The one with a blog makeover, a GIVEAWAY and a new layout...

Alrighty..... so if you're reading this in a Reader then you really have to come on over and check out my awesome new blog design..

It's still not 100% refined, and there'll be some more tweaks happening in the coming days. But just come anyway and see what my amazing friend Em (from Just a Girl with Ideas) has designed for me!!

Can I tell you that working with Em on this bloggy makeover has been a dream. Every new idea I pitched her way she made happen in absolutely no time at all. She gave me suggestions when I needed them (because I've got no design savvy at all) but she still let me have free reign over what I wanted. And look at it...... I LOVE IT!!

I've got a good mind to throw a giveaway your way to celebrate.... not sure what it will be yet, and I'm away all weekend so probably won't get organised before then. OK.... how about I promise to do one as soon as possible next week? But you can start leaving comments here on this post and I'll add them all into the mix once I post it.

PS. Oh yeah... and I made this layout too! It's my sweet Moodles, asleep on the floor after a big morning. Don't you just love it when they wear themselves out so much they just crash where they're playing?!!

Mother's Day layout

I know it's been quite a while since we celebrated Mother's Day, but given I haven't even started last year's Christmas album, I think I'm doing pretty good to get this up already!

Carrying on from the video tutorial I shared with you in my last post, I was inspired to include another one of my Munchy's school project booklets on my page. I used the same techniques of binding the book edge with washi tape before sewing it on, and creating my own closing mechanism with brads and twine.

This time it was even easier as the booklet was smaller. I could almost treat it like another photo when I was planning my layout design. I splattered some mist and stuck down some stickers on the front cover to make it blend it a little more whilst still allowing her original art to shine.

This book is soooo cute. It started off with a pre-printed sentence on each page such as "My Mum is.....", "My Mum likes.....", "My Mum takes us...." etc etc which has given Munchy the opportunity to write some beautiful answers. The last page makes me cry though as she's written "I love it when my Mum sneaks in to kiss us goodnight" which is what I do every night. But what she means is that whenever I work late I have to sneak in to say goodnight to them because they're already asleep. I sure miss my girls on those days :-(

So this was one piece of school work that I really wanted to preserve. I think I've found the perfect solution by including it on my page alongside the photo I took of her giving me my Mother's Day gift. When I popped this page into it's album I also snuck in the handmade cards and awards they gave me too. That way the day's memories are all included in the one place.

xxx

Video Inspiration

Can't believe I actually forgot to post this here!
After the (?success) of my first video tutorial on how to include your children's artwork into your scrapping I decided to give it another go.

So here's the second installment. It's basically the making of the layout you see above, with a focus on how to bind, attach and close a booklet to include on your page.

Munchy recently went on her first school excursion to the zoo. Amongst the many projects that she bought home about this event was a booklet full of cute drawings of zoo animals. Way too special to simply throw away, but I'm really not sure I want to store piles of her school work either. So my solution was to include it into one of my pages. 

And because it's part of my scrapbooking I still wanted to have plenty of my favourite products on the page as well. So there's a lovely mixture of Crate Paper and ICC papers, my favourite FWAB Jasmine Laser Flourish which fit perfectly inside the heart, and other bits and bobs that you'll just have to watch the video to find out about :-)

I hope you enjoy the video because I've got another one in the making as we speak :-)
PS. Heeee.....hee! Do you love her drawing of a lion as much as I do!!

Supplies:

ICC Spring Gourmand	ICC La Dolce Vita	ICC La Dolce Vita	Crate Paper Random Accent Cuts
Jenni Bowlin Magpie Hodge Podge Stickers	Authentique Blissful Icons	Teresa Collins Everyday Moments diecut sheet 2	Teresa Collins Everyday Moments Brads
Cosmo Cricket Tiny Text Art Stickers	Crate Paper Paper Heart Border Stickers	Heidi Swapp Vintage Instaframes	KesiArt MetaliKs "Inspiration"
Airmail Gold Washi Tape	FWAB Jasmine Laser flourish: Pearl	Glimmermist Starfish

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Amazing Grace

Have you ever done monochrome layouts? I think they've got to be one of the hardest styles to perfect, I know I find it quite hard myself. I think this layout is about as close as I get!

Studio Calico's Boardwalk kit was filled with lots of greens and blues and I think I managed to get about 7 different patterned papers on this layout (that was my challenge to myself; use up more of my old kits)

Not to mention my other challenge to myself, which is about doing more boy layouts about my nephew. I've called it Amazing Grace and used some of the lyrics for the 'journaling'. It was quite a rough journey to bring this little boy out into the world but I thank God for His providence and protection over my sister during that time.

And speaking of which, my sister and her family could really use your prayers right now if you're so inclined. They need even more healing and guidance right now. Much appreciated.

xxx

Wishing for Sunshine

Probably because it's freezing cold here and I'm desperately wishing for Summer, but when I sat down to do a layout for the latest Scrap Friends Sketch Challenge I couldn't go past scrapping these sunshiney photos.

Don't you just love the sketches that Angela produces? So inspiring every single time.

And I've firmly decided that Amy Tangerine's Sketchbook line is my new favourite collection. There's no doubt that her bright colours, watercolour effects and hand-drawn elements would be just my type of thing. But seeing it in real life confirmed it beyond doubt :-)

Apart from getting a selection of the papers I also picked up the Remarks Sticker Book which is choc-a-block full of gorgeous sticker embellishments. It was so easy just to choose a selection and layer them up on my layout. Boom! Done!

I'm also in love with the choice of Evalicious Badge Buttons Scrap Friends is carrying. They were actually top of my shopping list this month and so far I've used them on every layout I've made (more of that later!) This one comes from the Vintage Labels range.

So happy to see lots of people giving our Sketch Challenge a go last month, but would love to see even more for July. The prize is a Guest Designer spot and a Gift Voucher..... so what are you waiting for?!

And don't forget we've also got our Colour Challenge going on for a few more days too. Check out all the challenge details here.

Supplies:

Amy Tangerine Sketchbook Sienna Spirit	Amy Tangerine Sketchbook Bailey's Brush	ICC La Dolce Vita	ICC La Dolce Vita
Crate Paper Paper Heart Delicate	Studio Calico Abroad Locale	Amy Tangerine Sketchbook Remarks Palette	Evalicious Vintage Labels Buttons
Glimmermist Chalkboard Seven Seas	Glimmermist Sun Sisters	Ranger Liquid Pearls Mint Green	Ranger Liquid Pearls White Opal

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