Some favourites ...

Well 2015 is almost behind us and what a mixed year it has been across the world - some highs, some lows, let's all hope for better things ahead.

I don't think I scrapped quite as much this year as in previous years.  I was time poor and tended to look more on quality rather than quantity and was more selective in what I dabbled in.  I also did a lot of finishing off - completed a number of projects that had sat for a while almost done but not quite. And I did a few larger projects (mainly travel related) in pocket pages rather than by traditional methods.

My favourite layouts for 2015 ...

PAPER

DIGITAL

White with 1 ...

White with 1 this month ...

I love the combination of white and deep blue - it always seems so fresh to me and reminds me of colder climates, of frost and ice and cold.  When I think of ice and cold it brings to mind mind a song from my past - Cold as Ice by Foreigner which in turn makes me think of another moment in time ....

For the Girls ...

An unusual colour board on Scrap the Girls for December - I love these colours.

I have used them in a less vibrant form but I really like the combination of the teal and red.

Also submitting this for the Anything Goes December challenge on Clique Kits.

Feeling a little blue ...

Love the colours on Words and Paintery this month.  They want us to think of cold weather, snow and crisp cold winters nights!

And a truly beautiful mood board on Scrap Africa this month.  I love the navy, soft blue, white and grey tones with touches of gold.

We don't get snow where I live but I have used a photo taken of my children at an ice hockey game we attended at the local ice skating rink and it sure was cold inside!

I have taken the basic colours and then added punched circles from the patterned paper, enamel dots and rhinestones to scatter across my page to replicate all the baubles and splots in the moodboard.  Really pleased how this came out !

Fireworks ...

I was quite taken with the inspiration image on Scrapbooking Top 50 this month - so bright and colourful.

Initially I thought of doing a Christmas page but the colours just didn't seem right so I decided that "the season" can certainly incorporate New Year's which worked so much better with the colours I wanted to use.  The orange image certainly jumped out at me and I have pulled in most of the colours from the pegged up thongs

Orange circles ...

Having a little play with Archi-scraps during December with their Bling focused challenge and also combining it with Scrapbook Fantasies Challenge #47 which is Circles.

As you can see I have used a large number of circles on my pages - in embellishments (bling brads and flairs) and also in the cute patterned paper.  I have taken colour inspiration from the image on Archi-scraps and replicated the design by having a strong horizontal focus strips and then adding a predominant portrait (vertical) photograph.

Around the World ...

Sad to see Scrap Around The World is hosting its final challenge this month.  I've enjoyed playing along with them over the years.  Their moodboard for December is a lovely one so I had to make time to do a page for them.

I have taken inspiration from the colours - pink, purple, orange, green and yellow with a soft peachy pink background from the champagne and added touches of gold.  The design is free flowing much like the leaves around the saying and I have added in dark ink stamping to represent the pomegranate seeds/pips.

Credit to Kim Price for the basis of this design.

Also submitted to the Anything Goes challenge at Clique Kits.

Some freaking guesting ...

Super happy to be guesting this month over on Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge.  The challenge  is to ...

To scrap a memory of Christmas past. Incorporate journaling in your layout about the memory.

My page is from 2009 of my kids helping trim the Christmas tree.  It is a bit of a tradition around this place for everyone to have some input into decorating our Christmas tree each year - even if it is only with a few ornaments and a string of beads!

Some 123 love ...

I enjoyed putting together a page for the December challenge on 123 Challenge Blog.  A little different from the Christmas, festive season challenges out there this month.

My page is a little different too.  I have used a large stamp as the predominant part of my page with a focus banner style middle band and highlighted these sweet kittens with a slight twist on the word for this month (hope this isn't breaking too many rules :) )

Hope you can find some time this month to play along with this challenge too.

Some Christmas cheer ...

And the year is nearly done !!  Welcome to December and a new challenge on Pixels and Paper.  This one is easy - we had to celebrate the silly season!!   As always please find inspiration for your entry from our inspiration photograph.  

Lots to play with here - the bright and happy colours, the Christmas theme, the stockings or Santa or making of Gingerbread men.  Maybe a tree or two ...

Whatever your inspiration we would love to see your take on this photograph - please share your work with us this month.

Here is my page ...

In spired by the red and green (naturally) and the overall Christmas theme.  

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN ...

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry to the link tool on the blog by 11.55pm on December 31st.

Hope you can come and play along with us.

ARTastic Christmas ...

Our final month of the year rolls on through on ARTastic Challenge Blog ... Welcome to December!

This month we hope to inspire you in a festive way with this beautiful painting by Alice Ju called Merry Christmas.

CRITERIA is the use of GOLD on your work

A little about Alice Ju ...

Alice Ju’s artworks are best known for her photo-realistic and dramatic colour, emphasising the radiant splendor of both the urban and natural world. She confidently employs dynamic artistic mediums in her works including oil paint, watercolour, acrylic, pastel, charcoal and pencil.

Alice was classically trained under renowned Australian artist, Kay Maloney.

Alice’s artworks have been displayed in various art galleries and public exhibitions including Mosman Art Gallery, Drummoyne Art Society and NSW Transport Public Art Exhibition. Her stunning works are regularly featured in support of charities and other non-profit organisations including the Exodus Foundation and the LEAD Group. Alice is the founder and director of Creative Einstein Education, a private education centre located in Campsie, NSW.

Here is my page ...

I was inspired by the Christmas decoration theme and have highlighted one of the Christmas Angels we have on our tree each year made by my daughter when she was in Year 6.  I have used splashes of gold and some gold embellishments.

And now it is your turn ......

Hope you can come and play along with us on ARTastic.

It's random ...

I always like a good challenge so I liked this from Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge this month

Close your eyes and blindly grab 3 items from your stash and incorporate it into a layout. You may use other items, and you may re-colour your items, but incorporate all 3 items into the layout.  

The first three items to hand sitting randomly on my desk were two 3x4 project life cards, and ink pad, and a packet of enamel dots which I had neglected to put away.

But wait there's more ....

Nothing like uploading challenges at the last minute !!  I have had this one half done for a week or more and have finally finished it off this afternoon.  It is for Scrapbookit.

Plus Song Title and Stamping.

I have added tiny stamped flowers to my page and the title "It happens all the time" is a song by Tyler Shaw.

Oh Deer ....

Isn't it funny how your mind works some days.  I saw the inspiration image for November on Deer and Fawn Designs and after my initial - "oh this is so cute" ......

my very next thought was ... "Cute yes but this little guy sure looks peeved to be  having his photo taken - he looks like one angry bird"..... then my scrapbooking mind cut in and went ...."angry bird????"  hey ! I think I have a photo of my son wearing that on a t-shirt .... and a layout was born.

Stuck with recycling ...

I am combining the first sketch from Stuck?! with the challenge from Off the Rails Scrapbooking (colour board and recycling / upcycling).

I have kept the basic premise of the sketch, replacing the 2 photos with 1 6x4 and using the same embellishment placement.  I have used rubons for the stamped circles.

I have used the brown, green and teak colours.  The paper strips  I actually fished out of my scrap bin under my desk and the brown cardstock base is actually another layout I hated so I pulled off all the patterned paper etc and reused the 12x12 base.

Reading ...

Playing along with the challenge on Unruly Paperarts this month.

Our Prompt for November is: The Written Word

Our theme this month is in honor of International Family Literacy Month, World Communication Week, National Young Readers Day, National Book Awards Month.

Are you inspired by Books, like to use book/text pages or do the the fluorescent colors of this image speak to you.  If so then this challenge is perfect for you.

I was inspired to do a page using both the bright happy colours of this image and the theme of reading. This is my daughter and I when she was little - she loved books (still does) and loved having someone read to her.  Never underestimate the value of reading to your children!

In the Pink ...

I am joining in with the challenge on Kraft+ this month.

The challenge is to be inspired by  P!nk, the artist.
Maybe one of her album covers?  It could be a song title, or lyrics? 
Maybe you went to one of her concerts?  It is okay to be inspired by the photo.. 
BUT there must be something about P!nk on your layout. 
Please tell us when you upload your entry what exactly about P!nk inspired you.

I love PINK - one of my all time favourite artists but I thought a little outside the square on this one.  I was particularly taken with this album cover and have used it as inspiration for my layout.

I hope you can see the resemblance !

It's beginning to feel a bit like Christmas ...

Such a great Christmas image on Scrapbook Boutique this month - yes I know it is still November but we have to get these cards done somehow!!

I don't have any candle stamps, the very closest I have is Christmas baubles so I took the red and green Christmas colours and this stamp and ran with it.  I even pulled out a Christmas ornament to stand next the the card just to give it that seasonal feel :)

Tea anyone?

Ok I admit it - I like colour boards and this one from Tando Creative took my eye this month.  I really like the muted feel of this colour combination.

I am finishing up random photographs for my daughter's album.  I have a small file box of odds and ends to add into various time periods of her life.  This is the only photo I seem to have taken of the period of many, many tea parties when she was little where she would set up all her teddies and stuffed animals and have serve them her special tea.  Just too cute and a memory worth documenting.

I have covered all the colours.

Also linking this up with the anything goes challenge on Clique Kits