It has been a while...

... since my last post. There have not been enough hours in the day for the past month. I have been scrapping though - helping out with finishing a couple of albums - one for a friend's son's 21st and then a " This is Your Life' Album for a teacher retiring after 41 years at the same school. Both were well received by the recipients and that makes everything so worthwhile. As they were both for males it also gave me a chance to do a different style of scrapbooking for a change - not a flower in sight.

Today I have been at the Embellish It Christmas Crop and enjoyed catching up on scrapping friends and being inspired by the projects and cards everyone was working on. Thank you Tania for a great day and I was lucky enough to win the lucky draw for attending - a Kaisercraft Flourish Tree. On the way home I bought some paint so will show you the finished product when it is done.

I decided to use some 'Karen Foster' Christmas papers purchased last year and scrap a photo from almost 46 years ago when we got a new baby sister for Christmas. Between catching up on everyone and perusing/purchasing the Embellish It goodies this page took 5 hours to complete and it has only got three things on it due to the lovely paper which I didn't want to cover up as it was pretty self explanatory.
Next I was on to the Prima BAP for November - unfortunately too late for the monthly competition. These photos of a friend's grand daughter were too cute not to scrap and worked perfectly with the lovely Prima Papers. And no... it is not twins - just a double take as I didn't have a landscape photo so used two of the same photo to make a landscape orientation to fit the sketch. I used a Martha Stewart Punch and cut out the flower flourishes from Prima Paper. This one went together in half the time of the first page lol.
Have you been to the "Birds of a Feather Scrap Together" site? Pop over to Sonya Pickles Blog to find out about a lucky draw "Birds of a Feather Scrap Together" have if you become a follower.

Hope your weekend is going well. Thanks for visiting my blog. I will endeavour to update more regularly. Take care at this busy crazy time of year.

Until next time .... Dianne

Scrapping World

There has not been a lot happening in my little scrapping world mainly due to a substantial dose of cold/flu for the past 9 days however on keeping up with sites online there have been a few exciting announcements. The very talented Sonya from Pickles Patch is going to be a busy lady as she is involved in both.

First there is a new site Birds of A Feather Create Together created by Sonya and Carol Noakes for inspiring techniques and challenges. The first challenge is here and I am looking forward to trying out the Rusty Paper technique which will go well on heritage layouts. Up2Scrap have announced their new launch for 2011 here.

Prima have their November BAP up. (I didn't get time to do the October BAP so have this one at top of the list.) Did you see the Prima Floral Jewellery blog post? Their beautiful flowers are so versatile. I had intended making a fascinator for the wedding - I have all the materials required but this did not eventuate however I ended up altering the little bag I used and also included Prima as the 'something blue' on the garter.

The little 'Good Luck' silver ingot is the something old and found in her late grandmother's jewellery bits so it was nice to include this as she passed away in November last year.

And some more creative bits we included.
- Aisle DecorationsThe favor boxes filled with lollies doubled as place name tags and the EK Success punch used on the invites was repeated here as on the candles below. We were pleased with the black, white and lavender theme for the venue.
I am looking forward to Tuesday night when I get to see the professional photos. It is hard to believe it was only two weeks ago. Now I must go and reorganise my scrap room so I can get creating again.

Thanks for visiting. Have a great weekend.

Dianne

A great weekend

Hope you have all had a great weekend (and a great long weekend for NZ'ers being Labour Weekend).

We certainly had a fantastic weekend starting last Friday with the marriage of our daughter. After the weather being stormy/changeable in Dunedin all week the weather settled on Friday and was lovely on Saturday and Sunday as well. We all had a wonderful day on Friday witnessing and celebrating C & M's wedding with family and friends. No doubt there will be lots of photos to scrap in the future. Here is a peek at a some of the invitations. We kept the same colour and heart theme but they were all different. The girls and I had a special time creating them.
Since returning this afternoon it has taken a while to check the emails and Google Reader (72 to catch up on). I haven't got through them all yet but came across the Prima September BAP results and will leave you with the page I got a mention with. This little 'basket of joy' is now an 18 month old 'bundle of mischief' but is just gorgeous and delightful.
Thanks for looking. Enjoy your week.

Dianne

Holidays

Well over a year ago we started planning a trip to Australia to take a Murray River Cruise on an Unforgettable Houseboat. After all the planning, and under the leadership of J & E we have been .... and sadly it is all over. Twelve of us, 11 originating from Timaru together with one Australian had a fantastic four days on the river and the remainder of the time in Adelaide. After all the recent rain SA is looking very lush and the Murray's level is way up.
We had so much fun with a theme each night including a meal of that theme prepared by the team of the day under the watchful eye of our fellow sailor, Chef W, who had planned the meals for us. Below is Hawaiian Night fare

Hawaiian - Pina colada

Pan fried fish fillets coated in sliced almonds with beurre noisette

Grilled ham steaks and honey glaze

Lana i risotto

Hawai I salad

and the last morning's breakfast was a delicious combination of left overs including barbecued bananas and pineapple, shakes made with strawberries, melons etc and barbecue eggs even cooked in Australia shapes (courtesy of our Aussie passenger).

So now some of us are back home after a short time and lots of walking around Adelaide with lots of great memories of a wonderful trip with a great group of people.

I may not have time to scrap over the next few weeks as we prepare for our first family wedding (very exciting and only 18 days to go).

The latest Up2Scrap magazine arrived while I was away and it is the last as an Elite Team 2010 Member. My project, a baby girl journal for a baby shower, appears on the cover.
I also discovered that It is the last edition of Up2Scrap in its present form and for 2010, with changes happening for 2011 and an announcement to be made on 1 November. Read the above issue for more information.

Have a wonderful week. Thanks for visiting.

Dianne

Heritage

While I like scrapping all eras of events I do have a passion for preserving our old family photos. I loved what Michelle Grant achieved with the one I sent her so much that I have hesitated in doing another post however one day I might learn how to have a gallery within blogger for easy access to view layouts.

In my collection I have a photo of my Great Great Grandfather, taken in the early 1880's and the only one we have. It is a large photo in poor condition mounted on, no doubt, acid containing cardboard and the original scan came up like this.
I do not have Photo shop but have a programme called Ulead Photo Express and am self taught. I played around and was reasonably pleased with the outcome.

For the August Prima BAP I created this layout while at scrap camp at Raincliff a couple of weeks ago. I challenged myself to create a male page using Prima and this is what I came up with.
I am so pleased to be able to pay tribute to Albert who died at the far too young age of 25. His legacy lived on in future generations who continued to enjoy brass band music and playing brass instruments.

This week we are thinking of the people of Invercargill with all the snow and cold and losing the stadium they are so proud of. A friend had not long ago emailed that they had had a mild winter - I think they are getting the cold of winter all at once now. It certainly brings back memories of Timaru 5 years ago but we had our snow in June when it is more expected.

Thanks for visiting. Take care and keep warm.

Dianne

My Dusty Attic Prize

Wow! How lucky am I? Michelle Grant has finished my layout which was part of my Dusty Attic Prize for the July "Scrap Your Space" contest. I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. I sent Michelle a heritage photo of my Great Grandparents and Great Auntie Maud which I had wanted scrapped for some time and she has created this awesome layout .
Michelle used The Paper Loft Papers - Grandmas house range on this layout along with Dusty Attic - Decorative Frame Set DA0437, Mini Sparrows DA0020, Wall Clock DA0263, Skeleton Clock Faces DA0430, Vintage Keys DA0392 & Decorative Trim Set DA0435.
Thanks Michelle and Dusty Attic. It is a real treasure.

Hope your week is going well. Thanks for visiting.
Dianne

A Mixed and Shaky Week

First up our thoughts are going out to all the people in Christchurch who have been affected by Earthquake yesterday. So much devastation and upheaval to so many lives but it is amazing there has been no loss of life no doubt, and thankfully due to the timing. It certainly was an early morning wake up call with the roaring sound of the earthquake coming waking us and then the shake, the realisation of what was happening ... and then wondering where it was centred. We are 163km South of Christchurch. It must have been absolutely terrifying for people in the wider Christchurch area.

It has been a mixed week sending cards to a newly engaged couple, a new baby and sadly two bereavement cards (for people in their 50's - too young). And of course today is Father's Day.

I made the Engagement and baby card at the Embellish It Scrap Camp last weekend.
The bereavement Card is made with a Dusty Attic tree and bird bath, Martha Stewart punch and BG Periphery papers. And HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD.
This is a little 4 x 3" card made with Prima packaging, little mini cards (purchased at a $2 shop), 2 flowers, clock face, ribbon, Dusty Attic vines, Hambley Print rub on, pearls etc.

Thanks for visiting. Take Care
Dianne