Bon's Dec Cybercrop

Well I managed to get one challenge done for Bon's cybercrop this month and I did it last minute at that! It was a scraplift challenge and we had to use up some old alphas in our stash to make this great background effect.

December 1,2,3

So I have finally completed a 1,2,3 challenge. The December challenge was to use the word 'Oh', the colour pink and the technique of tissue paper. I used a 20x25 canvas to create on. This is the first time I've done something like this so I am pretty happy with the result. Even better I was at the shops yesterday and Riot had 50% off all canvases so I stocked up on some more!

Some close ups!

Final for 2010

Well it's December and that brings the last cybercrop at Chookscraps for this year! I have completed 2 of the challenges so far and am participating in the chatting competition, pretty sure I won't be the outright winner but there is a random participation prize to be won!

I have much cooking to consider for all the Christmas festivities this coming week so scrapping is getting a little break, will see if I get time to do the other 2 challenges before midnight tomorrow.

I am still waiting on DM to dry on my scraplift but here is the first challenge I completed, using our engagement photoshoot photos at last!

Oh Baby!

Well, I am thrilled to say I have been officially asked to throw my brother's girlfriend her baby shower. They don't know the gender so I was thinking of recycling some of the bunting from my Engagement Party and having a brightly themed baby shower as well. Red, yellow and orange aren't too girly yeah?

This is the inspiration board I have come up with so far. Got a bit excited and put this all together and haven't discussed with the mum to be yet! Any great baby shower ideas out there?

More Baking

So, I have managed a bit of baking recently... I got the melting moment recipe from Taste. This was the second time I have made them and I believe the consistencey and everything was better this time. Although the recipe says it makes 25 and at the size I made them (not huge) it only made 9. Might be doubling it next time!

These, below, were made by my friend who was using up the leftover ganache from our engagement cakes. Just made some shortcrust pastry, blind baked and then put the ganache in. I contributed by making the little toothpick flags from leftover card from the engagement party!

Cybercrop!

It's cybercrop time at Bon's again! I've just finished the blog train and there was some lovely work to see so I highly recommend frittering away an afternoon doing that! Not sure when I'll have a chance to do some scrapping this weekend. I have another engagement party to attend tonight and then I am baking all tomorrow for a Christmas Carols party! Mmm, Christmas cookies.

I will be making these sugar cookies again but in Christmas shapes and colours of course!

Engagement Party

Well, the night came and went and everyone seems to think it was a success! I felt like it was impossible to chat to anyone for longer than 30 seconds before the next person came along but I got to do a bit of dancing in the end and had a good time. Here are just a couple of my dodgy pics from the night. We should be getting some better ones off friends at some stage.

The cakes that my very talented bridesmaid made.

The hall setup. You can kinda get the effect of the tissue paper balls I made. My mum also made some awesome bunting but I will wait and see if I get a better photo of that. They perfectly matched the balloons and colour scheme.

And... towards the end of the night my friends 'repurposing' the tissue paper balls!

Girls Night In!

This weekend was the Girls Night In cybercrop fundraiser at Chookscraps. Everyone makes a donation to participate and there were also auctions to have your photos scrapped by some very talented people on the forum. I plan to bid on some next year when I have some wedding photos to scrap!

For the first time possibly ever I completed all the challenges from the cybercrop. Perhaps I should donate to charity every month to get me motivated!

Challenge One:

The wings were stamped with a light pink, then a red, then I used a stamp in white and clear embossing powder.

Challenge Two:

Challenge Three:

My new crackle paint detail:

Description cluster:

Challenge Four:

Challenge 4 was pretty hard we had to use 1,8,8, and 0 of the following: words, colours, patterned paper, and flowers. I went for 1 - colour (black OR white were freebies), 8 - patterned paper, 8 - words, and 0 - flowers! This card is for my friends that surprised a few people by going to Bali for a holiday and then announcing they were getting married there! I am yet to see photos of this but I am waiting patiently!

P.S. Less than a week until the Engagement Party! There always seems to be more shopping to do!

Sitting in a Tree

K-I-S-S-I-N-G

Image via flixster.

Recent Scrapping

These are a collection of challenges from chookscraps that I have completed over the last month or so.

The first is a baby shower card and the challenge was for it to have dimension. There are many layers and the 3 photos are popped up with foam dots. The shower theme was purple so I wanted to incorporate that and the stamps are meant to show - pregnancy, baby shower, then the baby is born!

This was a LO for the continuous challenge at chookscraps. I really like my photoshopped photo but I do think I will try scrapping it again one day. Although I might be getting a new engagement ring as this one was not that quality and the stone fell out so I might have an entirely different ring to scrap next time!

I do really like this last one. Little bit of photoshopping to make the bride stand out. Criteria for this challenge involved fairy tales, hence the 'happy ever after' in the title.

The Countdown Begins

10 days until my Engagement Party!

Well, my winning cupcakes are now up on the Robert Gordon blog so you can see how they compare to the other winners! I think I will have to whip up some more cupcakes soon as I have been too focused on cookies lately! Although my current focus is on Engagement Party plans of course. I am getting there and handcrafting a few things but there still seems to be never ending shopping to be done!

Meanwhile here is a sneak at something I am preparing for the party, courtesy of Martha Stewart.

Another win!

I seem to be having a bit of luck these days with my blog winning. I have just won a custom monogram from Poppiseed Designs through a competition on Polka Dot Bride. I chose this one as Phill and I will be married on his Dad's small vineyard.

Now we just need to settle on a date! Thinking early November 2011.

Robert Gordon Win

So, I bought a couple of these delightful teacup and saucer sets from a local shop (as they went with my pink, white and black collection) and decided to look up the maker, Robert Gordon. Robert Gordon also has a blog and that happened to have a cupcake competition running when I looked on there. So I entered with my easter cupcakes and ended up being one of the winners! All the prizes shown here have been sent to me and it is all gorgeous! Have already used the cupcake tree and can't wait to use the rest of it!

Masterchook Final

Well, Masterchook is over now at Chookscraps, and here are my last 2 entries. I didn't make it into the final but you can view the final layouts here.

Challenge 11

Close up of journalling:

Challenge 12:

Monthly Challenges

A new month means new challenges on the blogs! I am going to see how many I can get done this month from Bons and Chookscraps. I have already completed the Write Now challenge over at Bon's.

My Write Now entry

This arrow was embossing gone wrong but I kind of like the effect, almost looks a bit like crackle paint. Think I had the gun too hot and / or too close!

Masterchook Update

Have a bit of catching up to do with Masterchook. I was up to challenge 3 last time I posted an update and now we are up to challenge 11!

Challenge 4 Challenge 5 - I was overseas!

Challenge 6 Challenge 7 Challenge 8 Challenge 9 Challenge 10 I had my first win of the comp for challenge 10, was voted in 2nd by the other chooks! Challenge 11 is a scraplift and details are here.

A healthy lunch

Well, I am long back from the overseas trip and already wishing it was holiday time again! These post holidays blues are lasting a little longer than I think they should! This winter weather here in Perth is probably not helping either so I am about to tuck into a nice warm soup with some nice bread. A Velish mushroom and cracked pepper soup, donated to me by my boss and a multigrain wholemeal roll from Brumby's. I wanted the mega grain roll but coudl not justify the price. It's amazing what difference a few grains make!

Jet setting

Well, tomorrow at 6am we set off for our 4 week trek around Europe! I may be able to post a photo or 2 while away as we are taking the handy dandy laptop but I am making it an aim to limit my computer use so I therefore maximise my travel time! This is the tour we will be doing. Pretty sure I won't be able to sleep tonight knowing I have to get up at 3am!

Better late than never...

Our wonderful friends Mala and Henri have had their engagement photos featured on one of my favourite blogs, Polka Dot Bride! They are so lovely and I can only hope one day I have some shots as beautiful! Here is an example and check the post on Polka Dot Bride for more:


The photos are taken by Ryan David Ahern

Some good news!

Well, I got the M-cups for my birthday as shown a couple of posts ago. I actually got 2 sets so have decided one set will be for measuring and one set will be for display and to fill with yummy goodies! Among other things I also received these delightful cupcake moulds, also by Fred!


In other good news, our trip to Europe is only a few days away and flights to the area are pretty much back to usual so now is the time to start packing I believe!

More Masterchook

Well challenge 3 was to interpret a sketch you can find in this thread. I decided to risk doing a big paint circle and then had fun shopping at Spotlight after work last night to buy some material and ribbon and came up with this:

Close up:

Today I {heart}...

I was browsing Polka Dot Bride as I often do and came across Johanna Johnson. I absolutely LOVE her accessories and hope to purchase one some day. My pick of the day:

New Love!

I saw these Babushka Doll measuring cups in House today and am massively regretting not buying them! I shall have to make a return trip I think and pick some up, unless someone takes my massive hinting and buys them for my birthday this weekend... Only $20.00 in House. I'm in love!

Chookscraps Masterchook

A new competition is underway at Chookscraps. Masterchook involves a new challenge being issued every fortnight with a couple of timed "pressure tests" throughout. We are already up to Challenge 3 and all details can be found here.

Here are my entries so far... Challenge 1:

Challenge 2:


Now to get thinking for Challenge 3 which involves interpreting a sketch...

April Cybercrops

OK, well there are a couple of cybercrops coming up in the next week or so. The first is at Chookscraps starting on the 16th of April. Pre chat and hints can be found here.

The theme has something to so with school but there is much speculation about still. Can't wait to see what it is!

The second is happening over at Bons Scraps from 20th of April and you can find the timetable and pre chat here.

I always love the photo challenge here and hope I will have time to upload a photo each day despite being in the last minute stages of getting ready to go to Europe for 4 weeks!!

Cybercrop and Chookscraps

Well it's cybercrop time at Chookscraps til midnight tonight. Sorry I can't link but my blogger won't let me paste, grr. Here are the 2 challenges I did that I like the results of!

Ch 4: A shimmery card with a monogram and scallops.

Ch 1: using Alice in Wonderland themes as inspiration. Heart for Queen of Hearts, White background for White Rabbit, word 'smiling' for cheshire cat and 2 of something (butterflies, stars) for Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

The heart on this one was chipboard that I inked with dark blue then painted with silver then put sticker lace over.

Another Game On LO from Bon's. My dear best friend at another friend's wedding. Using the colour accent function on my camera to just get the blue lights. Shame the pic was taken at night with the flash in the way but I can never get that good photos anyway so this is probably as good as it gets! Haha! Her future is looking very bright right now and I am very happy for her!