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Friday, December 30, 2011

Webster's Pages Sunday Picnic Giveaway!

Because they are simply the best, Webster's Pages is giving away a HUGE handful of their brand new collection Sunday Picnic!

Beautiful, isn't it!?  It will definitely be the collection to have this Summer!

Click HERE to find out how you can win!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Fabulous Giveaway by Keren Tamir!

I am so sorry to be posting this so late, but i had put myself a note to do it a couple weeks ago, and in all the fun and excitement (not to say chaos) of the Holidays, i lost the note!  
But like they say, better late than never!  You still have 2 days to participate (click HERE for all the details) and try to win this amazing prize:
The generous woman behind this giveaway?

Keren Tamir

Make sure to visit her blog and see all her beautiful creations HERE!

Monday, December 26, 2011

Walking in a Winter Wonderland (My Creative Sketches #3)

Can you believe that Christmas is already over?  As always, i have spent a lovely time with my nieces.  Seeing the excitement and joy on their faces on Christmas morning is always priceless.  

I hope that you all have had a wonderful time with your family and friends.

I haven't had a lot of time to scrapbook lately, but i did spend the day finishing this double-page layout that i absolutely wanted to share with you today.  

The right side was inspired by Sketch #3 of the Big Sketch Contest at My Creative Sketches.  
And the left side was based on Sketch #1, which was the first part of the same contest
for which i missed the deadline that was way back in October, but i still wanted to play to be in the run-in for the grand prize!
The Snowfall collection from BoBunny has got to be the most beautiful Winter collection this year.  Every different pattern paper is glittery and the embellishments are all gorgeous.  I used some of the trinkets and brads on this layout.  Also used were some Dusty Attic chipboard which i dabbed with distress stain and then sprinkled with white glitter.  I also played with paints this time and created a snowy effect on the background paper by flicking my brush over the paper.  I used a Martha Stewart punch as well to make the snowflake border which i then sprinkled with glitter too.



The pictures were taken last year on one of our many strolls at Daly Point, a nature reserve where i live.  Birds and sometimes squirrels come feed out of our hands, which is always such a joy! (It takes quite some patience to get some nice photos though since they're pretty quick to fly away! hehe) It is definitely my favorite place to go in the Winter - i always come back energized and full of a sense of peace.
Well this wraps up my post for today!  I am so looking forward to starting to scrapbook more regularly now that the rush of the Holidays is almost over.  Next on my 'to do' list is my very first layout as DT member for Sketchabilities!  So stay tuned! :)

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Merry Christmas to all of YOU!

Just a quick post to wish you all a safe and merry Christmas!  Hope you all get to spend quality time with your loved ones and take many happy pictures to scrapbook in the new year! :)

I will be visiting with my nieces for a couple days so i won't be around until early next week.  I am so sorry that i haven't posted much lately, but life has been keeping me quite occupied.  I am working on a very nice double-page layout though, inspired by My Creative Sketches and hopefully i can finish it in time, the deadline being December 28th!  I am reserving Boxing Day for nothing but scrapbooking! hehe

Also, i am quite excited on starting my 3-month term with the Sketchabilities Design Team!  I have checked out the sketches that i will be working with and let me just say that they are FABULOUS!  The new DT's first reveal will be on January 15th so make sure to stay tuned for that!

Thank you for visiting!



Sunday, December 18, 2011

My 2011 Christmas Cards

Well, i did it!  I finally finished my Christmas cards and they're all ready to be mailed out tomorrow.  Hopefully everyone will get theirs before the big day :-P

I wish to share with you my favorite, and the special cards that i made for my nieces.

I always try to make fun cards for Ella & Daphne and this year, i brainstormed for a while before i came up with these:

I popped up the stockings with foam dots so i could slip the candy canes in.  As always, all the stitching was made by hand and i used the Cuttlebug to emboss the background cardstock. Hopefully they'll enjoy!

And now, on to my favorite Christmas card of 2011...
I can't even explain why i like it so much... probably the pale colors and the twine and just the simplicity of it.  I will probably be making more of the same with all my scrap paper, for next year.

Here are 2 close-up shots:

I'm entering this card in The Paper Variety challenge this week because the prize is just too awesome!

Wish me luck!!! :)

Melissa's End of Year Giveaway!

I came across this amazing giveaway while doing my regular round of blog hopping...  


A $150 gift card to Michael's craft store
1 Copic Air-Brushing Starter Set System
1 Color Copic Swatch Book
36 Copic CIAO Marker Set

 How wonderful is that, uh!?!

Click HERE for more details.  You have until January 1st 2012 to enter.

Thanks Melissa for the chance to win!

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A new (but last for me as DT) TPV challenge

This week, we have a new challenge at The Paper Variety that you just HAVE to participate in!  It also is the last challenge of 2011 (where did the time go?) and the last challenge of my 6-month DT term with TPV (again, where did the time go?! hehe)

For this week...
If you do decide to join in on the fun, click HERE to know more details, see awesome inspiration from my talented friends on Team B and link your project before Tuesday.  You'll be playing to win this cool collection kit from none other than Echo Park!
Before i go, i do want to take the time, once again, to thank Abby and Suzanne at The Paper Variety for giving me the opportunity to be part of their wonderful team for the last 6 months.  I have been blessed to work (or should i say play) with such a bunch of talented and nice ladies.  My teammates were beyond exemplary too!  I urge you to follow the links to each of their blogs (that you will find on the sidebar for another couple weeks) so you can see for yourself!  Thank you girls for a great creative time, and i'm sure we'll run into each other often in the scrapbooking virtual world!  I will definitely be trying out again for a future TPV DT spot! :)  

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

So Excited to Announce...

I was selected to be on the Design Team for Sketchabilities from January - March 2012!

Click HERE to see the official announcement and to visit my fellow DT members' blogs!

I cannot wait to start working with Karan Gerber's beautiful and intricate sketches!

This will only be my 2nd experience as part of a DT...

(My term with The Paper Variety is soon coming to a close and i cannot thank them enough to have given me my first DT opportunity!!!  I LOVED playing along with their wonderful challenges every second week and have gotten to know some very talented and amiable ladies along the way!)

... and all i can hope is that there will be many more in the future! :)

Thursday, December 8, 2011

ScrapFriends - Yummy Candy to win!

I have just heard about this new blog ScrapFriends that is definitely worth checking out!  They offer GREAT products and will also start running challenges and competitions soon.  To celebrate their opening, they have some goodies up for grabs.  Visit them HERE and learn how you can become their follower and have a chance to win one of 3 GORGEOUS prizes! 

Here's a sneak peak (to see the other prizes, be sure to click HERE)

I am soooo drooling here!!! The draw will take place on January 1st.  I just hope i stop drooling before then :-P

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

TPV Challenge #63 - Falalalala!

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..."

This week, The Paper Variety wants you to...
You must know the rules by now...  
Link up your project HERE for a chance to win these goodies from My Mind's Eye (i wish i could play too to have a shot at that awesome prize!!!)

The song that inspired me was the one i was singing at the beginning of my post!
 I made myself an early Christmas gift while creating this layout - mixing 2 things that i adore:  double-pages & Christmas!  These pictures were taken a few years back while on a visit to Santa's Village!  The title "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" and the papers from the Basic Grey collection 'Eskimo Kisses' seemed to suit the theme perfectly!  

I was also inspired by this double-page sketch from the BasicGrey Blog

... and the BG December Flickr Friends theme which is: STITCHING 
(and god only knows, i have been doing a lot of that lately - my carpal tunnel infested fingers could attest to it!)




So hopefully, this layout will get you in the Holiday spirit if you aren't already.

Psst... I have a confession to make.  As much as i love Christmas, i have to say that i had not been feeling too Christmassy so far (i haven't even made one Christmas card yet, believe it or not! SOOoo not acceptable)... but i'm slowly getting there.  Working on this layout sure has helped me get in the festive mood!  I am now ready for some heavy duty card-making on the weekend!

Monday, December 5, 2011

For the Love of Chipboard

I have to say that one of my very favorite scrapbooking elements to play with is definitely CHIPBOARD!
Whether it's spraying it with mist, embossing it, chalking it up, cutting it in pieces to fit my creative need or even just leaving it natural, i simply love playing with any type of chipboard and i adore the added layer that it brings to any layout, card or crafty project.  

An awesome laser-cut chipboard company i have been recently introduced to is Imaginarium Designs, and they are having a DT Call.  I couldn't pass up this great opportunity, so here are my top 10 projects featuring...

CHIPBOARD

(The title of each layout links back to its original post which often includes more information and close-ups!)












I don't own a lot of Imaginarium Designs chipboard right now, as my LSS unfortunately doesn't carry, but, a few months ago, i was lucky enough to win a few pieces off the ID blog and i am planning to order some more very soon!  I am totally hooked, and i would be so very honored to be part of their Design Team! :)