My first attempt at designing!

Woo hoo! Today I spent some time on my first ever attempt at designing.  Bree runs a Design Me This monthly challenge at Digiridoo Scraps, with fabulous, easy to understand tutorials and some great resources to use.  I've been meaning to do it, but today I made the time to give it a go before I got any further behind.  This is what I came up with, using a swatch from Kuler called Coffee and a Paper by Webchitect.

May's challenge

June's challenge

So I need LOADS more practice, but I really enjoyed it!

Not sure that anyone would want them, but you can download them here:

May Papers

June Paper

And check this out:

Here are a few of my LO's for the various challenges:

Tuesday Template Challenge - using Colors of Spring by KD Designs (Available here at Digiridoo Scraps) and template by Mychl's Flights of Fancy.

Journaling Challenge - using Moments by Cintia Tavares (available here at Digiridoo Scraps)

And here is a LO I did for Rachel's 21st LMAO!!! I used Tropical Daiquiri by Brianna Cox of Scrap'it Designs (available here at Digiridoo Scraps)

I also picked up the childcare photos of Ben and Rachel and our family photos this week, plus we've had Christopher's 6th birthday, so plenty to scrap coming soon!!!!

And just to tease you, Color with Caryn will be releasing a new kit this week called New Day, and it is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! Watch this space.....

Free Photo Editing Class...

Yes, that's right! Jessica Sprague is running a free Photo Editing class! Registration opens on the 22nd of July and having done many of Jessica's classes, I can highly recommend them.  Here is some info, and check out Jessica's website for all the details.

On to other news.  Last night, we had family portraits done - first since 2006!  I pick them up on the 24th, I can't wait! 

It has been a cold, miserable week in Melbourne, but nice to see some rain.  The windchill factor on the other hand was not so nice - so bitter and makes your eyes water.  So the scarves, beanies and gloves are out, and I have to allow an extra 10 minutes for the school pick up and drop off to bundle everyone up! But check out this awesome sunrise yesterday...

And some BIG NEWS coming from Color with Caryn....stay tuned!!!!!!!

I'll be back later with some LOs :)

A fabulous weekend!

The grand opening Cybercrop at Digiridoo Scraps, was a weekend chock full of scrappy goodness!

New friends have been made, Sharon (skyezac) is the new Bingo Queen in what must have been the closest bingo game ever and some awesome LO's have been posted in the gallery.

Here are the LO's I did as part of the fun.

This was for the Progressive Blog Challenge - hopped on the train and picked up all the great goodies!

This was for the Scraplift challenge hosted by Michelle, who even provided the awesome template.  All supplies for this are from Color with Caryn's All Boy Kit (check it out here).

This next one is from the Speed Scrap hosted by lovely Maz on saturday.  I have used the fabulous Spice of Life team kit, available here at Digiridoo Scraps.

And this one is from the Speed Scrap hosted by the talented Sarah Barber, at 6am our time! I was a little late for it, but I got there! I have used Enchanted Forest by Vicki Parker of A Work in Progress and Sara Belmont of Sweet Blossom Designs.

I can't wait for the next Cyber Crop - they will be held monthly so I will keep you posted! I wouldn't mind wearing the Bingo Queen blinkie myself......

Catching up

Yes, I must be the slackest blogger alive, but seriously it's been a full on couple of weeks. First Christopher sick, then Ben and Rachel, and now me! The three kids have had ear infections ( I wish I could but antibiotics in bulk!), plus Ben and Rachel have had an awful cough. Ben's was so bad the doctor thought it was asthma and gave me asthma stuff for him, but when I went back a few days later, he said his chest was ok. But I swear I have been up every hour of the night with one or the other and I'm stuffed! You know the cotton wool head, forgetting stuff, bone tired feeling? That's me! I've even had a few naps in the afternoon given the opportunity!

So I have a few things to catch up on.

First is a fab collab kit by Color with Caryn, Scrappyweiss and Mel Hains called Make Believe. To get your freebie and the links to the other girl's freebies, this link will take you to Caryn's blog.

And here is the next piece of exciting news....

I am working on my album for my special Project 12! Well, in this case it will be Project 8 as it will take us up to the end of the year! Don't want to give too much away, but you'll be seeing more soon...

Beautiful Ben

Ben is seriously a nice boy. He is so kind, giving up his toys for others (sometimes reluctantly, especially if it's a Ben 10 thing LOL), sharing his lollies, giving hugs and kisses spontaneously, and loves to spread good news to everyone else, so they get to share in the joy. He's funny, clever, and has the most contagious laugh, it always makes me smile to hear it. That's not to say he doesn't have his moments, but on the whole, he's pretty awesome! I got this photo of him at his cousin's birthday in Geelong at the start of April, and it has captured his kind beautiful face perfectly, so of course I scrapped it!

The kit I have used is a brand new release called "It's a Boy Thing" by Color with Caryn. Check out Caryn's blog here, and this link will take you to her store at Enchanted Studio Scraps.

Here's my beautiful Ben...

Christopher, my other angel, is being extremely "challenging" at the moment! I could call it something else but I try not to swear LOL. Last night he threw the biggest wobbly ever, which resulted in him going to bed at 6.15pm, with him then crying for the next hour - things like "Nobody likes me", "I need to get out of here", "Mummy, I need you" and my personal favourite "My heart is breaking" (where he got that from I'd love to know LOL). I'm not sure what is going on with him, is it a almost 6 thing? A prep thing? Just a general it's time to see what I can get away with? All I can do is be consistant, patient (heaven help me, it's not my best virtue LOL) and loving, so he knows that even when I'm cross I still love him, but I won't put up with behaviour that is not OK. I'm hoping it passes pretty quickly...

New kit by Color with Caryn

Caryn has released a beautiful new kit at Enchanted Studio Scraps called "Happily", based on her wedding colours. It's a lovely kit and you can buy it from her store at ESS here. And be sure to check out Caryn's blog, as there is a great freebie to go with the kit.

I made the following LO using Happily:

Awwww.....10 years next January!

The digital mojo returns and some hybrid projects...

After a month of not doing any digi LO's, this week I have made two in two days! My mojo seems to becoming back!

This morning I made this LO using Caryn's beautiful"Once Upon a Time" kit, available here at the store at Enchanted Studio Scraps.

Onto some hybrid goodies that I haven't posted yet.

Here is a little box in a bag that my lovely friend Yvonne, Stampin'Up Demonstrator extraordonaire, showed us how to make. I'm using mine for Christopher's teacher, fill it up with Easter eggs and away we go! The patterned paper was from the Funky Fresh March Collab at Snap and Scrap (sniff, sniff, they closed yesterday), Pink Passion Cardstock from Stampin’ Up, double sided tape, Bashful Blue Grosgrain ribbon from Stampin’ Up, Chunky Sprinkles glitter from Stampin’ Up, Tombo Liquid Glue, tab punch, cutter. Go here to find the original tutorial by Di Gibbs.

Then I've made this for my friend Michelle, who recently had her second boy Patrick. I saw him in hospital when he was 3 days old, nothing like holding a new born baby... Anyway, I made her this wall hanging using patterned papers from Fantasy Dreams by Charlie's Digiscraps. The chipboard tile frames were from Collections. Other supplies are all Stampin'Up - white embossing powder, chunky blue glitter, blue bayou ink for distressing, Bashful Blue Grosgrain ribbon. The flourish stamp I've embossed is from Baroque Motifs. Eyelets from Sharon's stash (thanks Sharon). The little alpha is Making Memories Tiny Aphabets.

And lastly, I have a pencil holder I made for the boys using Amy Riley's "I Love Art" kit. I love the bright, bold colours in this kit! I'm not sure if this will be available at Enchanted Studio Scraps, I'm waiting to hear from Amy and will link this when I know. I used Amy's patterned paper for the strips and the "I love art" stamp. The box cost about $3 from Spotlight, I used Kaiser Arcylic Paint in Scarlet, double sided tape and coated the whole thing in Mod Podge when finish for extra durability.

Color with Caryn!

Some more exciting news to share - Caryn, formally from Snap and Scrap, has opened a store at Enchanted Studio Scraps! And she has asked me to join her creative team where I'll be doing hybrid and digital.

Here's a LO I did using "There was a little girl".

You can check out Caryn's blog here and see the stunning LO's the other CT members have made.