It's a Love / Hate Thing

The February challenge over at Gauche Alchemy is a twist on the regular schmaltzy Valentines and gave me something to think about before I came up with this. It's a layout very much in keeping with my warts and all documentation of life. I love and adore this man for so many reasons... 

Smoking is not one of them.

This is the mood board

and you can check out what the other gals are doing on the blog.

We'd love you to join us, the linky tab is looking a little neglected so come and get your gauche on with us! Anything goes, creatively speaking.

Thanks for coming by

Kraft +

There has been a kraft shaped hole in scrappy challenges since the demise of Kraft It Up so it's great to see a brand new challenge site for using kraft card.

The inaugural challenge is up this month and of course I had to play along.

This is my page...

and this is the challenge...

Click on the image to go to the site.

Come and play!

Scrapbooking Memories Masters winning submission

I am still gob-smacked about being chosen to be a Scrapbooking Memories Master this year. I have seen some of the unsuccessful subs and know a few amazing artists who also subbed and so I feel humbled and privileged to have been selected. Here today to show you my entry.

Challenge 1 - Use a 5x7 portrait that engages the viewer.

I used a lot of old rub-ons to make a background for the photo. Messy mists and some stamping with bubble wrap, a bit of punchinella from Gauche Alchemy (shop to re-open soon), and some Dymo.

Challenge 2 - Use a non conventional scrapbooking item
I love briefs like this that really get you thinking outside the box. I used a playing card, some gyprock (drywall) tape, and a piece of old 35mm film which I embossed and inked. The background was done using a piece of basket-weave handmade paper as a stamp with black paint. A bit of colour added with some card scraps and spray inks, Hazel & Ruby tape, Prima wood, Heidi Swapp acrylic letters, and some brads and Dymo

Challenge 3 - Focus on Journalling
I love telling stories on my pages too, even if sometimes I have to hide them. This was another opportunity to use my old typewriter (love!), I had to trim the page to fit it through but the join is hardly noticeable. Again a misty background using a heart stencil and spray inks, a gorgeous WoW leaf frame (painted and stamped), Prima flowers painted with Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze, Kaisercraft rhinestone flourishes, Dymo, and old chippy numbers coloured up.

Challenge 4 - Art Journal cover

This was messy and fun. I dug into my Gauche Alchemy stash of vintage book pages and fabric and used similar colours to challenge 1 because I had them out at the time. The wood letters are from Pink Paislee.

And that's it.

It was fun and obviously worth it, although I must admit to feeling completely overwhelmed by the huge amount of prizes so stay tuned this year

for a couple of giveaways.

Thanks so much for coming by