Sketch with color mid April challenge - five

I made this layout for the mid April Sketch with color challenge using the below inspiration:
                                                                                          
 
                                                                                                                                                                                
Although the layout asked for 3 photos I just couldnt find any that really worked, so I added a journal card and covered over the other spot with flowers. This cute photo of my son worked well with the colours so thats what I used....

Kaisercraft Saturday sketch April #3- Sweet

I made this layout using Kaisercraft Saturday sketch April #3 shown below:


I found this cute photo of my daughter in her French nightgown I bought her - it reminds me of wee willie winkie! I found these lovely Tigerlily papers in my collection - had just been waiting for a photo that could match them and this one is nicely black and white! I followed the sketch and used the following items:

Kaisercraft Tigerlily patterned paper P802 blossom
Kaisercraft Tigerlily patterned paper P806 pomegranate
fussy cut butterfly from Kaisercraft bubblegum hills collection 
Live embellishment from Kaisercraft Le chateau collection
Twiddlybitz chipboard
Vines fussy cut from Craft concepts sweet surprises collection

Scrap our stash April challenge #2 - Zorb

I made this layout for the April Scrap our stash challenge shown below:



When I saw the 2 square photo layout I searched through my photo piles for two which could be cropped to a square and would tell (all of) a story.... I came up with these photos of when I tried zorbing with my daughter in NZ. Only problem when trying to make a layout was the wildly differing colours in them! I tried a whole stack of different papers and ended up using my trusty vintage grunge collection from Craft concepts. As an added bonus this one even had a pre made circle.... I also used afew of my CSI printables by Michele Singh  from case 66 and some buttons that were laying around on the floor (bonus)

Once upon a sketch April challenge - Just think about it

    

I created this layout for the April challenge at Once upon a sketch, the theme is the best day of your life and the sketch is shown below. It has taken me all month to work out what to do with this one.... I only have one photo that really shows the best day and it doesnt quite fit with the sketch! I tried a million different papers and colours before I finally came up with this layout tonight. Its quite alot more embellished than my usual layouts, but Im much more willing to use my more expensive stash items for a layout as special as the best day! Its probably an unusual take on the challenge as its not of a special occasion, and I never saw these people again. The journalling reads: Because they gave me hope that kindness still exists in the world. Although I dont know who they are and will never see them again I will never forget this day.
The background behind this layout is that as a parent of three young children I was really feeling subhuman, people look down on you wherever you go especially if a child/ ren happens to throw a tantrum, touch something or misbehave and the constant judgement, lack of empathy and understanding was really wearing me down. So I booked a trip to Europe to give myself and the kids something positive. While we were there we went to the Oktoberfest. This group of guys was sitting behind us and the kids chatted to them afew times, they were so friendly.... they spent the rest of the day carrying the kids around, buying them treats, entertaining them and just being wonderful people. They really restored my faith in humanity! So even though my kids are growing up and life is much easier these days I still see this picture and smile.

A schoolgirl moment

I created this layout today for afew different challenges, and Im really happy with the results! I started with an idea from Childs play challenges - Paint by number. I found this old Kaisercraft page at the bottom of my stash and decided it was perfect as it had some outlines on it, perfect for a colour by number. I coloured in the lines with the kids textas then added some numbers Ive had laying around for awhile - so good to use those numbers as Im always left with them once the good letters run out! Then I tried to find a good photo to go with my new masterpiece. I settled on a picture of myself and a couple of friends in schoolgirl outfits from a dress up night afew years ago and decided to title it A schoolgirl moment. I added all kinds of bits and pieces from my pile of offcuts, including some Kaisercrafts class of 87, one of the first paper pads I purchased almost 2 years ago when I started scrapbooking.  I decided to enter Lasting memories use your stash challenge (pretty much everything except the background is an offcut or part of the stash, and SWAT dig deep challenge (used afew items over a year old). Im also entering Bird is the word (used the word moment) again because I like this layout better than my first entry! Im also entering Scrap for help  April challenge as I used some  paper from a school workbook, among other school related embellishments and papers.....

Lets get sketchy #1 - Quad bike

This is my very late version of Lets get sketchy April #1! I pulled these photos out when the sketch was first released but has taken me a hell of a long time to try to get a colour scheme for them - theres something about the pale greens and browns which I find very difficult to work with. In the end I bit the bullet and went mostly black and white with a touch of blues and reds from the bike and clothing (using some more offcuts from previous projects). The sketch is shown below:

                                                                                       
I used DCWV neutrals stack cardstock, American crafts Amy Tangerine, Bella rock chick circles, CSI coordinates #66 by Michelle Singh, Kaisercraft timeless and Teresa Collins off the edge collections. I also used Thickers letter stickers....

Lets get sketchy #3/ 123 Challenge April - Here today

I was feeling very thrifty tonight! I managed to get 2 challenges in one layout and use up alot of offcuts from previous projects! Might have to keep this photo smaller as my layout photography is a little blurry again..... These photos are from a tiny chapel underground in Austria, where my kids lit a candle for their father. The title relates to transience  - both to lighting a candle for loved ones and to the old long abandoned mine where this chapel sat. I used the requirements for 123 Challenge - April and the sketch from Lets get sketchy shown below:



                                                                                             
                                                                                       

For the sketch I used fussy cut church roofs in place of circles and suitcase in place of the large flower. I whitewashed behind the photos with white ink, used duck egg blue to mat all photos and papers and used 'today' in the title.

Papers used were DCWV Once upon a time stack and Kaisercraft Check in stack.

Bird is the word April challenge - moments

This layout was created for the Bird is the word April challenge - theme Moments. I found afew photos to fit the sketch below, and a good background then went through my scraps and offcuts. It was full of purple and navy, the colours didnt look too bad so I used a whole stack of them!

CSI challenge #67 - The sixty four thousand dollar question

I just love CSI challenges - this was my entry for #67 this week, loaded online on their site. I was so excited to be named a star witness for last weeks challenge!

My son is always questioning people, and pestering people he sees when out. He has to know every detail of what they are doing, and why, and why, and why again! This detailed a conversation (one of many) between him and a random policeman in Canberra

scrapfriends colour challenge #12 - Toboggan slide

This layout was made for the colour challenge (12)  over at Scrapfriends. The palette is below:

I used a few photos from tobogganing, which had just a hint of yellow. I had an idea in my mind of how I wanted this layout to look, but just couldnt get anywhere near it with the few materials I had! Oh well, next time....

I used a few random items from the stash along with a couple of leftover CSI coordinates from this week designed by Michelle Singh

Another freaking scrappy challenge - When you say jump....

When I saw this sketch for April 15 - I knew exactly which photo I could crop to size. This picture was taken at Isle of Pines during a cruise, and when I printed them we were offered 6x8 for the price of 4x6 so I have afew of these pictures just hanging around as they are generally a little big for most pages. This sketch is definately not my usual style but  I gave it a go. I used American crafts -Amy Tangerine, Creativ cardstock, Kaisercraft letters , DCWV endless summer stack and Bella rock chick papers. The sketch from Another freaking scrappy challenge is below:

Challenge me happy #44- If the shoe fits

I created this layout from the sketch (below) challenge 44 at Challenge me happy. I adapted it quite abit to fit the photo, which was taken at the Chinese theatre, Los Angeles in 2009. I wanted to follow the colour  scheme of the photo keeping it neutral with a splash of colour. I mixed My minds eye lost and found portobello road papers with Kaisercrafts a fairy tale pad and I like the way they go together!

Scrap your story challenge 7 - from out of the darkness

I created this layout using the sketch at Scrap your story as inspiration (It no longer looks too similar haha). Its not the prettiest layout but Im happy with the way it conveys my memories of the city. Starting with the sketch I looked for two photos that could be cut to size, and came up with these pictures of checkpoint charlie in Berlin. From there I used the sketch and my stash to try to portray my feelings on Berlin. I really loved this city, and did alot of tours to hear the history. I think its amazing how a place so recently walled in from the outside world and so devastated by war has come out the other side so alive and vibrant. You can find tunnels and bunkers underneath trendy cafes and I wanted to convey that vibe in my layout. I used greys and browns to represent the war,  the border to represent the wall and the green and leaf to represent the new life evident in the city. I replaced the circles in the sketch with squares and ink blots.

The sketch is shown below:

Sketchy colours #159 - Looking good

This is my entry for the challenge over at Sketchy colours. The theme is to use a predominant colour scheme of red orange and yellow, which was a little tricky! The hotel actually tried to charge me for this phone call he made when I wasnt looking!Then they read out the  nonsense number and realised it couldnt possibly have gone through hahaha. He looked so funny though in his swimmers and upside down glasses he was forgiven...I tried to keep to the colour scheme although afew of the papers had other colours as well.

All papers are Kaisercraft - except the Nemo picture, which came with a disney pixar themed album.

Kaisercraft Saturday sketch April #2 - backstage

I made this layout using Kaisercrafts Fairy tale paper pad, for their April Saturday Sketch challenge #2. Challenge located at http://www.kaisercraft.com.au/blog/april-sketch-2-susan-and-hilde/.

Frosted designs mid April challenge - Green Island

This layout was created for the Frosted designs mid month challenge - travel theme. I have a thousand travel photos printed ready for scrapping, so I chose some of the first few  I came across - being a trip to Green Island in 2009. I used DCWV endless summer stack, Graphic 45 tropical travelogue and creativ cardstock to make this layout....

Words or whatever March puzzle challenge - New Zealand (Waitomo caves hotel)

This layout was created for the Words or whatever March puzzle challenge - including the following shapes in your layout:

                                                                                     I definately found this one quite a challenge! I started by buying some Tim Holtz distress ink and testing it out on a DCWV neutrals cardstock to make the blot. From there I went looking for some photos to match up with it and came up with these few from New Zealand 2010. The Waitomo caves hotel was just amazing, it had an old fashioned charm that made you feel like you had travelled to the past. I took these few pictures of our room, with its floral wallpaper and 4 poster bed as I was so in love with the place. I added some stamps, some newly purchased Prima washi tape  and the WOW New Zealand chipboard title and thats the finished result. Heres hoping to win some chipboard- I really love their designs!

Punky scraps March #61 - @7am

This layout was inspired by the March (61) challenge over at punky scraps.... pictured below:



                        

Firstly, the background reminded me of a paper from American crafts 5th and frolic collection, which I used as my backdrop. Secondly I used the paper lanterns and layout of the photo, cutting circles for the top of my layout in matching colours. Thirdly I used the theme of food, and chose some photos from our trip to America - we had breakfast at Goofys kitchen, Disneyland.

My Minds eye April challenge - cousins at play

I created this layout for the April My minds eye challenge, using the My minds eye Lost and found Portobello road paper collection (As well as some Thickers and Kaisercraft letters). I love the way the colours in this collection work with the background of the photos, letting the subjects stand out. Actually I just love this collection full stop! The theme for this challenge was something funny. These photos were taken by my sister at Christmas when her devilish son looked like he was giving his cousin a cuddle, then proceeded to strangle, wrestle and whack him with the chair, while cackling fiendishly! My son just sat there calmly rolling his eyes so it was quite a funny  moment!

I am also entering this layout at Red Carpet Studios challenges for April #31. The challenge is to use frames - inspired by movie frames. The RCS challenge gave me a couple of ideas, but the first was to use the frame around the  photos above cut out from another paper. I quite like the effect!

April DCWV sketch challenge - The old crew

I created this layout using DCWV Once upon a time stack, from DCWV April sketch challenge shown below: