Finding my mojo

Lately around here I have rediscovered my scrapping mojo. For the last 8-9 months I just haven't been feeling it. My project life had stayed fairly up to date (sans journalling) but as for 12x12 layouts all inspiration had been missing. I even considered giving up all together. I mean what's the point of having all these supplies but not using them.

At the start of October I attended scrap camp. The weeks leading up to it I put all my efforts into prepping for camp. I had kits made up some were specifically to make 1 layout with the photo already chosen and others were there to make multiple layouts. I thought if anything was going to get me out of my slump this would be the way to go.

Its safe to say that camp and preparation truly did have the desired outcome. The challenges that the camp organisers set up also helped me with this. I managed to get 9 layouts done and had a lot of laughs along the way.

I had also made the decision I needed to scrap my stash. Sometimes (and you will probably find this yourself) we get so caught up in the purchasing side of scrapbooking. We get swamped in product. This was exactly where I was. I had so much stuff I didn't know where to start. Prior to campo I sold off a fair bit of my stash. So much so I was receiving messages from some scrapbooking friends worried I had packed it in. Given up. Not the case at all. I was just too overwhelmed with product.

I returned from camp mojo renewed. I have scrapped every night I have had free. And I have the resolution to have another clean out. I took to camp everything I could have needed to create layouts and I feel I can get rid of all the other "stuff".

My advice to you when you have lost you mojo and feel like giving up the scrapbooking journey. Find some sketches. Make some kits up from your stash and find some like minded people to give you a nudge in the right direction. There is always something to scrap and you have it in you to do it. Sometimes we just lose focus on what the journey is about.

Its not about having the latest greatest releases. Its about working with what you have and opening your mind.

This was my monochromatic challenge layout. I have always wanted to do a all white layout and I'm very happy with how it turned out

This challenge was to scrap about something or someone that means something to you and journal why it means so much to you. I absolutely adore this layout 

2014 project life inserts

This year I took a completely different approach to last years project life see here. My inserts I did however do myself. Kate at five at eleven had done a post at the start of the year. And one of the photos there had really caught my eye. Circular stamping. So I rounded up all my round shaped stamps (and lets be honest collected a few more throughout the year) and got stamping.

I had decided to do all my inserts this was using g page protectors. (Well except the insert pictured)

Everytime I get low. I just lay it all out and stamp some more. Yes it can get tedious but I am loving how my inserts look. With just a splash of colour on the cards from the enamel dots ive been using (I have a slight problem with enamel dots. Last count I was up to 37 packets). 

I cannot stress enough how much I am loving my inserts. Using only white cardstock and black ink. I have gotten a really cool effect that stabds out from all my weekly layouts.

Oh and in case you were wondering the brother and sister stamps and the love this girl stamps are from kellies stamps. I am in love with her stamps head on over and check out her stamps. Her blog give a girl a blog is also full of inspiration.

HAVE FUN!!!!

Ever have one of those days

Omg. I am not even sure I want to talk about it. After a great day for miss s birthday I was being proactive about tomorrows lunch. You know being easter sunday and all. And this happened. 

I resolved it by baking spuds in there instead.

However this week I (and by I, I mean predominately the children)have smashed a jar of coconut oil, smashed a bread and butter plate, smashed 3 breakfast bowls, spilt 2 litres of milk on my floor, had the birthday cake fall to bit coming out of the tin, flooded the backyard and now NOW this.

Do you feel better now. Haha.. bring on Monday and THE END OF THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS...

I think I need a holiday

NIGHT GUYS XX

No longer a baby

Today we had a joint party with miss s for her third birthday and miss r for her 4th.  Miss r is a very dear friend whose mum offered to join our children's parties to have one big one. And what a lovely day it was.

Miss s was telling me all week that everybody was going to sing happy birthday vanna to her. When it came to the crunch she looked a bit baffled by the whole thing.

I spent the latter part of the week getting prepared. Making playdough, jelly, cakes, honey joys and chocolate crackles.

The weather was a bit iffy with intermittent rain but did that bother the children. NO. the parents. yeah a little. But you know what. It didn't matter. What did matter was that the birthday girls had a good time.

My friend made a unicorn cake while I made my own spin on a dolly varden cake. (I had a couple of mishaps with my cake, this week multi tasking was not my forte)

I'm not sure how I feel about miss s turning 3. I think its time to say goodbye to my baby and hello to my preschooler. (Or can I still claim toddler) being my last child it's bitter sweet.

Here's some snaps from our day. Thanks to everyone who made it the day It was xxx

Geometric board.

One of the things we need to work on with my son is his fine motor skills.  Part of his condition means he has fingers that are quite rubbery. I have been working on a few things we can do from home in between Occupational Therapy appointments which I will post about in due time (read: when I get a chance).  One of the things I really wanted to do was make a geometric board for him to work with.

This is essentially a piece of wood covered in nails that you wrap elastic bands around.

What you need

A piece of wood cut to the size you want. I originally wanted it to be 12x12 inches however I was working with what I had so 14 inches x 6 inches is what I used.

A packet of nails. I used 1 inch nails with flat heads

A hammer

A packet of multi coloured elastic bands

A ruler

A greylead pencil

I started by cutting my wood to size and sanding the edges. I then measured out a grid witg 1.5in intervals between the markings.

I then hammered nails into the marks. I only hammered the nails in until the wood 'grabbed' the nails

I decided to spray paint the board however I went over the red paint with bursts of silver just so I could highlight where the nails were.

I went to my grandpas house to get the materials (wood offcuts and nails) so essentially it cost me 87 cents for the elastic bands and so far we have had hours of fun.

It was lovely to sit in his shed and have him work on his model planes and I creating a 'masterpiece'

Camp.Paper.Scissors Feb/March 2014

Oh WOW!  I Just realised I forgot to post about my retreat I went to!

So a group of us on the Project Life Australia Group on Facebook get together twice a year to catch up and get some crafty goodness happening.  Michelle and Carol lovingly organise this camp (Camp.Paper.Scissors) and we get treated to a lovely relaxing weekend that is affordable and a great group of women.

Our abode for the weekend

This camp was at the YMCA Lady Northcote camp in Rowsley (about 20 minutes from Bacchus Marsh in Victoria, Australia).  It was a lovely setting to just relax, Big windows with fantastic natural lighting  and a large hall.  There were 33 of us staying there over the weekend, Some having flown in from the sunshine Coast in Queensland. We were able to start arriving from 4pm on Friday, as some of us were running early we met in Bacchus Marsh for coffee before heading out to camp.

This Scrapbooking is messy stuff

Upon arriving at camp it didnt take long to make a mess and get creative. We were greeted at our tables with goodie bags which are always exciting.  This year we received some brush script cards from Jodie at Polka Dot Creative, Some flair and wood veneer from Raquel at A Piece of cake Designs, An overlay and lined cards from Mary and David at Craft House, a 1/4 kit of the Strawberry kit, a 1/4 kit of the Azure kit (I fell in love with this kit) and a packet of Thickers from Spotlight, a camp.paper.scissors pencil, a tumbler with a straw, and some ribbon and twine. There were also some stamped elements that worked well as embellishments.  Quite a good haul.  The girls out did themselves this time around, THANK YOU LADIES!!!

The planning stages of my monochromatic challenge

On Saturday some of the girls attended archery, while the rest of us woke up. We were  then greeted with videos from Elise Blaha-Cripe, Wilna Furstenburg and Maggie Holmes and CHALLENGES.  There were 4 Challenges.  Scrap your Sentence (my sentence was create a layout about someone you love, and journal about why you are proud of them.), Monochromatic, Layers and Kill your Kit.  I entered a layout into 3 of the 4 Challenges running out of time for the kill your kit Challenge.  I was Pleasantly surprised when I won the Scrap your sentence Challenge as that was my least liked layout out of them all. 

Taking photos of my layouts is not my forte.  However here is my scrap your sentence Layout

My prize

 I also took a canvas class using photos from the summer with Kellie from Kellies Stamps. I love love love how this canvas turned out and I has taken pride of place in my loungeroom.  If you want to have a go at making your own visit Kellie here for her tutorial

The canvas I created in Kellies canvas Class

 It was such a fantastic weekend.  So many laughs, shenanigans and Project lifing. I achieved so much, all I need to do is add journalling to my holiday layouts.  Which one month on.... Yep you guessed it still waiting to be journalled!!! It will happen.

I really feel I have made friends that will be around for a long long time...

Viva paper pens and Enamel Dots

I am OBSESSED with enamel dots at the moment. I mean who isn't.  The problem being they can get expensive. so I started exploring ways I could make my own. the first attempt I melted pony beads in the oven. the results were quite good however, the fumes weren't great and after a bit of research I found out the fumes are toxic. So dont do that!! From an enamel dot point of view I wasn't happy with the fact you could only make one size. I like variations.

Then I came across viva paper pens. Omg my life has been changed I purchased 3 colours from Scrap Dragon to trial them and see what the results were like. I was thrilled!!! I simply made dots on my craft sheet and let then dry. The trick is to not do them too close together as you will end up with a big gloop. The paint takes a while to dry so I recommend making them at night  before bed so  they're dry in the morning.

I was so impressed, i have ordered 3 more colours. At $5.99 a pen and $6.95 postage for 3 pens you cant go wrong. It makes it much more economical than enamel dots. I also saw you can get pearl pens by the same company which is now on my wish list.

I am so so so Happy with how these turned out. do yourself a favour. Go and get some and try them for yourself, you wont be sorry. Im simply a little crafter who is absolutely thrilled with a product!!! 

The card on the left has been embellished using enamel dots where the card
on the right I embellished using dots I made with the viva paint pens

However... i emailed scrap dragon to ask if they minded me linking their store and they gave me a 5% discount code for you to use. The discount code is SCRAPDRAGON

Happy Crafting!!!