Guest designer at Scrap Your Story

Morning all. Looks like it is going to be a beautiful if chilly day here today. We're off out for the day but before I go I wanted to share with you a layout I have done. I was honoured to be asked to be a guest designer for Scrap Your Story this week. This week the challenge was technique based and was to include stitching - hand, machine or faux on your layout. 

Here is my sample.

I have handstitched to create the sun and added a few brown cross stitches. I also included a tag from {scrAp that!} which had the hand stitched arrow on. The patterned paper range I have used is the new Carta Bella Cool Summer Range which has a really lovely colour palette.

Scrap Your Story Challenge 7

Morning, in a bit of rush this morning as I am off out for the day as it's my birthday. Just wanted to get his layout loaded before I went. This is for Scrap Your Story challenge 7 which was a sketch challenge. 

This is my take on the sketch. I replaced the circles with hexagons. 

I used Echo Park Eclectic pattern papers and stickers, a Purple Pumpkin fabric bird button, some Studio Calico wood veneer people and a Pebbles sentiment. The alphas are American Crafts thickers, My Little ShoeBox and Sass Frass. I randomly inked some hexagons using a Crafters Workshop template.

Show Us Your Stuff April Challenge

The April challenge over at Show Us Your Stuff was to do a 8.5 x 11 page something I rarely do but I quite like how it turned out. This is a photo of my nephew Jack at 6 months. He is now 22! I found it whilst looking through some old photo albums and thought it would go great with the Take Noted range of patterned paper from Pebbles.

Here are a couple of close ups of the embellishments I have used. 

I used an Purple Pumpkin XL yellow star button and an arrow from {scrAp that}.

And here I have used a white/red spotty button from Purple Pumpkin. 

To these I have added some wood veneer arrows and camera from Studio Calico and a couple of sentiments from the Take Noted range.

CSI Challenge 66

I have been following these challenges for quite a while now but this is the first time I have actually completed one. I knew I just had to do this one. 

I love this colour combo and I have been wanting to journal about the personality of Smudge, one of my adopted cats. He is feral in that he was born in the wild and lives in the wild but in many ways doesn't act like a feral cat. He started hanging around the garden and is incredibly nosey. He often follows me round the garden when I am gardening and will flop down about a metre from where I am working. When I finish and move away he will get up and have a closer look at what I have been doing! On the other hand, he is a very timid cat. He often runs away when we go outside and I have no chance of actually stroking him. He's a bit braver when food is involved. I can now hold my hand out and he will sniff the end of my finger. He now stays next to the food bowl when I am dishing out food and will start eating from it whilst I am still dishing it out. But if I make a sudden movement or noise he dashes away. This is in complete contrast to his brother Smidge who bolts for the door when he hears the latch flick open and we have difficulty getting out the door. After some ardent leg rubbing, he will then flop over onto his back and invite us to tickle him.

The evidence used: white background, cat embellishment and arrows.

The testimony used: journal about a pet.

Scrap Your Story Challenge #5

Just made it this week for Challenge #5 over at Scrap Your Story The challenge this week was to use cork. I have used cork quite a bit in the past but do you think I could find where I'd hidden it in  stash. We were out all day yesterday so I kept popping into $2 dollar shops to see if I could find any and thankfully I did, although it was a bit thicker than I am used to.

I die cut the word SMILE from cork and the chevron and also used some faux cork paper. All my patterned paper is from Echo Park Note to Self except the background which is Echo Park This and That. I managed to snap this photo of my daughter yesterday on our way to the train station as we were walking through the park.

Speedy Arrival

Today I'm sharing a layout I did for a couple of challenges:

Frosted Designs Fabulous Friday Challenge - Scallops

I have used scalloped cardstock, a scalloped doily, a scalloped tag and a scalloped border sticker.

Berry71bleu April Challenge - Flowers

It is a layout about my daughter's speedy arrival. She was nine days early and arrived less than an hour after we got to the hospital and managed to catch even the midwives unaware. In fact one of them had to catch her! This photo was taken the day after she was born by the local newspaper photographer. She is looking a little battered and bruised. 

 I have managed to use 13 Purple Pumpkin embellishments on this layout.

Here are some close ups.

Here I have used a a light blue organza and lace flower and a pink satin rose flower, Tucked in I have a light blue spotty button, a pink fabric button and a cute little chick button. Then I have added a few resin flowers and some small crochet flowers. These are all sitting on a blue felt doily which I cut in half. I also used some light blue lace along my photo bottom and tied some light pink and light blue twine on a wood veneer tag.

In my other cluster, I used the other half of the blue felt doily and have a little bunny button poking out from the flowers.

Purple Pumpkin April sketch comp

A new month means a new sketch challenge over at Purple Pumpkin. I am sure you had lots of photographs taken and here is our April sketch challenge, designed by Debbie Burns , to help you scrap them!!!

Here is my take on the sketch

Here is a close up of my cluster featuring some Purple Pumpkin goodies.

I used an orange yo you flower, a fabric covered rabbit button, a yellow fabric spotty button, a crocheted doily cut in half, and I made some flags with washi tape.

You have until the end of the month to complete this Sketch Challenge and link it up in our sidebar by midnight 30th of April 2013. There will be two fabulous Purple Pumpkin prize packs to give away - one winner will be chosen by the design team, and the second will be a random prize draw.

Please check out our RULES HERE!!!

Everyone has a chance, even without using PP products!

REMINDER: Post your pages on our FACEBOOK wall whenever you use our products and we will choose a favorite to feature on our blog and facebook wall! That's an extra chance to win some goodies!!