last week of the competition and they have thrown everything at us. We had three mini challenges although each of those nearly took me as long as one normal weekly challenge!

The first one was to decorate a wooden spoon with our left-over scraps from the competiton. I decided to go with the cooking theme. As OTP is not really my thing I did the best I could.

Then we had to do something with a cupcake on it. An OTP cupcake, a card or layout. I decided to go with a party invitation and some place-cards with cupcakes on them. They were quite simple but I like them. There were some elaborate OTP cupcakes so I won't be placing anywhere this week!

Then we had to do a layout with an old v young or east meets west theme, again with leftovers. I did an outdoors layout with bright colours and also used old-fashioned crocheted doilies with modern funky papers.

The big announcement of the winner is on Friday night. I don't expect to come anywhere but it has been such a blast getting some great layouts and projects done that I love.

Scrapping Outback My Scraproom Rules Week 5

Well - we are up to week 5 now and this week we had to follow a "recipe" which I have to say was quite difficult as we weren't given a full layout to have a look at, just sneak peaks. Not my favourite layout of the comp but I followed the recipe to a T!

My Scraproom Rules - Week 4

Wow - this week certainly was a challenge - we had to do a mini-book. Anyone who knows me knows my love/hate relationship with OTP! It took me literally all week to do amongst everything else!

Scrapping Outback My Scraproom Rules Week 3

The week 3 challenge was a mystery box challenge and we had a list of ingredients that we could use which was meat, pastry, oil, pasta, sugar, flower and mixed herbs. We had to justify each ingredient that we used (say chipboard) against one of the listed ingredients. I found this one tricky also as I felt like I was doing my layout back to front - picking the ingredients first and then putting it together. I spent a lot of time shuffling and changing this one - seriously overthought it!! I do like it though.

We also had a pressure test in Week 2 where we had to pick a number from two lists which would determine which embellishment and technique we had to use. I ended up getting doodling and ribbon/lace. This was certainly out of my comfort zone as I am not usually a "doodler" on my pages. Having said that, this is one of my favourite layouts that I have done in recent times - just came together.

Scrapping Outback My Scraproom Rules Week 2

I have completed Challenge 2 in the My Scraproom Rules Challenge at Scrapping Outback. So glad to have some deadlines and challenges. I think I have definitely got my mojo back. This week's challenge was to have some wet media, a patterned paper die cut, layers of patterned paper, cardstock and at least one spiral flower. I loved the papers in the kit and also had some more in my stash to add.

I decided to do a layout about me for once and my love of cooking. I really love the result regardless of where I place this week. I was lucky to come 4th last week.

Scrapping Outback My Scraproom Rules

I have joined up to the My Scraproom Rules competition over at Scrapping Outback. I felt that it was time to have some deadlines and a bit of a fire in my belly again and be challenged.

The criteria was:

3 handmade flowers (at least)

cutting of chipboard

distressing

fussy cutting out

I like the result although I don't normally do quite so much cutting out normally. I have to admit that I wouldn't have ever thought to use these papers unless they came in the kit but I love them.

Pencil Lines Sketch #231

I finally have had enough time to get a layout done - we have had a busy time in our household lately!

This layout has been done from the Pencil Lines sketch #231 which was great because it is very much my usual style - not out of my comfort zone but it meant I got a layout done quite quickly. I have been extremely naughty with my scrapping products buying heaps of the new stuff. This layout has been done using Echo Park's "For the Record" line. I just love the colours.

Pencil Lines Sketch #228

Here is my take on this week's sketch over at Pencil Lines - #228. This is a great sketch this week - heaps of ways to do it and I may get another one done I hope this week.

Again, I have used some older papers from my stash - got to make way for all the new stuff! This time its Basic Grey Wander - love the vibrant colours.

Pencil Lines Sketch #227

I am on a roll this week. I have got my Pencil Lines Sketch done early this week. This time it is Sketch #227 and I have used some older papers from my stash from Echo Park. I never tire of the beautiful colours in this range.

I snapped this photo on a recent holiday using my iPhone with the Hipstamatic App. I actually didn't even get the digital SLR out of the back as I was really happy with the photos I was taking on my phone.

Pencil Lines Sketch #226

I am just loving these sketches from Pencil Lines. This one is #226. I love/need deadlines and I really have set myself a goal that even if I have a busy week to get at least that layout done. This one has been sitting on my desk all week (I started it on Monday) and finally I put the finishing touches on it this afternoon!

Again I have used some older papers from my stash - MME. The photos on the layout are from my 6th birthday party (just a little while ago!!!) and I love these photos even though one of them in particular is a little blurry.

Pencil Lines Sketch #225

I am just loving these sketches on the Pencil Lines site. They have really, really helped me get my mojo back. This LO uses Sketch #225 and I have used some older Cosmo Cricket papers that I think are sooo cute.

I am also using up so many papers from my stash which is important with all the new papers coming out soon. I am going to try and be good though as my new year's resolution was to try and use up lots from my stash before buying too much more. This will save me money and space!

Quick One

Just another quick post today to share a layout I have done this week. It is nearly a year overdue so glad to have this one done.

Mx

Pencil Lines Sketch #224

I am loving getting a layout done from the Pencil Lines sketch each week. This week it is #224. It is really giving me a track to run on and I am getting heaps done for a change.

I have kept this one simple but I think the photo speaks for itself. I have used Basic Grey Oliver papers. I did a double layout (can't show this one as it has people in it that don't want their photo on the internet) and had some left over papers so decided to do the sketch layout with them. That's my new rule that I need to do more than one layout with the papers and embellishments in each range. Heaven knows I always get more than I need for one layout!!

More Layouts

Yes, I have been busy scrapping. I had some time yesterday afternoon to sit and scrap which was a nice treat. There was ironing to do but hey - it can wait!

I think I am finished with the Christmas layouts now. I have actually done one double and three single this year which is three more than I did last year. I just love the photo in this latest one.

I finally also got to scrap a layout about our camping trip in September. I kept it simple but I am happy with the result. Just love the October Afternoon papers. I hope to get another one done with the left-over papers in the next few days.

At last!

I have finally had some time to get a few layouts done. I am getting through all the Christmas layouts now. I did a double which was from the POTM Basic Grey which used about 10 photos and I wanted to use a couple of favourite photos that the kids chose to go on their layouts.

I have finally been able to get some time to get some scrapping done. I have been getting lots of inspiration from sketch blogs lately. I have really found that I love the Pencil Lines Blog and I have completed their latest sketch challenge - 223.

I feel like I am starting to get my mojo back - so look out - lots more layouts to share soon.

Back into it ..

I have done some scrapping this afternoon and I have to say I feel fantastic. I just sat and scrapped and didn't worry about what anyone would think of what I had done. I finished a layout that had been sitting on my desk for too long (can't post this one!) and then I had a look on some sketch blogs. I have never done a layout from Pencil Lines before but there is always a first for everything. So... here is sketch #219 from the blog and then my take. I love the result. I will be looking on this site very regularly I think!

New Phase

Have had to update all my sidebars and my blog to reflect that my time with Scrapbook City has come to an end with the closing of their doors at Christmas.

Who knows what opportunities lie around the corner - but I would have to do some scrapping for that to happen !!!!

Watch this space as I hope to update with some layouts soon.