3 More Challenge Layouts To Share...

I have found three more Challenge layouts to share:

 Karen McLaughlin - July Inspiration Challenge - Carefree

 Gillian Hume - July Inspiration Challenge - A Boy's Best Buddy

Gillian Hume - July Sketch Challenge - A Pretty Pose

Counting down now - 3 days left to get your entries in!!!

5 Days Left...

There are 5 days left until the end of the month, which means you still have 5 days to create your layouts for the July Sketch and Inspiration Challenges. These ladies have joined in the fun:

Brenda Ragsdale - July Sketch Challenge - Always Be You

(Brenda is a new face on our blog - welcome Brenda! It's lovely to have you join us)

Pamala Casey - July Inspiration Challenge - Facing The Music

Tone Jensen - July Inspiration Challenge - Red Baron

(Tone is another new face here on our blog - welcome Tone! Thank-you for joining us.)

Pamala Casey - July Sketch Challenge - Wish

Thank-you ladies for your wonderful creations. It's been interesting to see everyone's take on the challenges as they are a little different this month. Hmmm...I might have to do more "different"? I think you are all enjoying the challenge!!!

Don't forget - only 5 days to go - so be quick - get those entries in for your chance to win a class kit. 

Washi Wednesday week 7

Good morning  all....I hope you are ready for another  idea for your fabulous washi tape!!  Tis is a great idea and I love how you can  change  the look of the tag by the tape you use.  You will need some shippings tags, washi tape and maybe some twine.....

I have taken a plain old shipping  tag and inked around the edges.....

Then take some  funky  cocordinating washi tapes and wrap around the bottom of the  tag .  I have  finished mine off with some black twine.  I can now use this as a journal tag or an embellishment on one of my  boys scrapbook pages.....you are only limited by your imagination!!!

Sorry about the pic - it  has a bit of flash glare !!!

Happy Washi Wednesday!!!

Recipe Blog Hop Winners...

Thank-you everyone who took the time to participate in our first ever Blog Hop. We really appreciated the opportunity to share our creations with you, and hopefully, to provide you with abundant inspiration. Two amazing ladies took our challenge and created layouts for our Recipe Blog Hop, 

and I'd like to share them with you:

 Gillian Hume - Express Yourself

Hilde - She And Me

Thank-you to both ladies for taking the time to join in the fun. 

And thank-you, even more, for sharing your creations with us. This has given you both 

an extra 5 tickets in the draw. 

I wrote out everyone's names on pieces of paper, and tossed them into a bowl (I couldn't find a hat!). Now, without further delay, our three lucky winners are:

HILDE

GILLIAN HUME

KERRY

Woo-hoo! Congratulations ladies. I will be sending you on of the kits pictured on our Recipe Blog Hop post. Please email me your full name and address details (scrapbookkitswithjules@gmail.com), and I will get those kits into the post shortly. 

Thank-you everyone for such a fun time! And a big, big thank-you to my fantastic Design Team who provided all that amazing inspiration. 

June Challenge Winners...

Ladies, you are all too good! You are just making this harder and harder every month. I was unable to choose this month's winners, so I begged my husband and two daughter's to make the decision for me. After everyone's vote's had been cast, my husband and daughter's chose Anne Murphy as our June Sketch winner, and Karen McLaughlin as our June Inspiration winner. 

Congratulations ladies! Could you please email your address details to me (scrapbookkitswithjules@gmail.com) and I will send a class kit out to you. 

Thank-you everyone for your wonderful entries. Your work is beautiful. 

Washi Wednesday Number 6

Good day to you all on this fine Washi Wednesday!!!  Today I am going to show you that Washi tape isnt just good for scrapping and cardmaking - it can be used to dress up  any tired boring  item!!

  Like my iphone cover!

 I had a pretty pink one but it  died and the replacement came and it was yukky plain black.

 I also have three sons with ipods so there is WAY TOO MUCH  black  on ipoddy things in this house so I decided  mine needed a washi  makeover - !!

And here she is

Pretty now and the boys will NOT be trying to pick this up by mistake!!!!

Happy Washi Wednesday!!

Happy Accidents and Color Tips

I had a completely different layout in mind when I first started creating this one.  I had a wooden clock, a metal key, and a metal key hole glued down to the layout when I got the epiphany to use the poem in word strips instead.  I loved the look of the strips, it made the layout look more cohesive and not so disjointed, but I had already glued on the other parts, and when I pulled them off the paper pulled off with it, leaving huge gaps, it looked awful. 

So I took gesso and smeared on on top of the "holes" and then smeared black distress paint and black perfect pearls over the gesso.  I did this in more than just the parts of the holes, I also did it other random places to it did not look like I had made a mistake.

As they say there are no mistakes in scrapbooking, just happy accidents.  I love the final look of this layout a lot more than I did before I changed it!!

I loved these resin edges by Prima, but they were just not the correct color.  I took Tattered angels Glimmer Glaze and painted over the entire edges, it paint is so thin that it just stuck to the inset of the edge and not the tops.  The colors are so much better for this layout!!

I hope you enjoy my fun little tips!!

Erin Reed
http://scraps-of-reflections.blogspot.com/

Inbox Inspiration...

You have no idea how happy it makes me to open my inbox and find so many entries for our July Challenges. You ladies are all awesome!!!

Let's start with the July Colour Inspiration Challenge:

Amanda - Tired Little Aussie

Kerry Pace - Aunties

Rochelle Spears - Wonder Boy

And the July Sketch Challenge:

Amanda - Spin Me Dad

Ann Murphy - Hold It!

Lauren T - Who Am I?

Kerry Pace - Summer Fun

Wow, such amazing creativity ladies. You have done a fabulous job with these challenges. I can't wait to see what the second half of the month brings. Hopefully, lots more layouts, and lots more inspiration. 

If you haven't got your entry in, then what are you waiting for? Time to scrap and have some fun. 

And as a bonus challenge this month, we have the SKWAD Recipe Blog Hop Challenge for you - and there are 3 kits up for grabs. So, who wants to win a kit jammed full of paper and pretty things to play with? 

SKWAD Recipe Blog Hop...

Scrapbook Kits With A Difference, and the Design Team, would like to welcome you to our first ever Recipe Layout Blog Hop. We'd like to share this special event with you, and to celebrate, we are offering three kits from Scrapbook Kits With A Difference, for 3 lucky people.

The blog hop begins at the Scrapbook Kits with A Difference (SKWAD) blog. On the SKWAD blog you will find a complete list of all the designers participating in the blog hop, in case there is a glitch along the way (see further down). If you would like to play with us, just follow along the blog path. Each SKWAD designer is linking to the next designer, and that designer is linking to the next, and so on. Be prepared to find lots of inspiration along the way. Just for you, each of our designer's have created a layout using the Blog Hop Recipe (below). Our 3 lucky winners will be randomly chosen after the hop is over. Woot! Woot!

The Recipe Blog Hop starts today, July 15th and runs through until 22nd July (midnight AUS Eastern Standard Time). The three winners will be announced on the SKWAD blog on Tuesday 24th July. All you need to do, to be in the draw to win one of the fabulous Scrapbook Kits kits, is the following:

1. Become a follower on our SKWAD blog.
2. Like us on our Facebook Page (link can be found on the top right side of the blog).
3. Add our SKWAD blinkie to your blog (found on the top left side of our blog).
4. Leave a comment on each designer's blog, and on the SKWAD blog too.
5. If you create, and share a layout, using our Blog Hop Recipe, you will receive 5 extra tickets in the draw.  Please link your completed layout to the Recipe Blog Hop post. (To qualify for the extra tickets, it must be a direct link to the layout, not just a general link to your blog). Alternatively, please send your completed email to scrapbookkitswithjules@gmail.com. Entries close midnight Sunday 22nd July 2012. 

Blog Hop Recipe:
3 photos, 1 cardstock, 2 patterned papers, a wet medium (eg. paint, gesso, spray mist), a mask (purchased or home-made), raw chipboard, 5 buttons (or brads), 3 rows of text, twine (or string), and 2 butterflies. Flowers, ribbons, and bling, are all optional.

To get this party started, I'd like to share the layout I created using the Blog Hop Recipe. I've used all the ingredients (plus a few extra ones, lol!). I used the cardstock as my base, and used 2 sheets of Prima paper for my layout (Strawberry Kisses and Pastiche). I used a chicken wire mask and some textured paste to create the background for my layout, then coloured it with Glimmermist sprays. I've used raw chipboard embellishments above the photo, and with the flourish beneath the flowers (I decorated it with Liquid Pearls).  I couldn't find any buttons that suited my layout, so I opted to use 5 gold brads, that I have used on the bodies of my two butterflies. You can clearly see my three strips of journalling text, and I used string/twine to tie the birdcage to the flowers. I've finished decorating with some Prima flowers, a Maya Road ticket, stick pins, and Kindy Glitz.

The blog hop begins here: Scrapbook Kits With A Difference
Your next stop is here: Juanna Hope Sia

BLOG HOP ORDER:
SKWAD Blog
Juanna Hope Sia
Lisa Kamphuis
Nicole Knopke
Petra Offrell
Kim Kendall
Erin Reed
Kirsten Casey
Doris Lee Widder
Michelle Wallace
Rebekkah Lynch
Annette Gearside

Thank you SO MUCH for joining us. I hope you have been inspired to go have fun and create. Don't forget to drop by on Tuesday 24th to find out who the lucky winners are!!!

Taking photos of your layouts

Hi all.....Nicole here....I guess it's my turn for a blog post :)

Lots of people have loads of trouble taking photos of their layouts...not square...too much background...too dark etc

So when I need to take photos of my pages, I choose a well lit area (inside or out) that is in full shadow or the sun can cast distracting shadows over your page. Morning or evening light is actually the best time to take photos because the light is more even and there are no shadows.

Now there is 2 options for the next step...

Option 1 is to lay your page on a flat area of the ground and stand over it to take the photo, making sure you don't cast a shadow over your page.  Make sure that your page is lined up as straight as you can with the top, bottom and sides of your camera lens and then click.....

Option 2 is to have your page at eye level. Sit it somewhere so that it is standing up as straight as possible, line it up as in "option 1" and click!! Try and tuck your elbows in and slow down your breathing, and hopefully you will have a nice photo.

I take all my photos on the automatic setting, hardly ever with the zoom and cropped and altered in a photo - editing program. When doing this, I crop and rotate as needed, then I use the auto fix button to change the photos and mostly improve their colour. Then I soften the edges to try and disguise the noisy background a bit better.

Don't use the flash when taking the photos because it will put a shine on your photos that is very distracting!!

And before you load the gorgeous pages onto the internet, sometimes you just need to resize the  photo, but that might have to be my next post

Hope I have helped somehow :)

Welcome to Washi wednesday Number 5

Hi all

Here is the 5th Washi Wednesday post - I hope you are enjoying them - I have had a lot of fun playing with washi whilst doing this - and my card collection and my household decor is grateful too!!  Hahah
a
Okay - this is a favourite of mine - great for boys layouts and girls and even for cards.  For this you will need some toothpicks, and washi and scissors......

Take your  wash  and trim a length about 8 - 10 centimetres .  Wrap it on the toothpick at the half way mark so the washi is  doubled up on itself. Trim the washi and there you  have it - cool washi flags!!!

Fabulous arent they!!!!  Happy washi Wednesday!!!

Blog Hop Invitation...

It's time to come and have some fun over at our place. Are you ready for it?

Don't forget to mark the date in your diary. You definitely don't want to be late for this!!!

Time To Meet...

It's time to meet our next Design Team member. 

Let me introduce you to Petra Offrell a.k.a. Pysselpetra. 

1. Husband? Children? Pets?

I am 42 years old and I live in Malmö, Sweden. I have 3 kids {Alva 4 Teo 6 and Love 8 years old}, 2 cats {Busan & Cosinus}, one dear husband and a passion for Scrapbooking, paper crafts, sewing, painting and well most crafty things you can do. 

2. Do you have your own scraproom. Describe where you scrap, or supply a photo.

 I have a small scrap space in our living room which is not so good because I cannot keep it tidy… I dream of my own scrap studio.

3. How long have you been scrapping?

 I have been a scrapper ever since I read about Scrapbooking in a magazine when my firstborn was just a baby. Hmm that would be 7 years by now.

4. Favourite colour or colour combination? Least favourite colour to scrap with?

 I love turquoise, brown, orange and lime but I find myself scrapping all kinds of colours. I am not so fond of purple …

5. Do you have a dream team that you would like to be on?

I have several dream teams … one is Crate another is MME … got to wish for the stars right ;), oh and Crafter’s workshop… that would be so cool.

6. Do you use paper or cardstock for your layout base?

I almost always white card stock as a base for my layouts. But, papers with well-coordinated colours and beautiful patterns make my heart beat a little bit faster 

7. Black, white, or kraft?

White for me.

8. Favourite scrapper?

I have quite a few favourite scrapper, it varies a bit over time… right now I like the style of Lilith, Swiss girl/Rahel, Umenorskan/Christin, Krumeluran/Katarina and Zarah/Zarischka but there are so many talented scrappers that I enjoy to follow and get inspired by.

9. Favourite technique? Least favourite?

I love mists but I also stamp, I paint, I tear, I stitch, I cut and I punch… but I keep to my Clean & Simple style... with some artsy elements. I do not colour stamped motifs … I find it boring.

10. Favourite manufacturer? Favourite product?   
Crate and MME and … I have many many. I love twine, mists and masks.

Want to see more of Petra's work? 

Just visit her blog: http://mittkreativakaos.blogspot.se/

Using masks - pre-made and DIY masks

I love using masks together with mists, gesso, acrylic paint or well even with the kids blow pens...
there is a lot of premade masks to buy. one of my favorite manufacturer right now is Crafters Workshop but also Prima, Studio Calico, Pink Paislee and Tattered Angels have beautiful masks.
Sometime, however, I like to make my own mask using just something laying around; a chipboard, a lace, a net from kitchen or by printing a nice shape and then cutting it out. Here are some examples:

Here I have used two of my favorite masks from Crafters - with mists:

a mask from Pink Paislee - with a ink pad and pink embossing powder:

again with 2 favorites from Crafters - with mists, also letting some mists drip under the photo:

 
with beautiful butterfly masks from Studio Calico - and mist:

with a piece of lace in one of the SKWAD kits - and mist:

with a cat shape I just printed and cut out in plain paper  - and the kids blow pens. I moved the shape around and changed color of the blow pens. In the end I also used the mask on the page:

with a home made wing I cut out - and mist:

There are all sorts of fun you can make with masks, some color and a little fantasy that will add that little extra to your pages.. come on and try it.

Thats all from me Petra - come visit my blog

New Limited Edition Kits Now In Store!

I've finally found time to create some new Limited Edition kits. I've added two new kits to the store - and will be adding more tomorrow, and maybe Monday (if time permits).

Just Add Water - something for the Summer and beach fans.

https://scrapbookkits.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=49_129&product_id=1065

Route 66 - something for the travel bugs and fans of the USA.

https://scrapbookkits.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=49_129&product_id=1064

Stay tuned for more soon!!!

Wednesday washi tape day number four!!!

Hi all

Here is washi tape number four.....this is a simple idea with a variety of uses.....you will need some timber pegs, some magnets and some rubons and of course your washi tape!!!

Cover the tops of the pegs with the washi tape....add some rubons and if you like add a magnet on the back so they can attach to your fridge......these make quick and easy gift ideas too!!!

Funky hey!!!   Give it a try!!!

Happy Washi Wednesday!!!

July Inspiration Challenge...

This month, I have something a little different for you. I decided to mix it up with a totally cute picture and amazing colour combination - red, blue and grey. 

Don't forget, you can add neutrals such as white, black and kraft.

July Inspiration Challenge - image found on Pinterest (trying to locate the original source).

Are you ready to see the amazing creative masterpieces that the Design Team have made?

Annette Gearside - A Candid Moment

Lisa Kamphuis - Live Out Loud

Erin Reed - Love

Petra Offrell - Amour

Kristie Taylor - You Color My World

Michelle Wallace - She Has The Look

Nicole Knopke - Cherish (Off The Page frame)

Kirsten Casey - Flying Fox Fun

Aren't these creations just wonderful? I love how the team have used these colours.

Now it's your turn. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Please send your completed layouts or projects to scrapbookkitswithjules@gmail.com

One lucky winner will receive a Class kit from Scrapbook Kits

Entries close midnight 31st July, and the winner will be announced early August. 

July Sketch Challenge...

It's my favourite day - the first day of the month, the day that I get to reveal the new challenges for the month. Are you as excited as me? Are you ready to see what we have in store for you? Here we go!!!

June Sketch Challenge - Designed by Jules The Bling Princess (yes, me!)

Beach Fun - Michelle Wallace

Beach - Kim Kendall

Grandpa Is - Erin Reed

In Tune With You - Juanna Sia

Friends - Petra Offrell

Soul Sister - Kristie Taylor

Oh So Lucky - Annette Gearside

Red Really Is Your Colour - Nicole Knopke

The Design Team have outdone themselves with some amazing takes on this month's sketch. 

Now it is your turn. I want to see your interpretation of the sketch. Are you up for the challenge? 

Please send your completed layout to scrapbookkitswithjules@gmail.com

One lucky winner will win a class kit from Scrapbook Kits.

Entries close at midnight, 31st July, and the winner will be announced early August.

1, 2, 3... GO!!! :-)