Missed Mexico

Oh no! I missed the Mexico deadline for Vicky's around the world challenge (you can go and vote Here for those that were not tardy). The inspiration was

And my take on it is

I used the idea that Tami presented at the Hero Arts Blog here

Happy Scrappy 2 Retreat

It's taken me a few days to blog this as I was exhausted after the full day on Saturday. Sunday was spent recovering and Monday fixing plumbing problems that had been left due to the preparations for the retreat. So here we are : The morning class was making a mini-book with waterfall pages using the delightful papers from Fabscraps.

The afternoon session was focussed on techniques : masking, resist embossing and stamp kissing. We did a tag for each then added photos and a centre strip to make up a layout.

And Christine's

Greek Inspiration

This is done in the nick of time. I think that Vicky's idea of being inspired by photos from around the world is just too good to miss. (See Around the World Challenge and you can vote for your favourite by clicking on ONE star above the chosen one) This time it's Greece and here's the photo

 So my thoughts were . . . blue domes . . . white, white, white . . . and windows. So my take on this is :

I still haven't got photos taken at night right, so I took another one in daylight which shows the colours better

And you can see the window better here

Punches and Bits

I had such fun creating watercolour effect cardstock with the Distress Inks (in this case, Tea Dye and Tumbled Glass) that I couldn't throw any tiny bit away. So I punched out of the left overs and came up with this . . .

National Scrapbooking Day

Although the National Scrapbooking Day is designated by the Americans, it doesn't mean we can't all play along. And the Hero Arts challenge gave me the impetus to get this page done. It's going on the wall at the beach house.

Stamping silhouettes

I just love this silhouette grass stamp from Hero Arts, and I desperately needed some Birthday cards, so off I went to play. This first card was using the "bits" of a test done to check a friend's "runny" white ink. Yes - it's runny but gives the grass a watercolour artistic look. Add some recycled raffia and ribbon from a gift, and top with a single pearl on the greeting circle.

The second was stamped in Colorbox Chianti, with "La lettre" in the background in HeroArts Soft Sand, the dandlions in Tumbled Glass Distress Ink. (I also used the Tumbled Glass to colour the card.) How's that for mixing inks? And I'll still be able to wake up bright and cheerful.

Sweet Sixteen Easel Card

Made my first easel card for my DD's sweet sixteenth! Wanted to keep it fresh, bright, fun and young.  Her theme for her party will be neon or fluorescent but I don't have those colours so I used lime green and fuschia pink.

Once it opens, the top is kept from sliding by the foam mounted floral circle.

The practice run . . .

I had to do a practice run for the challenge to see if there would be enough time to complete it, and here it is. I love how this turned out, and Cammie is such a joy - he just sparkles!

The background is stamped with Clubscrap stars in Weathered Distress Ink, Colorbox Frost White and Impress Chocolate Brown. The 3 flowery embellishments were brown cardstock cut by Silhouette, stamped with Hero Arts lines in Frost White, and Stars in Colorbox Peacock. Splashes of diamond stickles on the title and the centre of the stamped scallop. Navy scallop circle was stamped with Hero Arts "La Lettre" in Colorbox Sky Blue.

Go Dodo Scrapchicks!

Congratulations to the Dodo Scrapchicks who have just finished their first double page challenge. I did a dictation which was inspired by Jennifer McGuire's layout (see Scrapbooking : SUN - thank you Jennifer!!) So these scrapchicks were just receiving instructions without knowing where they were heading!! What trust! And what wonderful results - the photos don't necessarily do justice AND you can't see all the delightful details as the lighting was bad and we were running out of time. If you click on the image, it does get bigger and you can see a little better . . . the stamping on the bottom section of the background & the scallop horizontal line . . . .
We voted the Best layout was by Catherine L

Second best was by Odile M

And the rest in no particular order . . . . .

Bronwyn

 Brigitte

Catherine M

Virginie

Nathalie

Harriet

Odile R

Nadine

Christine

and me (of course I not scrapping "blind")

Chain Card Challenge

I don't know how your ladies do it all . . .  work, maintain your homes, bring up kids, leave encouraging comments on HA flickr group, enter so many challenges with such wonderful creations so often. By the time I've got round to making challenge, I've usually missed the deadline! But here's one I did from Deborah's blog http://dominodebi.typepad.com/sos/2010/01/january-card-chain-challenge.html