Nikki Sivils September Challenge

This month's challenge at Nikki Sivils is to create a LO in a size that you don't normally work with....and everyone knows I am strictly a 12x12 girl so this one was a nice change for me. I started out with an 8x10 canvas and somehow found myself going out of the box...so to speak...but at least, it's not quite 12x12 so it still fits the challenge :)

Title: Laughter
Materials: Cardstock - Wassau; Patterned Papers, Letter and Journaling Stickers, Diecuts - Nikki Sivils; Pen - American Crafts; Ink - Clearsnap


So, we want YOU to play along!!  Just make a layout following the guidelines for "Scrap a Size You Do Not Normally Scrap" and use at least 75% Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker products.  It does not matter if it is an older or newer collection, we just want to see them!

Leave a link to your blog post or gallery here with a picture of your completed challenge entry by October 29th.  We will pick one winner and announce them on October 30th, when we announce the next challenge. The winner will get to pick one of the new collections kits of their choosing!

Color Combos Galore 210

Here's my LO for Color Combos Galore 210.  I was initially hesitant to work on this combo as browns are not really my thing, but I love how this LO turned out. I also love that I was able to use a lot of stuff from my stash that has been there for a while.

Title: Hug
Materials: Cardstock - American Crafts; Patterned papers - American Crafts, Sassafras Lass; Chipboard - Dusty Attic (frame); Maya Road (key), Heidi Swapp (clock); Dimensional stickers - Making Memories; Journal Card - Tim Holts; Stamp - Fiskars; Mask - Heidi Swapp; Mist - Tattered Angels; Ink - American Crafts; Felt Alpha -American Crafts; Acrylic Paint - Fol Arts; Embossing Powder - Rainger; Pen - American Crafts; misc lace; Border Punch - Martha Stewart

Here's the color combo for this week...

Echo Park Class LOs

Here are the LOs I made for the Echo Park Summer Days and Country Drive class I taught with April Lim last Sept. 17.
Thanks to everyone who attended the class...hope you learned a thing or two from me...

Pencil Lines 252

Here's my LO for Pencil Lines Sketch 252...used Nikki Sivils' new "Get Well Soon" line....love how versatile it is even for "ouchless" LOs!

Title: Captured Joy

Materials: Cardstock - American Crafts; Patterned papers - Nikki Sivils; Rub-Ons - Lily Bee; Mist - Tattered Angels; Mask - Prima; Stamps - Glitz, Tim Holtz; Punch - Martha Stewart; Pen - American Crafts; Fiber - misc

Check out the sketch here.

Manor House Creations Giveaway!!!

Check out Manor House Creations flowers here...


All you have to do is get your store to make an order, email us telling us which store you requested our flowers at sales@manorhousecreations.com  & we will send 6 extra packs for you to collect next time you order from, or visit, that store.

This offer is open to anyone in Australia and our international customers as well.

(please note: this offer is open to stores that make their first order from 13/09/11, not to existing customers).

I'm a Dottess!!!

Geez what a big surprise this is...I sent in my application on a whim and am so happy that I was chosen to be part of the Glue Dots DT!

I am so looking forward to this new "job"and I am so happy to be joining this awesome team:

Julia Stainton

Natalie Alexander

Dianna Davis

Sarah Forhan

Monica Benavidez

Joy Dickson

Samantha Peyton

Kenner Road

Jenny Suchin

Danielle Hunter

Laurel Seabrook

Michelle Philippi

Cindy Stevens

Samantha Taylor

Lara Scott

Amy Detrick

Erin Bullock

Elisa Kammerdiener

Jessica Larson

Spam Love!

The August challenge for Nikki Sivils had us doing a LO on a subject that we don't normally scrap about, using the School is Cool collection.  For my LO, I decided to scrap about my family's favorite food for breakfast (or anytime, for that matter)...Spam...yes, the one in the can:)

I know this is weird for most Americans but in places where the US Forces were stationed, particularly during World War II, Spam has become a staple food as they were part of the rations -- like in Japan, Hawaii, Guam, and the Philippines.

My husband, who grew up in Minnesota where Spam is made (and yes, ate Spam because he is Filipino) tells me that his American best friend asked him once incredulously "How can you eat that???".  Even my American sister-in-law who has been married to my husband's brother for 20 years, had never eaten Spam and asked me "What is it, anyway?"  Too funny, especially when I've seen people (myself included) buy it by the case when it goes on sale here! 

Well, here in my house, we get our Spam fix at least once a month....maybe even more, and so finally, it has gotten the attention it deserves....a LO of its own...

Title: We Love Spam

Materials: Cardstock - Wassau, DCWV; Patterned papers, diecuts, stickers - Nikki Sivils; Vinyl Alpha - American Crafts; Pen - American Crafts

Journaling: Spam is, hands-down, our family's favorite breakfast food, be it sugared, sticks or plain pan-fried...it goes so well with garlic rice!!!

Burlap & Buttercups Sept Kit

Oh you will love this month's kit from Burlap & Buttercups....as usual, so much stuff to play with.

Here's the main kit...

 and the add-on kit...

Here are the 3 LOs I've created so far...

The 1st LO uses pictures of Nadya from her Recognition Day...she got 3 certificates...yipee!

...and some details shots...

 

This next LO features Bianca wearing Luis' out-grown race car driver costume....so adorable!

And this 3rd LO features both my girls playing around before their ballet class starts.

I loved the effect of the rub-ons here...
 

Hope you can check out the kit and join us for our weekly blog challenges!!!

Woot woot! Manor House Creations DT!

I am so happy  to announce that I was chosen to be part of the Manor House Creations 2011 Design Team!!!  Manor House Creations is a fairly new scrapbook manufacturer of flowers and papers based in Australia.  Here's the list of the whole DT...so happy to be working with many familiar names and faces...

Monika Martinson - Sweden

Linda Lanes - Australia

Melinda Thompson - Australia

Morag Cutts - UK

Ria Mojica - Philippines

Lene Neby - Norway

Yukiko Ochi - Japan

Jeni O'Connor - Australia/Canada

Joanne Bain - Australia

Nerrida Mitchell - Australia

Class Educators:

Mahlin Ellegaard - Sweden (Media & Video)

Gerry Van Gent - Netherlands (Layers & embellishing)

Rae Cooper - Australia (Altered Projects)

Delaina Burns - USA (Video)

Can't wait to to start playing with Manor House Creations!

Makes Waves Challenge!

This week is my turn to host the challenge at Burlap & Buttercups. Since the August kit is still all about summer, my challenge is to "make waves" on your LO using paper, fabric or whatever else you can think of.

Hpe you can join us for this challenge for a chance to win a prize from Burlap & Buttercups!

My Lil Monster

Here's another one of the new collections from Nikki Sivils....My Lil Monster. I think it's adorable and so perfect for these Halloween pics of Luis wearing a werewolf costume!

Title: My Lil Monster
Materials: Patterned papers, stickers, die-cuts, flag - Nikki Sivils; Rub-ons - Kaiser Craft; Pen - American Crafts; Twine - The Twinery
Journaling: Luis thinks he looks like he was eaten by the wolf in this outfit! Halloween 2011

Pencil Lines 250

Here's my LO for Pencil Lines Sketch 250. This sketch called for a 5x7 photo, and while I would normally use any size photo I want to use for a sketch, I'm glad I decided to go through my 5x7 photo box and found this insanely adorable and unbelievably unscrapped photo!

Title: So Loved
Materials: Patterned papers - Crate Paper, Making Memories; Die-cuts: Crate Paper, Making Memories, American Crafts; Flair buttons - American Crafts; Jewels - Making Memories; Alphabets - American Crafts; Ribbons - Pebbles Inc; Twine - The Twinery; Fabric - Maisy Mo Designs; 
Journaling: Everybody agrees that Bianca is the cutest baby in the world! Oct 2007

Check out the inspiring sketch by Anna and the work of my co-DT here and I hope you're able to join us this week.

Last one for Pebbles...

Here's my last project as DT member of Pebbles....it was a great year and Pebbles products are so awesome to play with.  This week we were asked to focus on brads and I think the Pebbles brads are so pretty that they can be used for off the page items like these hair accessories.

Adorable, right? Tahnks so much to Lynn and Pebbles for the opportunity to work with an awesome team!

New Nikki Sivils...

Here are some LOs featuring the new collections from Nikki Sivils...

This 1st LO uses Get Well Soon...

This next one uses School is Cool...

And here's another one using You're a Hoot and Pencil Lines Sketch 248.

Go check out Nikki's new lines and I'm sure you'll have as much fun playing wit them as I did!

Pebbles "In Stitches" LO

This week on Pebbles, Inc, we are focusing on "stitches"! I love the effect of sewing in my LOs -- machine, hand or faux!

I so enjoyed playing with this LO...seems to me that so long as there are circles, it's almost a guarantee that my page will turn out to be FUN! On this page I used the Ever After line from Pebbles Inc.

Check out the other work by my co-DT here!

Burlap & Buttercups August Kit and LOs

Oh, you will love this latest kit from Burlap and Buttercups filled with yummy goodies!!!

12x12" Double-Sided Patterned Paper (1 sheet each):

• Simple Stories - Simple Pleasures, Hello Sunshine, 100% Summer Fun
• Lily Bee Design - Villa, Sun Soaked
• Pebbles - Dandy, Ticked Pink, Thanks a Bunch
• Fancy Pants Designs - Cards, High Tide, Sand Dollar
• Bella BLVD Sophisticates - Banana
• Bazzill Cardstock (1 sheet each): Ruby Red, Parakeet, Sea Salt, Straw, Kraft

Embellishments:

• Simple Stories Fundamentals cardstock stickers
• Bella BLVD Sophisticates alphas, Mustard & Apricot
• 1 package Little Yellow Bicycle canvas stickers, Words; 2 Little Yellow Bicycle 6x6" decorative edge paper, assorted styles; 2 Little Yellow Bicycle canvas borders, assorted styles
• Partial package Cosmo Cricket Bling Bling, Salt Air
• 6 white Kaisercraft paper flowers, assorted sizes
• 3 Pebbles fabric-covered brads, 2 Pebbles layered felt embellishments, assorted styles, Pebbles Floral Lane alphas, brown
• 2 Prima Whisper Flowers

Ribbon/Trim:

• 1 yard each May Arts scalloped trim, pink; and solid wrinkled ribbon, ivory

And here's the add-on kit:

• Pink Paislee Cushies alphas, Meringue
• Cosmo Cricket Odds & Ends cardstock stickers
• 1 package InkadinkaClings, butterflies
• 18" yellow plaid ruffle, May Arts
• 1 bottle Ranger alcohol ink, Juniper

And finally, here are my 3 LOs made using the main kit and the add-on.

This first one turned out better than I thought considering that the photos were taken using only my iTouch. "Storm" from Kopi Tiam is Bianca's favorite cold dessert and is what she usually asks for when she earns a treat for herself. And she won't even share it with anyone, not even me, as she can finish the whole thing all by herself!

Title: Sweet Summer

Journaling: Bianca & her favorite "Storm" from Kopi Tiam. Summer 2011

This next LO uses photos taken from our last trip to Boracay. To do the butterflies, I stamped with Versamark on a 3M transparency that can be heat embossed, and embossed with black embossing powder. Then I stained the back with alcohol ink and cut them out. I also layered 3 different sizes of the white Prima flowers, inked them while layered and then scrunched each layer for some dimension.

Title: Beach Day

Journaling: Boracay. is. our. favorite. beach. ever. 

This next LO again uses a photo from Boracay in 2009. This was the day before we were scheduled to leave and the kids had gotten really tanned after 3 days under the sun! This LO was a lot of fun to put together and I love how the kit had the exact colors I needed to match the photo.

Title: Happy Memories

Date: 12/31/2009

So hurry and get your own August kit before it rans out at Burlap & Buttercups!

CCG Blog Hop Winner

and my winner is...Peachy Alfelor!!! Please send me a PM so we can discuss how you can get your prize! Thanks to all for joining!

Echo Park Class

Pia Lopez and I will be having another joint class featuring 2 Echo Park Collections...Country Drive and Summer Days, to be held at Lasting Impression!

Tentative date for the class is Saturday, August 20 (we're just waiting for the kits to arrive).

This will be a whole day affair and we will create at least 6 LOs.

Class fee of Ps1700 includes Summer Days Collection kit, Country Drive Collection kit and Country Drive chipboard sheet.

Please send an SMS to 0918-9146012 or email us (ria_mojica@yahoo.com) with your name and cellphone number to reserve your slot. Few slots remaining.

Please note that because kits are limited, we will require pre-payment (as soon as the date is confirmed), or your slot will be given to the next one on the list.

Hope to see you there!

CCG 201

Color Combos Galore continues its ice cream theme with another yummy color combo and an interesting challenge to boot!

Title: Crafty
Journaling: The girls love to do crafts like playing with air-dry clay. May 2011
Materials: Patterned papers, Foam alpha, Journal sticker, metal embellishment, pen - American Crafts; Paint - Making Memories; Burlap Button - Nikki Sivils;  Punches - Martha Stewart; Ink - Clearsnap; Embossing Powder - Ranger; Blue Button, fabric - misc;

Aside from the color combo, this week's challenge included a recipe that needed fabric. I was already late to begin with and the only fabric I had was a light denim-colored one so I quickly cut a strip, pleated it and stapled to form a flower. Then took my trusty paint and paintbrush to color it pink. I sprinkled a bit of holographic embossing powder before the paint dried up, then used a button for the center.

I hope you can join us for this week's challenge!

Pebbles Friendship Theme

This week, Pebbles Inc is focusing on the theme of Friendship and what better friendship to celebrate than my relationship with my scrapbooking friends?

Title: Home

Pebbles supplies used: Floral Lane Warm Thoughts (751117); Floral Lane Sweet Thoughts (751120); Floral Lane With Delight (751124); Floral Lane Phrase Stickers (732054); Peacock Glitter Candy Dots (744229); Other supplies used: Cardstock (American Crafts); Mist (Tattered Angels); Pen (American Crafts); Punches (EK Success)

Journaling: This is why I can't ever stop scrapbooking. I would never have met these wonderful group of women, had it not been for this hobby.  In this group, we are all equals.  There are no stars or masters...just women who love to scrap, eat, chat... and yes, have their pictures taken...not necessarily in that order. Sonya's Garden, 06-2011 (forgive the wrong grammar..."these" should have been "this" :))

I used the gorgeous Floral Lane collection for this LO and absolutely love how the glitter candy dots add a simple touch of elegance! We missed these 3 girls when we had these pics taken -- Joanne Yap who is in Australia, Mia Castrillo who lives in CDO and Liza Bermudez who was in her last month of pregnancy at the time.

We all rode in one big van and there was non-stop talking going to Sonya's Garden and back. My voice was hoarse by the time we got back in the early evening and I was sick for the next 2 weeks...haha! But it was all worth it!