Memories Of You

Here's my final layout for this year. It's a photo of my younger DD taken just last month. As the year comes to a close, I look back at how much she's grown this past year, both physically and in maturity!

I used Basic Grey's beautiful Origins Collection for this layout, and tried out my Martha Stewart punches on the patterned papers. I then embellished the layout with Prima flowers (and butterfly) and Basic Grey embellishments (also from their Origins Collection).

The stamp I used for the title is also from Basic Grey. Isn't it lovely? I mixed black and brown inks to get this deeper brown colour.

Materials used:

Patterned Papers - Basic Grey - Origins Collection - Paraffin, Revitalize, Brown Sugar Scrub, Henna

Embellishments - Basic Grey - Origins Collection - Epoxy Stickers, Canvas Tags, Decorative Paper Clips

Title Stamp - Basic Grey Clear Stamps - Tranquil

Flowers and Vines - Prima - Homespun Elegance in Knox Gold, Alabaster Flowers - Alissa, Trellis Roses in Ivory, Prima Damsels, Holiday Lights Glitter Sprays - Crystal
Leaves - Prima - Heirloom Paper Leaves in Copper, and in Gold Dust
Butterfly - Prima Jewel Box Butterflies - Maya
Punches - Martha Stewart Crafts - Floral Vine Deep Edge Punch, Arch Lattice Edge Punch
Inks - Versa Fine - Vintage Sepia, Onyx Black

Wishing you a Happy and Peaceful 2010!

Brand New Prima Product Picks

Look at this month's Product Picks from Prima! Okay, I'm a little late in posting this, seeing as it's the end of the month, but then again these products are not only meant to be used for Christmas projects. This month's picks include lots of festive flowers and vines from their Holiday Lights line, which would look fabulous on your holiday projects, but which can also be used on other non-festive projects!

Here's how I've used some of these items in the past:

It's A Beautiful Life using the Flutter Vines Apple .....

...and Sweet Memories using the Holiday Lights Glitter Spray Silver.

Just love this selection from Prima!

LOTW #58

Well, I've been busy getting all the Christmas prezzies done, so I'm afraid I don't have much to update on this week. One of my layouts, Winter's Music, did, however, get selected as one of the featured layouts at Made With Love this week - so yay!



Here's a close-up of that layout again.

Merry Christmas one and all! :)

Twinkle

I'm Guest DT at Twisted Sketches this week, for their Sketch #027! It's a lovely sketch by the super talented Anam Stubbington, and the twist this week is "Ephemera". Check it out here, and do join in the fun and play along!

The photos for my layout are of my younger DD's first violin concert. The title "Twinkle" is the piece she was playing in the photo, and the ephemera is the ticket stub at the top left of the layout. I did lots of inking and distressing for this layout, for a "vintagey" feel.

Materials used:

Patterned Papers - Making Memories - Vintage Findings Collection - Music Edges, Floral Fabric, Postcards

Cardstock - Coredinations - Starry Night

Flowers, Leaves and Vines - Prima

Alphas - Pink Paislee Expressions Glitter Alphabets in Licorice

Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Black Soot

Bintan

Here's a layout I did for Custom Crops, using Prima's Sew Cute stitched papers and embellishments. The photo is of my two girls on a holiday at Club Med Bintan. It's a very simple layout which can be finished in a couple of hours, as you only need a few embellishments to complement the lovely stitching, and except for the pearls and alphas, almost everything else in this layout is from Prima. For a step-by-step how-to and full list of materials used, check out my article at Custom Crops.

Winter's Music

Love, love, love these Bo Bunny papers! So I just had to do another winter layout just for the chance to use them, lol!

I also used lots of embellishments from Prima for this layout, right down to the backing for their Say It In Crystals packaging! Too pretty to waste, that.

Materials used:
Patterned Papers - Bo Bunny Limited Edition Glitter Series - Snowy Serenade Collection - Winter Night; Lily Bee - Audrey Collection - Delightful
Die Cut Paper - Bo Bunny Snowy Serenade Collection - Prelude Die Cut
Journal Sticker - Bo Bunny Cardstock Stickers - Magical Winter
Gem - Making Memories Wedding Collection - 'I Do' Gem and Pearl Stickers
Flowers - Prima - Fleur Danseur Swan Lake, Fleur Danseur Releve
Flower Centres - Prima Say It In Studs - Studs and Crystal Center
Leaves - Prima - Velvet Heirloom Rose Leaves Blueice
Lace - Melissa Frances
Flourishes - Prima Say It In Pearls - Swirls Blue
Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Weathered Wood

Believe In Yourself

This layout was inspired by another layout I happened to previously come across online, but which I unfortunately cannot remember the name of its designer. So whoever the talented lady is, I thank you for the inspiration.

This layout was created for my older DD, who is spite of her dyslexia, managed to achieve top position in her class for her P6 prelim exams this year. Proud moment for mummy!

I used a mix of papers from Webster's Pages, both from their Postcards From Paris as well as their Winter's Wings collections, and embellished with cut-outs and bellies from Webster's as well.

The hardest part of this layout was holding the folded paper down, and for this, I used a piece of lace to hold it together, sort of like a curtain cord or belt. I then held the lace in place with a brad and some glue.

Behind the photo, I've inserted a piece of hidden journaling with a message to my DD.

Materials used:

Patterned Papers - Webster's Pages Postcards From Paris Collection - Romantique Chic, Salon Les Fleurs; Webster's Pages Winter's Wings Collection - Magical Tree, Snow Tips

Flowers - Prima

Laces - Prima

Brad - Making Memories Lacy Brads - Antique Copper

Cameo - Webster's Pages Silhouettes Self-Adhesive Decorative Cameos - Nature

Journaling Tags - Webster's Pages Fabric Fancies - Winter Fancies, Maya Road Sheers - Journal Tags in Cream

Alphas - Webster's Pages Little Storytellers Alpha Stickers - Paris

Others - Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Frayed Burlap, American Crafts Slick Writer in Black Fine

So Very Happy

Another layout I did using GCD Studios' Artsy Urban papers. I just love the colours and designs of this collection. I embellished with Prima flowers, laces and flourishes.

And I used a journaling tag from the Artsy Urban collection as the flower centre.








Materials Used:
Patterned Papers - GCD Studios - Artsy Urban by Memory Ross Collection - Birdie Border, Red Floral
Journaling Card - GCD Studios – Artsy Urban by Melody Ross Inspiration Cards
Flowers - Prima
Lace - Prima
Flourishes - Prima Say It In Pearls
Others - Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Black Soot, EK Success 3D Foam Dots

Memories Of Christmas Past

Custom Crops was hosting a Mystery Challenge where those of us who signed up for it received a mystery kit containing a mixture of both scrapbooking and non-scrapbooking items. We then had to submit a project using all the items in the kit, although we could add items from our own stash as well if we liked.

I decided to do a Christmas layout with my Mystery Challenge kit, inspired as I was by the Christmas-themed Sizzix dies I received as part of the kit. :) The photo is of my two daughters when they were younger, posing on the stairs with their musical Santa doll.

For a step-by-step of how this layout was created, check out the Custom Crops site here, where you can also find out how you can sign up for their next Mystery Challenge.

SNR Reader Spotlight

I'm in Scrapbook News And Review's current Reader Spotlight! Check it out in their main home page as well as their blog.

My layouts featured: You & I Both, A Love For All Seasons, Fun, Love & Laughter, Megan, Melanie, and Reflect.

Good Friends

The photo is of my DD and her good friends taken at their Primary 6 dinner last Friday, which was also their last day of school. There were tears and laughter that night, as the girls spent one last time together before moving on to their respective secondary schools when school re-opens next year. So I decided to scrap this for her.

I used papers and embellishments from GCD Studios’ Artsy Urban by Melody Ross Collection. I cut out the top and bottom of the beautiful flocked butterfly and scalloped strip of the Big Butterfly paper, and slid the circular cut Petit Floral paper behind the cut-out areas. I also inserted some black lace under the scallops, and further embellished the layout with crystal flourishes, a paperclip, and journaling card. I just love this entire collection from GCD Studios!

Materials used:
Patterned Papers – GCD Studios – Artsy Urban by Melody Ross Collection – Big Butterfly, Petit Floral, Red Floral, Black Floral
Paperclip - GCD Studios – Artsy Urban by Melody Ross Rhinestone Paperclips
Journaling Card - GCD Studios – Artsy Urban by Melody Ross Inspiration Cards
Lace – Prima “Elysee” Ribbons
Flourishes – Prima Say It In Crystals
Alphas – Making Memories Vintage Findings Epoxy Foil Alpha Cream
Ink – Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Black Soot

More Notebooks

Here are the two notebooks I made for my friend to give away as gifts. As these are A5 sized books, I could afford to include more embellishments.

For the first book, I used K and Company's Wild Raspberry range of papers, and decorated the front cover with flowers, a chipboard flourish, pearls, some tulle, and ribbons.

And for the second book, I used their Life's Journey papers, and embellished the front cover with a chipboard flourish, mounted cut-outs, ribbons and a metal tag. As it was for a man, I limited my ribbons to brown and blue tones, which also matched the papers used.

Materials used:
Patterned Papers - K and Company - Wild Raspberry Collection, and Life's Journey Collection
Chipboards - Maya Road Scrolls II Chipboard
Flowers - Prima, Ribtex
Alphas - American Crafts Fabric Thickers
Metal Tag - Tim Holtz Idea-ology
Stamps (For Inside Page) - Hero Arts
Others - Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Ribbons, Pearls, Tulle, Zutter Bind-it-All, Zutter 3/4in. Owire Bindings, EK Success 3D Foam Dots

Notebooks

It's been a busy past couple of weeks. I've been making notebooks, both for my DD's teachers as well as for a friend who was giving them away as gifts.

Here's one of the four I made for my DD's teachers. Today was my DD's last day of school and as she'll be moving on to secondary school next year, she wanted to give her primary school teachers something to thank them for all their guidance and support through her PSLE year. This one's for her form teacher.

I used K & Co's Life's Journey papers for the covers and embellished the front with a Maya Road chipboard flourish to which I had applied crackle paint and distress ink (for texture and shade), ribbons, pearls and a little heart-shaped charm.

I used my Zutter Bind-it-All to bind the book together and then decorated the rings with ribbons from my stash.

Here's the inside cover. She wrote a little note for each of them on the first page.

This next one uses a different set of papers from the same range.

And here are the other two.

Materials used:
Patterned Papers - K and Company Life's Journey Collection
Chipboards - Maya Road Scrolls II Chipboards
Alphas - Making Memories
Charms - Blue Moon Charm - Lost & Found Metal Charms - Modern Heart in Oxidized Silver
Stamps (For Inside Page) - Hero Arts
Others - Tim Holtz Distress Crackle Paint, Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Ribbons, Pearls, Zutter Bind-it-All, Zutter 3/4in. Owire Bindings

Catch Of The Day

I just finished this layout within two hours this afternoon - a bit of a record for me!

The photo is of my younger DD and her "catch of the day". The story behind this is that my DH has recently taken up a new hobby - fishing. And he's been faithfully going fishing every weekend but catching nothing more than a few small fishes, the biggest of which was about 8 inches in length. Then one day early last month, he decided to take our little one along, mainly to get her out of the way while my older DD was revising for her PSLE exams. She had never gone fishing before and of course was thrilled. They didn't manage to get any good catches the whole time and just as daddy was packing up and they were about to leave, she snagged this huge one weighing 2kg! Lol! So I decided I just had to scrap this photo of her and her catch.

Materials used:

Die-Cut Paper - My Mind's Eye - Penny Lane Collection - Maggie May "Lola Jane" Delicate Dots Paper
Patterned Paper - My Mind's Eye - Penny Lane Collection - Free Bird "Passion" Paper
Overlays - Hambly Screen Prints - All Mixed Up
Flowers - Prima
Flourishes - Prima Say It In Pearls
Title Alphas - American Crafts Thickers - Nutmeg Glossy Letter Stickers in White
Others - Pearls (from stash), EK Success 3D Foam Dots