Stamps Ahead

Earlier this week I went on ferry to Dangar Island and then lunch at Hawkesbury River, this time to raise funds for a school and mission in Kenya.   Here are just a few of the photos I took - scrapbooking to follow. Dangar Island is located on the beautiful Hawkesbury River, it is land locked so you need to take the ferry or have your own boat.  For more information on the island click here .  Here I am at the front of the ferry taking in the beautiful weather and the beautiful sights. Dangar Island Ferry Wharf Who cannot love a view with a beautiful gum tree framing the sky and the river.  Taken from the café on the island.  My morning tea with Key Lime Pie.  I love that all of the tables had a hibiscus flower on them. There is no cars or trucks on Dangar Island, just golf buggies to get around - in case of fire take the boat!!! Lunch spot back on mainland at Hawkesbury River Reserve - a few of our lunch companions A great...

On Saturday, I am hosting a table of 8 ladies at a high tea and fashion parade to raise funds for Australian Farmers doing it tough.  I have made for each of the ladies a name tag and bookmark for them to take away using Lawn Fawn stamps Baah Humbug. This is a Christmas themed set but it has so many uses. For the bookmarks I used my markers to make each bit of knitting different - they match the colours in my Royal Albert Tea cups, saucers and plates. Most of them I got as 21st birthday gifts way, way back. On the name tags the 'grass' is the small mistletoe stamp. Close up of the bookmarks. I love them, they are so cute don't you think? Thanks for looking, Margaret :)

Here I am back with a layout created for Soul Scrappers - this time the letter challenge was "V" and the criteria Vellum.  My word is Vintage. The photograph is of my parents on their wedding day - in their "going away" outfits.  My mother was a tailoress/dressmaker and she made all of her clothes for her big day and I am sure for her trousseau.  Is this word still used today? It means the clothes, linen, and other belongings collected by a bride for her marriage. For their honeymoon they went to Newcastle, NSW not far from where I live these days. I searched my stash for some vellum - not an easy task as it is not something that I regularly use and in fact it is not something that I have really embraced.  Yes, it is Christmas themed - oh, well, how was I going to make it work. As I was doing this, I found a piece of Graphic 45 paper with a fashion theme.  Taking inspiration from the fact that Mum was a dressmaker I decided to keep the word...

Here is a clean and simple layout that I have completed for a letter challenge over at Soul Scrappers .  The letter "W" and the criteria was to use Washi Tape. My word W "waiting". I have used washi tape in a number of ways - as strips, journaling on it, and as a pennant.  The banner was so that I could incorporate other colours in the photograph. I took the "double selfie" of my sister and I whilst waiting for the start of Premiers Gala Concert in April, this year - "Puttin' on the Ritz".  One of the joys of being a "senior" is that each year you apply to attend this free concert during Seniors celebrations.  Thanks need to go to our friend, Jan who gave us her tickets as she could not attend.  This is a close up of the pennant banner I made, the first time I have used Washi to create a banner.  The next challenge at Soul Scrappers  is to use the letter "V" and the criteria is Vellum - let me see if I can search o...

Here is my layout for a challenge over at Pixels and Paper challenge blog: The challenge was to be inspired by the following photo and the criteria was Vintage Style.  Of course I was inspired by the suitcase in the inspiration image. About my photos - several years ago my Uncle George (Dad's brother) passed away and his wife gave us this suitcase full of photographs and memories.  Well, what a find it turned out to be.  My Dad was still alive at this time and he could identify some of the photographs inside.  I have subsequently made several layouts showcasing some of the photos - more still to be done.   It was an eye-opener to my maternal Grandmother's side of the family.  My father's parents were travelers (is this where I got my travel spirit from?) they would travel by coach, train and car to places within Australia and kept notes, postcards, photos and brochures etc from their trips.  It is family folklore that t...

Today, another layout - this time for a challenge over at Scrap Our Stash .  Here is my double page layout: Our challenge was a book inspired challenge.  Here is the inspiration photo and challenge criteria:                                                I was inspired by the title, the colours and the faces at the bottom. In April 2015 I was asked by a local community centre to lead a cardmaking class during the school holidays. The girls had fun making their cards and doing their own creative interpretation of the cards I demonstrated.  Left hand page.   Right hand page. This one (above) shows one of the techniques that I demonstrated on the cards "Distress Stain Splats".  I added some rhinestones for a bit o...

There is a challenge over at Soul Scrappers to be inspired by a book title by Dr Seuss.  Here is my layout and thanks Mitzi for a great challenge: Of course it was his 1960 publication - One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish. I have loved fishing forever - as children our family would often head off with our Dad and fish - Bobbin Head, Apple Tree Bay, The Entrance, Berowra Waters. It is in our DNA for sure!   One of the benefits of moving to Central Coast of NSW was that fishing could be just seconds away - unfortunately it seems that every time we go fishing lately it seems to rain - maybe I should head out where they need rain and try to fish!!!   I have kept this layout rather simple - nothing fancy!   The photo was taken last year during a stay in Red Rock.   I caught ZERO, NADA, NO FISH!!!  But I love the tranquility that fishing brings. What is ironic is that when I look closely at the blue pa...

This is my layout for April Challenge over at ARTastic . Got a bit creative styling this in a camellia tree. We were to be inspired by this artwork by Josh Miels.  The criteria was to use TYPOGRAPHY on your work. Now how did I get to my layout.  Please read through to the end of this rather longish post. First some research into Typography was done.  An on-line dictionary describes as the art of or process of printing with type; the work of setting and arranging types and printing from them; the general character or appearance of printed matter.  Further research showed that handwritten typography was acceptable.   I was drawn to how the wording on the inspiration photo and how it appeared to almost run down the image.  Could I accomplish this look using mixed media? One evening as I reading a book I had borrowed from local library "Mixed Media Revolution" by Darlene Olivia McElroy & Sandra Duran Wilson I was taken with a suggestion on ...