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 Hello again creative friends.  Three posts in three days!  It must be time to clear the desk ready for Christmas!

I've focused on  scrapping our smallest Grand Girls since we've not been able to see them because of the Pandemic.

Inspired by Paige Taylor Evans and others on her site, I've tried my hand at this textured page.  It takes ages to make, but I think the results are really worth the effort.

The paper and embellishments are from Paige Evans collection, "Take the scenic route."

Thanks for calling today and wishing you a Happy Christmas.

Stay safe.

Backyard Bliss

Sharing a page today about our little wild life warrior.  Our three and a half years old Grand Girl loves to get into the dirt and find things.

Imagine her delight the day she found this gecko and happily watched it crawling around on her Emma Wiggles top.

I used this vibrant paper from Paige Taylor Evans, "Go the Scenic Route" to balance the bright yellow of the Emma top.

The gecko cut file is from Silhouette and I kept the page super simple to allow the photos to shine.

Thanks for calling in; I hope you are keeping well.

Sweet heart

Another Grand Girl page, this time using a divine Cocoa Vanilla Collection called 'Daydream". 

I love the big blue eyes this little Girl's Mummy captured when Miss Violet was pondering in a cardboard box.

Using the wreath paper as the base, I added a lot of extra moths, one of the gorgeous corduroy hearts and some sequins.

The stitched heart is a cut file from Cut to You, it's called 

"Sew Loved"

I love the look with the variegated DMC thread stitched throughout. 

Thanks so much for calling in to say G'Day, keep safe and 

Happy Christmas

Baby Obsessed

Hello  crafty friends; it has been a while since I've posted but life gets in the way sometimes and especially at Christmas time.

I've been working on layouts for my smallest Grand Girls, the ones who live in Victoria.  Because of Covid, we have not seen them since the beginning of the year.  They plan on coming home for Christmas, so we are holding our breath that the borders down get clamped shut again.

I've used a sweet cut file from Gwen Wruck's collection at Cut to you. It is called Rag Doll and just perfect for this page.

Here's a close up of the journalling

The papers are all from "Follow the Scenic Route" by Paige Taylor Evans.

Thanks for visiting and for any comments you care to leave.

Graduation

Hello crafty friends

Just a quick post today to share a Graduation layout 

about our oldest Grandchild.  He is in year 7 this year.

It's rare to get a photo of him now that he is a teenager, 

so I cherish this one.

I used a Cocoa Vanilla collection, "You Rock"

It's an older one, but still looks great in my opinion.

The cut file is a free one by Paper Issues, "Right On Target".

Thanks for calling in and for any comments you may care to leave.

Birthday Girl

Hello, hello, gentle people, I hope your weekend is going well.

It's a gorgeous day here in South Australia, not too hot, not too cold, like Baby Bear's Porridge, its just right!

I've spent most of the day backing this quilt cut file from 

Paige Taylor Evans and I'm delighted with the finished page.

I used a mixture of papers from Paige Taylor Evans, "Bloom Street" and "Take the scenic route", as well as a bit from my stash, the yellow floral.  The oval frame is from the Silhouette store.

This was the last time we saw our interstate family before Covid 19 hit the world and locked us in our homes.  The oldest girl turned three and it was lovely to celebrate with them and their other Grandparents.

Thanks for calling in to say G'Day, I hope you are safe and well.

Freshly made sketches challenge #460

 Hello crafty friends.

Just a quick post today to show a card for 

https://freshlymadesketches.blogspot.com

which closes this evening.

I used the sketch to make a Christmas card with two older Kaisercraft collections,

"Letters to Santa" and "Glisten"

Thanks for calling in.  It's always a treat to read your comments.

Happy - a page about my smallest Grand Girl and her Mummy.

Here I am again! What's happening I hear you say?

We are having lots of cold and rainy days here, which keeps me out of the garden and into my scrap room.  It feels very good!

I was inspired by Paige Taylor Evans, who created a page like this, some time ago.  I bought her "Wildflower" cut file immediately and promptly forgot about when my Sister was critically ill.  

But this week Audrey Mutschall created a page based on Paige's and I just had to dip into the new papers and ephemera from Paige Taylor Evans "Go the scenic route" collection. I mixed in some paper from another of her collections called "Bloom Street". 

So happy with the way it turned out.

Thanks so much for calling in.  See you soon?  I hope so.

Loved - Cut to You cut file

Hello again crafty friends, I hope you are having a productive day. 

One of the few advantages of being in the midst of a pandemic, is the time spare I've had for crafting. The background paper is by Paige Evans, Bloom Street collection, as is the Butterfly.

I used Cocoa Vanilla, Happiness collection, to back the cut files and love they way they look.

This page began with a cut file by the talented 

Gwen Wruck over at Cut to you.

Frame trio cut file

Thanks for calling in to say G'Day, I appreciate you taking the time.

Dream - Paige Evans "Take the Scenic route" papers

Hello dear creative friends, it's cold and raining heavily here today, a good excuse to stay inside and get busy in the craft room.

I recently bought some of Paige Evans "Take the Scenic route" papers.  They are so rich and vibrant, perfect for this little girl's photo.

I use a free cut file, (Burst stitching heart) from Paper Issues, Paper 21 and some of the pretty ephemera from the "Take the scenic route" collection. A  quick and easy page and I'm so happy with the result.

Thanks for calling in today, I appreciate your visit.

Colorful Characters for Scrap Matrix September challenge

 Hello crafty friends.

Just a quick post today for Scrap Matrix September challenge; 

I almost left my run too late!

Have been dabbling with watercolour paints and drawing, 

but have no idea what I'm doing, so please be gentle.

I've been posting letters to two little Grand Girls in Victoria during the Covid shut down.  Trying to cheer them up as they've not been allowed out for weeks.  I think they will like these cards.

I used DecoArt Neon Acrylic Paint and

Art by Marlene, Bold and Bright Watercolours.

I used DecoArt Neon Acrylic Paint and

Art by Marlene, Bold and Bright Watercolours.

The stamped sentiment is from Ultimate Crafts.

Thanks for calling in to say G'Day.

Cocoa Vanilla "Day dream" - Happy Together and Lovely you

Hello crafty friends, welcome to my much neglected blog.

One of my dear Sisters has been critically ill during the past six weeks and I've been helping her and the family.

But now I'm creating with the gorgeous new 

Cocoa Vanilla Collection, "Day Dream".

The colours and designs are perfect for these Birthday photos

 of my smallest Grand Girl and her big Sister.

Both these Girls are crazy about Tutus and have a big collection in all sorts of colours!

Thanks for calling in to say G'Day, and for any comments you care to leave.

Take care and keep safe.

Crafty Cardmaker's Challenge #262 Things with Wings

Hello crafty friends on this blustery warm day in Australia.

I'm a huge fan of butterflies and was tempted to join the

Crafty Cardmaker's Challenge #262

 calling for things with wings.

I used a shimmery pale green card stock for the base, before layering on a Sizzix thinlits die Cut, "Bouquet"

The Butterfly is also a Sizzix Thinlit, "Scribbly Butterfly"

I coloured it with DOX inks, Cracked Pistachio, Peacock Feathers and Shaded Lilac. Then I added shimmer with Tim Holtz, "Bridal Tinsel" embossing powder.

The sentiment was stamped with Darkroom Door, "Happy Birthday" stamp and embossed with Tim Holtz, Silver embossing powder.

Thanks for calling in today, Happy Crafting and keep safe.

The Paper Players colour challenge 503

 Two posts in two days!  

That's very unusual for my much neglected blog.

However, I noticed a colour challenge over at 

The Paper Players using Magenta; one of my favourite colours and I just had to have a play.

http://thepaperplayers.blogspot.com/2020/08/pp503-colour-challenge-from-joanne.html

During the CV limitations, I've challenged myself to use stamps, stencils and techniques that I've neglected over the past couple of years so I fished out a stamp set which has not seen the light of day, for years.

It's from Stamping' Up, "Flower Shop"

I stamped the flowers on vellum and embossed them with White embossing powder before coloring them from the back with various Distress Oxides.

The background was dry embossed with Couture Creations, "Swiss Dots"

The stems were die cut in navy from two different 

Tim Holtz die sets, 664163 &661808

I appreciate you calling in; thank you.

Freshly made sketches challenge 447

Hello creative friends; it's been ages since my last post, but I've been busy crafting for a friend's fundraiser and not able to share those cards just yet.

Today, however, I was inspired by this simple sketch from

Freshly made sketches.

https://freshlymadesketches.blogspot.com/2020/08/theres-still-time-to-play-with-sketch_8.html 

I used the  Tim Holtz "Tattered Florals" die to create the flower.

 The floral paper is an old scrap of "Vivienne" by Basic Grey.

The tartan paper is from Lawn Fawn.

I typed the sentiment on the computer.

Not sure of my way around this new blogger just yet, but I hope to gradually transfer all my widgets across from the original.

Thanks for calling in today; I hope you are keeping safe and well.

Warmest wishes

Helen

Sunshine and Happiness - Cut to you

Hello friends, it's been a long time since I posted as I've been making cards for a friend's CWA fundraiser.

I couldn't resist entering the Cut to You challenge this month so celebrate their second Birthday.

I was inspired by various pink tones.

I love the Chevron cut file from Cut to You.

The flower and leaves were backed with Cocoa Vanilla papers.

The paper is by Pink Fresh Studio, Bloom Street.

I've had trouble sourcing the ephemera for this collection, but a friend from the USA is kindly sending me some.  So kind of her and I can't wait for them to arrive.

My little Grand daughter is wearing a dress which I made and smocked for her big Sister.

Thanks for visiting and for any comments you might care to leave. Keep well and safe.

Cut to you challenge -You are special

Hello there crafty friends. I'm still finding plenty of crafting time, because we are practicing social distancing here in South Australia.  I’m enjoying catching up on scrapbook pages and feeling super productive.

Some of the Scrapbook pages I’ve been inspired by on line over the past month or so, were created with cut files designed by  Gwen Wruck, an Australian designer. I ordered a few files from her company “Cut to You”

Gwen has a Face Book page for challenges.  This is a recipe challenge during the month of April.

I used parts of Simply Flora Digital cut file and Kit and 
You are Special. which was a free cut file from Qwen.

The papers are by ScrapBerry’s Limpet Shell, Gift Wrap and Classic Wallpaper.

Thanks for calling in to say G’day and I hope you are keeping well.

Hello there creative friends.  With time on my hands because of the state of the world, I’ve been trying to catch up with some Scrapbook pages for our youngest Grand Girls.

I found this gorgeous cut file, but had a bit of trouble trying to get it to cut properly; not the files fault, I hasten to add.  Gwen Wruck, the creator of the file, spent ages answering numerous emails, until I managed to make adjustments on my machine and find a good card stock to get the file to work.

I used an old Graphic 45 paper, Botanical Tea, as the background and various scraps to back the flowers.

I’m so happy with the result and highly recommend Cut to You for brilliant service.  Thank you Gwen.

The embellishments are from Cocoa Vanilla and

the enamel dots are from Seven Paper Dolls.

I hope you are keeping well and finding time to get crafty.

Fly - Scrap Matrix challenge - Inspired by Tammy

Hello crafty friends, I couldn't resist this challenge at 
Scrap Matrix

which was to be inspired by the uber talented

Tammy Klingberg

Tammy uses colour in a free flowing, disinhibited way and 

makes it look so easy.

  

It's not so easy for me, but I tried to emulate one of her pages, using some of Tracy Scott's beautiful butterfly stamps.

I began with an older paper from My Mind's Eye,

In Bloom, "Le Jardin"

The butterfly stamps are from Paper Artsy, 

Tracy Scott, ETS21 & ETS22

I used Art by Marlene Watercolours, Bold and Bright.

And popped a few gold enamel dots here and there,

They are from Studio Calico.

This is the page which inspired me.

Thanks for calling in today, maybe you will feel the urge to join in and be inspired by Tammy as well.  I hope so.

Birthday card for the Global Design Project #234 challenge.

Sharing a quick card for an online challenge at 
Global Design Project.

Here is the sketch

and here is my interpretation of it, 

using some older bits and bobs from my stash.

The background is a Hot off the Press paper which I smooshed with Distress Oxide Ink, Peacock Feathers.

 The tag is a piece of Mixed Media also created with 

Distress Oxides and the flower is a stamp by Tracy Scott,

Paper Artsy  ETS22. I colored it with Paper Artsy Chalk Acrylic paints, Bougainvillea, Lavender, Caribbean Sea and Limelight.   

Scrap Matrix Paper Arsty Challenge

Hello creative friends, just a quick post to beat the March deadline at Scrap Matrix, which is to use Paper Arsty Products.

I used some of my favourite Tracy Scott Stamps and made a few cards to send to friends during the Covid 19 Crisis.  I'd like to spread a little hope around while we are all in lock down.

The backgrounds were all created on my gelli plate.

This Mandala is a combination from 

Paper Artsy, Tracey Scott ETS23 set.

The quote is from Tim Holtz Ideology Quote Chips.

I just wiped a little distress ink over it 

to tone in with the background.

This is from ETS33 and ETS34 with the quotes from 

Tim Holtz Small talk stickers.

A different Paper Artsy, Tracey Scott combo, 

using ETS34 and ETS 33 again but with a with different centre.

I used the Tim Holtz Small talk stickers again.

Hope you are all coping with the changes in the world, 

that you have enough to eat and something to keep you busy.

Take care.

A Golden wedding anniversary card

Hello gentle people, welcome back to my blog.

For a variety of reasons related to my health, I've been MIA.

As well as that, like most of the world, I've been confined to barracks by the virus and inspired to tackle the mess in my craft room. It's taken a few days, but I found my desk and Mr Mojo skulking under the mess!

One of my dear friends celebrated a special wedding anniversary recently and I made a simple card to mark the occasion.

At the start of the year, I bought this pretty  rectangle die from Seven Paper Dolls, Fleur de Lis Rectangles.  

It seemed perfect cut in shimmery gold.

The pretty sprigged flowers and the golden embellishments are all from an older Kaisercraft collection called "Golden Grove".

Keep well, I appreciate you calling in.