Butterfly Cake (Lets Get Sketchy)

Welcome to a new month at Lets Get Sketchy, and while a lot of you are at the start of Autumn, Spring has arrived here in New Zealand.  For this reveal we had this fantastic sketch by Brenshevia:

This week I choose to scrap a photo that I took way back in 2009.  It's a photo of a cake that I made for a friend's daughter for her 4 year old birthday party.  My mother in law had given me cake tins that make butterflies, so I made a carrot cake and iced and decorated it as a tree.  I used an older Studio Calico kit.

I kept this layout really simple.  I painted the border on with the straw in my white Mister Huey's, and instead of a banner, I used twine tied with a button.

Thanks for looking.  I can't wait to see the layouts you create with this sketch.  Make sure you head over to the blog to check out what the rest of the DT made.

Be blessed

Melissa x

So Very Tough! (Use Your Words)

Hello and welcome to September!  Here at the bottom of the world that means Spring has arrived, YAY!  Well its a brand new month over at Use Your Words, and our word for the next fortnight is TOUGH.  Remember the rules are that you must use this word either in your title and/or your journalling.  I've found that as I've been creating these layouts, I prefer to use the word in my titles.

When I think of the word "tough" it immediately reminds me of a summer bike ride we had in February.  Once a month on Friday nights our church has Youth & Family Connect, which involves really fun activities that are open to anyone in the church to join in.  On this particular Friday night we went bike riding, with the aim of riding on the Queenstown Trail from Arrowtown to the Kawarau Bungy Bridge (the official home of bungy jumping in New Zealand and the world).  Sam was 5 back then, and we were so proud of him as he was the youngest kid to bike 16 kilometres (9.941 miles)!  The photo is of him pushing his bike up the last hill.  When we arrived back the entire crowd of church family started clapping for him, he was so tough and Shaun and I were so proud of his tenacity!

Here is my layout, made with my July Paper Bakery Kit.  I must admit I'd been hoarding that Elle's Studio confetti paper!

My photo is an Iphone Instagram, and is so dark because it was dusk, and the sun had nearly gone down.  I just love that sequin arrow that came with the kit!

I did my journaling in the form of a letter, which is something I've learnt from Wilna Furstenberg.  I think its a lovely was to record memories, which my kids will go back and read when they are older.  

I just had to include a close up of that super cute bike clip, which is a Paper Bakery exclusive! This photo also shows my layering, which I'm still loving!

Thanks for looking.  Now its your turn, and I can't wait to see how the word TOUGH inspires you!  Don't forget to head over to the blog to see how the other DT girls were inspired.

Be blessed, and enjoy welcoming Spring or Autumn wherever you are in the world!
Melissa x

Lets Get Sketchy - Exciting News!!!

Good morning!  I can barely contain my excitement! Lets Get Sketchy is going digital publishing a quarterly online scrapbooking magazine!  "Our online publication will be used to showcase designers from all over the world, to inspire our fellow scrappers, and to explore current trends and techniques.  This publication will also present awesome sketches for your personal use and, last but not least, to showcase our love of scrapbooking."  Full details, including submission requirements for our first issue can be found on the blog here.   

I'm so excited to be a part of this!  Make sure you start working on your submissions!  

Be blessed 

Melissa x

Artfull Crafts DT Intro!

Good morning, just a quick post before I head to work to say that my Design Team introduction is up on the Artfull Crafts Blog so do go and check it out, and learn a little bit more about me!

I share some of my favourite work, including the cover of my December Daily 2012 mini album.

I kept my cover really simple, and just painted my chipboard with white acrylic paint, as I wanted to feature the lovely Woodgrain Thickers.  I'm so looking forward to doing this project again this year! Here is one of inside pages:

Thanks for looking, I'll be back soon with some more layouts to share.  In the mean time I'm scrapping lots trying to get ahead with upcoming Design Team projects :)

Be blessed

Melissa x

You (Lets Get Sketchy)

Hello! Well its time for the Week 3 August sketch over at Lets Get Sketchy.  I just love sketches as they push my creative boundaries, and challenge me to be true to my style, whilst being influenced by the sketch. 

This week we had the following awesome sketch to play with, designed by the amazingly talented and lovely Ashley Horton.

I decided to do a layout about my son this week, as I can very easily get caught up in pretty girly products!  This layout is all about Sam and his glasses, which he got earlier in the year!  I took this photo at the optometrist, and these are the glasses that he picked out himself and loved. Its so hard to get a genuine smile from Sam when I take his photo, but I just love the joy in his face in this one! 

I decided to cluster all my elements around the photo, with a diagonal sprinkling of ink and wood veneers.  I used a Studio Calico kit, and added the glasses die cut, Crate Paper tag, Jillibean Soup boy sticker and title, Glitz washi tape, die cut leaf and the Maggie Homes for Crate frame.  I just love that matrix-movie style patterned paper that I used for my background.

I can't wait to see your take on the sketch!

Be blessed

Melissa x

Artfull Crafts Design Team!

Hello!  Well today is very exciting because I'm able to announce that I made the 2013 Design Team for Artfull Crafts!  This is an amazing opportunity and blessing, and I'm really looking forward to working with Liz and the team for the next year.  Artfull Crafts is located in Timaru, and is a scrapbooking shop and online retailer.  Its located about 3.5 hours north east of Queenstown - which makes me very excited!!  I'm really looking forward to getting to know the other ladies on the team, and providing inspiration on the Artfull Crafts Blog (which has new posts daily, and fun challenges each month).  Make sure you follow the Artfull Crafts Blog, and Facebook page to keep up with all that's happening!  Do come on over and meet the new Design Team, all of whom are very talented ladies!

Here are two never-shared-before layouts which are in my Artfull Crafts Gallery, both made with American Crafts Dear Lizzy and Amy Tangerine products. Make sure you check out the full gallery here.

This layout is all about the effort it took to get a photo of my daughter Azaria, it usually takes several different faces to get the sweet smilely one!  But in all honesty, I love all the funny faces my kids pull!

And speaking of pulling faces, this layout is about my husband and I at a Winter Ball last year.  The local Queenstown Community raised money to upgrade our Memorial Hall, and Shaun was the MC for the evening at the ball.  We had such a fun time, dancing the night away!

Have a blessed rest of your weekend!

Melissa x

Enjoy Camping 2013

Hello, well its Saturday night here and Shaun is out singing with his band at a gig. So that means that the kids are asleep and I'm scrapbooking and blogging!  And I may be eating gluten free and dairy free banana berry and chocolate muffins which I baked tonight!

I have a layout to share today that I made for Shimelle's recent Best of Both Worlds Kit online Scrapbooking weekend, however I ran out of time to complete it in time.  I finally finished it today, and I made it with my June Paper Bakery kit.  My layout is about our summer camping trip Lake Aviemore, and has three photos that really capture what we did around camp.

It was based on the following sketch, which I flipped to have the photos line up horizontally:

And here is my layout:

I love the Elle's Studio goodies in this kit from the Saltwater Collection, especially the cute frames!

Its great to have another layout done of our summer holiday, and I'm currently part way through a mini album which I'll share once completed.  

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Melissa x