Smile Beyoutiful

Hi there. I'm looking out the window as I type this and all I see is a wall of white mist. We are truly into spring, Hong Kong style - always with high humidity and lots of rain. It gets so bad sometimes that visibility is down to ten metres, as it is now. Best to stay in and do some scrapbooking instead.

Here's one I did a few days ago for the MCS March sketch challenge. Cutting it very close as today is the deadline for the challenge, so I'm posting this before time runs out.

http://mycreativesketches.blogspot.hk/2016/03/march-sketch.html

Smile Beyoutiful

I love all the gorgeous spring colours in the layout, just so bright and cheerful. I followed the sketch quite closely this time. The photo was taken a couple of month ago.

I fussy cut some flowers from one of the papers and added several contrasting papers for the strips behind the photo. 

Some tags and banners add more interest to the page.

Loving all the glitter accents around the page to tie it all together.

Products Used

Papers, die cuts, buttons and chipboard from My Mind's Eye Hello Gorgeous collection

Thanks for dropping by,

Featured Layout

Hi there. Just a quick note to say how pleased I am to have a featured layout with the January My Creative Sketches again.

Proudly displaying my banner in this post.

Join in the fun every month and you could even win a prize pack. The February challenge is now up.

Looking forward to seeing your layouts.

Chill Out in Vancouver

Hi there, First week back at school and Miss C is enjoying herself, likes her teacher and is eager to get back to learning again. I love it when she comes bouncing into the flat, ready to tell me about her day.

As for me, I've done one more layout this week. I thought I'd start early this time with the My Creative Sketches challenge, so this one is based on the August MCS sketch.

http://mycreativesketches.blogspot.hk/2015/08/august-sketch.html

Chill Out

I love all the bright colours on this layout and the yellow matt is a good foil for the blue photos. The pics were taken on our first full day in Vancouver, where we were invited to a picnic by extended family.

I first added random circles of molding paste through a stencil to give a bit more interest to the page. I then added the matts on top, giving lots of contrast in colours.

I added flowers and a pink circle for the accent in the sketch and a few "beachy" stickers to tie in with the photos.

The puffy title is too cute and I love the little seagull perched on the 't'.

Products Used

Papers from Doodlebug Design Sunkissed collection and Echo Park I Love Sunshine collection

Stickers and puffy stickers and title from Pebbles Fun in the Sun collection

Flowers from Prima Marketing

Wood buttons from Shimelle

Mini yellow alphabet stickers from Doodlebug Design

Stencil from Studio Calico

Molding paste from Golden

Thanks for looking,

Happy Birthday Snoopy

Hi there. We're back from our holidays. Wow, it seems like ages since I did a post or a layout. We actually came back Thursday last week, and it's taken me a few days to get back into the swing of things.

This week sees the 65th birthday for Snoopy, the Peanuts character. Miss C is a huge Snoopy fan and even had a Snoopy birthday earlier this year. It's so interesting to see how some things are timeless and how life repeats itself - Snoopy was a childhood favourite of mine as well.

I'm starting with this simple layout to get my creativity juices flowing again. I followed the July sketch from My Creative Sketches.

Super Fan

For this layout, I chose the handwritten background paper and added some gesso in a circular motion to mute the background a little. I also added green and pink gelato in the same fashion.

I then cut out two rings of paper and overlapped them on the background. Instead of another patterned paper for the left side of the photo, I added two sentiment cards before adding the title and my journaling.

For the right hand side accents, I stuck down flowers in place of the stars and added some ink splatters.

For the top left corner accent, I added some hand torn sentiments and a few paper flowers.

I'm sure there will be a few more Snoopy layouts and I still have all our holiday photos to scrap and my August kit just arrived today - Yay! See you soon.

Products Used

Papers and die cuts from Jillibean Soup Summer Red Raspberry Soup collection

Title chipboard from Bella Blvd

Gesso from Golden

Gelatos from Faber-Castell

Red ink from Lindy's Stamp Gang

Thanks for dropping by,

Down Time

Hi there. First day of the summer holidays and it's too hot to go out. Miss C is enjoying her off time and can be found clutching her iPad, watching youtube videos and playing Minecraft. She has extra lessons and sleepovers planned for the next two weeks, so I'm happy to let her have some free time to just relax.

I based this layout on the My Creative Sketches June challenge.

Down Time

I love the dark wood background contrasting with the brighter pinks, greens and blues. The photo was taken one morning when I found Miss C hiding in her reading corner on the iPad, complete with bedhead.

I cut out some flowers to soften the page and to provide the accents as per the sketch. I like the large wooden plaque as it adds a bit of neutral colour to the page.

I added a layered top border to add more colour and balance to the page and to ground the right corner accent. I was happy to see the black and white striped paper in the kit as it matches the bean bag in the photo. I finished the page with a few splatters of white paint.

 I pulled out the sewing machine for this layout. Just felt it needed that little something extra. I stamped and gold embossed the camera stamp that came in my kit and sewed the silver 'happy' on top.

Products Used

Papers by Chickaniddy Crafts 365 collection

Frame and die cuts by Amy Tangerine

Wooden accent and camera stamp by Shimelle

Thickers by American Crafts

Gold embossing powder by Ranger

White paint by Golden

Thanks for dropping by,

CNY In IFC

I've been busy this week working on next month's HKMC kit, to be revealed in early May and I can tell you, it is so much fun. One hint: watercolour.  I can't wait to show it to you but alas, we will have to be a patient a bit longer.

At today's crop, I decided to change tactics and instead of thinking up an original layout, I wanted to follow a sketch. It also gave me the opportunity to finally submit another layout for the MCS sketch challenge and this is my entry for April.

And here is my layout:

CNY in IFC

I love the colourful triangle paper and although it's quite busy, I wanted something cheerful and bright for the colourful photos. I tried to leave the rest of the details pattern free to balance off the busy background, although I do love how the pink cut out flower really pops off the page.

I added an accent corner on the top of the photo, just a small cluster of flowers and tags.

I love the wood look camera - it also adds a bit of 'neutral' to all the colours.

Products Used

Papers, die cuts, washi tape and sentiment stickers by Amy Tangerine Rise and Shine collection

Flowers by Marion Smith

Tag and canvas heart by Crate Paper Craft Market

Canvas Thickers by American Crafts

Grey cardstock by Bazzill Papers

Thanks for dropping by,

Swing

Oh gosh, this month has me chewing my fingernails to the quick. We made the very quick decision to sell the flat we live in and had to find another place. Anyone who's moved knows the stress that comes with it. Lots of packing, sorting, arranging, hair pulling. We've been in our current flat for five years; not a hugely long amount of time, but we've accumulated our fair share of "junk". Packing boxes will come on Sunday and then it's pack, pack, pack! Oh my, my scrapbook stuff!! Just the thought of moving all of that has me breaking out in hives.

And all before that, I still have a few layouts I need to get out for HKMC's December kit. In the last week, I did manage to get one layout done during our crop session. This one features the main kit from MCS and I also used the sketch they sent with my kit. It's the same sketch that they are using for the November sketch challenge - of which I haven't submitted any work for the last few months. Time to get back into it again.

This is the sketch from My Creative Sketches

Here's my layout for the sketch

Swing

I love this kit so much as it had a TON of embellishments - die cuts, vellum cut outs, flower cut outs - all to match the papers. It made it so easy to put pages together.

 I love how the die cuts had a mix of normal, gold foil and glitter ephemera for you to pick and chose from.

 Look at the vellum pieces. I so love the hand written vellum pieces.

I added a wooden butterfly from my stash to this cluster.

Products Used

Papers, embellishments and ephemera from Crate Paper Open Book collection

Wooden butterfly from Studio Calico

Chipboard alphas from American Crafts

Photo mat pink cardstock from Bazzill

There is still so much of the kit left and I hope I have time after the move (and before Christmas) to do another layout with them. 

Thanks for dropping by and wish me luck on the move.

May Sketch Winner!!

Happy Father's Day everyone.

We had a quiet brunch celebration with my parents, Miss C and I. Hubby took off this morning for Singapore, so he got his pressie and card last night. I think he was pretty chuffed with it.  For my dad, I made another mini album, filled with my childhood photos. He was so touched and I think that is the best kind of gift. Sadly, I didn't take any photos of it before it was handed over.

I got a nice surprise today when looking through the MCS sketches site. I was picked as the winner for the May sketch challenge. Yay!! I am really happy and can't wait to play with the kit they are sending out. Thanks MCS.
 

This is the layout I put up for the challenge, which I posted on my blog a few days ago.

Stay creative,

It's A Sunshiny Day

Another month gone and only two more weeks before we're off on our summer holidays. We'll be going back to the UK to visit the in laws. Miss C is so excited and counting down the days until she gets to see her cousin again. It's been too long.

Today, I had the chance to complete the My Creative Sketches May sketch challenge layout. The sketch may look simple, but it's your choice to make the layout as simple or complex as you like. This time, I kept it quite literal and followed the sketch closely.

Today Is A Bright Sunshiny Day

I just love the bright bright colours and patterns on this layout. The photos were taken during our Easter break at Wet n Wild in Orlando. We actually only had a patch of sand to play on but Miss C had a blast trying to bury our gear. I kept this page pretty simple to play up the colours instead.

 Such cute chipboard embellies. I also turned the banner stickers into a chipboard banner instead.

This sunshine was on one of the papers. SO cute. I knew I had to use it and it is in the perfect spot to highlight the big photo.

Products Used

papers, stickers, chipboard from Echo Park A Perfect Summer

Yellow flowers from Petaloo

White cardstock 

Thanks for dropping by,

Sweet Girl and Chosen Featured Layout

It's been a bit busy around here so I haven't had a lot of time to scrapbook (or blog) in the last week.

We attended our annual charity ball last Saturday and got to dress up. You'd never think it would be a stressful affair, getting ready for a ball, but you have to pick a dress, hair, make up, nails and being sure that your shoes will be comfortable enough to totter around in all evening. Not things I'm used to - I've never been a girly girl and choosing the right accessories and applying makeup in a straight line is a challenge for me. Regardless, we had a great time and the main thing was, we raised money for several organizations.

Prior to this, I was able to finish a couple of layouts; a single and a double.  Oh, and very excited to share some good news: I got picked as one of the featured layouts for the April My Creative Sketches challenge for this little layout so I get to post this little banner on here.

On to my next layout:

Sweet Girl

My two favourite colour combinations at the moment; teal and pink. They work so well together. I love this photo, with the bright, colourful flowers behind.

This kit had the cutest die cuts and chipboards. I just had to use the little girl chipboard.

Just a little bunch of flowers to balance out the page. I love the cassette tape die cut; something you don't see much of anymore.

Add some detailing by placing some pockets behind your photos to hold tickets and other ephemera.

Products Used

Papers, chipboard, die cuts and other ephemera from Crate Paper Oh Darling! collection

Wooden leaves and butterflies from Studio Calico

Flowers from Prima Marketing

Thanks for dropping by,