Stamps Ahead

 A layout I completed for cyber challenge No 3 at ARTastic Challenges blog  The challenge was to be inspired by the names of the main streets of Hollywood - the ones we associate with all the glitz and glamour - Rodeo Drive, Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. I have been to Hollywood many times (sorry, not bragging many of the organised tours I have done in USA end up in Los Angeles (LA) and a stop at Hollywood is included, on this occasion in May 2018 I was staying in Los Angeles before flying to Detroit and then onto Missouri.   As I had visited the main sights I decided that before I left home I would investigate if any scrapbook stores were in the Hollywood area.   Well, I found Once upon a page in Burbank, so off I set.   I left my hotel in LA by bus to travel to Hollywood and Vine to catch three (3) yes 3 buses to my destination in Burbank.   On my layout I have noted what I wrote in my travel diary that day....

There is a cyber crop over at ARTastic Challenges this weekend - the theme Hollywood.  Here is my layout for Challenge 2. This challenge was to scrap using as inspiration a favourite movie and add two movie related items - Hollywood sign; film strip; Popcorn Box; Admit 1 ticket; clapboard, microphone, directors chair, camera, trophy, Hollywood star.    Many travels that you take inspire you to go to places where movies were filmed or to places that you would like to go once, twice or three times.   French Kiss is a 1995 romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline.  Three things I remember from the movie - Kevin Kline's character Luc (with his French accent); travels around Paris where Meg Ryan's character is just missing the Eiffel Tower - something she really wanted to see and eventually does and the train ride they take down to Cannes with beautiful scenery during the trip. My photo was taken in 1995 on top of an open air bus that was a hop on hop o...

 Here is a layout I have completed for ARTastic May challenge.   Here is the inspiration image which we could interpret anyway we liked  I was drawn to the top on the display model, the background of hanging pots and the house reel. The photo of me was taken this year against a hanging basket I have on a tree. I knew I had a set of Kaszazz stamps of hanging baskets and I have used those (as well as a pot plant) and coloured with my alcohol ink markers.  I went with orange strips to match my top.  I hope I have met the brief this month.  Whilst ARTastic Challenges are not holding any specific International Scrapbooking Day (ISD) challenges they are encouring all to enter their May challenge.   Thank you for looking and by-the-way we are expecting rain, once again, this weekend so we should see our flowers growing even more in the days ahead.   Margaret

 This is a layout I created today for a Shapes Cyber Challenge over at ARTastic .   The challenge was a 'recipe' challenge and here is the recipe : Ingredients Shapes - I used squares and triangles Chipboard - The golden chipboard words Die - Triangle die Stencil - Triangle stencil Method: Choose one shape and use it as many times as you wish. Use at least two pieces of Chipboard.  Die cut at least one shape. Use a stencil The photo is of my great-nephew constructing his Mangatiles.  I loved the shapes in the tiles - so I decided to go with squares and triangles.  I remembered making the origami shapes for a card I created some time ago so I went with that.   Thank you for looking, Margaret

 Here is my layout for the March challenge over at ARTastic  challenge blog For their challenges this year they made some changes and during inspiration for our layouts will come from ART ROOMS (aka store window displays).  How we interpret the displays is totally up to creator.  Here is the challenge room for this month  As you can see I was inspired by the leaves around three sides of the display - so I pulled out my leaf dies/stamps and went too town!   The photos were taken in 2015 when I and some friends spent a book club weekend at Leura in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.  In the property that we stayed in I spied this mushroom and it was a delight to watch it 'blossom' during the 4 days we spent there.  Like a lot of my photos they have stayed and each time I think I will reduce the photos in my stash I just could not depart with them.  Thank you for looking, Margaret

This layout is for a challenge over at ARTastic Challenges  Facebook group - the challenge Christmas themed and must include stars. The photos of my sister and I were taken at Kirkton Park, Pokolbin, in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, were we were having a high tea to celebrate my birthday.  This tree was in the foyer.   Whilst I would have been tempted to have a photo of the both of us without our masks - I decided to use this photo as a record of the Covid restrictions in place then.   Hopefully, Christmas 2022 we will be different, however, we will continue to wear masks as long as needed and probably past that to protect ourselves, family and friends in years to come. Thank you for looking, why not click on the link and participate in the challenge that will end at the end of January.   Margaret

Here is a layout I have completed today for the April challenge over at ARTastic challenges The challenge was to be inspired by this painting by Evelyn Chapman titled "French Ruins with Poppies". The criteria was Remembrance and to include the colour Red. The layout did not have to be Anzac themed.  I know as soon as I saw the inspiration it reminded me of a photo I took on Anzac Day 2020. First, let me tell you about the photo.  Australia was in lockdown due to Covid and therefore Anzac Day events were cancelled. No dawn services, no marches, nothing. People around the country held front garden sunrise services.  My 94 year old neighbour, Lorna, every year would donate to service clubs the Rosemary, from her garden, for patrons to wear - alas she could not do so in 2020.  She came to me and said what did I think of her putting Rosemary on the bricks at the front of our villas.  I said go for it - a great idea.  Later in the day, she came to me and said no-...

 Here is a layout I have created for a challenge at ARTastic Challenge blog.    It is for the final challenge of 2020 (and what a year it has been).  This challenge blog is taking a little break over Christmas/New Year so if you want to play along you have until the end of January, to submit a layout.    The inspiration for this month came from Salvatore Zofrea with Christmas Bells 2011. Criteria was "Anything goes" so surprise us! Surprise...I used a kit and a really old spray bottle of Tsukineko Walnut Ink Antiquing Solution and its cost $USD4.50.  Does anyone remember these inks?                                            A little about my layout.  The photos were taken at my 21st birthday party - I recently recovered them from an old style photo album.   They would be considered 'vintage' as this month I celebrated by 71st bi...

 Here is a layout I have created today for a challenge over at ARTastic Challenge blog : The challenge inspiration was this painting by an Australia artist Hilda Rix Nicholas called Picardy Girl.  The criteria was vintage style.  I searched for just what made something vintage - and aside from wine - I found this reference  "Most antique dealers consider an item vintage if it is at least 40 years old."   I decided to use a photo I found when sorting through my photo memories. Rather than tell you what I used from my stash, I think it is important that I share something about the photo. This photo of my sister (left) and I (right) and friends as we were leaving for a ball.  We all would have been in our late teens/early twenties - so definitely made the photo 'vintage'.   My sister and I, of course, went to the hairdressers to get our hair done - just look at the bouffant style, adding inches to our height!  Yes, we had permed hair! ...

 This layout is for a challenge over at ARTastic Challenge blog on facebook.   The challenge was to be inspired by this artwork by Adrian Feint called The Green Hen. The additional criteria was "feature things that fly in some way". I was really taken with the colours and the immediate thing that came to my mind was that time flies. I have used elements from two Kaisercraft its - Reminisce and Serenity.  I also used Dylusion Shimmer Spray to colour the chipboards and some sparkles from my stash.   The colours I selected also had to go with that orchid in my Diet Coke.  Some stamping as well to make my own background. The photo is of me celebrating my 70th birthday in Honolulu, Hawaii in December, 2019.  Time does fly 70 already - I can't believe it - I don't feel it - live is good! Thank you for looking, Margaret

Here is a layout I have created today for a challenge on ARTastic Challenge Blog  facebook page. The challenge was to use pen work.  We were to be inspired by this work by Thea Proctor called "The Game". Now anyone who knows me that sport of any kind is not really my thing, okay, maybe several years of playing social squash in the distant past with friends - does that count!  Remember the game of squash? I believe it has largely disappeared as a sport. I was not sure if I would enter this challenge, the thoughts of pen work did not just come to me easily. And, then I remember 'zentangles'.  What are zentangles?  They are a fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns - tangles. You use combinations of dots, lines, simple curves, s-curves etc.  I have not done much in the way of zentangles so this was indeed fun to do. I  did a goggle search and was inspired by many of the search results to draw my zentangles. This photo of me was t...

I have not done much creating in the past 2 weeks or so - my sister had a hip replacement and as I am her primary carer during this time I have been busy visiting her in hospital, shopping, meal cooking being there when needed etc etc.  Now she has some outside assistance so today sat down and created this layout for a challenge over at ARTastic Challenges Facebook page and here is the layout I have created: The challenge was to Focus on the words.  The inspiration was this piece by Australian paper sculpture artist, Renee Farrant, called My tree words worth.                                             I   knitted this triangular scarf during the coronavirus pandemic.  The yarn is Patons Bohemia Carnivale that I have had for a few years.   For the layout I used a piece of Shimelle True Stories patterned paper that I cut in half on the diagonal.  Thi...

Well, here it is the first day of 2019 - Happy New Year to all.  Today was spent inside - too hot here to be out and about with another heatwave of a day. A perfect time to do some scrapbooking. Here is a layout I have created for a challenge over at ARTastic https://artasticchallengeblog.blogspot.com The challenge was to be inspired by this work of art by Chris Vella called Joy and the criteria was to use Yellow, Orange and Blue.                                            The colours automatically said "Sunset to me" so I decided to use this photo of sunset on Tuggerah Lake at Toukley, NSW I took in September 2018. I have used all products available from Kaszazz on this layout - yes, I am a consultant.  I hope you enjoyed seeing my first layout for 2019 with more to come throughout the year. Thank you for looking.   Margaret 

Today I have completed a layout for a challenge over at ARTastic challenge blog.   Here is my layout: The challenge was to be inspired by this artwork by Roger Kemp 'untitled' and criteria was to use pen in some way on your layout. I was inspired by the pink colour and the seemingly unplanned nature of the penwork.  Now to be honest this was not my first attempt at doing this challenge.  My first attempt was to draw a grid (like the stand the mermaids are displayed on) and then go from there.  Well, I was not happy with how it was coming together and ditched it!   My photo was taken on Catalina Island, off the coast of California and I took the photo initially for some friends I met on a cruise I took in April 2017 who were Mermaid Mad.  I love the colour of all those dolls together and the fact that they came in all sizes. Now, I am not one those besotted by Mermaids - they are fictitious and I like to deal in reality - I have never watched an...

Below is a layout I have created for ARTastic Challenge Blog - Inspiration photo for this months challenge follows: This photo of me was taken on 2 November, 1990 when I was on a 35 day coach tour of Europe. I am wearing my Ken Done top purchased at his shop down in The Rocks area of Sydney.  Boy, did I feel special wearing it, and also showing off  an Australian artist at the same time.  If I remember correctly I got lots of comments from people I met. Here is the inspiration photo from ARTastic for this month - Ken Done's Sydney night.  The criteria was a city theme.  Now, technically Boppard is a town and municipality on the Rhine River in Germany not a city BUT I had the photograph above sitting around just waiting to be rehoused (it was previously in a very old non acid free album) so it seemed appropriate for this challenge.  Ken Done's first solo exhibition was held in Sydney in 1980. Since then, he has held over 50 one-man shows, inc...

This past weekend I was on a scrapbooking retreat and I managed to complete several pages - I will be sharing with you however some were for individual challenges and so I am posting them first. This layout was for a challenge over at ARTastic Challenge Blog  and their challenge criteria was Vintage style. At little about the photo.  It is a photo of my grandfather, who we called Pop.  It shows him in his garden beside some climbing roses.  It is how I remember him - he always had his pipe, his braces and mostly wore his slippers.  He came from County Derry, Ireland in 1900 and he never lost his Irish accent on certain words.  This layout started completely different, I had plans to use a photo of the seaside, but when I found this photo I knew that I had to use it.  It seems strange using pink on a masculine page, don't you think, however the pink climbing roses dictated the colour scheme.  I made the tags, the large pink flower and the fl...

I just could not resist doing another layout for ARTastic Challenge Blog .  This time I have gone for a fun layout.  At Maleny Dairy, in the hinterland of Sunshine Coast, Queensland they had this cut out where you could have your photo taken.  My friend Mel (right) and I (left) decided that we needed to be there and do that. Here is the layout: It still meets the country/rural theme of the challenge.  The colour in real life is much brighter unfortunately I have had to take this inside.   Thank you for looking, I hope you managed a smile looking at us being "udderly" funny. Margaret :)

Well, here I am back after some holidays - I headed to northern New South Wales and Queensland following the M1 motorway. Today, I have completed a layout for a challenge over at  ARTastic Challenge blog. We were to be inspired by a pastel landscape called "Spring Frost Study by Elioth Gruner, with the added criteria of country/rural theme.   My photo (photos I have used two 5" x 7") was taken when with friends I visited the Maleny Dairy, in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.  As soon as I saw these cows resting in the field I was immediately saying 'this is the photo I want for the challenge'.  Click on the image and you will see cows enjoying some winter sun. I have made the fringe to represent the grass.  The top fringe I made by swiping distress ink in two colour onto a light tan cardstock.  Here is a close up of the fringe, the twine in two colours just does not show up very well in this photo: Here is the inspira...

Here is another layout I have created recently.  I have decided to post it for a challenge at ARTastic - I hope they allow more than one entry as I have already done one layout for their May challenge - Scrap the Girls. This photo was taken when I met up with friends that I attended TAFE with many years ago.  We completed the Advanced Needlecraft Certificate at Hornsby TAFE and became firm friends during this time.   But as life goes on we lost contact - until Facebook got us back together 20 years later!..  They caught the train up and we had lunch and much catch up at my home before a walk on the beach.   Again here is the inspiration photo at ARTastic, the criteria Girls Only. I was further inspired by a layout by Emily Pitt found on   Debbie Hodge  from 2013 that I found whilst blog surfing. Thank you Debbie I have left some thanks for you on your blog. Thank you for looking, Margaret.

Here is a layout I have created for ARTastic  Challenge blog.  Happiness is a birthday dinner for my sister at a local restaurant that is fast becoming a tradition.  It is the third time we have visited on her birthday.  The challenge was to be inspired by this artwork by John Maitland called 7 girls running. The only other criteria was GIRLS ONLY.   Funny, as all our life we have been referred to as 'the girls' - you know 'How are you girls?" "What are the girls doing now?" etc etc I loved the colours and blue being my sister's favourite colour it was a no brainer to use a blue cardstock.  Most of the other papers and stamps come from Close to my Heart (CTMH).  I was inspired by the lineup of girls and I remembered that somewhere I had just the sketch that would be suitable Scrapbook Trends 2012-  so I decided to do a double page incorporating photos that I took -. no dancing though!!!! Thank you f...