Cosmo Cricket Showcase

Cosmo Cricket is having a Design Team Call and I am throwing my hat in the ring! I consider myself a late comer to their products; before the last few months I'd only used their papers once before: on this layout (which was published in 601 Great Scrapbooking Ideas by F&W Books),


and then I used the scraps to make this birthday tag for a friend.

(The papers are from the Wanted Line)

But this year, I have fallen in love with the recent products. I got papers, rub-ons and diecuts from the Cogsmo line in my May DT kit from A Walk Down Memory Lane. I confess these were difficult papers to work with at first because they really scream BOY! Since we don't have kids (yet, according to dh Lucas) , he's the only boy around here so I started with that

But the cogwheel papers made me think of that saying about seeing the wheels in one's head turning, and led to this page about how much I am a thinker and usually lost in my own world



I used some scraps to make this card, the sentiment was cut off from the throw away strip!


I love the circuit board patterned paper as well, and it was perfect for a page about a spam email I got that promised me $500,000. I love to document things like this, they will be fun to look back on!I also used the Tank Diecuts and some blackboard chipboard on this page. Not only am I a confirmed chipboard lover, but I love using raw chipboard, so this stuff is perfect for me!

The Get Happy line plus the blackboard chipboard (which is to die for!) were part of the April kit from Scrapbook Takeout and I so loved the bright funky colours! I used the papers in this minibook about the three kittens we had last year. They've now gone off to new homes (happily) and this album helps us remember how cute they were!







I'm in the middle of working on another minibook using one of the Ruby blackboard chipboard book and the Get Happy line, so be sure to check back soon!

I've really enjoyed working with these products lately, they are a pleasure!

It just takes a little focus

The last few days went by in a blur. Between DT commitments and the contest at My Scrapbook Nook, I've had to keep my head down! But what I've learned is that if I focus (and stay off the computer) I can accomplish a lot. I made these three projects yesterday. They are all variations on the theme "Found"




With my lesson learned in mind I am planning the week ahead. My hope is to try a new craft over the next seven days. Most likely sewing.

Latest MATADFAM

I've been creating but not finding time to post. So far I am keeping up, and it feels good!


Challenges at My Scrapbook Nook


DT work for A Walk Down Memory Lane with the June Kit


My attempt at a ribbon flower. I think I might need to work on this some more!

MATADFAM Days 5 & 6

Here's a layout I made yesterday for another challenge at My Scrapbook Nook

and a sneak peek of another layout for the ScrapDreamie Blog.


You can see the entire thing here

Tuesday To-Do : White Space

My MATADFAM for today is a layout that will serve as the Tuesday To-Do. A layout with white space. I actually did this for a challenge on My Scrapbook Nook, and thought it would be fun to explain how I made it. I don't have step by step photos, so I hope my explanations will be clear.

White space is also known as negative space, and is that part of a layout that isn't "filled up" with elements. It doesn't need to be white, just empty, but I chose to use white card stock for my background. White space is an effective design element because it allows the eyes to rest, and also helps to emphasize the elements that are there, thus pulling the viewer in.


You will need:

1 photo
12x12 Card stock
Patterned paper
felt or other trim
acrylic paint in two colours
journaling stamp
Phrase stamp
decorative stamp
circle label
letter stickers (small and large)
decorative border punch or scissors
Bubble wrap

1. Paint a roughly square shape in the center of the card stock. This doesn't have to be precise, simple swipe the brush several times across the card stock

2. Brush some of the second colour of paint across a piece of bubble wrap and press into the top left and bottom right corners of the painted square

3. Stick photo approximately in center of painted area

4. Cut a strip of patterned paper about 1.5" wide by 7" long and tear a bit off each end. Use the punch or scissors to make a border along one long side. Add to left, slightly on top of photo

5. Stamp journaling spot to bottom left of photo, slightly on top of the paper strip

6. Add felt trim and circle label as shown

7. Add title with letter stickers

8. Stamp phrase stamp below title, overlapping journaling spot

9. Use decorative stamp to make a photo corner above the top right edge of photo

10. Add journaling and voila!

Don't forget to show me your version of this by next Monday midnight, to be entered into a draw for a goodie! Also link me up with whatever you created today!

Eclectica

I'm so excited! June kicks off the Summer of Favorites series on Scrapbook Takeout and the kit I designed for June is now live! I had a wonderful time selecting some of my favourite items for the Works and Preserves kits, as well as for the Paper Add-on and exclusive rubber stamps. Some of the items are brand new and others are oldies but goodies. The kit is called Eclectica to mirror my totally randiom scrapbooking style!

Eclectica Works

Eclectica Preserves

Eclectica Paper Add-on

The unmounted rubber stamps are also available as a separate purchase

Visit the website for more details as all the contents of the kit aren't pictured here.


I am hoping we will make this a regular thing because my original list of items was very long, and I have enough fodder for another kit or two!

MATADFAM Day 2

Another scrapbook page. This time for the Scrapjacked Challenge


What did you create today? Don't forget to link me up!

While I was out

I did manage to get some pages done while I was traveling. Only three, and a card, which totally do not justify the amount of crap I lugged with me, but a girl has to have a choice right?

Exhibit A - for HMITM #80



Exhibit B - Scraplift Challenge



Exhibit C - Sister Scrap



Exhibit D - Birthday card for Sarah

MATADFAM Day 1

And we're off! It took me the entire day to get over my inertia, but I did it! Today's project is my page for the latest HMITM Challenge.



What did you start off the month with? Link me up by midnight PST to be entered in the draw.

And if you're looking for some more Make Something Everyday fun, check out the month long challenge at Scrapbook Takeout on the forum. You could win a Purple Cows paper trimmer!

Mother's Day Surprise

I'm really tickled to have two layouts in this new idea book by Lisa Bearnson


But even better, I got an e-mail from Vivian today with a link to a website showing a few of the pages from the book, and one of them is the page I did about my Mum's trip to Paris last summer. I didn't get my copies in time to bring one down with me so this was a good stand in! You can see the page in question here, it's called Stars in her Eyes.

Spend May in Paris!!

Well virtually anyway with the May Scrapbook Takeout Kit, Parisian Vintage Chic. Lots of vintage inspired products and some shimmer and shine!! I can't wait to get my hands on this kit!


And there's a subscription special for National Scrapbook Day too!! Some of the items in the kit are maya Road Chipboard, Imaginisce charms, velvet brads, crochet blossoms and flash cards. This will be a joy to work with!!

National Scrapbooking Day and more

We're having a mega crop for NSD over at The Scrapbook Siite. The DT will be hosting challenges, games and classes, and there will be two Celebrity Chats with Betsy Veldman and Emilie Ahern of Tinkering Ink. Points will be awarded for your participation in the challenges and games, and the grand winner will take away a rolling crop tote worth $79.99!! The amount of points you collect will also determine your discount in the store at A Walk Down Memory Lane!! So go sign up on the message board and come spend your NSD with us.

In other fun news my good friends Paula is giving away a free pass to Debbie Hodge's Scrap Your Events Class which starts this week. This is a quick one, so go tell Paula hi, for a chance at this drawing.

Yesterday the new How Much Is Too Much challenge went up, and Cindy challenged us to use chipboard, felt and ribbon as the main "ingredients" of a page. Here is my take of it.


I also posted a new page to Sister Scrap. Vernell and I each scrapped the two photos shown below. So take a gander over there to see what we came up with!

Some eye candy

TGIF - fuh real!!!

It's been quite a week. I can't believe it's Friday already, seems like just yesterday it was Monday and I was telling Lucy that I needed to plan my week out to stay on top of things. Well, I'm not sure I achieved that but I made it through!

And now I can finally spill the beans I've been holding onto since Tuesday night. I've been invited to join the ScrapGenie/ScrapDreamie Design Team!

Scrap Genie is a UK distributor of Scrapbooking Products, and ScrapDreamie is their inspirational blog. I am so looking forward to getting started on this gig, and can't wait to work with all the other talented designers.

As I collapsed into bed late Wednesday night, totally worn out from working on projects and teaching the minibook class at The Scrapbook Site, I realised that it was a happy tiredness because I so love what I do! And at the risk of sounding way too gushing, I am so thankful to have found this hobby and all the wonderful things and people it has brought into my life.

Speaking of the minialbum, here are a few more views of it. If you'd like to see all the pages, feel free to check my gallery.
And finally, I know it's been a while since I posted a Tuesday To-Do. They will be back next week!

Mid Week Crop

We're holding a mid week crop at The Scrapbook Site today!!!! We'll be posting challenges and games all day long, as well holding a few online classes. All free! Here's a peek of the class I will post later


And at 7:00 p.m CST the fabulous Marci Lambert will be chatting with us about Hambly. I hear there might even be a giveaway of some sort!

So check it out, register on the forum and come hang out with us!

Weekend Scrappage

Somehow I managed to sneak in three layouts this weekend. We had a relatively busy day Saturday, helping friends paint their first baby's room; and then having them over for dinner. But Sunday while Lucas relaxed after his winning performance in the Table Tennis Championships, I got scrap happy.


This week's How Much is Too Much



The latest Dare and a scraplift challenge



I finally got my hands on some of the new Pink Paislee stuff! It's all available at A Walk Down Memory Lane. To see more details and read the journaling check here