Sketches! {by Tamara} #76 (& my last)

So it is with sadness that this is my last Sketches! {by Tamara} layout...

I really like how it turned out...I have used Pink Paislee and some scraps I found in my stash...

The photos are of Robs 29th birthday and the kids love birthdays so we always do something for them.

Quite a few swap items on the page so thanks to all the girls who sent me them.

On other news the Scrap the Boys team has been announced and the Blog is in the process of its makeover... so pop over and have a browse and check out some of the new talent on board and the first challenge will be posted on the 1st of Jan... how exciting...I have been recieving some of the teams layouts and they are fantastic...

Sketches! {by Tamara} # 74

Here is my take on Sketch #74 over on Sketches! {by Tamara}...

The photo is of Eve on her first Christmas...I was so lucky to get this gorgeous picture of her ...isn't it great when they don't move yet...now I have no hope!!! lol

I have used the pink and red combo again which is fast becoming a favourite of mine.

The sparkly flowers and heart are both courtesy of Melissa from swaps...

Design Team News

I made the Design Team over at Creative Scrappers (which is located in Canada) so I guess that makes me an International DT ...how cool...here is a list of all the other girls that joined the team...a shout out and congratulations to all the girls...especially the Sharon and Sheree who are Aussie girls I have gotten to know on line...


They have a very cool sketch blog with weekly challenges so check it out as it is definately worth a look ...and you will be seeing my creations on the blog come Jan 4th ...


Very excited about this new 3 month stint...I think I might have to catch up on all my scrapping to avoid getting stuck without time.


On another topic ...I got Ashton to draw the winner of the little house kit and could Nic please email me your address ...the kit is coming your way. Hope you enjoy it!

Sketches!{by Tamara} #73

Here is my take on this week Sketches! {by Tamara} the sketch was a 6x12 but I have addes a 12x12 backing sheet as I was not happy with the layout in that format...

The little strawberries are a Stampin' Up! stamp and the pps are BG Ambrosia and Sassafras lass...

Start of the month

The White with 1 has its December challenge up and this months Criteria is inspired by the silly season ...they are:

White
Festive Colours (so any combination of)
Bling

My layout "Santa" I have used Red and gold and my bling is gold pearls and gold mulberry paper stars...courtesy of Aliesha from a swap.

Talking of swaps this month the White with 1 colour for the swap is BLACK...now who couldn't use more black embellishments to use on their layouts...pop over and sign up...the last couple have been unbelievable.
Scrap the Girls is all new and so very improved...this months challenge is up and features an awesome sketch and the criteria of pink and flowers...

Just perfect for all you scrappers with girls to create something really girly...why not pop over to the blog and enter...there are some great prizes from some fabulous sponsors...here is my CT example layout for the challenge.

"2.5 & sassalicious" is using the sassafras lass papers which I love and I broke out the old HS silk flowers for this layout...the photo is of my gorgeous girl at 2 &1/2 ...she is so sassy at the moment I love her so much.




Whilst we are on the topic of Scrap the Girls...

"The Boys are Back in Town" yes you heard it here first Scrap the Boys is Back and all new…Scrap the Boys inspiration Blog is changing hands and changing format…I’d like to thank Sharon Thompson for passing the blog over to me and I hope that everyone likes the directions it is about to take.So what does this mean….we are looking for SPONSORS…so if you are an online store looking for a promotion opportunity please contact Susan Longman on susan.longman@bigpond.com....And I need a talented CT…if you are interested in being on the "scrap the boys" creative team please email me the following by 18th December…

1. Your Name
2. Your Location
3. Your Blog Address
4. Your online gallery addresses
5. Any Design teams you are currently serving on (this does not effect my decision)
6. A paragraph about yourself
7. 2 of your favourite boy layouts

Please email me with your application to susan.longman@bigpond.com . Creative team will be contacted by the 21st of December giving you a week to create your layout for the first challenge on the 1st of January 2009.

So to sum up "Scrap the Boys" will be a challenge blog with sponsors and have a talented creative team to get all you scrappers with boys inspired to work outside of your normal "boy" format. I hope to have the first challenge up on January 1st. If you want to sponsor the blog or apply for the creative team please email me by the 18th of December. Also pop scrap the boys on your blog feeds as it is going to be huge there are a few other exciting things planned too.

2 more layouts and a giveaway!

So previously I mentioned I am a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator (and initially this blog was going to be solely for that purpose...hence the name...lol) anyway last week I did a workshop and we made these cute little "gingerbread houses" out of chipboard and a pattern I made up myself...

Well I have one kit left if anyone would like it I am giving it away...just leave me a comment and depending on how many responses I get I will draw the person out if a hat...It will be really embarrasing if I get no responses but hey ...the kit is just sitting there collecting dust so I thought I would put it out there ...not that I think I get many visitors to my blog...lol.

"Close" is the layout I created using Scrapbook Savvy's Monthly Store Competition . The sketch can be seen here...

There is a focal frame around the sketch but I used a scalloped semi-circle instead to frame my main photo...

The paper is French Kitchen and the back of MM Noteworthy paper. I have used True Friend Stampin' Up! stamp set for the leaves in the flower clusters and BG White Chocolate alphas ...a bit of handstitching and transparency and whalah!

"party gal" is a layout using monthly sketch challenge over on Bons Scraps...

I wasn't to sure about this one either as it was very sparse and no patterned paper indicated (which I stayed true to)...so I went with some stamped flourishes (kelly panachi) and simple colour scheme to use the photos as the focus.

I am really happy with this the only thing I am not sure about is the lack of journaling...but I have other layouts from the day and I guess cutting the cake is self-explanitory?

Couple of last minute challenges

This is the sketch for Annas Craft Cupboard...

The photo is of Ashton holding my gorgeous nephews, Remi and Will (who are now 6 weeks) at 2 weeks old. I found this old KI paper and thought it was perfect and talking use your stash check out the "plate" I have had that hanging around my stash for 4 years ...lol

"you are beautiful" is another one of the challenges over on Scrapbook Savvy this one is for Renee C's Product/Technique Challenge ...So the challenge this month is to use lots of glitter in a design on the background of your layout.

Now I have use Glimmermist rather than glitter powder as such as I thought it lent itself better to the look of the layout. All the flowers are glitzed and the background "grunge" is also sparkly ( a bit hard to see on the photo :() The Grungy look is made with a Stampin' Up! roller stamp...

I have also altered the Whiter chocolate Chip BG alphas with the "friendly" backround stamp from Stampin' Up! loving this stamp...it is getting a real work out lately...

I have handcut and made my flowers out of old music paper I found in my stash whilst tidying up and I have used the heshian flower out of the kit that I won on Leah Fungs blog.

"Sweet Princess" is a layout I have done using up scraps from Mel...I scrapped at her place on Thursday and had serious scrap envy... even just browsing through her scraps box... the rubons are 2scoops.

I love this photo of my beautiful girl she looks so cheeky with her tongue half out...

Roadmaps and Savvy Scraplift

This layouts is for Mel's Savvy Scraplift over on Scrapbook Savvy... i absolutely love this layout design it is one of my favourites and I am sure I will be using it again and again.

The papers on "beach treasures" are really old Autumn Leaves and I have altered the flowers with the "friendly" Stampin' Up! Background stamp which has a typeface design...I love it.

The photos are of Eve and Ashton on the beach at Bicheno building sand walls and decorating them with the treasures (shells) they had found. It never ceases to amaze me how kids can make fun out of next to nothing.

This month Aussie Pub Calls Roadmaps Sketch was fabulous...loved the multiphoto aspect and this is what I came up with.

The photos were taken at Robs Work Family Fun Day @ Westpac and the kids had a ball especially Evie.

Papers are Tinkering Ink and Hambly and I altered the flowers with a Label Tulip honeycomb stamp.

Loving the pink and red combination at the moment and they say it doesn't go...pfft!

A Couple of layouts

Did you know Wicked Princess Kits have a monthly Sketch? This is their first and you don't have to use the kit products to enter...

For "concentration" I have used Cosmo Cricket papers and the Alphas are my new favourite Basic Grey...

I have altered the Green tara flowers with the "friendly" background stamp from Stampin' Up! and I have to say it is my new favourite as it is a type face font...

Sketches!{by Tamara} #72 ...

This one is a flip of the sketch and I have used photos from my 34th birthday...and SEI scraps courtesy of Melissa...

Don't the kids look just adorable in the photos...funny how birthdays make kids so excited...

Stuck! #65

This month I am trying to do a bit more variation so sketches are coming in really handy for me...here is my take on the Stuck! Sketch #65...


"Who ate all the pies" was our catch phrase for the cricketers as those whites are not the most flattering of sports gear...


So this photo with Ash and Rob wearing there floppy hats and sunglasses reminded me of that hence the title...(don't you hate those title that are obviously a private joke...I always wonder!!!)


The papers are scenic route scraps from Melissa H...cheers ...love papers I would not usually buy myself and it has made for a really different layout for me...


And on the topic of Mel...she has completely revamped the "scrap the girls" challenge blog and has a CT call at the moment...I am on the team so go check it out ...first challenge coming soon...

Sketches! {by Tamara} #71

This weeks layout sketch over on Sketches! {by Tamara} was a double ...but as you know I don't do doubles so I made mine a single version...





The photos are of Myself, Kells and Wendy when we had our faces painted at Ashtons 4th Birthday party in September...of course it was a photo opportunity...

The papers are Love Elsie, and an ancient BG...I have altered the flowers (bit hard to see) with a Stampin Up background stamp called "Friendly" and it is a type face look ...I love it ...my new favourite thing...

Picked the little tickets up at paperific and the alphas were courtesy of Emma...cheers babe!

a couple of Savvy Challenges

Julie's Word It Up Challenge is "LIKE PEAS AND CARROTS"...basically you had to have a go at scrapping about a relationship between something or someone and share the story of how alike and yet different they/it is.

So I have done a layout about how simular my 2 are in looks, personality and how close they are...but they are still different enough to annoy each other at times...

Sarah's Random Challenge this month is make it Edgy...that is use a decorative edge (at least 1) on your layout...easy enough to do I think...

So here is my take...I used WeR papers and an old photo of my hoot and babygirl fast asleep on the couch.

The cluster is mostly swap as I am trying to use them seeing as I join in on them...

The title Solid Gone is a Longman saying...

Mysticals Jingle All the Way

Do you want a hamper scrapping goodies delivered to your door before Christmas??? if the answer is YES, head on to Mystical Scrapbooks Jingle All the Way Contest!!! Each Monday 2 challenges will be posted and due the following Sunday. You must submit both layouts to be in the running for the prize. Don't fear though, these will be easy enough to complete. Go to the site to learn about this fab contest! And winners... Yup because there will be 3 winners and they will a receive a hamper of Scrapping Goodies right before Christmas!!! Really hope to see you all there! This is Open to International Scrappers too!

My first challenge is up for this week and it is a sketch...so easy enough ...only other criteria is journal about a Christmas tradition and use Christmas photos...Here is my example layout for the sketch

November Puzzle Sketches

Puzzles Sketches this month was a little on the challenging side for me...but here is my take on the pieces...

The photos are from this years Easter egg hunt.

The papers are BG Urban Prairie ( a new fav). This is a colour combo I have never scrapped before and have to say I love it.

Here is a close up of the cluster...the button flower was from a Swap ...not sure who made it but if you are browsing leave a comment and claim kuddos for your work...lol

Sketches! {by Tamara} #69

Here is my take on the Sketches! {by Tamara} #69...

The sketch was a lot more spaced out but I found I needed to cluster all the elements on the page to create a page that was more my style.

To create the flowers I used the Stampin' Up! Script Background stamp and Stazon on buff reflex copy paper. I then spritzed them with grafite glimmer mist and scraunched them up. Think they turned out quite well...

The flourish is glazed with waratah Opals...one of my favourite products too...
The flowers on the page are inspired by Donna Salazar from the videos on Leah Desktop Dictionary.


And you will never guess I left a comment on her blog and I won a prize pack random draw ...how cool is that. Love the blog check it out ...the girls are ubertalented and very fun to watch.

October Crafting in Style Sketch - whoops

Better late than never here is one of Ashtons Birthday layouts using the Cisters Monthly Sketch...

The cake was Four Arms from Ben Ten Cartoon and took 2 hours to make ...but one very happy 4 year old.

November White With 1

White with 1 Criteria this month is:

White

Lime

Scallops

Be sure to pop over and check out the girls layouts they are very inspiring. Lots of great prizes this month so be sure to enter a layout.

Here is my example...photos taken by Kells...

Also the new swap has been posted on the blog and this months colour is RED ...yay my favourite so be sure to sign up if you are interested in participating.

Sketches! by Tamara #68

Here is this weeks layout for Sketches! by Tamara # 68. I have flipped the sketch and gone for a summery feel to accommodate the swirls in the sketch.

These photos are of my DH and Son last summer when he was still no very water confident. The older boy featured is our neighbor. the Owl was from a swap created by Natalie Rayner...cheers Nat.

Have used some more really old BG papers...as I am on a scrap stash spring clean atm...lol

Challenges on Savvy

Sara's Random Challenge this month was to use up some of your bracket shape stash.

"mums girl" is the layout I created using my Jenni Bowlin JB's and Bracket Paper.

I love this photo as Eve is a real Daddys girls so when I get showered with affection it is cherished...

Mel's Savvy Scraplift this month was inspired by a layout created by my sis Wendy Smith. I stayed pretty true to the origional only mine is girly version.

Papers are the new Urban Prairie a fav of mine. There is also a few swap items featured so thanks to those girls that made them for me.


Savvy's Monthly Store Competition this month was another Becky Fleck Pagemap.
Here is my take on it...

Not yet journaled on the layout as I want to capture Eve's words about how precious Digby is to her.

Butterflies are from a swap courtesy of Kells

So You Think You Can Scrap #8

Scraptacular's SYTYCS Competition is up to round 8 now and this weeks Genre was Colour Blocking....hmmmm
Here were the criteria:
- A colour blocked layout design
- No odd angles, everything running perfectly horizontal or vertical
- Colour Photos (that means NO black & white)
- Journalling Strips
- At least 6 different colours... Black & White is included as a colour
- At least 2 different size photos
- A circular element (it helps breaks up all the straight lines)

So I created "1st Haircut" using the new BG Urban Prairie Papers...

My colours are black, white, blue, pink, yellow and green. My circle element is the ring of butterflies...and the rest is self explanitary (I hope) ..have to say this week was a tough one for me as I am a clusterer and generally only use 2 or 3 colours on a page.

Sketches! {by Tamara} #66

Here is my Sketches! {by Tamara} layout for sketch #66 ...a little late in posting as I was on a retreat when this one went live on the blog...

The photos are of my Mum (granma) and Ashton at Old Macs Farm...Ashton was a little tentative about feeding the animals but with a little encouragement from a doting Granma and he became more relaxed.

Papers are GinX (very old) but perfect for this layout so what the hoo!

Pencillines

A quick layout I put together using old stash and a pencillines Sketch #105 ...

UYS - Paper - BG (3years)
UYS - Chip - Doodle & Plain Jane Stars (2.5years)
UYS - Rubons - Creative Imaginations (2 years)

Well I challenged myself at least not sure how successful it was ...but hey!

Love these photos of Ashton and Rob on the waterslide ..they had a ball and I was actually able to capture the anticipation on Ashtons face ...

Scrapbook Savvy CyberCrop

Savvy had its Cybercrop a couple of weekends ago and I managed to get all three challenges done for the weekend...which is a feat in itself for me...but there was an incentive with Dianne doubling the already generous prize money if you did complete all of them.

The theme was Movie Madness and all the challenges where inspired by the movies ...So here are my efforts for the weekend....
Challenge 1 : Pretty in Pink

Inspired by the movie "Pretty in Pink" and to celebrate Pink Ribbon Month, your challenge is to create a layout using only Pink, Black, and White! Predominant colour must be pink - any shade of pink you desire!

"butterfly kisses" was my effort (and not my best as I soon realised I have a destinct lack of pink in my stash)

Papers are Fancy Pants and the photos are of Mum (granma) and Eve when she was about 5 months old.





Challenge 2: Remakes

Inspired by the movie remakes, the challenge was to re-make one of your oldest layouts! You know the ones - back when you were just beginning. Also you had to use an old item on the page (mine where the alphas)

So here is the layout I remade (the origional is here)

Sorry about the shadow I had to take the picture in really dodgy light ...so overall much happier with this layout ...



Challenge 3: Movie Quotes

Your challenge was to create a layout and use a quote from a movie as your title and/or journaling!

So I used the quote from the Spiderman movie for the title and a photo of Ashton from his 4th Birthday (photo credits go to Kells)

Papers are Scenic Route and KI lace cardstock....and most of the embellies are from a swap over on Mystical Scrapbooks.

And this layout actually won the challenge ...woohoo Mums got coins to spend ....YAY!!

Aussie Scrapjacked

This month I though I would try a few more of the Blog challenges seeing as I get quite a good patronage on my challenge blog...so I popped over to Aussie Scrapjacked and "jacked" the featured layout by Kathie Link. So here is my take...

"Bat Boyz" is a photo taken on Eve's 2nd birthday of Ashton and my Nephew Charlie with their faces painted like batman.

The papers are really old Daisy Dees and I have gone old school and fished out an old Maya Road chip frame (rather bat shaped I thought) and a cluster of swap embellishments to complete the layout.

Not my usual style but I am quite happy with its impact as the photos have been in the too hard basket for a little while now...so yay!

Bon's Scraps Challenges

Sandie Mallon is one of my talented scrappers on White With 1 and she also designs for Bons Scraps so I decided to become a member on the site and take part in a few of their monthly challenges...here is what I managed so far...
"Look Im Winking" was created using the criteria from Bon's monthly layout competition where you had to take inspiration from a picture of a to die for bedroom...


I choose the colours and demask print as my inspiration for the layout. The photo is of Ashtons first ever wink (lucky I had the camera...lol)


The papers are Jenny Bowlin, Scenic Route, WeRMemory Keepers, and some velvet paper I had in my stash...Love this colour combo will definately use it again ...aqua, olive and white...yummy.


As per usual I have included the mandatory owl as it is an Ash layout...



"Just you & me" was created using a Stuck! Sketch for the challenge "write now" over on Bons Scraps....
The criteria this month was:

1 SCRAP YOUR RELATIONSHIP scrap a page about someone you love - your significant other, a child, your mum, a best friend.

2 WRITE NOW journal about the special bond you share.

I have journaled about the simularities Eve and I share both physically and in personality.

I love this photo it was taken by my sister Wendy.


The papers I have used are Sassafras Lass and the flowers are Prima.

So You Think You Can Scrap #7

Scraptaculars "So you think you can scrap" competition is on round 7 and here are the criteria we had to work with for the Genre " Haberdashery...

- 75% of the elements adhered by stitching

- at least 2 different stitch types

- at least 2 pieces of fabric

- a handmade embellishment

- at least 3 (or more) photos

- ribbon

Here is my take on the criteria....

Everything adhered with stitching (I have a really sore finger)

Straight and cross stitches used

The fabric is the heart and the butterflies

The handmade embellishment is the Orange Slice made from felt

3 photos

and a ribbon (tucked under the orange)

Here are the close ups of the embellishments...I stiffened the fabric with Modgepodge first to stop it fraying and it made it easier to cut...

So You Think You Can Scrap R#6

Scraptacular's SYTYCS competition had a really thought provocing challenge this round...the genre was STORYTELLER. The criteria was:

-LO must have only ONE photo MAXIMUM size 4x6...
- LO needs to be about something that was difficult for you to live through, a loss, sad time or something of the like
-LO must have AT LEAST 200 words of journalling if computer generated or 100 words if handwritten
-LO must only have ONE piece of Patterned Paper on it

So here is my take I have had a really charmed life with not much tragedy in it...(thankfully) and so I journaled about an incident that made me sad...the day my son was bullied and how it brought forth all the worries I had been carrying around with me.

White With 1 first ever...

COLOUR SWAP ...happening at White With 1 ...make sure you pop over to the blog and check it out...this months colour is TEAL and you can make anything your heart desires ...if this is successful we will be running a new colour swap every month...so join in the fun!!!

Stuck! Sketches

Sara Noendeng, fellow DT member on Mystical, runs the Stuck! Blog ...and this is a take on one of her weekly sketches...#58

I have also used some of the DT Kit from Mystical Scrapbooks for this layout with the Black Market Papers.

The cupcake is handmade from felt and the Ribbon, JB and buttons were all out of the kit.

I love this photo of the 4 cousins blowing out the candles at Wendys 32 birthday.

And SHOCK !!!! I doodled again...this circle thing I think is going to be my only doodle ever...but have to say actually like how it looks...lol

Puzzle Sketches

I thought I would give the Puzzle Sketch Challenge a go this month so here is my effort with the elements...

I also combined this with the Stylist challenge over on the Scrapboutique...which asked you to use the quote...
"Enjoy the little things in life, because one day you will look back and realise they were the big things" on your layout...which was perfect for this photo...

So 2 challenges in one layout quite happy with myself really ...lol

Sketches! {by Tamara}

So for those of you who didn't know I made the DT on the Sketches! {by Tamara} blog...and here is my first ever Sketches! {by Tamara} layout.

It is for Sketch #65 over on her blog.

I used the MM paper on "Bubble Fun" and created a flower cluster with a large butterfly which I altered with Opals to match the little pearls...






The other girls on the team are:

Bethany Stouvenel
Abbie Torroll
Alecia Castro
Charlotte Hansen
Jakey Walker
Krista Hanna
Mimi Leinbach
Sandie Vincent
Tammy Maynard

So You Think You Can Scrap #5

Well it is into the finals and boy is it getting tough (well for me at least) this weeks Genre was FREESTYLE / ARTY...Eeek!!!The essential criteria on the page (which had to have a freestyle/arty feel to it) was as follows:

1. Page needs a Handmade/written Title

2. Page needs Paint

3. Page needs a Household/Thrift Item

4. Page needs a odd edge or shaped background

5. Page needs doodling

So here is what I came up with after my first dissasterous attempt of handpainted "tropical flowers" I tore that layout up and went with classic balck and white to counter the arty component which is not very me at all.

All the flowers are finger painted, by popping my fingertip into the paint and dabbing it onto the cardstock in a five petal design, then cutting them out...the white ones I then stamped with a script stamp to add a bit of interest. There is no patterned paper on this layout at all ...so it is all my own art (if you can call it that).

So lets do it by the numbers...

1. Page needs a Handmade/written Title - I have handdrawn the U and the R in black permanent pen and then stamped it with the same script stamp.
2. Page needs Paint - I have made all my flowers with black and white acrylic paint and my finger
3. Page needs a Household/Thrift Item - I have used my daughters clear elastic hair bands to pinch the ribbon in.
4. Page needs a odd edge or shaped background - I have used my flowery fiskars punch to create the black border strip.
5. Page needs doodling - I have created a lot of random circles to frame the photo.

So I have covered off the criteria and this is about as arty as I get I am afraid...