Cool - the portrait of a 15YO

When we were on cruise last fall, we had the opportunity to get a professional photo shoot session.  This portait is of my 15 year old:

Papers: Sassafras Lass (Stripes), Lily Bee (blue flowers), SEI (grey), Lemon Owl (sand). Corrugated word: Jillibean Soup. Wood veeners: Freckled Fawn. Fabric Tag: Junkitz. Buttons & ribbon: unknown.
Overall design: The Nifty Pixels Sketch 38.2

Details:

I find bows perfect even for masculin layouts

I could not resist this (old) fabric tag when I found it in my LSS last summer

I have had this photo of DS15 laying on my desk for a while, not sure which color combo to go with it. When I saw the february color challenge at ARTastic Challenge blog, I knew it would be perfect for this photo.

Please return on Wednesday to find out how I used a completely different color scheme, for the portrait of DS 12. a photo with pretty much the same colors.

Daily routines - here are some of mine!

Hey, everyone!  What does your normal day look like?  Today's challenge at The Studio Challenges is all about scrapping your daily routine.  Your daily routine may not seem exciting or scrap-worthy, but we have a feeling that you'll appreciate the fact that you scrapped the "little moments" in a few years...


My morning routine: get out of bed, put the kettle on, take the dog out while I walk to pick up the news paper. News on digital medias is not the same as a real piece of paper!

Background paper: SEI. Other patterned papers: Lemon Owl. "Love This" card: Jillibean Soup. Metal clips: Freckled Fawn
Felt/fabric shapes: Charms Creations. Shaped cuts: unknown. Pearls: Scrappers Choice

 Details:

Please head over to The Studio Challenges Blog to see the rest of the DT reveal and to play along.  Please link up your entries by 7th December.

We now have a Facebook group for fans of The Studio to chat in, please come by and join in with the chat, we would love to see you there. 

Goal!

Even if my FIL was very weak the last month before he died in July, he enjoyed Soccer World Championship - and kept his good sense of humour (the journaling is about him beeing so weak).

Papers, banners & stickers: SEI. Rosette: Pebbles. Buttons & flag: unknown

I have had these old soccer themed papers laying around since DS15 played years ago. It feels good to finally have used them! I was also very happy to discover that I had no soccer ball shaped brads any longer :-)

The design is taken from Sketch #002 at Paper Issues:

Tell me, when was the last time you used sport themed papers? I haven't done it in ages - it feels a kind of "old school" *lol*

Happy - The Studio Challenges Mood board challenge

The wonderful Tessa has created an awesome mood board for The Studio Challenges to work with:

The entire mood board inspired me to make the layout below: the theme, the colors and the details as the swim wear, sun deck chairs and the waves.

My youngest son just loves to swim - ocean or pool - it doesn't matter as long as he may swim.

Splash paper: Bo Bunny. Yellow paper: Studio Calico. Feelt stickers: Creative Scrappers. Chair border: SEI
Badge: unknown

Want to use a sun burst paper background but don't have one? DIY! It's so easy - all you need is two paers and a craft knife. I sketch up where I wanted the burst with a pencil and cut out the parts free hand. No ruler involved :-)

More detail photos:

Do you want to play with us at The Studio Challenges?
Please head over to the blog to see the rest of the DT's lovely interpretations of the mood board and to see how you can win a prize from our sponsor, 

Happiness is... CSI Special file & Scrap365 feature

CSI excited to reveal the sixth special Case File created for the collaboration with Scrap365,UK's biggest and best scrapbooking magazine.

This special Case File will be open for investigation for the entire month of June. CSI will have a new Scrap365 Case File every other month, with the publication of a new issue of the magazine. After this Case File closes, CSI will be selecting five favorite layouts to feature, and those people will be invited as CSI Deputies (guest designers) for August. 

My example, which also is featured in the Scrap365 magazine:

PAPER: My Mind’s Eye, SEI.  EMBELLISHMENTS: Jillibean Soup  – word stickers, Studio Calico – wood veeners, Webster’s pages – large flower, Prima – small flowers , Cre8tive Cre8tions – Flair. ALPHAS: Jillibean Soup . UNKNOWN: Buckle, ribbon, pearls, doilie 

Love can strike at any age, and broken hearts can be repaired – my mum’s, and step father’s, story is the proof! The colours and theme in this challenge were perfect for this photo and story, and gave me the idea for the design.

How I solved the case:
*All colors used.
*Evidence: Stripes, flowers, gold. 
*Testimony: Six word memoir (Happiness is a broken heart repaired) 

Now, please head over to CSI to see the rest of the DT's lovely examples and to play along! You have the entire month to make your creation!

Launched (Creative Scrappers sketch #268)

Spring came early this year, and we had some lovely warm days in April. I live at the seaside, so it's often windy her, but we even had a week without wind and with sun.

DS11 decided it was time to get his boat back on water, but this particular afternoon I didn't have time to help him. But he had four strong buddies with him and they managed to pull the boat trailer by hand down to the sea front and launch the boat. Actually a car wouldn't have helped this early afternoon: we have a concrete ramp we use for launching boats, but this day the tide was so low, that a car would have had  to back all the way out on the sand bottom - and it would probably be stuck.

Here are DS11 and his brother on his way home:

Background paper: Webster's  Pages. Other papers: SEI, Sassafras Lass, LYB, Crate papers. Banner: Teresa Collins. Badges: The Paper Bakery. Wood pieces & epoxy stars: Freckled Fawn. Alpha: AC. Anchor: unknown

Details:

I found inspiration to this layout from Creative Scrappers sketch #268:

The six circles draw my attention, but I deciden to put my photo to the right of them. So I have streched the sketch to fit my needs, but I'm still happy with the result.


Have you had an early spring, too? or a nice fall if you are on the opposite part of the globe?

The box fits! (CSI #120)

What is it with cats and boxes?

If I pull out a box, my cat is up and in it in no time. I even think she can smell a new box - if she's in another room, she comes hopping and examine a box I pull out.

I was curious and wanted to test her - will she try to get into any box, no matter how small?
I took a tiny box, put in on the table - and yes - she laid down in/on it:

Full size layout:

Background paper: Jillibean Soup. Other papers: SEI (w/pink stripes, pink)), Lemon Owl (blue, green.
Ribbon flower: Jillibean Soup. Journaling spot: Chic Tags. Arrows, washi, wood frame & metal camera clip: Freckled Fawn. Alpha: Basic Grey. Buttons & cats in basket: unknown

This layout was made with inspiration from CSI case file #120:

How I solved the case:

Colors: all used
Evidence: Stripes, animal accents, something sheer
Testimony: write your story as a haiku.

My haiku:

This is my last layout as a DT member at CSI. I have had a wonderful year there as a DT, but I have decided to cut down on DT assignments for a while - there is so much I want to do during this summer and I felt it will be wrong to comit to CSI at the moment. It was a hard decision as the challenges are just awesome, and I certainly will go back whenever I need inspiration.

This also means I will create less this summer, and this blog will be updated at a more irregular bases. I'll still be creating for The Studio Challenges, and there surely will times where I become so inpired by challenges found around, or just get the urge to create, that I'll head back to my table and scrap or make cards.

See you around!

Broken - CSI #114

Djeeez...
The last month have been all about bone fractures!

DS11 broke his left arm mid ffebruary while using his trick bike, and it was actually on flat asphalt. I was visiting my mum, who is in hospital with a nasty ankel fracture, when my husband called and told he would take the kid to the ER to check out the arm. I couldn't help bursting out laughing, as this was the absolute cherry on top: challenges have lined up for the last few months, and this one was so welcome. NOT.

Luckily this fracture was clean and neat, but the kid had to go through a minor surgery to have some spikes put in temporarely. The photo in my layout is taken before the surgery

Cardstock: ClubScrap. (yellow, green, red), Bazill (black, white). Alpha: SEI. Rubons: Basic Grey. Brads: Kaiserkraft. Metall arrows, resin badge: Freckled Fawn. Buttons & washi: unknown

Close up photo of journaling:

This layout is my example for CSI #114:

How I solved the case:
*Colors: all used
*Evidence: cardstock only (no patterned papers), nymbers, rubons, circles
*Testimony: Write your journaling as a series of questions

It's been a long time since I have used no patterned paper on a layout. What about you?

Cards for my mum Part III (Cardabilities sketch #92)

So I'm back on track making cards for my mum (see why here, and why I had to interrupt here).


Here is my next card for my mum:

Cardstock: Bazill. Cutouts & brad: MME. Flower: SEI. Ribbon & doilie: unknown

The inspiration is taken from Cardabilities sketch # 92:

Do you use sketches when you make cards?

Cards for my mum - Part 2

As I said in this post, my mum has a soft spot for cards with lots of layers, and my intention last week was to make her some. But then she had an accident - she fell of the ladder while climbing up on the garage roof to shovel off snow, and ended up in the hospital with a broken ankel. It was bad, she has had her first surgery, and a new one is scheduled tomorrow.


How typical my mum - she wanted to send cards at the hospital! So I had to make her some flat ones to fit standard postage - the lumpy ones are too heavy and cost a fortune to send.


Here they are, flat and light weight:


The first two are the same design, just different papers and orientation:

Green glitter cardstock: Fancy Pants. Dotted paper: Echo Park. Wreath: Freckled Fawn.
Rhinestines: MME. Alpha: Webster's pages. Ribbon: Unkown 

Papers: SEI. Wreath: Freckled Fawn. Rhinestones: MME. Alpha:Jillibean Soup.
Ribbon: Unkown

This card was made with one-of-a-kind embellies I had on my desk, and which I was happy to finally use

Papers: Lemon Owl. Frame: Imaginarium Designs. Vellum stickers: Freckled Fawn
Hello Sticker: Pebbles. Ribbon: unknown

The final one: washi is great for cards!

Washi: Freckled Fawn, Studio Calico, others unknown. Hello
Sticker: Pebbles. Puff stickers: Freckled Fawn

Have you made any cards lately? can I have a link so I can come and have some inspiration?

It's all about colors and love at The Studio Challenges!

Which couple is the world's most famous? Is it David and Victoria Beckham? or may be it is this couple?

Background paper:   Other papers: Webster's Pages/Alison Kraft (grey), SEI (beige/pink). Triangle tags: Chic Tags. Other tags, pink hearts & washi: unknown. Chipboard: Amerian Crafts/Amy Tangerine. Wood hearts, plastic arrow &epoxy stars: Freckled fawn.  Flair: Cre8tive Cre8tions. Alphas: Basic Grey (grey), Jillibean Soup (brpwn)

Years ago we were given bath foam in Mickey and Minnie containers. The bath foam is gone long time ago,bbut I have never had the heart to toss the containers - they are on a shelf in our bath room for decoration purpose only. And they will always be together!

A close up of the embellies 

 It's all about colors and love in this week's challenge at The Studio Challenges:

Create a layout about love but using these colors (Stephanie picked them for us):

Please head over to The Studio Challenges' blog to see the rest of the DT's wonderful examples. and to play along!

How to make Christmas cards all year round

Some times I have too much scraps, and I find them perfect for making cards. For the past year I have had Christmas cards in mind while going through my pile of patterned papers - some of them make wonderful seasonal cards, even if they not are in traditional colors and patterns.

I have showed some of my non traditional reindeer cards earlier, today I'll give you ornament cards (all size 4"x8"):

 

Background paper: Basic Grey. Bulb paper: unknown.
Laces: Prima. Doilie: SEI. Bow: Freckled Fawn
Ribbon & Pearl: unknown

At the YouDo blog they are running  Crazy Christmas challenges. One of them is to use non traditional colors on Christmas cards. Here is a few other cards without green and red:




Background paper: unknown. Bulbe paper: Sassafras Lass
Lace: Prima & Websters Pages. Bow: Freckled Fawn
Ribbon & bling: unknown



Black/Brown background paper: Echo Park. B/W striped paper:
 Heidi Swapp. Bow: Freckled Fawn. Trim: Prima
Overlay: unknown



Background paper: October Afternoon. Bulbe paper: MME
Bow: Freckled Fawn. Trim, bling & twine: unknown

Background corrugated paper: Fancy Pants. Bulbe paper, burlap
& patterned paper: unkown. Alpha: Studio Calico

I have used a ornament die (Lifestyle Crafts) for all the bulbs, but you could use a circle cutter for the same purpose. I also use smaller dies if I want multiple ornaments on my card - they give me more flexibility when it comes to the design. As you see, I have pretty much repeated myself design vise on the cards above.

What do you think: is it a good idea to use non seasonal papers for Christmas cards?

Born On Christmas Eve - CSI special Case File

We at CSI are excited to reveal our third special Case File created for our collaboration with Scrap365, UK's biggest scrapbooking magazine.

This special Case File will be open for investigation for the entire month of December. CSI will have a new Scrap365 Case File every other month, with the publication of a new issue of the magazine. After this Case File closes, we will be selecting our five favorite layouts to feature, and those people will be invited as CSI Deputies (guest designers) for February.

We hope you will play with us this month. One lucky winner will win the latest copy of Scrap365.


Here are the colors and requirements for this special file:

And this is my take on it, featuring my dog, Scoobie, born on December 24th 2004:

Yellow paper: Basic Grey. Other papers: SEI. Yellow trim: Glitz Designs. Fabric tag: Websters Pages

Not my usual style, but when it comes to anything with pink I totally forget about "Less is more" *lol*

 Details/Close ups:

Large flowers: Petaloo. Small paper flowers: Prima. Resin flowers: Freckled Fawn
Pink trims: unknown

Large snowflake: Indiska. Snowflake brads: unknown.
Pink metal frame & pearls: unknown

Alpha: American Crafts/Amy Tangerine

 How I solved the case:
*All colors used
*Evidence: Flowers, pearls, silver accents, ribbon, snowflakes
*Testimony: Write four random things about your subject:

-Kenel/breed name: Timanka's Christmas Wonder
-Nickname: Scoobie
-Born: December 24th 2004
 -Color: Originally black & white, nowadays more grey & white

Left photo is taken last week, right photo taken in 2008 when she was true b&w.


Now, please head over to the CSI site to see the rest of the DT member's and the GDT member's lovely take on this challenge