Keep Growing at More Than Words

It's Mini Challenge time over at More Than Words! The challenge this month is to use the word 'Keep' on a card, tag or ATC.

Here's my little creation:

I was determined to use whatever scraps were on my desk for this one and I succeeded. I had a number of Webster's Pages papers on my desk from a previous project and there was heaps in there to chose from.

You only have until the end of the month to join in the challenge so be quick! You can find the details here.

Happy scrappin'!

Heather

Travel albums - what's the best way?

Hello there! Thanks for dropping in.

I've been working hard at getting travel photos into albums lately and I've come across a few problems that I'm hoping you might be able to help me solve.

My hubby and I travel quite a bit and I keep a travel blog to update friends and family. I find this to be a great tool - it saves me having to tell everyone the same story over and over and it serves as a diary of the trip. I write up what we did, add in the best photos and post these updates regularly.

I have thought long and hard about how best to document a long trip. I take a LOT of photos when we travel. In the end, I decided that the albums would contain three different typres of pages:
        1. I print off my blog posts for an instant record of where we went and what we saw.
        2. I pick extra photos that I want a memory of and add them in using Project Life pages.
        3. I scrap my favourite photos and add those in as well.

So my albums contain a mix of A4 and 12 x 12 pages like the following.

I make a title page like this:

My Project Life pages are very basic. I have too many photos to spend a lot of time on these. I just add the basic details and don't add embellishments. I add memorabilia into the pockets where I can.

I print my blog posts onto A4 paper and add them to the album in standard plastic sleeves.

I add scrapbook pages in where appropriate.

I hope you're with me so far!

My problems are:

1. The blog posts: I print these on thick copy paper so the heavy inking on the photos doesn't show through the page, however the photos don't look good printed on copy paper. I tried using A4 photo paper and this looks a lot better, however it's much thicker which makes the album bulkier, something I'm trying to avoid. It's also a lot more expensive.

2. The Project Life pages: All those pockets and heavy-duty plastic pages add to the bulk.

3. Printing:  I print the photos at home which is very expensive when I'm printing off hundreds of them. I tried my local photo shop but got so frustrated with how slow the process was to print 3 x 4" photos that I gave up. It's much quicker on my own computer!

4. The A4 plastic sleeves - I haven't found any that fit my 3-ringed albums so I have to cut slots to fit. This is time consuming and the slots catch on the album rings.

Does anyone have any suggestions for any of my problems above, or have any other ideas on how to efficiently create albums with lots of stories and photos? Do you do things differently to me? I'd love to hear your thoughts and tips.

Thank you so much :)


Happy scrappin'!

Heather

Good Times at More Than Words

Hello hello!

I seem to have a thing lately about scrapping all those really fun moments in life. And why not? I always have great memories when I scrap these photos.

The challenge this month at More Than Words is to be inspired by the word 'Memories' and to use a frame on your project. I wanted to scrap about a special memory so I scrapped about a really fun night I had with great friends.

I'm not sure who had the camera but they caught a friend of mine having a ball! It's a poor photo - it's out of focus, but who cares? The memory is what's important.

My title says it all. I opted for some serious bling on this to add extra pizazz.

My frame is from The Dusty Attic. I painted it black then smeared a bit of gesso around for a modern distressed look. The background is gesso and stamped stars and words.

I layered up my papers behind the photo and added extra paper frames. I also snuck some pieces in there from my scraps drawer. I'll get through that scraps drawer one day!

I hope you can join in the fun this month. You can find the challenge here.

Happy scrappin'!


Heather

The Amazing Yasmine Hamdan

Hello there! Welcome back to my blog.

The new challenge for Kraft + this month is to use a date on your project. The choices for what to make for this one are limitless! I decided to just scrap something I've been wanting to scrap for a while.

My hubby adores Yasmine Hamdan (I'm sure it's just because of her singing talent and nothing to do with her exotic good looks!) and when we were in Turkey last year we found out she was playing at Cappadox, a music festival. We changed our plans and got to see her. The show was incredible!

I knew before I even got out a sheet of paper that I wanted to make Yasmine's name in large letters in black and white. When I pulled out the alphas, I realised the papers in the set (Bella Blvd) were perfect and, for the first time in a very long time, I made a layout with only one brand of paper.

I stencilled two different patterns under the photo cluster and added hand-drawn stars.

I added one of our tickets from the concert behind the photos and my date is in large stamped numbers beside that.

Do you want to join in and 'Add a Date'? You can find the details of the challenge here.

Happy scrappin'!


Heather

Going Wild at More Than Words

Welcome back! The word to use for the Mini Challenge at More Than Words this month is WILD! Cool!

I made a postcard using a photo transfer.

Photo transfers always soften the image a lot, but I love the way the photo has taken on a surreal, misty look. I added lots of grungy stitching around the photo and there's paint, paper, stamping and washi tape along the edges.

You only have one week to join in the challenge so be quick! You can check out the details here.

Happy scrappin'!


Heather

Deep Inside the Blue Cave

Hello again.

Have you seen the challenge board over at Mixed Media & Art? OMG - it's gorgeous! That delicious blue and gorgeous rusty colours really caught my eye. And then I realised I had the perfect photos for it.

Here's what I made:

This is what the challenge board looks like:

The Blue Cave, in Kastellorizo, in Greece, was simply sensaional! I haven't tweaked this photo, except to increase the brighness because it was a little dark. I was in a cave after all! That really is the colour of the water and it reflects onto the cave walls turning them blue as well. There aren't enough superlatives to describe the almost luminous colours. Here's another photo without people in it so you can see what I mean.

I used heaps of elements from the challenge board. I used the sketch and that stunning, rich blue of course. Because my photo and background were both so blue, I needed other colours to contrast against it. I love the rusty copper and gold colours in the challenge board photos so I ran with those. I used Dusty Attic chipboard leaves and painted them with copper and gold Jo Sonya's paints.

I added a number of metallic elements, painting them all in copper and gold.

To make the second word in my title, I coloured chippe alphas with Gelatos and coated them with Clear Gloss Varnish.

I added some book paper behind my photo, taking my cue from the top photo in the challenge board. I love book paper!

I bought some Wood Wool the other day and included it on this layout. It's looks like fine string but I think it's made from shreds of wood. I coloured it with sprays and tucked it under and around my leaves. It 's really messy stuff. I ended up with it all over my scrap room!

I also added beads in among the elements. One thing I liked about the Wood Wool was that it was strong enough to support beads so I added some onto the actual strands for more depth and for a bubbly effect. (If you look closely at the photo below you will see them.)

I had fun making the circular frame. I used a chippe frame as a base and distressed it with inks, paints, book paper and Metallic Melts. I then wrapped a coated wire around it and painted the wire with copper paint. I added flowers, metallic shapes and beads to finish it off.

If you want to join in the challenge there's still heaps of time. You can find all the details here.


Happy scrappin'!

Heather

2 Cute!

Hi there!

When I first saw the image for this month's challenge at CSI, I immediately thought, "Ooohh, those are my kind of colours!" The closer I looked at the details, the more I liked it. I got very inspired and hit the scrap desk!

Here's what I came up with:

Isn't this little donkey the cutest thing you've ever seen?

In case you haven't seen it, here's the CSI challenge. You can find all the details here.

I used many items from the Evidence List:

• The colour scheme
• A pack animal (I didn't have a photo of an alpaca but I figured this donkey is pretty close!)
• Clouds
• Textured paper (the strip along the bottom is corrugated cardboard)
• Circles
• Zig-zag stitching
• Tiny brads
• Stamps
• Decorative border

From the Testimony I chose:

• Document a memory about an animal
• Journal directly on the background

I couldn't find any alphas in my stash that were the right size and colour so I cut them from co-ordinating paper. I added some stamping to the background. I didn't want a strong black colour because I didn't want to draw attention away from the soft, pastel colours, so I used an older, drier ink pad which worked perfectly.

There is heaps of messy, zigzag stitching around my photo and the page.

I added tiny brads and stamped, stitched circles (with more zigzags!).

I added a little cluster with my journaling. The date is up near the photo.

I love the giant number 2. It's a Heidi Swapp one. I've stencilled and splashed on my background with Dusty Attic paints. The text stamp is from Denim Tampons.

That was heaps of fun! Thanks for looking.

Happy scrappin'!

Heather