Everything old is new again!

I was searching for a particular style of paper the other day (for an upcoming challenge at Scrapsidaisy) which led me to the deepest depths of my paper stash...the papers that I could've probably thrown out or donated to a worthy cause, and never even missed them. The papers that I've had for years and years, and that I haven't even looked at for years and years :)

And something great happened.... I saw them with fresh eyes :) and some of them have real potential!

When you combine them with newer products, old stuff gets a new lease of life!

The newsprint paper is by 7Gypsies, and was released in 2003...that's almost vintage :) I combined it with my favourite Heather Bailey Freshcut paper, a new Maya Road flower and a funky colour palette and voila! Not so vintage after all :)

The chipboard letters and bird are by Collections....what??? NO thickers????? LOL and I left them raw to pick up the colour in the flower centre. These flowers are just gorgeous IRL, so detailed and delicious. The pack had yellow and hot pink...mmmmmmmmmm....i had to use them straight away!

A very HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Linda for today...hope your day is as wonderful as you are!

TTFN xxx

5,4,3,2,1...it's Friday!

How fast did this week go? Whooooosh!

Friday means it's time for another challenge at Scrapsidaisy, and this week it was Beckie's turn to challenge us...and she did a great job of that ;)

She challenged us to use 5,4,3,2,1 on a layout...5 buttons, 4 stars, 3 patterned papers, 2 photos and 1 piece of ribbon. If you look closely enough, you will see that I managed to get all those things on.

Now that the DT layouts are posted in the gallery, I realise that you had to use at least all the listed criteria...that may or may not have made mine come together a bit more quickly than it did :)

I used a combination of My Minds Eye, The Girls Paperie and Melissa Frances papers, the stars are actually pink brads, and the ribbon is Craft Queen....love the colours on this one!

Doing these challenges each week is pushing me a bit outside my comfort zone at times, but it's a great way to use up some bits and pieces from my stash...love that! Why don't you have a go too?

Have a fabulous weekend...

TTFN xxx

Making cards...and cardmaking for cheats!

Happy Wednesday everyone....a cold one in this neck of the woods :)

I tend to put off making cards right till the very last minute, so I decided today to get a head start on a few....


...this one using some Heather Bailey paper and a quote sticker I've had for a long time (yep, I reached into my stash again YAY!). While I was poking around in my cupboards, I found a half-completed Basic Grey Lemonade card pack (oh the shame!) so I finished it off. These packs are so fun...not much thinking required :)

I sometimes change the words on the front to suit my own needs...no harm in that!

This one was supposed to say "Love Bug", which sortof limits who I could send it to...don't you think?

Hope you are keeping warm wherever you are...my toes are frozen! Off to find some socks :)

TTFN xxx

Glimmermist: Fail

My son's favourite expression at the moment is "fail". If you are trying to do something, and it doesn't quite turn out the way you want it to...fail. If you kick your toe? Fail. If you crash out on MarioKart? Fail. If it's a BIG crash...epic fail. You get the idea?

Today I thought I'd have a play with Colour Palette number 7 from The Colour Room, which looks like this...


...nice colours, huh? I dug around in my stash and found lots of older papers and embellishments in the appropriate colours to use , which always makes me happy. I decided to do a double LO again, because I had lots of photos from this particular event...that was my first fail :)

It took a lot of shuffling of paper to get to the point where I was happy to stick down...time I really didn't plan to spend scrapbooking today.

Once it was all stuck down, I decided the background needed Glimmermisting...just for some added interest.

Look at the globs of glimmermist...you call that an epic fail. And once you've glimmermisted, and stuck down, there ain't no goin' back. And since the papers were from Basic Grey Mistletoe and Pear from a few Christmases ago, there was no replacing the background papers either. Sigh. Moving on.

Very excited to see this up for pre-order...

Janelle Wind's first book. If you read my blog every now and then, you'll know I love using her patterns...they are very easy to understand, and she has a very modern, funky style that I love. Go here if you want to preorder a copy...you can even have a signed copy if you order before the release date :)

TTFN xxx

It's raining, it's pouring...

...and has been pretty much all weekend here in Perth. While it's not so great for getting out and about as we had planned, it is peeeerrrrrfect for snuggling in and making the most of the chill.

I spent yesterday afternoon in the kitchen, baking cupcakes and zucchini slice and jam drops and chocolate fudge brownies.....yuuuuummmm. The smell was so enticing...and I wasn't quick enough to take photos to show you :)

I have spent a ridiculous amount of time just touching my new fabrics that I bought at the Craft Fair...


...there is something delicious about pre-cut fabric, being able to see every single fabric and colourway in the range. I bought a charm pack, and while I have no idea what I am going to make with such small pieces of fabric, it really doesn't matter. Just touching them is making me happy :)

I have scrapped a little...


...and a double LO, no less :) Doubles take me such a long time to pull together. This one has been sitting on my desk for days...which could have more to do with all these handcut Christmas lights than the fact that it's a double...

What was I thinking? I really don't like hand-cutting anything! Anyhoo, it's done now, and that's a few less photos in my huge stack. The papers are from the Snowflakes and Mittens range by Rusty Pickle, and I've used my Martha Stewart Swirly Punch again...love that punch!

TTFN xxx

Cows, craft and challenges.

Happy Friday everyone!

Today Lydia and I headed off to the annual Craft and Quilt Fair at Perth Exhibition Centre...love that my girl loves to go crafty shopping with me :)

As we walked into the auditorium, we were greeted by this cow which Lydia was quite captivated with...

...it's part of an exhibition happening at Margaret River. And that, folks, is the only photo I took all day :) Guess we were busy shopping! I didn't buy much, but we had a lovely day out :)

Friday also means a new challenge on the Scrapsidaisy forum, and this week it was MY turn to set the challenge! I decided to challenge myself (and everyone else LOL) to scrap a school photo, mainly because I really struggle to scrap them, and have lots and lots in various places around the house!

My goal was to scrap a LO that had a pocket to store all the spares, like the class photo and all the various sizes that I seem to order every year, and that was a design that I could replicate over and over again. Let's face it, school photos are really not that much fun to scrapbook :)

With these goals in mind, I used a punch and my Slice machine to create the embellishment for the page, because I can use them over and over again...love my new Martha Stewart Swirly punch :)

This is what it looks like with the extra photos....all in the one place, and ready to go into an album...WOOOHOOOOOOO!!!

I then created another LO ina different colourway for Riley's photos...

...just to prove to myself that the design would work :) How many more school photos to go? LOL...don't ask!!!

Have a fantastic weekend

TTFN xxx

More information required?

How slack I feel for not sharing details of my project yesterday! I will make up for it today, I promise :)

This is the original pattern I was telling you about...

...done in very murky country colours, which really were all the rage a few years back. I even starting stockpiling Christmas fabrics in these tones to start the project, but like many things it sat neglected in my stash for years. While pondering what I could make with my yummy new Riley Blake Christmas fabrics, this project came to mind!

The pattern said to use food colouring to paint the background, but I found that it ran everywhere, and I am much too particular to allow such randomness on my project!!! I have another UFO in my stash (oops!) which uses a technique of colouring in with pencils (I bought a beautiful tin filled with every colour pencil of the rainbow for that project LOL), stitching over the top, then sealing the colour with textile medium (also in my stash for that project) . So that is the technique I am using for this.

Moments like this reinforce how much I love having a stash of crafty goodies on hand...you never know when they might come in handy!

I started stitching while Riley trained last night...it shouldn't take too long to finish,with all the training he does lately :)

Speaking of trampoline, here is my latest LO...

This blurry photo was taken back in March, when Riley first competed at Level 6. It occurred to me how far he has come in such a short time with his chosen sport...we used to be amazed by the "big boys" who competed Level 6, it looked sooooooooo amazing and difficult and tricky and dangerous! And now he has qualified for Nationals at Level 6 (and is actually starting to compete at Level 7 next comp).

I've used October Afternoon Hometown papers, a Jenni Bowlin journal card, some ribbons, and my Slice machine to cut out the stars. Alphas are AC Thickers (just for a change) and Carolees Creations tiny alphas.

Getting very excited...my girl and I are off to the Craft Fair tomorrow...can't wait!!!

TTFN xxx

Colouring Colouring

How long since you've done some colouring in?

Colouring in is great fun, especially when you are doing it on fabric!

I was busy with other things today, so I can't show you my work-in-progress because I haven't taken photos...but...

I've been playing with that stack of fabrics I showed you last week. I'm making a Christmas wallhanging by Christine Book - I've had the pattern since 2003 (gulp!) The sample is made using "a folky country palette of burgundy, caramel, olive green and navy", which sortof explains why I was uninspired to start. The centre is a stitchery which is supposed to be coloured with food colouring...don't try it...it runs everywhere :(

So I took out my trusty Derwent coloured pencils and started colouring....weeeeeeeeeeeeee!! Love it.

Note to self....take some photos tomorrow.

TTFN xxx

Feeling adventurous :)

Sometimes it's good to be a little adventurous, don't you think? Now, let me just clarify here...adventurous for you and adventurous for me are probably two very different things!
Adventurous for me is using red and purple...together. On the same LO. (I can almost hear my mother groaning from here...red and purple together? NO! NO! NO!)


Adventurous for me is cutting up my old paper dressmaking patterns and making a flower out of them.

Adventurous for me is covering chipboard with fabric, sewing over the top, and then fraying the edges...yes, fraying!!! It is glimmermisting shipping tags and journaling strips! LOL...I think I may need to lie down :)

And while I was feeling adventurous, I added some more to my banner from the other day :)

I will leave you with the sweetest face ever...

...my darling dog, who tries hard to be in every single photo I take. Seriously, you wouldn't believe how many times I've had to crop him out of shots. So I thought I'd do a photo shoot of him all by himself...have you ever tried photographing a deaf dog? LOL...Clancy, look at moeee, look at mooee (a la Kath and Kim)...nup, it just wasn't happening. Maybe another day :)

Have a great one!

TTFN xxx

Tea parties, Dear Lizzie and Holiday Happy!

How I love Sundays when there is absolutely nothing written in my diary :) Nothing to do but stay in your jammies till late, do little bits of housework at a leisurely pace, and have tea parties with your toys...
Every little girl should have a tea set, I think.

There's usually an invitation list...only special guests are invited.

Today it was mainly puppies....with a pig or two thrown in :) Childhood is such a magical time!

With not too much on the agenda today, I managed to do a little scrapping with my Dear Lizzie stash...

I really wanted to use those little chipboard dresses. The little birds in the corners reminded me of the scene in Cinderella where the blubirds are flying around with ribbon, creating a beautiful dress for Cinderella (tell me you know what I'm talking about LOL) so I went with some swirly twine...maybe I should stop sharing my thought process right there? It's sounding a bit vague LOL.

Anyhoo...moving right along...I've used mainly American Crafts goodies, mainly from Dear Lizzie which I have somehow managed to collect quite a bit of. Love the colours!

I was very excited to see a new fabric release during the week...look at the colours it's based on!

It's called Holiday Happy, and you can read all about it here...

Just the colours of this blog make me happy! Can't wait to see the fabric in real life :)

TTFN xxx

Friday challenge.

The new weekly challenge is up over at Scrapsidaisy, and this time it is to create a "heritage page". Design Team member Mel defined heritage as photos over 30 years old, and part of the challenge was to journal about the person/people in the photo. I don't know which is scarier...scrapping a heritage style page, or the realisation that I qualify as heritage LOL!!!

Here is what I came up with...

I don't have a lot of older photos, or childhood photos , and the quality of the ones I do have is very poor....but I soldiered on :)

I've chosen to blur my journaling...but I guess the title gives you a clue as to what it's all about...personal stuff.

I had to dig into my stash for some older papers...vintage really isn't my thing at the moment :) The floral paper is by Melissa Frances, Swiss Dots Bazzill, MM tiny alphas and fuzzy thickers...and I even Glimmermisted some Dusty Attic chipboard and Prima flowers. Talk about stepping outside my comfort zone!

It's my turn to set the challenge for next week...woohoooooo! Hope you will play along with me ;)

At the moment there's a special offer happening at Scrapsidaisy. Did you know that they have an online store that is chocka-block full of yummy new goodies? Making Memories Pitter Patter, Bo Bunny Sophie, Basic Grey Max and Whiskers just to name a few! Until the end of May if you spend $50 in the online store, you can get a massive $10 off if you enter the code "NewCust" at checkout...love a great offer!

It's Friday...hope you have a great weekend!

TTFN xxx

Kaiser Utopia

Have you seen the new range from Kaisercraft called Utopia yet? Lots of very yummy greens, purples and aquas, some metallic papers and diecut embellishments make them very easy to work with!

I was lucky enough to receive a card kit to play with from Tomorrows Memories, featuring the Utopia Collection....and the good news is...you can play with one too!

The card packs contain two whole packs of blank cards and envelopes(black and teal), a 6x6 paper pad which contains several sheets of diecuts, a Die Cut Elements pack,a pack of sentiments rubons, a Kaisercraft Ideas booklet and a sheet of matching Bazzill...all for $22.60!

Packs are limited, so be quick. You can make soooooooooooo many cards from this pack...these are just some starter ideas to get you going :)

I added a touch of ribbon and some Kaisercraft Pearls, but everything else on these cards are included in the pack.

There are even more card ideas in the Kaiser magazine, as well as LO and OTP samples.

Tomorrows Memories are celebrating their birthday for the ENTIRE month of May, with heaps of prizes and special offers. This week (10th - 15th May) you can get 20% off all albums...so now is the time to stock up!

Have a fantastic day!

TTFN xxx

I (heart) craft.

There is nothing quite like the feeling of starting a new crafty project...


... umming and ahhing over fabrics (or papers or embellishments), matching new purchases with things in your stash (sometimes that you forgot you even owned LOL), and the anticipation that you are about to create something with your own hands, something unique that (hopefully) you will love :)

Don't you just love starting a new crafty project? I know I do :)

TTFN xxx

Paper Doll Collection

Back to scrapping with the yummy collection, Paper Doll by Crate Paper...it is so delicious!

The die cuts alone sparked so many ideas for layouts in my head...


...like this one about my sisters' addiction to buying fairy dress-ups for Merryn :) She is one lucky little girl!

I've used lots from the Collection pack, including Addi, Lizzie and Ashley papers, the diecut sheet and one of the sticker sheets. There is SO much in these packs, and the paper is all double-sided which means you don't even have to buy matching cardstock! I just added a bit of Kaisercraft bling and some My Little Shoebox tiny alphas...all available at Scrapsidaisy.

This next LO is a boy one...believe it or not :)

Very versatile paper! You may remember these pics from last year...I've been wanting to scrap them for ages, but was waiting for just the right paper. The swirly paper from Paper Doll is perfect...very retro.

I echo-stitched lots along the edges, with a bit of zig-zag thrown in. Alphas are White Chocolate Chip by Basic Grey and I cut "ABBA" on my Slice.

The flowers are simply from the diecut sheet. I filled in the centres with microbeads (attached with Dimensional Magic) with another layer on top to seal the beads. While it was still wet, I popped a metallic silver flower on top, then some bling...too easy!

These collection packs and individual elements are available from Scrapsidaisy, and are fantastic value! While you're there, check out the brand new release Making Memories Pitter Patter range, and Max and Whiskers by Basic Grey...yum!

TTFN xxx