LOTR Elves (Lets Get Sketchy)

Hello!  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!  I'm really late sharing this layout due to Christmas craziness and having a new baby.  Better late than never right?!

This layout is for the first December sketch reveal over at Lets Get Sketchy.  I used the Crate Paper "Cute Girl" collection and scrapped another ballet photo.  This one is a selfie I took when we got to try our costumes on for the first time!  We were elves, and we danced to Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.

Because this sketch was very simple, it meant lots of room to play!  I used a cut file from The Cut Shoppe, and I loved this scallop because it reminded me of stage curtains in a show.  It took me a lot of patience to get this cut file of my relatively new and very sticky Silhouette Cameo mat!

Here is the awesome sketch.

Sadly this will be my last layout for Lets Get Sketchy.  After over 3 years I have decided to leave the Design Team.  I've loved it there, but its time to move on.  Brenshevia has been an amazing leader, and I will forever be grateful to her for taking a chance on me when I had no previous DT experience.

Thanks for looking!

The Magic of Christmas (The Cut Shoppe DT)

Good morning!  I was up on The Cut Shoppe Blog yesterday with a new layout.  Since it's December and nearly Christmas, I was really excited to break into my November Hip Kit, which features Christmas products in non-traditional colours (my favourite way to scrap Christmas photos!).  I scrapped a photo from Christmas Day 2014 of Sam and Brielle (her first Christmas).

I used the Christmas Magic cut file, and I cut it on a pale woodgrain paper.  I love how it looks with all the pops of pink on this page.

Please head on over to the blog to see more close up photos.

Thanks for looking!

Marmagedon (The Scrappery Kit Club)

Hello, I'm really behind in my blog posts at the moment, but I had this layout up on The Scrappery YouTube Channel last Tuesday.  Its all about the time we had no Marmite in New Zealand, and then after a couple of years it was made again.  Sam was very excited that "Marmagedon" was over!!

I used the gorgeous November Lilly Kit, featuring Cocoa Vanilla Studio's "Make a Wish" collection and a cut file from The Cut Shoppe called "The Midnight Hour" which was created for Halloween.  I love how versatile Ashley's cut files are!  I challenged myself to make a boy layout with the kit which is very girly.

I backed the cut file with papers that were more masculine, and also filled in two of the larger stars with sequins that are exclusive to the kit.

The "Oh Yeah" cut apart is pink, but I think it works fine on this page!

Cocoa Vanilla have the most gorgeous wood veneers, I just love the colour tone.  I used the three stars on my page.

Here is my video.

Thanks so much for looking!

12 Designers of Christmas (Honey Bee Stamps Guest Designer)

Hello! On the 11th of December  I was guest designing on the Honey Bee Stamps blogs one of the 12 Designers of Christmas.  I was thrilled to be invited as I'm a huge fan of Melissa's stamps.  I decided to use one of my Sizzix dies to make some ornaments.   I was sent the "Let it Snow" and "Joy to the World" stamps and the sentiments were perfect!

I water coloured the ornaments and decorated them with the Ice Chip Glitter that Honey Bee Stamps sells.  My favourite ornament is the pink one.

Make sure you head on over to the blog to see the other two.

Thanks for looking!

Read (The Scrappery Kit Club CT)

Hello!  I haven't shared my exciting news on here yet, but I made The Scrappery Kit Club Creative Team!  The Scrappery is based in Australia, and I love that I'm now part of a team in my part of the world (NZ being neighbours).  The first kit that I'm working with is November's Lilly Kit, and features Cocoa Vanilla Studio's "Make a Wish" collection.  This collection is birthday themed, but there are so many possibilities for creating other projects too.

I'll be posting a new video on The Scrappery YouTube Channel every Tuesday, but will also share them on my channel, and here on my blog.  For my first layout I decided to scrap a photo of Brielle reading a book at 10 months old.  I love this photo and it was so great to finally get it scrapped.

I went with one of my favourite designs, which is to feature a large block of paper.  I loved this beautiful pink watercolour paper!

I fussy cut out some of the flowers and used them as embellishments.  I added extra texture with my sewing machine and scallop border punch.

I love all the embellishments that are included in the kit!

Here is my process video.

And here is my unboxing video of the kit.

Thanks so much for looking!

Fun in the Leaves (Lets Get Sketchy)

Hello!! I'm finally back after a break having our new baby girl Ava Quinn, who was born on 22 November.  She's two weeks old now and so lovely.  I'll share more in a separate blog post.  

Today I'm sharing my take on the first sketch reveal for Lets Get Sketchy for December.  I used my October Hip Kit and decided to scrap an Autumn photo of my kids that Shaun took.  At first I wasn't sure about this sketch, but I'm really happy with how it turned out!  I added texture with my sewing machine, and I had fun watercolouring the cut file (exclusive to The Hip Kit Club).

And here is the sketch.

Make sure you play along and link up your layout on the blog!  Thanks for looking!

Happy Girl (Creative Scrappers)

Hello!  When I saw this month's sketch over at Creative Scrappers I just knew I had to play along.  Its Sketch 300, and its a grid - so many fun options on how to play with this one!  I knew I didn't want my photo to take up the real estate of one of the squares, but rather be layered over the top, and I knew I wanted to keep it 4x6 size because I'd already had it printed.

My photo is of Brielle at 15 months at a park in town, and I love the colour tones in the photo.  I used scraps from my September Hip Kit, and tried to pull all of the coral/pink colours in the papers.  I added extra texture with my sewing machine, and had so much fun embellishing!

One of the little cut apart frames was perfect for my journalling.

The Cute Girl and Gather chipboard were perfect together for my title, and i love the tassel banner.

I popped my photo up on foam for dimension, which meant I could tuck some chipboard flowers underneath.

And here is the sketch.

Thanks so much for looking!

Be Thankful (The Cut Shoppe DT)

Hello! Today I'm sharing a layout for The Cut Shoppe here on my blog.  I used my Kellie Kit which has all of the papers from Amy Tangerine's "Oh Happy Life" collection, and I really wanted to feature my watercolours.  I used the Bountiful Blessings cut file to document this sweet photo of Brielle sleeping.

I used one of the papers as inspiration and painted all of my cut files in two tones of colour, I just love how they turned out.  The feathers didn't need any dimension, the watercolouring process enabled them to curl up.

I machine stitched all of the word die cuts.

I even stitched onto the photo, careful not to go onto her face.

Here is the Bountiful Blessings cut file, which you can purchase in the Etsy store here.

I made a process video for this one too!

Thanks so much for looking!

Pretty Girl (Lets Get Sketchy & Sizzix UK)

Hello again!  It's a new month over at Lets Get Sketchy which means its time for a new sketch! I just adored the sketch for this week, and had to pretty much stick with it, especially the gorgeous butterflies!  It was the perfect sketch to scrap a photo of Brielle at a friend's wedding that her and I attended in February.  I used my Kellie Kit, and some left over butterflies that I'd die cut with my Silhouette Cameo (the cut file is this one from The Cut Shoppe).  I also used this die from Sizzix UK for the leaves.  

My Kellie Kit is built around the latest Amy Tangerine collection "Oh Happy Life", and to to colour my butterflies I was inspired by the feather paper that has multi-coloured feathers.  I used my water colours to paint the butterflies and leaves in matching colours, and I love how they turned out!  I used a couple of shades of green for the leaves.

Here is the gorgeous sketch.

Make sure you head on over to the blog and link up your layout to play along!

Thanks for looking! 

They Love You Already (The Cut Shoppe DT)

Hello!  I'm up on The Cut Shoppe blog today sharing a layout featuring one of the cut files from the Road Trip set.  I love how versatile Ashley's cut files are, this layout has nothing to do with travel, yet the cut file I choose was perfect to represent how excited my kids are about the new baby joining our family (any day now)!!  I used older products from my stash for this one, its always such a good feeling to use up things that have been stored away.

Here is the cut file set, and you can purchase it in the Etsy store here.

Make sure you check out the blog for more details and close up photos.

Thanks for looking

Be Still My Heart (The Cut Shoppe DT)

Hello hello!  I'm up on The Cut Shoppe Blog today with this sweet layout featuring a daisy chain.  I used the Love Always collection to scrap this photo of Brielle that I took when I bought her some new hair clips, and she had to wear them all at once!  I created the daisy chain from the flower in the cut file set, by replicating it, arranging it in a circle and welding it together on my Silhouette software. 

Here is one close up of the daisy chain.  It's not perfect, but neither are real daisy chains!  I popped the centre of each flower up on a pop dot.  

Here is the cut file, you can also purchase this set pre-cut if you don't have a digital die cutting machine.  You can purchase the cut file in the Etzy store here.

Head on over to the blog to see more details and close-up photos of my layout!

Thanks for looking!

A Special Gift (Sizzix UK)

Hello!  I finally have another project to share for Sizzix UK, and for this one I wanted to make a special present for a new baby.  The baby girl's name is River, and my creative goal was to make something classic and simple.  I cut several "R's" on my Silhouette Cameo and then layered them on top of each other with liquid adhesive.  Then the fun part of embellishing with Paige Evan's "Take me Away" collection.

I used the Sizzix Bigz Heartfelt Die, to cut the two little hearts.

Thanks for looking!

Today (Lets Get Sketchy DT)

Hello!  I'm a little late posting this post, but we had our third sketch reveal over at Lets Get Sketchy this week.  We had another awesome sketch by Brenshevia, and I loved playing with my Kellie Kit, which I will explain after I show you my layout.  I used lots of Amy Tangerine "Oh Happy Life", and some Dear Lizzy "Fine & Dandy".  The photos are of Sam at the Hobbiton movie set.  He's a huge Lord of the Rings fan, and it was a dream come true for him to visit.

Here is the sketch.

My friend Kellie from the Gold Coast, Australia sent me a box of scrappy goodness, including Amy Tangerine's "Oh Happy Life", some Dear Lizzy, coloured doilies and other fun bits and bobs.  I decided to keep the goodies together, and also added some embellishments from my stash.  I've made a video of the kit below.

Thanks for looking!

First Day of School (The Cut Shoppe DT)

Hello!  I'm back to share my first layout for October over at The Cut Shoppe, and this month I'm finally getting onto scrapping Sam and his first day of school photos (from February this year).   Sam was particularly very happy that I was finally making a page for him!!

I used the "You've Been Schooled" cut file, which you can purchase in the Etsy store here.  I just had to use the main title for my title!  I dug into my stash and used the Boys Rule collection from Crate Paper, which may just be my favourite boy line ever!  I backed the open letters in the title with papers from the 6x6 paper pad.  I've been very inspired by Missy Whidden lately, and did the packaging technique with my water colours to create my background.

Here is a close up of my title.

Here is the cut file.

You can read more and see more photos over on The Cut Shoppe Blog.   Thanks for looking!

Fun (Pink Paislee "Take Me Away")

Hello!  Now that I'm not designing for a kit club I've had a little extra time to play and create layouts for myself.  I've also started going to a fortnightly craft night with three of my lovely creative friends, and its been awesome just to play without filming a video or scrapping for an assignment.

I made this layout over two crafting sessions, and I used the I'll Fly Away cut file from The Cut Shoppe with the gorgeous Pink Paislee "Take Me Away" collection my Paige Evans.  This collection may have just taken over from Dear Lizzy's "Lucky Charm" as my favourite collection of all time - I just adore the colour palette and gorgeous patterns!

I chose to scrap a photo of Brielle playing with her beloved play dough, and to be honest I created background cut file before I even knew which photo I was going to scrap.

This page didn't need much embellishment, because the butterflies are really the main feature (aside from my photo).

I struggled with where to place my journalling with this one, but the addition of the bottom triangle really helped the placement.  I was also indecisive about whether I should outline the page in pen, but I'm so happy I did because it helps to ground the entire page!

Thanks for looking!

Forever & Always (Lets Get Sketchy)

Hello!  Hope you're having a lovely day wherever you are in the world!  Its Thursday afternoon here and today I'm sharing my layout for this week's sketch reveal over at Lets Get Sketchy.  I was too sick to make my layout in time for the reveal.  Last week I got a virus, and then started vomiting and couldn't stop for 5 days.  On Thursday I went into our local hospital for IV fluid, but as I still wasn't better by Sunday I had to go down to the maternity ward at Invercargill Hospital.  I was treated for hyperemesis again (at 32 weeks pregnant), and was given lots of anti-nausea medication and more fluid.  I got released on Monday and came home feeling so much better.  I was starving after not being able to eat for 5 days.

So I decided to play along with the sketch anyway, because I loved it so much.  I used the Love Always collection by Cocoa Vanilla Studio (totally enabled by Hey Nae Daily after I watched her haul video on YouTube!).  I scrapped a really old photo of Shaun and I from 2004, pre-kids and taken when we were up at Mum and Dad's for Shaun's Granddad's 90th birthday.

I had so much fun with my embellishment clusters on this one!

I loved layering up the ephemera pieces.

Here is the sketch.

And I even made a process video.

Thanks so much for looking!

Clique Kits September Blog Share

Hello and welcome to my blog!  Its time for the September Pep Rally with the gorgeous Moon Child kit.  This is my last DT duty with Clique Kits, and I want to say I've loved my term and have had so much fun creating with their amazing kits!  I'll miss the leadership team and the other girls on the DT.

Here is a look at the kit, featuring Pretty Little Studio, Kaisercraft, Kesi Art, Fancy Pants, Dear Lizzy and my favourite exclusive paper designed by Nicole.

We had a challenge theme this month to design a project about someone we "Love to the Moon & Back".  At first I was going to scrap my husband, but I didn't have a recent suitable photo, and to make matters more difficult my printer is currently broken.  So I scrapped our three kids holding the 12 week scan photo of our new baby arriving in November.  This page is an 8x8 layout for my 2016 Grateful Album (which I'm very behind on due to pregnancy related illness).

I also made this layout about my adventures in adult ballet lessons.  The fussy cut flower is from the packaging of the Pretty Little Studio tiny words,  and I was delighted to discover it when the word sheet came off.  I really wanted to focus on the exclusive "Dream" cut file.

I also made a mini album about my son's trip to Hobbiton (The Hobbit was filmed in the North Island of New Zealand), but due to having the flu and hyperemesis I wasn't able to finish it in time.  My plan is to finish it and share it on my blog and YouTube channel as soon as I'm done.

Here is the line up for the blog share.

September 2016 Line-Up
Clique Kits https://cliquekits.wordpress.com/
Gia Lau https://giaaloha.wordpress.com/
Erica Thompson https://ericarosecreates.wordpress.com/
Nicole Martel https://nicolemartel.blogspot.com
*Marcia Dehn-Nix http://onescrapatatime-bymumsie.blogspot.com/
Kim Allen http://kimsscrappyblog.blogspot.com/
*Melissa Vining http://yesterday2day4ever.blogspot.co.nz//  >>> You're Here!<<<
*Donna Espiritu http://scrappydonna.blogspot.com/
*Leigh Ann Odynski http://www.artfulleighcreative.com
Sandy Gonzalez http://craftythought.com
*Elisabetta Margini https://abcdeliblog.blogspot.com/
*Aliza Deutsch http://peopleofthescrapbook.blogspot.com
Sara Mishler https://sarascrapsblog.wordpress.com/

Thanks so much for looking!  Thanks again to Erica, Nicole, Lacey & Gia.  Designing for you has truely been a dream come true!  I'm looking forward to keeping in touch on Instagram!