The fresh citrus colours of the new Lemon Lush Studio Calico range is simply refreshing. This range is perfect to capture those special summer memories we are lucky enough to have here in South Africa. I think of all those outings to the beach in summer, long trips with pretty flowers down the coast, fresh homemade lemonade, fields of flowers down the coast, playful butterflies and mountain get-aways with water springs offering refreshing moments to the heart and soul when I see this paper range. But that’s not all this range is good for – it can capture those special birthdays, friendships and family in a fresh and playful way. I love the freshness of the patterns and designs combined with the fresh colour palette and playful embellishments. They were perfect to capture a week in my Project Life album – capturing the lighter side of life.

I used some of the papers to fill my pockets, adding my photos and then creating some interest using the different embellishments in the range. The papers form a beautiful backdrop for the delicate acetate butterflies, chipboard hearts and lettering. I used a paper coaster and framed it with one of the Circle calendars to create a focal point on my layout. These calendars are fun and can be used to frame special photographs marking a specific date and occasion. I love the playfulness of these circle calendars offering a myriad of design opportunities

Because I only used small bits and pieces of the papers in my project Life layout I had plenty left over to create a single page as well. For this layout I used small pieces of patterned papers and a single strip cut off of the paper that forms the focal point for this layout. The chipboard hearts were combined with paper hearts adding dimension to this layout

TIP: to sew through my chipboard letters, i use a denim needle - this type of needle is very strong and sews through paper like a knife through butter!

things are slowly getting back to normal and into some kind of routine after a hectic 2 weeks of traveling, teaching, parties and more scrapbooking events. but it's all good and i love it. the only negative is that you have to get back into normal/diet eating habits, design team responsibilities that have gone astray along the way and the mundane like washing and packing the dish washer.but God has been good and this year seems to be better than the last couple. God is good in so many little ways and then in so many miracle BIG ways. I think it also has to do with a change of mindset from my side. i will no longer be abuse and used and take a back seat to those who think they are better than everyone. we all deserve a piece of the sun! one of the projects i have done lately and am  very proud of is a specially designed mixed media canvas for Scrapbook Studio JBay's Retreat. I love how this canvas turned out. it started off slow and then turned into this thing i love with all my heart - it's amazing what paint and Mister Huey inks can do for the soul!

the base of the canvas consists of patterned papers that are covered up in a process of layering. the girls were totally freaked out but in the end the result was spectacular. some punched flowers with beaded centers.

beautiful prima flowers for a touch of the unexpected

old rusty nails straight from the farm shed combined with delicate ribbon and lace

hope you have a wonderful creative week filled with blessings. i am blessed each and every day! 

my totally messed up story is worth telling....this is what scrapbooking is doing for me this week!

It’s the month of love, the month of red and white and pink, of eating overpriced chocolates and flaunting ridiculously priced red roses – yip it’s Valentine’s month. Sad that we haven’t cotton onto the idea of celebrating love each and every month, each and every day of our lives, instead we wait for the one month to publicly and privately declare our love to each other. I have learned early in my life that it’s the little things, the seemingly unimportant things that show real love. The things that money can’t buy but that comes straight from the heart and sometimes even the hand. 

For Valentine’s Day I made this little canvas decorated with lots of colour and texture. I started off by adhering some DoCrafts patterned paper to the base using gel medium. I then used a stencil and texture paste to add a pattern directly onto the paper. Then it was time to add some colour using Mr Huey inks. I combined pink, silver, gold and white mist onto the canvas and left the inks to dry naturally. The decorating part was the most fun – I used a combination of different Petaloo flowers to form a dimensional corner on the canvas. As a finishing touch I added some DoCrafts tags and punch outs and chipboard letters. This is a really simple project but loads of fun playing with colour and texture. To create the dimension using my flowers I adhered everything on the canvas using 3D glue dots, this way I could adhere the flowers and then manipulate them until the glue dot settled.

i love the texture and colours variations on these beautiful Petaloo blooms...simply delicious

a docrafts tag peeking out from underneath the layers of flowers

more blooms in reds ...