ONCE UPON A SKETCH ~ HAPPINESS

Hello, 

Tonight I would like to share a layout for Once Upon A Sketch. The gorgeous Lizzy is on the DT over there now, so thought I would like to support her and give this a go.

The sketch and to scrap a Lesson Learnt

Love the sketch, but I am not sure I am happy with my layout.

I actually pulled it all apart as I did my journalling on the layout and didn't like it. So I flipped it over and did the layout on the reverse side of the PP , minus the journalling on the page. Still not sure if I like it, but there you go.

My Journalling that is now on the back reads ~The Beautiful People of Navutu may not have many material possessions, but they are the happiest people I have met. The children don't have television, I phones, I pods, computers or video games, but they play, laugh, smile and have big smiles and bright eyes. Their eyes are not dull and lifeless from endless hours of looking at a screen. I can't help think who has the better life.

The happiness chippy is Prima , I have gessoed , painted with liquid pearls, water paint, acrylic paint, you name it I used it! The stamp is also prima. Chevron washi tape, they are all from Craftqueen

The flourish is 2Crafty I believe, also from Craftqueen. I have gessoed, and then used croco crackling and then painted with Shimmerz. Oh yeah used the Shimmerz on the happiness chippy as well, see told you I used everything on it.

I have used stitching and also stamped around the edge with a Kaiser stamp and rubbed gesso over it.

Thanks for popping by. Don't forget there is still a couple of days to join in at Orange Paperie and Colormescrappy

If you are in the heat stay cool and if you are in the cold stay warm people

Love and Peace

Mary x

PURPLE PUMPKIN SKETCH CHALLENGE ~ BEAR LOVES HER BOYS

Hello on this Australia Day Long Weekend 

Today I am playing along with Purple Pumpkin's Sketch Challenge. I had to join in as it is my friend Lizzy's first sketch challenge. The sketch......

I was guided by the sketch, but it also took a little journey of its own as well :)

This is my Beautiful Sister In Law with her two Grandson's that she just  loves to bits. They call her Bear (so cute I reckon)

I had stamped a feather onto the layout, but I didn't like it so covered with some gesso and added the rosettes, beads and satin seam binding instead , which are all from Craftqueen. The Remember photo tab is Pink Paislee from Scrapfriends, Old clear button that I have smudged with gesso and apricot paint and laces are from my Mum's treasure tin.
Thank You Lizzy for the little wooden stars, I love them.
I have used a clock Mask and smudged with water paint and Pan Pastel. The Flair is from StudioFourteen40 ,they have the most gorgeous flairs.
I have also been participating in CreativeJumpStart2014 and the focus is on using household items. I have used Plasterer's tape and a big old button a piece of old doily that I have ripped and placed under the button along with some old lace for the household items.
Thank you for stopping by, I really appreciate the time you take to leave feedback.
Don't forget the challenges at Orange Paperie and ColorMeScrappy

Love and Peace
Mary x

SCRAP AROUND THE WORLD. ~ WE LOVE LOVE & LESSOLOGY ~ YOU HOLD THE KEY TO MY HEART

Good Evening , tonight I wanted to share my layout for Scrap Around The World. The beautiful Mood Board for inspiration
So Pretty

and my take
                                  WE LOVE LOVE

The inspiration in the moodboard for me was the pattern in the teacups, the ocean , the theme of love from the flowers and the setting with lanterns and the colour blue .

I have used mists, water colour and Gelato  on the background.

I am also entering this over at Lessology  for challenge #32, where the criteria is " You hold the Key to my Heart". Thanks Lizzy for letting me know about this challenge . Lizzy is my challenge Queen.  The recycled/household elements are the little beads that I have adhered to the strips of canvas that I have gessoed over. The beads are very old , they were my Mum's, also the pieces of White doily that I have ripped and the Lace in the top corner I cut from an old top. The theme for JumpStart2014 is to use household items this year, which is great as it makes you think outside the square.
 This layout started out as something completely different and at one stage I was thinking of binning it. But I  stuck with it. Once I added the lace  , I started to like it and then I completely changed the picture and theme. The title is something my nieces always say and I think it is sweet. It makes my heart happy to see my DD so happy, it is all a Mum can ask for .
Thank you for popping by , enjoy your weekend.
Love and Peace
Mary x

PIXELS AND PAPER CHALLENGE

Hello !
When I saw the challenge over at Pixels and Paper it reminded me of when we took the Grand Children  to Sydney for the weekend in 2009. Star Wars exhibition was high on the list but also we managed to go The Chinese Gardens and walk around Darling Harbour. Jedd got into the pond for a paddle as it was very hot, but of course what little boy can just paddle without getting completely soaked !
This is the photo we are to take our inspiration from 

and my take

I did struggle with this one as I wanted to use the three photo's and this is actually my second attempt. The first attempt ended up going on a whole other journey and is now my DT layout for next months Orange Paperie. I am also thinking this is not my usual style, even though I don't think I have a style, now I think I kinda of might. Anyway......   here are some close ups

I have used Pinkpaislee Artisan words.
Amy Tangerine clouds and feather
MME & Bo Bunny stamps
Don't forget to join us at Orange Paperie 
and ColorMeScrappy
So much cooler here today. I actually cleaned out the top of a wardrobe, man why do I keep so much stuff!  
Hope you are having a good week
Love and Peace
Mary x

CHALLENGE YOURSELF ~ONE LITTLE WORD AND SOME HAPPY NEWS :)

Hello on another hot day. Thinking of all those that are facing bush fires in Australia at the moment and hoping God will send some rain down.
I have done this layout for the Challenge Yourself Challenge.
The challenge is One Little Word, so do a layout on the word you want to focus on for the year

I have used techniques from Jump Start 2014 This is the 3rd year I have joined in on Jump Start. I was lucky enough to do a class of Nathalie's when she came to a town near me a few years ago. Nathalie is a wealth of knowledge and is the loveliest person. I could listen to her all day, and she is funny and generous.  Nathalie has fantastic tutors on Jump Start sharing their tips and techniques. 
I have used a masking tape as my household item and inking technique and also modge podged serviette pieces on my layout.
So my one little word was going to be Listen (as my husband reckons I don't) 
But the more I thought about it , I decided on Calm, as I think I need to learn to stay Calm and Let it Be. To not get worked up about things or concern myself with things that in the long run don't really matter. So wish me luck !

I am going to take a leaf out of Lizzy's book and list the products used at the end. Lizzy's blog is my favourite blog to visit. It is where I find a lot of the Challenge sites, her work is fabulous and she is gorgeous and loves to share tips and techniques . So if you haven't visited ..... go there NOW !
I bet you will love it as much as me. :)
Products used ~ pp Kaiser "Precious Moments
Flair button ~ StudioFourteen40
Little pearls and Rosettes and tiny twine ~ Craftqueen
Other products ~ Gesso, Texture Paste, mask, Distress inks, Pan Pastel, Serviette, Modge Podge, Masking tape, Doily ripped up, Let it Be stamp.

Now for my Happy News ~ Sandra asked me would I be a GD for StudioFourteen40 Um Yes Please ! :) I really love their flairs, so it wasn't a hard decision. I feel very honoured.
So Pop over and have a look at the gorgeous flairs they have available. You will be addicted like me.
Thanks for stopping by . Don't forget to join in at Challenge Yourself and also Orange Paperie and ColorMeScrappy. Plenty to keep you busy and all awesome sites

Love Peace and Coolness ( as in keeping cool) and if you live in Europe stay warm 
Mary x

A LITTLE BIT OF CHRISTMAS SILLY ~ CHALLENGE AT PUNKY SCRAPS

Good afternoon everyone. It is to hot to do anything but sit in my scrap room  with the pedestal fan on and catch up on some scrapping and computer stuff. Poor old Scruff is laying in here as well and I have a bottle of ice water in his bed to keep him cool. Enough of the weather. When I saw the criteria for the challenge at Punky Scraps I wanted to scrap these photo's of my eldest son being a little silly. I have kept every Christmas decoration my children have made since playgroup and they put them on the tree themselves. As you can see the colour is faded from them they are so old!  And needless to say our tree is a tad over decorated these days, it does well to stay standing up. I guess I will have to part with the old decorations one day.
There had to be sparkle, staples , mixed alpha and staples on the layout and a fun photo

The flair buttons are from StudioFourteen40 , the Vine 
ribbon is from Craftqueen and I have added some sparkle leaves from my Mum's treasure tin.

Journalling on the tag slid in the side of the layout

Thanks for popping by. Stay cool 
Love and Peace 
Mary x

GIVE ME THE SUN AND THE SEA ~ NEW CHALLENGE AT COLORMESCRAPPY

Evening on this HOT HOT night, well in Australia anyway, hard to believe on the other side of the world it is freezing! I prefer summer so this buttercup better suck it up.

ColorMeScrappy Challenge #54 is up and it is a Beauty. I must admit when I first saw it I thought hmmm. But once I picked my photo and started I really enjoyed doing the layout and was really pleased how it turned out. The DT has rocked the challenge, so pop over and visit their blogs and leave some love because they are awesome.
So the colour scheme is .....

Got you thinking? 
and the twist to use tribal elements so feathers, arrows etc. Lizzy Hill this is up your alley !
Told you it was interesting

I used my feather stamp that I purchased from Scrapfriends ( and they just happen to have a 50% sale on at the moment ) I then cut them out and lightly painted  grey with my water  paints.
The Flair button is from StudioFourteen40
The enjoy Life chippy is from Scrapmatts they add the perfect touch to a layout.

I have used lots of bits of lace, muslin, ripped up doily, braid and used gesso over the top
I have also added the odd button here and there

That's the great thing about challenges, they make you use colours etc that perhaps you may not normally use and then be pleasantly surprised. 
So hope you can join us this month with this fabulous palette  & I look forward to seeing your layouts.
Don't forget to also join in over at Orange Paperie and scrap about a Friendship.
I have just returned from a nieces wedding on Hayman Island so I am suffering being back to reality today. Never mind I was very lucky to have the opportunity to have gone and have a wonderful time with family that I don't get to see enough of.
 I want to live on a Tropical Island!

Stay Cool or warm whichever the case may be
Love and Peace 
Mary x

PS  Just want to let you know of a super duper fabulous Giveaway. Kelly Foster is giving away one of the new Rangers from 7 Dots Studio. OMGosh I am in LOVE with the Cold Country Range, followed by Nature Walk. So pop over to Kelly's blog where you will be inspired by her amazing layouts as well, and join in the chance to win a beautiful collection of Papers. Good Luck everyone.

ORANGE PAPERIE & CO JANUARY CHALLENGE

Good afternoon from my little neck of the woods. The new challenge is up at Orange Paperie, which has been set by Annette this month. It is a lovely challenge ~ scrap about Friendship with journalling. The girls have created beautiful layouts which are sure to inspire you to create a layout about friendship for you.
I have created my layout of my best friend of over 30 years. I love her to bits , she makes me laugh and knows just what to say when I am being a drama queen. I was sad when she moved to Brisbane as we were practically joined at the hip. I was lucky that she came home for Christmas and we did a road trip together to visit another lovely friend of ours. As my journalling says I couldn't help but think how are road trips were a bit different when we were younger :)

LOVE MY BEST FRIEND

Prima flowers From Craftqueen, I have smudged them with gesso and also accidentally spilled Glam glitter paint on them.

The red doily Chippy is from the Trinket Track, ( you should visit this site, lots of .....well little Trinkets and so reasonably priced)  I have also smudged gesso on it.

And the little cloud is from Addicted to Clouds , the lovely Leanne Jago.

The gorgeous Love chippy is from Scrapmatts, I love this loopy font. I have rubbed gesso over it and then some glitter glam.

So there are many forms of friendship , they are wide and varied. What is special to you?

Love and Peace

Mary x

CHALLENGE YOURSELF AND EXCITING NEWS FOR ME

I came across this challenge site and thought it looked really interesting Challenge Yourself . It is about scrapping yourself, leaving a piece of you for future generations,something we don't often do. So the current challenge is to scrap a selfie and to journal three things about yourself.

This is a challenge for me as I don't do many selfies, as I don't like them of myself. My husband said I look like a gangster in this photo. The dark glasses hide the tired eyes & I am looking very serious

The little sparkly flower is from the Trinket Track. Apricot Rosette and MME and Teresa Collins Brads, and little dusty pink flowers from Craftqueen. The metal decoration and sparkly braid are from my Mums treasure tin.

I have rubbed gesso over the washi tape to tone it down.

I always find pastel layouts hard to get a good photo of

I have kept the layout relatively simple ( I usually keep adding and adding !)

Now for my exciting news...... I am now on the team at This One's a Winner ! Lovely to start a new Year with Tiff adding me to the team. Pop over and see who else is on the team, I am looking forward to working with the girls .

All you need to do is email Tiff your favourite layout of the month, how easy is that !

Don't  forget you have until the 5th to upload your layout at Orange Paperie and the colour and sketch challenge is up at ColorMeScrappy

Lots to keep you busy & creative!

Love and Peace

Mary x

COLORMESCRAPPY CHALLENGE #53 ~ CURLS AND A BOW

Hello again at the start of a New Year. May it be a good one for all.
The New Challenge is up at ColorMeScrappy and the DT Girls have really excelled with their takes on the challenge, so pop over and have a look and then we would love you to show us your layouts.
The Colour palette 

And this month a sketch

This is my take  Curls and a Bow 

I have used lots of mists, water colour paint, stamps, texture paste and masks.

Added gesso and paint to the flowers. The brads are MMI from Craftqueen, the vine ribbon and Prima stamp is also from Craftqueen

The chippy frame is from 2Crafty , I have rubbed gesso over it and then added water colour paints.
The washi tapes are from Craftqueen and both the circle TCW template and Balzer Bits Star Template are from Craftqueen.

Yep that is me when I was just a young lass. My Brothers were born with a mass of dark curls ( ringlets in fact) , Me.... not a curl in sight. So Mum used to curl my hair into ringlets and pop a bow on top if we were going any where special.
Thanks so much for popping by. I hope you pop over to ColorMeScrappy and have a look at the other girls layouts, they are so fantastic.
Love and Peace 
Mary x