My DT layout for Renee's June Challenge

OMG!!! Its winter and I am feeling it. Its been cold, stormy and miserable. And to top it off there are 2 sickies in the house, coughing and sneezing. And poor Steve got a tick in his ear which made that side of his face swell up and he was in so much pain. He went to the doctor who had to get it out as it was around the corner and really tiny. But in trying to get it out the tick must have injected more poison so poor Steve suffered more pain and it hasnt stopped (2 days later) He now even feels nauseous and is still very swollen. I hate ticks!!!

Anyway, getting onto scrapping. Renee has posted her new June challenge which is 'Pink & Crystal' She has a great prize of her 'sprinkle' flowers up for grabs. All you have to do is incorporate pink and crystals onto your layouts and submit by the end of the month. So go check out her blog.

My DT layout for this challenge uses her 'sprinkles' flowers and crystals. I decided to scrap Alina's pre-school photos and did some handcutting of the animals from patterned paper and of the main photos of Alina.

I hope you like

A Typical Saturday?

Hope the beginning of winter is treating everyone OK. Its been chilly here which makes you realise that summer is over and its time for casseroles, soups and woolly socks.

Well the up and coming challenge over at Journaling Junkie is to journal about one weekend day. Make sure you pop over on 1 June to check out what is required and the prize pack.

I decided that I would take photos this Saturday and journal a typical Saturday. Everything was going normally until we got invited to go ice skating with a bunch of kids and parents. Alina also received a birthday invite for next weekend!!! We need a present. So a day of housecleaning turned into a fun iceskating, shopping and afternoon tea day.

The journaling says

"Saturday 29 May 2010. It should've been a typical Saturday of housecleaning, dance lessons and a game or 2 with the girls. The morning went to plan then it all changed. We got invited to iceskating and Alina received a birthday invite for the next weekend. So the afternoon was jam packed with iceskating and present shopping. Wish every Saturday was the same.

1. Do the dishes

2. Wash the clothes (raining today so hanging inside)

3. Dance lessons - Alina

4. Prepare pumpkin soup for night's dinner

5. Iceskating!!

6. Present shopping - bought mini kitchen sink and accessories

7. Dinner - soup

Followed by 6.30pm family movie on Prime TV - Toy Story then Toy Story 2"

I hope you like. Its a bit different from my normal style, bit more rustic and not so structured. I actually got to use my Glimmer Mist for the first time and that was exciting.

To Have & To Hold Layout

I love this layout and I love that it just sort of happened. It is of friends of ours that married recently. I printed the 'kiss' photo onto watercolour canvas to soften it and I originally planned for a black and white layout.

As you can tell, that didnt happen. After I cut out paper to do a colour blocking style of layout I realized that the black was too strong against the photo. So I scrapped that idea and the whole plan for the layout and just went to my stash and found this great Teresa Collins range, some ribbon and lace and just threw it together. I loved the 'remember good times' block from the range but it then confused me on where to put the title. I settled on a small title adjacent to the photo. I added the jewellery heart and some handdrawn scallops and finally the pink flower.

I hope you like it as much as I like it. I surprised myself as I tend to scrap with a plan in mind.

Also here is the card I created from the scraps.

Take the Plunge layout

Finally I get a chance to get on my blog and upload the couple of layouts I have completed. This one is of Alina getting ready to dive into the pool. She loves the water so much but I took the opportunity to use this photo to journal about my hope that she 'takes the plunge' in life.

I hope you like and here is the card I made from my leftovers.

Best Things in Life

I have just completed my DT layout for Challenge 80 of Journaling Junkie. It is a bit early so dont tell Stef but maybe you can get a layout together and submit it next week when its posted.

The challenge is to journal aobut finding balance in your life. Include things like your 'to do ' list, time management tricks, how you prioritise what needs to be done, websites or magazines you read that give you advice/helpful tips.

Well I may think I am good at organising my life and my family's but is there really balance in your life when you seem to be pulled in many directions. Hence my journaling says:

"Balance in life... Is it achievable? I think when you combine the role of wife, mother and employee you end up with uneven scales. Priorities should be with family but that can be difficult when you are working with deadlines, responsibilities and just having other staff
rely on you. What about when you add in the need to look after yourself - exercise, relax, time with friends, haircuts. Unfortuately, we all know who suffers, not the hubby, nor the kids or the boss - yes... us women. We suffer with the disease of putting everyone else before
ourselves. If there is a woman out there that has balance in her life, please introduce me.
But would I change anything,not one thing!!"

I have done a digi layout for this challenge using Deb Fisher's Some Day kit and the butterfly from Scrappy Bug's Circle of Friends kit.

I hope you like.

Scrapbook Marathon

13 hours of scrapping!!!! Sheer pleasure. The Scrapbook Marathon is held four times a year and I hate to miss it. This time was different as I was missing my good friend Angie who has moved to Queensland, we always had a great time at the marathon. There were 36 scrappers, including some exceptionally talented scrappers.

I managed to finish 4 layouts and 2 cards, one layout I did as DT member for Renee's blog so I cant show you that one just yet. Another, my favourite, is of Kelly (wife of a workmate) being walked down the aisle by her brother. As for the other two, I did them exactly the same as they were the same photo except one of Alina and one of Kelsey. Cheating I know, but they will end up in separate albums and I loved the colours I used and the design.

Here Comes the Bride

My brother (alina)

My brother (kelsey)

I hope you like.

That Girl

Here is my DT layout for A Day in the Life of Renee. The challenge for us was to use the theme 'Peach and Lace' and use the Sprinkles flowers that were sent.

For this layout titled 'That Girl' I used a peach striped fabric as the main 'paper'. I also created a bow with the fabric and ruffled the lace. Fabric, bow and lace were machine stitched to the page. I also hand cut the tree from a paper piecing template from Scrapbook etc. As well as adding the Sprinkles flowers I inked and distressed. The photo has been edited to create a better colour for the layout.

I hope you like. I had great fun doing this layout as I have never worked with fabric, let alone a great bow. Kelsey just looks gorgeous and the flowers just set it off.

Pop over to Renee's blog and shop and pick up some Sprinkles!!