A Couple of Layouts to Share

This first layout is of my granddaughters Isla and Mia. They were off to a "Fairy" Birthday Party and looked so cute. I wanted this page to be whimsical - as if there were fairies in the graden. I don't think that I have cut out as much as I did for this page but I am happy with the end result.


This next layout is so different. My Very Best Friend Trish sent me a beautiful card a couple of years ago and what better way to scrap my friend than use this card to show how special our friendship is.
I cut the card up into pieces (oh, it's not like it sounds) to form the matte for the photo and journaling card. The words in the card are very heart warming and I wanted to keep that part too, so I have hidden it under the matte and attached the little heart (that came with the card) so you can slide out the words.

Both these layouts are for the Challenge Heaven monthly challenges. I only have one more to complete for the month. If you have a few spare minutes, head on over to their site and you never know, you just might get inspired.

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugs, Irene xx

My Happy "RED" Day

As promised here is a sample of how my Birthday was spent. My very best friend Trish sent me a parcel for my birthday. It arrived last Wednesday. If anybody knows me, it was a miracle that I didn't open it before my birthday. My day starts at 6am with a cup of tea after which I attacked the parcel.
Trish is one of those people that doesn't just give one present so it was no surprise to find 3 presents all wrapped in red paper and the craziest card ever. Scary at how close it represented my friend and me.

In side parcel #1, I found this totally gorgeous evening clutch. In the photo is a little on the pinkish side but irl it is blood red. Looooooove it!!!

In parcel #2 came this funky mug. It has now become my favorite and together we will start each and every day. Parcel #3 was a box ofnotecards by Andrew Zuckerman. Thank you so much Trish, your gifts always blow me away.

By this time, hubby was coming down stairs with Rebecca and after hugs and a birthday song I opened more presents.

When I opened Ross's present and saw that it was Photoshop Elements 8 I was so thrilled. Up until I got my new computer, I have been using a photo editing program that came with my scanner. At first it was great but I have long since out grown it. YEAH.........I am going to have so much fun.

The bigger parcel was a combined gift from all 4 of my girls....a Bon Appetit Enamelled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. I can't tell you how long I have wanted one of these. It is huge and very heavy and with winter here, I can't wait to start using all of those yummy hearty recipes. So ladies, if you have a favorite recipe, please share.

Of cause I didn't forget to give Ross a HUGE hug and thank you for my present before he was off to work.

When Ross had left, Bec wanted to make me breakfast and asked what I wanted. Eggs Benedict of cause. Last Mother's Day, Bec gave me Julie Goodwin's cookbook and I have tried out her recipe for Hollandaise Sauce and let me tell you, it is the best ever. I would say that I now consider myself a critic where this sauce is involved.

The day was taken up with phone calls from friends and my girls, being fussed over by Bec (and I don't know how many times she sang happy birthday to me in an Ukranian accent) and playing with PSE8, picking up my Birthday Cake and a couple of bottles of Bubbly.

Our friends Ted and Kay come over on Firday nights for home made take-aways and a movie. Ross took us all out to the Endeavour Inn for dinner. They have the most amazing Chinese Cuisine with an authentic chef. Fortunately for Ross they do steak as well.

Around the table...Ross, Kay, Me, Rebecca, Ann-Marie, Ted. After eating Garlic Bread (best ever with grilled cheese on top), Entrees, Mains, Desert, wine, cocktails, we all carried our stomachs out the door moaning and groaning, heading back home were we planned to have coffee and Birthday Cake.

Ted (who is the thinnest of us all) was the only one who could manage to eat a piece. I sent some home with Ted and Kay and we enjoyed the rest for morning tea today.

I went to bed last night totally exhausted with the memory of the best day ever. Can't wait for next year. LOL

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugs, Irene xx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME........

This is going to be a quick post. Today is my birthday and I plan to PARTY !!!

WOW, I am having such a great day. Woke up this morning to a beautiful day. I have been totally spoiled with some awesome presents. More photos will be taken tonight so I will be posting tomorrow with piccies of my presents etc.

Before I go I would like to share a layout that I have completed for Challenge Heaven.

Hamish had this cute little thing he used to do after he would finish playing with a toy etc. He would throw it over his head. It was quite funny at times, when he needed to be changed, we would find bits and pieces that would get caught in his tops. Such things as pieces of jigsaw.

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugs, Irene xx

Toilet Rolls Mini Album

Talk about leaving things to the last minute !!! I have finally finished a Toilet Roll Mini Book for Let's Get Shabby Monthly Challenge. I have to say, I am really happy with how it turned out. Last year I couldn't help but notice that when the TV or DVD was on, my grandchildren switched on to another place.

One morning I was trying to talk to my GD Mia and it was like talking to a brick wall. It's not that she was being naughty or anything like that, she just couldn't hear me. She was watching Toy Story and I was amazed at how many facial expressions were traveling across her little face.
So, being the ever vidual scrapper, I grabbed my camera and started clicking away. In a period of 3 minutes, I captured 15 different expressions. When Mia realized that I had the camera AGAIN !!! I thought I was in for it but she just gave me the biggest smile and giggled.

I made this little book from toilet rolls and it is my entry for this month's challenge at Let's Get Shabby. The criteria was to use chipboard, paint and lace. I struggle with lace but on the pink pages I managed to use a little. All of the pages have been edged with white paint as well as the front transparency. The front page (transparency) has a chipboard frame and there is a tiny chipboard crown and heart which I painted and dusted with fine glitter while the paint was wet.
I made journaling cards which slip into the flattened rolls. As I am running very late with this project, I haven't had time to add the journaling but it will include why I took the photos, why I was there and a list of Mia's favorite DVDs at the time.

I must apologize for the quality of the following photos. 10.30pm is not the best time to be taking photos, but when one is as disorganized as me ............................

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugs, Irene xx

Paperclipping Festival Entry

I have been a member of Paperclipping for over a year now. This web site focuses on techneques rather than products. I totally love this site and have learned so much from Noell who is the owner. She very gengrously shares her knowledge and passion from design to photography. So much is free but if you are a member, you get extra content every month. If I have stirred your interest, then head over to Paperclipping and check things out - you won't be disappointed.

Noell is running a Paperclipping Festival on 22nd June and members have been invited to create a project using techneques from any of the tutorial videos. I was inspired after seeing Noell's Coffee Cup Wamers Minibook. Here is a mini tag book that I put together using this tutorial.

For many years I have not only made wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses but I have also altered too many to remember. Being a true scrapper, I kept all the tags from the bought dresses (alfred angelo) knowing that they would come in handy someday.

After watching one of Noell's video tutorials, I have decided to use these tags to create this mini book which holds only a few of the gowns that I have altered. I wanted the mini book to have a whimsical, bridal and delicate feel to it.

Firstly, I covered one side of each tag with texture paste and while wet, I stamped an image into it using a foam stamp (I think it is from Making Memories). When dry, I painted each tag with a thin coat of white acrylic paint making sure that the printing on the tag stayed visible.




On the other side, I adhered photos of "my girls" as I like to call them and added patterned vellum to the top and bottom of the photo for a romantic touch. Finishing off with a layered punched flower.

On the reverse side of of each page, I have added a little bit of journaling about the bride to be, the wedding day and what alterations were needed.

For the front cover I applied 2 good coats of white paint after the texture paste had dried. Next I added a touch of Versa Color sky blue and highlighted the stamped pattern with Versa Color royal blue to help it stand out. For the titleI used stickers by Karen Foster Headline.

The journaling cards are inked with Versa Color royal blue and adhered with mounting squares and finished off with a tiny punched flower.



I set a large flower eyelet in the top of each tag and threaded all the pages onto a ball chain and tied a few ribbons, pearls and lace onto it.

Close up of layered flowers. I placed them randomly on each page.

I have thoroughly enjoyed making this album especially being able to have the connection of the tags which came from the wedding gowns.

Thanks for stopping by,

Hugs, Irene xx

Back in Action

It's been a while since my last post but then you all know that and so much has being going on. So, to make things easier for myself I shall go backwards.

We have had the most fun filled weekend. My DH's brother and wife visited us on the weekend. It has been about four years since Paul and Joy have been here. Can't say I blame them as the trip by car is some 8 hours.

We talked, we ate, we laughed, we ate, we watched DVDs, we ate.........you get the picture.

Monday was a holiday here (Queen's Birthday) but my art class was still on, so during a sight seeing tour, we called in so I could collect a couple of paintings that I had entered into our local Annual Show.

To my utter surprise, one of the paintings had won an award "Highly Commended". I was stoked. I am painting a series of three which are a birthday gift for my eldest daughter Stacey.

Only one more painting to go. You can see the first painting here.

Happy Birthday Mia
Last Monday was also my sweet granddaughter Mia's 5th Birthday. I am waiting on photos from mum but until then, here is a photo I took during my visit a couple of weeks ago.

Mia celebrated her birthday with 17 friends at Clowntown. They have several different "Themed" rooms for birthday parties and Mia chose the "Under the Sea" room. Even though she loves mermaids, (mummy was sure she would choose a Mermaid cake) Mia insisted on a Strawberry Shortcake birthday cake. When I get photos, I will post them - it will be well worth the wait.

The last two weeks I spent at home making good friends with my dressing gown, slippers, boxes and boxes of tissues, a jar of Vicks, Cold and Flu tablets and buckets of hot tea. No photos necessary to document this event. Fortunately I have not been scared for life and have only been left with a little cough now and then. cough..... cough cough....cough !!!!!

Am I the only one having problems with Posts in Blogger? I can remember when it was so easy to upload photos into my post and then just cut and paste them into the appropriate places. Now, Blogger wants to do its own thing. It will be so much easier to start a new post of my Sydney trip then try to add more photos to this post. So stay tuned.

Thanks for taking the time reading my ramblings.

Hugs, Irene