Getting Scrappy

While we were still in San Diego, I printed lots of photos with the intention of...well, I don't know what really.  Not sure if I'd intended to scrap book them or just load them into an album.   But I did keep a whole pile of them together and even sorted them into various categories.

Tripping over the box just recently while have a tidy up......I came across the pics and decided to jump in with both feet and have a go at doing a page to show at Darling Stamp & Scrap last week because the theme was chipboard accents & I LOVE chipboard as a page embellishment.

What do you think?

The page is very striking in Daffodil Delight, and the designer series paper in Wild Wasabi & Melon Mambo picked up the colours in the pics rather nicely.    I love the chipboard flower that I covered in Summer Smooches DSP.  That is such a varied pack of paper that you could use it for all sorts of occasions.  The cherries and lime stamps are long retired, and the umbrella was from my stash.  The chipboard letters are SU, but from an old pack of On Board letters.   I used the brush tips of my SU markers in Marina Mist & Melon Mambto to colour them in.   To create some texture I added sand, sticking it on with Tombow liquid glue. 

And you know what makes this page really amazing?   The memories it brings back.  Our friends were visiting from Sydney and we took them for a cocktail in the beach bar overlooking Coronado Beach at the famous Hotel Del.  It was the most perfect day! 

Thanks for looking!
Cheers
Karen

Grandma's Coffee Table Brag Book

While visiting Mum & Dad at the weekend, I picked up a small photo album that mum keeps on the coffee table and flicked through the pages recalling the wonderful time we had when we lived in San Diego, CA a few years back.

I covered the plain box and lid in patterned papers that would coordinate with Mum's living room.

The book is an accordian style, and quite heavy chipboard

Some of the pages need a little re-sticking!

I made the book for Mum's birthday while we were away.  It's stood the test of time quite well, despite the fact that it has been on the coffee table for nearly 5 years now!  And afterall, it's only paper!!

The book itself was plain chipboard, as was the box and I bought them both from Michael's - a must to visit if you ever go to North America.  It's a crafter's haven, and by far my favourite store in the world!  The only down side is that they don't sell Stampin' Up!  Well, you can't have everything.

Now, I'm no scrapbooker, by my own admission, so be kind with your critique, even if it's silent!  Someone looked at this picture and asked me where was Lana's head.  It was that funny stage where she didn't like her picture taken so she always looked like a headless shorty!!

One of the things that made this scrapbook so easy was the variety of stickers available that were perfect for each event.

Hayley is holding fluffy the snake.   I'm not entirely sure how I even took the picture, I'm terrified of snakes!  Nice colour matching with the paper though, eh?!

A very simple page letting the picture speak for itself.  OMG, hardly any embellishment...tsk tsk!

Seems I was going through a phase of trimming the photo's.  Bizarre!

I like the playfulness of this page.  The coloured stars and brads match nicely and the sticker is perfect, yet again.

Hayley, almost airborne.  Ah to have not a care in the world!

Our first halloween in America.  What a treat! Pardon the pun.  We had a wonderful time walking the streets surrounded by beautifully & scarily decorated houses.  And collected so much "candy" in our pumpkins we had stomach ache for days!!

A favourite picture of mine & Lana's.  This page doesn't really need anything else.

No scrapbook would be complete with a collage of pictures - and it's usually at the end when you've run out of pages but can't bear to leave anything out!  Yes, that's what happened here.

Lastly, the back cover.  Don't forget to date & sign your name here.  Especially if you want these little family memories to be passed on.  It's so easy to forget the small details.

Funnily, I'd forgotten all about this book.  But I'm feeling quite inspired to go make something else like this.   I might have to start a project.....now, which drawer did I stash all that sort of stuff into?!

Go on, make something!
Karen

It's a Scrapbook Page!

It's been a long time since I did a page.  Please don't read back through my scrapbook posts because you'll find I've done nothing I promised!  Oh, the best laid plans....giggle!

Last night I went to a scrapbook class that my downline Irene was hosting.   This is what I made:

Isn't it gorgeous?  I copied (almost exactly) the sample because no matter how hard I try, I just can't do my own thing in a class.   I get all flustered and then end up with a project I don't like, so this way, I come home with a perfect project, one I love and that I can then develop in the relative peace of my craft room.

Supplies used:
Ornament Punch - well duh, right?!    Some were stamped first using Contempo Christmas, others are dry embossed using the Polka Dots embossing folder and the Big Shot.
A few were Spritzed to give them some sparkle. 

The pictures were taken during a Christmas holiday in Mammoth, CA a couple of years ago.  Such lovely memories.   But the $64 million question.....will I do more pages....you'll have to check back to see!
Have a great weekend.
Karen

Convention Swaps

There were some lovely projects this year and a huge variety of things from bottle tags with Freddo frogs in them to elegant jewellery pieces - yes, all made out of paper!

Here's a few to get your creative juices flowing.

As these projects were all attached to the boards I can't credit the designer, so although I love you to use images you see here as inspiration, please be sure to acknowledge that the design was from SU Convention 2011.

All projects are copyright 1990- 2011 Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted.

Have a great weekend.
Thanks!
Karen

Scrapbook Finally Started!

Ok, so it's been a few weeks since I promised to start a scrapbook, and against all odds......increased workload, after school activities, birthday parties, yada yada, here's my first page:

Think back to the beginning of the year (well, almost) and as I thought I'd make the task more achievable by doing a page at a time, what better place to start than with back to school?

I've used the mozaic technique that I taught in a class just recently - isn't it lovely in a big splash like this?   The page is Chocolate Chip, as is the ribbon, and I've used Circle Circus, stamped tone on tone.   I love the filigree flower brads in the corner.   They're so special - perfect for my girls!   And yes, I did make a stamping error.  But it kind of adds to the handmade qualities of the page!!  That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!

Leave me a comment if you like!

Karen