16th October Challenge

Today I challenge you to create an altered background for you layout, you can used anything paints, mists, inks, stencils stamps anything to create some pattern.
The design team have done a great job with it!

Amanda

I altered my background by scrunching up a piece of tissue paper (I used a vintage sewing pattern) and pasting it onto my cardstock. I then painted over it with gesso and used a variety of mists and masks to create a random design.

Anna

 I was inspired by the mixed media canvases you see around at the moment so I used my background as one! I used lots of different techniques mostly using paint!

Jules

I created my background using a mask with white acrylic paint.

Julie

I altered my background with mist (love that stuff!) and a cute stamp. Don't worry about lining up the stamp edges perfectly...and it's fun to use the stamp a couple of times without re-inking.

Tessa

I challenged myself to alter my background with something I don't use very often - rub-ons! I used gold metallic rub-ons in a punchinella (sequin waste) style by Glitz Designs. I moved the rub-on sheet around as I went, so the transfer is more free-form than the design on the sheet. I misted a bit over the rub-ons, too

Hope you like the challenge and enjoy creating! Please link up your creations in the comments section for a chance to win The Make and Create shop's Old Type kit.

Winners!

Hi folks! It's about time we announced our winners for the August and September challenges! So, I'll get straight to the point...

The August winner is...

Wendy Crowe! Congrats Wendy! Email me (amanda@amandajonesdesigns.com) to claim your £15 Scrap Rat GC :)

And the winner of our September Ella Publishing $20 voucher is....

Sherri! Congratulations :) Drop me an email and I will hook you up with your prize :)

Thanks to all of our players, can't wait to see your creations this coming month!

2nd October Layout Challenge

Hi everyone it's Anna here with you for October! For this challenge I've created a colour pallet for you to create with, here it is: 

Grey, pink and yellow, I love these colours together!

Here's the layout I created:

Amanda



Jules

Love this colour palette! I'm sure there are plenty of current collections that fit the colour scheme, but as soon as I saw it I knew I had to use the Crate Paper 'Restoration' collection - it's one that I come back to time and again, I just love it!

Julie

This was a different color pallete for me. I have two daughters...but for some reason, don't scrap with a lot of pink! So much fun to put together colors you wouldn't usually. :) Thanks for making me go outside my box Anna!

Tessa

Val

I love grey and yellow together - particularly with a little pink thrown in!

The prize for this months is this kit from my shop The make and Create shop!

It's called Old Type and it's vintage inspired!

So please link up your creations in the comments, using my colour pallet for a chance of winning it!

Sunday Layout Challenge

Hi Everyone - welcome to another Sunday challenge at The Studio Challenges! This week's challenge is to make a page that incorporates a list of some kind. As usual, the design team did a super job and I loved seeing all their interpretations. I'm sure you will agree there is lots of inspiration here...

Amanda

I made a layout documenting 3 things I wish for my son's future :)

Anna

I created a list of my nephew's favourite things on his 3rd Birthday.

Julie

I love making lists...so this challenge was so much fun! In case my handwriting is too small (or unreadable!) 3. take a picture 4. eat some bacon 5. read a book 6. go out for dinner 9. love a cat 10.. just be you.

I could have kept going and going...make a list, go shopping, drink iced tea, go to Starbucks, sleep in, watch an NCIS marathon... :)

Jules

When I first saw this week's challenge, I thought about creating a layout based on a list of my favourite things, but then I decided it would be more fun to create a list based on my dog's favourite things. Turns out those are (in no particular order) morning cuddles, food, walks, swimming, bones, posing for photos and evening cuddles :D

Tessa

I decided to document what a typical day in my life looks like right now. List journaling was the perfect way to get the words onto the page.

Valerie

List format journaling is definitely my favorite kind of journaling! Sometimes I just number photos and let them be the list, avoiding writing altogether, but for this page I listed my kids favorite rides at a local amusement park.This page came together super fast with the help of a sketch and a club kit.

Now it's your turn. Make your list based project and link it up to this post. You could be the lucky winner of this month's prize: a $20 gift certificate to Ella Publishing Co., publisher of inspiring eBooks for scrapbookers. 

Can't wait to see what you make!

Sunday Layout Challenge

Can you believe it's already September? That means a fresh month of challenges here at The Studio Challenges. It also means 'back to school' time in many places. For me, September always brings to mind the smell of new books and shiny new school clothes - what does 'back to school' mean to you? This week we challenge you to make a school-related page - maybe about your favorite classes, teachers, etc....your kids experience...anything school-related.
Here's a little design team inspiration to get you started....and check out our the great prize that is up for grabs this month....

Anna

Here's my take on the challenge, this is old Primary School, it's changed quite a lot since I went there but I do go and help out there with art and craft now!

Jules

I was lucky enough to spend 7 years of my school life, from 11-18, in this gorgeous old building. I don't have a photo of it, (shockingly for a scrapbooker!) so I used a postcard of a painting of the building as it was in the 19th Century - it doesn't look that much different today.

Julie

When I think of school (or back to school)...right after school supplies comes first day of school pictures. This year I had these cute little signs for the kids to hold (even my high school senior cooperated!) When I sat down to edit the pictures 80% of them had disappeared. Gone. Poof. Not in the file...nowhere. I was frustrated. I was mad. I thought bad words.

And then I made the kids hold the signs again the next morning and have a second-first day of school so I could take more pictures.

And when I went to edit THOSE pictures, 40 out of 50 had disappeared. AGAIN. So now I knew something rotten was going on. Long story short, (too late, right?) the files were just hidden...not deleted. yay! So now I have them all back, and my kids are happy not to have to pretend for a third day in a row that it's the first day of school. :)

Tessa

Valerie

The first day of school is always bittersweet for me. Last year especially, since it marked the end of the pre-school days for our family. The journaling about this day is in the little pocket of my layout. 

We hope you will play along with us. Just link your projects in the comment section of this post. Up for grabs this month is a great prize: a $20 gift certificate to Ella Publishing.

You can use this gift certificate to download some of the great eBooks available by Ella. While you are there, check out the lineup for Boot Camp, a special series of  18 inspiring videos by 4 expert instructors starting on September 19.
Can't wait to see what you make!

August 21st challenge

Hi folks! We're back with another fun challenge this week and the design team have done a fabulous job with their layouts! Your challenge this week is to create a layout about something you're looking forward to.

And here is a little inspiration from the design team :)

Amanda

Although the area I live in at the moment is quite rural, we're moving somewhere even more remote in a couple of weeks. One thing I'm looking forward to is being surrounded by all the luscious greenery every day! The picture on my page is of one of the little lanes I have to drive down on my new route home :)

Anna

I'm looking forward to my sister and brother-in-law moving to Bristol so they will be closer to home. They have wanted to move for years but it's now finally happening, exciting!

Jules

This was a really tough challenge! I've gone for something that I'm looking forward to hopefully happening one day. I have relatives in Vancouver, and I think I'm the only member of my immediate family who hasn't been out to visit them! This postcard was sent to me by my parents when they went over last - I didn't want to adhere it to the layout as I didn't want to lose what my Mum has written on the back, so it's held on with the mini pegs and tucked into the embellishments at the bottom.

Julie


This was a fun one. I cannot wait for this November, when my friend are I are going on a cruise. I've never cruised before and am so excited! :)

Tessa

We've had a pretty mild summer where I live, but I just can't help but look forward to crisp, colorful fall. One of my favorite things about autumn is the change of wardrobe. I'm already prepping my closet for cardigans and shopping for new scarves.

Val

Right around this time of year it kicks in - my absolute love for all things Halloween. I've always loved it and by the time September rolls around, I'm counting down the days before I can break out the decorations.

So to join in this month you need to link up your project in the comments section of the relevant post. You have until the 31st August to enter for any of the August challenges including last week's mini scraplift challenge, and you could win a gift voucher for Scrap Rat! We can't wait to see your creations!

August 7th Challenge

Hi everyone! It's time for our first August challenge.

Your challenge is to gain you inspiration from books, whether that is a book cover, a title, story or something else...

I can't wait to show you the lyouts from the Design Team, they really rocked it!

This month the sponsor is Scrap Rat Kits. There is already a £10 voucher up for grabs for the scraplift challenge (redeemable against anything in the store) and I'm giving away a £15 voucher for the main August challenges! As always, we welcome international participants!
So on to your inspiration for the book challenge...

Amanda

I wanted to create a layout to inspire me to start reading some of the many non-fiction books I've amassed over the years. I took a snapshot of a small section of my bookshelf and focused on the fact that I have all these books I want to read, but never make the time. I find that, for me, just making myself aware of things that have fallen by the wayside inspires me to pick them up again. Here's hoping!

Anna

When I was looking around at books to inspire I was immediately drawn to this book cover, I love the images around the outside of the book.

 Here is the layout that I created from it!

I couldn't quite stretch to photos of a beach cafe so I did it about the beach instead! I had great fun stenciling and hand painting all the images around the edge! Love this effect! I enjoy reading so maybe now I should actually read this book to see what its like!

Julie

The 'Old' side is based on my love for old dictionaries (I collect them)...and if you flip it, the 'New' side is about my Nook...which I love as well, but lately it gets used mostly when my kids take it to play Angry Birds. :)
The book picture is what I based my layout on. I collect the Companion Library series (old Children's Classics)...if you read them one way, it's one story...if you flip it over, it's another.

Jules

I absolutely love books! I've always been an avid reader, and it's not unusual to see me like this, hidden behind a novel. If I'm not crafting then chances are I'll be reading :D

Tessa

I found my inspiration for this challenge in an actual, vintage book cover. I love the distressing on the left edge caused by being pulled away from the spine, and I love the well-worn edges and imperfections. The book cover in turn inspired my title and journaling. I want my children to remember the precious, random moments from their childhood, and that's why I scrapbook - to tell their story.

Val

I made a page about my favorite books when I was a kid: the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. They became a popular TV show here in the U.S. in the early 70s - when I found the series of books in my school library, I was hooked. I still watch the re-runs of the show and recently found a whole set of the books at a yard sale - the same early 70's editions I used to read. They are featured in the photo on my layout:

So to join in this month you need to link up your project in the comments section of the relevant post. You have until the 31st August to enter for any of the August challenges including last week's mini scraplift challenge!