Five Product Challenge

The other day this little box of goodies arrived on my doorstep - inside there was

• one sheet bazzil


• one sheet Imaginisce Snowy Jo - Jo to the world paper


• Imaginisce Snowflowers


• Trim a tree sticker set


• Light blue grosgrain ribbon

The challenge was to create 1 layout or 2 cards using the above products. We were allowed to use some embellishments from our own stage, but the above 5 had to be predominant. All the products used are available in the store. I was going to do some cards for Christmas, but when I came across these gorgeous Santa pictures, I knew I had to scrap them!!

The imaginisce paper is just gorgeous & has a very subtle glitter throughout the sheet! Gorgeous range of papers!!

Christmas Tag...

I managed to make a tag for Brenda's tag challenge on Sunday afternoon after returning from Conference. So as I promised here is what I came up with.

I have used paper from the Imaginisce Snowy Jo range, Bazzill White cardstock, Imaginisce Snag'em stamp (Trees), Boxer rubons, and American Craft rubons. Plus I have used Wacky Tac adhesive strips to cover the entire piece of white cardstock, then glitter over it. The sheer ribbon is from my own stash. I have inked the edge of the paper and placed the trees on foam tape for dimension.

Also congrats to Lynne for her tags that she made (see above post). These tags are stunning. And as I mentioned in my last post, this is a taste of what is to come... you will need to stay tuned.

Oh WOW...

I have seen some beautiful creations being made while I have been away. I hope that this little challenge has put you into the Christmas spirit. I have had a fabulous weekend away. (not that is was very far from home). A break away just the same. For those of you that don't already know Phil and I also run a mobile hydraulic hose repair service. We have been fortunate enough this year to attend the annual Hydraulink Conference in Nelson. For those of you who think that conference is all fun and games? Wrong, there is a lot of business discussion to attend over two days, as well as formal dinner on Friday night, with prize giving. We were fortunate enough to have this function at the World of Wearable Arts Centre. Every year there is a fancy dress dinner on the Saturday night. This year was the Circus. We had a ball.

I have also been home long enough to whip up a quick tag for Brenda's little challenge. But as light is poor at this time of the night I will promise to share tomorrow. This little challenge is just a taste of what is coming to Scrap Box NZ in November. So you will all need to watch this space!!

Some gorgeous tags...

Hope the beginning of the weekend finds you all well.

I am just now loading the sale on the shop so make sure you check it out and save

15% OFF ALL EMBELLISHMENTS

This sale only runs for the weekend so make sure you place any orders before midnight Sunday.

Here are a few more Christmas tags, aren't they gorgeous. I love how Lynne's put photos onto them.

Looking forward to seeing some more tags, have a great day!!

A little something Chrismassy

Hi, Brenda here. Both Julia and Dallas are away for the weekend so I thought while they are away, we should play! I have a small but fun challenge for you all.

To actually achieve the Christmas creations/cards etc that I want to, I need to start early or by December time has flown out the door and any chance of some handcrafted Christmas touches are gone with it. So to get me going I have made a couple of Christmas themed tags. It's just a small start but at least it's a start right? The challenge for you is to take the plunge into the festive season and create a tag to get you started too. It can be a gift tag, something to hang on the tree or a tag that you could use on a card. Just something little so it's not too time consuming. Take a picture and either upload them in the gallery or email it to me (bponder@slingshot.co.nz). I will put some on the blog here to inspire us and there will be a couple of RAKs given out that are drawn randomly. Every tag gets one entry.

I made these 2 tags this afternoon while my kids slept

Naughty & Nice:
Bazzill Bling cardstock, Swirl cuttlebug embossing folder, Making Memories chipboard, Scrapworks paper, Imaginisce stamp, Kaisercraft bling and Prima crystal swirl.

Joy snowflake:

Bazzill Bling cardstock, Spots & Dots cuttlbug embossing folder, Scenic Route paper, Imaginisce glitter snowflack, Kaisercraft bling, Making Memories chipboard, Heidi Grace pin and ribbon.

So get creating some Chrismassy tags and upload them to share the ideas with others.

There will also be some sales in the shop over the weekend too!

I am also going to start a thread in the forum for any Chrismas crafting ideas that you like to do or have seen and can share with the rest of us.

So have a great weekend and I can't wait to see these Christmas tags!!

Septempber Sketch

So here is my take on the September sketch. I turned it around as my photo was portrait not landscape. It was definetly a fun one, I loved using so much ribbon on a layout!



5 things you enjoy with dad:
Used bazzill cardstock, Pink Paislee Pop Fashion papers and stamps, Deluxe Designs chipboard, Heidi Swapp bling, American Craft thicker, Making Memories rub ons, Inque Boutique swirl stamps, American Crafts ribbons, Queen & Co mini felt.
Sorry it hasn't photographed that well.


Have some things to share later in the week so keep a lookout, plus something special in the weekend!!!

another week!

September seems to be slipping by incredibly fast & on our home front, there aren't many free weekends! I've just come back from Christchurch & will be flying back this weekend for the Nationals (doggie shows!). But no rest from scrapping eh?!

Here's this weeks colour challenge - a few colours to choose from, so it should be an easy one! Hopefully the gallery will be bursting this week - you've got til Sunday, midnight - plenty of time!!

A little princess

I was just going through my latest album and found this layout that I did about a month ago but hadn't quite finished. So now that Ihave I thought I'd share it.


The photo is of my daughter at her Grandma's 50th birthday. Her Grandma was dressed as a princess and then driven through town in a horse and cart. She only lasted half way in her princess attire as Libby just had to wear it (not that Grandma minded handing it over).

I've used Basic Grey Sugared papers, Prima and Heidi Swapp flowers, Basic Grey chipboard shapes inked, Inque Boutique wings stamp, Heidi Grace heart in and the brads are making memories.


And remember today is the last day for the colour challenge!!!

Ahh, Spring, Sweet Spring...

This is the sight I am greeted with every morning when I open the curtains from the bedroom. Our old weeping cherry tree is now in full bloom. Even though I am completely suffering from hayfever, (just like every other year) I can't help but think how beautiful this tree is.

Colour Inspiration...

I was so inspired by the recent colour inspiration that I have recently done, that I have decided to turn it into a weekly 'Colour Inspiration Challenge'. The first challenge is now up in the gallery and details can be found on the message board.

For those of who are not yet members of Scrap Box NZ's forum and inspirational gallery. Now is your chance to be involved in this great challenge.

Little pot of Eva...

This is my little Beyond the Page project that I have been itching to do for some time. I have given a little terracota pot a new lease of life by painting it with lavender paint from KaiserCRAFT, some of the new Eva papers, Prima flowers, brads, a piece of Anna Griffin ribbon which I have had for donkey's years and a Doodlebug Design button. You may not be able to see in the photo, but I have also cut some flowers from acetate and run it through the cuttlebug using Swiss Dots. The flower stems are just mini hotdog sticks which I have washed up.


Hope this little creation inspires you to use some of the fabulous Eva from Basic Grey.

Wassail...

I will be taking preorders this week for the new Christmas range from Basic Grey. I will not be stocking this range in the shop, however if you just have to have this fantastic range, I will take preorders for Collection Kits. They will retail at $38.00 and are of great value having 18 double sided papers, one alphabet sticker and one element sticker sheet. Please email orders@scrapboxnz.com to reserve yours.

For a Friend at Christmas...

Almost a year ago, a friend of ours went back to her home country of Scotland. She and her family took a big leap of faith to move to New Zealand while she was pregnant with her second child. She arrived here not knowing anyone, and happened to have the same Midwife as the rest in our coffee group. Hence our wee friendship group was born. Just three years later made that same leap in the opposite direction. Again uplifting the family to go back to Scotland. This time with three children. So she could keep up to date with us here in New Zealand (as I know she misses us) I came up with this little star album and matching card. I have filled it with photos of the three girls in our coffee group plus one of each of us Mums. Plus a special little pocket for a tag that each of us has written our Christmas message on.

I hope you enjoy looking at this little creation and motivates you to come up with some great creations of your own for loved ones at Christmas.

Some Creations to Share...

I just thought that today would be a share something with you day. I recently went onto

K Werner Design Blog. and I found one of her colour inspirations. So I came up with this little creations. It is a 3x3 box with 6 matching giftcards and envelopes.

Even though the colours that she has matched are Stampin Up! colours, I have transfered these to similar Bazzill Basics Cardstock colours of French Silk, Mauve Ice, Pickle and Bazzill White. The stamp I have used is the KaiserCRAFT Clear Stamp (Circles) The ribbon (from memory) is a Maya Road one that I had a small length of.

TFL:)

I Spy With My Little Eye...

a layout and card by our very own Dallas Foley here Well done to Dallas for her amazing work. So go check it out.

Great Examples...

Hasn't my team members put together some lovely examples from these two beautiful ranges from Basic Grey. Both ranges of papers are available in the shop now, and the embellishments and bitsy stamps are due to leave the US this week (I hope). We hope to have our first card kit available next month too, all going well with the product line we are expecting to use for this. Next month (October) yes October already, we will see Dallas put together a lovely Christmas themed BTP kit ready for November. So things are moving along at an alarming rate towards that time of the year again, when the jolly fat man in the red suit arrives.

and some Eva

Eva is a stunning range of pinks, lavendars & greens. I love the sophistication of this range & to me, it's really versatile to your photos, whether they be kids or adult orientated!


I've done a layout, card & covered a maya road box (but stupidly never took a photo of the box & now my camera is in at Harvey Norman...again!)

On the layout I've used Bazzill for the base & Stirling (gorgeous birds all over this paper!), Eva lettering stickers & the diecut stickers as well. I don't know if you can see that the edge of the stirling has been inked, stitched and distressed. I love how basic grey has that kind of paper that responds to a bit of distressing!



The card has Courtier (the circle paper), and Stirling again with a scallop from my stash & the swirly green flourish is from the sticker diecut sheet of Eva.
Now, if my 15 year old can find what she's done with the small digital camera, I could get my other project up that I used the Versailles, which is a gorgeous paisley design!

Isn't Brenda's Ambrosia stuff just gorgeous??? Awesome work there!

Mmmm Ambrosia...

Not only is Ambrosia one of my favourite desserts, but I think it is also becoming one of my favourite current paper ranges. The colours are not ones that I often find myself working with but I ave really enjoyed working with these oranges, yellows, reds and grey tones.

Here are a few pics of what I have done with this gorgeous paper range:

Spread Your Wings - all BG Ambrosia except Prima flower, Kaisercraft pearls, ColorBox ink with clear glitter on top of the chipboard alphas which are also Basic Grey and Autumn Leaves border stamp.

I found this cute bag on my Plantin Schoolbook Cricut cartridge. Was fun to make and there are other shaped ones aswell. The stamp is an Imaginisce one and the rubons are Heidi Swapp fuzzy rubons, flowers are Prima.

Flower is Imaginisce.

All the papers, alphabet stickers and diecut stickers on these projects are from Basic Grey's Ambrosia range: Marmalade, Pome, Smoke, Winsome, Diecut stickers and alphabet stickers.

The Joys of Winter Ills....

I don't really know what is joyous about it, but it sounds good. I am sitting in the office trying to do paper work (that's not joyous either) but hey if it doesn't get done we don't have food to put on the table.
So instead I am sitting here blogging and surfing the net, much more fun. Some of you may have come across this in your surfing travels. I thought it might be of some use to us, I realise that the cardstock colours may be SU! but I am sure that those dedicated Scrappers out there could use the same principals with Bazzill Cardstock, right? Here is another site that may be of use as well

Happy colour matching

Lots to Share...

Yes I have a lot to share today, although I am feeling a little under the weather. I guess now it is my turn to get the dreaded lurgy that's doing it's round in the Ryder house.


These colours are just a little unique for a Christmas type gift pocket, but they do work.


This first one that I want to share is a diaper fold pocket, you can make it as large or as small as you like, so long as your piece of paper is square. Here I have used KaiserCRAFT papers. Two pieces left at 12x12. The papers are back to back to give the pocket stability.
This next one is made using papers from Two Scoops. Just love the pink and lemon colour combo in this one. Plus I have embossed a piece of white vellum with the Birds & Swirls embossing folder. This gives the patterned paper underneath a soft look.
This one is made using the Boxer Range from Basic Grey. The red and white patterned paper, (the second layer) is actually the packaging from the Olio Rub-ons. The stamp is from Inque Boutique.


The stars and the tag were already precut (they were castoffs for a layout). So this card was quick and easy. It certainly doesn't pay to throw anything out!!
All products are available from Scrap Box NZ Store

Well I will leave you to look at these little creations that I have made. I think some tea, a hot lemon and barley drink and a coldrex tablet is in order for this lady.

Septmeber Sketch...

My take on Brenda's Sketch for September. I have literally used scraps to make this, I have used patterned paper from the perhaps range for the background, KaiserCRAFT papers (Rough & Tough) for the accents. Bazzill Cardstock for the title (which I have run through the Cuttlebug) for the title and photo mat. Strips of paper and scraps of ribbon for the left of the page, plus some hand stitching (zig - zag stitch).


I appreciate that you all take time to check out my blog.

Julia

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

Yes there THAT word. Well after all it is September. Spring time, and before you know it there will be BBQs, Christmas Do's the beach and Christmas. So I'm off to an early start (for the first time ever) So here is an idea that I have come up with for those that like just a touch of Christmas.

All I have done for this is cover a toilet roll with cardstock for the trunk, used a half circle for the tree top and decorated accordingly. I have used Mod Podge on the tree and sprinkled it with glitter to give it that snow look. But unfortunately the photo doesn't do it justice. The patterned paper is from the Infuse collection by Basic Grey. I have used Bazzill Bitty Blossoms, and Green Tara flowers, plus some KaiserCRAFT Rhinestones (Silver) and buttons from my own stash. Plus a spare piece of Tailored Ribbon from Scrapworks.

A couple of cards to share today.


Using Basic Grey Sugared papers, Green Tara papers, Heidi Swapp chipboard heart with Glimmer Mist. Basic Grey rubon, organza ribbon. Also used the Cuttlebug Swiss dots embossing folder. I love using this one, it is so versatile.

This one uses Basic Grey Two Scoop range. I also used Glimmer Mist on the scalloped chipboard circled behind the flower. I love this stuff. It gives such a nice shimmery look and is so easy to use. I am now on the hunt for some more colours!! Flower is Green Tara (I think).

The September sketch is now up. Here it is below.

Happy creating!

Bye for now

Brenda

August Sketch Winner...

Congratulations to Lynne for her winning layout in the August Sketch Challenge. For her efforts she picked up a $40-00 to the shop. You can check out her work here
Be sure to check out the gallery for the September Challenge which Brenda will post in a couple of days.
For those of you who are participating in the Card Swap, this months theme is 'Thank-you'. The details for the monthly card swap are posted here on the forum
Please remember to include a self address stamped envelope, plus envelopes that fit your cards. I am just waiting on the last two to come in. Then I will redistribute them again.