ames designs

I have been creating:

Kreative Team Layouts like this:

and this:

and this:

and this:

and this:


Christmas card challenge cards like this:

and this:


And a few layouts "just for fun", like this:

and this:

and this:



I have been creating the above in between everything else, including putting in my official paperwork to do my Masters by Research next year... eeekkk!!!

And now it's off to an all day crop. Oh happy day!!

July has been a very productive month for me, scrapping wise. I'm not entirely sure why, but I've just been in the zone. I had my DT stuff for August done in the first 2 weeks... a record for me. Usually I get most of it done, but there's always one or two layouts which are done at the last minute. So with this productiveness means I have done a number of layouts that are non-DT.
Firstly, I was very excited to be a winner of a Collage Press "Sweet Shoppe" collection pack after commenting on their blog. Even though it's a lot of pink, I just love this collection. And I have added most of the "Knave of Hearts" collection to my stash. Collage Press have definitely made their way onto my fav manufacturers list.

July has seemed to be the month of circles for me, perhaps inspired by those diecut circles, but it seems every second layout I've done has circles.

In other happenings, Mike and I spent most of Sunday afternoon rearranging the spare room, where my scrapbook corner is. Mike has recently taken up electronics (or re-taken up as the case may be) and had been doing it on the dining room table. We decided he needed a desk of his own. We've rearranged it so he has a desk next to my scrapping desk, so we can sit side by side and "hobby" together. Awww...

Before joining TSK, I'd never played around with scrapping kits before – I thought they were too restrictive, and that I'd much rather buy things that I'd actually use. Joining the design team changed that. As I used these page kits, I began to realise that rather than being restrictive, using a kit actually forced me to “think outside of the box” and use things (colours, embellies, product lines) that I normally wouldn't have selected myself... great example of this: flowers and the colour pink... especially the colour pink. I had never scrapped with pink before, and I rarely used flowers.

I had to smile when I was putting together my July KT page kit and found myself choosing some pink AND flowers... how times change.

Here is my layout using my kit.
I tried something a little different, and printed part of the photo on swiss dot for a different look. It doesn't line up with the rest of the photo as well as I was hoping, but it was fun to try.

Products: Bazzill swiss dot cardstock; Pink paislee diecut paper and patterned paper; Elle's studio tags; Kaiser pearl strip; A2Z chipboard; grosgrain ribbon; brads; green tara flowers


A few weeks back, mum gave me a box of Grandma and Grandpa's old photos. I loved going through them. I have many more ideas for layouts I want to do, but here are a few that I did for July...
The first two are both created from a page kit available soon at The Srappin Kats. The kit was perfectly suited to older photos.

The third is using leftovers from my page kit, with the addition of the background bazzill cardstock and using my new favourite punch: Effervescence.

Remember to go and check out the rest of the Kreative Team's July offerings at The Scrappin Kats

Wow... it's been awhile since posting. A lot has happened in those 6 weeks or so, the majors being:

• A colonoscopy/endoscopy procedure, the results of which I still haven't got because...
• We had to rush to the US after receiving the news that Mike's brother, Pete was tragically killed
• Spent two weeks in the US with family
  
• Came down with the flu on the way home and spent 4 days in house quarantine waiting to be cleared for swine flu... which we were yesterday (thank God)
  
• Our budgie, Piper, passed away suddenly yesterday morning.
  

Needless to say, we are looking forward to life returning to "normal". Despite the awful circumstances, it was great to see Mike's family and friends, and meet some I hadn't yet met.

Grief is still raw for everyone. I know I'll be exploring it further in some layouts in the near future. I have realised that I have very few layouts of Mike's family, and I need to change that, as I want to be telling both our stories.

I didn't get to complete all my design team duties this month, but had finished a few finished before we went away, and got a few more projects finished in the early hours of Monday morning (yaay for waking up at 3 to 4am the last 4 days!). Go check out everyone's fantastic work in the gallery.

In other scrapping news, I did a little cleaning/rearranging of my scrap area yesterday, particularly my stamp collection. As I sorted through all my clear stamps, I realized there were one or two (okay, 4) sets that I hadn't even opened, let alone used. So I'm challenging myself to 1) stamp something (no matter how big or small) on every creation I make for the month of June, and 2) use those stamps I haven't yet used!

...bring on the first!

This is a simple and fun layout I did last week. I was re-organising my layouts, and couldn't help but take a photo of the stack. And you know, I've since been thinking that probably about 50-60% of these layouts have been done in the last 5-6 months since joining The Scrappin Kats.

And of course, today being the first, The Scrappin Kats gallery is all abuzz with the latest uploads from the Kreative Team. Check it out.

I promised a sneak peek of my kit... and here it is...


The kit is all about journalling, and will include journalling prompts, hints, tips and ideas to help you record your special memories.

Looking forward to sharing the full reveal with you on the 1st!

I had every intention of posting timely seasons greetings, but time got away from me. I trust everyone had a lovely Christmas, and have a happy and healthy new year ahead. We had a lovely Christmas in Brisbane with the family.

January 1st heralded not only a new year, but a new month of TSK inspiration. Check out the gallery.



And I'm sorry for tooting my own horn, so to speak, but this had me practically jumping up and down on Friday morning:



In the last few months, I have uploaded a handful of layouts to two peas. For those who don't know, two peas is about the biggest scrapbooking site/community online. When I first got into scrapbooking (and still), I would spend hours on two peas, being inspired. To see one of my layouts in the top ten (be it ever so briefly, it was gone by Friday arvo) was a thrill.

...were posted yesterday over at The Scrappin Kats. A little bit nerve wracking, as it was my first time ever doing something like this, but I'm so happy to be a part of it. I can see this being a really motivator, as well as challenging me outside of my little scrappy comfort zone.

The kits this month are just so gorgeous. I'll post the sketch layouts later; or you can go the the gallery and check them out.

So I've been busy these last few days working on November layouts for The Scrappin Kats. Absolutely love the kits, and can't wait to share them with you. The sketches are awesome as well. Did manage to do one layout with the October kit this week. It's a really simple layout; and was nice'n'quick to put together:

I'm on a design team! I was accepted at Scrappin Kats as a part of their design team. I'm so excited! I literally whooped with excitement when I found out and scared poor Mike in the next room.

Here is my second round challenge as part of the selection process: