Stamps Ahead

It was a cold and misty day on 19th June as we ventured into The Cape Breton Highlands National Park.  One of stops was at this bog and out we went for a walk along the broadwalk.  I love all these photos.  I sprayed green glimmer mist onto one arrow from 6 x 6 stencil Arrows (the others I covered with waste paper so as not to spray onto them as well) from The Crafters Workshop. I cut away the top of the arrow to fit over the photo.   The result - well it seemed to fit with the foggy photos. The journalling says - "a 0.3 mile walk loop between Mackenzie Mountain and French Lake. A typical highlands bog environment with pitcher plants, sun dews and orchids.  Moose tend to frequent the area but we did not see any." BUT WE DID SEE A FROG IN THE BOG IN THE FOG!!! And I have a new camera and I will be taking it out and shooting photos this week.  Here is the photo by itself and you will see the frog more clearly I hope. ...

Over at ARTa stic Challenge Blog their current challenge inspiration is this photo with the criteria -striped patterned paper and bright cheerful colours. My layout was inspired by the stripes in the deck chair on the poster.  I have used striped paper from a Project Life range called Sunshine (also appropriate don't you think for the poster). In a moment of creativity I realized I had a pot of fine glitter somewhere in my stash. Off I went to find it.  I ran lengths of double sided tape in 2 sizes (mimicking) that deckchair horizontally and vertically onto striped paper and then on removing top tape I liberally applied the glitter.  Result - glitter all over the place - oh well, who does not like a bit of bling. I have also made my own brads and circle embellishments from the off cuts of the "blingy bits" another inspired moment - I remembered I had the fixings for the brads again somewhere in that great stash in the hope that one day I will use it!!...

I have used mostly Project Life (PL) papers on these traditional scrapbook layouts, they come from the PL range called Honey Edition by Becky Higgins. Not a good day for photography today in Sydney it is cold and threatening to rain!!!  A good reason to stay in and do more layouts.!!! This first layout is of my friends youngest son in Missouri.   I love how I could make the arrow with the journaling cards.  "awesome" is a favourite word of ours - it is chipboard that I have coloured with orange stamp ink. The dragon fly die is Elizabeth Craft Designs and I have embossed the wings before adhering.  You will see that I am also loving Studio Calico wood veneer stars at the moment. Love that Cole is growing into an awesome young man who has a natural affinity with nature. Here I am on the set of Friends at Warner Bros Studio in Burbank, Hollywood, Los Angeles.  I am sitting on the couch featured in the series.  Can you find the Studio...

I was away this weekend on a Scrapbooking Retreat and whilst there managed to get quite a few pages completed.  Here are some I am sharing with you.  Hope you enjoy scrolling down.  This first one is of my friend Reta and I - it was taken whilst we had lunch at a Cracker Barrel in  Kentucky. Reta is 91 years young and it has been many years of friendship between us. The papers and stickers are from Kaisercraft Tea Break Collection and the die-cut accents are from s.e.i that I won at the Mega Scrapbook. Love how the unrelated collections all come together.The inspiration for this layout came from scrapbook ideas magazine, page 78 layout by Karen Leonard. These photos were taken during my visit to Warner Bros Studio - by the magic of the green screen I am transported to the world of Harry Potter. I hand cut the arrow. Blanchard Caverns in Arkansas - a magnificent wander through these caves.  It was hot outside but in the caves it was 53f....

This layout captures a lot of what my recent holiday was about Moments to remember forever Travel to USA and Canada Explore new places and take lots of photos. Water and trees feature heavily in the places I visited and my blue jacket - it features in many of the photographs taken on my holiday. This photograph was taken beside the Gasconade River in Missouri. The Gasconade River is the longest river completely within the boundary of Missouri. It has been called one of the world's crookedest rivers. The layout is based on one I did several years ago I love the simplicity of the block of papers, embellishments and photo (approx. 8" x 8") on background paper. They come from Echo Park - Getaway Collection. Not the best of photography of the layout today. Thanks for looking,  Margaret

Before my recent holiday my sister and I went to Bells at Killcare, on the beautiful Central Coast of New South Wales for dinner.  It was locals night (Tuesday) where they have a special 2 course meal with wine.  Bon Voyage.  This layout was completed at Mega Meet Scrapbook Event I attended in Novi, Detroit in May.  A great event and you will see many pages as I complete them using product from classes I attended there.  This next layout was of my tour of Warner Bros Studio in Hollywood.  I love all things to do with movies and television.  It is my favourite trivia segment.  I have put my journaling on a tag that you see peeping out at the top.  This layout use paper and embellishments from Echo Park - Getaway range that I purchased in USA, One more layout of my studio tour.  I completed this layout at a round robin class with Quick Quotes at the Mega Meet. Live your life one fabulous day at a time. There is this great mus...

So true a little kindness does go a long way.  I have returned from a holiday in USA and I am sending to my friends copies of some photos and I made this card to send to them. They raise kindness to a new level.  The background was from a technique on Jennifer McQuire's blog and uses Distress Inks applied quiet liberally. Then, I used a just released Stampin' Up! (r) (SU) circles mask over the background and dabbed water over the mask and then over the top of this I dabbed some Sunflower Silks Acrylic Glaze watered down to give a glittery effect.  The remainder of the card uses SU product.  The stamp set is a new release called Kinda Eclectic, Butterfly punch and Rhinestones for a little more bling. I hope to play more this technique in the coming days. Thanks for looking, Margaret

In January of this year, the book club that I attend came to my home for lunch and after lunch a walk along the beach.  This layout uses all Stampin' Up! (r) product except for alphas and glimmer mist sprayed onto the cardstock.  Inspired by a layout by Sue Parsons p108 Celebrating Scrapbooking Memories Vol 15 No. 9  In October last year I attended a scrapbooking retreat run by SFS.  We were asked to go to an op shop and purchase an outfit for I believe $20.  All that I am wearing came from various op shops around where I live.  I love the skirt and as you can see I worked it - a full flared skirt.  I have kept the skirt and the two tops and wear them regularly.  The reminder I donated once again. I have attempted to replicate certain elements of the skirt on my layout - the colour, flowers and wavy lines. The photo does not show clearly that there are dots between the wavy lines on the skirt. I dabbed my gelato crayon o...