prima meets kaisercraft in this fun layout. i love how the colours just matches and compliments each other beautifully. the stamped corners are from Tim Holtz and the little green bracket and tags are from a local talented designer Tracey Schimper. the little circles are punched from scraps of patterned papers and i just love how this layout came together!

and if you need something a bit more challenging then try your hand at the sketch below...
this weeks' layout sketch over at Scrapbook Challenges is a stunner! i love how you can really interpret it any way you want...my layout isn't done but i hope to finish it today sometime! so keep a lookout. in the meantime head on over to scrapbook challenges to see what the other fabulous design team members have come up with!

remember to load your layout into the gallery section to stand a chance to
win some awesome prizes! till later...

yesterday was the big day...i was invited by Bona Magazine & Caxton to do a gift wrapping presentation for their annual Food For Fun and Funds day held at Gold Reef City. by 8am Saturday morning we had 250 booked delegates arrive at the doors very eagerly and then an additional 30 showed up just in case and we gladly accommodated them! whew....is all i can say! we had been setting up since 6am which meant that i left home at 4:30am. I had my presentation at 10am for an hour in which i showed them some economical gift wrapping ideas. the idea is for them to wrap and present their baked goodies in a way that they can sell even more. the day is essentially an uplifting project that enables people to make a living from their baked goods. we had lots of fun and they loved my ideas - simple and manageable - things that they can afford and do themselves!
below is staff from the Bona Magazine, editor and marketing manager.

the chefs in action came after my presentation and make divine little cakes and biscuits.

a clear gift box decorated with some scrap papers, paper doilies and a stamped sentiment...

glass is wonderful since it is environmentally friendly and can be dressed up easily

a simple Christmas wreath made from a piece of lampshade and strips of Christmas fabric torn and knotted around the metal base.

gift tags coloured using food colouring...they loved that idea and tied to a biscuit bag using ribbons

this little guy zips open at the back and his tummy can be stuffed with all kinds of goodies...

i also made this explosion box with a cupcake inside...they loved this

an ordinary clear box wrapped in ribbon with a mince pie inside. finished
off with a simple sticker.

Sonia made some cupcakes and i added the cupcake toppers with festive messages and images on top as a finishing touch!

and last but not least my cupcake liner Christmas tree! this was the show stopper on my table and a big hit with everyone!

so these are just some of the things i shared with them yesterday....and now i am off to relax as i am pooped! hope you have a marvelous Sunday.

it's that time again...its Saturday...well maybe not officially here in South Africa but maybe somewhere in the world. i have issues with scheduling posts and since i will be out for the entire day tomorrow i thought i might as well post it now! so if i offend anyone - it sure is not intended that way! today i am hosting a challenge over at scrap and stamp Saturday...colouring paper with fabric dye. back in the days before the fancy scrappers dye, mists and sprays i used good old fabric colouring to colour ribbon, paper, lace and paper flowers. it is still a firm favorite with me as it does give such a nice effect. for this challenge i used it on old book paper - just look at the natural lines and patterns it forms - that is when it is left to dry naturally! BUT you could speed up the process with a heta gun! so head on over to scrap and stamp Saturday and play along with us...and remember to use at least one stamped image!

below is an atc sample i did with old book paper and the same blue dye!

some close-ups....

my stamped image across two tags coloured with red food colouring...yummy

step 1
mix some dye powder with water in a spray bottle and shake well.

step 2
spray your paper liberally and leave to dry or use your heat gun to speed things up.

step 3
cut to size and use as desired. as simple as that!

i hope you have a fabulous and creative weekend!

having some internet issues since last week but everything seems OK again for now! so I'll start my week creatively with class this morning and this layout i did a while ago.
the photos were taken of my nephew in October when they came to visit...he has grow so much and is a real little man.

hope you have a fabulous creative week.
PS. i got to see the sample copy of my new book this week! it is due for release in January 2011!
*sigh*
supplies: card stock by Worldwin. Patterned paper by 7Gypsies, Kaisercraft and Japanese handmade paper. Lettering by Fabscraps. Rub-ons by Scrapbook King & Delish. Other diamante, thread.

today over at scrapbook challenges I am hosting a challenge on words or quotes. I love these challenges - not only do they jump start some great journaling ideas they also inspire stunning layouts one would not normally think about! for my challenge i chose the word "play".
my layout was inspired by Barbs du Plessis whose work i totally love and whom i greatly admire as an artist and person! so thanks queeni!

i used the word play in my layout, but they actual activity is also featured in my photos. this is my nephew Jonathan playing with what used to be my Lego when i was a child! i absolutely loved my Lego and they were favorite gifts on birthdays and Christmas.

i used dimensional glaze on my title letters to jazz them up

glitter glue on a chipboard heart

the little truck was cut from the patterned paper and adhered onto another piece of patterned paper. the inking around the edges adds a dirty look to it that i love. the small strips of patterned paper of the left hand side are highlighted and separated by rows of diamante and sewing for extra dimension and texture.

so hop on over to scrapbook challenges and see what other challenges you can take part in..and hop into the gallery section for loads of inspirational layouts and cards!

this is the second last project of mine featured on 'droomhuis' / dreamhouse the TV program. a recycled lamp made with old books, an antique silver sugar bowl, an old frame and lamp. I love how this project turned out, and this beauty is currently next to my bed - waiting for the second one to be made with an old vintage milk jug to go on the other side. The lampshade is made up of thin white string on a square base and then decorated with old postcards, broaches, ribbon, letters and tags. The sugar bowl was decorated using old keys...

for step by step instructions you can log onto www.droomhuis.co.za
hope you like this little project and feel somewhat inspired!

1 more week to finish off preparations for a big event and function i am doing at Gold Reef City for Caxton Magazines and then things will be back to normal...hence the not blogging thing. In the past two months i have really been blessed - huge doors have been opened - all because some things were removed from my life! and i was too blind to even see or notice it! anyway life has been good with looootttsss of scrapping done as well and so much to share.
so for today i leave you with this layout done a while ago using Prima and Webster's pages (sigh) i love them so much!

the flowers were stamped on white card stock and on parts of the Prima patterned paper in Lightning Black Brilliance and then some Star Dust stickles added for interest. I used them down the side of my layout and overlapped them. A single yellow diamante finishes them off. The patterned paper and photos form a block in the center of my layout with rub-ons and sewing along the bottom edge. The blocks at the bottom ad top are from KI Memories and probably a million years old! I love the simplicity of the layout with only bits and pieces used...by the way, the rest of the patterned paper was used to complete a second layout! Bonus!
hope you have a wonderful week ...see ya soon!