Marika - grateful photo challenge

Marika has sent in these images that represent the things that she is grateful for today.

1. Grateful for lush greenery in winter again

2. Grateful that my kids have an imagination lego building has been a great way to pass away the rainy days (both kids had to have their photo taken)

3. Grateful for water in the rain gauge again

4. Grateful to have a scrap room without it I couldn't see myself doing much scrapping as everything is set up and can be left half done.

5. Grateful for my clothes dryer which I wouldn't be without especially over the last few days

These are great photos Marika = I can really relate to every one of those things. After having NO drier (or properly working washing machine) for so long i was totally nodding my head at that one! Great shots of the kids too - isn't imagination and creative play wonderful.

Sandra - music challenge

Sandra I am sorry this wasn't put up earlier. I have had somewhat of a 'big' weekend. Similarly i apologize if this post is full of typos and doesn't make sense. Whoops.

She says :

Hi Amanda
Here is my entry for the music challenge. Recently I read where someone Incorrectly called her work 'blerch'....Now this is Blerch....too much happening on the page, nowhere for your eyes to rest, Title gets lost in the pp But I have finished it, I am over itI am moving on. This is something I am trying to overcome myself.Stop over analysing my work,if it's not 'perfect' so what ?.... move on... I have tooo many photos I have yet to scrap, and no time to get bogged down on one layout. It is a hard process but something I am learning.. albeit slowly ;) Hope you stayed dry today at the footy... and I hope you are feeling a little bit better

cheersSandra

Hmmmmm this is DEFINATELY not blerch. The texture and layering is amazing. The peek-a-boo holes are absolutely incredible and really cool - not something i have seen much before. I really think this will be snavelled up quickly by mags as it is so different.

Really fantastic and inspirational work Sandra. You are too hard on yourself you clever girl.

Sue's Sketch ... Tiff

Tiff said ...

"My answer to Sue's sketch challenge. I have kept it nearly like the sketch with only a couple of small changes here and there. This one is for Sean's albums. I used some of the goodies from the roadtrip to Whyalla yesterday. "

Lovely photo Tiff, the transparency works really well as the third "piece" of paper too and that classic red and black always looks great!!

Gratitude challenge ... Sandra

Here is my entry for the photography challenge.

Firstly SORRY for the poor quality of the photos ... all taken this evening and the light was shocking.

1st photo is of the fire

... I am so grateful to come in out of the cold and just feel the warmth of the wood fire envelope me as I walk in the back door

2nd photo is of the computer with the E2C blog

... Grateful for the friends that the blog has helped me to make and for helping me find my scrapping confidence. (still working on it though lol)

3rd photo Holiday brochures

... Grateful that both Garry and I have work so we can save up and give our kids what will hopefully be a fantastic holiday to QLD that they'll both remember.

4th photo

... I feel so grateful every night when I tuck my kids in to bed. They are both healthy, warm and safe and just the most fantastic kids you could ask for. I am so lucky
5th photo and finally our rain water tank!

... Finally we have enough rain to bring the level marker above half way! (but think we have had enough for now, hey?)

Fantastic photos Sandra ... I was only thinking about the rain as a "grateful" thing today!!

Thank you for your photos and the wonderful explanations for each one ... by the way have a wonderful holiday!! Maybe a mini book to be made on your return, hey??!!

Music Challenge ... Annie

Well now I would like to give a very special welcome to our youngest ever scrapper for a challenge here on the blog!!

Come on down and welcome ...

Annie Firth!!!

Her Mum said ...

"This is Annie's answer to the music challenge. She sat and watched the video a couple of times and off she went. She had very little input from me (it ticks her off if I interfere, so I usually go to a different room in the house and come in if she calls out for help). TBH trees and birds just dont do it for me. Never have and probably never will. So I wondered for ages how I could support the blog with this challenge. LoL, I woke up with the answer this morning. Little blossom has asked me to sub it for the junior scrappers in SBM as well. ( I wonder where she got that idea from??) rofpmsl

Tiff and Annie ".

So here is her layout ...

Wow Annie ... love those clouds and the sun and its rays!! The trees are beautiful too with those little buttons! Like the A4 layout too!!

You have done a great layout ... I hope you can help Mum some other time with layouts that she might need to do!!

;-)

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?