Play - Remember this

Today I'm sharing a layout for CSI design team.  
I hope you will use the link 
CSI - color stories inspiration
to pop over and see the wonderful examples created by the rest of the team.

I struggled a bit with this colour palette until I found 
an old paper with the pink tones on it.  
I used a sketch from PURPLE PUMPKIN which I really love.

The photo is not the best quality, but it was a happy day so it made the cut.

The green paper is from by Paper loft - Granny’s House, Tatting/Tea time
The brown, floral paper is also Paper Loft - Back Country, “Mountain meadow”
The orange is from Echo Park - “Borders”

The wooden title and stars are from Studio Calico

The wooden ruler is by Prima 
The border punch is by Martha Gardner - embossed zigzag

I also used the tags from the back of the Echo Park
The cute little monkey is from Kaisercraft - Hello Sunshine collectables

EVIDENCE

Animal accent

Wood

Border punch

Dry embossing (on orange paper)

Three of something (the titles)

TESTIMONY

I used the inspiration words, Giggle and Enjoy as part of the journalling which is on the back of the page.

I found this quote recently and it reminded me to treat children as unique individuals, each with their own gifts and talents.   Not that there is any danger of you and your twin being lumped together in a “one size fits all” approach, because you just would not respond to that.  You are different is almost every way.  Occasionally you come to blows, if your brother has something you’d like and vice versa.   I am surprised at how readily you share, once you’ve had a won the battle.  You are such lucky boys to have Parents that make you giggle, who enjoy playing with you, and are happy to take you to playgroup to meet your little friends.  Journalling   9 Feb ’14    Love Granny  

Altered chipboard

It's time for the mid month challenge at Scrap Africa

 This time it is hosted by Ada Nicholls

The challenge is to use chipboard and to alter it in some way

I decided to make a card for a special friend and

used some chipboard from my stash

 I think is was made by Scrapworx

First I gave the chipboard two coats of gesso, then a coat of 

Tim Holtz distress ink "Faded Jeans"

Finally I applied embossing ink and "Aged marine" embossing enamel

which I melted that with a heat gun and while still hot, 

added some gold mica fragments, which I melted again.

It may sound complicated, but didn't take long and I love the effect with this vintage image.

I hope you will pop over and see what the rest of the team has created

and join us for a play with altering chipboard.

Eddy

Today I'm sharing a DT team layout for CSI
These muted colours were perfect for a page about our 
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. 
I reversed the sketch by Em Stafrace to better suit my photo

 Eddy was a sweet natured and friendly little dog, who spread unconditional love wherever he went. His lack of vision didn’t stop him playing chasy with our other dog Meggie.  He gracefully floated up stairs as though he had 20/20 vision and he liked nothing better than to nest in someone’s lap 
anytime of the day.
Why not pop over and have a look at the challenge?

CSI LINK

The tan paper is from Paper Loft, Grandmas House collection 

“Nutmeg and cloves”

The yellow(flower) is made from an older collection from Kasiercraft  

The journalling card is from Kaisercraft - “Take off”

The jewels are from Prima - Say it with crystals

EVIDENCE

Flowers

Solid background

Lace - punched border

Jewels

TESTIMONY

I chose to journal from my pet’s point of view.   The journalling reads:-

It was an ordinary day, just like every other day.  I was cuddled up next to Mummy with my brothers and sisters, all warm and cozy in our blankets.  I got excited when a group of people came to visit, thinking they might take me home with them. Then I heard one of the adults saying, “No, I don’t think we will take him. If he is blind in one eye, he might incur lots of vet bills and have a difficult life with three boisterous boys.”  I felt sad, because that’s what the people had said yesterday.  Then one of the boys said “How can you say that you won’t take him, just because he’s not perfect, he needs us more than any of the other pups do?”  The grown ups were shaking their heads, so I crept across and sneaked into their carry basket with a big, goofy smile on my face and my head cocked on the side.  It seemed to do the trick, because they smiled right back at me and paid the breeder. I soon found my way around their home and learned to avoid obstacles.   I didn’t like having a bath, but tolerated it just to please them.  I jumped for joy when they came home and smothered them with happy licks. I always knew when they were worried or sad &  jumped onto their laps to calm their spirits.  They cried when I had to go to Doggy Heaven. 

Happy

Today I'm sharing a DT post for CSI using bold and bright, primary colours.

I hope you will be inspired to hop across and see what the rest of the team have created.
HERE IS THE LINK

I had a play with Dylusion Ink Sprays on water colour paper

The Happy banner is from October Afternoon "5 & Dime"

The ABC strip is from October Afternoon "Jump Rope"

A yellow flower button from my stash

The green heart brad was part of a generous gift 

from Eila Sandberg, if you have not seen her work, do yourself a favour

and check out her blog.

The green bracket is by Kaisercraft "Class of 75 collection"

The alphabet cards I found on line at Pretty Little Studio

The wooden birds are from Studio Calico

EVIDENCE

Silver accent (flower on the frame)

Birds

Stack something (the alphabet cards)

Frame (hand cut red card stock)

TESTIMONY

I was inspired by the words READ and SIMPLE

You have always been fascinated with alphabet books.  You have your favourites which you read over and over when you come to visit.  Now that you are six and in Grade 1, you seem slightly less content with what’s on the bookshelf and ask what is new.  Last week, for the first time ever, you were a bit bored.  We offered to take you to the library, but it was 43 degrees, so we decided against it.  “How about we play Boggle, Rummiking, Monopoly, Scrabble?”  “Not really thanks Granny, I’d like to do something with Alphabets.”   I suggested, “How about we make an alphabet book?”  Your eyebrows rose quizzically “How could we do that?”  I found an exercise book and an old magazine.  We wrote a letter at the top of each page and then flicked through the magazine, identifying and writing down the objects we found.  Such a cheap and simple game and you loved it.  To be continued............Love Granny

Live life, laughter, remember

Sharing a DT layout, created with Meg's Garden Papers, 

lace and embellishments.

My photo was taken at my Sister's 21st Birthday Birthday, 

so that's a couple of Summer's ago.

Meg’s Garden Products

Dreaming in Meadows collection, “Dreaming in Spearmint” P6350

Dreaming in Meadows collection, “Dreaming in Spearmint” P6350A (the extra strip)

Frames 3 (the black oval acetate frame) Tr003

Clock charm - c69.8

Lace - sold by the metre

Other products

Bazzil cardstock - green

Coredinations cardstock - pink

Kaisercraft cardstock - Blue and green

Prima flowers and pearls

A couple of close  ups

One of my favourite papers from the Dreaming in Meadows Collection is “Dreaming in Rose”.   The soft colours and dainty, romantic pattern were perfect to create a shabby chic card. 

I love that the papers are sturdy and are easy to distress.

Meg’s Garden Products

Dreaming in Meadows Collection is “Dreaming in Rose”  P6347

Other products

Kaisercraft cardstock, 

Spellbinder dies

Seam binding ribbon

Martha Stewart Punch

Twirl

Today I have a layout about DGD which I made as part of 

the DT at Scrap Africa

Here is the link

The sketch is by Denise van Deventer

I reversed the sketch to suit the photo and used the flowers to replace the circles

The bricks are there, they just didn't photograph well

I used some older Authentique papers that I've been hoarding.

The chip board corners, heart sprigs and words are from Scrapmatts

The journalling is on the back of the page and it reads:-

This photo was taken on Christmas day with you in the new party dress we'd given you.  The minute you opened your parcel, you started undressing, so you could wear your new dress for lunch.  I wanted to take lots of photos of you in it, but you gave me one twirl and that was it.  "No more Granny, I've got to play now please"  

There is a crack in everything

I had great plans for this page....it was going to be random and arty.  Everything was going swimmingly until, as usual, I went one step too far and wrecked the whole page.   Arrrghhhh!   I might have even used the fiddlesticks word!  Ironic really given the Stamp which sparked my ideas! This is not as free form and arty as the original, but the photo does have the effect I wanted.

CSI LINK

I hope you come on over and have a play - let your inner artist out  :)

I used some older My Mind's Eye papers

The flowers were fussy cut from old Crate paper Bliss collection, "Groovy"

They look a bit grey here, but IRL they are beige colour

The metal embellies are from Bo Bunny

The stamp is from Tim Holtz

EVIDENCE

Mixed media background

Newsprint

Heart (on the stamp)

Flower

Border punch

Stamp

TESTIMONY - What does my Art mean to me?   The journalling is on the back and it reads:-

Without trying to sound coy, I'm not sure that what I create can really be called ART.  I think that scrappers who's work I admire, are real artists and what I do, is more like a craft.  Reflecting on the question has been interesting; it made me ask myself why I think that way.  It could be a tendency to strive for perfection, rather than just enjoying the process.  Perhaps it highlights the main reason I scrap and that is to tell the story.  Writing helps me makes sense of my life and records the children's stories, but could that be Art?  At the head level, I'm willing to accept imperfection, but at the gut level, the remnants of a brutal education still linger and I want everything to be outrageously excellent.  Then I remind myself that this is for the children and that makes it all worth while....besides I have at least five years worth of stash to use!