Zeus and Zoe Blog Hop

Welcome to the Zeus and Zoe blog hop July 2013 

The exiting design team at Zeus and Zoe is leaving with a trail of pretty blooms. Of the handmade variety. Come join us for an amazing blog hop where you can learn how to make pretty blooms and win some amazing prizes along the way!

There are 6 fabulous RAKs to be won. All you need to do is leave some love at every stop along the hop. You have until 11.59pm EST on Wednesday 31 July to leave your comments for your chance to win! Winners will be announced on the Zeus and Zoe blog on 2 August.

If you have come here from Dana Tatar's blog, then you have come from the right place! ;-)

Today I want to share a tutuorial with you on how to make paper flowers.

These are really easy to make and since you can make them yourself, will fit any project as the colour and size can be adjusted to fit your needs.

Flowers are always great on projects, and so if one can make them yourself, so much the better and is also less expensive than bought flowers.

Firstly choose the papers you would like to use.  You can either use patterned papers or cardstock.  Roughly draw circles on the paper, with 5 divisions. The divisions do not have to be equal, it's actually better if they are not. Make different sized circles, as the smaller ones will have to fit into the bigger ones, and will them be layered.

Tear out the circles.

Now tear along the division lines and ink all the edges, inside and out.

Take a skewer stick and roll the edges of the petals around your stick. This is the reason why you need to ink inside and outside, as when the petal is rolled you see the back of it.

Here is the result below of turning all the petal edges. I know it doesn't look like much now, but believe me, the end result is worth it. You may now need to ink more, so if necessary then do so.

If you have a rounding tool you can now use this, or otherwise just use your fingers to make the centre of the flower rounded.

Lastly, it is about putting the pieces together, to make a stunning flower.

Try and sit them nicely within each other, but not petal within petal.

Add a button or bling or brads, whatever suits your style of project, and voila..you have

a beautiful flower.

These are really versatile and easy to make.

Here is an example of these flowers used on my card.

Well I really hope you will try these...

Here is a little giveaway from me.  Please leave me a comment and and tell me if you are a lover of blooms, like I am! ;-) A random winner will be announced on Aug 02.

Next you need to go and say hello at Marivic's blog.

Happy Birthday Joe

Hi Everyone

Today is a very special day in our household, as my son turns 6!

I cannot believe how the time has flown and that he is six already! Time certainly flies, but I can honestly tell you that I have loved every minute of it and he has brought so much joy and love to us!
Happy Birthday my boy and wishing you every sweet and happy blessing.

Here is the card I made for him.

I am off to get ready for a family lunch!

Wishing you a super day!
Denise x

Today Be Happy and Enjoy Life

Hello Everyone

I hope you are having a super Saturday!

I have a page to share with you with for the current CSI challenge here.



And here is my page.

This photo was taken at the park down the road from us, where the pathway into the park has this arch of Jacaranda tree's. One would think that it's spring or summer, but was taken about 4 weeks ago.  This winter has been so mild that the trees have not really lost their leaves and the grass is still green in many places.

I used Teresa Collins papers Now and Then as well as Everyday Moments. I also did a lot of stamping on the background with some Bo Bunny stamps and a Pink Paislee stencil. The chipboards are Celebr8. The flowers are Prima and Petaloo and my leaves a diecut from Seart Craft.

The title is all about my journalling too, and this is documented on the "Recorded" tag under the photo.
My journalling says this: My wish for you is that you would live everyday to the fullest.  That you would know what you want from everyday, and that you find the things that you are passionate about.  Live what you love and love the life you live! Find you happiness and joy in all things, and enjoy and nurture the small things!

It is my sons 6th birthday tomorrow and so is simply all the things that I wish for him as he grows and lives each day.

I hope you find some scrappy time this weekend.
Take Care
Denise x

Little Fisherman's Tales - Skissedilla Summer Sketch

Hello Everyone

I hope you are having a super day!

I have a page to share with you for the Skissedilla summer sketch.



I loved this sketch and so really wanted to put my hand to it.

I took some photo's this evening, and is the first time that I have taken photo's at night, and so hope you will forgive me, if they are not 100% correct. I really did try and get the lighting etc right and so hopefully they pass! ;-)

I used some Basic Grey paper from my stash and was really pleased to do that! It's from the Oliver collection and is quite old, but still super. The little birdie among the leaves and the frames are also Basic Grey as well. I used a Spellbinders die-cut for the leaves, and W&M alpha chippies, with some Websters alpha stickers. The can of worms sticker is Karen Foster and was just really cute for this page, but actually, when one does fly fishing, one uses just feather flies and no bait. So this sticker is just  for creative purposes!

I coloured some gesso with brown paint and then did some background stencilling, and once that was dry I added some water paint drippies.

These photo's were taken, on our recent weekend away in Dullstroom.  Joe loved fishing, and was just happy to cast out, sit back on his haunches and wait! LOL! Admittedly this wasn't for any huge lengths of time, but at age 6, patience is not exactly their strong point.

The title is also a little fun, as normally it would be Tall Fisherman's Tales, but in this case, since Joe is little, it's Little Fishermans Tales! ;-)

Anyways, thanks for stopping by!
Have a super evening!
Denise x

Oh so Sweet and Handsome - MME Sketch Challenge

Hello Everyone

I hope you are having a good day today!

I have been thinking to myself lately and really wondering if I have a particular style! I love so many different types of styles and sketches, that I combine many of them and so really wonder if I have a signature style!

I look at Keren Tamir's work (for example) and anyone looking at a page of hers, can probably have a pretty good idea that it was she who designed it. I am not so sure that anyone looking at my pages could say...ah...that looks like Denise's work! I just like trying everything and seeing how it all works out.

Am I the only one that questions this, or is it not really that important to put a label to everything?!
Anyways, just a thought and one I have been pondering for a while.

So that said, here is the MME sketch for July.



Here is my take on it.

I used the Kate and Co. - Oxford Lane collection. I think it's so fabulous for boy pages, especially with the navy and green papers.

I used MME stamps from the Lost and Found 3 collection, and one stamp from 7 Gypsies, along with Echo Park alpha stickers.

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

I hope you have a super evening!

Denise x

Card - Bo Bunny Card Challenge

Hi Everyone

Welcome to Monday and hope it treats you gently.

I have a card that I made for a friend that is leaving our workplace for other employment and so I made this card, which is going to be signed by about 120 staff.  So it had to be robust, and also a little bigger to accommodate this.

Here it is.

I used the Country Garden collection.

Thanks for stopping by...
Hope you have a super day!
Denise x

Reach - Prima PPP July

Hello Everyone

I am really loving today and have managed to get quite a few things done! One of them being this page for the Prima PPP.




Initially this was a little daunting for me, as I really don't have to much of these colours, especially in Prima papers.  However, I thought a few touches of these colours would probably be just fine.

I used a combination of the Engraver Collection and Life Time. I wanted to keep the page really masculine and so did not use any flowers.

I did some gesso stencilling and then added all my little bits and pieces, along with the photo.

This photo is of my brother and this layout is about him reaching out and taking hold of the things that he really wants, and holding onto them, if he truly wants to.

Thanks so much for popping by.
Hope you have a super Sunday!
Denise x