Did you know??

Happy Sunday to you all!!

Did you know that Manor House are going on retreat?  Check out all the details below:

Sounds wonderful doesn't it!! 

Gwen

Catch up projects...

Hello there,  so glad you visited!!

I have a few projects to share today; a bit of a catch up as it were :)  First up a layout I have done for Craft Queen featuring this super bold EK punch.

Next a card created for Manor House...

Now that is a card not for the post LOL - Love to use these when giving a gift.

and 2 more for Manor House....

These 2 below were made specifically to post, nice and flat and I really wanted a nice clean look.

AND finally some projects "just because" - It has been what feels like forever since I did some projects for myself, for no reason whatsoever and using whatever products I like.  I have of late felt like I have lost my mojo a bit; I really needed to take some time out to do whatever I wanted - scrap, tidy or just waste an hour on Pinterest .. Anyways, after a few weeks off, I decided I should do what I do best and went back to my "roots".... pink and pastels, washi, flowers and layers; not my best layout, but not my worst and for now I'm happy with that!

This is a photo of Caitlin's 2 nannas... "Nanna W" (Chris's mum) is on the left and "Nannee B" (My mum) is on the right; they both adore her!!

**Sigh, I do love my paper layers**

Paper is MME for anyone wondering and flowers are Prima.

and last but not least... while I was at it a card, this is some old ribbon my mum gave me and Prima flowers... the cute lil button is from Purple Pumpkin, isn't she sweet?

Thanks for popping by today... and as always, a big thank you to those of you who take the time to leave me words of encouragement or a thumbs up on FB.

Hugs to you all!

Gwen

Manor House share...

Well hello there,

A few Manor House pieces to share today... busy busy busy.

First up a quote book I made with some of my favourite bible quotes... a little something pretty for my craft space.  OHH so many delicious Manor House flowers on this one... love them all!  I've created this using one of the acrylic albums that were all the rage a while back, had this one for 5 years LOL, and thought it was about time I gave it a go.

Next up a little layout for Easter...

This Prima mask is the best... so delicate and perfect for the base of a flower cluster.

and last up.. a layout I did with some recent photos of our trip to Fiji... my 2nd trip and I just love that place... will be going back too!

These Thickers are my fav of all time, by Maggie Holmes.... divine.  Love the gold and blue combo and my new fav mask, by Prima.

A big shout out to all those who visit - love that you all pop by my little blog... especially when I have simply had no time at all to visit yours... but that is another story for another day :)

Thank you friends!

Gwen

Liebster Awards

Hello again,

WOW - 2 posts in one night, what is happening here!!

Just wanted to send a special thank you to the below 2 lovely ladies for my Liebster awards!  It means a lot that you both would think of me and my humble little blog... especially of late when it is so neglected!!

You are both angels, thank you, thank you, thank you Linda and Lizzy.

Gwen

Manor House Card share

Well, happy Sunday to you all, I hope you all had a lovely weekend.. We finally had some sun and it was so wonderful.  I am not a huge "out-doorsy" type, but weeks on end of rain was not something I liked!!  We have been to the park, had lunch on the water and spent an afternoon sitting on the back porch of my sisters in the sun :)

Here today to share a card set I created for Manor House... I really like doing my cards in sets of 2, I think it's quicker..  Colours are sorted and the 2nd card is really just the scraps of the 1st if you get what I mean.

I have painted the larger flowers with Glimmer Glam - my new best friend.. I know, it's been around for ages but lately it is my new discovery.  Also love the grey ones, they call them oatmeal and they are delicious!

Thanks for popping by

Gwen

To the Moon and Back

Hi Everyone,

A new Manor House layout to share featuring one of Caitlin's very first love letters; written to me of course!!  

I find it hard to keep everything she creates but this little gem deserved some special treatment.

 

I've used her letter as the title of my page and as it is not "acid free" I've layered it between pattern papers; several layers away from my photo.  Background is a basic letter stencil you can pick up at any office supply store scrapped with Gesso.  I've then layered up some squares of chipboard covered with scraps of pattern paper. For the blooms in my cluster I've mixed the blues and pinks from the background papers.  

Did you know that once a month over on the Manor House blog, they feature creations by their lovely blog followers??  Simply send any project using their blooms to designteam@manorhousecreations.com and you could be featured - Why not I say, why not!!  :)

Until next time.

Gwen

March Ribbon Club and Orange Paperie Feb Challenge

Good evening to your all...

As promised, I am back to share a couple more things with you...

First up some sneaks of the March Ribbon Club from Craft Queen... a really sweet combo of brights and Easter themed ribbons... pop over to the store 1st March and grab yours!

and next is my creation for Orange Paperie March challenge... It was a sketch challenge but I needed to also include a button or bling so I went with buttons...

This is the sketch...

and this is my take... love the love hearts!

This is all the girls in my immediate family from Left to Right - Caitlin, Me, my sister Di and then Mum :) Taken on Mother's Day last year.

Sorry, in my haste to get this up I forgot to do some close ups!!  Had a play with the background using Prima masks, mists and some distress ink too... ohh and my Mr Hueys in white which does not spray since the day I got it so I used it as splatters and also painted it on with a brush.

Glad to be back in blog land and to see you missed me... awwww

Hugs to one and all

Gwen

Ok, so it's been a while....

Happy Monday evening to you all!!  Well, I can't believe it's been almost a month since I posted...eeeep!!!  Unfortunately, I don't really even have an excuse, not a good one anyway, except that I've been struggling a bit getting into a new routine with Caitlin's school and work, and fitting in her Ballet and homework and swimming and you know, all that every day life stuff!! So, my lil old computer and blog is being neglected and so too are your blogs I'm afraid - I am ever so sorry I have not popped by to see all your beautiful creations and leave some love!!!  I have however still found time to create though, I don't think I could get through a day without some form of scrapping getting done, and today I have heaps to share!!

First up some Manor House creations...

A friend of mine lost there beloved pet a few months back and it was a tough reminder that they are not with us forever, and inspired me to scrap a long overdue page of my "boy" :)

I fell in love with this paper as soon as I saw it and the colours inspired this creation.  Also had a play with some gesso and glimmer on the Rue flowers and very happy with the colour match!  The cute lil doilies are from Typo - love that place!

Next up some cards created for a Valentines day feature... using Crate paper, addicted right now, this is an older line though, still delicious...

Now, I know all you purists out there will say, how on earth are you going to post that?? ..and I say, I'm not going too, a card as special as this one gets hand delivered :)

Same as this one :)

I also am super excited about this layout created for Craft Queen using the new Kaisercraft range "Lu Lu & Roy"- the absolute perfect colours for my photo - and a dear photo of Nanna Wruck and Caitlin having a special chat - what about I'll never know (secret Nanna/Granddaughter business I suspect)...

You can see this one at the Melbourne Scrapbook & Papercraft Expo - at the Craft Queen stand as well as some of my other creations.

Lots of Craft Queen goodies on this layout, twine, crochet flowers, Prima, Satin Seam Binding, mini roses... all available in store at Craft Queen.

Phew!! and that's it (for now) I have also done this months challenge over at Orange Paperie which I will need to share before the end of the month :)  So, I will be back soon!

Hope you are all safe and well and feeling inspired!

Gwen

Scrap Friends - My First Layout

Well hello everyone,

So sorry I have not been around too much - between organising the start of the school year and a trip to Fiji, time has been very short for me... I promise I will be popping by your blogs and leaving some love very soon!!

Today I'm here to share my um... well, one of my very first layouts.  I began scrapping around 10 years ago now and a lot has changed over that time, but you know what, the more I look the more I see that has stayed the same.

What's changed...

1.  My layouts are much more dimensional - this one is as flat as a tack!
2.  I don't use pre-printed titles that often or those pinking scissors!!
3.  I no longer use paper from Big W or K Mart - and usually have a card stock base or thick pattern paper so my page has some strength to it when loaded with embellies.
3.  I have learned since this layout that just because there is blue in the photo doesn't mean every colour on the layout should be a shade of blue LOL  I would definitely say I'm a lot more adventurous now with colour.


What has stayed the same...

1.  I still do 12 x 12 single layouts - I did go through a "phase" of doubles so that both sides of my album matched, but that did not last too long.

2.  I still scrap with single photos mostly preferring to print them larger rather than smaller.  Photo size of choice is 5x7.

3.  The design is still very similar to a lot of my designs now, linear and embellishments in groupings around the page... see the "flower cluster" in the bottom left corner :)

4.  I still love flowers - don't think that will ever change.

5.  and I still love layers... and a matted photo.

and proof you should never throw out any part of your stash; the last layout I did have vellum on it, and so does this one - although I have learned how better to stick it down without showing the glue!!

So, here it is...

That is me in the picture - on a trip to New Zealand many years ago.

It's been fun looking back - and seeing how much I've changed AND how much I've stayed the same.

Gwen

Scrap Friends Sketch Challenge #9

Well hello everyone, it's been a while hasn't it!!

We have been away on holidays and have returned just in time for the first day of school which was scheduled for tomorrow however with this terrible weather the school has closed and we plan to go back on Wednesday, so yet another day off for me.  I don't mind so much, it is just Caitlin who seems forever bored!!

I have had some time over the rainy weekend to scrap - yeahh!! and I thought I would have a go at the current Scrap Friends sketch, my first as an entrant since my DT term finished :)  I found this one a little tricky with all the zig zags down the bottom there!

Here is my take:  I have created the zig zags with some kraft paper cut into strips and then washi tape added.  I then sewed in place and roughed up the edges.  I have also used some Satin seam binding to create the other row of zig zags and some twine all available from Craft Queen.

Paper is Crate paper and Authentic ohh yes and one sheet of Prima.   Flowers are Manor House, Prima and a couple of "odd bods" LOL - trying to use up some of my stash of older bits and bobs.

You may notice that I have actually mounted my photo on top of a larger one...I have seen a lot of girls do something similar to this - especially with the white edges on their photos, I thought I'd give it a little whirl.  I also used some vellum, yeah, vellum I had from years ago, I heard it's making a come back -  not sure how I feel about that but I like how it turned out here :) and yes, that's my sister, can you tell???

My thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected by the terrible weather in Qld and NSW - Stay safe everyone!!

Gwen