Hand cut title - Maryanne

Maryanne said ...

"I'm not sure if this really fits the handcut title challenge, but its sort of the digital version of it, as I chose a font then a patterned paper and created a clipping mask, to create the patterned font. I used the dotty red paper to create the title. "

Maryanne I'll definitely accept that - sounds very impressive!!!

Plus I love your layout - great colours, clever photo and a funky layout!

Amanda - twine

Inspiration from a tag in the latest CK by Jen McGuire

Hand cut title - Tiff

Tiff said ...

"I used Heidi Swapp ghost letters and adhered them on to October Afternoon Piggy Tales PP. Then I cut them out with my trusty craft knife (new blade really helped lol)

And viola, perfectly co coordinated title with the LO. "


Lovely Tiff - the cluster of flowers is beautiful and a great way to get a big alpha shape with a "template" by using the ghost letters!

Hand cut title - Sue

Sue said ...

"At last i have scrapped again. I decided to use my letter stencils for my title....remember we used them for school projects etc??..... I bought a pack of various fonts when i first started scrapping and have hardly used them, so this was a great chance to get them out and blow the dust off them!!
Also the stitched paper border was a design inspired by a Mardi Winen page that i saw on Scrapboxx".


Really love your title Sue - really effective! The paper strips are a great use of scraps too - very clever! And I always love the look of stitching!

unknown (now known as Sandra) - phone photo

An anonymous texter - scratch that.... Sandra has owned up! - on my phone sent in this image of some beads on a mirror. Gorgeous collection of beads and a great image captured!

I love how you can see the reflection in the mirror and the room looks so clean, airy and light.

love this.

Tiff - phone photo!

My apologies to Tiff (and thank goodness she posted that comment below which made me do a big HUH?) but i found your image on my phone.

At the time when i recieved it, i did not connect the blog challenge to the photo LOL = but did think it was cute but a little odd that she would send me this image.

So again = sorry Tiff!!

Amanda - phone photo

This is an old phone photo which i was actually going to use for the half and half challenge.

The wall in the Lincoln Camera Centre - which i just adore (the wall that is but Roz is really nice too LOL)

and this is my most fav. phone photo of all time!

even though she looks a bit shrek like in colour it could almost pass as vintage i think!

almost there....

only 6 sleeps til the scrapathon!

Who can't wait to escape for just one night?

1. me!

Hand cut title - Marika

Marika said ...

"This is a lift from Fran Tynan (I think from her blog - Marika, I reckon it might be from here ).

I stamped and cut out the title as I didn't have the right colour letters. Know why I don't do it very often me and those craft knives don't get on very well."

Wow I love your layout!

The title looks great and quite fiddly so great job!

The colours are delish, especially that spotty background!

Thank you!

pass it along...

If you hear of anyone out and about saying that they would like to come along to the 2010 E2C retreat please, please PLEASE ask them to contact either Sue, Meredith or Myself to ensure they are on our contacts list.

There will be some news on this retreat out soon and unless they are on our retreat email list OR check the blog at exactly the right time it is likely they will miss out.

We have heard whispers out and about that there are lots of new people interested in coming along and we would hate anyone missing out or thinking that they were not 'in the loop'.

The last two years have been fully booked out within hours...yep HOURS.

So make sure you are on the list, check your emails regularly and keep your eyes peeled on this blog.

More news soon..............................

PS. please keep creating and sending in your works! It seems very quiet on here of late!

October Challenges - part 2

Due to popular demand here are my challenges for this month ;-)

Photo challenge -

a photo from your mobile! Get creative and let's see what your camera phone can spy!

Amanda's Challenge - in a twist over twine.

Go nuts for this really funky embellishment. I have recently bought some of this stuff (bakers twine) from the US which is so lovely. In green, red, brown, black and blue colour ways. All twisted with white. CUTE!

You might have fancy twine like this, or it could be plain ol' string (which also can look pretty cool on a page) Ribbon, twill or trim NOT allowed. Rope would sneak past my radar too!

Charlotte W - October sketch

Howdy Sue,

Yesterday we declared our day to be 'Pyjama Day' and we slothed and did some scrapping. I promised the girls they could do your sketch which they were very enthusiastic about. Let me tell you, scrapping with three girls at once is chaos and madness!!! They are very proud of their layouts and are desperate to see them on the blog. They all chose a photo from our recent trip to Cairns, Charlotte is in her cousins pool, Georgia chose one from our tour of the tablelands and Jess liked a photo of herself at Muddys playground. Hope you have had a lovely weekend.

Cheers,
Tracey

Love the bright colours Charlotte, you have scrapped a beautiful bright page, hope you had fun scrapping with Mum's stuff!

Georgia W - October sketch

Thanks Gerogia, looks like you girls have been having fun with Mum's scrapping gear. Love the punched edge and the flowers!!

Jessica W - October sketch

Great page Jessica, love the colours and your flowers too!! Thanks for having a go!! It looks like a great holiday and reminds me of our trip up to Cairns too!!

All great pages girls, and Thanks Tracey for letting the girls amongst all your gear, hope you all had fun!

Sue's October Sketch - Lachlan T

Lachlan chose the photo (typical!!).

He was a little more adventurous but maybe not as colour coordinated!!

Although I must say he takes after me - loves little letters and buttons!!! ROFL

Jack & I tried to get him to think of another title but he was determined that this was the one he wanted!!

He decided on the journaling tag being stuck to another tag. And he was very keen to add a few extras - the buttons and the ribbon on the top of the tag!!

He stuck the buttons, circles, the ribbon and journaling tag down.

Sue's October Sketch - Jack T

I really enjoyed seeing Jack create this!

I gave him a few photos to choose one from.

I asked him what colours he wanted to use and then gave him a box of patterned paper to choose from.

He chose all the bits for the layout. I let him stick it down! I did do the brads!

He decided on the title by himself and wrote the journaling.

I really restrained myself from changing anything or talking him into any colours or choices!!

Thanks Sue - such a great idea! Maybe we could make this an "every school holidays" idea!

Tegan's sketch challenge

Hi Sue!
Just finished my scrap page (with a bit of help from Mum).I'm so excited!I even got the paper from the Sheoak Cottage and everything.This is a photo from when we went to Queensland and Ryan and I say Movie Worldwas the best theme park.
See ya! Love Teagan.
Thanks Teagan for taking on the challenge....(and Sandra for letting Teg's in amongst your scrapping stuff). Watch out Mum she's got style!! Love your page Teagan, beautiful bright colours!...and looks like you would have had heaps of fun!!
Hope to see more of your scrapping Teagan and hope you enjoyed it!

Marika - sketch challenge

Hi Amanda,

Just sending through my layout from sues sketch just about an exact copy but hey a page done just what i need tio kick start me.

Marika

wow Marika, love the colours you have used and the edge on the pp, is that a punch?? Love it!! Did one of the kids help with this page??? looks great....the brads, the felt flower, the stamped journalling, and the photo!!!

Glad the sketch kick started you into scrapping!!

another reminder...

about our E2C scrapathon at Karkoo. Only two more days until the RSVP cutoff date!!! We would love to see as many friendly scrappy faces there as possible so please PLEASE come along and support this little mini escape. Details on who to RSVP to are over here ------------------>

If you are feeling a bit blah about your scrapping come along for a great night of friendship, scrapping, inspiration and laughs.

It's only one night so book your babysitters and get excited to escape 2 create.

(sorry i have been so quiet on the blog front lately. Have been away, had lots of days working and haven't had a moment to myself lately! Working more certainly puts scrapping and all things hobby on the back burner!! Looking forward to next week when things settle more!!)

Rabbit Photo Port Lincoln ... FYI

I had a phone call today from Rabbit Photo ...

they are shutting earlier than expected ...

It will now close on Wednesday 14th October 2009 at 2pm.

If you haven't collected your items they will be "put in the bin" (when I asked that was the answer!!)

They are ringing everyone who has photos, CD's etc there to be collected

but just in case and so you can plan a trip to Port Lincoln I thought I'd post about it here.

A little Cummins thrill ...

I was just flicking through the latest copy of Scrapbook Creations (No 71) and got to the section called Quick Grabs "Simply Awesome" ...

flicking over each page ...

first there was Tiff ...

then Amanda and Maryanne ...

then little ol' me!!!

All in one article!! Felt a little bit excited about us all being in one spot together!!

There is also an "Artist in the Spotlight" article about Amanda!! Along with 3 more of her layouts.

Yay Cummins!!

Sue's October sketch with a twist

Today i have just spent the Parsons' boys here at the farm with me. After lunch Ethan said "Granny can i do some scrapping with you".

So out in my scrap room we went, rummage thru many photos until he found one of him that he liked. I gently directed him with papers, he chose from various colours for the background. He found my punches that he wanted to know what they did....so we punched the border. I got out various thickers and he chose which colour. He wanted to use the hammer....so i showed him the eyelets, he chose the colours. He saw pin wheels sitting on my desk, and he told me he had made some at school, so he wanted to make some of them too. And i thought well we need some of his own hand written journalling....which he did, and isn't it just beautiful?



Now, that they have gone home.....i thought that this could make our October sketch challenge....a basic style page....but the twist is.....with school holidays still on, you too could get you kiddies to scrap a page like this. Kids love to create just like us grown ups....and Ethan's face when it was finshed and he showed his dad with the " it's proper scrapping Dad!" comment, was just priceless.



So here's the sketch....have fun!!

Here's Ethan's page.....as you can see there was some granny help....but he loved it!!



Can't wait to see them,

Sue xx

Michelle's September colour challenge

Just got this one in my mail box from Michelle....for the Septmeber challenge!

Wow, Michelle, Thank-you for sharing with us....a beautiful page!!! Love your way of doing the colour combo....just looove the cream background....and the patterned paper with the distressed edges. Love the rubons and the elements that you have added. All looks just perfect!

World Card Making Day

Hi Amanda!

Have just seen that it's World Cardmaking Day....
Well I think I can say I have done my bit...lol


Take care
Sandra


Great job Sandra - wow you have been so super busy cardmaking. Well done for being so pro-active on this special day!

Sue's September Stamping!

The aug/sept issue of Scrapbooks etc.. has a section on stamping techniques,...so when i saw Vicki Boutin's page, i was inspired to get out my circle stamps too!!... As well as using the Kaiser ReWind stamps from the new Q2 range, and do some masking (arrows) and stamping!!!

October challenges ...

So another month has flown by and now it's time for some new challenges ...

1. A hand cut title ...

Check out this link for one way of creating your title ... http://studiocalico.blogspot.com/2009/09/tutorial-handcut-titles.html

Here is my example ...


I would love to see lots of different techniques - if you use an idea you have found on the Internet send us the link along with your layout!

2. Your favourite drink or food documented on a layout ...

Over the last few days Amanda has been enjoying the sights of Clare and I am sure trying a few cold beverages along the way!! She may even have found a new favourite!!

Sue is heading away over the weekend so I'm sure she may be enjoying some nice drinks and nibbles!!

In our house we have a "birthday week" ... it starts when you want it to and includes the day of your birthday!! (To be honest it is usually John and I that have the birthday week!!) It's my turn right now!!

I have been choosing a few yummy meals to eat this week - Smoked salmon and asparagus with angel hair pasta, stirred mussel risotto, Madras beef curry and tonight I think one of my favourite steaks - Porterhouse with mashed potato and haloumi cheese and maybe some home grown broccoli!!

So record your favourite/s on a layout!! Recipes optional!!

3. Sue's sketch - to come


4. Amanda's choice - to come

Looking forward to seeing some layouts in the Inbox soon!!

Stamping more than 7 times - Meredith

Well it isn't very exciting stamping but I have achieved a lot more then 7 stampings!!

Colour challenge - Sue

There's mocha brown, burnt orange, olive green , some cream, and a little bit of pink. On boys pages i struggle to put pink and flowers....and on this one i have both....eeek.

But at least i have scrapped....a rare thing of late!!

Kitchen inspiration - Marika

Just sending this layout nothing fantastic of my kitchen inspiration



... traced around 3 plates to make my circles of patterned paper.



Didn't come out that great as I scanned it and it was a bit bumpy and therefore shadowy.

Wow Marika ... love it - great way to get perfect circles with plates! Lovely colours too! Oh and you used the felt ... I must use some of mine!!

A great layout to remember the event - you are very good to take your children, I didn't get organised enough!

Photo challenge - Meredith

On Amanda's suggestion!!

Hannah's birthday - 1/2 served - not sure how much cake was eaten as it was really dry - the recipe said to cook for 1 hour ... I think it was way too long.

Need to remember ... don't try a new recipe on a special occasion!!

Kitchen inspiration - Meredith

I think this might also qualify for the stamping challenge!!

Karen - stamp challenge

Hi Amanda,
I am sending a layout I did at our scrap night last week, I thought Id send it in for the stamp challenge. II scraplifted it from Kerry Lynn Yeary out of the Scrapbook Trends magazine (Jan 2009), I loved it that much I bought the exact stamp and the photo was taken by Tiff (thanks :)
Cheers
Karen D

oh Karen this is so cute. Love the owls and also the colour that you have stamped them in (teal). The mix colours work so well on here too! Great job stamping!

Amanda - more stamping

This one has 9 lots of stamping on it.

Inspired by Piper and her use of my versamark inks :- The little squares are the inks pressed directly onto the cardstock. (Five colours there)

I have also stamped the word FAIL (Four letters)

The scan is a bit blurry due to bumps with the buttons sorry!

Maryanne

Maryanne is sharing a fantastic new layout with us. This is brilliantly done...i am oohing over every inch!

She said that it isn't really fitting any challenge themes we have going but i say that it is nice to see something on the blog here whatever it may be!!

and this is FANTASTIC!

you do grunge so well Mary!

Marika

Hi Amanda,

hasn't been much on the blog lately just finished this one which I was pleased with how it came out.

Thanks Marika

ooh this looks great with the jumbo sized photo! What a very blustery day!! The red alphas totally pop on the green grass!

lovely and thanks for sharing your work Marika. Any pages welcome I say!

Retreat email list....are you on it?

Not only have the E2C girls been busy with the scrapathon in October but we have been thinking and planning our big March retreat also.

More news to come on this - soon!

In the past, the way we have opened registrations is by sending out a group email and blogging the details on here. This will be how details are circulated again this year.

I would like to ensure i have everyone's email address WHO IS INTERESTED in coming or getting retreat news as it breaks. Please note that this is NOT a registration to attend. I do have a list already but would like to double, triple check that you are on it.

If you are not on my mailing list for the retreat you might miss the breaking news! !

Last year our retreat was totally full, sold out, all seats taken within 2 days. In fact it was a frenzy of bookings in the first 24 hours with the bare minimum seats available on that second day.

Please ensure you are on my retreat email list by dropping me a quick line on ga.hall@bigpond.com . I would hate anyone to miss out by not having your name down!

Details for our major March E2C retreat will be revealed soon........ and registrations will be very soon afterwards.

Don't miss out!

Amanda - colour challenge

ok... not a lot of action on here and i haven't been feeling much desire to scrap either............



so i decided to scrap lift just to get the mojo and creative juices flowing! It worked for me so if you are feeling a bit scrap flat why not give it a go too?!



This was inspired and loosely lifted from the September Scrapbook Trends - a layout by Linda Sobolewski (page 65)



The journaling says :

We are lucky enough to have a wonderful bakery in our little town. It has the yummiest coffee in super, gigantic mugs.

Many lazy afternoons are spent in there with friends, sipping coffee, chatting and laughing.

I love my skim cappuccino so much i could have one 5 days a week!


I am definately going to scraplift again soon. I need a bomb under me to get motivated / inspired to scrap at the moment and it might just have to be a special scraplift bomb!

Kaboom!

Amanda - stamp challenge

Hello yes i am back in the world of the www and computers - woohoo!

I finally managed to scrap this afternoon and it sure felt good!

This is for the stamping challenge. The circles are stamped (four of those), the big letters are stamped (another four) and also the date (two numerals)

A bit boring but at least i know that i *can* actually still manage to scrap!

Okay ... confession time ...

So I was thinking the other day about scrapbooking products that I have bought that I really

haven't utilised as much as the quantity I purchased ... get my jist?

Bought a bit but have hardly used any??!!

Mine is felt lace ... you know the stuff, really hard to peel off the backing and then even harder to stick on to your layout!!

So here begins the confessions ... post a comment on your guilty over exuberant purchases!!

1/2 and 1/2 Photo challenge - Tanya

Tanya said ...

"Couldn't resist putting this pic in for the photo challenge of Half & Half! Stella, today - Half dressed!!!".

Oh Tanya what a beautiful photo! Love how the colours under the tulle circle around Stella! And her eyes look great too! Very cute!

September Colour Challenge - Marika

Marika said ...

"I have just finished this page which fits the colour challenge. It is a lift from a page in the September ST Magazine. "

Thank you for getting it to us so quickly - lovely to have one of your layouts to have a look at!

Great photo, love the buttons and brads and the knot / bow above the journalling!!

And a really recent photo - oh I remember now that you were heading to Streaky Bay when I saw you last!! Hope you had a lovely break away!

Half and half photo challenge - Michelle

Here is my attempt at the Half Challenge. Haven’t had much time to think about it and determine what I could use, then this popped into my mind. Pretty obvious in the end for me.

Half a wall completed/half a house completed.

Thanks
Michelle
Wow that is a very exciting half a house!! Great thinking there Michelle!!

Photo challenge - Tiff's half and half

Tiff said ...

Attached is another photo for the 1/2 challenge.

1/2 black and white, 1/2 in colour.

or there abouts.

Beautiful Tiff!

Must make a daisy chain for Hannah while all those daisies are out at the moment - I'm sure she would love it!!

We interupt this service to announce ...

a text I just received in ...

Amanda ...
"Mercy dash to Port Lincoln - computer ..." unable to be printed ... " Might have lost the lot. Will not be able to access emails for a while."

So if anyone has any thing to be posted please send it to me (Meredith)!!!

Thank you. Here ends this broadcast.

September Colour Challenge

Well the challenges aren't really coming in thick and fast and if you are like me you have barely had time to scratch yourself this month let alone scrap.......but here is another colour challenge which will hopefully kick us all back into that scrapping mode.

Another one based on the colorstory blog.

colours this month - burnt orange, olive green, mocha brown, vintage cream and a cute pink.

Please leave a comment saying hello if you drop by - just so Sue, Meredith and myself are reassured we are not just talking to ourselves!

Also don't forget about our SCRAPATHON in October. Details here Book now to secure a spot! Deadline looming soon!

Sue's -photo challenge

Hello there everyone!! Long time between posts ey??!! Sorry about that.....it's just been a busy and crazy time around here lately.

I have a very unintentional photo to share with you, that maybe could fit the half photo challenge!! If Maryanne can send in butt of a steer (which is just a great photo!).... hopefully this one will certainly be okay too!

You see, I was fiddling with my new SLR camera at footy (at Karkoo), focusing and snapping away on our son-in-law heading off the oval for quater time break in the B's. At the end of the day when going thru my photos (as one does when they got a new camera)....realised the setting i had it on focused on the subject closer than my SIL was......and i got a good shot of some young lads butt!!

Ummmmm......now how could i press delete without sharing this with you all!!! :)

Hope you all getting some time for photos and scrapping....love to see it all soon.

(Note: please don't send any to me this coming week to post up as i will be away.)

Catchya all!

Trish - photo challenge

Hi Amanda
Here is the left half of Fletch's head. We had this done while in Cairns in July. We love it.
Cheers Trish

LOL Trish - this is great - what a fun time that must have been, sitting for a cool caricature! Love that big toothy grin too. Fab interpretation of the challenge!

Kicking back at 09.09 090909 - Trish

Hi,
well after Fletch went to school, I made a coffee and sat on my front verandah. What a lovely way to start my day off (sorry Meredith.....).
PS the blog is doing great, fab LO's and photos to admire.
Cheers Trish


That sounds wonderful!!! Isn't coffee a wonderful thing!! Your scene looks very relaxing - good on you!!

It's all in the nines ... Sandra

Sandra said ...

My day off today (Ha! what's that??) and it's washing day.
So at 09:09 today I was washing.... and nearly fell over laughing when I saw the time left on the washing machine... it was not a set up I promise!! and sorry for the crap photo... embarrasing having this on the blog after Maryanne's stunner!


Good one Sandra ... aren't front loaders great although they do seem to take longer!

Maryanne - photo challenge

This one has totally blown me away (no pun intended) A FANTASTIC photo with some BRILLIANT processing. I just love the antique effects (it is very detailed close up) and how you have done the 'choose to be positive'.

This is amazing Maryanne. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Mini Photo challenge ... 09.09.09

In 2 days time it will be ... 09.09.09!!

So how about another mini photo challenge

... take a photo of what you are doing at 9.09am on Wednesday 9th Sept 2009.

Email them to me and I'll put them up here on the blog!

Once again I'll be at work but I'll try and be creative!! Stay tuned!!

Oh I think we need a photo ... makes a post a bit more interesting hey!!

The top photo is of the sage, in my herb patch, in flower - pretty isn't it?!

This one is our broccoli on 1st August 2008 ...

And this is our current crop of brocolli today!!

Just to keep you geared up for the kitchen layout challenge!! ;-)