She Hearts Him (Clique Kits)

Hello!  I'm back today with  layout I made with my October Clique Kit "Funfetti".  This kit is so gorgeous, and I'm determined to create with it until there is nothing left (well close enough anyways)!!

This layout is also featuring a stamp set I purchased in the Clique Kits store, an amazing alpha stamp called Brush Grunge Alpha by Honey Bee Stamps.  Melissa designs the most beautiful stamps!

I also wanted to feature the beautiful Pink Fresh Studio stripe paper, and I backed it on kraft cardstock to make the colours pop!  The photo is of Brielle as a baby giving an adoring look to Sam! 

Oh how I love that tassel, pure eye candy right there!  I attached it by punching a hole through the puffy sticker.

The alpha stamp was perfect for my title, and I love love that ink splatter stamp!

Thanks for looking and make sure you use my discount code MELISSA10 for 10 percent off in the store!

Dream (Sketchabilities)

Good morning!  Today I'm sharing a layout I made for the latest and last (for a while) sketch over at Sketchabilities.  I just love their sketches, and of course I had to play along with this one!

I used my August Hip Kit (I'm nearly finished!) and scrapped this photo of my friend's gorgeous newborn baby boy who was born in February.  I decided to keep this layout monochromatic, and really focused on the beautiful photo.  The "Dream" Dear Lizzy title is from a previous kit, I was so happy to use it on this page!

I cut the leaves with my favourite Stampin Up die in my Cuttlebug.  They were the perfect finishing touch!

My little embellishment cluster featuring a felt heart from the Crate Paper Wonder ephemera.

Lovely layers, I even included the glassine bag which contained embellishments for the kit.

And here is the amazing sketch:

And I made a process video:

Thanks for looking!  Can't wait for Sketchabilities to be back!

"Making Lemonade #3" - Scraplift Yourself

Hello!  I'm finally back with the third instalment in my Making Lemonade series, which is all about staying creative and re-finding your scrappy mojo in the times you have no creative flow.  In this video I'm looking at scaplifting myself, which is something I've only ever down once before!

The layout that I chose to scrap lift is one that I've never shared on my blog before, and is one that I created for The Crafty Maven online crop that we had a few weeks ago.  It was for Tanya Hubbard's Challenge "Tackle the Terror" in which we had to take on something we found scary.  Like Tanya, my challenge was machine stitching circles.  The layout is all about the first day of school this year (in January), and how Azaria really wan't happy.

I loved this layout, and decided to scraplift it, this time with photos of Azaria on her birthday.  I used my August Hip Kit again.  In terms of scraplifting, I didn't recreate the original layout, but used it as a starting point and inspiration.

The photos aren't that great, but they definitely get the memory recorded.

I love the chipboard and wood veneers in this kit!

The "Hey!" and "Love" were originally cut apart cards that I cut into circles with my Cuttlebug.

And here is my video:

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!  Its Sunday right now, and tomorrow is the first day back at school for my older two (and Shaun) after two weeks off.

Our Bebe (Clique Kits)

Hello!  Today I'm sharing another layout I made with the Clique Kits October Funfetti kit!  I'm loving this kit so much because its full of gorgeous Pink Fresh Studio.  This layout is about our youngest Brielle, and I just had to use this background paper!

I know some people struggle with backgrounds that have this much pre-printed detail, but I love them!  When I first saw this paper I knew that I would use it to scrap one of my girls, and this photo of Brielle with her book was perfect!  I started by adding some machine stitching in white thread, and then added the letter stickers under each of the printed words.  Then it was just a matter of adding embellishments and my photo.  I added the vellum triangles at the end to anchor the layout.

The gold sequins were perfect as a finishing touch, and of course I had to add some gold Colour Shine too!

I was so keen to use the macaroon cut apart, and it was perfect for our sweet girl, and I added doily from stash.

I loved using the Pink Fresh Studio alpha stickers for my title!

Thanks for looking!

Cake Time (Lets Get Sketchy)

Hello again, yes thats right, two posts in one day!  Its our first week of October reveal over at Lets Get Sketchy!  And before I get to the sketch and layout, make sure you head over there and check out the new look of the blog!  Brenshevia is so awesome at keeping it fresh!  

This week we had a sketch from the lovely and super talented Laura Whitaker (whose sketches I just love working with).  I decided to make another layout about Sam's birthday with my stash kit, and I'm so happy once again to be using up really old stash!

The sketch uses three photos of the same size, but because I had one 4x6 and two 3x4 photos I needed to make the sketch work for me.  I trimmed my 4x6 photo down a little, and just made all the layers proportionately larger.  I stayed true to the sketch with my paper layers, and then went to town embellishing!  It was especially rewarding to use up lots of old stickers.  And then I was in the mood for outlining, so added this after I'd adhered my layers!

And here is the sketch:

Make sure you play along and link up your layout!

The Wait (Artfull Crafts)

Good morning, today I'm back to share a layout I made with Kaisercraft's lovely Holly Jolly Collection for Artfull Crafts.  This collection is totally my style, its colorful, has awesome script fonts, and lots of stickers!  

I've already scrapped a similar photo to this one, but as both Sam and Azaria are in this photo, I wanted this memory to be recorded in both of their scrapbooks.  Its another photo of them on Christmas Eve enjoying some technology time under the tree (which was up high to keep Brielle away from the presents!).

I stated with the gorgeous craft paper with stars as a background, and then built my layout on top of some gesso that I spread with an old credit card.  As always I matted my photo with white cardstock, and then added my paper layers and embellishments.  

As always I had to add journalling to tell the story of the photo!

I really wanted to focus on the cut apart card, and used the red border to add red sequins and the red glitter ampersand.

The word and phrase stickers are so on trend at the moment, and these ones were perfect for this layout.

You can purchase the Holly Jolly collection in the shop here.

Thanks so much for looking!

Clique Kits - Meet the New Team Blog Share

Hello and welcome to my blog!  Today is an exciting day because we are having a bog share for the   new 2015/2016 Clique Kits Design Team, and we would love you to hop along and get to know us all!

For those that don't know me, I'm Melissa and I'm from New Zealand, also known as Middle Earth for Lord of the Rings fans!  I'm blessed to live in Queenstown which is an alpine ski resort, and the home of bungy jumping (yes I've done it!).   I've been married to Shaun for 12 years, and we have three beautiful children Samuel (8), Azaria (6) and Brielle (18 months).  

I've been scrapbooking for over 6 years now, and started to make a baby album for Sam.  My style is clean and fresh with extra added detail.  My all time favourite product is patterned paper, I love the look, the feel and the prettiness.  Of course the first cut is always the hardest!!  I also love ephemera, and stickers,  and my favourite techniques are machine stitching, layering, ink splatters and I always journal.

For this blog share we were asked to create a layout about ourselves.  This was a challenge for me because my kids dominate my photos, and it made me realise I need to get in front of the camera more often!  Luckily Shaun had taken this photo of me on his parents 4-wheeler motor bike last snowstorm.

I used the gorgeous October Funfetti for my layout.  It's packed full of Pink Fresh Studio's Happy Things collection and some lovely Crate Paper. I wanted to focus on using the exclusive printables, and started with at beautiful pink ombre printable.  Once I had all my paper layers down I added my photo and embellished.  

I was saving that lovely Pink Fresh Studio Acetate card for this layout, and the bow behind my small title was cut with the die (add on).

"Think less do more" is made from one of the printables with a clear epoxy sticker over the top.

So here is the line up of talented ladies that I'm super blessed to be designing with, make sure you leave some love on their blogs (one lucky person will win a gift certificate to the Clique Kits Store).

Elisabetta Margini-https://abcdeliblog.blogspot.com/

Carolina Schultz-http://www.carolinaschulz.com/

Donna Espiritu-http://scrappydonna.blogspot.com/

Justyna Skowron-http://made-by-justt.blogspot.com/

Melissa Vining-http://yesterday2day4ever.blogspot.co.nz  >> thats me :) >>

Kat Benjamin-http://kraftykat9.blogspot.com

Marcia Dehn-Nix-http://www.onescrapatatime-bymumsie.blogspot.com/

Candace Perkins- http://findingeverydayperfection.com/

Kim Oedekoven-http://krodesigns.Blogspot.com/

Leigh Ann Odynski-http://www.artfulleighcreative.com/

Sandy Gonzalez-https://www.craftythought.com

Amanda O'Banion-http://amandaobanion.typepad.com/

Aliza Deutsch-http://peopleofthescrapbook.blogspot.com/

Maryam Perez-http://maryamperez.blogspot.com/

LeeAnn Pearce-http://thepaintbrushgoesspottie.blogspot.com/

Sandra Spitaleri-https://www.starsinpalm.blogspot.com

Make sure you visit and follow the Clique Kits blog where we share daily inspiration.  If you love these kits as much as I do make sure you subscribe here to ensure a box of delicious goodness arrives at your door every month!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog, make sure you follow me, and also check out my YouTube Channel,      Instagram, and Pinterest.  Its a dream come true to design for Clique Kits and I'm looking forward to an awesome year.  

Love & blessings