I do not seek. I find.

Hi.

Do you, like me, have a long Easter break? I love it, and so far my days off  have been pretty lazy. It's nice and sunny outside, but soooo cold for late March, and the snow have hardly started melting yet.


"I do not seek - I find".
I just love that quote byPablo Picasso. I think it pretty much sums up my life philosophy - and my approach to scrapping, too.

Journaling: "Scrapping is to a high level like life itself: nothing comes for free. If you want results, you need to work hard and determined for it. But you also need to dare to find inpiration from others, and to let them be sources for new ideas, thoughts and ways to look upon how and what you are doing"



I got the idea for this layout from CSI file #63:

Colors - all five used, but I might have stretched it a bit *lol*
Evidence: tape measure, metal mesh ("grey" stripe down left side), metal (paper clip, eyelet, chaine, fasteners)
Testimony:Document a hobby (scrapbooking)

Thank you for popping by and have a Happy Easter!

Sick

A few weeks back the kids had a week long winter break - and the youngest kid was sick all week long - it looked as it was some kind of the flue.  The winter break came to an end, and then the oldest kid was sick with the same bug.

This oldest child of mine is for sure going the be a Real Man.  While my youngest son just cought an ordinary flue, the oldest one cought the Man Flue.... I say no more...


Here he is, the victim of The Worse Bug Who Have Ever Hit A Teenager



Memory Maze produucts used: Get Well phrases,

This layout is DT work for Memory Maze. I made a post at the company blog last week where I showed how to use card sized chipboard phrases on different kind of projects, and this layout is one of those projects. On this layout I have chosen to repeat the phrase Get Well to make my wish more powerful. I used the super cute boarder hook chipboard as a base for my "sign" and used two swirl corners to frame the photo.

White CS: Bazill. Twine: The Twinery. Paint: parma
Chipboard: Memory Maze. The rest: SC March card kit

All the chipboards are painted dark brown with acrylic paint to get a uniform look, and as the rest of my chipboards they have a glossy finish. To balance the design in this layout, I have used the same paint over a mask here and there.

Mask: Crafter's workshop

Tell me, how do the men in your life do when they are sick?

Card sized chipboard phrases are perfect for...

cards....!!!

 

The most obvious way to use card sized phrases is on... cards! *lol*

These two cards are super easy to make, all you really need is a few pieces of scrap paper, card sized chipboard phrases and some second small embellishments. Just by changing the color cheme, you easily make both masculine and feminin cards.

 

 

All materials except chipboard: Studio Calicio March Card Kit
Chipboard phrase: Memory Maze



I have painted the chipboard phrases with acrylic paint (shhh, don't tell the hubby, but I "borrowed" some from the man cave - I think he uses it for decorationg RC car bodies) - very, very easy - and the paint dries fast. I don't have the patience for projects whis requires long drying hours.

 

 

 

 

My chipboard phrases are from Memory Maze. As I said, they are perfect for cards, but they look great on layouts, too. I have an example for you in this post and will give you another one later this week, so stay tune.

 

 

I love the versatility of chipboard, and find them perfect for adding dimension to both cards and layouts, so I was very happy to see this week's theme at the CAS-ual Fridays Challenge blog:

 

 

 

 

Have you ever payed the blog a visit? You really should, becuase there are tons of inspiration for lovely Clean & Simple cards there!

 

Sketch day at The Studio Challenges

Hi!

Today is the third Sunday of the month - and that means challenge day at The Studio Challenges. This week we have a fun sketch for you - this one made by Valerie:

This sketch gives lots of opportunities, and the TSC DT has some wonderful examples for you at the
TSC blog:  I strongly advice you to pop over!

Here is my take on the sketch, featuring youngest son learning the kitty to skate board (!).

Patterned papers, washi, brads, flags, envelope: Teresa Collins.
Alphas: MME (large), Cosmo Cricket (small). Fibre: AC. Twine: Unknown

Some close up photos:

Kitty tried to catch the spinning wheels...

Do you want to come over and play with us at TSC?

Welcome to my Memory Maze world

I have a big crush on chipboards, so you can tell I was tickled pink when I was picked to the first DT ever at the Australian chipboard manufactorer Memory Maze

Today I have my first DT post at the Memory Maze blog. I have chosen to show a number of ways to use card sized chipboard phrases on both numbers and cards.


Here is one of the creations:

Patterned Papers: Studio Calicio. Chipboard: Memory Maze. Small alpha: Cosmo Cricket
Large Alpha: Sassafras Lass. Button, twine & raindrops: unknown

I found this photos of DS13 when I was looking for a printer manual the other day, and I couldn't resist scrapping them.

Photo taken in 2000?

The Chipboard phrase is painted with acrylic paint

You will find the other two creations in the Memory Maze blog post as well as details about chipboard ID numbers etc. I'll display the rest of my creations on my blog next week but you are welcome to see them all at the Memory Maze blog today:-)


Do you like working with chipboard?

Dream Big Bamze (CSI Challenge #62)

Bamse/Bamze = Teddy in English - the name of the neighbour's cat, also our oldest cat's twin brother.

On occations he tries to get into our house - and yes, I have let him in as I thought he was his sister, my cat - they have the same color, and used to be equally big - now he's bigger.

This time he was surprised to find an unknown kitten on the other side of the glass, but he still tried out by scratching the windows. But in his dreams!

Patterned papers: MME (Green, teal), Studio Calicio (grey chevron, background). Hello-labels: Pebbles.
Twine: Pink Paisley. Dream Big flag: MME. Alpha: AC. Photo strip tape & heart brads: unknown

The idea for this layout was born when I saw this week's challenge at CSI:

Colors - all five used
Evidence: Circles, tassels
Testimony: Circular journaling spot (mine is laaaaarge *lol*)


Do you have strange pets (ord wild animals) trying to move into your place?

Chasing Butterflies (CSI challenge #61)

Are you tired of seeing photos of my cute kitten Mercedes? I hope not, but she's in a lot of my layouts these days. And there are two reasons:

1. She does lot of fun, silly stuff - she is still 100% kitten!
2. The rest of the family do boring stuff and we don't take photos of it. That said, we have a trip to the snowy mountains ahead, as well as one to London in the near future, so I count of some fresh photos to scrap then.

One of the silly things Mercedes is up to, is to chase the butterflies on the curtains in my scrap place. I think she finally have understood that they are not coming down, because I haven't seen her in action this weekend. Here she is:

Patterned paper: Cosmo Cricket (yellow), Studio Calicio (others). Journaling sprouts: Jillibean Soup.
Chipboard butterflies: Imaginarium Designs. Alpha: AC/Amy Tangerine. Buttons: Unknown

The chipboard butterflies are painted with gesso and then acrylic paint.

 

 

This layout was made for challenge #62 at CSI:

Colors used: all five
Evidence: butterflies, buttons
Testimony: add buttons to journaling spot


Tell me, what do you take photos of these days?

Sugar Paste Flower Spray Display

I bet you didn't know this about me: I know how to make sugar paste flower sprays, like this one:

Actual size left rose: 3/4"

Yepp, this is made by me. Every bud, petal, flower and leaf is hand made with sugar paste and individually colored/painted. I admit it, I don't make many of them, but it's great to know I have the skills!

Sugar paste sprays are very fragile, especially the flowers as the petals are very delicate and thin. I wanted to display a spray in my working space, but it would surely need some protection (think kittens and kids)! I couldn't find any suitable in the stores, so I decided to make one myself.


I took a sturdy paper box, cut a window which I covered with acetat from the back and covered the box with pretty papers, lace and embellishments. And voila! A nice box which, in theory, would protect my precious flower spray from damage.

Papers: MME. Leaves: Prima. Pearl spray & flower: unknown. Lace: Authentic, from my grand ma's

The truth?
The display is still sitting on top of my shelf.

It hung over my desk, but when I cought Mercedes, the kitten, jumping for it to get the moving pearl spray and the flower, I removed it. She was so close to getting there, and if she had succeeded, she would have torn the entire box down. And there would be no sugar spray left.

Don't you love your pets?

Recipe Challenge - The Studio Challenges

Hi.

It's the first Sunday of a new month today, which means we have a new challenge for you over at The Studio Challenges.  Today DT member Kat has set a recipe challenge for you, here's what she wants you to include in your layout:

-kraft cardstock

-at least one tag

-paint/mist

-at least 2 different kids of alphas

Feel free to add mor if you want to, but we need to see these items in your creation.


Here is what I got for you for this challenge:

Patterned Paper, fiber & tags: Studio Calicio February Card Kit. Paint & modelling paste: Panduro
Alphas: Websters Pages (green), SEI (red). Dots: Craftworldcards. Button & eyelets: unknown

I have incorporated the tag as an element in the main design, and added small paint splashes all over to add interest to the plain kraft background. Modelling paste ads structure to the page and is a fun medium to work with.

The journaling describes one of my chosen techniques on how to be positive in 2013, which will be a challenging year for us in many ways: counting the blessings and writing down each week the main thing to be thankful about that spesific week.

The rest of the DT and our GDT has some wonderful examples for you. Plese head over to the TSC blog to see them and to play along. Do we see you there?

It's the Weekend - OUAS March challenge

Hello friends!

Today has to be a fabolous day: it's Friday, which means the weekend, and it's March 1th, which means spring will be around any day in my part of the world.

A new month means a new sketch and challenge at Once Upon A Sketch. The March theme is:

"Its The Weekend!"

 What does your weekend look like? 

Some of you already know, but some of you don't, that every Friday night for as long as I have dated my husband, we have had our weekly Friday Night Date. It's an inhouse date, and it's the day at week we make some special food, share a bottle of wine and sit down and really talk. Our everyday life tend to eat up every spare time we have, so I sincerely believe those dates har been a key factor to keep our relationship healthy.

Chipboard: Imaginarium Designs. Bling: Designers Choice. Badge: Cre8tive Cre8tions.
Paper, ribbon, pucinella & charm: Unknown

All chipboard is painted with acrylic paint, the hearts then grid stamped and
repainted with white acrylic paint dots

Here is this month's OUAS sketch:

The "fine" print:

Theme: "Its The Weekend!"

 What does your weekend look like? 

Maybe you work, or run around like crazy taking your kids to activities etc. Lunch with friends? Movies? Dinner? Or maybe you do all the exciting stuff like ...clean the house, tend to the garden , kinds birthday parties. You might like to tell us of an exciting weekend coming up, or a weekend past. Maybe a weekend getaway? Whatever it is that you want to tell us that has to do with the theme "Its The Weekend" we would love to hear it. 

Your layout must incorporate this theme and the sketch below. 

Please make sure that we see some sort of journalling on your layouts and please tell us where your journalling is . You are allowed to journal in any language but please tell us where on your page we will find your journalling. Remember journalling has to be a bit more than a title, or a generic comment. Hidden journalling is perfectly fine.

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Are you ready to get blown away by marvellous inspiration from the DT and the gust designers? Please check out the OUAS blog, and don't forget to read how you can win some fabolous prizes!


Have a happy weekend - how do you plan to spend your Friday Night?