First Day - ACC & Scrap Our Stash

Ever since this photo was taken I knew it would have to be scrapped as it was such a big moment for my kiddos, but my guilt over the subject matter kept me from putting anything together... 

First Day

This is a pic snapped before my kids first ever day at day care when I returned to work last year. Looking back I am still shocked that I was comfortable sending my kids (esp Jayce - soo young) but I was able to take them to work with me at an on-site childcare with a fantastic reputation. Anyway I won't harp on about the personal side of this, it could get very long and heated...

It was the September Scrap Our Stash Stash Challenge #18 that finally made me revisit this photo and finally create the page. As per the challenge I have used lined/ruled paper, chalkboard paper, pencil, alphas, apple, book and ruler.

The layout of the page was based on the September Sketch at the Australian online scrap store Anna's Craft Cupboard.

I stitched the fussy cut 'pocket' on to the page so that it can be used as a pocket and hide my long journalling about the day and my feelings and why I sent my kids to day care. It is on the day' card that pulls out and is hand written on both sides... I had a lot to say.

I also fussy cut out the apple and books from Simple Stories Smarty Pants paper, in fact most of the page is from that collection.

Thanks for stopping by.
Come back again soon!
XoXoX Nicole

6 m.o. - ACC & Scrap Our Stash

So if you dropped by last week, I shared the tid-bit that I was attending a crop on the weekend. I am pleased to say I actually made it to this crop and did manage to create almost 4 pages (3 complete and 1 that just isn't sitting right yet with me) which I will be sharing over the next week.

First cab off the rank is a page featuring my most favourite photo of Jayce EVER! I LOVE this photo! I think it is a mix of the colours and the eyes and his super huge smile.

6 m.o.

The layout combines two current scrappy challenges for this month. The first being my good ol' faithful sketch challenge at the Australian online scrap store Annas Craft Cupboard.

The second comes courtesy of Scrap Our Stash and their latest Stash Challenge #16 which is a shopping list for you to choose 5 items and find them in your personal supplies. I have used wood veneer, stars, washi tape, flair button and a paper clip (close ups of each below).

I have had the Elle's Studio Cameron collection hiding in my stash for a looong time. Once I stumbled on this photo again I knew they were going together! Esp this background paper. The pre-printed cluster down the left side already had the perfect words for this photo. But I added extra to it for added omph.

The 'A smile is contagious' is a stamp that a lady next to me at the crop was generous enough to let me borrow! It is super suitable for this page.

You may have noticed I love to fussy cut around the natural lines of patterned paper. Maybe I'm just no good at original thought. I just can't help it.

And yes I am now going back to look at the layout again and see if the photo is in fact not at all straight! I really hope its straight!! Going to drive me crazy otherwise!
XoXoX Nicole

Edit. Very happy to note, this layout was chosen in the top 3 for Scrap Our Stash.Thank you for your support.

1st Face Paint - Annas Craft Cupboard & Sassy Scrappers

Last day of May! Wow! I do remember saying "I wont let this year fly by like all the others" direct quote! And woops my bad! Where did it go?!?
I have another layout of Chloe to share with you today! Which came together very quickly!

Talk about inspiration de-railing plans. Everyone in this house hold feel asleep surprisingly early last night and I was cruising through the internet when I came across:

This sketch for May over at Annas Craft Cupboard and

This mood board for May from Sassy Scrappers. I put them together and this layout was done in record time!
It is a little different to my norm.

I have used two pieces of chipboard from WOW both painted and for the first time I used some embossing powder on the butterflies.

I created a little banner from the Kaisercraft Enchanted Garden Collectables pack, in fact the entire layout is Kaisercraft Enchanted Garden including the paper and rubons.

For an extra bit of sparkle I stuck down some sequins after a quick spray with glimmer mist. To add interest I used a toilet paper roll and cue tip to put on some paint circles.
I'm off to enjoy my weekend, hope you do too!
XoXoX Nicole

3 Months Old - ACC

Hey hi everyone!
So I have a little bit of good new with quite a lot of bad news but hoping for a good outcome...
So the bad news starts with me almost completely destroying my laptop! It is totally unusable for at least 2 weeks. More bad news, I hadn't backed up my photos for a LONG time! So whether I will have any baby photos of Chloe or Jayce is yet to be seen. Fingers crossed!! And hence in the mean time I can't print off any photos to scrap but hopefully that means I meant get around to scraping photos I've had printed for awhile.
Good news. I had finished a couple of layouts just before my technological meltdown and can share them through my phone. Picture quality and blog content may be a bit diminished but here goes:

3 months old

The subject of the page is pretty straight forward, Jayce is 3 months old on this day.

The layout design came from the Febuary sketch over at Annas Craft Cupboard (ACC).

I kept very close to the sketch, the only change is not immediately noticeable. I couldn't decide which photos I liked the most so turned the photo spots into photo flaps by simply folding over a piece of white cardstock.

The page is almost entirely Simple Stories, mostly Daily Grind. I like all the lil bits and pieces they bring out with their collections.

Along with them I've used a Kaisercraft cogs mask with black dylusions spray in three spots then used it as a stamp in the top right corner.

I have also used the '3' tag from the photos as part of the title, bit of a size comparison. 

Other then those, two WOW Chipboard cogs and a Lil' Something Else flair bagde and page complete.

XoXoX Nicole

Love You Guys - ACC & Scrapbook Creations

Well I did it. Yet another layout for this month. That takes the grand total to 6! And think that will be it. I was hoping to get in one more but seem to have run out of time. There was just soo much inspiration around this month!!

Love Love Love You Guys!

I have LOVED this photo pf Jayce and Chloe from the moment I saw it! They look so happy having a nice cuddle in the morning.
Inspiration for this page came from two different places.
First up, the layout is from the January sketch challenge over at the online store Annas Craft Cupboard

My followers out there have probably realised by now that I just can't help myself when it comes to hearts! They make their way into most of my pages one way or another. So when I saw this sketch I just knew I'd have a photo perfect for it.

Second is from the January Inspiration Board at the blog of the Scrapbook Creation Magazine.

You can probably guess that most of my inspiration came from the top left photo of the bright umbrella with the dull background. I couldn't resist re-creating it on my page.

To create the heart I simply drew the it on white cardstock, divided it up, numbered the pieces then cut up the slices and then cut out that shape from Bella Blvd papers. By using Bella Blvd I knew that any papers I chose the colours would go together well. Love that all their products. Then it was just a matter on sticking them back in order onto another piece on white cardstock.

Like the inspiration piece I wanted the only colour to be in the heart hence I kept embellishments to a minimum. Instead making the title a bit more interested by backing the words love 2 and 3 times in grey-scaled cardstock. Plus two lines of grey vellum hearts to really hit home the love around the photo.

I really do love these guys and it makes me soo proud to see them love each other soo much! They light up when they see each other! I know it will all change one day but until then I relish every moment!
XoXoX Nicole

Materials.
Cardstock - Black, dark grey, light grey, white.
Bella Blvd - Freestyle Sophisticates - Scallop
Bella Blvd - Baby Boy - Mommas Boy
Bella Blvd - We're Expecting - Baby Boy Bump
Bella Blvd - Mr Boy - Borders & Blocks
Bella Blvd - Freestyle Sophisticates - Pickled Juice
Bella Blvd - Baby Boy - On The Go
Bella Blvd - Socialite - Cute Cuts
Bella Blvd - Winter Wonder - Icy
Bella Blvd - Too Cute To Spook - Spooky Night
Bella Blvd - Christmas Wishes - Christmas Love
Bella Blvd - Baby Girl - Snuggly Safari
Bella Blvd - Winter Wonder - Blizzard
Bella Blvd - Baby Girl - Boarders
Bella Blvd - Birthday Girl -
Skipping 5 - Puffy Things
Amy Tangerine - Thickers - Goodness
Vellum