last minute gift tags ...

http://mothballcharlie.squarespace.com/blog/2010/12/16/gift-tag-download-and-teacher-gifts.html

There is a pdf download ... check out the blog!!

OR try these ...

Free download here ... Marmalade Moon!!

Irene- Sue's sketch challenge

Hi Sue,

Thanks again for the great sketch - this is my interpretation.

Merry Christmas to all

Irene.

Great to see there is still someone out there finding some time to scrap.... this one is great Irene!! Love your Christmas papers and those lovely yummy buttons!! And cute cute photos of those two little poppets!! Love it!!

Thanks for joining in on our fun Irene!

Hope you have a lovely Christmas also!

Sue xx

Amanda's challenge - Lou

Hi Amanda Meredith and Sue

Please find attached my layout for Amandas colour challenge [which rooockz!!! the colour challenge that is LOL] Loved it :)

Cheers and Merry Merry Christmas :) :) :)

Lou xxx
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Beautiful Lou! What a stunning photo of Nat!! Love the little flowers and twine and the alphas are perfect!!
Thank you for sharing! xx

Gina- Dec sketch challenge

I had this lovely surprise in amongst my emails this morning,

From Gina,

This is a page of Phoenix after McHappy Day, she is totally a face painting junkie. LOL. I used the Echo Park, A Walk in the Park range, because it was so bright and colourful. I did lots of hand sewing on this one and used the Martha Stewart Butterfly punch for this big butterflies. Hope you like it.

PS I just wanted to say a big THANKS for your sketches and the great inspitation they provide me with. For a long time i just looked at them but am determined to have a go at them now because once i got off my bum and started i had a ball playing, and i am actually completing more pages now. For those few people that stop by for a look but don't actually give them a go, jump in and won't regret it.

TTFN Gina

Wow Gina, love all of this!! Love those beautiful butterflies, and arn't those Echo Park papers all sooo yummy??!!...... and such cute photos!!

And so glad you are inspired by my sketches!!! Thanks for joining in, i love to see your lovely work......i am so inspired by your pages, you are so clever!!

Jazz up a gift bag!!

Holiday ornament bag tutorial found here!

Amanda's colour challenge - Meredith

Amanda - colour challenge

Free scrapbook printables ...

http://scrapbookprintables.wordpress.com/freebies/

and some non-Christmas ones too!!

Oh and yes it refers to snow but hey you could try making one your self with an Australian theme!!

Gift card holders ... so cute!!

Over at the Maya Road blog.

Congratulations to ...

those who received Honorable Mentions in this year's Scrapbooking Memories Masters Competition ...

Single layout ... Lou Nelson, Mel Forbes & Lauren Boase

when you get a chance to see the magazine check out Mel's layout ... you might see your self there!! ;-)

Beyond the Page ... Tiff Firth, Mel Forbes & Lou Nelson

Huge congrats to you all!!

Also check out Fran & Tatum's wonderful winning entries!!

A technique for folders (not scrunchers ... !!!)

Okay rush into the toilet (or grab a clean roll from the pantry ... LOL) ...

Take a look at this technique ...



By Lydell Quin of the Helmar Design Team

Original post here.

Sue's Sketch - Sue

With all the buzz of Christmas around us, i was thinking back to what we were doing last Christmas, and found these photos. I decided to scrap using my sketch again....well, i have turned it around and changed it just a little.

I have used paint splats for my round embellies in the corners over the top of some stamped Christmas words.

And i have put some vellum thru the cuttlebug which my title is sitting on top of. And i am loving the pulled stitched look at the moment....as you can see!

Hope you all getting organised for Christmas, those puddings boiled, nibbles made and Christmas shopping all but done!!

AND....don't forget to book in for the classes for the scrapping retreat, so we can get on with ordering all your yummy goodies!!

Have a good week,

Sue xx

December colour challnge

While looking through some decorating magazines lately this colour combo seems to be the hot new thing atm - kraft with loads of white.

It doesn't look overly exciting here - but believe me the end result looks stunning. I can't wait to fiddle.

 Also don't forget to book into your classes - time is slipping away! Only 8 days left to register!

Christmas decorations ...

From the American Crafts blog ...

Two tutorials here ...

http://americancrafts.typepad.com/studio/2010/12/this-sweet-birdie-will-sing-sweetly-on-anyones-christmas-tree-this-year-heres-what-you-need-to-make-him-gather-the-supplies.html

Sue's sketch - Meredith

Felt good using up so many brads!!

e2c 2011 retreat class details

We are honored and thrilled that FOUR amazing Australian scrapbookers have agreed to teach at our retreat next year.

 

There will be two technique workshops run by Michelle Dyson and Louise Nelson and two classes hosted by Fran Tynan and Tatum Woodroffe. Fran will be stepping you through two separate pages during her class and Tatum will help you create a double page layout.

 

(Incidentally if you had not heard the news, both Fran and Tatum were recently awarded the title of 2011 Scrapbooking Memories Magazine Master - and we are very excited to have them teaching us some of their amazing talent!)

 

The workshops are at a very minimal price of $10. There will be a variety of stations where you can try techniques following a short demonstration by Lou and Michelle. We envisage the workshops to be about 1 hour long with plenty of fun fiddling with new and exciting mediums and techniques.

 

The classes are $30 and $35 and a kit will be supplied with each class, packed with lots of yummy hot off the press products. These will run longer (about 3 - 4 hours) and you will create two pages of amazing-ness in both Fran and Tatum's class.

 

The workshops and classes will be staggered so they will not overlap - if you would like to attend all you may book in without fear of missing out on another class.

 

 

Classes / workshops are open to all attendees and there is no limit to how many you would like to participate in. It may be all of them or perhaps only one. Or you may like to just sit and scrap without attending a class and this is AOK too!

 

Registrations are open NOW until the 20th of December.

 

Email Meredith to book a spot in these incredible classes -  john.treloar@bigpond.com

 

Full payment of classes are due on the 20th of January.

 

We realize that this is a busy time of the year so please do not delay in looking at which classes/workshops you would like to attend and let Meredith know ASAP.

 

Also a quick reminder that retreat payments ($170) need to be paid in full by the 30th of December.

 

Please scroll below to see class details.

Michelle - Stamping Workshop

Louise - Texture Workshop

Fran's Class

Tatum's Class

Sue's sketch - Lou

Good Morning Amanda Meredith and Sue

Please find attached my take on Sue's Fabulous Sketch challenge!!! LOL it wasnt what I had in mind when I first started but its what evolved, IYKWIM LOL. I think Im going to have another go at it as I still cant get the other LO idea outta my brain!!! LOL

Cheers and I hope you have a great week!!

Lou xxooxx

Lou I love the green with the black, white & kraft!! Great fun photo too!! And I really love how you have the scattering of hearts at the top - cute!!

Thank you Lou - look forward to seeing the next one!!

Christmas packaging gift idea ...

Lyndell's blog ...

http://lydellquin.blogspot.com/2010/05/helmar-holiday-hop.html 

This is so clever!!

Check out the other ideas on the Helmar blog hop

On line magazine ...

Check out this free on line magazine ...

http://www.scrapbookandcards.com/documents/winter2010.pdf

Gina- Sue's sketch

Hi Amanda, 

Here is my page for Sue's sketch. I really enjoyed creating this page, thanks Sue for the great sketch.

Well here I go, I made a few changes to the sketch,  firstly I flipped the sketch and used 1 large photo instead of 3. I used opals embossing enamels instead of mist and made my embellishments. This is my first go and making these type of flowers and I must say     I am addicted. 

To all the girls who share their work on the E2C blog, thanks, they are a great inspiration and have helped me get of my butt and actually participate. To all the girls who run the blog, thanks for all the work you do, I appreciate it and dont go a day without checking the blog. 

TTFN Gina

omg Gina this is gorgeous!! That photo is totally amazing - and the flowers, the cutout and the litte document are fabulous embellishments. I love how you have used the spray of leaves which actually looks like the flames from her torch! I absolutely adore banners made from book pages also so am in awe of the whole thing actually!! Brilliant!

Thanks also for your thanks. Although we all love e2c i am sure Sue and Meredith would agree it can be hard work at times :) 

December sketch

Well this is one for the cards......i AM super organised this month....and the sketch is here already.
Here is my example:

I know that you will all probably be too busy for too much scrapping this month, but just in case, here it is. I have seen quite a few layouts lately with strips of paper which is how i started with this one. Quick easy and fun. You can use one or multiple photos ..... i love multi photos of late :).

Look forward to seeing your creations,

Have fun with it....and have a great December getting organised for Christmas

Enjoy the moment of it all,

Suexx

Gina - Art Challenge

Hi Amanda,

                    Hope its not too late to put this one in for your art challenge, its been sitting on my table finished for the last week and a half and I just have not got around to scanning it

                  This is my first E2C challenge and I really enjoyed doing it. Ive always looked at the amazing work on the blog but never got off my but and did one. Thanks for the challenge.

This  lovely photo is of me, my husband, my brother in law and a friend of our's, in New  York, outside the Museum of Natural History pigging out on NY hot dogs. We were all starving, the boys were suffering from huge hangovers and I had been out all morning shopping.

The ribbon at the top of the page was put there after one of my wonderful kids dropped food onto the page after it was finished. It left a mark!!! A good reason to never leave pages out after there finished. LOL

TTFN  Gina

Oh wow Gina - this is brilliant!! Love the green and the crisp white! That little bit of twine is perfection curled around the bracket. Also that tiny apple paper clip is a great quirky reminder of 'the big apple'. 


Fabulous photo and journaling - i really felt like you were right next to me talking about it! Awesome stitching too.


Really loving this Gina and i hope we see a lot more of your work in here too. Thanks for being brave and finally sending your pages in. Very  inspiring work!

gift card holders

Inspired my Meredith's video link here I made these in very quick time last night.

I was a bit overwhelmed by the video (the music and pace is frantic) so got the basics and put my own spin on it.

I was going for a vintage, brown paper and string type of look and i before i knew it had churned out 8 in about an hour!

E2C 2011 cutting edge AGAIN

On behalf of Sue, Meredith and myself i would like to extend a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Fran Tynan and Tatum Woodroffe for being selected in the Scrapbook Memories Masters competition.

There are only a very small handful of Aussie girls picked each year so this is a huge accomplishment and what an amazing coup for E2C having them BOTH as our guest teachers in April 2011. We told you we were bringing you the best and lo and behold this couldn't be any more true!

Well done chickadees - we are very proud of you both and feeling a little bit psychic about it all LOL.

Stay tuned for 2011 retreat class details which will be advertised soon. I am sure you will not want to miss out on these amazing classes and workshops - there is something for everyone!

Tree topper ...

I just spied this over at Kerryn's blog ... gorgeous!!

Photo from Kerryn's blog post

http://kerrynlawson.blogspot.com/2010/11/angel-for-tree.html

Inspired ...

Go check his blog out from 1st December!!

Christmas is coming ...

and oh dear it is coming fast!!

Can you believe it?!

Janice sent me an email about a blog that she found with some Christmas ideas ...

http://jillibeansoup.typepad.com/my_weblog/

I love this advent calender idea ...

http://jillibeansoup.typepad.com/Jillibean_ProjectSheet_AdventCalendar-1.pdf
... so quick and fairly cheap if you have an old frame around (or head to the op shop to have a look for one) that you could spray paint!

A Christmas wreath with a difference ...

http://jillibeansoup.typepad.com/my_weblog/

I also found these cute gift tags ...

and a video to see how to make a gift card holder ...



this chick works fast ;-)

Thanks Janice!

Lauren - Sue's sketch x2

Hi Amanda,
Attached are my versions of Sues Sketches for October and November.
 I actually did the october sketch (My sisters) in Trinity Haven, but it took me until YESTERDAY to print out the journalling...with my dodgy computer its quite a process to use the printer, my main reason why I rarely print my journalling...
Thankyou for fabulous sketches Sue!!
Hope you are having a gorgeous Friday,
xx Lauren

OMG Lauren!!!!!!!!!!!! These are sen-bloody-sational. I cannot say enough LOVEs to let you know how blown away i am. Just love your style (even if it is the complete opposite to mine) Oh that masking tape type is just yummy. As is the ink sprayed flower.


And that cute little heart banner is so adorable as well as that delicious little cluster.


incredible stuff Lauren. I just love looking at how everyone interprets these sketches!

Irene - Sue's sketch

Hi Sue

This is a first for me- have challenged myself!
Thought it was time I submitted a page as I have been getting lots of inspiration from
your sketches and the challenges for ages now.

Thanks girls for the great blog.

Irene

Thanks Irene, I was very excited to see your layout in my inbox....and then for it to be full of pink....OMG, that is different for my postings!

Wow...love this LO Irene, 'specially the very cute heart banner, splashes of green paint/ misting and delightfully gorgeous photos!!

Thanks for sharing this one here with us...and would love to see more of your work!!

Tracey- Sue's sketch

Howdy Sue,

attached is my layout 'Master chef', to answer your sketch challenge. This layout is very busy for me and nothing at all like I was going to scrap it at the scrapathon!!! I'm sorry I just couldn't come at misting because that's messy stuff that I just can't cope with!! However I inked some circle thingies and I found that hard enough. The journalling reads ' making muffins is so much fun but the absolute best part of cooking is the tasting'. These photos are of Jessica when she was three, its hard to believe she has just turned 13!

Have a great weekend.

Tracey xx
Thanks Tracey for sending this one in....totally love it ALL. Great colours, and love the torn paper banner....so cute....and what punch have you used here, love the look of it!! Oooh, and i love those inked circles 'thingos'....great effect!

And such a cute little grubby face....makes you wanna just kiss it!! Love the priceless photos!!

Maryanne - Art Challenge

Mary there are so many things i love about this one.

Is it that awesome punch? Is it your gorgeous red wood backing? Is it your fantastic honest journalling? Is it that great photo with your handsome sons? (how did they get so big and so ummmm hot that quickly??!)  Is it the little spotty banner? Or is it your secret little 'rock on' hand signal in the photo?

hmmmmm well i can't decide  - i love it all.

Also I can't work out which is cooler - that layout or the fact that you took your sons to Metallica. You must be the most awesome parents!

Ali - Sue's Sketch

oh this is fantabulous Ali - love the series of candid photos, that little cloud, your handwritten journalling (so much more personal!!) , cute banner and a kick butt title!

Also admire how you have used a busy paper but still managed to make it look perfect and not overdone or overwhelming at all. Clever, clever chickie.

I think you BOTH are blessed to have each other.

Sue - Amanda's Art challenge

This layout is using the Basic Grey range 'Wander'......i have been using that quite a bit lately with some of my travel pages, and there is more misting...AGAIN!!....i am loving it at the moment!

Sue xx

1950s musings

Marika - Sue's Sketch

oh this is so cute!! Love the series of photos and those little girls are adorable there having a little chat!  Awesome banner and splats!!


That two toned butterfly is a bit funky too!


The green and pink against the yellow is so stunning.

Amanda - Sue's Sketch

Michelle- Sue's sketch

Michelle sent this a couple days ago, and i have just been waiting for the go ahead to do some posting. Sorry Michelle it has taken me a day or two.

Hi Sue

Here is my take on your sketch challenge.

I’m missing the banner – just couldn’t work out how one would fit on this LO.

Photo’s were taken at Pildappa Rock.

Tx
Michelle


Love your misting and string with flowers for banner, very cute!!! I have always loved the look of corrugated card, loving it on this LO Michelle!! Thanks for sharing and joining in with the sketch!!

Sue's sketch - Meredith

Misting: sprayed on the chipboard banner!!

Amanda's Art Challenge - Meredith

Lou - Sue's Sketch

Hi Guys

Please find attached my take on Sues Fabo Sketch Challenge.

Cheers Lou xxx

Oh my. 

I think i let out a little squeal when i saw that you had used a photo of Sue for her sketch - because i knew it would tickle her fancy!! What awesome bird stamping and inspiring use of ?tissue paper for texture.  That little Hessian banner just stole my heart away too.

This is brilliant Lou. Thanks so much. 

See Sue - your sketch really DOES rock!






and that is the last layout for me to post tonight. See my inbox really was overflowing!!! Thanks so much to all the girls who have shown patience while waiting for these to be shown on the blog. xx

Ali - Art Challenge

Hi Amanda, Happy Sunday!! Well it is here except for Mia who has pharyngitis.. not good, can't take antibiotics for that one!! SO, anyway, love this photo of myself and two of my oldest friends. I had fun doing this one, thankyou! Looking forward to Wednesday so I can register, yippee!!!

Ali x

Firstly you will all be pleased to know i promptly told Ali that registrations for the retreat were taken TODAY not Wednesday!!!!

Secondly - how awesome is this!!!?????? love love love the bright yellow. Love the red' hell yeah' LOL. Your doodling is amazing Ali - i am so envious!! and it's just a bloody brilliant photo of you all - hilarious!!

Thanks so much for sending it in - great work!

Amy - Art Challenge

hi Amanda. heres my layout 4 the new challenge. Gina thinks I cheated with my photo but I thought it was less than perfect (i look totally drunk!) plus its blurry.anyway I did it and I enjoy the challenges. thanks-Amy

oh WOW at the green in this Amy - it just pops with your beautiful dress (ahhhh drunk you say?!!! no way!!) Very clever use of the kaiser pearls to make the bracket. Great strip of punched 'book page' also!

What a wonderful memory to scrap!! Thanks for joining in!

Tracey - Art Challenge

Well since the retreat is fully booked (WOOHOO)  i thought we might get back into some normal programming!

Sorry for the delay in popping these on the blog girls - i hope you understand that we need to give the retreat maximum exposure so as many people know about it as possible!!

Howdy Amanda, attached is my layout "Something about Kate" in answer to the art challenge.  The leaf pin is my random green bit, black and white corners, 3 different papers, the photo isnt in focus so its not perfect, brown twine ties the pins together, and our friendship is the fun part.  Have a great day. Tracey xxx

oh this is lovely Trace! Great colour combo, love those sweet pins and great heartfelt journalling. Fantastic natural fun photo too. Thanks so much for joining in!