Thursday 31 July 2014

7Dots Studio Challenge - Summer!






As you all know I have the absolute honour of designing for one of 
THE best companies in the world as of this month - 7Dots Studio in Poland - 
so today I'm here to let you know about their current challenge.  

Here is the inspiration circle above, which you need to share on your blog,
 together with a mention of the 7Dots Studio Challenge, & a link back to it
 on their blog.  Here is the link to the actual challenge, which is called
SIZZLING HOT SUMMER FUN!  You can interpret that any way you
like & you need to use any 7Dots Studio product you have on hand.

It is not available in South Africa but anyone that wants anything - I can order
 it for you!  So if you are in South Africa & interested in 7Dots Studio products,
take a shifty around their website HERE & let me know what you are interested
in!  And scroll down to my previous blog-post where I am giving away an entire
7Dots Studio Collection, so if you win that you will be able to enter their challenges!

HAPPY AUGUST!
This year is whizzzzzing by...




Wednesday 30 July 2014

"Brothers of the Heart" Layout - 7Dots Studio Debut Layout






Hello everyone & Happy Hump Day!
Half way through the week can surely only be a good thing :)


Here is my first page as part of the Design Team for
7Dots Studio.  I used the new Nature Walk Collection.


I used papers, stamps, tags, elements & stickers & flairs from 
this comprehensive collection & strengthened the neutral
 tones into really earthy ones through the use of mists & inks.


Everything co-ordinates so beautifully in this collection that it really is a great
one to use for male layouts, where you can add an injection of whatever 
colour you please, making it very flexible.  You can see it for sale HERE
on the 7Dots Site & purchase directly from them ONLY if there is no
retailer in your country.  Otherwise you can find a list of distributors HERE.


I had quite a lot to say on this one!!  As well as 7Dots Studio products I also used 
stamps & metal embellishments from Prima as well as a CW honeycomb stencil.


I also tucked in plenty of 2Crafty chipboard pieces.  I adore the
dimension that chipboard adds & love that it is so customizable!


I am truly in love with ALL the 7Dots Studio Collections & am soooo
delighted to be a part of their design team now.  Every month they have
a wonderful challenge going on, that you can play along with.  Check
out the latest challenge in the sidebar HERE.



Tuesday 29 July 2014

Giveaway Time! {Again at Last!!}






Who needs a little spoiling?  
Definitely time for me to have a little giveaway here today!
There are some lovely, special things here, that I can't wait to share with one of you!!  

A whole pack of the very coveted 9th WaveCollection by 7Dots Studio in Poland,
 designed by the inimitable Ania Dabrowska herself, aka Finnabair. 
 A 12inch {full-size} Moroccan mask from The Crafter's Workshop,
 designed by Ronda Palazzariplus some gorgeous chipboard pieces from
 the US & Australia.  Lastly a lovely mannequin design 12inch overlay
 from the now defunct Hambly Studios, so these are discontinued.  

I will send these goodies anywhere in the world for you, all you need to do
is LEAVE A COMMENT HERE letting me know you've shared this post
either on your blog or your Facebook wall/page (please add a link if possible).
And I will draw a winner in a month so don't forget to come back to check!

Oh & lastly & most importantly - this giveaway is open only to my 
official followers - so if you haven't signed up to my Followers Gadget
on the top left now is the time - it's not too late!
Hope you are having a great week!!




Monday 28 July 2014

Not Drowning just Waving :)







Just waving HELLO so you know I am still alive & well!
Busy busy times for me at the moment on the personal front, helping
 hubs prepare for a big meeting coming up & lots of admin & paperwork.

On the scrappy front I BEGAN SORTING OUT MY STUDIO.
I won't say biggest mistake ever because I KNOW I WILL BE DELIGHTED
EVENTUALLY!!!  Right now though of course it's a right old mess...

One side is almost complete now so I am probably 40% done.

Going to have a HUGE SALE of stash here.  I have had giveaways
regularly on my blog in the last couple of years but I still have far too much.
Really because I used to buy more than I could scrap.  Now I know my limits
& almost everything that makes it's way in doesn't get out alive any longer.

So while it's a painstaking task to sort things out, categorise & photograph
everything to sell it's a necessary evil & I have some super stash - it just doesn't
float MY boat any longer as my style has changed SO much over the last year.

For those of you who have followed me for more than a year will know that
I only really found my personal scrapbooking style just over a year ago.
Prior to that I was so versatile, I could take on any style.  Now I just can't
do that any longer.  I know exactly what I like for me & what I don't.

And that's a huge relief because now it's not difficult for me to sort through
my stash & know what to keep & what not to keep.  If it doesn't truly get my
heart racing I'm hoping it will do that for someone else instead ♥

For the first time in years I've actually "got a gap" & time to take it on.
I've lost a couple of DTs lately {both of them closed down, Inkido & one other}
so I'm taking that as a sign to use this time to finally clear my room out.
It's really small & I'm already loving having got rid of my Mixed Media
 trolley & filled an empty drawer with all my pastes instead.   

It does mean that I can't create as much as usual at the moment
but it's not going to go on forever so hang in there I will be back!
THANKS FOR VISITING :)


Monday 21 July 2014

Pinspired Article in Scrap 365 plus -
Published in the Ribbon Gallery - Aug/Sept 2014





Hello everyone - hope your Monday was fabulous!  Well, hope it was bearable :)

If you've got hold of the new Scrap 365 magazine yet - the Aug/Sep issue -
you will see or have seen already, that I have an article AND a layout in it.

If not, you can go HERE to buy the issue & have it sent to you {free of 
charge in the UK} but your issue can get posted anywhere in the world.

I received my issue on Friday & didn't want to post about it until I had
actually read the issue for myself, which I now have, & in my opinion it
is the best issue yet.  

It is packed full of inspiration from Scrap 365's ginormous & 
ever-growing design team from all around the world,
each with a slightly different style, so very diverse & useful!

It is NOT packed FULL of adverts or pointless, shallow articles but
rather, it is actually all relevant & worthwhile.  

This is what the new issue looks like...


I have a 2 page article "Pinspired" in this one, based on a layout called "DJ Rise".

I feel great about this as it was totally my idea & set to be a regular feature in
the magazine in every issue.  It is based on the ever-rising-in-popularity
mood board idea & how you can use Pinterest to INSPIRE you :)


Here's a sneak at it & my hand-written ink title (yup happy with that!)
although of course that's not my first attempt...ahem...


My layout is of course one that is still unseen, but here is a sneaky of it - 
you can find it in the "Ribbon" Gallery - & the ribbon I have used is that
 lovely "holey" one you can see, from Prima.  It makes the most beautiful
 bows & has a hint of gold in it too.  I love the texture it adds to a project!

Well that's it from me today.  Short & sweet, just as I hope your Monday was :)




Sunday 20 July 2014

7 Dots Studio Off-The-Page Project & Tutorial {Will you still Love me? Box}





Hello everyone!  Today I have my first tutorial up at 7Dots Studio HERE.


I repurposed this chunky box from a Camel belt box my husband
got years ago.  I always kept it as it's a good size & so sturdy!


Before the tutorial let's take a look at some close-ups!  I used
 gelatos for my colouring & I really fell in love with them
 properly, for the first time.  I have ordered some more...!!!


The Illumination Collection has 2 sets of stamps that go along with it 
& I used this set below.  As you can see it is really modern & versatile.

Illumination - Stamp Set 2

Once I had stamped on the paper & coloured some random 
areas adding stickers was the finishing touch & so easy!


I gave my daughter this box, to store her letters & cards from her boyfriend.
She loves it & was grateful to have something pretty to store them in.


The only other products I added, apart from the obvious adhesives, were some gesso
 to tone down the box base, some gauze & drywall tape for texture underneath 
the photograph & some wash tape to finish off the edges of the box neatly.  


This was simple & fun to make & a great way of upcycling
& saving money too - you should try it!!


And here is the tutorial - I do hope someone out there finds it useful...














































Some handy tips on how to put a box together, because, like all things,
it always looks easier than it actually is until you try to do it yourself LOL!
Thank you so much for your visit - I really appreciate it!!



Saturday 19 July 2014

"Chips, Chips!" Layout
Prima Product Pick {Prima Marketing}





Hi there!  Happy Weekend to you!!  A sad one for me with my 2 older kids heading 
back to university in the morning.  Miss them so much when they are gone
 & have loved having them home for a few weeks.


Finally I got the PPP done for July!  Here below is the sample "mood board".
I'm not big on blue but I was happy when my page was done :)


I used some straws that are locally available & am now in love with the idea!
I bought some pink & white ones too so expect to see more of them!!


Somehow straws have a celebratory, party vibe, yes?!
Perfect for my daughter's photo & celebration of her favourite food!!
Here we call them Chips but also known as French Fries :)


I used so many different Prima collections here.  
Base paper from the Delight Collection, paper strips from the Divine collection,
some stickers from 2011 - so long ago I can't remember the name!


Also Prima bling, Prima flowers & these lovely big Prima resist alphas.
I have had them for ages & only just got into the Resist items now, rather late!
The trick I've learnt is to ink up then add water to activate the resist, using a 
paint brush.  Oh my goodness the effects are awesome!!


Also used a Prima mask, Prima crochet flowers, Ingvild Bolme for Prima
chalk ink, a paperclip from the Free Spirit collection, some older paper
(2011) & some 2013 stickers.  All in all at least SIX collections not 
including the stamps, mask & the flowers & bling.

Thanks to participating in the Prima Challenges twice a month for over
a year now I am actually making quite a dent in my Prima stash & so
looking forward to their new collections landing on South African shores!