Birthday Boy - Scrap Africa Sketch Challenge no.66

Hello Everyone

The 2nd day of January 2016!!!!!! I am still pondering this new year and wondering about what it will bring for me! ;-) Anyways, I have some creativity to share with you, a page for the new Scrap Africa sketch challenge! ;-) 

Here's the sketch.

Here is my take on it.

I did a very boy page for this challenge and love how it turned out! This photo was taken on my son's Birthday 2 years ago.  I took him for a surprise picnic in the park, after school.  It was such a super afternoon! ;-)

I used some Blue Fern chippies, lots of stamps and paint and papers and stickers from Echo Park.

We would love for you to play along.  The challenge goes until 14 Jan.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Have a super day!

Denise x

Thoughts Today Right Now - Scrap Africa Sketch Challenge no.56

Hello Everyone

Apologies, again, for having been missing in action again...but I just was not able to get behind the PC and spend some time here! It's been a crazy, crazy week but thankfully, all celebrations and preparations are now finished and life can hopefully get back to some normaility! ;-)

Firstly it was Joe's birthday on Tuesday.  My boy turned 8. I can't believe it...he's getting so big!!

Anyways, he had a super day and was spoilt on his special day! ;-)

I have always taken photo's of him, when he wakes up and he is opening his cards and presents.

I made this card for him.

I used Echo Park, That's my Boy paper and accents and some Penny Black stamps.

I then had to prepare, cater and host for the retirement farewell on Thursday and it was hard work, but really so special to be able to do something special and nice for a friend.

When he left on Friday, I had a good little cry, but was really pleased for him to be able to go off into retirement and enjoy his wood working.

I shared the card I made in the previous post.

Then yesterday it was my Father's Birthday and we had a lovely family dinner event for him.

I can't even share that card...LOL...as it was made, put in the envelope and we left for the dinner! ;-)

Anyways, he was pleased with it and we had a really nice time! ;-)

So yes, these are the reasons that this week was so very busy! ;-)

We have also got a new sketch challenge up on the Scrap Africa blog. 

Here's a look at the sketch.

So I made this page...

I used the gorgeous Country Kitchen papers from FabScraps.

I had recently also bought a circle Martha Stewart punch and was so keen to use it.

I am so happy with it...really cool! ;-)

Since Joe turned 8 this week, this page was rather apt for me, as this photo was taken in Franschoek, Cape, in January 2007. I was 3 months pregnant here and had sat down on some rocks for a breather, when my hubby snapped the photo of me.

When one is pregnant, as most of you will know, it's a rather emotional time, with all those hormones rushing about.  So I can remember sitting on those rocks and just looking at the beauty around me, but also thinking of the future and what it might hold etc. I was also thinking about my brother who was getting married and was wondering whether he was doing the right thing and whether he was happy. So yes...it was a very thoughtful moment and hence the title for the page! ;-)

Here's some close-ups.

Maybe you can play along? ;-)

You have until 14 August to upload your projects.

Anyways...hope the long post has not been too boring...

I hope you have a super, scrappy Sunday

Denise x

Farewell Card

Hello Everyone

I made a card for a colleague of mine, actually a good friend too, who retires after 44 years of service at South African Airways. That's rather an amazing achievement and I will really miss him.

Anyways, he is going to carry on full-time with his woodworking and so I had the perfect chippies for his card.

I used the That's My Boy papers from Echo Park and some Enmarc chippies.

I am also organising his farewell on Thursday, so have a hectic week ahead.

Tomorrow is also Joe's Birthday and so I did some party packs for school and this past weekend we did a little Birhday party for him and a few of his friends.

It has certainly been a busy time.

Anyways...thanks for stopping by! I really appreciate your comments and love.
Have a super evening!
Denise x

no.1 - Blue Fern Feb Sketch Challenge

Hello Everyone

I am sooo pleased it is Saturday and it's a laid back, sunny and beautiful morning in Africa! ;-)

I have a page to share for the Blue Fern Studios February challenge.



I went with a boy page...

I used the Bits of Honey and Notebook Edges chipboard, which I just love!

This photo was taken in December on a farm, up near Alldays, Johanns Mom is now living there. We had such a nice time and Joe was in his element.  Here, it was late afternoon, and we had taken the bakkies to go and fix the border fence, which had been damaged and Joe was sitting watching something in the distance and I got this shot.

I used Echo Park - That's My Boy collection, which is really so cool! It was perfect for this page!

I had lots of fun with the background and I love how it turned out.

Well thanks for stopping by!
I hope you have a super, scrappy Saturday!
Cheers for now
Denise x

Fabulous - Scrap Africa Sketch no.31

Hello Everyone

There is a new sketch challenge up on the Scrap Africa blog. Please pop along and have a look at Karin Zanders work, as well as the DT inspiration.

Here is the sketch.

Here is my take on it.

There is some journalling at the back of the page.  My brother was visiting in the middle of May and it was so nice to have him around.  He was holding "Pepper" when I took these photo's and was being a real card...saying "Smile Peps smile"..... !!!

The title is Fabulous, because I really miss him and it truly is fabulous when he visits and is around. This was also a fabulous day, because we took the Morris Minor and the MG out for a little Sunday drive. So we all had turns driving and also enjoying each others company! It was a fun, fun day!

Here is a pic of the mornings start.

Anyways, back to the page, I used Echo Park, Times and Seasons 2, with an Enmarc balloon chipboard.

I have to admit that I really struggled with this page! This was my 3rd attempt at this page.  The first 2 I tore up.  I have not done that in a very long time!

I embossed the title with a mix of white and copper embossing powders.

Perhaps you can play along? You have until the 14th June.

Thanks for popping by.
Have a super evening!
Denise x

I Love My December Daisies - CSI Case File #102

Hello Everyone

I loved the Case File over at CSI and so just had to make time to play along! Check out the colours and the sketch.



Here is my take on it.

Evidence: Leaves, circles and doodling
Testimony: Love

My journalling says exactly what this page is about:
I absolutely love December because then my garden is awash in white, as the daisies are in bloom! This is also always the sign of summer and hot weather! They are so striking in their numbers! Bloomin' marvelous!

I had this daisy stamp that I have been wanting to use for ages and this was the perfect page to use it for.  So I stamped the daisies and then fussy cut them, along with the yellow middle! They really look so pretty and I am so pleased that I eventually made use of this stamp.

The papers and stickers are Echo Park, For the Record 2.

Thanks so much for popping by...
I really appreciate your visits.
Denise x

The Good Life - Scrap Africa Challenge no.23

Hello Everyone

I love that it's Friday and it's also the start of a new challenge at Scrap Africa here. The challenge is "White with a pinch of" and is a 90% white project with 10% colour.

So here is my page.

It was all about keeping this page simple and using lots of white space.

I used Echo Park, For the Record 2 collection.

I hope you will check out the challenge at Scrap Africa and maybe join along.

Have a super evening!
Denise x

Remember - CSI Case File no. 96

Hello Everyone

I am so pleased that I have found some time this week, to play along again with the CSI challenges.  They really are so super and have been the starting point for many a great page.

Here's this weeks Case File.



Here's my take on it.

Evidence: Typewriter font, metal accents, flowers and clocks
Testimony: Using "Remember"
My journalling is on the back of my layout and is in typewriter font.
It says this:
This was your very first Christmas with us! You were just 5 months old and we were so excited to have a baby in the house at Christmas time. You were just content to sit on my lap and watch the Christmas lights flashing on the tree. For me, this was the realisation that you were the greatest gist of all and such a blessing! - Dec 2007

It's amazing how some moments are just are so clear in one's mind and this is one of them! I really wanted to document this moment in time!

This little outfit that Joe is wearing, was also a gift from my brother Mark and I remember how cute and sweet Joe looked in it!

This is certainly a little moment locked into memory and is also documented here too for safekeeping!

I have really been diving into my stash and this is no exception! I used the For the Record 2 Collection from Echo Park, that has never even been opened until now. I am so pleased as it fitted perfectly with the colours I needed.

I used my Chiswick clock stamps for the background. I am so chuffed with how it turned out. I then used some MME enamel dots for the centres. The flowers used are Prima and Petaloo, and the washi tape is also MME.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
I hope you have a super evening!
Denise

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

Happy Days - Scrap Africa Challenge no.19

Hi Everyone

I hope you had a super weekend and that Monday has been gentle on you.

There is a new challenge at Scrap Africa here and is all about PATCHWORK.
It would be great if you could join along.

Here is the page I created.

I used Echo Park Happy Days papers and stickers. The chipboard arrows are Wilpro and the background stamps are Bo Bunny.  The rings were created with gesso using my circle template. The red enamel dots are My Minds Eye.

Last week we took the boys for some bowling and bumper cars and so I got some really cute pics of Joe.  I thought it would be fun to cut out the little car image and just use that.

I really like how this page turned out and is just fun and happy!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

I hope you have a super evening!

Denise x