it's time for a new sketch challenge over at scrapbook challenges. this week's sketch was a single page and again i turned it into a double - my comfort size for scrapping!i also set a challenge for myself - using a piece of paper that i very well could live without - you know the one... yip that big old green piece of kaisercraft. green is just not my colour - but what's a girl to do when she needs to use what she's got? I combined the green cut out with a more acceptable palette featuring blue and red with some stamping thrown into the mix and a recycled postage stamp ...

this week was a bit of a loose interpretation on the sketch - i used the left hand side of the sketch and then just did my own thing like i normally do.head on over to www.scrapbookchallenges.com to see the original sketch and what the girls did with their designs...

in the end i kinda liked how it turned out! I used some red Teresa Collins flowers cut from a piece of left-over paper from my scrap box - and when i say scrap box i really mean the pile of papers that has overflown onto my floor waiting to be used or chucked (ya right)

to pick up some of the green i used a recycled postage stamp on the right hand side to pull your eye across - just enough green not to make me wanna hate it

colour is a beautiful thing - but some colours are meant for nature - here's how i see it

yellow - only meant for sunflowers in a field

green - only for freshly cut lawns

purple - for fields of lavender in france

orange - just joey roses in the garden

and those are my least favourite colours to use anywhere, cause in my opinion they are only meant for nature and perfectly so

hope you have a wonderful week - i am heading out to Bloemfontein for some classes and will be back on Sunday - so stay a while and come back soon! have a wonderful week!

we have a new challenge over at scrap Africa - this month's challenge is hosted by the talented and lovely Rene. we had to use black and white photos, triangles and confetti.i love challenges that tell you exactly what to do - takes the thinking out of things really. so for my layout i used the new Prima Lyric Collection *love*. i used a single sheet of paper, 2 strips of scrap paper and some washi tape - for a really economical layout. for added interest i did a simple resist embossing technique on the patterned paper (also from the single sheet) - this changed the look totally making it really unique.

i combined some delicate paper butterflies with charms and wood embellishments - simply love how the textures compliment the beautiful paper

combining the Lyric collection paper with Life time embellishments - perfect union

i mimicked the pencil lines on the original sheet of paper by using a graphite pencil to scribble on my layout - some childhood fun with adult permission. instead of using the traditional round confetti for the challenge i included square confetti punched from the scraps of my single sheet of paper - really stretching the frugal scrapping thing.

head on over to scrap Africa to see what the rest of the design team came up with - love their interpretations of this stunning challenge. remember to play along and you could win some awesome goodies. have a creative week!

Over at The Wholesaler's blog we are sharing some tips and ideas on how to use your Prima embellishments - so head on over to see the entire selection and order yours today
http://www.thewholesaler.biz/blog/embellish-with-a-purpose

i just love these elements to frame little photos and sayings

 I also really love a good chunky necklace with a surprise element. I have often used scrapping elements together with beautiful ribbons to make custom jewellery that can be changed at a whim and re-purposed on a craft project. I used one of the metal trinkets tied with a piece of silk ribbon onto a chunky ball chain. I love the combination of soft and gentle with a vintage industrial feel. These metal trinkets are really amazing for jewellery as an accent piece, making a pretty brooch, used on a key ring and even as home décor.

 It just goes to show that embellishments can be used in a variety of ways – even the unpredictable, but they should always have a purpose. A great embellishment can stand alone quite comfortable making a statement – just like these wonderful pieces by Prima.

Read more about adhesives, see my tips and tricks and sample projects over here 

http://www.thewholesaler.biz/blog/stuck-on-you-adhesives-part-2/

I have a ton of uses for my glue stick, and if you think about it they are pretty obvious. Why would you glue down thin tissue paper with tape that will show through, or a pretty quote printed on vellum, and why would you glue down ribbon with a liquid adhesive that will simply seep through and ruin your entire project? Right… I will give you a minute to answer those questions for yourself – done!

it's time for another sketch over at scrapbook challenges.this week's sketch was a single, but by now you know that my hearts lies in doubles and so i turned the single (right hand side) into a double creating my own thing on the left. i also scrapped our little puppies' operation - yes a memory and things we need to remember and want to remember - it's part of my real life! but the best thing about this layout is that i had a light bulb moment (well for me anyways) - i knew i had some stamps....that would work perfectly, so i went a digging and found the little *medicine* bottles from Graphic 45 - and i loved them on this layout....

i used a really old range from Kaisercraft and i also only had the 2 sheets of paper that perfectly complimented the blue of Jacks' blankie.

i punched some of the circles out of the paper and raised them onto the paper for some added dimension. love the look

combined some old 7gypsies stickers for the *operation* theme and then pulled the red through using more paper elements and buttons

and the bottles up close - i stamped them onto the back of a glitz paper that is cream with a bit of a texture and print. i combined the bottles and raised some of them to give the illusion of them being in the front of the others. so glad Jack did not have to have some of those medicines.

hope you are having a wonderful week....i am still fighting the bug and hope it will let go sooner than later! this week is a hectic creative week and so looking forward to catching up with some good friends - good people - special people, finalizing some business deals that can be quite exciting in the long run and scrapping loads of layouts! be blessed!