CSI#4 + Handmade By Suzanne

Hello out there to each and everyone of you. Hoping this post find you well. I seriously hope all in your life is great. 

I have been a little quite online the last week or so. I have been busy creating projects for Design Teams and also upcoming Australian magazine specials and I have hardly been able to do much else. I have also lost my mojo a little. Been inundated with other commitments does that to me so I must be careful not to burn out yet again. 

Plus, the week that just passed was the last week before the new school year starts here in Australia. Maria is starting "big school" on Tuesday so things have been rather hectic and I am not doing very well emotionally. Old wounds are flaring up again with the thought of her officially leaving me and I have been feeling very emotional , which for me quite often comes out in the form of what most would call "stressing". Summer (if we had any!) is coming to a close in the next month and with the new school year everything and everyone is winding down. Just like everywhere I guess, our summer holidays draw to a close and the whole Christmas, New year's etc celebration time feels like a long distant memory.. Its a little sad...

So today I want to show you the final layout that I created with my DT kit from Handmade By Suzanne. As you may recall I was working with the Hummingbird collection from Kaisercraft which you can find available HERE 

This is also my final layout for my Guest Designer spot over at Color Stories Inspiration (CSI) and I have loved creating with the challenges and the prompts there. 

Lastly, I also based the design of this layout on Saturday Sketch #2 at the Kaisercraft blog. 

So here is what this week's CSI Case File looks like. You have until Sunday February 5th to enter this...

"Degraves St Melbourne"

Materials Used Available at Handmade By Suzanne: Kaisercraft Hummingbird patterned paper, collectables (die cuts), sticker sheet, rub ons. Kaisercraft Paper Blooms Sea Breeze, Manor House Creations Christmas Star White (large white flower). Kaisercraft Wooden Flourishes Lamp Post. Kaisercraft Lamp Post Rub-Ons. ZVA Creative Triumph Flourish Clear Crystal. Glimmer Mist , large paper doily, Glossy Accents, black ink. 

 As the challenge requirements, I used wet mediums (on the lamppost and the white base cardstock) and rhinestones (flourish) from the evidence. And from the testimony , I used "reflections" , as in reflecting back to the time we spent in this gorgeous street opposite Flinder's Street station called Degraves St. during our time in Melbourne earlier in the month. LOVED this chic' place and cannot wait to go back. 

Here are some close ups. 

 I started with a white cardstock and placed a large paper doily on top of it to use as a mask. I then sprayed Glimmer Mist and removed the paper doily which left the pattern on the while cardstock. Above, you can see I inked the wooden lamp post with black ink and then went over it with Glossy Accents to create a shiny finish. 

The large butterfly, die cut stems and yellow journalling spot are Kaisecraft Collectables, which are a pack of GORGEOUS die cut elements and SO much value for money. I just scattered them through out the page and layered them using 3D dots to create depth. The smaller butterflies are from the Sticker Sheet

 The large white flower is from Manor House Creations and the birdcage and oblong journalling spot is again from  Kaisecraft Collectables, The blue small flowers are Kaisercraft Paper Blooms Sea Breeze. 

The letters are from the Hummingbird Sticker Sheet. I inked the edges with black ink and used small 3D dots to elevate them a little. The lamp post is  Kaisercraft Lamp Post Rub-Ons. 

I sure hope you get the chance to play along at CSI this week. You can find all the information you need HERE. 

And don't forget that there is also a SKETCH CHALLENGE still going on at Handmade By Suzanne and you can win a HUGE $30.00 (plus FREE shipping) voucher to use in the store. You can find all the information for that HERE.

Why don't you combine the 2 challenges? That's a thought for you!!

Just before I go, I want to show you in one post all the creations I have made with the Hummingbird collection this month. It truly is gorgeous and hope you feel inspired to use it too. What I like about it is that 4 layouts with this collection and in my opinion they ALL have different colour schemes. That's awesome I think. Remember if you like the look of this collection you can find it all HERE .

Have a great week everyone. 

Outstanding!

Is there a better accolade than that? Seriously. For a teacher I know that there is nothing beyond outstanding and to be described like that by the owner of Imaginarium Designs, whose team I have just been accepted in, is such an honor. 

Today is my introduction over at the Imaginarium Designs blog. Check me out HERE. 

How exciting. I should tell you I received the MOST generous pack of chipboard from Imaginarium 2 weeks ago and will NOT share it here with you girls because you will go green with envy LOL!. No but seriously. I received a WHOLE pizza box full of all kind of chipboard you can imagine. I am so grateful. I really am. I still wonder why i was chosen to be on this team and anything that comes my way I just appreciate so much. THANK YOU Jane and Natalie :)

Oh and one more thing I need to tell you about. Have you been using Imaginarium Designs chipboard at all? 

If you have, you might want to go and post your work at the brand new ning site HERE

Visit Imaginarium Designs

and you never know whose eye you will catch!

Have a great week everyone. 

The Simple Things..

..are the ones that make me happy. 

Happy Monday everyone! I am going to try and get this post out quickly while having a 3 year old crawl all over me!! LOL!

 I sincerely hope you are all doing well. All is great here. 1 more week and Maria starts "big"school and emotions are running high in this household at the moment.

I will definitely miss her every single moment. I will! I am not just saying that. I will miss days like the one I scrapped about below..The simple things. That's what I am about. I wouldn't say I am fancy or high maintenance. I don't think it takes much to make me happy..I am not interested in money, or materialistic things or houses and cars etc etc. I am interested in being happy and none of those things will give me that happiness. Doing every day things with my kids, being a mum with my good and bad days , is what makes me happy. Being a family and being around hubby as he teaches the kids stuff is what makes me happy. 

How true is this quote..

And I DO! 

Here is a layout I created with the Kaisercraft Hummingbird collection which is available HERE at Handmade By Suzanne. Remember I was sent this collection in my Design Team kit and I have loved it. There are some amazing colours in it but don't let the brights scare you. 

I based this layout on Saturday Sketch #3  and I flipped the sketch to make it look like this. 

Supplies Used: Paper, stickers, die cuts - Kaisercraft Hummingbird. Flowers- Kaisercraft Blooms (Coconut) sprayed with red mist, Green Tara Mini Roses (White).  Martha Stewart Crafts - Deep Edger Punch - Daisy Fan. Websters Pages - All About Me - Simple Frill - Red

Some close ups..

The birdcage, tag and large butterfly are Hummingbird Collectables. The centre of the butterfly is from the Hummingbird Rub Ons. The birds on wire and the circle border are from the Hummingbird Sticker Sheet

 The alphas are from my stash..The bird border is from the Hummingbird Sticker Sheet and the red trim is from Webster's Pages. 

 The love die cut heart, stem and big butterfly are from  Hummingbird Collectables.

The love hearts are Hummingbird Rub Ons. 

Hope you feel inspired somewhat.I have one more layout to show you later on in the week that I created with this collection. In the meantime you can find the collection HERE . 

I am also playing along with Workout #60 at ScrapFit where we needed to create a layout about The Simple Things that make us happy :) This is a new challenge blog I have discovered and it looks awesome. Thanks for the inspiration girls. 

Have a great week everyone. 

Friends

Good morning to all . It is a wet and rainy Saturday morning here in Sydney and I do not mind that at all. I like the rain. 

Here is a layout that I created using my beautiful kit from Handmade By Suzanne. I have been working with the Kaisercraft collection Hummingbird, which is available HERE.

I based this layout on the sketch over at the Kaisercraft blog . I don't think I told you that I won their December sketch did I? Well I did and I got a HUGE pack as a prize last week. YAY!

Supplies Used: Paper, stickers, die cut paper, specialty paper, quote sticker, rub ons and alphas - Kaisercraft Hummingbird. Flowers- Kaisercraft Blooms (Coconut), Manor House Creations (Christmas Star White), Manor House Creations (Cutie Pie Pinks) , Green Tara Mini Roses (Pale Pink and White). Chipboard- Kaisercraft Wooden Flourishes Berry Vine. Spellbinders Lacey Circles dies. Versamagic Dew Drop ink (Nutmeg). Tim Holtz Ranger Distressed Stains Ink (Picket Fence). Tattered Angels GlimmerMist (Tattered Rose) 

 The pink flowers are Manor House Creations (Cutie Pie Pinks) and the little pink and white ones are Green Tara. I inked all the edges with VersaMagic Nutmeg ink to give it that extra detail. 

 The chipboard which is painted white with Tim Holtz Ranger Distressed Stains Ink (Picket Fence) is Kaisercraft Wooden Flourishes Berry Vine

 The big flower is Manor House Creations (Christmas Star White), which I sprayed with Tattered Angels GlimmerMist (Tattered Rose) and inked with an aqua ink. 

The base paper is Kaisercraft - Hummingbird - Specialty Sheet - Flutter and the blue sheet on top is 

Kaisercraft - Hummingbird - Diecut - Meadow

You can find most of these items in the store so you just need to click on the links provided. 

Don't forget that there is a sketch challenge going on till the end of the month at Handmade By Suzanne and you can win a $30.00 voucher to the store. You can find all the details HERE.

And here are some new items that have just arrived at the shop..

Echo Park A Boy's Life

Kaisercard

Sew Easy Sew Stamper

Kaisercraft Lil' Primrose 

Thanks for having a look everyone! Have a great weekend. 

Scrap Africa!!

Have you heard of the BRAND NEW challenge blog that JUST went live? It's called ...

Scrap Africa

and I am delighted to tell you I was asked to be one of the two very first Guest Designers at their blog!!! YAY!  

The concept is very simple and you can read all about how it works HERE but what is more exciting is that this the first challenge blog to come out of the African continent ! It is an international blog too, so ANYONE can participate. The blog is run my the super talented Evgenia Petzer and Svetlana Austin who are both from South Africa and I would love for you to go on over and maybe follow their blog and have a look around? 

There is also a giveaway for South African and Namibian scrappers too!

SO here is their very first challenge. It is a sketch! An awesome one too and easy to interpret.

and here is my take on it..

Supplies: Patterned Paper, alphas, stickers,chipboard stickers - Bo Bunny Welcome Home, Flowers: Prima Marketing Fleur De Lys (big flower), Prima Marketing Romantique, Kaisercraft Paper Blooms Sea Breeze,  Petaloo branch, Green Tara Mini Roses Ivory, Martha Stewart Punch Around The Page Swirly Lace,  Dusty Attic Chipboard Frame, 

FINALLY! After all these months I can show you this layout I created for my scrappy BFF Irma Peredne. Isn't she just drop dead gorgeous with her Eastern European look? My husband thinks she looks like Courtney Cox too!

I created this for her last November when I was asked to be Guest Designer at Scrap Africa and have sent it to her and she has had it for a while now. Irma is a very very very special friend and woman in my life. She was one of my very first followers on my blog and from there we became very close friends. She tells things like they are without being hurtful and I appreciate that in people. 

I wanted her to know just how special she is because with everything that has been going on lately with me, she and many others have been feeling that I have forgotten all about them and distanced my self from them..

As I told Irma, I simply find it very difficult to just chit chat with people that I love and act like nothing ever happened when I am STILL working through so many things inside me. There are some people that I cannot put on a brave face with and that's why I pulled back. But anyway..NOT talking about THAT again..we are trying to move on here. :)

Have a GREAT weekend everyone and hope you find some time to come and join us over at Scrap Africa!

Winter Magic

Hi everyone. 

Today I wanted to share with you my last layout created for my Guest Designer spot at Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge. 

The challenge this time is to use the following sketch and to scrap something that represents winter  - children playing in snow, winter scene, whatever says winter to you!

"The Magic Of Winter"

This is the sketch for the challenge. 





Everything on this page is from Webster's Pages Winter Fairytales collection. 


Thanks to a tip from my friend Irini, I am linking this up with Use It Tuesday #23 All About Winter . Awesome site! Thanks Irini. 

I admit it..I love winter. Summer is awesome and now with the kids its just easier. But winter is just magic! I love the rain, the cold...I am weird..I know!

It has been wonderful being a Guest at Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge. Thanks Anne. 

Take care everyone. 

Cést Magnifique February PAPER and ADD ONS reveal

Hi everyone..

The February kit PAPERS and add-ons have been revealed over at C'est Magnifique . I received this kit a couple of weeks ago and have been creating with it all last week. LOVED LOVED LOVED the colours and the beautiful things that came in the kit. I also purchased the add ons just because everything looked so YUMMY! I simply LOVE these kits and I will tell you that I had just subscribed to them right before being asked to join the Design Team because in my humble opinion there are not many kit clubs out there that cater to my style...soft, feminine, floral etc etc. 

One of my layouts is up on the blog today today with the reveal and here it is now..

This is my gorgeous Maria...my precious first born daughter who is 5. I can honestly say I do not remember anything in my life before she came along. She is about to start kindergarten, which is the first year of schooling here in Australia, and...well..I simply cannot let go. She is and always will be my little baby no matter how old she gets. She has the most special spot in my heart because , like I tell her, she made me a mum and no one can take that away from her. She is sweet and kind, and girly. So I wanted this layout to be feminine and soft just like her. 

In the background I have used an old Tattered Angels mask from my stash and also some Texture Paste to add some details. I inked the Dusty Attic frame in a sandy coloured ink and then went over it with puffy pain and also some white ink. I loved layering all the different little embellishments on top of each other under the title to create a cluster. I also inked the letters and their edges and went over them with Glossy Accents

Add On's Used

From the Embellishment Add On 

**Dusty Attic Frame

**Prima Shabby Chic Metal Treasures (lamp posts) 

**ZVA rhinestone swirl

**Prima Amore Frost (love heart under the title) 

From the flower Add On

**Prima Meredith Mer flower (big white flower) 

**Prima Aglow Mica brown leaves 

From my stash 

**gauge

**green leaves

**Tattered Angels mask

*Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist (Sand) 

**Puffy paint 

**Glossy Accents

**Texture Paste

Now here is what the kit papers (the embellishments included in the kit are not shown here) and add -ons look like. 

Some are already sold out and if you like the look of the kits or the layouts that you see me or the other Design team member's create then have a read all about how you can join up HERE . There is also an online store and you can still get some of the pieces from the add ons HERE

February 2012 Paper and Add-Ons

 Our papers this month are from Denmark from a company called Riddersholm Designs. They are such a different color scheme, with the rich purples, golds and blues. They are truly gorgeous and I guarantee that you will be most pleased with this kit! Here are the papers:

And the add-ons:

Unfortunately, both of our add-on pkgs and our paper add-ons are sold out, but there are a few individual items still available.

Have a great day everyone!

Simplify Your Life: Week 2

Well hello everyone..it is Monday. The beginning of the 3rd week of January already! I trust you are all well. I am ..OK. I got some not too nice news late last night and I have come to realise I am not over what happened. I am not. Actually, i am worse now as the due date draws near and ..let's just say I am a little lost these days. I cannot get things out of my head. I think of words, images, thoughts etc of those initial days and its like a flashback and I find myself right there and then on 9:00am Monday October 10th 2011. ..Anyway..I am not one to be negative and sit here and want a pity party, and in fact I surprise myself with what I say on here as I simply never want anyone to feel sorry for me or think I am doing this for attention. But, sometimes I can share more with all of you than with anyone I know in my life. I know not everyone will agree with me sharing pieces of my self on here but so many of you send me such good vibes that I know its OK. And I know that in this day and age, with life being so hectic for everyone , we dont want to hear other people's problems. Especially when this is supposed to be a scrapbooking blog. But, I guess you will have to let me be because I feel like I have been on this roller coaster ride right from the beginning. 

So anyway..enough bad thoughts!

If you recall I told you all last week that I was playing along at the 52 Weeks To Simplify Your Life challenge, which are little life prompts that go up every Monday. Today i am supposed to write about Week 2 which asks us to define our personal values. 

Here is my list of Top 5 personal values in no particular order

#1 Family. I come from a very good Greek Orthodox family. We were brought up with very deep morals and values and to be there for each other always. Because we migrated to Australia and had absolutely nobody here but each other, we have a very strong bond. We still all live minutes from each other. My family would do anything for me, and I would do anything for them. 

#2 Respect. I firstly respect my self. I set my expectations high in all aspects of my life and do not aim low. I demand respect from everyone around me because it is what I give 100% of the time where it is due. 

#3Loyalty. I would die first before I turn my back on my family or friends.. I am fiercely loyal to those I love . 

#4 Fairness. Something just does not sit well with me when I see things that are not fair. I have been known to speak up for people who cannot defend themselves and will never stop that. 

#5 Religion. I have always believed in God and that there is a higher power. All I have to do is look at my children to know that God exists. Their very existence is my proof. I will not claim that I go to church every Sunday, but in Oprah's words "God has never been too far away from me". He is the beginning and the end of anything that exists in my life and of me. 

So, there you have it. Let me know if you play along so I can check out your personal values. 

Once Upon A...Sketch January 15th Challenge!!

Hello everyone! I hope all is well where you are and you are enjoying your self somewhere in the world. It is Sunday afternoon here and the kids are out with hubby and ..*sigh* I love them like mad but a little quite time does wonders to the soul LOL!

So earlier this month I was sent a beautiful and very generous pack of goodies in my Design Team pack from Handmade By Suzanne which included one of Kaisercraft's newest collection Hummingbird. This collection in its entirety is available at the shop HERE and I will provide all the links of other things I have used on this layout  as well. 

This is the first layout I created and it is for the January 15th challenge at Once Upon A...Sketch which just went live. 

SO here is my layout ..

based on my sketch...

I guess it would have been easy to go the opposite way and say Goodbye 2011 but the bright colours and gorgeous happy designs of this collection made it too hard to focus on any negative thoughts. I guess in my heart I am saying good riddance 2011 but ...lets just look forward and maybe 2012 will be different. 

So here are some close ups. 

 To create the circles above, I firstly cut out 2 circles in 2 different sizes from Hummingbird Double Sided Patterned Paper Flowers and the I used my Martha Stewart Punch Around The Page Swirling Lace  paper punch to punch out some decorative borders from Hummingbird Double sided Patterned Paper Nest . I then used a sewing machine to stitch around the circle edge and overlapped the border and stuck it under the circles. 

The birdcage above is from Hummingbird Collectables which is a pack of die cut shapes. 

 I also used this gorgeous white flower from Manor House Creations- Christmas Star (White)  ,  Kaisercraft Blooms (Buttercream) and Green Tara Mini Roses (Bright Yellow) . The die cut flower is also from Hummingbird Collectables . I also used a ZVA Lovely Flourish in Clear Crystal. 

I also used my Martha Stewart Deep Edger Punch Garden Trellis and Martha Stewart Punch Around The Page Cherish paper punches. 

 For further details on the products used, you can click on the links or visit the store HERE

I hope you get the chance to play along at Once Upon A..Sketch this time. We have some awesome prizes and Guest Designers so please click HERE to see all the details. 

And don't forget that Handmade By Suzanne also has a Monthly Sketch Challenge, and you could win a $30.00 voucher (plus free postage) to use in the store. You can see all the details HERE

Take care everyone. See you soon!

Color Stories Inspiration Case File #2

Hi everyone!

Continuing with my Guest Designer spot over at the new challenge site Color Stories Inspiration (CSI) , here is Case File No. 2 

And here is my example..

"If Only..."

Looking at this now it doesn't look too bad, but I almost threw this in the bin before I submitted it. I created this 2 weeks ago when I was on holidays in Melbourne. Yeah..I brought a few things along as I already knew what colours I would be scrapping and decided to give this a go. I really didn't feel comfortable creating away from my supplies and all that but I tried anyway and I am not very happy with this, but anyway..here it is. Also..I am noticing that the colours are different from when I printed them out. They look different on screen than on paper..sorry!

As part of the requirements I have included:

**flowers

**sheer elements (Maya Road flowers which I misted blue)

**something stone like (Prima Marketing bench)

**Use this quote as inspiration: "Good advice. If I listened earlier, I wouldn't be here. But that's just the trouble with me. I give myself very good advice, but I very seldom follow it." -- and journal as advice. Mine is the hidden journalling at the back of the photo. 

This layout is called "If Only..." and documents my thoughts on the advice given to me when I was younger about having children early. I was 20 when I got married to Sam and didn't have Maria 'till 28 because that's what we chose.  I always wanted children..we both did. But we were very young and came from very strict home and had not really lived our lives at all so we traveled and saved money and built a home...and all the while people where asking "when will you have kids?" and they would say "have kids now, don't leave it too late". At the back of my head I was thinking.."yeah right..when I am ready I will just click my fingers and it will happen" . And it did for the first 2, but if only I knew then what I know now I would have listened to that advice..I would have started much earlier and could have had more children by now. But anyway. Such is life. I wasn't to know what was around the corner for me. 

So if you have some time, come and play along at CSI. 

The deadline for completing Case File No. 2 is

Sunday, January 22, 11:59 p.m. EST.

Thus, you have a week plus the two weekends to complete your layout.

Handmade By Suzanne January Sketch Challenge

For my January giveaway click HERE
*****

Hi everyone! How are you all doing? I hope you are happy and doing something that pleases you :o) 

Today I wanted to share this layout that I created for the January sketch over at Handmade By Suzanne . You can have a look at the Gallery HERE  to see what the other Design Team members have created too and don't forget that there is a cool $30.00 store voucher (plus FREE postage) for a randomly drawn winner!

Here is my layout...

..based on this sketch. 

 

That beautiful girl in the picture is not me! It is my friend Georgia Heald and as I said last month I am really enjoying creating layouts for people other than my children such as my online friends. Georgia and I became friends when she started participating at the challenges over at Once Upon A..Sketch and after I added her to the design team over there I grew to like her even more. She did something VERY special for me which I am never going to forget. So this is just a small way of saying THANK YOU to her..So Georgia..THANK YOU for being Just You!

Here are some closeups. 

Papers are from Glitz Designs Vintage Blue. I have used textured paste over a Prima wall mask. Also stamped some images all over the page with black ink and a clear stamp set from Pink Paislee. 

In the image above you can also see some random leaves from I am Roses, which I went over with puffy paint as inspired by my other talented scrappy friend Gerry Van Gent. 

Supplies List

From Handmade By Suzanne

**Prima Marketing - Shabby Chic Treasures Resin - Arch Window 

**Kaisercraft Paper Blooms - Buttercream 

***Kaisercraft - Rubons - Timeless - Lamp Posts

From Imaginarium Designs

**Mirrored Bracket on oval frame 

** Circles Border (8")

**Just You

Other

**Patterned Paper and mini alphas - Glitz Design Vintage Blue

** Grey flower - Prima Marketing

**Orange flower - ZVA

I hope you can join in the fun over at Handmade By Suzanne!

Take care everyone.