Meg's Garden - December post - Annabelle

The Christmas collection papers, designed by Denise Boddey are superb; I have really enjoyed creating with them.  This week, I’ve used another of the beautiful ‘Tis Christmas Collection, “Christmas Decorations”.  I wanted to show that a Christmas layout does not always have to be red and green.   With this softer green paper, I combined some Autumn tones to compliment the Antique Doll. 

 Some of the gorgeous lace available from Meg's Garden

A very old chippie by Scrap FX with some seed beads added

Meg’s Garden products used:-

‘Tis Christmas Collection, “Christmas Decorations”.

White Lace

Other products

Scrap FX - Fancy Letters

Crate paper - Avenue collection, “Trendy”

Dusty Attic - Skeleton Clock

Seam Binding

Beads

Prima flowers

Kaisercraft Cardstock

Kaisercraft Stamp

Martha Gardner Punch

102 - CSI Challenge - Resilience

This week's challenge includes a fun sketch from the talented Em Stafrace.  The colours are bright and fun and I used some photos of DGS, who has a bright and fun  personality.

I know this is a busy time of the year, but with the sketch, you could whip a page up in no time at all! Why not pop over to CSI and see what the DT have created

CLICK HERE

The green paper is some old Creative Imaginations.

The yellow heart paper is by American Crafts

The gorgeous orange washi tape is from Craft Queen

 The wooden birds are from Studio Calico

The orange and yellow birds were fussy cut from Basic Grey, Knee Highs,  "Double Dutch"

Green enamel sugar dots and alphas are  by Prima

The wooden branch is from Kaisercraft 

The gold hearts are ancient; they are from American Traditional Designs

EVIDENCE

Birds

Gold accents

Dots

Doodling

Leaves/branches

Small dots

Solid Background

Circles

TESTIMONY is on the back of the page

I went to the 4th of December writing prompt and chose,  “If I could give any gift to any person, what would it be?”

When these happy photos were taken you had just arrived as Buzz Lightyear at your little cousin’s party.   You approached guests with a “Gidday mate” and the thumbs up sign, ready to rock and roll.  You tackle everything head on, absolutely fearless and often have the scars and bruises to prove it.

If I could give any gift to you, it would be that you always retain your exuberance for life, your ability to get up and try again, the tenacity to persevere until you succeed; the gift of resilience.  Love Granny August 2013

101 CSI Challenge Christmas

These colours are my favourites, I love the green and pale aqua together and the mood board looks so festive, so I went with a Christmas photo from 2012. I know it's a busy time of the year, but why not whizz across and see what the team has created to inspire you?

CSI LINK
You have until 15th December to enter the challenge.

I started off with white cardstock, then used a couple of stencils with texture and ink to create the background.  The grey colour was introduced with the stamp at top Left and bottom Right.

The Christmas title is as old as button up boots, but I think it looks OK with the trees.

The little trees, I cut with a Spellbinder die, coloured with alcohol inks, then added some beads to decorate.

The number stamp is from Prima. 

The twigs are made with a Martha Stewart punch.

The blue frame is by Heidi Swap

 I still love these enamel flowers by Maya Road which are very old; 

in person years they would be vintage.

EVIDENCE

Frames

Numbers

Silver accents

Ribbon

Something dangling

Something shiny

Circles (the buttons and flairs)

Christmas accents 

Twigs

Something transparent

TESTIMONY

I went to the December prompt and was inspired to write about the difference in Christmas traditions when I was a child.  The journalling is on the back of the layout and it reads:-

Last year our DGS helped decorate the Christmas tree.  He took each ornament out with care, even the ratty old ones, that his Daddy and his Uncles made in kindergarten.   His favourites were the Father Christmas figures, which he clumped together in a posse at the the front.  We chatted about what Father Christmas might bring, if he was good and he expressed an interest in an ABC book and some Lego. 

When I was a little girl, Christmas was a time of wonder and joyous anticipation.  It was often fiercly hot on Christmas Eve and we were put to bed for a few hours before being woken at 11.45 to go to Midnight Mass.  The priest wore gold vestments, the air was fragranced with incense and the Nativity scene awaited the arrival of the Christ Child. 

We had to go back to bed when we got home and were squirming with excitement, so we often whispered and giggled for hours.  We never saw Father Christmas arrive, but he always came and left just one present at the end of the bed.  One Christmas, I can remember sitting up and fossicking around in the dark, sure that he had forgotten me; but then my fingers stumbled across some strings and I knew he’d brought the tennis racket that I’d asked for.  

What has this got to do with the photo, you may well ask?   I can’t help wondering if the children of today, who have so many toys, have the same amount of joy that we experienced with that single present we received on Christmas morning.  

Scrap365/3 combined with CSI - My wish for you

The talented owner and designer of CSI, Debbi Tehrani, has recently combined with Scrap 365, a beautiful English Magazine to create some challenges.  I was thrilled to be invited to submit a layout for publication in the Dec/Jan issue.

Why not pop over and have a look at the inspirational examples from the design team

CSI and Scrap 365 challenge

Although the pictures seem to suggest Christmas, the soft pinks and cream reminded me of  photos of my DGD, so I decided to make a little girl page.  Many of the evidence prompts worked well with a pretty page and the inspiration words “sparkle and soft” were the catalyst for my journalling. I love the combination of colours, because I would not necessarily put grey with the lighter colours, but I think it provides a good foil for the pink and cream.

EVIDENCE

Ribbons, pearls, beads, needlework, vertical strips, feathers, texture paste, silver accents, flowers

TESTIMONY

I used the words sparkle and soft in my journalling which reads:-

No matter what life brings, my wish for you is that you retain your sparkle and the joy you find in everday life.  You sing softly to yourself, "It's a happy day", while playing, this is a little tune you invented.  We see things trhough fresh eyes when you are around and we delight in your small discoveries.   Go well little girl, we love you. 6th July 2013

Thanks for calling in, I hope you have enjoyed your visit and come again.  

CSI Challenge 100 - Change

The colours this week were a challenge for me with so many shades of grey.  I have a self imposed ban on buying new paper for the rest of the year and had to rummage through the dregs to create this page.  I had a smidge of an idea to begin with and then, as so often happens the page took off in the opposite direction and created itself in a tizzy kind of way.  Soooo not my personal taste, but there it is!

The background paper is by Teresa Collins, it has palest grey pattern which doesn't photograph well.

The largest piece of the banner is Prima and the dotty piece is My Mind's Eye.

A prima mask created the texture and some gelato muddled over the top created the yellow.

The photo frame is cut from My Mind's Eye, "Chalk Studio".

The wooden typewriter is by Studio Calico.

EVIDENCE

Stripes - On the flower and the Prima paper

Flags

Wood - Typewriter

Frames

Border - Punched

I went to the Journal Sparks site and was inspired by "Death does not have to be physical - what else feels like death"?

THE JOURNALLING READS  

In the middle part of my career, I worked in a private school which educated more than 1,000 students from over 40 countries. 30 of these students had profound disabilities. I had been the School Nurse for 15 years and loved the environment and the students.  The role was varied; caring for borders far from home, attending to first aid, dispensing medication, suctioning tracheostomies, treating children with Diabetes, and Asthma, as well as managing other medical emergencies.

When we had a change of Principal and Accounting staff, severe budget constraints were imposed and it was decided that my hours would be cut to half time.  Despite written concerns from the staff and parents, the decision was set to be implemented the following year.

Apart from the financial difficulties this would cause me, I was shattered.   I felt abandoned, disenfranchised and mortified; as though all the systems I’d put in place to care for the students, the dedication to the College and the extra unpaid hours were worth nothing.

It was a deep wounding to my self worth and identity.  “Who am I, if I’m not the School Nurse?”  The whole existential question whirled around in my brain until I thought it would explode. My heart ached for the students whose needs would not be met with a half time Nurse.  My gut churned with anxiety about how I could re-create myself if I chose to resign.   There were very few opportunities to work in schools. Who would employ a middle aged woman, no longer current in acute nursing care?  It truly felt like a little death; bleak, black and hopeless.

Fortunately, I had long service leave in the last term.  I spent five weeks in Africa, connected to the beauty of the natural world. I was able to distance myself from the politics of my workplace and made the decison to resign from my role, trusting the universe to provide, which it did.  I was able to retrain in another field of nursing and was very happy in my new role in Pathology for the rest of my working life.  

If you've survived to the end of this post, well done, give yourself a reward like a trip to the scrapbooking shop.

Scrap Friends November Sketch Challenge

Scrap Friends have unusual sketches which I always admire, but don't often find the time to enter.  When I saw the gorgeous feathers on this one, I just had to make the time.
HERE IS THE LINK

I used some older Bo-Bunny for the background,
"Country Garden Morning", Sunrise
and teamed it with some newer Bo-Bunny, "Mama-Razzi", Oh Snap

 The weathered board at the top is October Afternoon,
"Farm Girl", Wooden Crate

The feather stencil is by The Crafter's Workshop

A bit of stamping, texture and misting along with gelatos to colour the feathers.

The chipboard title is from Imaginarium

Meg's Garden DT Vintage page

The muted colours of 'Tis Christmas Collection papers were perfect for this vintage photo of my Father-in-law, who was born the day after Christmas in 1911.  

 Christmas was always a time of celebration for the family and doubly so, 

because he was a Christmas Baby. 

The angel forms part of the cover of a little book which I made to hold the journalling about this remarkable man. 

 When I think of all the Christmas food and gifts we have in this day and age, I can't help remembering how austere life was for my Parents and my husband's Parents.  I don't want their stories to be lost in the business and abundance of life.

JOURNALLING - in the little book reads:-

Frank was the fifth and last child in his family.  He was born in the far North of the state at a little town called Hammond. (Now a ghost town) His father died when he was five years old and consequently there was not much money to go around.  As a school boy he had part time jobs such as tallying up the bags of grain at the silo, for which he earned about threepence a day.  He left school at aged twelve and worked at rock clearing. At fourteen, he was employed droving sheep from Hammond to Long Plains, a distance of about 150 miles.  Frank was determined to better himself, so he went to Teacher’s college, whilst working part time.  He married another teacher and they started a family of their own.  Despite the demands of five children and a teaching career, he continued his love of learning; first obtaining his diploma of teaching and later a Bachelor of Arts. In an era when only the rich could afford to go to University, his tenacity and determination, blazed a trail for his children and grandchildren to follow. By his example they believed anything is possible if you work hard enough.

MEG’S GARDEN MATERIALS 

‘Tis Christmas Collection, “Christmas flowers”

‘Tis Christmas Collection,  “Christmas plaid”

‘Tis Christmas Collection, “Christmas angels”

Gold Holly leaves

OTHER MATERIALS

Kaisercraft cardstock “sprout”

Basic Grey cardstock Wassail collection “Spruce”

Tim Holtz Die - Pediments

Tim Holtz - Distress stain “walnut”

Tim Holtz - Distress ink “Peeled paint”

Sizzix die - Fancy rectangle

Andrea Jayne Evans embossing folder “Pampered pets frame”

Victoria and Albert Museum embossing frame “Hanoverian Floral”

Prima - Vintage trinkets

Kaisercraft - clear stamp “sheet music”

Imaginarium - Chipboard title

99 CSI Challenge - Darling

Here is the bright challenge for this week at CSI.  Why not pop over to the CSI website and see the wonderful examples by the design team.
CLICK HERE
I was lucky to have a photo with these colours and some left over bits of Bo-Bunny to it all came together quite quickly.

Our oldest Grandchild when he was about 6 months old

I used some older Bo-Bunny papers for the matting

The stitched piece and the mat are from "Country Garden" range

The shutters are from The avenues collection, "Shutters"

The butterflies I found on Etsy years ago and the green leaves are a die cut

The dark green take and orange circle are Kaiser craft which I inked to darken to the correct colour

The back ground paper is an older range by Kaisercraft, Everblooming "Marigold"

The wooden title is by Studio Calico which I inked with Tim Holtz, "Rusty Hinge"

EVIDENCE

Butterflies

Floral and striped patterns

Window accent

Wood (title)

Six of something (butterflies)

TESTIMONY

I used two types of writing, typed and handwriting.

Extra journalling on the back of the page which reads.

We looked after you one day a week from 20 months until you went to school.  It was the highlight of our week.  We often said, what would you like to do today?  Go to the park, the library or the playground?  Mostly you chose to "Go to your house Granny and just play like we normally do"  It reinforced my idea that children don't need things, nor do they need to be constantly entertained.  As long as they loved unconditionally, allowed to experiment,  listened to and exposed to the beauty of the natural world, they have absolutely everything they need.

I found this poem on line somewhere and it expresses my feelings about child raising perfectly.

JOURNALLING 

“Do not ask your children

to strive for extraordinary lives.

Such striving may seem admirable, 

but it is the way of foolishness. 

Help them instead to find the wonder 

and the marvel of an ordinary life. 

Show them the joy of tasting apples,

mangoes & pears. Show them how to cry 

when pets & people die. Show them the 

infinite pleasure in the touch of a hand. 

And make the ordinary come alive for them.  

The extraordinary will take care of itself.” 

     

Author unknown

CSI Challenge 97 - Remember

I'd programmed this to upload on a certain day and just realized it didn't happen...whoops....I need remedial lessons on blogger.  Better late than never!

Thanks for the great the inspsiration mood board Debi and the sketch Em.
   I loved the challenge this week.

I used two very old papers as the base, Wild Asparagus is the green and the blue is by Basic Grey.

The strips are all Kaisercraft, as is the wooden title.

The stencil is Crafter's workshop - Mini Diamonds

EVIDENCE

Wood

Dry Embossing (on the silver sprocket)

Diamond shapes

Transparent accents (film strip)

Something reflective

TESTIMONY

I went to Cheddar X and chose to write about a habit of one of our DGS's

THE JOURNALLING READS

Here you are trying to avoid your afternoon sleep,
by snuggling up to Pa.  At two & a bit you are mostly
biddable and sweet natured. However, once you have
made a decision you are not going to do something,
nothing will change your mind.  All the coaxing, and
cajoling makes not a scrap of difference. It’s like trying
to move a Rhinoceros with a feather. Luckily, we have 
learned not to insist on things happening when we want
them to and in the fullness of time, you sometimes saunter
off and do whatever is was we asked.  Love Granny,  April 2013

MATERIALS
Basic grey - Blue Bonnet, "Oh Baby"
Kaisercraft - Miss Nelly Collection, "Tresor"
Kaisercraft - Le Chateau Collection, "Tresor"
My Mind's Eye - Wild Asparagus, "My Husband"
Kaisercraft - Wooden Flouishes, "Today"
Bazzil cardstock - Pale blue and white
BBP Stickers - School days (Star)
Studio Calico - Die Cut wood pieces, (camera)
Tim Holtz - film strip ribbon
Tim Holtz - Foil tape sheet
Spellbinder Die - Sprightly sprocket
Hunter Leisure - Frog button
TCW Stencil - Mini diamonds
Prima ink - White
Shiny stars - $2.00 shop

98 CSI Challenge - Loving these moments

Here is the challenge for this week.   If you'd like to check out what the rest of the design team have created, HERE is the link.You have until 24th Nov the to play along if you'd like to join in.

Many old papers were used on this page, mostly Kaisercraft. It’s always good to use up the stash. I struggled a bit with the purple...it’s not something I am drawn to and always admire what other artists do with it.

 A couple of closies

TESTIMONY

I used the IW dream to kick start my journalling. It is on the back of the page.

EVIDENCE
Stripes - on the frame
Polka dots
Clock
Ribbon
Wood (bird)
Spiral notebook punch

THE JOURNALLING READS

Once upon a time there was a little boy who was dreamed about becoming a big boy and celebrating his Birthday.  He had watched others  enjoy their birthdays and he was longing to have candles on a cake of his own. He also loved the film Toy Story.  When he opened one of his parcels and found the wings for Buzz Lightyear, his joy bubbled up like a fountain. He flew up and down the corridor, lights flashing, wings flapping, with his face absolutely beaming.  What a special day. 

19 October 2010 Love Granny

MATERIALS

Kaisercraft - Le Chateau collection, “Lumiere” (blue spot)

Kaisercraft - Pack your bags collection, “Tickets” (yellow)

Kaisercraft - Pickled pear collection, “Olive” (banner)

Kaisercraft - Pickled pear collection, “Olive” reverse side(carte postale)

Overton House - pp, lime spot

DCWV - yellow pp (unknown)

Making Memories - Boho, “Lauren floral stripe” (purple)

2 crafty - chipboard title

Kaisercraft - pearls, lavender

E.K punch - Binding edge

This and that a division of My Mind’s Eye - Frame, “Fresh fabrics”

Craft Queen washi tape - Lime floral

Die - Spellbinders, Scalloped circle

Die - Spellbinders, Romantic rectangle

Die Cut - Memory box vine

American craft thicker alphas - Daquerie

Heidi Swap - Mask

Derivan Matisse - Impasto medium

Tattered Angels Chalboard - Grape ape

Tattered Angels Glimmermist - Key lime pie

Martha Stewart punch - Monarch butterfly

Metal Owl clock - $2.00 shop

Ribbon - Spotlight

CSI Challenge 96 - 2nd Birthday

Bold and bright colours for the challenge at CSI this week.  Luckily I had these photos of our DGD to scrap, in her little ladybird outfit on her birthday.

  I used a # 3 sketch from Scrap Friends which you can find HERE  They have really great sketches.

If you'd like to play along you have until 

As usual, I used a mixture of old stash, such as the Sassafras lass alphas and a sprinkling of new, like the simply lovely frame by My Mind's Eye. The music acetate is by Kaisercraft and the Ladybird at the bottom is actually a zipper pull by Birch.

 The stars are made through a Tim Holtz stencil

Here's how I solved the case. 

EVIDENCE

Mesh

Clock

Something transparent

Sheet music

Rhinestones

Gold Metal

Frame

Paint (on the stickers)

TESTIMONY

You had a magical time at your second birthday party.  It had a Charlie and Lola theme and lots of the people wore costumes.  You were dressed as a Ladybird and looked very cute with a big red flower on your top and black spots on your tulle skirt.  With your black tights and boots on, your were ready to boogie.  The Ladybird persona suited you very well, because you like to flit from one thing to another, eager to be among the action.

I’m not sure how much of your birthday you will remember, but you certainly enjoyed the activities, especially planting the seeds at the potting bench.  Unlike your Grandparents, you are an extovert and we were delighted to see you enjoying being the centre of attention.  However, when the candles were lit and Happy Birthday was sung, you had a rare moment of being bashful, hiding your face in your hands, before popping out again with a beaming smile.  

MATERIALS

Kaisercraft cardstock - white and red and grey

Kaisercraft paper - Lilac Avenue collection, “Wisteria” (yellow)

Kaisercraft - Velvet ensemble collection (acetate sheet music)

Kaisercraft - pearls, red

Kaisercraft - Rhinestones

My Mind’s Eye - Chalk Studio, decorative frames

Christina Rae - Butterfly punch

Martha Stewart - Monarch butterfly punch small

Carl - Leaf punch

Carl Punch - small flower

Carl Punch - circle

Tim Holtz distress ink - Squeezed lemonade

Tim Holtz Template - Stars

Sassafras - Alpha stickers

Craft queen washi tape - red stars

Builders tape

Black butterflies - Unknown

Metal clock - $2.00 shop

Tattered Angels glimmermist - Lemonzest

Sassafras Lass - Alphas “Apple glitter”

Prima - alphabet stickers

Birch - zipper pull, Ladybird

Derivan Matisse - Impasto