Outback Australia–Some picture we took today

We went driving into the outback. A colleague of mine said wildflowers were in bloom. Thus we started on a journey this morning, not knowing how to go, where to go!!!! Kids were not up to an adventure but they had no choice. Lol!!!! We did not find any wildflower beds. We kept driving for more than an hour and reached a hamlet town. We attended to our nature’s call and then set out to see a salt lake. As we are conscious of out greenhouse gas contribution, we have a small car. Small car on dirt road? No way No way.There was no cell phone reception either. We had to turn back. So on the way back we stopped and took some pictures.

Some photos I would like to share

All taken by my dear husband. Photography is his hobby!!.

Scrapbooking Styles

We had discussion about the styles recently in our forum. Some of us know our styles while some of us are still experimenting. But, we all do know that there are a few styles available. I think they are not separate entity. The styles can overlap or mix, depending upon what is the theme of the layout or our frame of mind at that time of making the layout. Sometimes you can clearly say this layout belongs to a particular category. Some times we cannot classify. I think it is like Beauty, lies in the eye of the beholder.

Again, no two people scrap page are the same nor no two-scrap pages turn out to be the same. Why? Because we all have personal styles. Our personal style can change as we learn new techniques and use new or different embellishments and papers.

Talking of styles here are a few styles widely talked about in scrap booking articles

1. Traditional/Classic: These are usually clean, crisp, symmetric, formal and simple. Use solid colours, photos are in either rectangle or square shapes, not many embellishments are used or minimum embellishments. The photo and journaling stand out. These layouts are generally timeless, elegant and sophisticated. Minimalist approach comes in this category.

2. Contemporary /Modern: These have hard spare lines, clean, geometric shapes, asymmetrical, and contrasting colours, bold patterns, few strong accents or embellishments

3. Romantic: Use pastels, floral patterns and layers of pattern paper. Soft looking layouts. Generally vintage and shabby chic are classified into this category. Fonts and journaling are ornate or handwritten. Techniques like chalking and inking are used often and most embellishments look like they have come from grandma’s sewing basket—buttons, brads, fibres, and ribbons…

4. Ephemera/Whimsical/playful charm: use contemporary colours with muted or bright tones. Plenty of 3D elements, bold and mixed font titles and journaling, plenty of stipes, dots, circles, shapes, metal embellishments. Elements are placed at an angle or they overlap with each other but not messy. Collage comes under this style. There is plenty of details and texture in this layout.

5. Conservative/Naturalist: Use heaps of earthy tones, texture, and monochromatic colours. So often you find paper tear, sanded edges, handmade papers or any elements from the nature.

And then there is this artistic and eclectic approach which most of us do and we call it experimental!

Now one of the article talked about, the level of complexity to each layout. Which can be quick, intermediate and complex.

Quick is simple smooth edges and a title

Intermediate is setting things in a slant and extra more embellishments

Complex is adding layers, journal ling block, adding more texture or finishing off with extra embellishments the coordinate you theme.

I think this is where our individuality comes in and each and every layout starts to look unique to the person who made it.

Hope this little piece I complied is useful to you all.

References:

1. www.scrapjazz.com, What my style? By Jane Swansm, May 12 2005
2. www.scrapbooking101.net, Finding a scrap booking style, by LeNae Gerig, October 2005
3. www.ezine@rticles.com, Spectacular Scrapbook Styles, by Marcey Larsen, December 2006.
4. www.scrapbookingmaterials.net, Scrap booking Style: What is yours?
5. www.scrapbook.com, Finding your style, by Jill Davis.

Cyber crop Weekend

Uproar2scrapmore is having cybercrop now. The theme is RETRO.

I can hear you all Noooo Nooooo. I was like “I hate those color combinations”. I was not very thrilled about it but I always love challenges. I also do not have many black and white photos from 10 years ago. Everyting is with my parents at home!!! Anyway, after a short convincing chat with Dalena from Uproar, I decided to participate.The fun part is the games, chat and also the specials Dee puts up during cybercrop.

The first challenge was an OTP (for those of you who are wondering, “what an OTP is”?…. It is Off The Page). Use vinyl LP, green and pink colors, lots of layering using embellishments, Pps and finally the word RETRO in the title!!

I had so much fun on this one. I used Elton John’s 1960s photos on it. Lots of bright green and pink and bling (specially for Elton!!!lol!!). I loved it. Here it is for you

Then the next one was an OTP too. Ohhh NO!! was my first reaction because I did not have a box or a tin at home. My DD was kind enough to let me use her money box. Thanks sweetie. Mwah Mwah!! Anyway, I used lots of felt on it and covered it with flowers and a ribbon. My flavour of the month is my circle cutter. I am loving it. Used it to cut the photo of my DD’s face and stuck it on the money box. Initially when I was covering it with the felt, she was like “Mmmmum!! the Barbie is covered’. But once I finished it with her photo on it, she was excited and loved it. Here it is for you ………..

Now off to do a layout. this is going to be tough because I have to have an original B/W photo from 30 years ago. I am going hunting……….. Will catch you later.

Here are the pictures of my layouts

This is from a sketch on stuck sketches and I just hate to see my DD sick. So i have use one of her photos where she was starting to have fever and made a LO

This is Tinky the parrot I am baby sitting. I loved the punched out circles which matches the parrot colors.

Thanks for looking!!

Yesterday!!

I could not update yesterday. Not because I did not have anything but I did not have the time. Well the parrot I am looking after, started liking me too much that she wanted to have a taste of me!!!!! She started biting my ears and initially it was ticklish but later she started biting hard. I had to put her into her cage and she had a time out the whole day yesterday for her bad behaviour.
I was feeling bad for doing that . Therefore I created a layout with her picture. Will upload soon. The layout was part of Chris W’s challenge in debscreations.net.au Rules are to use circles or squares or any shape with a diameter of not more than an inch! Seemed difficult initially. So made a card first but then I stuck with an idea yesterday looking at Tinky the parrot’s photo and instantly started making one.

I also made another layout from a sketch on stucksketches. I just loved the basic Grey’s Urban Couture collection. Wish I had some more of it.

What else did I do yesterday. Aaaa I spent some money shopping in salvation army preparing for this weekend’s Uproar2scrapmore cyber crop challenge. Bought a Vinyl LP and then found some crochet stuff and lace too. So picked them up. You know there will always be some extra stuff to buy other than what we intend to buy!!!!!!!!!

On the way back I saw some very nice blue thread work on white tops in Kmart. I will probably buy some today. I love the white tops, just goes with anything. Kmart stuff is not too good but ok to wear for one season summer. I do not mind. Will have a look in other shops as well. Problem is everything in every shop looks nice.
My SIL bought me a very nice pale pink parsley design dress in US. I have to buy a bolero for it. I am on a lookout for a good pale pink or white bolero… Do not know when and where I will get it.

Got to go now. Will load some more pictures tonight. Time for lunch!!!

4 of us–Layout

Last night I wanted to make 2 layouts. One for the TBSS weekly challenge and another was a sketch challenge from scrappers warehouse. I thought I will combine both and make a single layout because the sketch was a 4 photo sketch and the TBSS’s challenge also had to include 4 photos.

Hurray!! off I go with making the layout. Printed off some sepia photos from my desktop. I usually make my layouts within 2 hours and this one took me less than 2 hours. Everything just fell in place.It was like a miracle. I like the metal frame. It just pops and add interest in the layout. Anyway, I thought I will put it up with some closeup photos.

I also got a chance to read few articles on scrap booking styles and write up an article on scrap booking styles. In debscreations.com.au, we had a recent discussion on scrapbooking styles and there was a confusion on definition of terminology. I felt good as always love to research and write articles. Will put it up here later today.
Work was relaxed and I am feeling so sleepy already. Pizza for Dinner then..
Will catch you guys tomorrow. Off to buy Pizza
Bye for now

Stained Glass like embellishment–Step to Step Instruction

All you will need:

1. 3D outline stickers. You will get in the card making section in your LSS

2. Acetate paper or transparency sheet

3. Colour gel pens- sparkle ones even better for butterfly

4. Craft knife.

Making it:

1. Remove one of the outline sticker carefully ( I have used flower to show you, there is butterfly which is more effective) and paste it on the transparency sheet.

2. Cut the outline. Use your colour gel pens and colour inside. Let it dry for few minutes. Here you can use any medium-kindy glitz, glimmer mist…. If you are using chalk, then you must sand the transparency sheet prior to sticking the butterfly sticker. That way the chalk powder will stick to the sheet.

4. When the colours are dry, the embellishment can be used on your layout or on your card.if you have made a butterfly then fold the butterfly in the middle and stick the butterfly using glue dots.

Here are photos of the butterfly I made.

Hope you have enjoyed it. Make as many as you like and have fun. Thanks for going through. This is my first so give me feedback

Today’s tip

If you have hundreds of photos from a holiday or from a gathering or a party and you want to make layouts using them.
Pick and choose a few photos to make a couple of layout or a double layout. Make a slideshow DVD or CD of the rest of the photos and pop the disc into a pouch on one of the layout or behind one of the layout. That way you have the layout of the event and more picture on the disc together. Sounds good?

Whats for today?

Tanyah from Scrap n craft has offered a Guest Position in her website–http://www.scrapncraftwitht.com.au. I have accepted it. This will be my second.

So, I am one of the Guest Member for January 2009. Can’t wait to start on her very interesting projects.

Thanks Tanyah for giving me the opportunity. Will put in my best effort.


Step by Step instruction:

Today, I completed the step by step instruction class. I will put it up soon. This will be my first and I would like some feedback on it.

Chris W from challenge chic has started a wonderful blog place
www.born2create.ning.com It is amazing and very user friendly too.I love it especially the color combo Chris has used using one of her layout. OOOooo fabulous.

My day has been good so far. Will update the step by step instruction soon. Can’t wait!!!!