Just Cre8 GCT Challenge - Get Distressed!

I'm thrilled to be the Guest Creative Designer at Just Cre8 this month. Here are two more layouts I've created with this month's kit, and I used them as examples of my GCD Challenge for this month - Get Distressed! See this post in the forum here!

We all have our favourite techniques and ways of changing things up when it comes to scrapbooking. One of my favourite things to do to my pages is roughen up the paper a bit by distressing it. There are many ways to do this – crumpling, tearing, rubbing, sanding, inking, chalking, etc. What each of these methods has in common is that each adds texture and dimension to the page, creating a feeling of messiness or grunge, or a vintage-y flair, depending on the mood or theme of the layout.
My personal favourite thing to do is to distress my pages by sanding using sandpaper of varying degrees of coarseness, or a file or emery board. A common misconception is that distressing can only be used on shabby or heritage layouts. This simply isn’t true. Here are two youthful, modern layouts created with this month’s kit which use distressing to add depth to the paper’s edge. The Outtakes layout above celebrates the craziness that goes on in our house when I try to get the kids together for a photo.

In the Family Forever layout, I somehow managed to capture them all in quite observation. I love the teddies in this enlarged photo. Some day all too soon, they won't be interested in them anymore (sniff!)

So my Just Cre8 GCT Challenge for February 2009 is to get distressed. I hope you particip8 by posting a layout here. If you haven't been in the Just Cre8 gallery, you're missing out on so much inspiration Check it out here!

Just Cre8 July Scrap Pack Layout!

I mentioned in this post that I was lucky enough to win the July Scrap Pack from Just Cre8 a while ago. Here is the first layout I (finally!) have managed to post from this awesome kit. Those who know our family well will recognize Indra; she will always be an important part of our lives and is just like family - particularly to the girls, who can't remember a time without knowing her. I loved using the Scribblz Art word "Joy" that came with the kit. I made this back at Wenonah, but am just getting to posting it now.


I can't wait to "cre8" more with this awesome kit. I just wish that there were more hours in a day! ;-)

It's Spring at Scrapalicious!

Well, it may still be winter, but this adorable new release from Imaginisce will have you believing that spring is here, despite the mountains of snow! I'm looking forward to playing with these cute products, along with a bit of Doodlebug flocked dot cardstock and the sweetest little Maya Road critters keychain. So fear not, soon you will be packing away your shovel for the season!

I'll be posting creations with these bright products sometime soon.

Wenonah Layouts - Finally! ;-)

It's been ages since I came home from Wenonah and in the the crazy business of the kids' activities over the fall and the Christmas season, I am just now getting around to posting these layouts. I can't believe it! The first layout is one I started way back in September when I was the Guest Designer for Scraptivity's September 2008 kit. I'm finally getting it posted now. I love this photo of the girls cuddling with their Daddy on Father's Day. All of the layouts I did at Wenonah were totally girly.
I think the girl layouts balance out that the other project I worked on at Wenonah was Evan's gear album. I guess I did get quite a bit done that weekend! All that was left on these layouts was the journaling. I've made a decision to be better with journaling this year - both with getting it done right away, as well as making it more in-depth. This layout is all about how much Vanessa loves playing dress up and then posing for the camera. Lots of hand cutting the frame around the layout here.

I have one more layout to post, which I created with the Just Cre8 July 2008 Scrap Pack that I won last summer, and I will post that in a separate Just Cre8 post, sometime soon.

Just Cre8 February 2009 kit reveal

I mentioned earlier in this post how pleased I am to be the Guest Cre8ive Designer at Just Cre8 for their February kit, which was revealed today. Just Cre8 offers two styles of kits at two different price points, and also allows purchasers to customize their own kit, giving total flexibility. For these layouts, I worked with the Scrap Pack, as well as a few extras from the Just Cre8 store. For the layout at left, I handcut the flowers from the Fancy Pants I'm Yours paper and layered the flowers over the page.
The sweet girl acting like a ham for the camera in above layout is Rachel, daughter of my cousin Sharon from Ireland. She is personality plus, that's for sure! Both layouts here use Doodlebug's sugar coated chipboard letters in white, and the layout at left uses Bo Bunny double dot chipboard, in addition to the kit elements. The digital frame on this photo of Vanessa in the snow is also included in the kit. I'll be adding a few more creations with this kit soon, so stay tuned. See more kit creations by the Cre8ive Crew here.

Cold Enough for You?

I don't know about you, but I've had quite enough of this chilly winter weather already! Brrr! It seems my sentiments are shared by the ladies at Scrapbook and Cards Today, as this layout of a pink-cheeked Vanessa is featured on their blog today as the Thursday Reader's Submission. Be sure to visit the blog, and check out other recent posts by awesome scrapbookers like my Scrapalicious friend Virginia, and the awesome Michelle Engel, amongst many other talented scrappers.

You can browse their blog here!

Scrapbook and Cards Today is an awesome scrapbook magazine, and it's Canadian! Did you know that their issues are available to be downloaded from the internet? Check out the latest issue here.

Enjoy! And try to keep warm. ;-)

Gr8 Cre8ive Idol Happy Mail!

I had a "gr8" time last fall in the Gr8 Cre8ive Idol contest held by one of my favourite Canadian kit clubs, Just Cre8. I'm so happy with the projects I created for this contest, (see them here), and I was thrilled when I placed second overall. See the generous prize at left.


I'm also very excited to be the Guest Cre8ive Designer for Just Cre8's February 2009 kit, which reveals tomorrow. This wonderful kit is full of sweet goodness, so you simply must check it out. Take a peek at Just Cre8 on January 15th to see the kit's reveal. I will also be posting my creations here, so stay tuned!

Scrapalicious Layouts Revealed

It's been a while since I posted this little sneak peek of the awesome My Mind's Eye Laundry Line, which I was lucky enough to receive as my DT kit from Scrapalicious before Christmas. It's such a beautiful line to work with! Each of these papers had a glitter or gloss finish. I handcut the glittered flowers here layered them over the glitter dot paper. The chipboard die cuts make for easy embellishing on this very feminine layout.
I love Bazzill's new Dotted Swiss cardstock. The texture and simple pattern of this paper adds an understated elegance to this layout. This layout is of my cousin Zandra and her husband Ray celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. I don't know about you, but I really think these two look far too young to have hit their 40th anniversary! Congrats, Zandra & Ray! They are still so completely in love, as you can see from their photo.
I think many scrappers look at this paper line and immediately think of feminine layouts. I really wanted to include a masculine layout in my creations with Laundry Line, and I think pairing it up with Basic Grey's Ambrosia chipboard alphas and shapes worked well. Here you see our dude intently playing the marimba at the marimba camp he attended this past summer. Trimmed with Bazzill's great new pom-poms, these products are all boy!

With the dumping of snow we had last night, I'm really anxious for spring, and this sweet new Twitterpated line from Imaginisce sure has me thinking of warmer weather. Stay tuned for my next Scrapalicious kit, which will feature these products.

I also have more scrappy goodness coming in February with a guest design spot I have coming up and I'm really excited about it. I will share more about in a separate post, realllly soon!

A Sneek Peek to Kick Off 2009

It was great to spend the day yesterday scrapping away at one of my favourite scrapbooking get-aways, Younique. Leanne, Violet and I had a scrapping day yesterday, and in addition to having a wonderful time, I completed 3 layouts with my latest DT kit from Scrapalicious, featuring MME's Laundry Line.
Once I have some daylight to photograph these in, I will post the completed projects. Until then, here is a little peek. This great collection features gloss or glitter on all of the papers. It is fantastic to work with, even for masculine pages, like the one at left of Evan at marimba camp this past summer. Check out Laundry Line here.

It's great to get the scrapbooking year off to a good start, and I'm glad I managed to do it in some fine company. Thanks, Leanne, Violet, and Heather! Here's to a great, creative 2009!

Our December in Daily Photos

Guess what? If you are wondering where your Christmas card from us is this year, here's your answer at left. Oops! We were far behind this year, but got all our cards into the mailbox today, before 2008 was over. So, cards will be a little late this year, but better late than never, right! Oh, and handmade? Sorry, maybe next year! ;-)

One thing I did manage to complete in a timely manner was the December Daily photo project encouraged by Ali Edwards. I don't have an album created to put these into, but it's a nice feeling to know that once I do, the photos are ready!

Take a quick peek at our family's December, and once again - we wish you a multitude of blessings in 2009.