123 Get Scrappy for May ...

I really like Tic Tac Toe types of challenges - they make me think about combining items I may not necessarily combine under normal circumstances.  123 Get Scrappy in May have some interesting combinations but ones that worked well for me this month.

I've gone with the diagonal of no flowers, a birthday theme and blue background.

It's all about color ...

I have been enjoying playing with some colour this month on Color Me Scrappy.

Challenge #61

Challenge #62

And Colour Challenges ...

Now it's your turn to tell us how you feel! Why do you enjoy color challenges? If you don't really like them, share that too and tell us why in the comments. For added fun... use one of the color schemes in the college below and create a project. Get out of your comfort zone and have fun with color!!

I've used the middle colour palette.

I really enjoy colour challenges.  They are the perfect way to either use up a collection kit where the colours have already been worked out for you or to put to good use all those odds and ends of papers and embellishments you have in your stash.  Pulling this paper out to match that paper and using  little stickers and adding buttons and brads to my page is what it is all about for me!

It's matter of 123 ...

123 Challenge Blog challenge for May ...

and my take on it ... a rare 8.5 x 11 page for a  work in progress holiday album.

A butterfly or two ...

Another sweet inspiration from Scrapstuffz for May.  Quite a number of ways you could go with this - a garden theme, stepping stones, flowers, butterflies, potted plants, the colours ...

I've gone the butterfly route using up final pieces from a Cocoa Daisy kit from a few years ago.

Some sugar and spice ...

Sugar and Spice Crafty Challenge #5 is all about using mixed patterns to create something this month.

I pulled out a number of different patterned papers from my scrap basket - there is a geometric print, stripes, polka dots in green, circles and even a floral pattern all together on a page about the extremes of my daughter's hair - at it's longest and shortest over the years.

Hope you can join in too - this is a great challenge to help use up all those bits and pieces.

A little vintage me ...

I was rather taken by the challenge at Orange Paperie this month where they are using this image to inspire us.  Such a pretty collection of vintage goodness.

There is a quote attached to this challenge - use it all or a word or two from it.

There was just so much in this image I liked - the folded lace doily, the soft muted tones, the colours of cream and pink and gold, not to mention the gorgeous roses and the overall vintage feel which I have tried to replicate with my layout.  

 

This is me aged 3.  My mother once told me I liked holding out my Sunday best dresses when I was little and twirling about in them.  She thought this was really sweet and showed my gregarious nature.  I tend to think I held them out because they were starched and pressed to within an inch of their lives and they were as itchy and scratchy as all get out !!

I am also entering this page at Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge where they have asked us to scrap our baby picture.  I have so few baby pictures and those I own have long since been scrapped.  I hope age 3 is young enough to be classed as a baby :)

Scrappy Friends in May ...

It's all about combining challenges when the Scrappy Friends get together.

Firstly we have Kelly from Creating Paper and More with her colour challenge.

Your challenge this month is to pick a minimum of 3 of the colors shown in the above photo. You can use all of the colors if you wish but you must use at least 3. There is no limit on other colors you can choose as long as you choose a minimum of 3 in the photo!

combined with Rochelle Spears  and her Tic Tac Toe challenge.

My challenge for you this month is to pick 3 in a row (vertical, horizontal or diagonal) and use those items on your layout.  Remember when you post on your blog to note which row you picked. 

and  now my take on these challenges using pretty much all of the colours and the bottom row across - chipboard, washi tape and enamel dots.

Something old and something blue ...

Scrap the Girls this month has an interesting challenge.  

Take inspiration from the following quote : you may choose to go with the colour, use the whole quote etc - just have fun with it!  " Something old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue"

I had to really think about this one but in the end decided on the something old and something blue and used a vintage photo of my Mother with added touches of blue misting, some texture paste stenciling and ephemera.

A little punky ...

A very last minute play with the April challenge on Punky Scraps where the focus is on this image.

Use this to create. What part of this inspires you? Is it the colours? The Stripes? The balloons or shapes? The childrens books?

Show us what you create using this picture!

I've been inspired by the large balloon at top left as well as pulling out quite a number of the colours from the image - the balloon itself but also the striped paper and the row of owls.

My apologies for the less than amazing photograph - this is what happens when you leave things to the last minute and you have to take a photo at night-time.

Heading off the rails ...

Playing along with Off the Rails Scrapbooking this month.

Their challenge - Mixing two patterns together should you do it? Of course. Please join our challenge of Stripes and Polka Dots and have some fun.

I quite often use polka dots and stripes on the same page, especially when doing a layout for my son.  I think they work well together.

Also participating in Sisters of Craft challenge - anything goes.

Guesting on Lasting Memories ...

I'm pretty thrilled to be guest designing over on Lasting Memories this month.  It is always a bit of a buzz when you get an invite like this so thank you so much for giving me that pleasure.

My first challenge page is now up - the challenge was to make your own background and I have used a stencil and glimmer mist to do just that.

 Oh and just in case you are scratching your head over my title – yep we call diapers “nappies” in Australia.

My second challenge was to use "odd" embellishments on my page.  I've actually gone one step further :)

This is the story of my family all taking the same size shoe when we go ten pin bowling – both parents and both kids, although the way my teen son’s feet are growing this may not last for long!  I have used commercial clothing and product tags in place of patterned paper for my layout – just to be different and just because I could lol – but actually I think it is really effective – why not give this a try yourself.  

Third challenge was this sketch ... 

which I rotated this three times, used two portrait photos and in place of the tag used more patterned paper.  Always remember if a sketch doesn’t work for you as it is, try rotating it or flipping it to find an aspect that does!

And the final challenge for my month of guesting ...

Challenge #4 – using a digital image.

 

I actually use a lot of digital stamps, printables and word art on my paper pages.  This cute card was from a free printable set for Valentine’s Day a few years ago now but as you can see can easily be adapted to use on a “normal” page.  Here is the link if you would like to snaffle these for yourself.  http://www.pumpkinsandposies.com/2010/12/free-printable-valentine-cards.html.  It is as simple as printing them out onto white cardstock and cutting them apart.

Hope you might swing past and join in with us this month.

UnstampaBelles for May ...

Our May challenge for UnstampaBelles is up and running. 

Your Challenge - should you choose to accept it - is to make a paper based

CARD or PROJECT

that Celebrates a Special Person in your life!

It may be a Mother's Day project or similar but does not have to be that

It can be for a male or a female

TWIST: to write on your blog WHY that person is special to YOU

It can be a mother or your significant other, or a much loved person in the family or a person who deserves recognition

AND you have until the 30th May to enter the Challenge.

My card was made for the daughter of a good friend of mine who has recently had her first child.  Babies are always special don't you think and a first Grandchild probably even more so.

Hope you can play along with us.

May on Pixels and Paper ...

This month we have a delightful photograph over on Pixels and Paper Challenge Blog which I think you will all enjoy - a little mystery, a little whimsy, a lot of light and air and pretty ladies.

What inspires you about this picture?  Is it the white dresses reminding you of weddings or debutant's?  Perhaps its the field and grass recalling days of family picnics and outdoor fun.  Maybe the maypole itself brings back memories of dances and school or threading daisies on a chain.  It might even be the goat! Whatever the inspiration, we would love to see your work and please don't forget to let us know what it was that prompted the creative process for you.

With me, I just loved the muted colours in this photograph and the light and airy feel it evokes.  It also brought back memories of summer days playing hide and seek in the park and  lovely family picnics beneath shady trees.

Please pop on over to the blog and get all the details.  We'd love to have you play along with us this month.

It's May and it's ARTastic ...

This month on ARTastic in honour of Mother's Day which is celebrated in many countries around the world sometime during May, we present to you  Amarys by Robert Hagan.

Criteria - Mother and child

A little about Robert Hagan

"I’ve been pushing paint around for about 30 years and still enjoy every moment of it- so its still a hobby I guess. My boyhood was spent exploring the rainforests of the Tweed Valley in Australia while stepping around snakes that basked in the midday sun. School was as little bookwork as possible and moments of unconsciousness on the football field. A 16 hour steam train trip to the ‘big smoke’ and 4 years later I graduated from University with a bit of knowledge about history, economics and drinking. Painting started about the same time as I started working and it increasingly challenged the latter as the most relaxing and rewarding way forward. It finally took over and traveling the world followed. A number of great relationships later, 2 fabulous boys and painting in USA, the UK and Asia and the years slipped by. A few books about painting then a glancing shot at a TV series and I’m here!"

http://www.roberthagan.com/

Please stop by the blog and check out the gorgeous layouts from the first of our design team - some stunning pages there.  We'd love to have you join us this month and share this beautiful inspiration.

and an update and my page for May ...

I have so few photographs of me with my Mother - due to the cost we just didn't take many when I was little.  I smile when I think of the several hundred images most people in this digital age will take of a single event - my entire babyhood can be found contained within a single packet of black and white photographs.  I guess it just makes each one more treasured.  I've tried to pick up the colours from the painting and replicate that soft, muted feel.