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April 30, 2013

Just Be


I used my Scraps of Elegance April kit (using every last drop...and have another layout and a card or two planned!) for this layout of my daughter fishing one evening a few summers ago... I used lots of BoBunny die cuts and rub ons from the C'est la Vie line in the kit...made my own flowers...

Here is the BoBunny Sketch I used:

April 29, 2013

Another Exciting Announcement!!

I've been announced over at the Molossi Facebook page, so I am free to announce here that I have been chosen for the 2013 Molossi chipboard design team!!!
I am over the moon to be working with this company, they make some amazing chipboard designs and off the page projects. I feel honored to have been chosen!

Come check out their Facebook page

and their website

Looking forward to creating!

Fairies in The Garden - Sketch and Doilies challenge reveal for Frosted Designs

So excited to say this was featured for the Prima PPP challenge on their blog!!


This week our challenge at Frosted Designs was to use doilies and this gorgeous sketch by fellow teammate Brenshevia!


I decided to use my Martha Stewart Circle Edge Punch for the first time...just a five minute learning curve and the most tedious part of the whole thing was having to find and mark the center of each sheet of paper I used! I used Prima Fairy Rhymes paper and lots of other Prima goodness for this.

Can you spot a cute little photo of my youngest daughter in amongst the flowers?

Don't forget to come play with us this week and you will be in with a chance to win a prize from





April 28, 2013

Nature's Joy and a Happy Announcement!


Here is my entry for the C'est Magnifique April sketch. Everything here is from the main kit, bar the twine and small bling swirls, just love how packed full of goodies the kits are :) I did some lacing used the split paper like in the sketch, and the chippie... I left the chippie raw as it seemed to fit in with the natural theme of the layout better and looks gorgeous as it is!

This is the gorgeous sketch this layout is based on:


In other news, I have an exciting announcement ! I tried out for the design team for Sugar Creek Hollow, a shabby chic and vintage card challenge site which is right up my alley, as those are the kinds I design for my local cafe card stand!! I am happy to say I was invited to join the team!! Look here Saturday to see my first card reveal.

April 25, 2013

You're Crazy Like That - Guest Designing for Scrap it WIth a Song


This is my last layout I did for my Guest Designer gig at Scrap it With a Song. I used the lyrics again as my title "You're Always Crazy Like That" from this week's song:

Foolish Games by Jewel

I made this also for the Scraps of Darkness/Scraps of Elegance forum's April Round Robin, following Kim Arledge's gorgeous layout. I used the April Scraps of Elegance kit and many flowers and embellies from previous kits. 

I love how it turned out...love Aine's crazy supermodel expression while holding up a pine cone lololol, they are crazy like that!

I would also love to enter this in the Scrap Africa challenge. I used a B&W photo, used triangle pennants, and my bling is my confetti!

April 23, 2013

Natural Beauties Layout - Embossing Long Border Strips with Couture Creations Folders


My second layout for Couture Creations uses many of their die cuts and showcases how you can use the embossing folders to make continuous strips for longer border pieces or accents like mine.

To create the long strips, cut paper into 50mm (approximately 2 inch) pieces. You emboss the first section as usual, then you place the paper through the slit in the folder and adjust it till the pattern looks to be repeating seamlessly, continue to emboss in this way until you have the length that you need.


You can then sand the paper strip and cut it to the shape that you desire.


For the rest of the layout I used several Couture Creations dies. I cut my photograph with the Oval Nesting Dies and the mat for the photo with the Scallop Oval Nesting Dies. I used Couture Creations 12mm Foam Mounting Tape to lift the photo on the matting. The leafy flourish is the gorgeous Jasmine Dream die from the Endless Dreams collection.


The smaller pink flowers are the 3D rose flowers that I made in my previous tutorial with the Daisy Nesting Dies. My main flower here is inspired by Sue Smith's gorgeous flowers she created with the Rose Nesting Die, but I used my Daisy Nesting Dies again! To make this I used the three smallest daisy dies and cut each twice. I used my Couture Creations pokey tool to punch a hole through each layer.


I used a brad to temporarily hold the layer together while I shaped the flowers. To shape them I sprayed each layer and scrunched them into the middle.

Continue wetting each layer and scrunching...when you are done, unfold and shape the flower, replacing the center brad with stamens.

Using my sponge dauber I was able to edge all of my papers and flowers in ink to give extra contrast to the layout and I used my 18mm double sided tape to stick down my embossed strips and photo matting.



Couture Creations products used
CO723217 - Daisy Nesting Dies
CO723044 - Oval Nesting Dies
CO723045 - Scallop Oval Nesting Dies
CO723415 - Endless Dreams Collection: Jasmine Dream
CO723309 - Sweet Dreams Collection: Ello Embossing Folder
CO721986 - Handheld Essentials
CO723060 - Sanding Block
CO723061 - Sponge Daubers
CO721961 - 12mm Foam Mounting Tape
CO721965 - 18mm Double Sided Tape

I hope I have inspired you a little to try embossing long strips or making some flowers! If you try some out please be sure to share your projects on our Facebook page!!

I'd love to enter this into the Berry71Bleu Flower challenge this month!

April 22, 2013

Guest Designing for Scrap it with a Song!


Every week at Scrap it with a Song they post a new song and you can use the title, the lyrics, something the song reminded you of...anything inspired by the song to make a layout. I played back in January and won and was invited to guest design this month. I have done a layout for this week based on


I took some lyrics from the song, "I looked up at the skies, running my hands over my eyes" and my "model" Aine posed for me and also gave me a beautiful photo of her in her ballet gear. It was fun to get her to help illustrate the lyrics!!

This layout was done entirely with the April main kit from Scraps of Elegance, featuring lots of BoBunny C'est la Vie and other gorgeous embellishments. Love those kits I get each month, always a wonderful selection of papers and goodies.

I would love to enter this into the Berry 71 Bleu flower challenge.

April 21, 2013

The Best Day


I used my gorgeous April C'est Magnifique kit to do this layout, Pion Alma's Sewing Room, Prima Engraver chipboard and some gorgeous Cheery Lynn die cuts (I have four here: the Lace Light Deco Border, Celtic Whimsy, Mini Fanciful Flourish and Cuties 2), there is also some gorgeous Prima flowers and vine pieces, antique buttons and lace from the kit...

I have used the gorgeous Once Upon a Sketch sketch and the theme of Best Day, using journal strips this time... One our BEST DAYS?? The day our family was complete, the birth of my second daughter Aisling!

I'd also love to enter this in the Cheery Lynn Purple challenge, and the Scrap for Help book paper challenge

April 19, 2013

Steampunk ATC

Last month I entered a challenge at the Dusty Attic ning site for the first time and I won!! It was their ATC challenge and I did this ATC for a swap over at Scraps of Darkness for my steampunk loving friend Mish!

The theme was industrial and this is what I came up with!

I like to try new techniques out on ATCs or sometime do them just for a quick creative fix! They often get used later as centerpieces for cards I make. For this one, I used Tim Holtz stamps and gears, gesso and some lovely aged gold embossing powder... I need to do more of these again, they are so much fun!

April 16, 2013

Couture Creations - Chilled Layout

I am excited to share with you my first project done for Couture Creations Design Team!! It is now up on their blog and I would love it if you could come over and visit and leave some love!

I've done a layout using many embossing folders and dies and a large range of their tools and adhesives.

Here is how I put it together!! First I made the 3D embossed roses that I used to embellish the layout. To make them, I used the two smallest Couture Creations Daisy Nesting Dies. For the larger rose, use two small and one large die cut. For the smaller roses, it only takes two of the smaller shape. First cut the shapes needed and then emboss. I embossed them using the Elegance Collection Loren embossing folder


My Couture Creations Sanding Block helped reveal the awesome texture from the embossing folder.


I used my Couture Creations craft knife to cut deeper petals for making the flowers.


Shape the flower by bringing every second petal up and curving them, glue the remaining petals to form the rosebud, making sure the embossed and sanded edge is facing outwards.


Shape the next flower die cut by making circular motions on the underside of each petal using the Couture Creations stylus.


For the second layer of the small rose, glue your finished rosebud in the center
this time with the embossed side facing up. 


Press and shape and glue in to place


To make larger roses simply add more die cut daisy cut outs, alternating the petal placement between the previous layer so they have a natural full look.


Next I used my Couture Creations ink dabbers to distress the outer edge of
several die cuts I made using the Scallop Ovals nesting dies.


Adhere the die cuts using Couture Creations double sided tape.


I used the gorgeous frame of the Elegance Collection - Super Marina embossing folder to make a frame for my photo. I fussy cut around the frame and used Couture Creations Foam tape to lift it up and showcase it on the layout.


To finish off the layout I added some Self Adhesive Pearls in Blush Pink, and covered my chipboard flourish with a subtle treatment of Crystalina Glitzin' Glamour Premium Glitter Glue.




I hope you like my first project and can see the amazing range of products that Couture Creations has!

Couture Creations products used
CO723217 - Daisy Nesting Dies
CO723045 - Scallop Oval Nesting Dies
CO723450 - Elegance Collection: Super Marina Embossing Folder
CO723445 - Elegance Collection: Loren Embossing Folder
CO721986 - Handheld Essentials: Craft Knife and Stylus
CO723060 - Sanding Block
CO723061 - Sponge Daubers
CO721961 - 12mm Foam Mounting Tape
CO721965 - 18mm Double Sided Tape
CO721997 - Self Adhesive Pearls - Pink Blush
CO721971 - Glitzin' Glamour Glitter Glue - Crystallina

April 15, 2013

Nobody Sweeter


My stamps need a good workout, I tried my hand at using my distress inks to color in a stamped image I have had in my stash for ages, not too bad for a first try, I love stamping but never really color in my stamps, I like it!

I would love to enter this into the Inspired by Stamping color challenge, Sugar Creek Hollow's stamping challenge, Creative Inspirations Paint Spring Colors Challenge and Live and Love Craft's Bingo challenge (pink, cheesecloth, lace)


Couture Creations products used
CO723044 - Oval Nesting Dies
CO723045 - Scallop Oval Nesting Dies
CO721994 - Self Adhesive Gemstones - Pink Diva

Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday Challenge - Travel!

 This week is a theme challenge .... Travel!
Do a card, layout or OTP project with a travel theme and play along with us over at Frosted Designs!!

Here is my take on the travel theme, a layout about my time as a backpacker in 1993. I travelled from as far north as the Shetland Islands in Scotland, down to Aswan at the very south of Egypt. What an amazing experience I won't soon forget! This layout shows photos of a stop in Paris to visit a friend and see the sites again.

I used Creative Inspirations Gallivant papers and stickers for this, Manorhouse Creations flowers, and Words or Whatever Eiffel tower chippie.


Here is the Sketchbook 365 sketch I based my layout on:



I do hope you will come join us! By playing along, you could win... 




A Travel Mini Album Kit by Artsy Albums



Be sure to link up your project at the Frosted Designs site for a chance to win this adorable mini album!!

April Reveal at Paper Mixing Bowl - You Brighten up my Day


Here is our gorgeous recipe for April, just love those colors and the sketch:


I used the main ingredients, all the colors. For my utensils I covered it in whip cream (I used gesso), I used music paper for my music inspired elements, lots of May flowers, birds as my signs of spring, torn paper strips and masking with molding paste.

I was inspired by the journalling prompt of sunshine, but interpreted it as "You Brighten Up My Day"!!

The papers are from the gorgeous Prima Lyric collection, Tando Chipboard Birdcage, Prima and Petaloo flowers, and a little bit of Couture Creations in there with my Endless Dreams Tranquility flourish die!

We'd love to have you come play with us!! 
Come join us at Paper Mixing Bowl!!

I'd love to enter this in the A to Z scraplets April Challenge (title), the Creative Inspirations Paint Spring colors challenge and Scrap for Help April Challenge (book paper)

April 14, 2013

Starting to Organize my Scraproom...Again!!

I was inspired by Whoo Hoo Wednesday over at Inspired by Stamping to get out my label and alpha stamps and start making some cute labels for my glass jars and baskets...I got a start today!




I will show more photos of my space as I get it the way I want to (and when it is at a clean stage!!)

April 6, 2013

Magenta cards and Creative Inspirations Paint!

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I am entering this first card in Magenta's April challenge: Stitching and/or Fussy Cutting. Although I won in March and don't expect to win again so soon (no need to include my name in the draw for April!), I still want to participate as I use my last scraps of paper to make these few cards!

Here is my entry with some stitching for the Magenta challenge... I would also like to enter this for the Anything Goes challenge at Creative Inspirations Paint! I recently won some Creative Inspirations paint and just love how the gold paint covered my chippie piece, the shimmer is just amazing!


I did two more with my leftover papers! This one shows off the beautiful tanzanite and gold paints I got from Creative Inspirations...



Couture Creations Products Used
CO723050 Nesting Dies: Fleur-de-Frame
CO723114 Doily Dies: Blossom Yarn
CO723422 Decorative Dies: Endless Dreams: Fresh Flower
CO721990 Self Adhesive Gemstones: Vintage Gold