Colour, sketch and a floral frenzy ...

Playing with Color Throwdown this month where colours are really pretty and feminine.  Love this colour combination.

Combining this with The Southern Girls Challenge Floral Frenzy challenge to add some flowers and this month's sketch #84 from Feeling Sketchy.

Here is my take ...

Ah my youth ...

I really love the challenge this month on Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge. 

Scrap or art journal about a favourite song in from your teens. You can scrap some of the lyrics, or the title, or a photo of the band …

I've done this page as a replica of the pin board I had in my room as a teenager.  I would buy all the gossipy teen magazines and cut out the pictures of my teen idols and then pin them on the board.  These would change a little over my teenager years from my younger David Cassidy and Donny Osmond obsessed era to my love affair with John Paul Young and the Skyhooks.  

One of my all time favourite songs from that time period was Wings of an Eagle by Russell Morris.  I can remember buying the album on cassette tape (yep remember them!!) and playing it over and over and over on my cassette player in my room until my dad screamed at me to "find another bloody song".  Ah those were the days ... Living in the 70's.

Me and a little texture ...

First time I've participated in a challenge on Challenge Yourself - I'm not one for scrapbooking photos of myself but since I liked the criteria I thought what the heck!!.

Challenge YOUrself #4: Keep Calm And __________

Create a layout using the quote "Keep Calm and______"

<<<  Cannot be scrapbooking related

and remember to include YOU in the photo!  >>>

This is what I came up with ...

I have also entered this into Scrap Our Stash Stash a Thon Challenge #8 - Texture.

Coloured pencils and colourful scraps ...

Scrapstuffz has a really interesting inspirational picture for March.  When I first saw this I immediately thought about coloured pencils for school and then school in general and that flowed into photographs I had taken of my children doing school work related activities.

The picture I eventually settled on was one of my daughter completing school work during a visit to her Grandmother.  Her work load was so high in her final year at school she simply could not afford to sit around doing nothing so even on these rare family visits she would take it all with her and while we visited she would study. 

I pulled as many of the colours as I could from the inspiration picture for my page and a small heart.  All my patterned paper has come from my box of scraps which is why I have also included this layout for Challenge #183 on Lasting Memories which is all about scraps.  

Mint and chocolate - a delicious combination ...

Joining Sugar and Spice Crafty Challenges this month in a delicious inspiration - mint chocolate.

Wish I could indulge in the real thing but instead I've gone with the colour combination for my layout.

A little green ...

Another great tic tac toe challenge over on 123 Get Scrappy.

I've used the middle line down - white pen, green background and write on picture.

Also entered in Lasting Memories Challenge #182 - Shades of green.  My background cardstock is green as is my patterned paper (subtle zig zag) and I have green in the floral patterned paper and floral embellishments.

One frog ...

Scrap the Boys is a colour challenge this month using blue, green and yellow which prompted me to use these photos which have been sitting in my photo file for ages and to dig out this patterned paper which I bought years ago to go with said photos.  

A touch of the Irish ...

Another sweet mood board on Berry71bleu  with a distinctly Irish feel to it and a criteria of using "Luck or Lucky".

Here is my page which I have also entered into the Scrap Our Stash - Stash A Thon

 Challenge #2 : Cake Liner/Doily

Once the cake is baked and decorated,  we will need to add a classic touch of elegance and nothing would be more perfect than a paper doily!  So, your challenge is to:
Create a layout, any theme and you must add one or more doilies. 

In the mood ...

I love this mood board from Sassy Scrappers this month, so many possibilities with this inspiration.

I knew there would be many amazing girly layouts in their linkup - pages full of flowers and bling and soft gentle colours so I decided to go in the exact opposite direction and show you that you can use inspiration like this one to create a boy page.

I've pulled the teal, orange, white and grey from the colours.  I used the frames as inspiration to use blocks of patterned paper to layer on my page.  I used the alphabet to inspire a title using different letters in different colours, the pom poms became buttons and bingo .. one very boyish page.

I have also entered this page into the Scrap Our Stash Stash A Thon

 Challenge #1 Cake/Layering

When you see a cake, what do you see?  LAYERS!!!

So for this challenge you are to create a layout with

 3 or more layers of patterned paper AND/OR embellishments
any theme of your choice!

Marshmellows anyone?

Yippee, I've had some time to create.  So happy about that.

Made this layout for both The Studio Challenges.

"M is for March - make a layout using the letter M! It could be the title or anything being with M!"

and also for Lasting Memories  Challenge #180 - Alpha wars  - "use as many different alpha stickers (or die cuts) as possible (2+ alphas)".

STG for March ...

It's been a busy month and I haven't had much time to "play" in my craft room as I might have liked however I have squeezed out a few hours today to put a couple of pages together.  I'm on a kick to try and use up left over kits. I seem to have a pile of them sitting around with only off-cuts of patterned paper and a few embellishments left so I vow I'm either going to use them or lose them!

This layout was done for Scrap the Girls with the criteria of using a heart and/or doily on your page.

Pixels and Paper for March

Looking out my window as I type I can't help but think how appropriate the image we have for you this month on Pixels and Paper Challenge Blog really is.  It is very dull and wet here on the NSW coast.

What do you see from this photograph?  The rainbow is obvious, but perhaps you just see the grey sky and rainy day.  A trip to the lake or seaside?  Sightseeing along a coastal road?  Perhaps this image reminds you of a particular place you visited or would like to visit someday.  Whatever the inspiration we would love to see your take.

Here is my take on this photograph ...

I was drawn to the rainbow and used layers of paint to create a background for my photo of my daughter on a family holiday to a tropical island many years ago.  I can't believe this sweet little creature is 21 this month - how the time has flown.

Please come and play with us.  We'd love to see what you make of this photograph.  

You are welcome to submit traditional paper layouts, art journals, divided page protectors, smash books (etc etc).  Digital entries are welcomed and encouraged.  All entries must be new for this challenge and no back-linking is allowed.  I am happy for you to combine with other challenges (maximum of 3) but the essence of the Pixels and Paper inspiration must be clear in your work. Combining with a sketch or colour challenge would be preferred.  International submissions are welcome.

ARTastic for March ...

A stunning inspirational artwork on ARTastic this month.

So very many possibilities for this piece - will the birds inspire you or perhaps the colours?  Is it the sky that catches your eye or the wonderful gold texture?  We'd love to see what this artwork inspires in your creative heart. 

Please support us in our endeavour to bring you a quality challenge blog - we would love to see your entry.

Lyn Butchart - Bluebirds

Criteria - Texture

Lyn Butchart draws her inspiration from the vibrant, textural and ethereal spirit of nature.

Born in 1951 in Manildra NSW of Aboriginal Irish Swedish descent, Lyn has developed a unique individual style ranging from contemporary to abstract. Her fascination with the ocean inspires intricate underwater scenes, a theme she is renowned for.  She undertakes extremely large works on paper, some of the largest in Australia, and incorporates strong vibrant colours that bring harmony and balance to her paintings.  Lyn is a self taught artist with over 25 years tutoring experience. She has participated in many solo and group exhibitions, and her work is held in private and corporate collections worldwide. Her work has also been featured in numerous national art magazines featuring watercolour and mixed media works.  Lyn lives and works in Grafton northern New South Wales, and travels frequently to conduct workshops in regional areas around Australia.

http://www.lynbutchart.com.au/index.htm

Here is a sneak peek at my own layout which will be going up on the 15th.

Please come and play with us - we'd love to have you join in.

Final pages for February ...

My final layouts for February challenges - thank goodness the US closes after us!

ScrapStuffz have a gorgeous cupcake tower photograph as inspiration this month and I just could not resist putting in a page for this.

Isn't this one so pretty.

Creative Embellishments also have an inspiration picture this month although this one features words and colours.

So I combined the two with this layout below.