Scrapware giveaway...c'mon on down...

As promised, the winner of the Scrapware goodies...drumroll please...
Now, there's actually two winners because both kids wanted to pick a name out of the bowl (and who am I to play favourites...lol). Yay for Wendy S and Laura T. Girls, send an email to heyhoewarren@aapt.net.au with your address and I'll be winging some Scrapware your way! Thanks everyone who left me comments recently. Closer to SIA (Scrapbook Industry of Australia tradeshow), there will be more giveaways...watch this space.

I love colour!!

Remember a few posts back I mentioned that I had sorted all my patterned papers into colour groups? Since then I have been scrapping up a storm, and you know I love a challenge, so I've decided to start playing along at Color Combos Galore. I love that there's no rules other than to use the colour combination for the week. This week's colour combo (#111) is desert sand, pink roses, marigold, dark chocolate. The names of the colours alone are inspiring (more so than cream, pink, yellow and brown...lol).Having my papers already sorted into colours makes it incredibly easy for me to do this challenge. I just pull out the pink pile, rifle through and select a paper, then ditto for the rest of the colours. Just have to make sure I pick out patterns with different weights. I then dig through my embellies and pull out anything that contains those colours. Too easy! This layout came together in about 30mins. The pics are of my gorgeous pregnant cousin Belinda. Eme and I went to her baby shower on the weekend and had a wonderful time. We're so excited for Belinda and Chris and can't wait to meet their baby in a few weeks time. Eme wanted Belinda to show her the baby. lol. It took a bit of explaining to convince her that that's just not possible. Unfortunately the night before we had watched "Junior" (you remember that awful movie with Danny DeVito and Arnold Schwarzenegger). She had seen the characters give birth, so Eme thought you could just look between Belinda's legs and see the baby!! Oh dear...lol.

On a side note: I will be drawing my Scrapware giveaway tonight and will post the winner tomorrow.

Cheers, Lis.

Scrapbooking Delights - Weekend Retreat update

A reminder for everyone...if you live nearby and want to come to our retreat...

Everyone who books and pays their deposit by 31 March 2009, will receive extra goodies in their goody bag! If you have already paid your deposit; don't panic, you qualify!

Lots of plans are being made and this retreat is going to be fantastic! Write the dates down in your diary and call Sandra today on (02) 4260 8885 to reserve your spot. Subscribe to the Scrapbooking Delights blog to receive further updates. Hope to see you there! Lis.

my band...

Saw this on Emilie's blog and had to have a go...here's my first album cover! lol.
I'm thinking my band is into the indie music college scene and take themselves way too seriously! lol.

Follow these instructions:

1 - BAND NAME Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random article”or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:RandomThe first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - ALBUM TITLE Go to "Random quotations"or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - COVER ART Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7daysThird picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

If you have a go, leave me a link so I can check your's out for a laugh!
Cheers, Lis.

Project 365 - heyhoewarren style

Thought it was about time I shared some of my Project 365 layouts. Unfortunately I wasn't able to purchase the kit, however I have taken full advantage of the free download Becky Higgins was offering on her blog! What a life saver! Its made the task really really easy. The title page is made up of all the downloaded jpgs. I've added stickers and photos to jazz it up a bit and make it more personal to us. I was going to buy some divided page protectors, but decided to just stick them down. Big W sell 25 page protectors for $10, so I stuck the photos back to back on the white inserts that come with the page protectors. I digitally added the days of the week to the photos and journaling spots, then printed it all on photo paper (12c per print). I have used a permanent pen to do my journaling and added stamped dates. Super easy! My photos are mostly family shots, but on this one, I did take a photo of the television when the NYE fireworks were going off, and also the first layout I did for the year.

I'm loving watching the weeks unfold, and even Andrew has sat down and read about our time together. Usually he doesn't show much interest in my layouts other than to comment that he can still see the photos through all the embellies (lol), so in that respect this project has been really successful.

I am completely up to date. I won't bore you with the following weeks, but you get the idea of how the whole album is going to look in the end. Its made me fully appreciate the everyday and look for the good. On some of my pages I have downloaded photos from the internet of current events such as the bushfires and floods, and I've also added photos from our favourite tv shows (the Biggest Loser!). I think my family are going to treasure this album for many many years. Thanks for looking. Lis.

More layouts...

While I'm on a roll...here's some more layouts I've created recently. Here's one of the layouts from my school holiday class featuring the Allegory range by Bella...photos by Janine. My neighbours daughters celebrated their fourth birthday recently and little Eme was eyeing off their cakes big time. She didn't want to have dinner first...just cake and lollies. hehe. She can't wait to turn 4 and she has a few months to wait yet, but she's already planning her cake and I'm pretty sure she wants a dolly cake like Ruby. The goodies for this layout come from my Lime Tart kit (my Chrissy pressie from Mum was a 3 mth subscription...awesome!). Thanks Anne for letting me share this pic of your gorgeous girls.

Last but not least...this is a layout I did recently when I decided to start looking after myself. I happened to have my camera handy (well, der) and saw the pedestrian crossing button as a bit of a sign to myself to move on up....so, snap. lol.
How often do you take pictures of inane things and then have the photo developer look at you like you have two heads? lol.

I will be drawing the Scrapware goodness prize(s) next week, so don't forget to drop me a line here. btw - this is my 200th post and my 2nd anniversay of blogging! Doesn't time just fly.

White with one...

I love doing challenges. I do. They make me think outside of my 12x12 square sometimes. Last crop I went to, the girls were doing their White with one layouts and I was so inspired by the white with white combo (with brads/eyelets), that I had to have a go straight away!I grabbed all my packets of white foam thickers and went for it. You may notice that some of the letters look grey...well, they are white, just from different packets...weird. I tried to mix in some relevant words in...you'll see go, boy, now, 5, S, etc...
I didn't want to detract from the white theme, so used a lead pencil for my journaling and doodling. Love how it turned out. Might have to give up the black pen a bit more often.
The journaling reads "What with Ben 10 this and Bakugan that, I swear sometimes you're speaking a foreign language." lol. Are your boys like that?

I have to thank Kim for the rockin' photos of my layout! I normally scan my layouts and you can imagine how dreadful this layout looked. Thanks Kim, you're the best! Have you tried any other challenges lately?

Don't forget to leave a comment for the Scrapware draw below.

Cheers, Lis.

A few layouts to share...

I've been scrapping a fair bit lately...feels like my head is a lot clearer and the pages are coming together easier. Its amazing how sorting out your supplies can promote creativity...highly recommend it. A lot of the papers are out my Lime Tart and Scarlet Lime kits (what is it with the word lime?).

Don't forget out about the Scrapware giveaway...leave a comment on this post or the previous one. Cheers, Lis.

Oops, almost forgot to mention...check this out! C'mon local girls...support your lss.

See you there!

Scrapware - Bushfire appeal and giveaways

Australian Red Cross Victorian Bushfire Appeal 2009
The devastation that Victoria, Australia has suffered from the bushfires on Black Saturday has been so unfathomable...so many have lost so much - loved ones, homes and livelihoods. Over 180 lives have been lost and over 700 homes...whole communities have been wiped out or devastated. The relief effort continues as Australians across the country support those in need.

Scrapware are doing their bit to help by donating 10% of sales and dropping all mininum orders until the end of February 2009.

If you have been thinking about placing an order or starting up an account, now is the time. Encourage your local scrapbooking store to get some new product in. Every little bit helps. There's a tonne of great product available and some new releases...check them out here.

New product - giveaway!
Scrapware have also released new 5x7" mini albums, and they're having a giveaway! Leave a comment on the Scrapware blog by midnight AEDT on Wednesday 18th February and you will go into the draw for one of the new albums - Kindy, Kinder, Prep or School. If you make a suggestion for a word you would like to see on a similar album, you will get TWO entries in the draw...good luck!

I'll leave you with a layout I created recently using Scrapware product. I've used a photo turn, Steelfish lettering, KDD flourish, diecut word and mini-bird.

Leave a comment here for a second chance to win some Scrapware goodness! I will announce the winner next week.

Summer in Australia is...

Extreme weather! For the last couple of weeks, we've been listening to the news...telling us about the heat wave going through South Australia and Victoria, power cuts, flooding in North Queensland and the bush fires throughout New South Wales and parts of Victoria. This morning we woke up to news that at least 40 people died overnight in flash fires through Victoria and over 100 homes destroyed... absolutely devastating and heart-breaking. I really feel for them and the emergency workers - most of whom are volunteers and put their lives on the line every time they answer a call for help. THANK YOU! (Edited...the toll is now 65 lives and over 700 homes and they expect it to rise...I just hope tonight is better)

[photos courtesy of internet]

...and now the heat wave is coming to NSW. Yesterday was nearly 40C and our Minister declared that water restrictions had been relaxed to allow children to play under sprinklers...and we took full advantage! Seth is nearly 6 and it was the first time he's ever played under the hose. We've been going through a drought for a number of years, so this was a true luxury! You can see from our "grass" how dry it is at the moment.
We'll be planning lots of time indoors and hopefully our air-conditioner will cope. I hate to think how much our electricity bill will be next quarter, but its a small price to pay for some comfort. The kids are going a little crazy being cooped up inside, but I just can't risk them getting burnt or heat stroke. Even little Marley is spending a bit more time inside.

Take care everyone. Spare a moment to remember those who've lost family, friends, homes, livestock and livelihoods and give thanks to everyone who dedicate their time to keep us safe.

Lis.

20 40 60!

I just picked up Issue 63 of Scrapbook Creations, and realised there's a layout by me in there (page 48)! So exciting!! I was asked to participate in their 20 40 60 challenge along with Mel Nunn and Fiona Leehane (incredibly talented Aussie scrappers), and thankfully I was allocated the 60 minutes to create a layout using Bella's Damsel range (love the colours in that one). Here's my layout...you can find full instructions in the mag.

Here's a couple of detail shots...the red ribbon is actually knotted and mounted on foam tape. I have also removed the cork backing from the chipboard words. The felt flowers come pre-stitched, layered and have foam tape on the back - super easy to use and oh so pretty.

Cheers, Lis.

Inspired Blueprints - Sketch 9

Hi All, back again with the current sketch from Inspired Blueprints...can you believe we're up to no. 9 already?!! Here 'tis...sketch by Kim. Make sure you head on over to the blog to see what the other DT'rs have created!For each sketch, one of the design team is allocated the challenge of creating an 8.5x11 layout and a card. So, its my turn and here's my layout. There are a couple of firsts for me here...1) I've NEVER created an 8.5x11 layout and 2) This is the first time I've created a layout without photos! Very proud of myself...lol. This month, Scrapware are sponsoring Inspired Blueprints, and the design team were all given some Scrapware goodness to include on our layouts. I have kept the chipboard pieces raw to tone down the bright Rose Moka papers I've used. I have been saving tags from Cotton On Kids and finally I have a place to show them off...yay, less clutter. and, here's my card...a pretty birthday card for Eme's friend Jazmin who recently turned 4 (the birthday girl loved it btw). I'm so glad I've been able to use it already...what's the point of making cards if you don't give them away! No one is going to appreciate them if they're sitting in a box.

You must upload your takes into the gallery by the end of February to go into the draw to win some Scrapware goodies for yourself. Can't wait to see what you all come up with. Oh, and if you're new to Inspired Blueprints, come and say hi!

I've finally started cleaning up my scraproom. So far I've only sorted out all the patterned paper and have reduced it from a rather massive couple of piles to fit into just 5 cropper hopper paper holders. I just couldn't decide how to store it all, and had to think hard about how to separate it all. I definitely scrap by colour more than by manufacturer, so now its sorted into red, yellow, pink, green, purple, orange, blue (rainbow order of course), brown, black. For papers that have lots of colours, I just held it up against my colour categories and whatever colour stood out the most, that's the slot it went in to. I also have sections for ledger paper (Kim's suggestion), Christmas, transparencies and diecut cardstock. I also have a cropper hopper full of cardstock (thanks Anne for sorting that out for me!). Reducing my paper stash has made me incredibly happy and I feel ready to scrap again. Since then I have made 4 layouts without having to dig for papers that coordinate! I'm getting back into the swing of things. I still have a way to go with embellishments, but I'm on my way. I'll post a photo of my scraproom once its all sorted and tidy - it may be a while, so don't hold your breath! lol.

Cheers, Lis.