Get picky sketch challenge, Scrap Gal, Lynnda's give away

Okay everyone, I know you have probably heard way too much whinging from me re: my lack of mojo but I made this layout for the GET PICKY sketch challenge this month. I made the two top flowers and the bottom 2 rolled flowers the other is a prima. I think I like this layout....and these are the gorgeous broms that grow up the back in my garden. I have to show you now the layout I send to Tanya to get some advice on....this was my first go at the sketch challenge, It started out as a 12" layout and then got cut down to a 11"x8 1/2" - have you ever done something like this? but I still want to put it out there......

So I have achieved 2 layouts in two weeks but things are steaming up, I won some Nikki Sivils "Tree Love" paper over at SKETCHES 4 ALL, so going to do a layout today.......

As you can imagine their is no shortage of photo opportunities when there is a 3 year old in the house, Nate hates having his hands sticky and/or dirty so he says this is a better way to eat his mango.......

Okay, I have some friends at Scrap Gals (which I recently joined) thanks to Rita and they have this amazing give away so just click HERE check it out.

and good friend Lynnda Hosni is having a great give away also to check out her great blog and this gorgeous Wicked Princess kit click HERE

Okay now I am out the way for a couple of days, it is now off to get inspired by all your gorgeous works. Catch up soon, hope you and yours are well and happy. Love to you all Melxx

My little Shoebox

Happy Monday everyone, hope you are all bounding with energy to start the new week - yeh right....there is just something I still don't like about Monday's, not sure what it is exactly. Well my mojo is creeping back but very slowly, I did sit on the lounge whilst watching X-factor and cut some things out which is certainly a start.

The above layout I made a couple of weeks ago before Mr. Mojo left and I just love the bright colours of Nate's swimming outfit and it made using bright coloured My Little Shoebox papers just perfect. I hope you like it, this is when we took Nate to Wynnum Manly to the park there, we all had such a wonderful day. Uncle Col and Aunty Jan drove us and we ate her super yum corned beef sandwiches for lunch.

Nate has his own craft supplies and as I was scrapping away I was watching him amuse himself and it all seemed so nice, until the frantic cries filled the loungeroom, as I went over he had got some of his super large pipe cleaners and tied his foot to the bottom drawer of the tv cabinet, well what is a mother to do, I calmed him down and then ran for the camera, not missing this one, I was doing whatever I could to stop myself from laughing as in his deserperation to get his foot away he hadn't even noticed it was just twisted ever so slightly and his little foot came away so easy........haven't seen him try this since....he he he boys hey...

Off to check out your blogs and give Mr Mojo a big kick up the bum, love to you all. Melxxx

PS. Tanya, thanks so much for your encouraging words re: the Get picky layout, I took on board what you said about being too hard on myself. Thank god for wonderful blogging friends to boost your confidence when you are down on yourself..

Sketches for all, Purple Pumpkin, Spiderman

Hi everyone, hope you have all had a wonderful week. I know it has gone super quick. Well the mojo is still low, not much scrapping here, and the little bit I did just didn't look right to me and is on the scrap heap. But visiting all your blogs is sure to boost me. I know this is something we all go through from time to time so I am confident Mr. Mojo will return after his little holiday....

The above layout is for a challenge I set as Guest Designer at SKETCHES FOR ALL and the challenge is to use a movie as your title. I had this gorgeous Jillibean Soup papers (Monster Mash) so just had to use the title of one of Nates favourite movies - Monsters Inc.

If your looking for some challenges either for prizes or to boost your mojo I suggest popping into this great site HERE, really friendly girls, lots and lots of amazing challenges, and Michelle Hodges, for those who know her, is super talented, and she has an amazing competition HERE at the site.

Also it is reveal night for PURPLE PUMPKIN tonight, ooh, I have seen her new buttons and they are just divine, I can do super financial damage ladies without even leaving my living room........looking forward to this Sam.

I took Nate and Aunty Jan to a Community party recently and got the chance to meet Spiderman, this was the first time Nate has had his face painted and he just loved it, kept on looking at himself in the mirror, and just turning his head in all different directions, I can now understand why you need 2 bathrooms in a house, and I think the boys these days are just as particular as the girls from some of my friends comments....

Look forward to catching up dear friends. Need a big Mojo boost, so off to see what you have all been up to now. Love to you and your families. Love Melxx and of course "My little Spiderman"

Nook layouts from Uni, Nate and Pinecone.



























Okay, you know when you have lost Mr. Mojo when you search your photos for layouts that you haven't shown yet.....This was from Nook Uni Home Economics - I made the circle flower under the blue prima by sewing down one side then pulling it, and sewed the banner and number to the fabric which was an old linen serviette I found.

This layout was for the very first class which you had to use several types of letters on your layout, I used the negatives of some MME's stickers and stamped some and mounted some onto acetate to add some height to them.

In case Tracy from My2Angels wonders why when I place an order I always add 2 pinecone inks, it isn't because I do that much scrapping, just that Nate loves to be creative. lol..........For those of you with boys, is all this creativity normal for boys and for those with girls, what little things do they get up to, .............I mean I love it, never a dull moment and you know I end up laughing at most things.......sometimes wish I could enter his little head.....

Hope you all have a great start to the week. Love you all, Melxx

Nikki Sivils, My2angels, skirmish

Hi everyone, on the mend now, feeling lots better today. Still haven't been able to scrap so just pulling some of last months layouts out to show you. This layout was for the Nikki Sivils contest at Sketches4all and I was honoured to win so I look forward to receiving some of her gorgeous papers and embellies. I really love her gorgeous papers, and she is such a beautiful person, her love for dogs is another wonderful trait I love about her. To check out Nikki Sivils papers and gorgeous DT just PRESS HERE.


I combined her papers with some of the new October Afternoon Seaside papers from My2Angels which reminds me Tracy has a 15% off sale on until Sunday night...... 
 
  Here is Nate at his Soccer break-up playing Laser skirmish:

The gun was really heavy and it was starting to show after 10 minutes here. Thanks for all your wonderful comments, I will spend the next couple of days catching up with you all, just not able to scrap as yet but I am sure Mr Mojo will return with time. Love to you all. Melxx

Artastic Challenge

This is my entry for Artastic this month, PRESS HERE for the inspiration picture I designed the layout from. The criteria this month is to do a layout in shades of pink, have a bird on the layout and some roses. There are some amazing prizes for the winning entries. Hope you can give it a go.

Wow the Nook Uni is over now, I just couldn't compete with the girl's, the last challenge was 24 layouts, cards, tags etc in 24hrs. Nate has got a lot of congestion at the moment and now I feel like I am awfully slack too. It was a heap of fun though, I just cannot be on the computer like some of the other girls are.

One of the five cards I made for Final's challenge #2, made this for Nate's 4th birthday well in advance......

A layout I did for challenge #4 for the finals.

And while I was uploading this week, I walked into the kitchen and this is what I found, a whole tin of coffee, a tin of pineapple, and that empty container at the back was full of brown sugar.....and this is why I cannot afford to be on the computer for long periods, Mr Mischief would just have a field day,  I seriously wonder what the hang he thinks he was making......it was super disgusting and sticky, but I just had to take a photo and I did have a laugh.......to myself of course.....

Love to you all. Melxx

Sketches for all, The Nook Mini Album

Hi everyone, Well if you have noticed I have been absent a little from blogland of late, well I am back and looking forward to getting back to normality. Nook Uni was actually very full on, here was the mini album I made for the Final's challenge #1.

So this took me almost every scrappable hour this week, their was also 2 layouts, 5 cards and a 24hr = 24 projects day too, but unfortunately I just could not compete as I had to go shopping with mum to Orion for a dress for my sister's wedding.

I am again today missing the finals as I am taking Nate to the Pictures for his very first time to see "Cats and Dogs" so I cannot wait.

I am guest Designer this month at SKETCHES FOR ALL so I will be back in a day or two to tell you all about it.

Love to you all. Melxx

Nook Scraflift challenge, Nate with stash

Hi everyone, hope you are all well, a beautiful day here today, gosh I hope it stays like this, just want to get some washing done, whinge and whine, I sound terrible......I must be getting old.

The above layout is by TANYA TAHIR, she is a fantastic scrapper and is the reason I joined The Nook's monthly kit subscription, and attended the Nook Uni, so thank you Tanya, I am so glad you encouraged me.

We had a challenge at the Uni to Scraplift a layout, so below you will see my layout, I just loved how Tanya used her mist, but of course I couldn't quite replicate it but was happy with the layout none the less. I hope you like it.

I feel very honoured to have made the top 15 at the Uni, their are 4 Aussies, Nicole Pomeroy, Anthea Peterson, Karen Brierly and myself. So this week is going to be very full on. Wish me luck and I look forward to getting my inspiration from you all.

Just have to tell you that Nate had on his superman suit (just a shirt) but don't tell him it's not the entire outfit and Jan put his flashing sword up on top of the cupboard as he was getting a little rough with it, he ran into his room, got naked and brought me out his spiderman outfit and said, help me mum, I put it on him and low and behold he starts climbing up the side of the cupboard and he said "Spiderman will get it" wow the kids say the cutest, well thought of things when they want to hey. Oh wow, Aunty Jan and I just cracked up, where do they know these things from, is there a gun,sword, superhero gene built into little boys.......

Love to you all. Melxx

Nook Uni Art Class and Botany Class

Hi everyone, hope the wet weather and overcast days aern't driving you crazy where you are, I cannot mow or time my hedges and they are just growing out of control and the driveway is all muddy, but you know I shouldn't complain because I really love going to bed when it's raining, just hate all the washing building up and muddy toddler and poodle feet I have to wipe........ Enjoyed camp, really missed scrapping so am going to do some tonight and will visit you all over the next few days.

The above layout is from Nook Uni Art class, this was the final layout I made from August's indie girl kit,  and below is the Botany class, still have some Christmas photos to scrap so would just love to have them done before this Christmas which is only approx 13 weeks away I think. Scary stuff.......

Haven't had a chance to catch up as my computer broke and my trusty computer man has just left my house AGAIN, so I am super tired tonight and will do my blogging in the morning to catch up with you all.

This is when Nate gave Uncle Col his pressie last year, I think he was the excited one here......Hope you like it. Talk soon Melxx

Bisous, Nook University, soccer

Hi everyone, I cannot believe the month is almost over, what happenned to it. This month I was honoured to be Guest Designer at Bisous Scrapbooking in Canada. I want to take this opportunity to thank Suzanne for the honour and sending me all the gorgeous products to me. I had a blast, if you would like to check out the site please click HERE.The above layout is made using all her wonderful products.

Well I made it to the final week of Nook Uni, this was my layout for the Geography class and it is a picture of my nana's (dec'd) old house in Hervey Bay. She was a sewer so I just had to use a technique I learn't from friend Louise Nelson and covered the cardstock with pattern sheets. Tanya Tahir was the teacher of this class and although it brought up some emotional memories for me, I am so thankful I scrapped this photo. I was honoured to come tied 2nd with Anthea Peterson (can you believe it- I was super stoked), Nic Pomeroy won with her amazing layout design. As of next week the top 15 will start from scratch and be challenged in a new series of classes to decide the valedictorian.  I will let you know if I make the top 15.

Here is Nate with his under soccer photo for 2010, he was so pround to receive this and his trophy and he wanted to put it up here so Mikayla, Cooper, Connor and Jazi could see it.

We are off to another Currimundi camp from tomorrow morning 27th to Wednseday 29th, so I will be blogging to you tonight and catch up with you soon. Love to you all. Melxx

My2angels, Purple Pumpkin, Nate

Hi everyone, well would you believe it is still overcast, showery and well just not great outside weather for small boys or poodles. lol   So today we went to the Ipswich Global Gallery to the Circus fun events there, he had a great time, and then to the Mall to decorate a hat for National Slip Slop Slap Day. Wow they have a day for everything.

The above layout was created using the papers from Purple Pumpkin they are Fancy Pants. I love the gorgeous colours in them, this is Grampsy helping Superman learn to fly. He is sooo cute in his little suit.

The layout above is using the gorgeous new Prima papers (Road Trip Collection) they are gorgeous, and just perfect if you love fussy cutting too, the felt frame, papers and gorgeous little puppy charm are from my2angels, and of course the cute little car button is Purple Pumpkin.

The artiste at work making his hat perfect.

And having a boogie at the Slip Slap Slop Show.

Still doing Nook Uni, 2nd last week, hope all of you are super well, catch up with you all in the next day or so on your blogs. Love to you all, Melxx

Noel Mignon "fall fashion layout" and Creative Scrappers sketch # 120

Morning everyone, it's a gloomy showery day here today, but you know I kinda like days like this, it's 9.23am and a friend gave me a copy of the original "Astro Boy" yesterday, can you believe it was made 28 years ago and my little man is just glued to it. Some things just don't date hey. But I have to tell you it has given me a wonderful chance to pop on and put a new blog post on.

The above layout is for Creative Scrappers Sketch # 120, I used the papers from the September Nook Kit, which are the Crate Restoration papers, and these photos are taken of Nate at Aunty Jan's house, and he just looked so relaxed in them watching something on tv, he is usually outside in her garden or playing with the dogs but on this particular day he was just chill'n.

This layout is one I did for Noel Mignon challenge site, I have been so busy at the Nook University that I have forgotten to put it up. I used some old and some of the beautiful papers I got in her kit for this month. This is Uncle Col playing spiders, he is so wonderful with Nate, just devotes time to him and gives his 100% to him, Nate would like to spend a lot more time with him, but Uncle Col still works full time, so he sees him Wednesday arvos after work and usually Saturday arvos too.

Hope all of you are really well, hope it keeps raining so over the next few days and I may get a heap of scrapping done being more reluctant to venture outside......well you know it is impossible to make plans when you have a 3 yr old..Love Melxx

Ps. Hey look what I just heard about from Tanya Tahir, looks fantastic, another great site for inspiration and challenges - and using multiple photos just click HERE 

Guest Designer at BISOUS PDQ papers

Hi everyone, this month I am Guest Designer for BISOUS patterned papers,  I found them about 1.5 years ago on Ebay and they come in packs of 10 double sided papers, gorgeous colours. This company is based in Canada so the papers are not readily available in Australia - YET, well I hope they do some time soon.

Suzanne, who owns the company is a very talented Scrapper and Jewellery maker, just click HERE to see, and if you would like to see or even receive the newsletter that I am featured in this month please press HERE.

Nate and I have had a very busy week this week since my last post, we had Speech Therapy on Tuesday and I am so happy that all the hard work with reading and expressing new words and little singing exercises that we do together on a daily basis has improved Nate's speech so much that we don't need to attend anymore, she said he is right on track, yay, I really thought it would take quite a while longer but we have only had six- 1 hr appointments since May. I won't be stopping the learning process here but wow can totally recommend going to anyone who may think they need some advice in this area.

The Nook Uni is still going and we are now half way there, I am enjoying the challenges and have learnt so many new techniques and found I really like shabby pages, even with boys on!

Here is the page I did for the Shabby Chic challenge, you had to use 7 techniques at least on your page including distressing, inking, and misting etc I hope you like my entry, I used the gorgeous Indie Girl papers from Sass Lass. Off to prepare some early tea for my boy now, will blog to you all when he goes to sleep a little later. Love Melxxx

Scrap the Boys, Scrapbook Uni

Morning all, hope you are well and happy, normally I dislike Mondays but today we go to Amanda T's house for a scrap day, going to leave after this post, can take over an hour depending on traffic but Nate has a great day and I get to scrap with another addictee.

The above layout is for Scrap the Boys using the Crate Paper - Restoration line, he is such a cutie here playing nudie with his socks on, but this photo is a little older now (about 6 months) and he has to wear pants now. So I am glad I documented him when he enjoyed being a nudey. Gotta have something for his 21st birthday collage.

This is another layout using the Restoration papers, this is for Nook Uni and you had to paper piece a living thing, I chose to do an owl and had to add one of Sam's gorgeous Purple Pumpkin buttons. I am up to date with all my assignments but tomorrow another new week starts and I am so enjoying the challenges they set.

Some of my dear blogging friends are not well at the moment and to each of you I hope you are all feeling heaps better, look forward to catching up with you this week. Love Melxx