Reflections

Scrapbooking - Creating Dimension

I love creating dimension on my papercrafting projects, particularly handcutting and then layering pattern paper pieces back onto my background with the use of dimensional adhesive.

Whilst I may not be turning out a lot of paper crafting projects at the moment, I have to admit that I really enjoyed putting this page together!

As you can see from the shadows cast on this page, the flowers on the lower right hand side have been treated in this way. Each flower or group of flowers were cut, maybe given a little shaping (Paper Tole style) and then adhered with a little Helmar Scrap Dots glue.

Incase you're wondering too, the butterfly is one that was printed onto a clear transparency and then cut out and had it's body sewn onto project. I love the way, with a little bend of the transparency, the butterfly holds it form and appears to be flying off the page!

In other crafting news, whislt I've been on a go-slow with my actual papercrafting, I've been tackling a little more sorting out and reading of magazines that I have sitting here - it's nice to see things looking a little more organised once again!

Engagement & Wedding Card

Recently I received an order to make a matching Engagement & Wedding Card for an older couple.

I decided on a relatively simple design for the Engagement Card but I changed things up a little for the Wedding one by making an Easel Card which I hadn't attemped before.

If you happen to be interested in making an Easel Card yourself, download a copy of the May 'ScrappIt Now' Newsletter where you'll find my step-by-step instructions!

As you can see the card opens up and leans against, in my case some hand stitching and bell charms, to sit as an easel would!

As you can see, the Easel Card isn't all that complicated in design but I think it does look quite effective! Here's hoping that the prospective Bride & Groom like both of them! 

Maxine's Melange - Heart Card

A little while ago I bought this gorgeous Heart Card Kit from Maxine's Melange and I had such a wonderful time getting creative with it - so much so infact, that I'm not going to use it as a card but will frame it instead I think! 

All the materials to make this stunning card were included in the kit and all I had to add was some paints, rubons and adhesives!

Whilst it might look quite complicated, Maxine's instructions were quite clear and the step-by-step photos made it very easy to follow! 

Thanks so much Maxine for such a gorgeous & wonderfully creative project!

For those of you who attend my Longford Crafters group, I have ordered in kits for everyone and Maxine is more than happy that I show you all how to create this wonderful card for our June 10th get together. I hope you all enjoy making it as much as I enjoyed making mine!

Scrappit Design Team Challenge

This weeks' Scrappit Design Team challenge was to use a hole punch to punch a border around a photo - I decided to vary the challenge a little and just added a decorative punched border down the left-hand side of my photo.

Incidentally, this page has been created using pattern papers and metal charms from the new 'ScrappIt Now' Kit - this one is such a pretty kit and I must say that I've had a great time playing around with it! Stay tuned for some more creative projects coming up soon!

As you can see my punched design has also been backed with pink cardstock which compliments the pink flowers in the actual photo!

Aren't those charms just the cutest - I love how they aren't too bulky but still have some dimension to them as well!

So . . . what else has been happening on the homefront? Well . . . I've made the decision and taken action to become an Early Childhood Relief Teacher - I've talked about doing this for quite some time BUT I finally have all the paperwork completed. I decided on Relief Teaching because it will allow me so much more freedom than going back to full-time work, especially whilst the boys are still at Primary School. Before becoming a stay-at-home mum I'd been the local Pre-School Teacher for 9 years . . . now after 11 years, I'm going to return to my profession - infact, tomorrow I'm going to visit the same Pre-School so that I can meet the children because I've already been invited to do some relief work there in the very near future.

SkyWatch - Tathra, NSW - Australia

My SkyWatch contributions this week were taken on our recent holiday to Tathra on the NSW South Coast.

All these photos were taken on the same day, in opposite directions and within 15 minutes of each other - we were presented with the most wonderful colours overhead!

Here's hoping you are having a wonderful weekend! 

Our Holiday - Tathra, NSW

I hope you're not sick of these because I have a few more favourite photos from our recent holiday to share! If you happened to miss my other posts and want to take a peek, you can check them out here and here!

You'll need to use your imagination with this photo - it was taken the day after the rough seas had washed much of the sand dunes back into the lake area where the Bega River flows out - such a different landscape!

Time to change lens and try out a little macro photography!

Back to my standard lens and this is the view from the lake side looking back towards the ocean over the top of the washed away sand dunes.

In our Photography class we'd learnt about Aperture & Shutter Speed settings and I had a great time playing around with various settings to see what effect I could achieve with these calmer waves.

Once again - I love the spray!

Captured in motion!

Our annual photo on the beach with the Tathra Wharf in the background - I was so glad that the seas calmed down and I was able to get a shot like this!

Our Holiday - Tathra, NSW

I know I shared a heap of photos yesterday of our recent holiday BUT here's some more . . . this time from our day trip from Tathra to Bournda Beach.

This particular area is known as Wallagoot Gap - just look at the colour of the water - it remained like this for quite a few days after those rough seas!

This is the view back to the west across Wallagoot Lake. I remember as a child, we used to come to this lake of a night with all our prawning gear. Dad and my brother had waders to wear BUT I had to use gumboots and so was always limited as to how far out into the lake I could go. Prawning was always a fun nightly activity when there was no wind about - otherwise you weren't able to see the prawns in the water at all!

This is the view along the gravel path that leads to steps and then down to Bournda Beach.

"I bet I can get back to the car first"

Adam's new sand castle bucket and viola! One spectacular sandcastle sitting on the sand!

A seagull who was determined it didn't want wet feet - every time a wave came in it kept a close eye on the foam!

Wow! I love the clarity of this photo! In manual mode too I might point out!

Another manual shot - I love the sharp focus and the blur in the background!

Our Holiday - Tathra, NSW

Don't you just love getting away from it all and relaxing on holidays?

We've just spent a lovely 8 nights at Tathra on the NSW south coast - the only downside of the trip was the fact that we took our boat and because of terribly rough seas, the fishing ended up not being any good. This was the 5th year we've had our boating/fishing holiday at Tathra and this was the first year that we haven't been able to come home with a wonderful supply of frozen fish. Oh well - I guess we had to encounter a bad year at some point!

Last Friday afternoon/early evening the sound of the surf was just incredible - we took a walk along the beach and the waves that were coming into the shore were just amazing to stand and watch!

The lighting wasn't so good at that time of the day and not having my tripod with me didn't help BUT I did manage to capture quite a few interesting photos!

I love the effect of the spray coming off the top of the waves!

The next morning we took a walk from the caravan park up to the top of the hill and then around to the point - the waves were continuing to pound the coast with such incredible force!

As you might guess . . . I had a heap of fun playing around with various manual settings on my camera to see the different effects I could create . . . see, I am putting this Photography course to good use - *grin*

Would you believe that this last shot is actually a view from the boat ramp looking out to sea! There is absolutely no way you would get your boat out safely through the waves that were coming into the entrance - they were just huge!

Happy Mother's Day!

To all the Mums out there . . . here's hoping you all had a wonderfully special Mother's Day!

I've been spoilt with perfume, some yummy turkish delight, stationary, scented candles and a lovely coat which will be perfect to take on our upcoming holiday!

Since we're taking the boat away too, we decided to takeit for a little run down the Straits, so whilst we were doing that, my camera got a little workout too!  Here's just a few of my favourite shots!

I just love these Pelican ones!

I actually managed to get quite a few of this Pelican in flight but I won't bore you with all of them! *grin* Perhaps they might turn up on a scrapbooking page in the not too distant future!

3D Greeting Card

Today I thought I would share a 3D Greeting Card that one of the ladies at my Longford Crafters group - Sandy - recently showed us and that I've also shared over on the Scrappit Blog this week.

I was quite taken with the design and decided to set about making one for myself from two white blank cards and some pattern paper offcuts that I'd brought along on the day too!

Whilst it might look like a standard card on the outside - the inside is quite different.

The oval on the inside was cut using a Cuttlebug before the card was assembled and as you can see, I've used the embossed scalloped oval on the front of my card as well.

Here's a view from the top which shows how one blank card becomes the base of the card, whilst the second blank card is folded, decorated and then attached to the inside of the card.

The suspended flower is double-sided - I just cut two flowers and before sticking them back to back, I inserted a piece of embroidery thread from which I could then hang the flower in the scallop opening.

The verse that you see inside the card was simply created in WORD and then printed, cut to size, folded in half and attached to the inside of the card before adding the folded section.

Of course, if you don't have dies for your Cuttlebug, you could just trace a shape and then cut it out - why not try hearts, circles, rectangles and more. I can see that this will be one card design that I will definately make again!