Barefoot Bakers - Challenge 41 Scrap Africa

Hello, hello - today I’m sharing a Design Team page for 

Scrap Africa, challenge 41.

CLICK HERE

to see what the rest of the team have created.

Create a project - layout, card or altered project that depicts what Christmas Time/ December Holidays/ Hannukah is like in your home, town, city or country....for some it's a snowy winter in Europe…

For us in Australia, it’s summer and usually hot.

So tell us what a traditional December is like for you.

I adapted a sketch by Susan Stringfellow from Sketch Savvy.

I know it's a busy time of the year,
but I hope you find a squidge of time to play along.

Last week, when we had the twins, they helped us decorated the tree and then they wanted to bake Anzac biscuits. They like to cook without too much quality control from me, so the biscuits come out of the oven in all shapes and sizes.  The bigger the better as far as they are concerned.

The paper range is from Authentique, "Wonder" and "Foundations"

some more treasures I found whilst rummaging around in my stash.

The lovely stars are from Scrapmatts CB 6081

They come in this lovely red and I just

 shimmered them up it bit with some glitter.
I did a bit of a Lizzy Hill and splashed some gold around,
but I might need remedial lessons from the gold Queen herself!

I did the journalling on a joined tag and slid it behind the photos.

The journalling reads:-

Christmas time for me is about family gathering to break bread together.   The Grandchildren trimming the tree, with ornaments which their Daddy used to hang.  It’s the smell of baking throughout the house.  Using the old bowl and the recipe handed down from my Mother to make the Christmas pudding.  It’s shopping for fresh seafood to eat outside under the verandah, hoping that it won’t be over 40C.  Singing Christmas carols, especially my favourite, “Silent Night”.   It means writing letters to friends far away, and hearing from them too, about their families activities for the year.  It’s remembering those no longer with us and giving thanks for the legacy of love they left behind.   It’s about thinking hard before choosing the perfect gift for each person. It’s the joy on the children’s faces, as they open their gifts. Christmas is also about donating to those less fortunate than ourselves and giving thanks for all that we have.   8 Dec 2014

Celebrate Moments - CSI challenge with S365-10

Welcome to my blog gentle people, it's lovely to have your company.

I hope you will find something to inspire you and perhaps

take the time to leave me a comment.

Here is the challenge for this week, you have until Dec 31st to enter.

CLICK HERE

To see what the guests and design team have created.

I find it difficult to achieve accurate colour when photographing white and ivory, so this looks a bit muddy - it's much better IRL

Because I had a lot of journalling I tried to keep 

the layout fairly simple and use lots of white space.

The mason jar is from American Crafts.

Some lovely Kaisercraft collectables, "On this day"

The embossed brick stamp is by Deep Red

Love the versatile words from Scrapmatts Words, 01 and 03

A few sparkly bits from Prima and it's finished.

I did have a whoopsy with the stamping,

so I just cut it out to the shape I wanted 

and stuck it on a new piece of card stock.

EVIDENCE

Jar

Metal

Flowers/leaves

Bricks

Tag

String

Embossing powder

TESTIMONY

I went to the Journal Jar prompts and chose to write about the most serious illness I have had.

This photo was taken around the five year mark, when I felt almost brave enough to hope for a future.  But the slightest thing could push me off kilter, extinguish the hope; send me down dark alleyways, swept along by fear and tossed helplessly on rough seas of despair.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, the story began years before, when the specialist told me I had Cancer, that I needed to have radical, invasive surgery and that the odds of survival were 50/50.

I felt angry and cheated that this could happen when I ate healthily, was not overweight and exercised regularly.  Why me? What had I ever done to deserve this?  I felt out of control, confused by different medical opinions and raped by invasive procedures.

Because of my nursing experience, I knew exactly what to expect and that increased my terror; I’d assisted at the surgery they proposed, which left the operating theatre looking like a slaughter house.

If I died, no one else would Mother my children as well as I could, nurture them with loving kindness and steer them on the path to adulthood. How would my husband cope with working and raising the children on his own?  

The post operative pain was beyond description, only eased by a superb night nurse who topped up my pain medication, before positioning me as gently as a new born.  I never saw her face, but I would recognise her soothing voice anywhere. The nights seemed interminable; once I recall sitting bolt upright in bed and screaming “I want my Mother!”  My body ached and my heart ached for her loving arms. 

We were blessed by the kindness of family and friends, who provided meals, did the laundry and collected children from school. They brought books and flowers and massaged my aching body.  

I have disabilities because of the surgery, but I have gifts too.  If someone had asked me, if I wanted to waltz with Jack Dancer I would have said a resounding NO.  But there are gifts which came with it. Previously a bit of a pessimist and inclined to melancholy, I’ve learned not to worry too much about the future, to enjoy each moment, to stop and smell the roses, to tell people I love them and to be grateful that I’m one of the 50% who survived.  My glass is always half full.   Journalling 5th Dec 2014  

First Selphie - DT page for Scrap Africa sketch challenge 40

Hello on this hot day in South Australia,

I hope you have somewhere cool to relax.

Today I’m sharing a page for Scrap Africa

which is a sketch challenge.

You can find the details HERE

I chose an ancient film strip which was taken in a photo booth, 

long before mobile phones were invented.

The background paper is from Prima,

Epiphany collection, “Clear as day”

I used a very old negative strip from Creative Imaginations which I found sulking at the bottom of my acetate collection. 

It had frilly edges which I cut off, ‘cos I wasn’t in a frilly mood.  

Hope I didn’t hurt it’s feelings too much!

The orange hexagons are from a scrap of 

Kaisercraft the “Paradiso” collection.

I had fun trying some new techniques with stamping and gold leaf and am happy with the final result.

I wrote some journalling on the back - it reads:-

Who is this young woman, all fresh faced and innocent?  I hardly recognise myself.  A friend and I had caught the train to the city to buy clothes.  At the Adelaide railway station, we popped into a photo booth to play in a strange contraption which took instant photos before popping them out of a little slot. 

I remember that dress, which I bought with my first pay packet as a telephonist with the PMG.  It was a soft polished cotton with a modern geometric print.  It had little cap sleeves, a belt and a full skirt.  I thought I was the bees knees in it. 

Like a lot of teenagers, I was egocentric and gawky, socially inept and yet wanting to appear sophisticated.  If only I had known, that most people didn't give a darn about how I looked or if I made a faux pas, I would have been bolder, taken more risks and slurped the marrow out of life, while my limbs were still strong and resilient.

My Mother used to say "You can't put an old head on young shoulders" and how right she was.  But wouldn't it be fun to try it for a month or two?

Simple Pleasures - CSI challenge 148

  Welcome to my blog, it’s lovely to have your company.

Today, I’m sharing a DT page for CSI.

CLICK HERE

to see what the team have created for your inspiration

Here is the challenge

What do you think?  I’d love you to play along, 

so grab your forensic kits and lets get sleuthing.

I used a Blue Fern paper for the background,

"Leslie's dream", from the Ombre Dreams collection.

All the required colours are on the paper, 

but I added more watercolour and texture through a stencil.

The yellow daisies, the title and the butterfly are from Scrapmatts

The tree charm is from the Scrap book store

A bit of stamping, some die cutting and 

the tea cup embellie is from Craft Queen

EVIDENCE

Teacup accent

Flowers

Branches

Tree

House, tiny one in the right cluster

Bird

Watercolour

Tag

String

TESTIMONY

I went to Sunday Scribblings, and chose to write about a vintage photo.

The journalling is on the back and it reads:-

One of the most vivid memories I have, is of playing in this garden on the farm when I was about four.  My Sister and I have our good clothes on; so I expect we were just home from Church.

I see Lettuce and Cabbages growing and Sweet Peas climbing the fence.  My Mother always planted the Sweet Peas on St. Patricks day to ensure a beautiful flowering. The photo triggers a memory of me picking Snap Dragon flowers and popping one bloom on each finger, before proudly showing my Mother my pretty hands.  I couldn’t understand why she was cross!

Another memory flashes into my mind. It’s a warm summer day, not too hot.

I’m sitting on the edge of the veranda with my bare feet in the dirt; a soft, sandy dirt which puffs up between my toes when I tap them down. My feet are wide and calloused on the soles because I loathe wearing shoes. They are only for Sunday, when we go to church.

My patched cotton dress is protected with a Pinny; my hair in pig tails as

I watch black ants scurrying into their nest. They are busy mounding up the sides.  Rain must be coming soon. The fragrance of the Lorraine Lee rose perfumes the air, as I watch the monarch butterflies and hear the drone of the bees as they swarm over the Lavender.

In that moment, all my senses heightened; I feel at peace, serene and connected to something bigger than myself.  I’m aware that I feel happy.  I hug the happiness to my heart, like a warm blanket.  Decades later, I can recall that moment with utmost clarity.  I’m always at peace in solitude and I’m sure it stems from the gift of that one perfect moment.

Thank you card using 2 tabs - Scrap Africa Challenge 39

Hello again, just a quick post to share a card for the

Scrap Africa challenge 39

All you have to do is create a page, an OTP project, 

a canvas or a card, using two tags.

Easy Peasy!  I hope you will find time to play along.

CLICK HERE

To see what the team and guest artists have created for your inspiration.

I used a Hero Arts stamp on one tag,

created some texture and colour on the other one,

then trimmed with a Lemon Owl flair,

some yummy Prima lace and and some foliage.

Still on my stash diving, I managed to use a piece of

very old Chatter Box, by teaming it up with some Maja.

Fun Times - CSI challenge 147

Hello, hello, it's Saturday and time for a new challenge at

CSI

Here's the mood board and you have a bonus sketch from Em Stafrace.

Just use all five colours, at least two of the evidence prompts and at least two of the Testimony prompts.  Inspired?  Then grab your forensic kits and let's get sleuthing.

This page was made from scraps, apart from the white Bazzil.  The blue patterned paper is from Echo Park “Grandpa’s Garden.  The red and the bird paper is an older Kaiser line.

The wooden stars are from Studio Calico

The stamps are from Kaisercraft

The journalling tag is the reverse side of the blue patterned paper

EVIDENCE

Circles

Mesh

Stars

Stamps - the title and the flowers

Stack something, the circles

Chalks, colouring in the stamped flowers

Other animal - do the birds count?

TESTIMONY

I went to the 365 questions link and chose to write about something that makes me happy.  It’s not surprising that I would choose to write about these two little kidlets, who come to spend the day with us each week.  Their joy in discovery and love of the outdoors makes looking after them a pleasure.  My darling Mother, who had the greenest thumb in the town, would be thrilled to see the next generation of gardeners coming on. 

The hand written note says. “You both love to dig with your own spades; to plant and watch things grow.  You enjoy the snow peas and take some home for your brother.  Each week you check the progress of the tomatoes and the spuds.  You water them and drench each other too!  Love Granny 2nd September 2014

Always together - CSI DT layout - combined with Scrap 365-9

Hi there, I hope your day is wonderful,

It's 38C here today, good for hibernating inside out of the heat.

Here is the image for the latest challenge at CSI

Scrap365 is joining in as well and we have lots of interesting examples to inspire you

CLICK HERE

 I used an old piece of Webster's paper for the background.

The other scraps of paper are from my stash;

a mixture of Basic Grey, Kaiser and My Mind's Eye.

Some texture paste through a Prima stencil. 
and some gelatos to create a bit more interest.
A Studio fourteen40 flair which I haven't photographed very well.
And a Prima bubble to highlight the little tackers.

EVIDENCE

Leaves/branches

Transportation accents

Musical elements

Mist

Watercolour

Metal - the flair

Scatter something - the watercolour

Numbers - Top left

TESTIMONY

When we moved into our home and planted a tiny tree, we had no idea it would grow to this enormous size and tower over the roof.  Planted with optimism and hope, watered with tears of joy and sorrow and buffeted by the winds of change; it survived and dwarfs anyone who shelters in it’s shade. The tree is now host to rainbow lorikeets, willy wag tails, magpies and wattle birds.  Each year the fragrance of the flowers fills the house and at the end of Spring, it’s blossoms fall, creating a yellow carpet on the lawn.  When I see you both standing under the tree, it reminds me of the tiny shoots of the relationship with which Pa and I began our married life. I hoped we would have children, but didn’t imagine way back then, that we would be blessed with Grandchildren too. I’m so glad you two form new branches of our family tree. As you leave our home shouting “I love you”, from the car window, my cup of blessings overflows.  Love Granny 28.10.14