Thursday, November 22, 2012

ScrapFriends Chrismas Candy Giveaway

Wanna win candy?

ScrapFriends are having a Christmas Giveaway

Simply go to ScrapFriends and follow the directions

Includes:
  • 1 ring-bound album (20x20cm);
  • 3 tabbed dividers;
  • 10 designer pages;
  • 3 die-cut sheets;
  • 1 memorabilia envelope;
  • 21 tags & misc. die-cuts;
  • 16 paper & 4 glitter die-cut borders;
  • 31 pieces of decorative brads;
  • 14 acrylic stamps
  • 3 washi tapes.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

November KIU - Minimalist

A hundred hearts


I loved this quote when I read it and couldn't wait to use it on a layout. This little pic is of my sweetie back when she was only 2 years old. For Christmas Santa left a beautiful fairy costume under the tree and she lived in it - literally - for months and months.


Novembers challenge at Kraft it up! was to create a layout and show a large amount of white space. I decided to cut my 12x12 in half and treat each side as a mini page which created a complete layout when combined.

I pulled out the paint and randomly dry brushed my kraft with black and pink. The slide frames were picked up at Spotlight, the alpha stickers are by Prima, the chippie hearts are very old and from 7 gypsies and the sweet little kraft embellie is from Journal It's by Star (you can find her very beautiful bits and pieces at D-lish Scraps as well as the black butterfly). Some Kaisercraft rub-ons and handmade flowers completed my layout. I found a great tutorial at Nancy's blog so had a go and was really happy with the results.

Thanks for looking xx

SEM November sketch challenge...

18 selfies
 
 
Love, love, love these photos of my son!
 
My journalling reads: Usually it is hard work to get you to smile for the camera for me, so when I found these selfies on your ipod I was a very happy Mum!  
Each and every photo makes me smile :)
 

And it is so true - you are an absolute nightmare to photograph, but these natural poses are priceless!
 

I loved this paper from the AC Amy Tangerine range, and thought I could try to mimic the design on the sketch. Yes, I know I have taken a lot of liberty with this particular sketch and it doesn't look too much like the original, but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! I got so excited when I saw all of the dimension I could add with just a few circles and some brads, and I had sooo many photos to choose from that I couldn't decide! Instead of the three photos in the sketch I have included 3 rows of photos and incorporated the twist in my title.

Just remember that if you are printing photos from an ipod or smartphone that the quality is not always fantastic. Don't discount the opportunity to print them though, just opt for a smaller photo size and think outside the square when you use them on layouts.

Nicole used a sketch from Sassy Sketches for the challenge, and the twist was to use a number on your layout... it could be an embellishment, the date, a stamp or part of the title... let's just see a number used!

 
Why don't you have a go at this months sketch challenge or our main challenge "Family ties" for November? We would love for you to share one of your everyday miracles with us - it doesn't have to be a grand or life-changing miracle, just a little blessing that put a smile on your face. This month we are lucky enough to be sponsored by Peace, Love and Scrapbooking - which means they have put up a great prize and are offering a discount to readers of the SEM blog.

As always, thanks for looking xx

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

SEM challenge #22

Family


 Cara set this main challenge
 FAMILY TIES...meaning I want you to create a project about your family
*Scrap Twist: To go along with the "tie" theme...and in honor of me being a horrible ribbon-hoarder, I am asking you to use some ribbon on your project.
I'll see you your ribbon Cara, and raise you some ric-rac! I loved this BoBunny paper the moment I saw it, and it was perfect for a layout showcasing photos from the 1970's - the colours are exactly what I was looking for and the busy pattern is a real sign of the times.
 
Having only recently rediscovered a photo album from my childhood, I was struck by what I remembered about each photo as I shared the stories with my husband and children. I remember Mum always knitting or sewing, creating for us the most fashionable outfits (for the time!) and being extraordinarily thrifty as she went about it. I recall dresses being made from old curtains, a dressing gown created from a bedspread and our jumpers being unravelled when they no longer fit us, only to be revamped into something new. What a clever woman! It took Mum 30 years to teach me to knit a square, and my sewing will never be up to her standard - with beautiful smocking and embroidery that would send most people blind, but I have learnt her skills to some degree, and am teaching my own children the same skills.


Now when I look back at these pictures I don't see the same home made clothes that I saw as a child, I see a labour of love. The garments you created were beautiful, but the lesson you taught me is priceless - be grateful for what you have and always make the most of it.

Thanks Mum, today you are the subject of my Everyday Miracle, but know that in my heart you are my Miracle every single day!

Thanks for looking xx