Sue's sketch ... Meredith's layout

I turned the sketch (again ... same as last month!!). My journalling is on the tag that is peaking out from the left side of the photo.

Made these pinwheels with instructions from Studio Calico.

The Studio Calico blog has lots of ideas and the shop side off it has a great gallery of there design teams' work.

be Carefree - Sue's musical page

After much pain staking thoughts....it came to me, and inspiration!!!

I went into the cottage yesterday hunting for some cloud papers and was inspired by the fancy pants papers called 'On a Whimsy'....... there were rainbows, clouds and suns....all that i needed for the muscial challenge.

I think i dreamt about this page all night....and i jumped outa bed this morning, dug out my water colour pencils...blew the dust off them.... onto the sewing machine to stitch a sun....and from there it grew!! I tried my hand at masking, and a little spraying with the glimmer mist....and finito!!

masking tape

If you are like me and LOVE the look of masking tape on your scrapbook pages then check these cute rolls of goodness out : They are from Japan originally and are available in the US. (postage to 5631 is between $6-12 USD..........yes i have asked already!)

happytape

and check out these cute projects made with this cool tape:

by Christen:

by Allibel:

Heaps more uses (and some very cute wedding decorations) on their blog.

Sue's - last months colour challenge

I've done it, i've done it!!.......SORRY, it's late though but i did want to share it with you all. I have used a red rather than the burgundy type colour in the challenge....

i just loved these photos of the boys at Evan's 2nd birthday. His little face was just precious when the candles got blown out!! Just gotta love it ey??!!

Michelle - music challenge

Michelle says -

Hi Amanda
Thank you for putting up a great challenge. Attached is my LO for
this challenge. I really enjoyed completing it and am very happy with the
results. The title is off the Fairies DVD -The Fairies Song - and is called Sing
your Way through the Day. This title encaptures what my daughter did in her
spare time back in October 2007 when she was so in love with them.
Cheers Michelle

This is great Michelle! Another fabulous use of a rainbow and what a cute little bird! The bit of tulle tucked behind the photo adds extra dimension to the whole page. I also really like how you popped the photo a little behind that great tree - it really looks like your daughter is walking out from behind it!

awesome job!

Maryanne - music challenge

Here is Maryanne's answer to the song challenge. Great tree (LOL at us all being inspired by the tree) Also love the dashes of red in this.

Great photo of you both! It is awful living far away from siblings isn't it? Please say hello to Jaki for me next time you have a chat :)

Amanda - Sue's sketch

Maryanne - photo challenge

Hi amanda
Heres my photos for the blog challenge. Obviously Im most grateful for my kids husband etc,but picked these 5 for the challenge. Have a brief description of each, but kept it to a minimum.
cheers
maryanne

FANTASTIC Maryanne. Really great photos and i love the descriptions of each. Really special.

Amanda - music challenge

Scrapbook Trends ...

I just bought a copy of this mag at the local paper shop ...

It is labelled June 2009 but it is actually the April 2009 USA copy reprinted in the UK and sold at about half the price that it can be bought for in other shops in Australia!!

Very interesting when some of the American scrap mags are ceasing publication (Simple Scrapbooks and Memory Makers) that we might be able to buy a UK version of a great USA mag right here in Cummins!!!

It must be an ongoing mag to be available to us because on the cover it says the price in UK Pounds and Aussie dollars and NZ dollars!!!

Just FYI!!!

Next step in July Photo Challenge ... Tiff

Wow Tiff ... quick off the mark!! Love the title lettering ... is that printed or a rubon?? I reckon printed. Great way to get the layout done by using the notes about each photo!!

Thank you for sending that in ... a little bit of inspiration for the rest of us who need to take our photos!!

Marika - Sue's sketch

Here is Marika's interpretation of Sue's sketch. I really love that embellishment cluster and the colours you have used here Marika. So fresh and funky. LOVE that blue and bright green together ....particularly on the white cardstock.

Great job.

Sandra's in - sketch challenge

This one came in yesterday from Sandra.....sorry, i was bit busy to post it up ..... love your take on the sketch!! Looks great! I can imagine the giraffe thinking just those words!! :)

Love your felt and hand stitching!! And love the cluster of flowers in the corner!!
Thanks for giving it a go!


Hi Sue!

Yay I actually scrapped!Here is my interpretation of your sketch.I actually used felt too... a first for me.


Have a great weekend... my mind is already buzzing on the next challenge



cheers Sandra

Gratitude ... by Tiff

"Hiya Meredith.

My pics for the gratitude project.

I am in the throes of scrapping this challenge as well, but couldn't resist posting you the pics.
The journaling is a bit lengthy but I did need to explain the significance of each photo.

I am so very grateful to the person who invented the nebuliser for asthmatics. Without it, I am certain we would have lost Sean. Without a doubt. It has saved him from so many hospital stays by giving us the ability to manage his asthma at home.

Ahh Annie. That beautiful long hair. I am grateful that it is so easy to manage...providing we plait it for school. I do adore brushing your hair and burying my nose in it for a big snuff after it’s dried from being washed. That smell is Heaven on a stick.

I grew up on a farm and have always thought it the best way to bring up kids. Such a natural environment rather than the urban jungle. So I am grateful that the bloke I fell in love with and married is a farmer. So now I am too.

I am ever so grateful for these very capable hands. They work so hard to provide for the family. When not working on farm during the peak times of season, they are flat out working off farm as a Builder. These hands have allowed me to stay at home to care for the kids during their pre school years. I love those hands.

And I love these hands. too. Especially at bedtime, after I have read him his story and we have kissed good night, I get up and pretend to leave. He calls out ‘hug Mum!!’ and he holds me so tight and squeezes his love around my neck. It’s so honest and without reserve. I am grateful that he can hug me and tell me that he loves me.

top challenge Meredith. I've got another idea for this challenge with a 'tiff' twist!! I'll get into it a bit later this month.

thanks
tiff"

Wow Tiff so quick off the mark! Thank you for including an explanation ... I forgot to add that to the info for the challenge!

I really like how you have included each person in your family without just taking a photo of them (even though that would have been great too). Can't wait to see this scrapped ... oh and thank you for not making us wait for the layout!! I also love your farm photo!!

PS: I was sure one of your photos would have been a carton of Farmers Union Iced Coffee ... or have I just ruined your idea for one of the photos for the "Tiff" slant on the challenge??!!

Marika - music inspiration

Good on you Marika for being the first cab off the ranks with challenges this month. (i was getting really worried that there was no interest from you all out there!)

Marika says that she isn't a big fan of rainbows and suns etc. but was really happy with how this turned out. She said that those die-cuts seemed to fit the music challenge as they were in the film clip.

This is fantastic Marika - how you have stitched, folded and caught some of the paper in that border is great - really sets it off brilliantly. I too bought some of those die cuts and was tossing up using them for this challenge but will try and come up with something else!

That green dymo is so vibrant and goes well with the green in the paper. LOVELY colours used here!


Hopefully we see a few more entries soon........or at least a few comments to know that someone is looking!

July photo challenge ...

This month we are asking for a few photos to be taken ... five in fact!!

Recently I read about a photo challenge that two North American photographers did and then many others joined in.

Firstly check out Tara Whitney's blog post.

Then have a look at Dana's blog post.




The theme of the photos is gratitude. So five things you are grateful for in your life right now.


grat·i·tude (grt-td, -tyd) n.
The state of being grateful; thankfulness.


(taken from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gratitude)




We would love the photos to be taken sometime this month (so not old photos) and if possible on the one day. We will not set a day but when you have a chance !



If you are really keen you could then scrap a layout with the photos but that is not really part of the challenge ... only if you feel you would like to!!



And here are a few others that joined in on the original idea ...

Jennifer Chaney

Kim McMillan

Gina

Jody Boryski

Shuva Rahim

Sarah Gardan



So off you go and blog surf!! Just click on each name to link to their blog entries.


Send your photos to me ... can't wait to see what you come up with!!!

If you have any questions email me ... good luck!!!

Hi July

Well well well. Here we are in July already!! ........so a new month means new challenges. Who is up for it?

Sue's Sketch

Sue says:

My July sketch... i was inspired by a page scrapped by Nikala Obrien, from Scrapboxx.

Maybe see if you can do some stitching, or make some flowers or embellies with fabric. Come-on lets get brave :) I have been using the sewing machine so much lately- and not for fabric....it would have to be my fav thing at the moment!

Looking foward to seeing your pages.....have fun with it!

Here is my example.. i just loved adding bits of felt and demin.

Amanda's Layout Challenge

ok this one is 'inspired by music' and not just any old music! I would like you to look at this film clip and be inspired by it. Look at the drawings of the trees, the colours used, the lyrics of the song, even the title. See how this can transfer over onto a page....use your imagination and see what you can create!

Meredith's Photography Challenge:

Stay tuned - it is a BEAUTY!

Travel ... by Kylie

"Hi Meredith,

Seeing your photo for the 'travel' challenge (it was a great shot !)... made me think of some recent 'travel' ones I took during a flight to Adelaide last week (I just snuck in ... 30th of June !!)

Harry and I went to Adelaide together for 2 days ... a few photos are attached.

- our view of the wing and clouds out the window

- Harry ready to board at Pt Lincoln ... his smiles tells his excitement. The pilot saw me taking photos, I mentioned that it was his first flight, so he took Harry into the cockpit before take-off for a look at ALL the buttons and lights - such excitement for the lad. It was too squishy for me to jump in there too to take photos. He loved it !

and ...

- Harry admiring all the other planes at the Adelaide airport - he really enjoyed the flight but wants to go on a 'bigger, faster one' next time - boys hey !?!

Thanks Meredith ... feel free to just pick 1 or 2 for the blog.

Kylie"

Kylie can't wait to see those scrapped ... what a great idea to record the first trip!! Thank you so much for sending them in!!

One more day ...

and we will have some new challenges for you all!!

It has been wonderful seeing everyones' work over the last two months for the challenges.

Thank you all for your support.

I am looking forward to seeing what you all come up with for next month's layouts, etc and I only know what one of the challenges is!!! ;-)

No football on Saturday unless you have juniors playing at Cowell so maybe a chance for some to scrap up a storm!!

I will leave you with a travel photo ... about as far as we have ventured together as a family in the last 12 months ... Port Lincoln!!

This was the sunrise at the marina on Saturday morning. I love how the clouds are reflected in the water.

Marika - more she

Hi Amanda,

My last she page of my precious Gran who passed away yesterday. The colours did not photograph quite as good as in irl.

Thanks Marika

oh Marika. I am so sorry to hear of your Gran's passing. I know it is such a difficult time of mixed feelings. Luckily we have all those precious memories to remind us how blessed we were to have had them in our lives. My thoughts are with you chook and what a wonderful quote, page and photo to remember her by. The bright colours on the brown are just delicious. She certainly looks like a lovely lady and a very special Gran.

Take care.

Triple treat ... from Sandra

"Hi Meredith!

Well the end of the month is fast approaching and I still have 2 challenges to go, not much time between now and the 30th, and I want to make a card for someone to show that she is a special person..... so what to do??

I made a card using Tiff's challenge and the colour combo ... and threw in one of those amazing quotes from the she challenge.

So here is my 3 challenges in one entry.

Cheating I know.. ;)

have a good night

Sandra"

Well ... I think we have said it before but ... what a woman!! So very clever and talented!! I think you have outdone yourself this time Sandra. A beautiful card ... I am sure the recipient would have felt very special.

The ribbon looks gorgeous, the Dymo very effective, the quote lovely, the stamp peaking out cute, the butterfly and bling beautiful, the note paper very appropriate!!!

Marika - tiff''s challenge AND colour combo

clever clever clever!

Marika has managed to incorperate TWO challenges onto one page. And wow does it look great! LOVE that teal blue paper and your clustered embellishments. Fantastic job Markia. That tinge of red really makes the whole page jump out at you!

well done you clever, busy mum!

Funny Jane

Jane P has sent me a link which gave her a giggle. She says it is an anagram maker - which means that this program will make words out of other words.

www.wordsmith.org and select internet anagrams


type in your name and see what comes up.

Mine were all a bit odd but the strangest combinations by far were:

Anal Had Lam
and
Anal Lad Ham

hmmmmmmm it sounds like a couple of DVD titles that may be found under some grotty man's mattress!

Does your name come up with anything interesting?

June colour challenge ... Jenny

"This is my colour challenge using my boys again. I have also included another 'my hands' and I never finished, but I am surprised at the difference between the two and what 'grabs' the eye in each one.
Jenny F"

Oh wow Jenny they are fantastic!! Love both of them ... both the ribbons and oval "spot" paper in the first one are gorgeous and in the second one the "pearls" and paint splats look excellent!

And I always love that photo ... Jenny's boys (3 + 1) had photos taken for a Christmas present (I think) and they are such great photos. And what great boys to think of that as a present too!!

Thank you so much for sending them in Jenny.

Tiff- more she (number 5)

Tiff says:

5th and final SHE. only because the days of this month are running out.

This one is of my Mum. It has taken her a long time to get over Dad and to get on with life.

She quote : She said goodbye to unhealthy relationships. Celebrate her happiness.

It fits her so well. Journaling explains that the Grandchildren are her happy place.

The pink and green tones are so lovely Tiff. (I always think of the retreat when i see those particular thickers!) What a great quote to use here. Am really happy she has found her happy place.

Sandra - a little something to show

Sandra has sent in her latest project...which has already been given to the lucky recipient!

She says:

This is what I made for a very special lady who celebrated her 21st birthday today!I have been so busy lately that the only time I have been able to find to make it was this morning!! talk about pressure!!!!She LOVES chocolate so that is what she got... lots and lots of chocolate!(I have gently reminded her that her carers love chocolate too! lol!)

lovely Sandra. I love how you decorated the front - leaving that little bit of space at the top with the touch of a butterfly. I know you have said about the special meaning that butterflies have to this family so it is so appropriate.

And yuuuuuuummy at all those choccies in there. I wonder how many are left by now? LOL.

Kylie - something to share

Kylie has been really busy making a gorgeous gift for her Mum.

She says :

Well, I have finally (almost) completed a scrapping project !! I started this album at the first Friday Scrapnight at Sheoak Craft Cottage for my Mum for Mother's Day ... 2 months later it's nearly ready to give Mum (I warned her it would be a very late present !!).

I just need to find a green 'C' sticker for Charlie's page (to stick on the tab on the side) then I think it will be complete ! Yay, it feels so good to have finished something. The lounge room floor and kitchen table has had a work out the past few nights, I so need a scrap room !!

What a lovely gift Kylie - you have done a beautiful job. Lots of stunning photos which i am sure she will love! And yes i think every girl needs a scrap room to call her own!

thanks for sharing your great album!

a message from Sandra

an email from Sandra asking for it to be published on here:

Sandra slips quietly into the room and hands Amanda a note. It reads:

Dear Blog authors,
Sandra has been absent from commenting on the blog because she has been really, really SLACK!!
She is guilty of 'lurking!!! A crime born from complete and utter laziness!
Please feel free to punish her in anyway you deem fit.
Regards
dedicated blog reader.

Okay okay just a bit of a joke but I was wondering where all you girls are! I know you come in here... because out in the 'real world' a lot of you girls talk to me about the blog.. but where are the comments??
I know that when I have a layout on here it's nice to get feedback and love to see that someone has bothered to write something about it. So say HI!!and bring a note!!! lol
maybe a roll call to start off with
Zanny?
Trish?
Tracey?
Tiff?
Amanda?
Sue?
Meredith?
Maryanne? (she'll have a note.. she's away!)
Karen?
Jane P?
Alison?
Marika?
Michelle?
Gina?
Jenny?
out of towners??
locals?
Anymore??

I know I have missed heaps. say hi and lets give the girls some feedback.They must feel as though they are running the blog just for themselves.. It's great to have a place where us local girls .. and out of towners .. can showcase our work in a really friendly environment.I know it's helped me with my scrapping and I have also made a lot of new friends.
Cheers
Sandra

***

Thanks Sandra. I must say that there are times when it does feel a bit lonely, that Sue, Meredith and myself are just talking to ourselves LOL......and heck if we wanted to do that we could shut the blog down, save ourselves heaps of time and catchup over a coffee at the bakery instead!!

In saying that though, we are really thankful for the support everyone has shown us in the last couple of months - there have been lots of changes and we feel really lucky that all the E2C-ers have moved with us on those changes and supported our new look and new format. Thanks everyone.

Amanda - Colour challenge