Something I have never done before...I downloaded this card sketch from http://tamimayberry.blogspot.com and this is what I have done ...

with my new Tim Holtz stamps ... Absolutely love this butterfly with the messy wings.

another little clay project done with left-overs, metal mesh, rusted metal sheeting, beads, mosaic tiles and gold leafing. I love how this project turned out - loads of different metallic colours - bronze, copper, silver, pewter and gold - a celebration of metal and all things shiny. On top is a ceramic cross that I bought from one of my favourite stores - Seed Pod Studio - I am yet to get to the stage of making those myself. The clay tiles are all different widths and so you have this wonderful array of textures.

I am currently working on some articles for a new website called scrapcouture.co.za.

I write short articles that will cover most crafts from cardmaking, stamping, polymer clay, scrapbooking, altered art, ATCs, Moo cards and lots more...as well as technique articles with step by step instructions and images. This is a subscription based site but there are some free articles on the front page that you can view.

The site is dedicated to inspiring people but also having fun and just create. It also offers you, the reader the opportunity to submit your own projects and articles that can be published.

so go check it out! Have a creative day.

This was last week's layout - yes more puppies! This was a fun layout to create using some of my favourite elements and products - sprays, embossing and stamping.

To create the background:

1. Punch two large shapes (stars) out of cardstock and place them on your background cardstock. I used a smooth cardstock but textured works fine too.

2. Place your spray - walnut or glimmermist in a mini-mister. Lightly spray over the stars in a quick movement. Don't over spray as the look you want is that blotchy look.

3. Remove the cardstock stars and let the ink dry completely.

4. Spray the bottom part of your background cardstock pieces as well. Use a single movement to avoid getting a solid coating but only splashes.

Now you are ready to adhere your patterned paper strips, photos and other elements.

Most of the embellishments used on the layout are odds - like brads from conventions, rub-ons with only a single part of the design left over and sticker quotes.

The diamond shapes on the gold cardstock was embossed using a copper mixture of embossing powder. I get really unique colours of embossing powders by mixing left-overs or small quantities together before I buy a new container. The stars were all punched out of off-cuts from my box under my table that is once again overflowing with awesome treasures.

the Puppies are starting to leave the nest...

and it's been a while since I have cried so much - I guess a lot of dealing with my own stuff too.

Anyhow...on Friday we met her new parents and dropped her off -she "Nikita" is doing well and has settled in nicely with her new mommy and daddy - and is apparently in doggy heaven! Nice to know that there are people like us who really love their four legged children just as much as we do. Her new parents have sent threw pics already and it is really re-assuring!

It really is amazing how friends inspire each other. Someone in America or somewhere in the world inspired someone, who inspired someone else, who mailed a link, who watched a video and made a swatch book, and who inspired me... After seeing Cariena's swatch book made for her moo cards, I knew that it would be the future home of my Artistic Women Altered Tags swap hosted earlier this year. Somehow they never came to their full right - but now, oh boy do they do it for me! So this is what I made on Friday afternoon....
Honestly it was about a 15 min project if you take away the 1 hour I spent feeding the 12 puppies and playing with them....The paper were scraps in my box under my table and the butterfly as well - it only changed colour slightly to match the altered book paper also from the scrap box. So this project literally took nothing, cost nothing and gave me endless pleasure!
Thanks to everyone who inspires anyone and who shares ideas freely. And Cariena I still think your moo card swatch book rocks! Off to feed the monsters again - but soon they will leave home and how we will miss the monsters...all 12 of them!

It's official - the winners of the Scrap Challenge was announced recently. The Scrap Challenge was a pack handed out at the May Convention with Tim Holtz where you had to create a layout featuring the techniques used on the day.

Well this was my attempt and ....I am one of the winners.

Congratulations also to Michelle Carrick and Roz Fitzgerald from Cape Town on their winning entries. To see other spectacular entries visit...SA Scrapbook Convention. Thanks to Glenda and her team!

I used a large chipboard bracket cut in half and covered in book paper on the edge of the background cardstock. On top of the bracket I used a die-cut butterfly dyed with Glimmermist I made myself and a calligraphy pen nib. The edges are all distressed.

The photos of Tim Holtz were taken in February 2004 at CHA Dallas and signed by him on his recent trip. He even knew the year at a single glance. He truly is a remarkable individual - sincere and generous.

So this is my winning layout! It really consists of left-over bits of book paper from the event it self, recycled packaging and the paper given to us in the scrap challenge pack. I had lots of fun creating this one - the whole Tim Holtz distressed look suits my style pretty well, and the products are wonderful to work with.

In my lifetime I have done some weird things - and recently came across these pics of stuff I had done for work. Not of free will I have to add, but because some weird person now somewhere in the world lost her marbles and I had to live her fantasy...
Made napkin holder form an old rusk box....

Used real tobacco in a memory box - I had to buy it myself from a spaza shop (a shop that sells everything from toilet paper to muti for those who are wondering)

This has been one of my favourite ATC swaps ever. The colours suited me perfectly and I have loads of un-used bird stamps in my collection. The biggest task was to decide which stamp to use, or to actually purchase another one. Yes I know - there's a fine line between mental illness and crazy, and I am on the edge when it comes to stamps.

The top card is my attempt featuring my signature blue coloured book paper as Benice calls it (smiley face here), printed egg paper scanned from one of my mom's bird books (shhhh) and one of my favourite Hero Arts stamps the branch. The title = Bird House.

I am totally in love with my set of ATCs - thanks to the girls who participated and to KIM for hosting it.

so these are some of our latest toys acquired - if you are interested and you are in good old South Africa, then give me a shout for pricing and availability. They are unmounted rubber sheets. The images are far bigger than what they appear here - yes looks can be deceiving! They are really stunning! so guess where you will find me the rest of the day....

Vintage Circus
Snowy Woods

Singing Cowboy



Serenity



.

This layout was inspired by the very Talented Elizna Parsons from PE. I used her layout and created my own sketch and voila. (Thanks Elizna for the inspiration and for giving permission to use you as a source of inspiration!) Check out her blog by clicking on the link under SA Talent rocks towards the right. Elizna is also a design team member for Kaisercraft who will be represented at the SA Scrapbook Convention in September 2009.

I love how this layout turned out in the end. The corner on the top left of the A4 photo is all stamped. I used some of my favourite stamps and a few borrowed ones to create a stamped photo corner - plain and simple! Oh and those are the puppies 2 weeks ago who are now eating us out of the house and have really, really sharp teeth, and who wants to play all day...and are just tooooo damn cute for words!! I think they are most loved and played with puppies ever.

Ok so these are the bare little drawers freshly washed and cleaned as posted a couple of weeks ago...if you recall I am decorating them and here is the first stage for now...
Doing what I do best - using my off-cuts and scraps of paper that I really love.

The most used papers includes, 7Gypsies, Autumn Leaves, Webster's Pages, K&Company, Basic Grey and Making Memories. The rest include altered book paper, sheet music and some of the original labels that I left on for sentiments' sake. It really does look better in real life! The other set of the same drawers that mom eventually gave to me as well, holds my most used tools such as gum eraser for removing glue, glue sticks and adhesives, my name stamp, Tim Holtz applicator tool and sponges, edge distressers etc. The bigger one seen here currently has small stuff like H2O's, pigment powders and glitter in them. I use these often and they are a pain to store and get to! Now they are right next to me...anyhow check back sometime for the next phase..have a super creative day!

An old layout inspired by Natalie Salamousas and a kit she did for Scrapbook Den.

I changed mine quite a bit as well as the sizes of the photos and placement. The masking tape is a nice way to add a relaxed feeling to any project - just so unpretentious don't you think!
The little booklet opens up for extra space perfect for more photos and journaling.

This project has been lingering for a few years now. It all started in 2002 with distress inks when I distressed the pages in the middle of this book. I then drilled holes in the four corners and attached it with hardware screws to the inside of the lid of a box.

Well, then nothing. It has been kicked and bashed around and moved and thrown out and saved plenty of times. This year it resurfaced again...

So I added the angel image on the rusty mesh, and then the heart covered in a luxurious red velvet paper with the grungeboard flourish.

Followed by rolled up vintage pieces of paper above and below...

This is a mini-album I made for a design team call but never got to finish the layouts ... so that was that! I actually enjoyed making this one - you see I am after all not really a mini-album fan. They are hard work and can take up a lot of time and supplies - it just never seems to end.

The inside consists of paper, fabric, cardstock, acetate, acrylic and felt. I used some left over fabric and cut my own pages using my pinking shears. The edges a re cut with my silhouette machine. The front cover is a piece of acrylic with rub-ons and a Tim Holtz game spinner, which then show through onto the rest of the page created on cardboard.

PS. I have finished the first layer of my little drawers. I am pleased! I stuck to my true colours and used products and supplies that are my signature - OFF CUTS! I love the look and will post photos later. The 2nd layer...I as hoping that if I had 48 friends who each make me an inchie...mmmm. back to the drawing board! Have a fabulous day!