ICS #14

Check out this week's sketch & DT inspiration here .

Dawn herself is sponsoring this week's prize with a sweet RAK . 

Love this combination of colors for this card  -

using WRMK Tiffany pps , CI cupcake stickers & tag, Core'Dinations White washed CS 

CPS 113 & award time

Jing Jing Nickel passed on  this blog award to me - thank you so much JJ! 

You're too kind! 

& I'm not great about passing on awards 

as I really do not like excluding bloggers on the list , 

Nevertheless , this  time I am passing it on to : 

 Here are 2 wonderfully talented sketch artists

 who are also fab scrappers in their own right . 

I dare say some of my best work this year 

have been inspired 

by their sketches 

so here goes : 

Liz Qualman - My Little Sketch Blook 

& Julie Bonner - 52 sketches 52 weeks 

Do visit their blogs to appreciate their work & see what I mean ! ;-) 

& let's go round the world for the next 5 links : 

Australia - the Queen of3D work - ;-) - Carole Janson - http://carolejansons.blogspot.com/

Sweden - the Queen of Vintage  - Ingvild Bolme - http://spinnvild.com/

Holland - the Queen of Stitched cards - Peet - http://scrapalbum.blogspot.com/

To Russia  - with Papercrafting Love - Anat - http://bentovanat.blogspot.com/

Japan - (there are sooo many fab scrappers/crafters in Japan ! fascinating ) -Imeka  http://imeka515.blog70.fc2.com/

My take on CPS113 this week , 

inspired by Linda Beeson's card

I really wanted to try out my new Parisian EK Success Border Punch 

to see how it turns out . 

Still have some practising to do getting the punching right. 

other supplies : New Anna Griffin pps ,

Crafty Little Secrets Heartwarming Vintage stickers

oh snap !

A fave teen activity round the world these days !

My DD & church pal taking pics of themselves .

Continuing with Scrapping Outback's Chipboard Highschool lesson this week ,

which was to use an emboss resist technique -

a technique I have forgotten to try for the longest time too -

I inked the chipboard scrolls in 4 colors

after embossing in white embossing powder .

Other supplies :

Prima Rebellion papers , Fiesta Flowers

Glitz Design Audrey Script pp

Making Memories' Puffly alphas - Just Chillin' line

a fave pic from 2008

I just love how the BG Lime Rickey pps simply draw out the colors in my pics

& that also helped me with what to journal easily.

I like the juvenile feel of the Howdy Doody bird prints here &

I don't think they are overpowering in anyway, googly eyes and all.

Did some doodling for a change to outline the pps .

a Donna Downey canvas tag used here.

One of the most natural pics I was able to get of DS last year. & taken indoors too !

April sketch , Sosketchy

Allison does lovely sketches for both cards & layouts .

Not too challenging that you can't get started

& yet interesting enough to play around with it .

Flavor of the Week : BG Lime Rickey

My fave collection from Basic Grey this past 12 months I have to say ! 

I quickly whipped up 3 layouts ,much to my surprise.

 I have so many already printed photos that go with the papers . 

Such a hoot ! So versatile is this collection ! 

Suits so many themes - not necessarily  only summery ones. 

Some of my old fave BG patterns have been revived in this collection 

& given new vibrant colors.  

This one is for OLW's Journey 

using a Liz Qualman's sketch for inspo. 

Life can only be understood backwards, 
but it must be lived forwards.""

     - Soren Kierkegaard

Having more fun using Glimmer Mist to mask .

Almost everything is BG Lime Rickey except for 

Donna Downey's Canvas Flower for Prima, 

stickles , Jazz Blue Glimmer Mist 

I found this fun Lime Rickey recipe , must let my kids try it : 

Cool lime rickeys are a refreshing way to quench your thirst, but you can change the flavor of this recipe simply by blending your favorite flavored syrups.

Ingredients

• 1 lime, quartered
• 8 fluid ounces carbonated water
• 1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger raspberry syrup

Cooking Instructions

1. Fill a tall glass with ice. Squeeze each of the lime wedges into glass, and drop in. Fill glass nearly to the top with carbonated water, and top with raspberry syrup.

Di Hickman's Card Sketch #4

If you haven't checked out Di's card sketches recently

you may or may not have realised she now

does her fab sketches in nice color too

It does help to get the ideas going faster for me .

Using some of my fave supplies for cards these days :

Supplies: Core'dination vintage cardstock, Lily Bee French Couture pp ,

Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage Cat Crazy , Cuttlebug Embossing folder - Houndstooth , Prima flowers

ICS #13

Check out this week's sketch here 

Our amazing sponsor this week, is Dustin Pike. He has an incredible digi stamps in his Etsy Shop. Be sure to go check them out. On Wednesdays Dustin has freebies for you to enjoy. So be sure to get his freebies during that time. Dustin has kindly offered the winner for this weeks sketch challenge these lovely digi stamps!

Since I am still too lazy to do rubberstamping properly I have been acquiring

 Crafty Secrets' Heartwarming Vintage stickers . Oh My !

 I didn't even realise how many they have in that range !

 I certainly do not have even half yet ! lol 

Supplies  : Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage  Cat Crazy 

Core'dinations Vintage Cardstock , 

Lily Bee Brackets French Couture Die Cut brackets & pps 

52 sketches 52 weeks - Sketch #16

So much stash, so little time to use it all -

That's a more than familiar scrapper's refrain these days ! 

So tired of hoarding these "berry" sweet Webster's Sweet Life papers 

I found some cute & sweet pics to go with them ! 

My adorable African Chinese neighbour at 2 . 

Supplies : Webster's Pages Sweet Life pps & Die Cut stickers  , 

Stickles , Tim Holtz's Adage ticket , Dark Brown ink ,

 K&Co Dimensional stickers , JB pearl flower 

Dare to be Remarkable ! Britain's Got Talent !!!

Cutting into my latest stash additions :
using Fancy Pants On A Whimsy , Prima Sew Cute pp , WP Storytellers Alphas

& here's how to Dream a Dream !!!!

47 Year old Susan Boyle
wows the judges
with her performance in the auditions
for Britains Got Talent,
singing I dreamed a dream from Les Miserables.

Susan Boyle

Scrapping The Music #81 - This is Me

Title & journaling based on the song This is Me by Demi Lovato -

our oldest niece who is sweet 16 here .

Using BG Wisteria , CI Narratives journaling spots , Prima Life Color pp - Harmony

So tickled

This layout was also LOTD over at CMK yesterday .

ICS#12

Thanks to everyone for joining us this last week. 

Scrapbook Dreamer is our awesome sponsor this week.

Laura the owner has generously offered the

winner of this week sketch a nice gift certificate of the amount of

$15.00

Laura will ship anywhere.

Be sure to check out what the awesome designers created this week ! 

Supplies : WRMK Tiffany, Prima Cadoobles, Deja Views layered rub ons ,

 Core'dinations white washed CS 

Got Sketch #79

Lots of sketch challenges for cards & layouts 

out there this month . 

I haven't tried a Got sketch challenge for cards before

So here goes one

using 

Lily Bee French Couture pps , Fiskars border punches ,Prima flowers , Crafty Secrets Heartwarming Vintage sticker

Postal Inspiration

This G45 St Louis paper inspired me

to create a postal theme layout

incorporating the use of an envelope

to hold more pics related to this working trip to Adelaide

which I made way back in 1996 .

I also used Khaki Glimmer Mist on the envelope to change its color

& I pulled out some old yarn to reflect the amazing coat of many colors

I tried in at this Aldgate crafts store .

Lily Bee's : Friday Faves

Delighted to see my fave layout of the week featured on Lily Bee Design's

new blog feature

Friday Faves

Wishing all my blogging friends are a Blessed Easter weekend !

Graphic 45 -Transatlantique line

The perfect paper line for"retro"holiday pics to me! 

My in -laws were on tour in New York in June 1999. This pic was taken aboard a ferry  during their tour around the Statue of Liberty area . 

All Transatlantique pps , Glossy & Crackled Accents , parts of the pp were popped up on foam pads, Hampton Arts Black Glitter glue , Khaki Glimmer Mist

Di Hickman's Card Sketch Apr #2

Supplies: CI's Marah Johnson's Heiress Line - A List pp , Christine Adolph Mon Ami stickers , Bazzill Swiss Dot cs , Ice Stickles 

Notre -Dame de Paris

my new fave layout for the moment . 

Carolee's creations die cut pp , Lily Bee pps , Primas , Bo Bunny chipboard 

Art Chix faux postage , sketch by Liz Qualman 

ICSketches #11

Thanks to each and everyone of you for joining us in last week's sketch. 

We appreciate your time and creations. 

So keep them coming.

This week, we are very delighted that Leslie from Treasured Scrapbooking is sponsoring us. 

The prize is a March Card kit ! 

Check it out here ! 

Card supplies : Bazzill Swiss Dot CS , CI Marah Johnson's A List pp -Heiress Collection ,Stickers - ChristineAdolph  Mon Ani line , stickles 

Constant motion forward

Everyone who's serious about what they're doing

 must be in constant motion forward. ~Ed O'Brien. 

More Phuket holiday pics on horseback at sunset .

This is my friend, the father of Damien, 

 in the layout - Explore -   below. 

I am now lovin the 7 Gypsies' - Gypsy Market papers - 

so lush the colors & details ! 

Masked in some circular lines 

in Walnut Stain ,Mahogany & Blue Jeans distressed inks . 

Pink Paislee Winsome

This layout was created for a recipe challenge

 that required a trio of elements

 like circles, florals & patterned papers . 

Some chipboard & ribbon had to be added in  for good measure too. 

Nothing like a great challenge to get some mojo flowing. 

I've waited forever to scrap this pic of little Damien , 

youngest DS of my friends,  

experiencing the natural beauty of a Phuket beach 

on the back of a horse at sunset .

These PP papers are  just perfect for the colours of this pic  . 

Definitely a fave layout of mine at the mo . ;-) 

I used my handy dandy paper plate  template

 to mask in some circles on the die cut -

 the one in blue jeans distressed ink can barely be seen around the inner circle.

Supplies : Pink Paislee Captivating & Fetching pps  ,Enchanting  Chipboard Elements , Fascinating Alphas 

Flocked DCWV  floral cutouts 

Jillibean Sprouts

stickles 

Di Hickman's Card Sketch Apr #1

Carolee's Creations Adornit What a Hoot pp & sticker ; 

Prima Cadoobles , 

Core'dinations Whitewashed cardstock 

This Carolee's Creations What a Hoot pp is soo cute with different owls - 

I simply had to make 2 at one go .

My Little Sketch Blook Mar 29th sketch

http://lizqualman.blogspot.com/

Trying out a Teen in Paris page with 

some New Lily Bee French Couture pps , 

MYLB Die Cut pp , 

Prima D'vines, Bonnet Bloom ,asstd florals ,

 stickles, 

butterflies from SEI Bridgeport Pavillion pp , 

K&Co Dimensional stickers, 

Prima packaging as photo matt.

ICS#10

Look at this awesome prize 

sponsored by  Dancing

Garden Etsy Shop 

this week !!!

Prize includes:

20 card bases with various designs of cutwork

over 25 die-cut elements

Several different sized flowers

Woohoo ! !!!

Come play along ! 

I used G45 Fashionista pps & Bazzill Swiss Dot CS for this card. 

Some Robin's Nest Dew Drops too . 

Paris Memories - GCD Studios -

Pics of some of our oldest pals .
13 yr old Eliza's first time in Paris in June last year !
It was their  girls' trip to maximise shopping , eating & sightseeing ! ;-)

Supplies : GCD Studios Paris Nights & Cosette pps ,
Assorted Prima flowers & lace trim , Kaiser Pearls , CI slide frame 

G45 blog - cards featured

Graphics 45 is having a week long feature on cards this week 

& they picked up 2 cards of mine to be featured alongside others ! 

I really am digging the Fashionista & Communique lines for cards. 

Can't make them fast enough ! 

Do check out all the cards featured for a tonne of inspo ! 

Melissa Frances Fresh Twist

My DD & one of our oldest church friends , 

a pic taken last year . 

Love this  girly line and its fresh colors . 

Tried making my first ribbon flower too.

MF Fresh Twist pps , ticket,rub on ; May arts ribbon , Prima Say It in Pearls, Fiesta flower , Cadoobles, butterfly,

 AC Felt bird, sketch by Liz Qualman 

Di Hickman's Mar Card Sketch #4

Supplies: Bazzill Swiss Dot CS , Bo Bunny It's My Party patterned paper and cardstock sticker, Spotlight Spiral Clips , Q&Co Birthday Brads

Scrapping Outback Chipboard High School

Scrapping Outback is having another Chipboard School 

& Week 1 is off  to a great start with 

an opportunity for students to try using 

inking & embossing techniques on chipboard. 

Here's my layout inspired by our teacher, Sandra Gerdes .

Supplies : Prima Mulberry Stitched paper , Maya Road alpha chipboard , Fancy Pants swirl , 

GCD Studio Collette collection cut outs, stickles

ICSketches #9

Another fabulous sketch this week , full of creative possibilities . 

Just take a look at the DT Samples to be inspired ! 

Savvy n Sassy is the new sponsor this kit & 

they are giving away a $10 GC to their store, 

which is full of  yummy Ribbon KITS and so much more ! 

Supplies : Bo Bunny It's My party pps & sticker, Bazzill Just the edge 2  and cardstock , Glitz Design Chipboard, stickles , 

WRMK Madame Royale

Almost every brand has die cut shapes to offer these days
& with WRMK there's always a different color palette to consider .
Love these colors together .
Love their Tiffany line too !

Inspired by a sketch by Julie Bonner
to try some cutouts from the glittered floral paper
& I sprayed some Jazz Blue Glimmer Mist
on a scrap of doily paper for a pop of color .

Hidden journaling reads :
Sweet sisters together,
heart to heart .

Di Hickman's Mar Card Sketch #3

Great sketch this week to explore layers . 

Supplies: Graphic 45 Fashionista patterned papers and die cut

,Bazzill Swiss Dots cardstock, Robin's Nest Primary Dew Drops , 

May Arts ribbon

ICS#8

Time flies when you're having fun !
& we're now up to Sketch #8 over at
Inspirational Card Sketches !

A lovely tag sketch to check out this week
& a set of Jazzy Stamp Dreams is up for grabs for one lucky participant !

I took an easy route using a Bo Bunny Alissa cardstock sticker as my starting point & simply embellished with 2 lovely butterflies & some polka dotted ribbon .

Do check out what the awesome design team did to jump start some tag making ideas !

MY Little Sketch Blook Sunday Sketch

I've long admired Liz Qualman's sketches

so now that she is starting her weekly sketch challenges

I'm sure I'll be creating more with some of her great sketch inspo !

Supplies : GCD Studio Paris Nites pps & die cuts ,

Prima Say It in Studs ,

K&CO Que Sera dimensional butterfly stickers,
Prima Juliette collection floral & leaves,

Paper Trunk Carson Chocolate Alpha Stickers .

52sketches52weeks #11

Scrapping a little secret about myself that I have almost forgotten about  : 

4 years before this bridal photoshoot I did have a battle of the bulge over a period of 6-9 mths . 

Everyday after lunch I would wolf down a tube of Oreo cookies or have some ice cream. 

I snacked a lot . 

I kept having to buy new pant sizes every month - until one day I even had to use X-L ( where I was usually a Medium size ) ! 

I went from 48 kg to a whopping ( for me ! ) 60 kg at the height of my bulge battle. 

Fortunately as quickly as I gained that weight I also lost it fast . 

( of course with better control of my diet ) 

In this photoshoot( 16 yrs ago ! ) I was about 49kg. 

Supplies : BG Wisteria - Garden Patio & Gazebo , Prima Life Colors Die Cut , Say It In Crystals Swirl, Various Prima lace, CI Narratives Journaling Spots by Karen Russell, Ice Stickles , Forever In Time Glitter Alphas , 

& I whipped out my now trusty paper plate to trace out the circular shape 

Have a great day !

Here's hoping everyone's having a great weekend  all around the world ! 

A card I made a while back but haven't shared .

More DCWV Butterflies & Blossoms goodness, Scenic Route cardstock sticker

Di Hickman's card sketch #1 & #2

Supplies: Bazzill Swiss Dot cardstock and Just the Edge , Queen and Co Birthday Brads, Bo Bunny It's My Party patterned papers and cardstock sticker . 

Supplies: Bo Bunny It's My Party patterned papers and cardstock sticker , Bazzill Swiss Dot cardstock and Just the Edge 

Gotta love these new Bo Bunny It's My Birthday pps & stickers for birthday cards this season !

 Lots of mileage I got out of them ., 

ICS#7

With the new week we have a new sponsor The Cutting Cafe.
Regina is offering the winner with 3 sets of their choice from the CAFE site.

We want to see

what you can do with the new sketch this week .

-----------------
Card supplies : DCWV 8x8 cardstock with an edge , Bo Bunny It's My Party pp & cs sticker, Bazzill with an Edge .

Webster's Pages Magical Wishes

The one brand that I wanted if I got nothing else from CHA Winter '09 

is Webster's Pages  

- I liked the color palette & images on the pps of the 2 lines released -

 Magical Wishes & Sweet Life and I wasn't disappointed when I could finally see them in person ! lol unlike some other lines which looked good online but not IRL . 

I think I was taken much more by the fact that they had coordinating die cuts & polka dotted cursive alphas with this release  -

 alas they havent arrived on our shores together with the papers yet '.

so I made do with some K&CO Que Sera die cuts & dimensional stickers & the AC Charcoal Lullaby thickers . I also masked in a circle using a paper plate as a template . Works great ! I'll be doing that again ! ;-) 

You are meant to be whatever you dream of becoming . - Edmund O'Neill . 
Scrapping more of my outdoor bridal photoshoot frm 16 years ago ! 

Catching up with awards

from Olena 

From Dawn

which I received from Susan 

Thank you so much crafting friends for the awards ! 

Instead of choosing 6-10

blogging friends,

I'd like  give it to all my blog readers.

Do Feel free to put it on your blog and give it away too ! 

Featured Friday over at Twinkle Tina's

Thanks a million Tina for 

giving me the honor 

of being on your Featured Friday  !!!

You are the Tweet-est, grrl  ! 

xoxo ! 

 

Chatterbox Fabulous

There's something about the color palette in this Chatterbox Fabulous line 

that speaks to me - not sure what it is - 

just love all the embellies that go with it 

Some notes to self in these less than the best of times we're living in : 

Never look back. Let it Be . Keep going. 

Sketch by Dalis . 

52sketches52weeks - Sketch #9

Another great sketch to try at 

http://52sketches52weeks.com/

More pics from my outdoor bridal photoshoot from 16 years ago ! ;-) 

New Primas : 

mulberry stitched paper - Sew Cute ! 

white Say It in Pearls 

velvet windsor rose 

Flirty Little Secrets pp

Alphablends - a combo of chipboard & cardstock stickers in one value pack ! 

Grunge-elegant was the look I was going for . sorta.

The paper curls were inspired by dear Chris 

ICS #6

Supplies : New Bo Bunny It's My Party pps & cardstock sticker, Bazzill swiss dot cs .

This week there's a sponsored prize by The Mosy Scrapper to play for ! 

Come on over & check out 

our DT inspiration & have a go !