CSI #222 ...

A final layout for January and scrapping a winter page has made me so, so wish I was actually in that season right now as we are in a heat wave at the moment and there is simply nothing cool about our Australian Summer weather.

Anyway I loved the colours in challenge #222 on CSI - Color - Stories - Inspiration and decided I'd put together a digital page focusing on some pretty winter scenery where friends of mine live.

 The Scheme - all colours used

Evidence - Snowflakes, stars, pearls, flowers, leaves, glitter

Testimony -  Document something about winter

Just too hot ...

Occasionally when I run out of inspiration or am tired or in the case of today, just too flipping hot to think straight, I will pull out an older layout I have done and scrap lift myself and this is one such case.

It's a simple page but it's bright and colourful and works for the challenge on Scrapbooking Top 50 to use this quote (or part thereof).

Stay cool everyone :)

Off the rails ...

I don't normally use a lot of brown and monochromatic layouts are my least favourite of all but since I am on a dedicated mission to use old stash this year I pulled out all the brown "bits" from my scrap basket, dug through my dish of loose die-cuts, found a photo from my yet to scrap pile and put it all together for the challenge this month on Off The Rails.

It's simple but I think it works ...

Thanks for looking :)

Some lovely lace ...

Playing along with the challenge on Archi-scraps this month which is to use lace with this page for my Heritage album featuring my parents on their wedding day.  I have intentionally left off the journaling here as want to double check the date before committing it permanently to paper.  I love black and white vintage photographs and scrapping them with a little shabby chic twist.  These are mainly supplies from JBS Mercantile which I am trying to use up from my stash.

Freaking in January ...

Another freaking scrappy challenge ...

Use the colour grey in your work. January can be a grey, dreary month - let's celebrate grey!!

Well no, not here in Australia it isn't - we have it hot, hot, hot.  In fact too flipping hot even for us :)  44 deg C is a tad ridiculous.

But I have embraced grey and documented a fun day out for my son and members of his swim club - a great bunch of very cool kids!

Show us ...

Seems we are all in a hot summery mood with a lot of the challenges here in Australia - and no wondering judging by the extreme heat conditions many of us are suffering through during January.

Show us your stuff has this vibrant moodboard.

I loved the colours in this one and searched through my paper pile on a mission to use some old supplies.  I've made a bit of a pact with myself this year to either use them or loose them - if these older lines are still in my stash by the time we move in the Spring they are going out!!

Anyway these are old Studio Calico but worked very well for the colours especially the gradient colours in the top left image.  I also pulled in the use of a large star (which is also my hand made item from Chantal Vandenberg) and the theme of Summer and Water of course.

There is nothing quite like a good water fight for a bit of fun and a quick cool off.  With the height and age difference my poor son came off a little wetter than his sister in this one.  I have yet to date this page (will go on label at the bottom - just can't locate the original file for them atm).

123 in January ...

I completely forgot to put up my submission for the wonderful January challenge over on 123 Challenge Blog.  I think you will all like this one.

My son completed his Higher School Certificate in 2016 - yes it was one very big year for this household so we were all waiting on tender hooks for his results mid December.  We need not have worried as he did brilliantly and received an early offer into the University degree of his choice.  Of course I just had to document the moment.

I've used Shimelle Starshine - love this range and totally adore Shimelle!

ARTastic January ...

Our first inspiration for 2017 on ARTastic is this fantastic painting by Ken Done called Sydney Night.

CRITERIA - A CITY theme

I was inspired by the idea of viewing the Sydney city skyline from the water and knew I had the perfect photos from a cruise my daughter took to see the Vivid light spectacular from a year or so back.  I also knew I wanted to go big so the photo dominated the page and used the colours from the artwork to enhance the photo.

Thanks for looking - hope to see your entry on ARTastic this month.

Pixels and Paper in January ...

Our very first challenge for 2017 is up on Pixels and Paper Challenge Blog ...

January is our middle month of Summer and traditionally vacation time here in Australia.  The kids are out of school and very many of us head to the coast for family holidays or visit our local beach for days of sun, surf and sand.

CRITERIA - A SUMMER theme

What inspires you from our photograph?  It is the ocean waves, the sand, children playing contentedly or the bright happy colours of summer in their clothing?  Are you more drawn to the blue of the ocean or the gold of the sand?  Does this image remind you of sun filled vacations or time spend at the beach or in your own backyard pool?

I was inspired by the basic colour scheme and the idea of summer in a waterside location.

Hope you can come and join in with us this month ...