well well well...look who we have here!

It is just amazing who is having a little look at our blog!

Welcome Marika! She has written in her email to me -

Hi Amanda,
I have been looking at your blogspot and would like to join I wanted to share this mini albumn that i made for Tarnyas birthday.
Thanks Marika

What a gorgous album too! A fabulous gift and i am sure that Tarnya will LOVE it!

Those Kaiser papers look like they were made especially for that project!! Thankyou for sharing it with us!

now the rule is that once your work is shown you must comment and visit us regularly!!

Commenting is easy - just click the comment button down the bottom. Write your message and either press 'anonymous' (making sure to leave your name in the main body of text so we know who you are!) or register with blogger (very easy to do) and your name will pop up automatically.

Also dont forget to forward your oranges and lemons entries to Tiff on katmfirth@bigpond.com as I wont be able to upload anything after thursday night. Will be back on duty by Tuesday though :)

orange digi

whoo hoo. u girls are embracing the digi world. Maryanne this is awesome. Love the brushes. What are they?? The stars are so hip and I like the slight grunge on it. AND your boys have grown up so much, still cute as ever tho!!

orange and lemon tart

two challenges in one... lol double layout and orange
lovin' the blog at the moment.. so many entries and posts and comments! and the layouts have been outstanding... stunning even... lots of talented people..

green and orange. who would have ever thought of putting them together and guess what, Sandra has pulled it off. With pzazz I might add. Gotta love the pup. Do I spy a little green peg near the green sunflower????

Sea Lions

I was so lucky. Fletch asked if this photo could be done next and if I could please use the starfish! So here it is. ps I recommend this as an adventure but wait til March when the water is a bit warmer.
It reads : Baird's Bay
We went and swam with the Sea Lions. Grandma, Pa, Uncle Scott ,Aunty Kerri and You and me. It was very cold but we all enjoyed it so much we want to do it again. March 2007

Wow Trish. Once again using cord really makes this page stand out from the crowd. Love the frayed end and the knot. Journalling strips are so popular and the starfish are perfect. Fletch must be a challenge mind reader.

Here's Karen's

Karen's answer to yellow. Great to see a yellow challenge LO. I do like the stitching and is that American thickers vinyl letters. Lovely colour. Well done Karen. the owl's a hoot.

Happy is the colour of bright gold.
It smells like flowers and roses.
Happy looks like bunnies in a paddock.
It tastes like lollies and chocolate.
Happy feels like going to the beach.

the tally and the draw

I have just done a count up of pages done for challenges as our monthly draw will be on the 19th July. Tiff will have to do this as Meredith and I will be away on our scrapping retreat in Melbourne (just incase we hadn't screamed it from the rooftops enough!!)

so i have only counted challenge entries from the past month here - no extra layouts or off the pages that you wanted to show us.......

sandra - 4
maryanne - 4
jenny - 4
trish - 2
karen - 2
janice - 3
cassandra - 1
lisa - 1
tracey - 3
brigette - 1
zani - 1
julie - 1


I will leave it up to Tiff to do the draw and i can't wait to see who gets a mini prize for this one!

Dont forget it still isn't too late to do an entry for Tiff's Lemons and Oranges themed challenge......

more layouts you submit in then the more chances you have at winning!

'angi'

You girls have got me all inspired!! There's been this photo sitting on my fridge since 2002, when our AFS daughter was with us. After looking thru my albums for a photo to scrap - i decided the one of Angi was perfect for Tiff's challenge.

Here's my page...

My journalling reads: "Our AFS daughter Angi from Germany fell in love with alot of things here in Australia, but one of her favourites were the Australian skies. She loved the clear starry nights, the beautiful clear blue skies on a summery day and her most favourite was the colour of our sunsets. Angi made us realize how beautiful they were too, so now when we see a beautiful sunset.... We think of our Angi..."

Orange and Yellow is perfect for the sunset behind Angi, what a beautiful sunset & a beautiful girl!!

And lo and behold.... Tiff you will see a butterfly has made it to my page too!!:)

Julie's on the challenge

Great to see you here Julie C. This is the front page to a album of her "Our family trip". snapped with Tracey W camera last Friday night at the 5 Loaves Bakery scrap nite

Loving all the little tags and the info on them esp the 6078kms. Long long way. the pp on your chip words is so nice.

onya Julie. love having you here.

ta-da. Zan's on board

Oh my Zani. This is bew-di-ful. Hasn't Koti got the most amazing colour hair. And she is a mini u. Blue compliments this one so nicely, with her jeans and the sky. Is this at the Grampians (not sure how to spell-that place in Vic). The gathered stitched ribbon is perfect. Make sure you show her that she is on the blog.....!!!!

Sam & Sarah.

Awwww Tracey. This is gorgeous. The blue blooms and ribbon tone down the orange beautifully. I love how you anchored the ribbon and the slide on it is lovely. the PP is perfect.

All Aboard!!!!

With much pleasure we welcome Brigette H to the blog. With a bit of encouragement and Tracey W's camera (thank goodness u had it) Brigette had her LO snapped at the 5 loaves bakery scrap nite.

I do like how Brigette has shaped her photos in the shape of the sandbucket. nice grab of orange.

Just a quick note on how to 'comment'. At the bottom of this and each post is a word 'comment' or 'leave a comment'. click on that and a little text box will open up. type in what u would like to say and your name or initals, click annonymous and that's it. Easy peasy. you can go further and registar with blogger as a blogger and then your little photo is left automatically. totally up to you.

I'm sorry this and the last 3 LO's have been awhile to post but I have had Sean in hospital with Asthma since yesterday, and Kym and I are taking turns being with him. He had a night of hell last night but has now turned the corner and should be home tomorrow. I have come home to check the blog, post and then get some sleep, in that order!!.

Please email all your creations to me this and next week as Amanda is under the pump. So send to katmfirth@bigpond.com

Thanks Brigette. We will be seeing more of you.

'bells of St Clemens'

Sandra has a wicked sense of humor. Took me a bit to work out what bells of St Clemens was all about.... der me. Its that nursery rhyme that continues from Oranges and Lemons.

Cheeky chook

Anyway she has risen to the challenge and in style. I wish my Mum (or me for that matter) could whiz up cakes like that. And you used both orange and yellow.

onya Sandra. Stars are so hip right now too....

The journalling on the tag says...
Every birthday I try
and make the cake
of your choice.. For your 8th
birthday it was
Charizard... the pokemon character.

oranges and lemons

Well chicks, since the last colour combo challenge was so popular, we thought we'd try you out on a bit of orange or a bit of yellow.

Any LO, any size, OTP (off the page), whatever takes your fancy.

Please email me your LO's to katmfirth@bigpond.com Amanda is under the pump this week.

Since this was posted late, sorry, we had a meeting (hrmmh) scrap day and finished a bit late, so I reckon deadline for this will be Midnite Friday 18th.

By then Meredith and Amanda will be in Melbourne on their reconnaissance trip to the retreat to get some inside tips for OUR Escape2Create Retreat on March 13th to 15th 2009. Lucky ducks.

just to get the ball rolling this is my LO"s

OMG Sandra

Check this out ladies.

She has gone where few of us have ventured.

digi. Full on.

So proud of u Sandra.

Hi girls!
I actually did a digi page!!
I use the same program as Jenny..scrapbookflair... which is a free program on the internet.. quite good actually, but has its limitations.
I am not sure about digital for myself.. but I think I will use this page as a guide for a 'traditional' layout using the same photo etc..
bit of fun anyway... can see why Jenny is as keen as she is... quite addictive!
sandra

I haven't gone down this road as I really dont know where to go.

Well bloody done.

:D

Jenny's here !!

Sorry Jenny - have had one of those days!!!!

I recieved the entry from Jenny earlier today but have not had a chance to upload it. With a coughing kid, rush trips to Pt Lincoln, housework (what is that???), netball and getting ready for the retreat in Melboune i am certainly feeling under the pump.

Never the less Jenny has created a Masterpeice!!! I love the nautical feel to this with the watery background and also the ummm steering wheel thingos that boats have (what the hell are they called??!!!)

Cute photos and it is always a challenge to scrap with older photos but you have done a brilliant job.

The blue tones are perfect for this page.

Thanks for sharing Jenny and sorry it took me so long to pop it up here :(

Janice's 2nd double

Another gorgeous double of Sarah from Janice. I love the bling heart (I'm a sucker for bling) and I adore the little details with the brads and photo turns.

FYI Ladies. Sarah has her L's now.

doubled up

Janice. You have hit the jackpot with this one of Sarah and her netball GF. Love love love the stitching. I'm going to lift your idea (again). I know A & M will go nuts over the red and black.

Janice says: This layout took me ages, think I procrastinate too much as there isn’t much to it, but I am pleased with the way it turned out.
The stitching is supposed to represent the goal ring net hence Sarah’s position as Goal Shooter. Sarah thoroughly enjoyed her netball season and said this was the BEST grandfinal win, (5 in a row) with a fabulous bunch of girls and a great coach. We were very proud of Sarah on this day

Trish's take

This is my double now finished. The journaling reads : We were all dressed up for dinner,because Dad won a bet with our German uni student Barbara.So we put on our best clothes and she had to cook us a beautiful 3 course meal. Dad even put his suit on and I wore my high heals. Georgie loved this dress. Aunty Kerri bought it for her.

I have seen these pages not quite finished irl and fabo Trish. Love the thread. Did u use some DMC cotton in the end??? And the pin for the note is perfect. And isn't Georgia so darling in a dress. Thanks for sharing her with us.

my significant other (as promised)

Well, better late than never. Finally got to Lincoln yesterday and got some photos done at Rabbit. Needed this one to do my bloke page.

So 'ere 'tis.....

Used some of that Tim Holtz distressing embossing powder on the bookplate and heart.

Tip: the effect doesn't work if you use Staz On Watermark Ink. (found out the hard way) but does work when I used Stampin Up Whisper White as my base colour to whiten the chip and adhere the powder. worked a treat.

Had Kym provide some input into this one. I asked him to pick a blue something out of a stack of blue cardstock and PP to use as the base page. (Blue is his favourite colour). He did surprise me with the torn piece of PP as it's floral but u don't see much of it.

Nice take on the blue and brown again too hey Sue. ;)

Journalling says

. is my beloved . is the father of my children .frustrates me .still makes me all gooey inside .is a bloody hard worker to provide for our family .is stubborn .supports my scrapping habit but still loves me .doesnt go fishing or crabbing enough .is a talented clay target shooter

double delight.

I managed to slap this one together in near record time for me. Not embellished at all as there is so much to keep the eye busy as it is.

Journalling says (its a long one...)

Seeing as you are such a Wiggles fan I just had to to take you to their concert in Adelaide. Sean, you and I flew to Adelaide on Sunday 3.12.2006. This will be the first plane trip that you will actually remember. Nan and Aunt ‘Chelles picked us up.

The concert was on Monday and Nan was lined up to look after Sean while just you and I went to the concert. I packed so much stuff for just in case you never know what, but I left the camera behind. I just presumed that I wouldn’t be allowed to take any photos while the Wiggles performed. Alas, I was sadly mistaken. There were cameras everywhere. Fancy a scrapper without a camera at an event like this.

I thought the 4pm show would suit you better as you were still having an afternoon naps. We had tickets in the ‘hot potato’ seats which is down near the front row and we were lucky enough to have aisle seats. Just as well, because you bopped and danced your way thru the entire performance. You’re eyes were so lit up and your smile was huge. You practically knew all the words. Funny about that.

The Wiggles were entertaining us for about 2 hours with an interval which is a long time for any kid but you handled it so well. We did manage to go down the front a few times (near the fella sitting in a chair by the stage.)

Father Christmas made a visit and you thought he was just awesome as he walked right by you. You could have touched him. This was the first show without Greg Wiggle (he retired from the Wiggles as he was sick) so we had Sammy Wiggle. He’s the one in yellow. I don’t think you even noticed.

Luckily I found out that another Mum from home was at the same concert and she had taken her camera. So thanks to Jodie I have something to show you about the Wiggles Racing the Rainbow Show.

It was just fantastic and I know you will remember it forever. So will I.

welcome Tracey!

Woohoo we have a newbie onboard girls :)

Welcome Trace and so glad you dropped by. Now this chickadee has come in with her creative juices flowing all over the joint - she has entered with TWO yes 2 pages for this challenge (or maybe that should read 4 pages then hmmmmmmmmmmmm)

I love both of these the second double page one because of the colour and the first because of that little dash of red which really makes the other colours pop.

Tracey wrote

This page was a real challenge to me because I wanted to put in lots of photos of our 4 day trip. Red is not my colour in fact, colour scares me silly.

I got the idea from Julie Crettenden who put a small amount of red on a page where I would never have put it and it looked really great.

The journalling isn't anything terrific just a heap of waffle about what we did. The biggest achievement for me on this page was using red and getting 14 photos on it.

Hope this works ok, if not don't worry about including it. I think I have your cold Amanda!! Feeling like crap and have a case of the 'no go's'. Perhaps I should forget housework and go scrap something.

now in my experience forgetting the housework always works well ;)

Then not long afterwards i recieve her second entry so she really must have scrapped!!

She says in this email -

Back again, I did actually get out into my scrap room today and accomplished something. Please find attached my layout called "Plips n' Plaps". This is a very bright layout that makes the eyes water!! This paper I bought over the internet not thinking that it was so bright. Alas we have to use these things regardless, so here it is. I'm not sure whether I like this layout or not but its done now.

i can tell you what Trace - i FREAKEN well love those colours!! Looks bloody fantastic! Keep them coming chook!

ok ok i cheated LOL

Well in the words of Ms Tiff - 'there are no rules in scrapping' so i have done my 'double' LO.

I have cut a 8.5 x 11 inch page in half (there is the double bit) and then machine stitched them back together again.

I have scrapped these photos of Sovereign Hill that i took when we visited there last September. I absolutely ADORE that place so wanted that to be the main crux of the story.

The background paper is busy but i think it looks very vintage too.

hope to see some more doubles in here for this challenge. As you can see you can interpret the challenges any way you want to!

sandra's entry!

I have recieved Sandras fabulous pages for Tiff's challenge.

I love the green and brown she has used in this page - and the rik rak down the side with the line of photos. Those individual photos of the kids are gorgous - they are such cute kids Sandra and ALWAYS very polite!

Well done on your scrapping and parenting ;)

I must admit that double pages scare me a little. Once apon a time i scrapped doubles a lot - mainly when i first started scrapping. I felt they were a bit limiting though tbh - lots and lots of space that needed filling LOL.

I do have an idea for this one but just need to find the time.

Now regarding Tiff's post earlier about style....which i did think was a very interesting article and did make you stop and think a little about where you may/maynot fit into the scheme of things. I think that i am a minimilist, shabby chic sort of scrapper and although i do try and do a variety of things my pages always seem to have elements of these styles in them. Even when i try NOT to be shabby, it seems to creep in somewhere.

Now Tiff i would have to disagree with you here on your style. I think you are a whimsy scrapper - not minimilist at all - sorry chook but you are far from that LOL. You do lots of wings, bling and added elements that add a touch of whimsy to your page - so to me that is more what your style is. As you said in your post though, it doesn't really matter what you style is as long as you love your pages!

I do agree that you dont have to feel 'bound' to your style, but it does help define who you are. I have a lot of people say to me that they can pick an amanda page just by looking at it and seeing the 'style' i have used. Whether that is a good thing or not i dont know LOL.

Anyway will leave you to peruse Sandras creation.

PS. Thanks for all the well wishes on getting over my flu - they all must have helped because i am feeling great again :)

style.

So what so of scrapping style are you???

Just click on the page an give it a sec and you will have an enlarged one on your screen that you can easily read. ;)

To be honest mine is ever changing and atm is probably leaning towards minimalist and is definitely hybrid. I use Photoshop on every LO in one way or another. I don't think I could ever break away to become digi as love the lumps and bumps too much.

With all this in mind, in the latest Scrapbooking Memories Vol 10, No 3 is a great article on styles. Bear in mind, this is by no means binding. Some personal tastes do not conform to any particular type of scrapping. And digital scrapping is something different again (onya Jenny). To truly test yourself try something that is totally different from your comfort zone.

It took my awhile to not fill every space on the page with an embellishment of some kind. Urban Grunge makes me shudder. I do like the Vintage look and love the Shabby. Just that I really haven't quite got it down pat on a page.

Need more practise I guess.

So for your reference I have scanned and posted the pages.

How about you all leave a comment on what style u think u are and just for fun try to pick another scrapper's style. There is no such thing as a wrong answer. It's all just perception.

So, to leave your view click on the 'comments' below this post and a text box window will appear. Type in what you reckon, and your name or initals and then click anonymous. Couldn't be easier.

I want to see lots of the Karkoo and Port Lincoln ladies names.

:D

Tiff

Maryanne's on a roll

Hi Scrappers.

Great to see the first double LO up and running. Maryanne has had the great idea to include the newspaper cutting.

If you are nervous about it being acid free, photocopy it onto Reflex photocopy paper as that is acid and lingin free and use that.

I do like the decorative machine stitching on the left. AND how Maryanne has cut the shaped PP in half and placed it on either end of the LO. Looks like brackets. Great framing.

GO PORT POWER (not biased at all)

cheers chick (buk buk)

Welcome to Lisa

Lisa is from Wudinna and we found each other on the SB forum. She is very excited by our blog and would like to be involved.

To quote Lisa -Hi Tiff, I love the look of this Blog! And love challenges, so please add me to your list! Thought I might send you this, if it's not too late to add it to the "significant other" section. If it is too late, that's fine! :-)
This is Peter, he hates having his photo taken, but is getting better! He is a wonderful man, always making me laugh and supporting whatever I do. He is the most amazing father and adores his girls!
Thanks Tiff.
Regards,
Lisa

So even though Challenge 8 is up for grabs, this is Lisa's entry for her significant male.

Cheers Lisa and Welcome. Love the love. Is that a rubon? If you like Lisa, perhaps you can comment and leave your SB forum name and blog address for others to get to know you. Completely up to you.
:D

ready.... set........

get ready for the new challenge Thursday morning ladies. I'll post it really early (before school bus) in case you need to organize photos before u go out for the day.
;)

double trouble challenge 8

Do you have too many photos of one event for one page???

Then this is my challenge from me to you.

Scrap a double page layout.

Check on sketch sites or in magazines to get some ideas.

Don't forget you can mirror a single page to turn it into a double.

Please try to scrap a new LO for yourself rather than post one that you have already done ;)

Any subject, Any size, any shape, anytime by Wednesday 9th at midnight.

So.....

get scrapping, double time.

more men on our blog!

Beware they are invading us!!!!!!!!!!

First one from Cassandra who says -

Hope this comes through o.k Kerrin doesn't know about this layout would be very embarrased, anyway had this Husband My Minds Eye kit on hand and this is what
I've come up with. Journalling reads-
Don't go on that bike! Dad and Mum were pleading. As children we never do what our parents tell us. Maybe things will never change.
:Father
:Friend
:Fun
:Kid
at heart.
Christmas Day 2007

Love this Cassandra and we wont tell him if you dont ;-)



I love the strong navy colouring in this and the distressed looking title is perfect with the papers. Excellent page - very cute little motorbike stamp? in bottom left!

Next page is from Karen.

she says -

Tiny bit of cheating here, this is a LO of my DS Richard, but I did it a little while ago. Richard is very elusive when it comes to the camera and having his photo taken!!!! I will try, it may take awhile though....

Again i am loving the colours here. That orange just pops the whole page and OMG your handwriting is to die for! Gorgeous Karen!!!

Keep your eyes peeled girls as i think the next challenge maybe from Tiff? New challenge due out tomorrow (hint hint LOL)

keep warm and dry :)

My Rob

Well, here's my page for challenge 7. The only photos i have of Rob. I just had to use the 70's night one, it's just a classic of Rob...he would kill me if he knew it was gonna be 'out' there for all to see. hee! hee!

We don't often scrap our hubbies, fathers etc... (like ourselves), so it was a good challenge Meredith, to remind us to scrap them and take pictures of them too,.... every so often:)!!!

my man (of sorts)

Just to show my quirky humor and because of my tech prob I thought I'd post this LO.

I did it a little while ago and I think I may have posted it ages ago. Sorry. I am not sure.

Anyway Jerry is a significant part of my life and he happens to be a bloke...ermmmm well gelding.

journaling says ....note to self.....(dh) may call it a Hobby, i call it my Passion, but to anybody else Hunting is a bit of a mystery.

I am having trouble finding time to scrap tonight with all the comments and posts flying around. Aint it great.

Happiness

Hiya Chicks (buk buk). I have had some tech issues with the printer this last week -basically it has pooed itself so am waiting on my A3 to turn up. (whoo hoo).
So I haven't done my man page yet.... I will but it will probably be late.... i can see it in my mind....just got to keep it there until the new printer rocks up.
So in the mean time I have finished a totally unrelated one. I thought I'd post it just to show I haven't sitting back on my butt and just watching you lot creating madly.

Journaling says 'Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. - Nathaniel Hawthorne.

How about we make it a mission for everyone to get just one new person to look at the blog and to leave a comment for themselves. Just give them the blog address or send them the link in an email. Cant wait to hear from 'newbies'

Enough rambling.

Tiff

two more 'men' entries

hold onto your hats here comes some more man pages!

first up one by Maryanne! Who could know that Scruff could be so cutie pie looking!!??? Only kidding ;)

i love the blue letters here and the title is so cute! LOL at the 'little scruff' label!!

Thanks Maryanne for sharing - this page is adorable!

and also one in today from Jenny. This one is of her dh Graeme! She very cleverly has used a lot of photos and the end result is fantastic! I love the title and the little subtitles on every photo! This is awesome. Thanks Jenny!!

just thought i better add this one in here too. It is an oldie (i did it on the last escape retreat) but it is up there with my favourite pages that i have done. Have only done 2 of greg so i dont have a heap to pick from LOL. I wont have time to do a new page of him this week either - sorry life is crazy atm!!