A new adventure...

Nothing is more exciting than planning a new adventure, booking a holiday.  Sometimes I think I get more enjoyment from the actual planning than I do the holiday.  

2017 was a shit year for us (sorry about the language but it was just that shit!) and although I am still going through treatment, there is an end in sight.  Many people said that we should book a holiday and get away as a little celebration for getting through the whole breast cancer thing.  So that's exactly what we have done.  We have booked to go to Dubai and Holland and I can't wait.

I was so excited that I wanted to create a layout about a new adventure.  Paislee Press has just released some new 2018 Calandar Cards and Overlays and I love how they have turned out on the layout.  I wanted to somehow show when our adventure was booked for and these calendar cards were perfect.  

Everything on this layout is a digital product (from Paislee Press) including the pattern paper.  The only things not digital are the gold stars and the paint splatters.  As usual, I first designed my layout in the photoshop elements and then when I was happy I printed all the pieces out, then created my layout.

So now the countdown begins...

Love me :-)

It's beginning to look like christmas...

For the past several years Paislee Press has released a collection of Christmas papers, elements, templates and wordart called December you are My Fav.  This years collection is by far my favourite because there is so much to choose from.  This year there is a scrapbook collection, a 6x8 collection, a 4x8 collection for all you travellers notebook lovers out there, journal cards and some great number tags that would be perfect for an advent calendar.

For this layout I decided to combine papers and templates from the 4x8 collection as well as papers from the scrapbook collection.  Remember just because something might be designed for something specific i.e. 4x8 collection for travellers notebooks, doesn't mean that's how you have to use it.  I used one of the 4x8 templates and papers to create this layout.  I love how they have become a design element on their own on my page.  

December you are my Fav #6 is definitely my favourite.  But then I say that every year when Liz brings out a new one.

Happy crafting!

Love me :-)

Red cup season...

Hello and welcome, hope your week has been good to you.  It's release day over at Kellie Stamps and my first project that I would like to share with you is a layout all about getting a Starbucks Christmas cup from a dear friend who was on holiday recently.  I am obsessed with Starbucks (but we don't have one here in Western Australia... insert sad face) and I desperately wanted one of the holiday take away cups and when a friend did a post on Instagram of her cup I quickly asked if she could please get me one.  Silly I know but that's just how I roll.

This layout has been put together using mostly digital stamps from the "rate this" and "Grateful" sets.  My favourite part of the layout is probably the red pattern paper that I made using the "mood rating faces digital stamp".  It was easy to do and super quick to put together (my favourite type of crafting).  That's the best part about digital stamps, you can do so much with them.  I did do some old fashioned stamping with my title using two alphabet sets from Kellies stamps (I think these have since sold out).

If you haven't tried digital stamps, you should.  There are lots of great tutorials and classes on the internet to show you how to use photoshop elements, don't be scared.  Give it a go.  You can also download a free one months trial of photoshop elements.

This is a super quick post today as I am about to head off to hospital to have my Mastectomy.  I am sure all will go well but please say a quick prayer cause it can't hurt.  Thanks a bunch.

Love me :-)

December Tradition layout...

Doing all this Christmas scrapbooking has got me into the Christmas spirit... I officially started my Christmas shopping today.  I know, I can't believe it either.

Today on my blog I am sharing another hybrid layout using the new digital stamps "no peeking" and "dear santa" from Kellie Stamps by Kellie Winnell avail now.    I love everything about this layout, the simplicity, the white space and the story.  This layout is made entirely of digital elements and was super easy to put together.  I even made my own pattern paper (that red strip down the centre of the layout).  The "traditions" word was cut out using my Silhouette Cameo and the trace and cut feature.

I totally love the holly, its prob my favourite image from these stamps.  Oh wait, I love the lights too, and then there is... yep I love it all.  Don't worry if you are not into digital stamps because they are avail in clear too.

Please remember, if you have any questions just let me know.

Thanks for stopping by
Love me :-)

Dear Santa...

Would you believe that there are only 9 Friday's till Christmas... at least that's what it says on Facebook so it must be true LOL!

Someone asked me the other day what I would like for Christmas.  My first reaction was, I don't know, I'm sure there is lots but right now I can't think of anything.  A little while later, while eating dinner I had this thought... I can't wait until food starts to taste like its supposed to.  Then it hit me.  Of course I know what I want for Christmas.  I want food to taste like it's supposed to, I would like to eat with proper utensils and not plastic ones, I would like to have hair, OMG how I would like to have hair.  And before I knew it I had a whole list of things that I wanted for Christmas.  Going through Chemo is tough and some of the side effects can be awful.  It's not until you go through something like this that you realise how much we actually just want the basic things in life until they get taken away from.

So with the help of the Comfort & Joy kit designed by Brandi Kincaid for Feed Your Craft I created this layout.

The Comfort & Joy kit was the perfect thing for this layout.  I used a little bit of everything from the kit but my favourite would have to be the die cuts.  I mean just look at them, they are so cute.  Infact it was the die cuts that gave me the idea for the layout design.  As soon as I saw them I thought they would look great hanging on a tree.  I cut the tree out with my Silhouette Cameo and I cut the speach bubbles out using the Word Bubbles Framelits Dies from Stampin Up.  

What are you asking Santa for this Christmas?

Love me :-)

Traditions layout...

Its release day at Kellie Stamps and this month we are all about Christmas.  I know, I know, who wants to think about Christmas right! Well just so you know there are only 73 days till Christmas.

I have used digital stamps from "no peeking" and "dear santa" sets which you can get here.

Now that I have put you into the Christmas spirit, I though I would share this layout with you and  all the different ways I have used the digital stamps.

I was always a stamper, and I guess I still am but since using more and more digital products I have  found that they open up a whole new way to create.  Plus my supplies never run out because I can keep using them over and over again.

If you own a silhouette cameo digital stamps make creating so much easier.  Using the christmas tree digital stamp I was able to use the trace and cut facility within the silhouette software to enlarge the tree and then cut it out in two different papers.  The outside of the tree cut in green cardstock and the inside of the tree in patter paper. Similarly, I did the same with the light bulbs which I love because I could cut them out so I could put them together with three different paper types adding more detailed interest.

Again, using the trace and cut facility, I was able to take the "traditions" digital stamp and turn it into a cut file to create my title.

Digital stamps are also a super great way to create your own journal cards like I did for this layout.  It's so simple and you can make them any colour you want.

Printing digital stamps onto cardstock/pattern paper and then cutting them out adds a great visual effect, it's like making your own embellishments.  You can use your punches (like I have to add Cheer to the top of my tree), decorative scissors or into strips like I have.

Here are some closeups of my layout:-

I use photoshop elements to work with digital files.  There are so many online courses to teach you photoshop which I highly recommend.  It's not a difficult program to learn, I promise.

Thanks for stopping by.  If you have any questions about digital stamps please leave them in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.

love me :-)

I love my new Prynt...

 

I wasn't going to get one.  I really couldn't see the need to be quite honest.  I mean, I have an instax camera and the printer so really I didn't need another printer.  I was quite comfortable with my decision... then a few weeks back I was on the Big Picture site checking out the new classes.  Now I never go into the Big Picture shop, no particular reason, I just don't go in there but for some reason, on this particular day I went and had a browse.  It was then that I realised that they sold the Prynt Pocket so I went and checked it out.  Then the next thing you know I had pre-ordered one.  What?

So glad I did.  It only came yesterday and I am totally in love with it.  Besides the fact that you can turn your iphone into a printer (android coming soon I believe) its the video feature that will get you excited.  When you ordered your Prynt with Big Picture, the cost included a class about the printer to help get you started.  I just checked out their shop and if you purchase one through Big Picture it still includes the class.  One of the classes was all about adding a video to a photo - it's so cool I had to try it straight away...

For some reason I cannot get the video below to work.  I will keep trying but in the meantime you can check out my Instagram post here. 

Here are some more photos of my layout. I used the latest kit "Mila" from Felicity Jane. It's absolutely gorgeous.

Seriously, I can't stop playing with this little printer.  It's very easy to use but that video feature is what gets me.  It's just so cool.

Thanks for stopping by.  If you have any questions about the Prynt, please leave them in the comment section and I will do my best to answer them.

Have a great weekend.

Love me :-)

Pumpkin Crush...

Paislee Press has a new digital kit out called Autumn Vibes, available now at The Lily Pad and if you had on over there this weekend you can get it for 30% off.

Now, if you are like me and live in Australia or similar, then we are not having autumn right now, we are doing spring (well here in Western Australia we are still trying to finish off winter) but the best thing about these kits is that they can be used for so much more than Autumn.  

A few years back when we went to NYC I became obsessed with Pumpkin Spiced Lattes (and I think it's a crime that we don't have them here in Australia, maybe I should start a partition to bring them over!!) so much so that I had one every morning, with breakfast at Starbucks.  Recently a dear friend got me some Pumpkin Spiced Latte sachets from their family in America.  I will be honest, I have been hoarding them but when I saw this latest kit from Paislee Press I decided it was time to break open the packet and indulge myself.  Plus, I figured they won't last forever.

This layout, although made entirely from digital elements, it is a hybrid layout.  I printed all my elements out then created a tradition scrapbook layout.  The background is made using a 3x4 digital journal card that enlarged to cover my cardstock.  I also added some leaves and the pumpkin text, then printed it out onto a 8.5 x 11 piece of cardstock.  I added my photo and text to the photo template, printed it out and added it to my layout.   Next I printed off the coffee cup and more leaves, fussy cut these out then added as the finishing touches to my layout.

I also a "Vintage Summer Mini Flair" from Feed Your Craft and some ink splatters. 

The best thing about this kit being digital... is that I can used these elements over and over again.  They will never run out.

Enjoy your weekend

Love me :-)

NSD - Challenge One...

Welcome to (inter) National Scrapbooking Day and the first fun challenge from the Creative Team at Kellie Stamps.

The first challenge is to  combine two stamp sets.

I decided to not only combine two stamps sets but I also thought I would combine digital stamps with clear stamps.

I used the "Month" digital stamp set for the focal point of my layout and then used "my everything" clear stamp from the "cray cray" clear stamp set.

I used the digital stamp to create a mask for several photos  of my daughter and her new cat.  Getting a photo of our new kitten is quite difficult and at times very funny.  He will sit as still as anything right up until you "click", then he makes a run for it.

One of the things I love about Kellie Stamps is that you have the option of digital or physical stamps sets.  Combining the two just adds so many more options to my paper crafting.

I then added "my everything" stamped image to a tag to create a small embellishment that help to complete my layout.

All the details of this challenge and more can be found here on the Kellie Stamps Instagram feed. We would love for you to join in and share what you create.  Please use the hashtag #nsdkelliestamps to be in the running for some great prizes.

Happy stamping
love me :-)

Memories of Venice...

Photos have such an amazing way to transport us back into a time that we had completely forgotton about.  Photos to me are everything because I love the feelings that they create when you look at them, especially old ones.

A few days ago I was doing a very long overdue clean up of my craft desk, filing things away, sorting stuff out etc etc.  When I picked up a stack of photos that I needed to sort through this one fell out onto my desk.  I was immediately transported back Venice.  I could remember every detail of this photo.  It felt just like yesterday.

It was so important to add journaling to this layout because it was more than just the photo that I wanted to record.  I wanted to record the story of how this particular moment came to be.

I also love that in this world that we live in, I could scan an old photo that had seen better days, be able to save it as a digital copy so that it would be saved forever and it allowed me to create a digital layout.

Man I love this craft of ours.

going back to think of Venice

Love me :-)

(digital products used - Is it Friday yet? scrapbook kit by Paislee Press)

Enjoy every moment...

I am so excited to share this layout with you using new digital stamps from Kellie Stamps new release.  I used the "enjoy every moment" from the "Good Times" set to create my title.  One of the things I love most about digital stamps is that you can make them into just about anything and do just about anything with them.  For this layout I wanted to create a BIG title and I wanted to add some stitching.  

To create my title I enlarged my words to the size that I wanted and then printed it onto an A4 sheet of copy paper.  I placed the copy paper on top of my white cardstock and used this as my guide to add my holes for my stitching.  By placing the paper on top of my cardstock, it meant that when I punched the holes through the copy paper it went straight through the cardstock as well.  To make it easier to keep your copy paper in place just add some washi tape along the sides until you are finished.  Washi tape is great to hold things in place so they don't move around.

I also have a favourite piece of pattern paper from Felicity Jane that I was going to use.  I wanted to cut out some flowers to add to my layout but it just didn't look right.  So I placed the pattern paper under my white cardstock and traced some of the flowers on to the cardstock.  It makes it look like I hand drew them.

I then added my stitching using white embroidery floss.

I printed the "moment" word onto pattern paper and then cut out each letter to complete my title.

To complete my layout I printed off a few more words from the new release onto pattern paper.  Added some ink splats, some journaling and then my photo.

There are so many different elements to this layout and I love all the different textures.  All of the elements on this layout are not hard to do.  The stitching may have been a bit time consuming but so worth the effort.

Check out the new release of Kellie Stamps digital and clear stamps here.

Enjoy your week and happy crafting.

Love me :-)

Let's Eat...

If you follow me you will know that I am a huge "foodie".  Love going out to eat, love photographing my food and I love searching for new places to eat.

Last Sunday my Husband and I went out for breakfast to celebrate my birthday.  We went to Brooklyn Lounge in Claremont and we were not disappointed.  I have been following this place on Instagram for some time and was so happy to be finally going to check it out.  

I had the pulled pork with poached eggs and chipotle hollandaise on ciabiatta bread - OMG it was divine.  I just wanted to keep eating and eating.  

I used "flight plan 24" template and the "Nosh" digital papers and elements to create my layout from One Little Bird Designs available at The Lily Pad.

If you are a foodie I would love to know how you document your food adventures.

Love me :-)

Kellie stamps - January release #4...

Do you ever get a stamp set and think, I love it but I just don't know what to do with it.  Or what about all those stamps you already have, same thing, you love them but don't know what to do with them.  

I thought I would share a little tip that I often use if I am not sure what or how to use a stamp set.  Although I came up with a million ways to use the "looks like summer" stamp set by Kellie Stamps I thought I would pick this set to show one of my favourite ways to use my stamps - use your stamps as journaling prompts!  

For my "Summer To Do" layout I used the stamps as a "to do" prompt.  I wanted to make a list of all the things that we could do this summer, but with a twist.  I created several squares, attached them to a sheet of white cardstock, these will become the mat for each of my photos.  I then stamped several images onto tabs, die cuts and strips of pattern paper then stitched them to my little squares.  By stitching them into place it meant that when we did an item off the list, all I had to do what print off the photo and slide it in under the prompt.  By doing it this way it meant that I could complete the layout then all I had to do was add the photos which was like ticking things off a to do list.

This layout is a "layout in progress".  We have probably done about 2/3 of the prompts so when all the photos are on I will share my completed layout.

This has been such a fun way to document our summer and its also giving us the encouragement to get out there and do some fun.

I also wanted to share another tip:-

Just because a stamp looks a certain way doesn't mean you have to use it that way.  The title of my layout includes the stamped word "summer" which I stamped in one line however the original stamp comes as a two lined image (as shown below).

In one of the photos above you will see the image "summer sunset", again I have stamped it as a one line image, however the original image is a two lined image.

You can just ink part of a stamp using markers or just the edge of your ink pad.

You may have an image that is quite long and narrow, attach your stamp by bending it into a curved line when attaching it to your stamping block.

I have also been known to cut stamps up.

I hope some of these ideas give you some encouragement to get your stamps out and have some fun.

Happy Stamping.

love me  :-)