Gifts to Share!

I am officially out of holiday mode... so thought I best pop by and share two mini-albums I made for members of my family.

The first is a Kaiser '50' wood album that I made for my mother-in-law, Lorraine. It was her 50th in June of this year, and because I had taken so many photos at the very special SURPRISE party was held in her honour, and also because she is quite new to scrapping and time-poor, I thought it would make a great gift if I were to scrap the event for her. Here's what I came up with;













The colour palette for the album was inspired by the team colours of the West Coast Eagles as they are her favourite football team, and her cake featured an Eagle. I created a couple of extra pages for the album using acetate (to hold extra photos) and cardstock (as a place for Lorraine to journal about her big day). This photo shows the two extra pages;

My mother-in-law absolutely loved her gift... so much so that she burst into tears when she saw it!!!

The second gift that I made this Christmas was a mini-album for my partner, James. Way back in August, he and my daughter went to Carnarvon for a week to visit his sister/her aunty. On the last morning of this trip DH and DD woke early to watch the sun rise. This was a special moment for them both... so I thought I'd document it so neither of them would forget.

The design for this album came from Karen Day. I did an online class with her quite a few months back, and this is what we created... I just didn't get a chance until now to get it finished!!!














Here's a few of my favourite bits of the album;

























































Well, the new year will be here in just a few hours... so I'd like to take this opportunity to share with you one of my new year's resolutions... just so it's in writing and so you guys can push my butt into gear when I become slack... I RESOLVE TO SCRAP AT LEAST ONE LAYOUT EVERY FORTNIGHT! It may not sound like much, but to have 26 finished LOs done come this time next year would make me very happy... wish me luck!!!

And, before I go, I'd just like to make a special mention of my Mum, Julie (Snail Mail), who's stint as Scrap Pile's Card DT Member officially comes to an end today. I am sure you will all agree that my Mum is one very talented lady!!! Congratulations on a job very well done! Your talent, committment, and generosity has been so greatly appreciated and admired by so many. You should be very proud! xxx

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I know it's a tad early, but the likelihood of me being on the computer tomorrow is very slim aside from the fact it's Christmas, I'm getting a DS lite so I am sure to be playing that most of the day!!!)... I just wanted to wish you and your family a very merry and wonderfully magical Christmas day!

We begun our Christmas celebrations early with a dinner with my partner's family last night. It was a great night - lots of presents, food, and laughs. I contributed to the dinner with 11 hand-made bon-bons, one for each person. Here's what they looked like sitting pretty on the table;














To make these I traced an existing store-bought bon-bon onto the reverse of BG's Figgy Pudding pp, then hand-cut the design. Yes... I must have been temporarly insane when I decided to take on this project! Hand-cutting 11 bon-bons is tough going, especially when each one has a couple of dozen diamond shaped bits to cut out, as well as the outline! But everyone was so genuinely appreciative of my efforts that it was worth every last bit of blade-work!

Well that's it for me... I'll be back soon to share with you the hand-made Christmas presents that I made for two members of my family... wonder who they might be?!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Look What the Postie Brought In!

OMG! It has finally arrived... a big bad box of scrapbooking goodness from Scraptacular and Bumble Bee Crafts... my SYTYCS prize pack!!! Check it out!














I couldn't open it right away... I wanted to savour the excitement for as long as possible. But then it got me the better of me, and I jumped right in! Here's a peek at what I was so lucky to receive;














Yep... you saw right! I got a Slice!!!














I cannot believe that, apart from the MM Falala papers, there was not a single item I already owned. The only reason that I've not bought these things already is because I have not come across a store that stocks them. Better even still, there's not a single thing I cannot see myself using! In fact, I cannot wait to get stuck into my goodies and put them to good use on my scrapbook pages, cards, and OTPs.

Thanks Scraptacular and Bumble Bee!!!

My Christmas Cards are Done!!!

Hooray! I did it! I finished making my Christmas cards! Here is the final design;














I wanted to try my hand at making photo cards this year because I had got the perfect shot of my daughter wearing a Santa hat during a photo shoot I did for a work project some time ago... and I just had to share it with everyone I love!

I'm pretty happy with the way it has turned out - I especially like the Kraft base (I heart Kraft!!!), the deep red pp and embellishments, and the distressed edges on the photo.

Now comes the fun part... writing in all 20 of my cards. Oh the monotony! Blah!!!

I have another project to share! It's a wooden word thingy. Not sure how else to describe it! LOL! Here it is;














I have used Rose Moka pp (my first time using this brand and boy do I love it!), a gorgeous Fancy Pants Glitter Cut (Willow), Making Memories Love Story ribbon, and Carolee's and Basic Grey Alphas to decorate the word.

I totally hated this project when I was working on it last night, but after a bit of sleep and a few major adjustments, I am now at 'peace'! Yes Mum... you were right! LOL!

Well, that is it for today. Off to the beach soon for a bit of a cool down and dinner. Night!!!

Starting Small!

I have finally made a start on the HUGE list of Christmas to-dos that has sat there, in the far recesses of my brain for a few weeks now!!! I must warn you... I have only started VERY small. So what is it, I hear you ask... a gingerbread man decoration for each of the 17 other children in my daughter's childcare class. I had suggested to my daughter, on several occassions, that maybe we could sit down and make Christmas cards for her friends, but each and every time I mentioned it she broke into tears. Not sure why! Pretty funny though! So now I have all the bits and pieces aside to make cards... but I guess they'll have to wait until next year! LOL!

Anyway, enough blabber! Here's the one of the decorations that I made, photographed hanging on my tree;


















For the decorations I have die-cut the gingerbread man shapes from large scraps of Kraft cardstock using a Sizzix Bigz, then simply tied a length of red ribbon into a bow on its neck, and attached some fishing line to the top of its head for hanging. Quick to make and very, very cute!

Also, I have finally made a start on my Christmas cards. Nothing like leaving it to the last minute! I hope to have them all finished by the weekend so I'll share them here then.

'Til then, happy scrapping!

Yes... I'm still here!!!

Sorry for my absence of late! I have been incredibly busy with work and family. I have had a teeny tiny bit of time to create, but at this stage it all seems like a chore as everything I'm creating needs to be done before Christmas ie. cards, presents, decor, etc. I hate deadlines!!!

I promise to be back sometime in the next few days to share the projects that I've been working on (They're all incomplete atm!!! Working on about 4 things at once!)

If you are looking for some inspiration (or just a break away from all your Christmas preparations, like me), then head over to Scrap Therapy tonight for their Christmas Cybercrop!!! It starts at 6pm AEDST tonight... be there or... bah, humbug!

So Kind!

I just wanted to make a quick post to say a HUGE thank you to each and every one of the 20 lovely ladies who left a comment at my last post! Your kind words and your joyous sharing in my win is very much appreciated!!!

Here's a personal thank you for each of you (here's hoping I can actually count to 20! LOL!!!) ... thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Have a great week!

OMG!!! I WON SYTYCS!!!

I won! I won!!! Woo hoo!!!













Thank you so so so so much to everyone who voted for me... without you my dream would never have come true! You have made me so very happy!

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Rach and everyone else at Scraptacular for running this comp. Rach... you rock girl! You have done an awesome job! Thank you for your hard work and help over the last 3 months! Go have yourself a wine and enjoy your mental breakdown!!! !

Kirsty and Kelly... congratulations for all you achieved through this comp! You guys have inspired me more than you'll ever know and your friendship has been so greatly appreciated. I hope we continue to stay in touch!!!

To all the other contestants... well done also! It has been great getting to know you all and seeing your beautiful work week after week! A special congrats to the BIC girls! Good on you for continuing to inspire us all!

Lastly, I'd like to thank James, my daugther, and my Mum for their support and patience throughout the comp. It's been as hard on them as it has on me.

Well, that's my Grammy speech done with! Sorry for blabbing on!!! I'm just soooo excited!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

Now It's All Up to You!

I have just submitted my final entries for SYTYCS!!! We had to create a single and a double, but that was all the criteria we were given, so as to allow each of us to properly showcase our own individual styles.

Given the fact we had only 5 days to produce the required layouts, we were given the option of submitting an old layout. I took the soft option and submitted this layout which I completed some time ago;


















This layout has to be one of my all time faves! I just love it's energy! The fun, bright colours, the layering, the felt embellishments, and, well... all of it!!! LOL!

I have had an idea for a Grand Final type layout for some weeks. I thought it would be really cool to do a double-page spread that includes small photos of each of the layouts I had created for the comp. So...guess what I did for my second page?! Yep, you guessed it! Here it is;










I had a wacky idea for this particular design... I thought I might use the Scraptacular forum colours as inspiration for the colours used for the pps and page elements, AND(just for fun?!) I also decided to include one criteria from each of the first 8 rounds of the competition. These are the ones I used;
1. non-standard photo sizes
2. journalling strips
3. mix of different pps (not from same story)
4. rub-ons
5. ink edges of all pp and photos
6. at least 200 words of computer-generated journalling
7. at least 2 different stitch types
8. a colour blocked layout design

This page was a lot of fun to create, and I am so glad that I will always have it to remind me of the trials and tribulations of my SYTYCS journey. It has been a blast!!!

Now... here's where I start the begging! Voting lines are now open at Scraptacular. Please, please, please, if you are a member of the Scraptacular forum and you like my work, head to the forum, pm my name to SYTYCS_Votes, and cast help to make my SYTYCS dream come true!!!

I'll be back tomorrow night to share the results! Wish me luck!!!

Tag... I'm It!!!

I have been tagged by the lovely Anna! Here's the rules;
1. Link to the person who tagged you
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. List 6 random things about yourself.
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

You've all learnt a few random things about me in my last post with the 'Totally Random' LO I created for SYTYCS, but I'm sure I can come up with another six! Here goes...

1. I am a perfectionist... and I hate it!
2. Given my issues with noise, I used to wear earplugs to bed every night! My dad still has half a box of earplugs that he bought for me from the hardware store to prove it!
3. I love rain, lightning, thunder, and hail! We had a big storm here the other night. I couldn't help but run outside in my pjs to enjoy it!!! Needless to say, I'm not a summer person.
4. I have done about 1.5 years of a veterinary science degree. I started it a year after leaving highschool but then had to give it up when I developed PND b/c the uni would not extend my deferral while I got better.
5. I have a crush on Woody from Toy Story! Ooh la la!
6. Anna, I too used to play the cello (I played for about 5 years).

So now I must tag 6 more people. I will tag;
Julie
Mel
Kirsty
Kerryn
Sarah
Tina

So girls, it's over to you! Can't wait to read your answers!

By the Hair of My Chinny Chin Chin!!!

I have made it through to the Grand Final of SYTYCS!!! But... only just! The very talented Kelly went through no probs, and, unfortunately, Kassi had to leave due to family reasons, and Debbi was eliminated (you rock guys!!!). That left two contestants but just one place in the Grand Final... my good friend Kirsty Piper and myself finished up this round of voting being tied on the same number of votes!!! I am very grateful to Rach for deciding to put both of us through to the Final, rather than putting us back up for sudden death voting. Not sure my nerves could have handled that!!!

So here begins the final leg of my SYTYCS journey! I am nervous, excited, and also a little relieved. It would mean so much to me to win the title of Australia's Favourite Scrapper... but, with the talents of Kelly and Kirsty in my company, I am going to have to wait until Sunday to see if that dream will come true. Either way, I have achieved far more than I ever imagined, I have learnt, laughed, and... I have actually started feeling good about my own work! That's better than any prize... believe me!!!

So... now to scrap my final entries! Wish me luck... I think I'll need it!!!

Another Round Bites the Dust!

Yep, despite my horrid flu, I managed to get my entries done for Round 11 of SYTYCS.

Our first challenge was to create a page including at least three self portrait images and journalling about three quirks or fun facts that wouldn't be known about you. Here's my take;


















My journalling reads;

I prefer teaspoons over all other forms of cutlery; I am seriously irked by repetitive noises. On several occassions, I have been known to remove the batteries from a wall clock because its ticking was driving me temporarily insane; I hate closed-in shoes and I detest socks. I practically live in either thongs or barefeet... even in winter!

I really enjoyed doing this page, right through from taking the photos, to compiling the journalling, to scrapping the actual page. I've not really done any pages of myself before now, so I am really thankful for this challenge. Now there is a page all about me in my family's album!!!

Our second challenge this week was to create a LO that was based on any subject other than people. I chose to document my love of Starbucks!

Here's my take;


















And here's the (somewhat ridiculous) story behind my layout;

I fell in love with Starbucks in April this year when we visited Brisbane for a two week family holiday. Then, when I visited my friend in a Melbourne a couple of months back, our love was rekindled! We don't have a Starbucks in Perth. It's not fair!!! I crave Starbucks almost everyday but I'd have to get on a plane to get it. The funniest thing is... I don't really like coffee!

Should I get through this Round, next week I will be participating in the Grand Final! Holy Crap! It would be so cool, and a dream come true... but we'll just have to wait and see! Cross your fingers for me!!!

Thanks for popping by!

I Have the Flu!

Blah!!!

Holy Guacamole!!!

I have made it through to the Semi-finals of SYTCYS! I am joined by the wonderfully talented Kelly, Kassi, Kirsty, and Debbi! I am blown away and so honored to have made it this far, and to be surrounded by the talent that make up the remaining conestants. Goodluck to you all this week! I wish each of you the very best!

Now to scrap my entries...

With Time to Spare!

I made it! I finished my layouts for this Round of SYTYCS... and I did it with a day to spare! I might not be able to call myself the slowest scrapper in the world anymore b/c it seems I'm getting a whole lot quicker! YAY!

For the first of the two SYTYCS challenges, the Lift It genre, we were asked to scraplift a member of the Scraptacular Design Team. I chose to scraplift Kim Nutley. Her gorgeous LO Addicted just screamed for me to lift because it's off centre, bright, and well-embellished. Here's my take;


















I stuck very closely to Kim's design, but moved the title further upwards than in the original, left off the journalling strips, and added a few extra embellishments.

Next up is my entry for the Music to My Ears genre;


















I chose to use the black, white, grey, and yellow colour scheme of the George album cover. I was also inspired by the basic design of the cover (a large central block embellished along one side), and the use of white space.

Before I go I'd like to share a super cute pic of my DD, which I took on Halloween (this one's just for you Mel!!!);


















If you have been living under a rock for however many years and are not familiar with The Wiggles, DD was dressed as Captain Feathersword, the friendly pirate. I also put a cut throat tattoo on her neck during dinner with friends that night, which you can see here, too. Ain't she just the cutest?!

Busy busy busy!!!

Dear oh dear... too little time... so much to do! Well, only one thing to do really but I'm still feeling under the pump! I have so far completed one of two challenges for SYTYCS. The first one, a scraplift, came together in one day! Yay me!!! I don't usually scrap that quickly. However, the second challenge has me a little stumped. We have to use an album cover as inspiration (I have chosen Polyserena by George) to create a LO that includes song lyrics in some format. I have chosen words taken from a song called "I Hope You Dance". I had never heard of this song until I began searching the net. I am so happy I stumbled upon it because it says everything in my heart that I might never have put into words...

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
I hope you dance
(Where those years have gone)

(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

Beautiful words huh?! Exactly the things I wanted my DD to know someday down the track.

So, as you have read, I have all the bits I need to create the page for the challenge, but I am having trouble mashing it and moulding it into a LO I like. Not to worry - I have until Monday night to get it done... maybe I should get off the computer?! LOL!

Before I go, I have been dying to share with you a double-page spread I created for my dear friend Toni's Circle Journal. She was the owner of Keep'n the Memories, the online store/forum where I was guest DT in August of this year. When it closed down a couple of months ago, it was decided we would create for her a CJ that included photos of ourselves and some basic info about each of us. Until a week or so ago, when Toni finally received the CJ, this project had been our little secret, but now I can safely share!








































If you'd like to see what everyone else came up with, follow this link to Nic's blog.

I'm off to get dinner done, and DD bathed and bedded, then it's scrap time!!! Wish me luck getting my SYTYCS entry done!!!

Thank You!

OMG! I have made it to Round 10 of SYTYCS! I am in the top 8 of about 40 very talented ladies! I am speechless. I cannot even begin to describe the excitement, fear, elation, and joy that I am currently feeling! I never EVER thought I'd make it this far.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ANYONE WHO VOTED FOR ME THIS WEEK! YOU ROCK!!!

Now... onto Round 10... eek!!!

Put Down Your Coffee...

...cos your in for a shock... here comes post number 2 for the day! OMG!!!

Now that we have all picked ourselves up off the floor, I would love to share with you my *entries* (yes we had to do two layouts this week! Eek!) for Round 9 of So You Think You Can Scrap.

First up is the Photo Focus challenge. The idea behind this one was to use a 10 x 8 inch photo, together with a title and journalling, to create a simple layout i.e. the focus was to remain on the photo rather than on other distracting embellishments. Funnily enough, although doing very little should be easy, I actually found it a struggle to hold back on the embellishing. Generally I go to town when it comes to embellishing... I kinda enjoy it and I love the busy, well-adorned look. I am still itching to add to this page, but because everyone keeps telling me... "Just leave it alone!!!" I shall exhibit some self-control and leave it. Enough rambling from me I think, here it is;

The second of the two challenges was to create a layout based however loosely upon Sketch #81 over at Pencil Lines.

Here's the sketch;

Here's my take;

Well that's it for today... I promise! And don't go expecting two posts in one day again anytime soon... I doubt very much it'll happen again for some time! LOL!

I Nearly Forgot...

...to share the photo cube I made recently for my friend, Jodie. She has recently given birth to her first child; a little boy named Hudson. She used to scrap but after a few break-ins at her home (during which her beautiful scrap room was trashed), she has been a little reluctant to get back into it. I thought, then, that it would be fitting to make her a scrapped gift because she may not get around to making something similar for some time. Here's a couple of shots of what I created for her;

This side of the cube is the bottom. I included it so Jodie could journal her son's birth details;

I have also very nearly completed my entries for Round 9 of SYTYCS! I'm still fiddling a bit with the Photo Focus challenge (I'm worried it's too plain, but then it was suggested as part of the challenge to keep it simple, so I'm in two minds as to how to finish it. Help!?!), and the Pencil Lines challenge is complete with the exception of the journalling that I still need to add. I will upload them as soon as I get the chance... might even surprie you with two posts in one day!

Happy Haunting Day!!!

Yippee! Halloween is finally here! As you probably already know, I LOVE Halloween!

To celebrate, I have decorated the front room of our house. Mostly, the decorations are pre-bought, but I did spend an hour or so last night creating a garland using Making Memories' Spellbound Garland Kit. Here's a pic;

I plan to pull this apart once Halloween is over, and use all the bits and pieces on a layout (or two) documenting Halloween 2008. Now that's value for money, hey?!!!

I have bought my two-year-old a Captain Feathersword costume to wear Trick-or-Treating tonight! She is only allowed to knock at our own front door for lollies etc. Mum and Dad used to do the same with my siblings and I when we were younger and we always had so much fun! I think it's a safer alternative to wandering around the neighbourhood (especially as DD is only two) but ensures that no-one misses out on the fun of the festivites! After that, we are heading out to dinner with some ladies from my work to celebrate the bosses sister's birthday. What a great day to be born!!! DD and I are going in costume... should be a laugh!!!

Have a great Halloween!!!

Hello! Beautiful

Isn't Webster's newest collection, Hello! Beautiful, just to die for? I am soooo in love with the vintage patterns and earthy tones of this range! Check it out;


















I hope to get my paws on some of this real soon! What about you?

Some winners... and some other stuff too

Thank you to everyone who left a comment at the previous post! The following ladies have scored themselves a single, complete flower from Maya Road's Fresh Chipboard Flowers Petals set;

1. blueviolet (Elizabeth)
2. anna
3. denise
4. kerryn
5. byclops (Sarah)
6. jewls
7. kirsty
8. melanie

If you have not already been contacted by me, please email me (chloeschmitt86 at hotmail dot com) with your postal address so that I can send out your goodies asap!

Now, for the winner of the bundle of handmade cards created by yours truly...

Here are your random numbers:
3
Timestamp: 2008-10-27 04:06:16 UTC

The third person tp leave a comment was Denise. Congratulations Denise! You will receive four handmade cards along with your chipboard flower!

With that out of the way, I have my most recent entry for SYTYCS to share. This week, we had to create a layout according to the following criteria;

- A colour blocked layout design
- No odd angles- Colour photos only
- Journalling strips
- At least 6 different colours (only one colour from your photo can count toward the tally of 6)
- At least 2 different size photos
- A circular element

Here's my creation;

I am really happy with how this has turned out! It was actually a lot harder than the criteria reads, especially because this isn't really my style, as such. When I first started scrapping I tended toward the straight and simple look, but now I like to scrap a lot more messily and with as many odd angles as possible! LOL!

It's so interesting to see your style change over time... and this competition has certainly changed mine a great deal over the past 8 weeks. I love everything that I have learnt about myself and my scrapbooking through SYTYCS - I am more aware of my own style, I know what techniques and trends I don't like to use on my pages, I can scrap faster and commit to my design more quickly, I have tried lots of new things and most of all I have become more confident in my work. If you ever get the opportunity to participate in something like this, I would thoroughly recommend it... your scrapping will benefit plus you'll make friends and have heaps of fun along the way!!!

That's it for today. Enjoy your week!!!

Time for a Giveaway... or Two!

I am absolutely stoked to announce that I have again made it through to the next round of SYTYCS! Round 8, here I come!!!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has taken the time to vote for me, because without you I would not have made it this far! As a small token of my appreciation, I would like to reward my loyal blog readers with a giveaway! The first 8 ladies who leave a comment at this post will receive a single, complete flower from the Maya Road Fresh Chipboard Flowers Petals set I have recently bought, just like that shown below;










In addition, one lucky lady will be drawn from all those who have commented (including those who comment after the first eight) to receive a small bundle of handmade cards made by me!

Thanks again... and get commenting!!! You only have until 10pm AEST this Sunday 26th October to enter.

Christmas is Just Around the Corner!!!

I have kicked off my countdown to Christmas 2008 with my entry for Round 7 of SYTYCS. This week I scrapped three photos taken from a shoot I did last week of my daughter wearing a really woolly Santa hat. Originally, these photos were taken for a mini book I am making to be taught at Just Scrapbooking in December, but I was so happy with how they turned out (both DD's cute factor and my experimanting with Photoshop) I just had to scrap them... and NOW!

I have only ever scrappped one other Christmas LO, and that was done in a class at my LSS last year some time. Funnily enough, I didn't use any of my huge Christmas-themed stash to create my layout... I used Scenic Route's Sonoma instead. Just love the colours in that range! Yummo!

Anyway, back to SYTYCS... this week's genre was Haberdashery. the criteria were as follows;

- 75% of the elements adhered by stitching (No double sided tape. All your photos count as one element, your whole title as one element)
- at least 2 different stitch types (zig zag, straight, blanket, machine, handstitch, french knots, etc)
- at least 2 pieces of fabric
- a handmade embellishment (a heart cut from felt would suffice)
- at least 3 (or more) photos
- ribbon

Strangely enough, I had a little trouble with these criteria at first, especially the fabric. Couldn't decide which of my photos actually suited a fabric-based LO, and then I couldn't decide which fabric to buy! In the end I stuck with natural fibres so I had more freedom to use a variety of patterned paper, etc.

But enough waffle... here's my take on the challenge;


















All criteria have been fulfilled;

- Everything except for my title and subtitle are stitched to the page,
- 3 different stitch types = zig zag, straight, and cross-stitch,
- Hessian and calico,
- My handmade embellishment is the holly at bottom left of 6x4 photo, which I made by hand-cutting leaf shapes from pp then sewing together with a circle of hessian and a large red button,
- 1 6x4 and 2 passport photos,
- Stitched twill running beneath the middle photo.

If you would like to vote for my layout head to Scraptacular, make 30 posts (playing the games are the easiest way to do this!), then pm SYTYCS Votes with your choices... but hurry as voting lines are only open for 24 hours this week (i.e. now until 10pm EST Tuesday).

That's it for me... have a great week!

SYTYCS Round 6 Entry

This weeks challenge for SYTYCS at Scraptacular was pretty tough going. For the most part, the criteria were pretty easy... at least 100 handwritten or 200 computer generated words, at least a couple of words of handwritten journalling, one 6x4 photo (or smaller), and only one patterned paper. The hard part came with the final of the five criteria; to journal about a sad time in our lives.

I chose to document my battle with Post-Natal Depression. Very few people know of my condition. I have kept it private out of pride, fear, and the risk of humiliation. So to have my words out there for the whole of cyberspace to see is not a decision I made lightly. In the end I figured that PND is part of who I am, I am not alone, and my words could help another person in some way, however small.

Given that this week we were asked to focus on story-telling, I felt it best to create a fairly minimalist design in neutral tones so as to keep the focus on my photo and my handwritten journalling. Here's my creation;

I have used pp, chiboard, and stickers from one of BG's newest lines, Granola. I have also used Carolee's Creations alpha stickers as part of my title.

My journalling reads;

In 2006, after giving birth to my first daughter, I developed Post-Natal Depression. For someone who didn’t even believe in PND, my diagnosis was a harsh reality check.

I was not officially diagnosed with PND until my daughter was about 3 months old. Before then, the days passed in a blur of tears, tantrums, and a sense of overwhelming sadness. I felt as though I was existing at the bottom of a big, black hole in the ground; a hole so deep that it was impossible to escape; a hole was getting deeper by the day.

Eventually, in spite of my pride, I mustered the strength to confront my GP. It was then that I finally received the help I so desperately needed.

Two years on, my life is far from healed. I still suffer from depression - it’s a battle I fight every day. The difference now is that I am lucky enough to experience the odd good day when I feel happy, calm, and positive.

So, although the battle continues, I am positive that I will one day overcome my condition, and reclaim the life that is rightfully mine!

9/10/08

Much to my relief, there will be no voting this week. The lovely ladies running the competition have decided that it is unfair to have people eliminated given the heartfelt and emotional context of this week's challenge. Of course that means a few more ladies will have to be eliminated in fututre Rounds, but that's fine by me! I couldn't have handled the responsibility of voting this week!!!

Well, that's it for me... thanks for sharing my story.

Time to Share my WCMD Cards

I have just come inside from photographing my cards - I cannot wait to share so here goes!!!

My first card of the day was this simple Halloween card;


















I will entering this card into the October challenge at Inkurable Stampers. This month Sarah has asked that we create a 'Spooky-themed' card using at least one stamp. The word 'happy', which forms part of this card's greeting, was stamped using a stamp taken from Stampin' Up's set, , then coated with a thin layer of glue, and dusted with flocking powder. I have also used patterned papers and brads from Making Memories' current Halloween line, Spellbound. I just LOVE this card!

Next up, here is four Christmas cards, 3 of which were made using past CPS sketches;

These are my favourites;

Over at Scrap Pile there was held a WCMD cybercrop. As part of the DT, my dear ol' Ma set a blind card-making challenge, and I couldn't wait to play along! Here is what I came up with;


















Once I had photographed it for Scrap Pile, I decided to take it apart and add some stitching. Here's the final design;

Upon completion, this poor little card was whisked away by my partner who was heading off to his best mate's engagement party! At least I'm useful for something hey!!! LOL!

Last but not least is my favourite card, not just from the weekend, but all time!!! I made this card for Melissa Phillips' WCMD challenge to use felt on a card. These Fancy Pants have been sitting in my stash almost completely unused so I decided to pull them out and use them for the challenge. Here's my creation;























I LOVE LOVE LOVE this card! Not sure I'll be able to bring myself to part with it!

Well, that's my seven-card-batch from Saturday!!! I hope you have been inspired!

Thanks for looking!

Aargh!!!

Sorry just had to get that off my chest! My little girl is a bit out of sorts, and I am going a little crazy as a result so am in serious need of some chill out time!!! LOL!

I sincerely hope you all had a wonderful World CardMaking Day yesterday! I certainly did!!! I spent the day at my parent's place making cards with Mum. I created 7 cards between 10am and midnight. While this may not sound like a lot, throw into the mix a screaming kid and my severe commitment issues (I could push paper and embellishments around until the cows come home! LOL!), my 7 cards are one pretty impressive batch! I would love the share these creations with you, but it will have to wait until tomorrow because I have not yet photograhed them.

My entry for Round 5 of SYTYCS is done!!! By the time I completed my layout, late Friday night, I had converted a pizza box into a layout, and I was covered head to toe in paint, ink, and Glossy Accents! LOL!

Needless to say, this arty/freestyle thing is pretty fun, and, I must admit, the results are quite satisfying. However, I really cannot see myself doing it again any time soon.

But... enough chit chat... here it is;


















According to the criteria, I have used;
1. Thrift item - pizza box (torn to 12x12 size), masking tape,
2. Handmade title - 'beach' has been made from the white backing paper from chipboard alphas and 'bum' has been hand-painted,
3. Paint - ummm... there ain't a lot on my layout that's actually paint free!!!
4. Odd shaped base/overhanging elements - torn edges and over-hanging pp strip,
5. Doodling - aroung edges of smaller photo, along pp strip, scalloped-look doodling in a few spots too.

PHEW!!!

Please vote for me if you get the chance - it is much appreciated!

Also, don't forget that I'll be back tomorrow sometime to share my WCMD creations! Do pop by!

I'm in the Finals of SYTYCS!!!

OMG! I am in shock! I have made it to the finals of SYTYCS! At first, when I scrolled through the names of those people going through, I missed my name and was totally devastated. All was well, however, when I re-read the list and found my name there!!!

Thank you so much to everyone who have voted for me to get me to where I am in the competition. This was my goal when starting the competition - to get to the finals, and I have done it... thanks to you!!!

So now, the finals begin! From now on, participants must scrap according to a particular genre/scrapping style, as well as fulfilling certain criteria as before. This week we have to create a freestyle/artsy design... what a doosy, hey! This challenge will surely pull me out of my comfort zone, tip me upside down, then shake me all around!!! Wish me luck!

I'll post my 'creation' as soon as it's done.

1/4 Century Post!

Yep, here it is... post number 25! Small milestone in comparison to some, but I am still very excited to have made it this far with my blogging! To be honest, I wasn't sure how long I'd last!!! Thank you to everyone who stops by my blog - you're love, support, and friendship is much appreciated.

Speaking of love, support, and friendship... my mum, Julie (from Snail Mail), has given me an award...












I'm flattered but at the same time, if she hadn't given me the award she would have been in big trouble, so it kinda doesn't count!!! LOL!

Now I am supposed to pass this award along to 7 of my favourite bloggers, so here goes;

1. Mel Blackburn - my favourite scrapper of all time, a lovely, talented, and generous lady, with the most gorgeous little girls (well, after my DD of course!),
2. Kimber McGray - my fave American scrapper and card-maker,
3. Kirsty Piper - my newset friend in blogland, and fellow SYTYCS contestant. She thinks her blog is "not very exciting", but I definitely beg to differ!
4. Anna Fourie - talented beyond words, as well as being one of my Chook Scraps friends (She also has a crush on Matt Damon, but I think that was meant to be a secret LOL! - SORRY ANNA!),
5. Sarah Schwerin - the very generous and inspiring owner of Inkurable Stampers, the best stamping blog around,
6. Mel Cook - an amazing woman, with incredible talent, and a newly found flair in card-making,
7. And my seventh is Mum - even though she's just received it, I want to return it as I love her blog!!! Her cards rock!

The rules for the award are;
(1) The winner can put the logo on their blog.
(2) Link the person you received your award from.
(3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
(4) Put links of those on yours.
(5) Leave a message on the blogs of the girls or boys you’ve nominated.

Now, with all that mushy stuff out of the way, I have my newest layout to show you. It is my entry for Round #4 of SYTYCS!

For this round, we were challenged by Clair Bremner to create a LO either 12 x 12 or 8.5x11 and include the following on the layout;

• masking tape (or another form of decorative sticky tape)
• rub-ons
• add hand written journalling directly onto your photo
• use bright colors

This was quite a challenge for me - I have always admired Clair's style but have never actually attempted it. In other words, this was a first for me! But as I've found, a bit of experimentation doesn't hurt, and is actually really quite fun!!!

For this layout I have used;

• Rub-ons by SEI (blue leaves and flower)
• Bright pp by Pink Paislee (Office Lingo) and Fancy Pants (Daydreams)
• A black Sharpie to write onto my photo, and
• Masking tape in strips around my photo and in the top right corner as an accent.

Thanks for the challenge Clair!

If you would like to vote for me this week, just head to Scraptacular, sign up to the forum, make at least 30 posts, then vote away!!! All voting details can be found in the SYTYCS 2008 forum under 'SYTYCS Info, Rules & Registrations'.

Well, that's it for me for today!

Thanks again for stopping by!

Round #4... Here I Come!!!

Just a super quick post to again thank everyone who voted for my Round #3 layout over at Scraptacular. I am sooooo happy to be participating in Round #4, as the Scrap-eography has been posted by one of my favourite scrapbookers, Clair Bremner! Her style is so different to mine, but I love experimenting and am up for the challenge!!! I'll post my creation as soon as it's done. Wish me luck!!!

A card (as promised)!

A bit later than I had planned but posted all the same... here it is... the card I made for Challenge 4 of the Chook Scrap's September cybercrop;














The criteria were;
1. A bird
2. A torn edge
3. Alpha stickers

My fiance helped me set up this outdoor pic of my card! He was totally into it, which was funny but also really lovely!














Before I go, I'd just like to remind you that voting for SYTYCS closes at 7pm EST tonight. So, if you would like to vote for my Round #3 entry, please head to Scraptacular and cast your votes. (All voting details can be found in the SYTYCS 2008 forum under 'SYTYCS Info, Rules & Registrations').

Thanks heaps for dropping by!!!