My Time

Here's a fun project I created for the Graphic 45 September challenge found on their blog. You were to do a project, other than a layout, about yourself. Not an easy task to create a project about me and even harder to do something other than a layout.

BUT

I did manage to get enough inspiration to complete this altered clock.


The papers are all Graphic 45 (obviously). I plan to hang it in my scrap area to remind me that its okay to do the things I love (surf the net, scrapbook, daydream, etc.) and not feel guilty about it!!

Close up of some fussy cutting. I added some berries that I had purchased from a flower bunch at Michaels.

Close up of the Title which reads: The Time You Enjoy Wasting Is Not Wasted Time. So true don't you think? Alphas are from Making Memories and I just lightly inked them to match the off white/vintage paper.


The clock is from MyKi and I simply added some keychain link around it to give it a little extra umph! Border punch is from Martha Stewart - love it!

Here is a close up of some detailed elements - mini frame with Graphic 45 cut outs. Hard to tell, but I added Glossy Accents to the clock wings.

Scrapping Out Loud! Guest Designer

Good Tuesday morning everyone. Its with great pleasure that I announce my guest design spot over at Scrapping Out Loud! today!

This week their challenge is to use doodling on your projects. It can be on the paper, flowers, embellies or even right onto your pictures, just doodle it!!!

Here is my layout, inspired by the wonderfully talented Ingrid from Scrapbook.com!

I used only cardstock and some tiny flowers from petaloo as well as 2 prima flowers - that's it! I traced grungeboard swirls onto my cardstock and then cut them out and doodled away with my white and black journaling pens!
Close up of my doodling.

Don't forget to use the word of the week and the sketch of the week in your layout for extra chances to win their monthly prize!

Its Reveal Day

Sketch #71 is up at Creative Scrappers and its AMAZING! I loved working with this one - so versatile and so many elements.

Here is the sketch we got to work with this week. I just love reveal day - so interesting to see how many different projects come out of 1 simple design.

Had fun with my Graphic 45 papers and some flowers that I bought from Michaels!

BIG Time Savings

For one day -- save BIG TIME on your subscription to Scrapbook News & Review Magazine!

For one day only, get an annual subscription for $29.99! You'll save $20.00 from the normal $49.99 and even more should you choose to do the monthly subscription of $4.99 per month. Do not delay -- you have until Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 8 p.m. EST.

Click here to save BIG!

Double-Header, Double Issue, FREE Weekend

Double-header, double issue FREE weekend at Scrapbook News and Review Magazine. Come check out the fun and excitement HERE. From Saturday, September 26, 2009 until Sunday, September 27, 2009, we're celebrating the Grand Opening of our brand new website. Come get a gander at the site, chat on the forum, join in a challenge, play a game or two and the best part of all, see the inside of the magazine for FREE.

Our Special Double Issue -- our largest issue of the year -- debuts on Saturday, September 26, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. EST and from the moment of debut until 8:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, you'll have complete access to the world's largest online scrapbooking magazine. With over 400 layouts (scrapbooking and digital), cards, stamping and altered art projects, product reviews, manufacturer spotlights and more, you'll be amazed at the incredible inspiration, fabulous tips, tricks and techniques, amazing tutorials and exciting eye candy.

Don't delay -- register on our site today. You must be a registered user to play.

October 2009 Issue Sketch Call

Would you like to be published in Scrapbook News and Review Magazine? Here's your chance. Take a look at the October 2009 Issue Sketch call and submit by the deadline. It really is that easy.



Call Guidelines

Please submit your pages with the following guidelines:

•Pages only – no mini albums, altered projects or home décor
•Can be of any size, i.e. 12"x12", 8"x8", 6"x6"
•Artwork can be traditional, hybrid or digital (please specify)
•Please send images as large as possible and we’ll scale to size
•You must name your image with the title of the layout or project
•The call name must be specified in subject line of your e-mail
•There are no restrictions on whether your artwork has been posted to an online gallery, blog or other site but we respectfully request you take them down upon request for publication.

Important to Note: Please register on our site before sending in your submissions. This will ensure we’re able to properly contact you as well as authorize you to view the magazine should your artwork be accepted for publication. All submissions must include a SNR username.

Deadline: October 5, 2009

Submit to: subs@scrapbooknewsandreview.com

Its Started!

Scrapbook Star's online crop has started and runs from now until Sunday night. Go have a peek at all the awesome challenges the design team has cooked up. The Theme: British Invasion!!

My challenge was inspired by one of London's most famous landmarks - Big Ben - and was to use either a clock in your layout or to use the word time in your title!

My layout was done using the September kit from Scrapbook Star which features papers from Nikki Sivils' Henry's Brilliance collection!

Close up of journaling which reads: We had discovered a new candy store in town and had promised you and your brother one special treat. Of course you picked the biggest one you could find! It was so funny to watch you savour each and every lick, contemplating whcih colour to try next.

Close up of some cut out work with a little doodling.

I hand stitched in a few spots to add dimension to the layout as well as doodle-stitched around the circles and border.

Challenge 20 is Posted at Butterfly Crafts

For this challenge, do a layout about a summer family tradition. Could be something you do every year, something you just started this year or something you did when you were a kid and miss.

Here is a photo of my two boys at the beach this past summer. We normally take a family vacation to either Whistler or Victoria in the spring but this year, with my oldest son heading to Kindergarden, we decided to take our little vaca. in the summer. It doesn't matter what we're doing really, as long as we're together! My layout was inspired by the wonderfully talented Finnabair and her layout "Sekret".

Close up of the raw chipboard that I inked and then did a little doodling on.

There is a hidden journaling tag behind the photo. Love the rawness of the cardboard and burlap - suits the outdoor theme just perfectly.

Please upload your LO's to the gallery, leave a link in the comments or e-mail them to Butterfly Crafts by 5th October for a chance of becoming October's guest designer. This month the winner will also receive a $30USD Gift Certificate from Scrapmuse.

Materials Used:

Little Boy Blue

Here's a layout I did of my darling son - such a pout!! We were all dancing in our living room and he noticed that all the attention wasn't on him (for once). Wasn't pleased...

I used tons of cute images from my patterned paper to create my embellies. So versatile - love it!
The only non-paper embellishment I used were these metal hinges.

Close up of journaling which reads: What a pout! This adorable face was the result of too little attention paid to you while we were in the living room with your brother and sister dancing. You'd much rather have all eyes on you!

Materials Used:

Patterned Paper: Fascinating Collection, Bewitching (Pink Paislee)
Patterned Paper: Take a Chance on me (Sassafrass Lass)
Patterned Paper: 12x12 Designer Paper Pad, Daydreams(K & Co)
Edge Distresser: Making Memories
Ink: Jet Black (StazOn)
Cardstock: Bazzill Basics
Doilie Border Punch: Martha Stewart
Small Scallop Border Punch: EK Success
Corner Punch: EK Success
Alphas: Dollar Store

Red Rain Coat

Sketch #69 is up over at Creative Scrappers! I had so much fun with this sketch and ventured completely out of my comfort zone. Normally I am drawn to much more muted colours but I simply HAD to play up the red in this layout...

My dd in her new red raincoat - she was SO proud of herself in a big girl jacket!

Close up of some stitching and red stickles. I cut out the Hugs & Kisses from a ribbon and used as tags.

Here I wove the ribbon through the gaps in the burlap.

I popped the buttons on the raincoat by using real buttons - kind of a neat effect...

The glitter letters were from the dollar store - I mounted on the back of the Cosmo Cricket paper and outlined with a white journaling pen.

Materials Used:

Alpha Letters: Dollar Store
Cardstock, Red
Patterned Paper: My Sweet Cherry Pie, Cherries on Top (Nikki Sivils)
Patterned Paper: Ribbon Sandwich (Cosmo Cricket)
Burlap
Ribbon

Just for Fun

Here is a completely fun summer layout I did using the September kit from Scrapbook Star. Such happy and bright colours from Nikki Sivils' Henry's Brilliance line! I drew the splashes, cut them out and then outlined them so they would stand out a little better against the patterned paper.

My husband and my oldest son having a blast in his teeny, weeny turtle pool this past summer!

Here is a close up of the custom stamp that is included in the kit, designed by one of the Scrapbook Star DT Members herself!

That's all for now - a nice, quick post.

This upcoming week has a LOT of things to look forward to. Creative Scrappers Sketch #69 Reveal, New DT Challenge (from me) over at the Butterfly Crafts forum, Challenge #20 at Butterfly Crafts, My 9 year wedding anniversary :>...

Stay tuned!

I Won!

Yippie - this is a happy post indeed! Just received an email from Kayla over at Scrap the Girls congratulating me on winning their August competition which was to scrap the females in your life.

For those of you who haven't already heard of them they are a fabulous challenge blog about scrappin' the girls - and ONLY girls (if you want to scrap the boys, head on over to their sister site - Scrap the Boys!) They post challenges on the 1st of the month with specific criteria and you have until the end of the month to submit your entries!

Go take a peek if you haven't already done so. Their September Challenge is up and its all about shoes!!

My Promise To You

Hi all. My brother in law is getting married in October and I'm going to their wedding shower next weekend. I thought that rather than getting them something on their registry, they'd appreciate a special memory instead.

I created this layout for them using Making Memories wedding collection, which I actually found quite challenging to use. Its very shiny and fancy paper so I tried to mute the pattern a little by introducing some beige/brown colours.

I originally wanted to add in some wine coloured flowers, but it just didn't work. Instead, I used some leaves, branches, etc and inked them silver. Its a very formal layout. Not normally my style, but I think it still works. Clean and simple and hilights the true meaning of marriage - unconditional love.

I added some pewter flowers which contrasted nicely with the silver. The shimmer brads were from making memories wedding collection. I added some silver doodling to the flowers (costco) and inked the foliage silver.

Grungeboard inked and some bling - pearls are from the making memories wedding collection and the stick pin is from my dear friend Lisa!


I hope you aren't reading this Derek - its suppose to be a surprise - LOL!!

Just a Reminder...

Tonight I am hosting an awesome contest over at Creative Scrappers.

I will be posting a layout, and you will have 24hrs to create your best 'lift' of the project. Cards, ATCs and layouts are all welcome.

BUT

There will be a * TWIST *

You will need to incorporate a specific technique on your layout which will be disclosed at the start of the contest.

Our Sponsor for this contest will be Riff Raff Designs

Come on and play! STARTS AT 9pm EST!!

A Compliment from Nikki Sivils Herself!

As you know, I recently did a bunch of layouts for DT Work at Scrapbook Star using Nikki Sivils' Henry's Brilliance line and I decided to send them to her for the heck of it.

I was thrilled to see two of my layouts "Laugh Out Loud" and "Sweet Summer Kiss" posted on her blog with the following comments from Nikki herself...

"And these two beautiful layouts were created by Tara Orr! Tara is not on my DT, but sent me an email with these two layouts and my jaw dropped!! I had to share them with everyone!! Tara is super talented and I love what she did with my papers and products!! Thanks Tara!!"

What a compliment hey?

Graphic 45 Spotlight

I am only slightly gushing here, but you MIGHT want to head on over to Graphic 45 to take a peek at who they have in their spotlight today!!!

My sweet baby taking a rest after all her hard work playing in the backyard - LOL.

Just love the tags, the paper - such wonderfully bright colours!

I used crackle paint on a doilee that I brought home from a restaurant - LOL! Painted some of the leaves as well to match with the colours a little better.

Materials:
border punch, ek success
Botanicabella collection, garden suite
botanicabella collection, secret garden
edge distresser, making memories
fashionista collection, vintage cherries
fashionista collection, buttons a la mode
fashionista collection, perfumeries
flowers: costco
letters: anna griffin
letters: basic grey
doilie
distress crackle paint, antique linen, tim holtz

If Looks Could Kill

My darling son - too funny. He was playing with the pump for the pool and had this evil little look on his face - had to snap a pic as he is normally such a sweet and funny little guy. Don't know where this look came from!?

Materials Used:
fashionista collection, bon marche
fashionista collection, fashionista
Botanicabella collection, garden suite
edge distresser, making memories
letters: basic grey
ink: walnut stain, tim holtz

Laugh Out Loud!

Here's another layout I completed with the September Kit from Scrapbook Star.

Such sweet papers from Nikki Sivils' Henry's Brilliance Line!



So perfect for the fall don't you think?

Materials:
Border Punch: EK Success
Burlap
Cardstock: Bazzill
Die Cut Paper: Henry's Brilliance (Nikki Sivils)
Grungeboard: Tim Holtz
Ink: Walnut Stain (Tim Holtz)

Twisted Sister

Well... for the week that is.

Its with great pleasure that I am Guest Designing with Twisted Sketches for the week. What an awesome sketch blog! Every Wednesday they provide you with a sketch to work with for your projects and then they add an extra little twist to give you something to help inspire you to create.

Sketch #13 is up and ready to inspire you. This week's twist is to use TAPE - any type of tape - from Adhesive Tape, to Fabric Tape to home DIY Tape and the ever useful masking tape.



With my layout, I used masking tape along the border of my layout to help achieve a distressed look.


A tiny prima flower from their nursery tales collection fit perfectly in my daughter's headband

Here's a close up of the distressing I achieved with the masking tape.

Close up of the hidden journaling tag which has a private message for my daughter.

Materials Used:
Burlap
Cardstock: The Chocolate Box (Core'dinations)
Edge Distresser: Making Memories
Grungeboard: Tim Holtz
Ink: Vintage Photo (Tim Holtz)
Masking Tape
Patterned Paper: Ambrosia Collection, Rind (Basic Grey)
Patterned Paper: Stella Ruby Collection, Train into the City (Basic Grey)
Pearls: Kaiser