so here's the first sneak peak for the card class at Sweet Scrappins the 18th February 2012
it's gonna be a fun one with new techniques, some oldies revisited and altered
and lots of pretty papers and embellishments....
so if you wanna join in the fun book your spot as seats are limited

Sweet Scrappins
Carla or Miems
012-329 9175

February's altered challenge has gone up over at scrapbook challenges. this month we were given a love song as inspiration to work with. fast forward and i am totally useless with things like that. so i told Brynn what i wanted to do and she gave me the totally awesome song "Push by Matchbox 20"....genius i tell you. so i love altering things i have around the home...and these little boxes are perfect for gift boxes - you can add a small concertina love letter inside it, some candy, a small gift like a bracelet charm or anything else you can think off. it will definitely make your kids feel so special receiving a little something to celebrate love on Feb 14th.

i used a bunch of left over papers and embellishments from another project to make this little album inside one of the boxes.

the drawers are decorated using decorative tapes and glitter.

and some really dainty beautiful little flowers punched using my OLBA punch. have you checked those punches yet...amazing i tell you! and may i add - i am so not a fiddly kinda crafter using loads of these flowers. but i have to confess i have secretly (shhh) become really fond of them!

and don't forget the diamonds....

more flowers spilling over the sides to add some texture and colour to an otherwise forgotten edge

rub-ons are transferred onto white card stock and trimmed around the edges, then inked to hide the cutting marks and adhered to the boxes

hope you like these little boxes. they truly are lots of fun and quick to make! so gather some matchboxes and go and play along with us over at scrapbook challenges! chat soon....
i am covered in red, cream and pink for valentines....and need to still finish a tone of stuff for next weekend!

this little word of mine...
i'm gonna let it shine...
word 2012 inspiration class

sweet scrappins
10 March 2012
contact Carla to book your seat
we will be making 3 sheets of personalized papers using various techniques
so come and play along

it's been a while since the regular postings on a Monday of the new sketch over at scrapbook challenges. this is all due to the site being moved and becoming a .com site. it had an overall make over and is simply beautiful - Brynn did a spectacular job with the site - classy fun and beautiful and very functional! so if you haven't been over there yet take a stroll and visit and become a member for some serious inspiration when you are creatively stuck. this week's sketch is another stunner and i love how this layout turned out.

some fun 'bear' cut outs were the inspiration behind this layout. not really my style but with some 'grown up' papers i made it work for me and love it. the title bar is covered in several layers of UTEE and then placed in the fridge for a few seconds, removed and then bent to form small cracks for extra texture and pattern.

i used a few - ok more than a few buttons on this layout. it takes a few simple things to make me happy creatively! i really don't need all those embellishments and funky stuff shops need to sell to make a buck while marking things up several hundred percent. yes i know i am treading closely to the edge as shops need to make money - but rip people off come on!

i have realized a lot of things lately. i have done a lot of introspection and have come to a lot of conclusions. i was so disappointed reading the blog recently who called someone "just plain useless....i was sad. cause i know people may think that about me too.

so writing what i was thinking i just erased...several times!
instead i am going to do some more introspection and try not to judge - 'cause i really don't know what people are going through!
i hope you have a stunningly creative week.
remember not to judge
'cause you really can't judge my journey until you have walked in my shoes.

well today marks a very special day in South Africa. it took the vision of 2 very special scrappers to come up with a challenge blog unique and "eie" to SA. and those 2 scrappers are Russian. they are talented. they are unique. they are amazing. they love SA. and it's special for me that they chose me to be a part of that very special project they launched today! so thank you to evgenia and svetlana - both scrappers i have admired for a long long time now. and so Scrap africa was launched. i am sure you will be thrilled to check it out and to play along and be challenged. for our first sketch we were given a really cool single page sketch to work with... of course battling to work on such a small scale i stretched things out and turned mine into a double. and here it is - to see the single page sketch head on over to the site and leave some love...

i had fun with this layout. not only did i make my own patterned paper but i used something i never thought i would....itsy bitsy little flowers. yeah you heard me...
these little flowers are the passion of Kim from Olba. and she loves them. and i kinda think i see the attraction after adding them to this layout. now don't get me wrong - i won't be doing this all the time - but having them just in the right place makes for something really special.

then there's the super cute little card stock cut outs from Glitz to combine with my colour scheme. don't you just love that balloon, a little basic grey rub-on and again a little flower.

my background card stock was splatted with gold perfect pearls and that i-am-in-love-handmade-paper was made using pearly card stock and distress stains and some secret weapons.

so there you have it. please hop on over to the scrap africa blog, share it with your friends and be inspired. i hope you are having a fabulous week creatively and spiritually!
i am still restoring...