Stamps Ahead

These photos were taken in Grasse, France. We spent the day here walking the perfume shops and Fragonard village and perfumery. This layout was another challenge over at Scrapbook Challenges. I was certainly challenged to complete this one as my starting point was the DCWV Die Cuts with a View) paper that had the perfume bottom and words. I found the perfume labels in my stash, I punched, colour misted, ink distressed edges, and made a large die-cut flower (Tim Holtz Tattered Flowers). I am happy with the way it all turned out - got to love a challenge. Thank you for looking and take time to smell the flowers.

These photos were taken last year on a holiday on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. It was a period of rough seas along the coast. And it was cold in the water. This layout was for a monochromatic (one colour) challenge over at Scrapbook Challenges - the rules were one colour and background had to be solid colour. Enjoy.

This card was another challenge over at Scrapbook Challenges to make a card using hand-made large flowers. Whilst cleaning up today I found an old USA magazine,called Good Old Days, from Summer 1975 and I thought I would make some flowers with the some of pages. The smaller coiled flower was a die that I have (and I had never used before! how often do I do this buy something and not use it), then it was a challenge for a big flower, so I free-hand cut a coil (like pealing an apple in rounds) from 6" square paper, and then bigger from an 8.5" x 10" piece of the paper. I coiled them and then flattened the flowers, and in the process as the paper was so frail, it tore in several places but I think that it adds to the finished flower myself. Thanks for looking.

My friend Danielle had a challenge: "Make a scrapbook page, card or beyond the page project using items from our everyday lives as inspiration. Have you looked at the colours used on your shampoo packaging or favourite chocolate??? I often look at these and think I could make a card in those colours or I have a stamp similar to that design." I was inspired by a wrapper that was around a packet of soft jube sweeties at one of the large retailers here in Sydney. I loved the colour and the stars and that is probably what drew me to purchase them!!!! My story anyway and I'm sticking to it!!!!! I had purchased these before Danielle set the challenge so it was off to the paper recycling bin to recover the wrapper and make a birthday card. Inside I have punched out 3 more stars and adhered them and stamped happy birthday. A good challenge Danielle. Thank you.

My birthday present last year was a day at Disneyland, Paris. I love Disneyland, I love the colour, I love the fun, I love the characters, I love that it brings out the kid in you, I love the .......................! I have now been to all but Japan Disneylands. A favourite - no they are all my favourite. I loved this parade in Euro Disney, and so I decided to embrace the Neon - I found all the neon embellishments in my stash and again I was inspired by a challenge at Scrapbook Challenges for this layout. This is certainly one of the most brightest parades I have seen even the entertainers had neon socks and they were dancing around - probably to keep themselves warm as it got colder as the day progressed, but thankfully no rain for my visit.

This layout was for a challenge over at Scrapbook Challenges, where you had to use the letters from your first and middle names (with a maximum of 10) and a corresponding items from the list supplied. M = Monogram (J for Joyce on tag) A = Acrylic Paint (Paris blue painted on CS) R = Ric Rac (Blue on tag) G = Glitter (My favourite Sparklets from Kaisercraft also Laura Ashley glitter stickers on side of photos and envelope) A = Acrylic Paint (Pale Gold painted on CS) R = Ric Rac (again - down left hand side. This was white, but I tea-dyed) E = Envelope (Next to tag, and has my journalling on tag in side) T = Twine (on tag) L = Lace (On the doily that I just had to use as Joyce had lots of these in her house) A = Acrylic Paint (AGAIN - I painted the tag with Plum Pink and also the small flower embellishments) Thanks for looking.

Just taking a break from scrapbooking and have made this card. I have used SU markers to do a little watercolouring of the image.

Alphonse Maria Mucha (11860-1939) is most often remembered for the prominent role he played in shaping French Art Nouveau at the turn of the century - "Le Style Mucha". This restaurant was full of his art on the walls and had a most magnificent glass ceiling with his designs. When I saw this Graphic 45 "steampunk debutante" range I knew it would be ideal for our photos of our lunch in the restaurant. My sister had eaten here on a previous visit to Prague and certainly enjoyed this second visit. I fussy cut images from some of the pages in the range and applied them to the layout.

I have really enjoyed playing along with the sketch challenges at Scrapbook Challenges. Here is one I have just completed. Just after we took these photos at Harrods, London we were told that we could not take photographs, so these photos certainly capture a moment in time. I bought small chocolate bars - white, milk and dark chocolate and of course I bought them just for the ribbon - for my scrapbook page.

Fun in the Snow. More photos from my excursion into the mountains outside of Salzburg. Sparkling Nice, France. Inspiration was from Creating Keepsakes March/April 2010 (just shows keep a layout that you see in a magazine you never know when you have the photos that are just perfect). Close up of the glittery paper (from Creative Imaginations Signature Collection) and my current favourite Sparklets from Kaisercraft. The title was created using glittery alphas from Thickers.

I found that this challenge was a challenge. During my walks, this week, I did not see anyone stretching after walking/running, no stretch limo's, no stretching rope across a road - I did see spider's webs stretched between two trees in my garden, I tried to photograph but with no success I could not capture the image despite several attempts at different angles. And then today, whilst walking the supermarket aisles I found it!!! Stretch hair elastics!!! In the shape of a colourful lollypop - love it, love the colours, love the design. Good enough to eat!!!! I asked a random shopper to take my photo - alas once again there is glare on my glasses. These pictures will make a great scrapbook page, keep reading to view when I have completed the layout. Thank you for looking. From http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stretch . stretch (verb used with object) 1. to draw out or extend (oneself, a body, limbs, wings, etc.) to the full length or extent (often followed by out) : to str...

I will periodically publish a photograph, that I have taken during the past week, that has taken my breath away. No words needed.

I was very excited to get another thank you - this time from Royal Australia Navy - HMAS Parramatta. They received some of my christmas cards to send back home to loved ones. It took a while to get here, but it is great to know my cards were appreciated. I don't do it for thanks and I thank them for taking the time out of their busy days to write this letter. Thanks for looking

This is probably the longest post I have ever done. Over at Scrapbook Challenges they have a challenge to get out and walk, photograph and scrap following a weekly prompt. I am late to the challenge and today I was down in Wollongong and got out and walked along the beach and a nearby dam and completed Weeks 1 - 9. The rules *Just to clarify a couple of things - your photo absolutely must be taken on your walk, and the prompt can be interpreted as loosely or as precisely as you wish. Week 1: "Out of Context" Is it a fish? No a plastic spoon that had washed up on the beach. Week 2: "Blue" a beautiful blue bottle and a blue peg washed up on the beach. The bottle had a blue filter and could have been a perfume bottle. I could not choose just one of these images they are just so bizarre. Week 3: "Reflections" I loved this wharf and its reflections as you walk along it. < Week 4: "Framed" A perfect circle frame in this rock pool. < Week 5: ...

When we were on our Trafalgar Tour - Imperial Europe we visited Salzburg, Austria the site of many iconic Sound of Music locations. Here I am at Schloss Hellbrun and in the gardens is the gazebo the scene of "I am sixteen going on seventeen". It was moved here to make is more accessible to fans of the movie. I am doing my best dance around the gazebo, which unfortunately is firmly locked. Many years ago I read Charmaine Carr's (Leisl) biography and she wrote that during the filming of these scenes she twisted her ankle dancing around on the seats, she had it taped up and she went on to complete the dance sequence. If you look closely in the movie you can see the bandage. This layout shows the Christmas markets held at the Schloss - there was an advent calender on the front of the Schloss. Very colourful. This is the double page layout of the two above. Now to London. On this day we had made a visit to Blade Rubber Stamps - a store selling scrapbook materials that I had re...

With the assistance of friends supplying their excess scrapbooking materials and making some of the pages I am pleased to advise that I will handing over 2200 6" x 6" scrapbook pages (i.e. 100 books) to Southern Cross Kids Camps next week. I thank everyone involved. As you can see I have packaged them in plastic and labelled for boy or girl.