Just Add.....Hearts

I am back with my creation for the 2nd Just Add Ink challenge. Last week's launch was a huge success, with 51 entries into the challenge and so many amazing creations. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for this week's Just Add Hearts challenge.

I have been working on a bit of scrapbooking in an attempt to stick with my January goal of getting a few of my photos scrapped. My poor daughter's album is so far behind, it's something I really wanted to concentrate of before the new baby arrives (but I've spent barely any time doing it). So, you'll probably be seeing a bit more scrapbooking here in the coming weeks!

The photo I used show Maddy at her first birthday party having a cuddle with Nanny (my Mum). Now, if you asked Maddy what she is doing she would say 'cuggle', which is her word for cuddle. Cute!! I took the pink and browns from her outift and used those as the colours for my page. Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouhette, Rose Red and Kraft is my colour scheme. Here is my 8"x8"layout:

The top two hearts on the photo layer were created using classic ink, Versamark and clear embossing powder. The bottom heart was stamped with a dotted heart image onto Chocolate Chip patterned paper. I'm not sure how clear it is but the vertical strip is stamped with hearts using Versamark on Chocolate Chip cardstock, layered with the patterned paper and a Rose Red scalloped strip. I love my new Kraft satin ribbon, so had to add a bow using this.

Thanks for visiting and make sure you check out the work at Just Add Ink.

Nicole

Materials: Stamps - I {Heart} Hearts, Ink - Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouhette, Versamark, Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouhette, Rose Red, Kraft, Accessories - Chocolate Chip patterned paper, Kraft satin ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail, Square Scallop Punch, Scallop Border Punch

Just Add Ink Challenge Number 1

Just Add Ink has gone live and I was lucky enough to be awake after midnight last night to get a glimpse of Danielle and Amanda's fabulous work (pregnancy-induced insomnia!). The design team's work is amazing and it's great to see people involved in the challenges already.

The first challenge is a colour combo. These colours look so great together.And here is my creation. Can you tell butterflies are my thing at the moment? Hehe.

If you haven't already had the chance to go to the blog you should definitely go and have a look - lots of great ideas and a great launch prize up for grabs for those participating in the challenge.

I am about to start working on some scrapbook layouts so will be back to share those as soon as they are done.

Thanks for visiting,

Nicole

New Challenge Website - Just Add Ink

I am so excited to have been chosen as one of the design team members for a new Australian Stampin' Up challenge website called Just Add Ink. There are some fantastically talented demonstrators on the design team - I am slightly nervous about being among them but excited all the same.

I will be back tomorrow to share my first submission - a colour combo challenge - but you can see it first after midnight tonight over at Just Add Ink.

Bye!
Nicole

A baby gift

A friend from my antenatal mother's group recently had her second baby. She had a little boy and called him Thomas. I wanted to make a stamped gift for Thomas that could go in his nursery. I came up with this frame decorated with a stamped picture using my train stamps and Wild About You. I stuck with typical pale colours and Thomas' mum said it should go perfectly in his yellow nursery. I really wanted to cut out the animals and mount them wih dimensionals in a shadow box frame but could not find a suitable frame anywhere. I bought some at Kmart a few years ago and have seen them in Spotlight in the past. Target had them in brown but I really wanted white. Grrr. In the end I had to settle for a plain white frame. Luckily the picture still looks cute in it. I have decided I will make one of these frames for Maddy's room using butterflies. I will post a pic of that when it is done. Does anyone know where I can buy white shadowbox frames (or at least some with a little depth between the back and the glass) that don't cost the earth?

Thanks for looking!

Nicole

Birthday butterflies

I am back with some stamping, as promised. I have made a cute card for a friend whose birthday is on Monday. She is coming over today so Maddy can play with her little boy so I wanted to have her present ready a bit early.

I made her card using kraft, chocolate chip, pink pirouhette, regal rose and sahara sand. A nice colour combo, I think. I have also used my new butterfly punch which is so cute. I got her an Ecoya candle (sweet pea and jasmine - smells fantastic) and put a little butterfly and ribbon embellishment on top to match the card. If you're like me, you always buy for people what you would like to have but would never splurge on for yourself

And here is a pic which shows the butterfly sitting on top of the candle jar.

I hope Kate enjoys her present. Thanks for visiting!

Nicole

Some other things I have been up to

Apart from my Christmas cards I didn't get much stamping done during December because I have been busy with some other projects. Firstly, I decided I wanted to make a twirly skirt for Madeleine with some beautiful fabric I got at the quilting shop. I am really pleased with how it turned out, although I don't have an overlocker so it's not the neatest on the inside. But no one is looking at that anyway! Here is Maddy at the Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Light Spectacular showing off her skirt:

I also wanted to get started on decorating Maddy's big girl's room since baby number 2's due date is fast approaching. I have ordered curtains (for all our bedrooms, lounge room and dining room) to replace the lovely sheets that have been on the windows since we moved into our house in May. We have set up her big bed and I have just finished making some fabric applique canvases which have colours to match her quilt. If you're interested in seeing close ups let me know. The pics are just taking so long to upload so I am just putting on the group ones.

And her new (very) big bed:

I also made some canvases for the nursery last year - owls. These canvases are more gender neutral because we have like to have a surprise when our babies are born.

That is all for now. I hope to be back this week with some stamping or scrapbooking. My aim for January is to get a few scrapbooking pages of Maddy done before baby no 2 arrives in February.

Thanks for looking,

Nicole