Off The Page Challenge

This is my take on the OTP challenge at Ready, Set, Scrap by Kirsti. I just used a wooden heart shape, stained the edges with light oak stain and decorated it with lots of embellishments.

February Off The Page Challenge - By Kirsti Brandis

For this months Off The Page challenge I would like to see you all create an off the page item using the following criteria:

• Use only Black and White photos
• Bling it up baby... I want to see lots of bling
• In celebration of the new site, I want you all to add an owl somewhere.

Here is my example:

And this is my example of the OTP project

and a close up!



Thanks for looking.

Cheers
Shazza

Dubbo Zoo

This is the layout I did for the sketch challenge at Ready, Set, Scrap. This is Jenna and I patting a wallaby at Dubbo Zoo in 1997. Jenna was eight. I was not entirely happy how this turned out, I think I got the patterned papers all wrong or even the colors in general. Oh well, at least its another layout out the way. I think I might use these photos again on another page down the track and see what result I get especially if I enlarge the photos.

February Sketch Challenge - by Liz Weber

Hi ladies, this month I have created a sketch especially for you to use.

The Sketch

and a few close ups.

thanks for looking !

Cheers
Shazza

Jenna and Melons

Another scrapbook page of my DD Jenna and her girlfriend Melon. They were waiting in Jenna's car to go to the night club "Twister" in Hawthorn. The photos were taken sometime in 2008. I really like these photos and I'm glad I got to use them :) I also love the basic Grey patterned paper, I will definitely have to get some more of that!

and a couple of close ups of the girls.

thanks for looking!

Cheers
Shazza

Happy Girls at Play

This is the page I did for Kath Parkers February challenge at Ready, Set, Scrap (RSS). The photos are of Jenna and Rachael playing together after Kinder in 1993 , they both liked to get dressed up in their Fairy costumes and play in the garden. I can remember lots of giggling and whispering going on whilst they played happily together. you can get to the RSS site by clicking here.

February Word Challenge - by Kath Parker

For this month's word challenge I would like you to create a Layout and use the word
Happy

The word can be in your title or in your journaling as long as it is on the layout.

You must use 3 PHOTOS
You must use ribbon

Here are some close ups

and a close up of Rachael

Thanks for looking :)

Cheers
Shazza

Blog of the Month - February

Part of my "Connecting with Creativity" is to feature a monthly blog. A blog that I follow, that I really love and enjoy and am inspired by. In this way, it will promote their blog and also direct people to sites of "Crafty" people, (there are hundreds of us out there!). You can bookmark their site , follow their blog or even add them to your side bar OR just take a peek at their works of art in general.

So, this month's featured Blogger is..........

GWEN.

I met Gwen through Erika Martins journaling 101 course she is part of the design team. Gwen has the most amazing blog, and is a talented scrapbooker. She also has a wealth of travelling experience. She has been to many places such as China, Africa, Paris, Costa Rica and most recently Turkey. Her travelling post have the most amazing pics and great journaling detail.

Her scrapbooking is amazing, she has done 100's of pages. On her Jan 24th post you can see some beautiful felt flowers she made to add to her scrapbooking pages. She's honest when it comes to scrapbooking, she will tell you if she's not happy with a layout and has often pulled it apart and started again.... gotta luv that!

She has been blogging since June 2005, so there is lots to read and plenty of ideas and inspiration.

You should go meet this fantastic lady, you can get to her blog site from here. Believe me you want be disappointed.


Cheers
Shazza

It's my Birthday and I'll Meow if I want to.....

This is my take on the Themed Challenge posted by Rachel at Ready, Set, Scrap (RSS). you can get to the web site from here.
This is Astro our British Blue Shorthair cat at his first birthday, he just loved the tuna cup cake I made him :)

February Themed Challenge - by Rachel Zelley

For this month's Themed Challenge I would like to see you all create a layout or OTP using the following criteria.

The Theme for February is
- Birthday -

You must also include
Stitching - Hand or Machine
Stamping and a
Clustered Corner

and a close up!

What do you think? Ain't he cute!

Love to share
Cheers for now
Shazza

Cheeky boys!

This is my take on the February Color challenge set by Tracey at Ready, Set, Scrap (RSS). You can get to the web site from here.
I really enjoyed this one and I am glad to get another page done of my kids when they were little.

February Colour Challenge - by Tracey Hunter

For this month's colour challenge I would like you to create a Layout using the following 3 colours.

PINK
GREEN
RED

You may add other colours so long as these 3 colours are the focus of your LO. Now the fine print.....LOL

It must be a DOUBLE PAGE LAYOUT (that's 2)
You must use 2 PHOTOS
There must be 2WORDS in your TITLE
There must be at least 2 SENTENCES in your journaling

This is what the journaling says:
Adam and Jarred shared a double bedroom for many years, they just loved sleeping in the same room.
They would get down on the floor and play dinosaurs or lego for hours.
Jarred just loved his "Thomas the Tank engine" die cast trains, which he displayed proudly on his chest of drawers.

and here are some close ups.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers
Shazza

"First Car"

This is the layout I entered for the Number Challenge at RSS. You can get to the site from here I titled this layout "First car" , this was Jennas 18Th birthday present from her dad and I. She had always wanted a big car, she felt she was safer behind the wheel. This is the first time I have ever had a go at a number challenge, I changed my mind over and over on complementing papers, flowers etc.... I ended up using lots of scraps and its and pieces.
I am very happy with the final result and so is Jenna. Thanks Nat for the inspiration :)

February Number Challenge - by Nat Williams

For this month's number challenge I would like you to create a Layout or OTP using the following numbered criteria

1 oversized photo (must be larger than a 6x4)
2 circles
3 patterned papers must be used, no more no less
4 staples
5 different flowers (no two must be the same)
6 inch title (title must measure 6 inches in length - no restriction on height)
7 crosses (they can be stitched, doodles or clearly shown in the paper)
8 buttons

You may add other elements to your layout so long as these 8 listed items are the focus of your LO.

and a close up!

Thanks for looking!

Cheers for now
Shazza

"My Significant Other"

Here is my page that I put together for a Scrapbook Challenge - 2009 called "My Significant Other" set by Christy (Creative Memories Consultant) at her crop night a few weeks ago. We had to scrapbook about a family member and tell a little bit about who they are, what you like or dislike about them and what they mean to you.

and a close up



What do you think?

Cheers for now
Shazza

Mans Best Friend

This is my layout for Erika Martins 101 journaling course for week #3, journaling 'Relationships'. I did my layout on the relationship between my son Jarred and his dog Flick.

This what the journaling says:

My son Jarred has a unique relationship with his dog 'Flick'. Flick is Jarred's best friend, they go everywhere together. She is the most well behaved, loyal, placid dog. Flick is a Kelpie, Border Collie cross. She was the only girl in a litter of eight, so her brothers had isolated her to the point that she would hide from everyone.
Jarred fell in love with her straight away when he first saw her. She bonded to him instantly and they have been inseperable ever since.

and here is a close up

Thanks for looking :)

Cheers
Shazza

Bushfires in Victoria

The bushfires have been devastating in Victoria, we have lost whole communities. The death toll is currently at 181 there has been over 1000 homes destroyed. The fire are still burning so we are not out of danger yet. My heart goes out to everyone that have lost loved ones, property, livestock and pets. Here are some pics I will never forget.

The image below taken from Kinglake West just shows how close the fires actually came to Melbourne. Unfortunately I live somewhere in between :(

Below a Kinglake property explodes in flames

There have been amazing heroic stories of ordinary people saving others like Peter Thorneycroft, who saved twenty women and children trapped in the Kinglake National Park Hotel despite pain from an arm injury, he continued to douse the roof of the hotel from burning embers. He has been dubbed the "Angel on the roof".

A dear lady Gwen and her husband (an elderly couple) came into my work last Friday, and told me, how their two storey home had burnt to the ground (about 6 inches of rubble was all that was left). When she sifted through the rubble she found one china tea cup from a set she had hidden in her wardrobe to give to one of her grandchildren. She has kept the teacup as a memento of that horrible day. Gwen told me they had lost 21 neighbours in her street. It was just heart wrenching :(

God Bless
Shazza

Black and White Crop Night

I went to a crop night at Flutterbuys at 653 High St, Preston on Friday night the 13th!. You can check out their web site here.

Crop Night this Friday 13^th February

We are having a black and white theme this time to celebrate the date.

So come along dress in b/w and do a b/w page or project

Most of the ladies came wearing black and white, these are the two black and white pages I scrapped on the night. The first page is Jenna and her girlfriend Melons (Leanne), I am really happy, how this page turned out. I distressed around the patterened paper and also the letters and framed the girls faces in bling!

and a close up.

The next black and white photo is one of my Dad (Graeme) and my Aunty Jean at their brother Lindsay's wedding. Dad was about fourteen and my Aunty was about nineteen. This was also the first time dad had owned a long pair of pants as his mother (my nan) always dressed him in long shorts (like knicker bockers).... no wonder Dad is happy :)

I just love this brother and sister photo!

and a close up.

Thanks for looking

Cheers
Shazza

Valentines Day

Hasan and I have had a lovely Valentines Day we went to lunch at Hasan's favourite Turkish restaurant called Zaras in Sydney Rd, Coburg. We had a yummy lunch with fresh turkish bread mixed dips for starters. Hasan had iskender (lamb on a layer of turkish bread with a tomato and yogurt dressing on top), and I had mixed donar (chicken and lamb) with salad and pilav rice.

Here are some pics of the Valentines cards we gave each other. I handmade mine at a "make and take", Kaszazz get together hosted by Kerry Bateman (Kaszazz consultant) at my friend Tanya's house a few Saturdays ago! My card says "Love is the Master Key which opens the gates of Happiness," it was stamped with flourishes.

Hasan's card says: What better time than Valentines day to say those 3 little words I often think about but seldom say.........

and a close up of the cards

below is the inside of Hasan's card! ....... You're so lucky!

Hope you all had a lovely Valentines Day celebration :)

Cheers
Shazza

"So much in Love"

I just finished this layout tonight! I have used a photo of my mum and dad (Melvie and Graeme) in their younger days. It was taken on a holiday in 1958 outside the Wuthering Heights Motel in N.S.W in 1958. I just love this photo :) I have used this layout for a challenge at Ready Set Scrap (RSS), you can get to the website here.

February Janine's Challenge - #1

For Janine's challenge you need to scrap a layout using the following:

The colours BLACK, WHITE & RED

BLACK & WHITE PHOTO

Include the word LOVE somewhere on your layout

and a close up!




They both look very happy and relaxed and so much in love......

What do you think?

Bye for now
Shazza

Raising Funds for the Bushfire Appeal

Hi All,
Today at my Bunnings Store we had a sausage sizzle to raise funds for the Bushfire Appeal, which we will be doing all throught the week. Lots of people had horror stories about the fires. Those people directly affected were able to take emergency supplies such as torches, batteries, tarps and gloves etc... We donated many barbeques, to the Whittlesea and Kinglake areas. The death toll had reached 130, with over 700 houses being destroyed. Communtities have been shattered and some are non existent, it makes me proud to work for a company that really pulls together to help our surrounding communitities.

Here is a screen capture from the channel nine news of Joscelyn and I (I am the wind blown one) helping out on the barbeque. Phil (not in frame) was cooking the sausages.

Thanks for everyone that helped and donated money for this appeal :)
Its great to work together for a worthy cause!

Thanks and Cheers
Shazza

Chichen Itza - Mexico

This is my week #2 layout for Erika Martins journaling 101 course. I did my layout on our trip to Chichen Itza in Mexico in 2006, the layout contains hidden journaling. I have hidden my journaling behind (handmande) tabs and stamped them with mayan characters (Inkum pocket stamps from Kaszazz), these fold out and expose the journaling. This trip was fantastic, one of the highlights of my journey through life :)

This is what it looks like with the tabs folded out to expose the hidden journaling. This is what the hidden journaling says on each of the fold out tabs:

El Castillo

The most awe-inspiring structure at Chichen Itza, the step pyramid known in Spanish as ‘El Castillo’ (the castle) built around 800AD. It was an amazing experience for both Hasan and I who are lovers of History. We had travelled from Australia to see one of the wonders of the world. We stood in front of this huge structure and were awestruck! The four staircases face the cardinal points, with the northern staircase having two carved snake heads at the base. Twice yearly, an optical illusion occurs at sunrise where the curving shadows cast on the staircase make it appear the snake is moving down the steps.

The Observatory

The Maya have a knowledge of astronomy that was very advanced for their time. They observed
and predicted the phases of the moon, solar and lunar eclipses, equinoxes etc.. They achieved this
without the use of lenses for observing distant objects, instruments for calculating angles or clock
to measure the second, minutes and hours.

Stone carving

Here is Hasan standing in front of a frieze, a stone carving depicting the Mayans encounters
with the Aztecs, whom also occupied the Central Americas. It was a very hot 49C degrees
when we went to Chichen Itza. Even the Mayan people were feeling the heat! Our Mayan guide
told us they had a saying when it was that hot – “The devil is doing his ironing!”

Kukulcan

The serpent’s head at the base of the stairs are said to represent the god Quetzalcoatl (named Kukulcan by American archaeologists.) It is a feathered serpent, depicted as a combination of quetzal bird and rattle snake.

and a close up

I surrounded the step pyramid with Mayan Glyphs on either side. Numerous features distinguish the Maya from other cultures of ancient Mesoamerica, but one that has attracted explorers, scholars, and enthusiasts for centuries is Maya Hieroglyphic Writing. The calligraphic style and pictorial complexity of Maya glyphs are like no other writing system.

Thanks for looking!

Cheers
Shazza

"So Happy are the Hearts that Love You"

This is my entry for the "Quote" challenge at RSS. You can get to the site from here.

February Quote Challenge - by Shell Barnard

For this month's quote challenge I would like you to create a Layout using the following Quote...

"So Happy are the Hearts that Love You"

You may add personalised journaling
But you must add an owl to welcome in our new site mascot.
You must also showcase handcutting.

and a close up

The journaling reads: Adam has always loved the girls, even at the age of two. Here he is hugging Jessica at his second birthday in June 1986.

What do you think?

See you later!
Shazza

Tagging - Your It!

I have been tagged by my scrapbooking and stamping buddy Tanya.

Here are the rules:

1. Go to where you store your pictures on your computer.

2. Go to the SIXTH folder and pick the SIXTH picture.

3. Post that picture on your blog along with a short storey about it.

4. You know the rest, tag SIX people and leave a comment on their blog or email them letting them know you chose them.

This picture of me is a shocker! Horrible long hair and overweight :( Anyway, this was taken out the front of the "Day of the Dead" shop in Playa del Carmen in Mexico in June 2006. The shop is filled with arts and crafts depicting death. Skulls and skeletons are fashioned from wood, clay paper, bone etc.. The mexicans celebrate the days of the dead on November 1st and 2nd, it is not a morbid occasion but one of peace and happiness. The living welcome the souls of the departed with offerings of flowers, specially prepared food, candles and incense. Many objects are made especially for the days of the dead, others are sold year round in galleries and craft shops, like the one here.

So, I am now going to tag SIX people.

1. Ali
2. Krys
3. Gwen
4. Shell
5. Tracey
6. Sharon

Cheers for now
Shazza

Sunset Sail

This is my layout that I did for Erika Martin's journaling 101 course. You can get to Erika's site here. This was the sunset sail that Sharon, Sue, Kim, Robyn and I went on when we were holidaying on Hamilton Island in November 2008, celebrationg our 50th birthdays. We had such a great time :)



and this is a close up



This what is what the journaling says:

This was no ordinary get together! Sharon, Sue, Kim, Robyn and I, had caught up for major birthdays over the years.But this was the big one!The 50th birthday celebration on Hamilton Island was discussed and organised over many years. We had all been to Primary and Secondary school together, plus played on various sports teams. Over the years though, with our own family commitments we got together less often. this was extraordinary for the fact that we were all together again, with Robyn even coming from the USA (where she has lived for the past 10 years).
We had a spacious three bedroom apartment at the "Bella Vista". We ate, drank, laughed and clowned around. It was great to be just us five girls together again.One of the most relaxing and enjoyable things we did together was a sunset sail on the "Banjo Patterson", we had nibblies whilst sipping champagne. The sunset was just beautiful. It was a wonderful way to spend our 50th birthdays.

Thanks for looking!

Cheers
Shazza

ME

Hi All!
I have just finished another layout for Ready Set Scrap (RSS). For this challenge I did a layout of "ME" as I can't upload my photo (Due to some problems with the site), so I thought the DT might like to know what I look like (I hope I don't scare them off!). If you would like to check out the RSS site, you can get to it by clicking here.

February Negative Space Challenge - By Janine Kennedy

For this months Challenge i would like you to create a Layout using

Neutral/ Earthy tones

You must also include the following items

Chipboard
and
Flowers

and a close up!




Thanks for looking!

Cheers
Shazza

Painted Princess

This is a layout I have just finished for a challenge at "Ready, Set, Scrap! (RSS). The challenge is called "White with 2" by Lexie King. Please go visit by clicking here. The site has sponsored competitions, cyber crops, date night-every Wednesday, tips and techniques and general chit chat.
The design team have some fantastic layouts in the gallery, some of the ladies have even had their work published in scrapbook magazines :)

For this months white with 2 challenge
Back ground must be white
You are to use 2 colours they are
ORANGE and PINK
You must have 2 photos on your layout
photos can be any size

Below is my entry

and a close up!

Thanks for looking!

Cheers
Shazza

Birthday Card for Miriam

"Happy Birthday Miriam"

Here is a birthday card I made for Miriam (one of my friends at work). I think she liked it!

The colors are a bit wishywashy, but that's probably because I took this photo at night :D
Thanks for looking!

Cheers
Shazza