Monthly Challenge 6 (June/July)

It's time for a new monthly challenge here at S J Crafts!!

Challenge # 6

With the Queen's Jubilee just a few weeks ago and the Olympics fast approaching our theme this month is:

Red, White And Blue!

You can use all 3 colours or a combination of just two of them!

You can of course add in some extra neutral colours eg; black, cream, beige and small amount of any additional colours but the main colours must be Red, White and Blue!!

Closing date for entries is: 18th July at 1pm.

One random winner will win a £5 voucher to spend in the SJ Crafts Shop!

Please remember to check out the monthly challenge rules on the tab at the top of this blog, before entering. A quick reminder of our main rules:

Your entry may be a card, scrapbook layout or any other papercraft project.
Please link directly to your post & not a general link to your blog. 

You must mention and include a link back to the challenge in your entry post.

No back linking please - new work only.

One random entry will win a prize. The winner must contact me by e mail to receive their prize. A few of our favourites will also be selected to be featured on this blog!

The final (& most important rule) is to have fun!!

As usual, we have some sample projects from the S J Crafts Design Team!

If you want to see more of their work, just click on their name to visit their blog.

Louise

"6 Boys and a Tent = No Sleep" Layout 

With all the jubilee celebrations this year, red white and blue was the choice for the teenage birthday celebrations. 

Louise's supplies: Patterned red paper from dilly dally 6 x 6 pad,  Glitz and Jenni Bowlin alpha stickers, Martha Stewart scalloped circle punch to create the bunting.

Jennifer

"A Jubilee Party" Layout

Jennifer's supplies include: Prima fairy belle 6x6 papers, alphas, flower, and chipboard, Dear Lizzy roller date stamp, Cosmo Cricket Tiny Text life stickers  and Papermania Portobello Road papers.

I wasn't sure at first whether I could combine the baby blue and the royal blue hues on one page, but as they were both in the photo I thought I'd give it a go, and I like it! I added some cream rather than more white as it softens the blues and red, and helps to keep it girly!

Lisa-Jane

"Bond -  A Very British Hero" Layout

This layout is about one of our trips to Beaulieu to see their new exhibition entitled "Bond - a very British hero"! The exhibition is 50 iconic vehicles to celebrate 50 years of Bond films. I kept the photos apart from each other because they are quite busy as are the papers.

We look forward to seeing your red, white and blue projects!!

Please remember to link directly to your blog post and to include a link back to the challenge.

If you do not have a blog, please e mail your entry to me at sarah@sjpapercrafts.co.ukand I'll upload it for you.


Good Luck and have fun!!

Monthly Challenge 5 (May/June)

Hello! .... Sorry, I'm a day late with our new challenge!!

Please remember to check out the monthly challenge rules on the tab at the top of this blog, before entering. A quick reminder of our main rules:

Your entry may be a card, scrapbook layout or any other papercraft project.
Please link directly to your post & not a general link to your blog. 

You must mention and include a link back to the challenge in your entry post.

No back linking please - new work only.

One random entry will win a prize. The winner must contact me by e mail to receive their prize. A few of our favourites will also be selected to be featured on this blog!

The final (& most important rule) is to have fun!!

Challenge # 5

Our theme this month is: 

"All About The Boy!"

Added Extra: Use up something old that's been in your stash a while!

So, we want to see layouts featuring boys or men, cards with a masculine theme or anything else that is about "the boy"!!

Please state in your post, the "something old" that you have used!!

Closing date for entries is: 20th June at 1pm.

One random winner will win a selection of mini coloured ink pads!!

Some fabulous inspiration this month from the S J Crafts Design Team!

If you want to see more of their work, just click on their name to visit their blog.

Louise 

Boys and their Toys Layout

Louise used some old alphas and cloud stickers that had been in her stash a while and also Jenni Bowlin tags and the red paper is from MME Dilly Dally 

Jenny 

Jenny's old supplies include: some MME Kraft Funday Superstar paper, a brick wall embossing folder which has never been until now and some tiny brads which were bought when Jenny first started cardmaking. Papers are inked with Brushed Corduroy Distress ink.

Lisa-Jane

My Buddy Layout

LJ has used Echo Park This and That Charming and some Cosmo Cricket washi tape. Old stash includes: the three chipboard pieces which are from an old mini album kit, the cardstock and the gems are pretty old too!  

Jennifer 

Dinosaur Layout

Jennifer's layout featuring her baby boy in his super cute dinosaur outfit uses up some old sheets of Basic Grey 'Archaic' paper. Other supplies include Prima Fairy Belle paper and alphas, pearls and crystals.

I hope the DT projects inspire you!

Please remember to link directly to your project and not just your blog and to include a link back to the challenge.

If you do not have a blog, please e mail your entry to me at sarah@sjpapercrafts.co.ukand I'll upload it for you.

We look forward to seeing your Boy layouts and cards!

Monthly Challenge 4 (April/May)

A huge thank you to everyone who entered last month! The prize winner and our Top 3 will be announced shortly!

So, onto challenge No: 4 (April/May)

Please remember to check out the monthly challenge rules on the tab at the top of this blog, before entering. We have tried to keep our rules fairly straightforward and fair to all who join in.

A quick reminder:

Your entry may be a card, scrapbook layout or any other papercraft project.
Please link directly to your post & not a general link to your blog.
You may combine your entry with other challenge(s)

No more than 3 entries per person please.

You must mention and include a link back to the challenge in your entry post.

No back linking please - new work only.

Please ensure your work is your own and not copied.

One random entry will win a prize. The winner must contact me by e mail to receive their prize. A few of our favourites will also be selected to be featured on this blog!

The final (& most important rule) is to have fun!!

Challenge # 4

Our theme this month is: Favourites

Just a few ideas to get you started ... You could create a layout on "My favourite things" "Favourite Place" "Favourite Food".
Use your favourite technique, a favourite photograph or how about a favourite colour? Dig out your favourite stamp or punch!
Have you been hoarding a favourite sheet of paper that is just soo nice you've been saving it ... go find it and USE it!!

Closing date for entries is: 16th May at 1pm.

One random winner will win a "mystery prize" !!!

If you need some more inpiration take a look at the samples from our amazing DT.

If you want to see more of their work, just click on their name to visit their blog.

Louise

Louise .... "I used used my favourite paper (one I've been hoarding for a while!!) and favourite photos."

Supplies include: Jenni Bowlin memo stickers and tags, scraps of patterned paper from MME Lost & Found Two collection.

Lisa-Jane

Lisa-Jane .... "Lots of my favourites here .... paper I had been hoarding from my fave manufacturer October Afternoon. I also used my favourite bunting punch and the photos were taken in one of our favourite places - Beaulieu, and everything is edged with my favourite distress ink pad  - Vintage Photo."

Jennifer

Jennifer .... "I've got a lot of favourites on this page - beach photos are my favourite to scrapbook with, my favourite colour is the turquoise blue shade of the MME woodgrain paper and I've used some favourite techniques of painting, machine stitching, and scattering gems/brads."

Supplies include: MME Kraft Funday Good times paper, MME Miss Caroline favorite madras paper and cute brads, Glitz Teeny teeny alphas, Prima pearls and crystals.

Jenny



Jenny .... "I've gone for favourite stamp Puff Heart Dragon from Whiff of Joy and my favourite colour turquoise!!"

Supplies include: MME lost & found two papers, all edged in Tattered Rose distress ink and lots of crystal stickles.

I hope the DT projects inspire you!

Please remember to link directly to your project and not just your blog and to include a link back to the challenge.

Also, just a quick mention about blogger's word verification thingy ... we do try and visit every entry so it would be helpful if you could consider taking the word verification off your blog (if you have it!) as this would enable us to visit and comment much quicker!! My eyes go funny deciphering the letters!!! Thanks!

If you do not have a blog, please e mail your entry to me at sarah@sjpapercrafts.co.uk and I'll upload it for you.

We look forward to seeing your "favourites"!!!

Monthly Challenge 3 (March/April)

Wow, 82 entries last month!! So many wonderful projects! Thank you to everyone who entered! The prize winner and Top 3 will be announced shortly!

So, onto our new challenge for March/April:

Please remember to check out the monthly challenge rules on the tab at the top of this blog, before entering. We have tried to keep our rules fairly straightforward and fair to all who join in.

A quick reminder:

Your entry may be a card, scrapbook layout or any other papercraft project.
You may combine your entry with other challenge(s)

No more than 3 entries per person please.

Please link directly to your post & not a general link to your blog.

You must include a link back to the challenge in your entry post.

No back linking please - new work only.

Please ensure your work is your own and not copied.

One random entry will win a prize which will be announced on this blog. The winner must contact me by e mail to receive their prize. A few of our favourites will also be selected to be featured on this blog!

The final (& most important rule) is to have fun!!

Challenge # 3 

Our theme this month is: 1, 2, 3

Added Extra : Include 3 of something!

Just a few ideas to get you started ... use 1,2,3 as your layout title, scrap a 1st, 2nd or 3rd birthday, a child's "First steps" or "First holiday" or "Our First Anniversary" or any other "First" you wish to scrap. How about "My 3 favourite places" or some other kind of list of 3 or you could use one or all of the numbers in your title!

For card makers : a 1st, 2nd or 3rd birthday card is one idea that springs to mind or a card suitable for a First Anniversary or you could use 1 image, 2 flowers, 3 patterned papers (or some other supplies!) on your card!

The added extra is to include 3 of something  .... maybe 3 photos, 3 buttons, 3 patterned papers, 3 rubber stamps

Closing date for entries is: 18th April at 1pm.

This month our prize is chipboard accents from Echo Park's This and That Collection. The winner will be able to choose either the "Charming" or "Graceful" set (both sets shown below!)

    




 



As usual we have samples from our fabulous Design Team.

If you want to see more of their work, just click on their name to visit their blog.

Jenny

A cute Babies mini book made from toilet roll tubes!! With 3 babies this challenge was just right for Jenny!

You can see more of the mini book pages over on Jenny's blog 

Supplies: MME Miss Caroline Howdy Dowdy 6x6 pad and kraft cardstock

 

Jennifer

Supplies: MME Miss Caroline papers and MME Dolled Up brads, Glitz teeny alphas, Cosmo Cricket tiny type letters, American Crafts Thickers and Prima pearls and crystals 

Jennifer made her fab '123' title by making a template & cutting around it !

"I wanted to try and emulate the cool titles people cut with their electronic die cutting machines! I have saved the template as a word document for you to download and print if you'd like to use it for your challenge project, or anything else! Just click here to download."

Jennifer also used 3 strips of paper for her journaling, 3 glazed brads, and 3 adhesive pearls.

Lisa-Jane 



A lovely layout from Lisa-Jane to record her daughter's first picnic.

Lots of threes .... 3 photos, 3 patterned papers, 3 tags!!

Supplies: MME Quite Contrary papers, edges inked with vintage photo distress ink pad.

Louise 

Louise's wonderful layout is based on the counting  rhyme:  1...2...3...4...5, Once I caught a fish alive! Her added extra is the three photos.

Supplies: Crate Paper Random Vintage paper, MME Miss Caroline clear stamps, and Glitz rose teeny alphas

The DT will be uploading more photos (close ups) of their projects on their own blogs so do go and visit them if you can.

 Are you ready to take up this month's challenge?

Then, 1 ... 2 ... 3 .... GO !!!

Please remember to link directly to your project and not just your blog and to include a link back to the challenge.

If you do not have a blog, please e mail your entry to me at sarah@sjpapercrafts.co.uk and I'll upload it for you.

Monthly Challenge 2 (February)

Thank you for all the entries to our last (and first!) challenge. The Design Team have enjoyed seeing all your wonderful creations.

Please remember to check out the monthly challenge rules on the tab at the top of this blog, before entering. We have tried to keep our rules fairly straightforward and fair to all who join in.

A quick reminder:

Your entry may be a card, scrapbook layout or any other papercraft project.
You may combine your entry with other challenge(s)

No more than 3 entries per person please.

Please link directly to your post & not a general link to your blog.

You must include a link back to the challenge in your entry post.

No back linking please - new work only.

Please ensure your work is your own and not copied.

One random entry will win a prize which will be announced on this blog. The winner must contact me by e mail to receive their prize. A few of our favourites will also be selected to be featured on this blog!

The final (& most important rule) is to have fun!!

So, let's get on to your challenge for this month!

Challenge # 2 ... Flowers

Added Extra : Include red or pink!

Just a few ideas to get you started ...  create a scrapbook page about your favourite flowers, scrap photos taken in your garden or  you could embellish your project with flowers or make your own flower embellishment. A stamped image of flowers would fit the theme too!! I'm sure you will come up with lots more ideas!

Closing date for entries is: 14th March at 1pm.

One random entry will win this Howdy Doody 6" x 6" Pad from the new Miss Caroline Collection by My Minds Eye.

Here's some inspiration from our fabulous Design Team.

If you want to see more of their work, just click on their name to visit their blog.

Jennifer

Jennifer's lovely, bright card features kraft  cardstock, MME Miss Caroline papers, MME brads for the flower centres, twine and a sentiment from Favourite clear stamps. 

Jenny

Using patterned paper from the Dolled Up Pad by MME, glossy accents, a doily and some twine, Jenny has made this really cute card.

Louise

Louise's "Garden of Eden" layout is beautiful. Her supplies include: chalkboard alphas, tattered rose distress ink pad to ink the edges of the doillies and papers from the MME Lost and Found Two. 

Lisa-Jane

A pretty layout by Lisa-jane entitled "How Does Your Garden Grow" using American Crafts papers, kraft cardstock, vintage photo distress ink applied with a blending tool (both by Ranger) and glossy accents on the flowers.

I hope the DT projects inspire you!

I can't wait to see your flower projects!

Please remember to link directly to your project and not just your blog and to include a link back to the challenge. If you do not have a blog, please e mail your entry to me at sarah@sjpapercrafts.co.uk and I'll upload it for you.

I'll be back soon to announce the winner of challenge 1 and the Top 3!!

The 1st Monthly Challenge!!!

Welcome to the very first S J Crafts Monthly Challenge!!

Thank you so much for joining us!

So, this is how it will work ... (aka the Rules!)

A new challenge will be set on the 3rd Thursday of each month!!

Your entry may be a card, scrapbook layout or any other papercraft project. You may combine your entry with any other challenge(s) but no more than 3 entries per person please.

Please upload your entry to your blog with a link back to the challenge and then add your link to the Mr Linky widget at the bottom of the challenge post. Please link directly to your post and not a general link to your blog. No back linking please - new work only, any links dated before the challenge was set will not be eligible for the prize. Please ensure your work is your own and not copied.

You will have about 4 weeks to complete and post your entry, however please check the exact closing date of each challenge.

One winner will be selected at random for a monthly prize and announced here on the blog. The winner must contact me by e mail to receive their prize. A few favourites will also be selected each month and featured on this blog!

There will be a monthly theme together with a few suggestions as to how this could possibly be interpreted and samples from the Design Team. The theme will be designed so that you can (if you wish) scrap the "everyday", the smaller (but no less important) things in your day to day life. It is something that many of us scrapbookers (including me) find tricky to scrap about. We make layouts of our family, friends and places we visit but not so often pages about ourselves or our daily life. Having said that, anything related to the theme will be absolutely fine too. Afterall, the idea is to help you create another layout or card and to have fun doing it.

There will also be an added "Extra" each month. This may be something like .... to use a certain emellishment, colour or technique etc. A little added extra that that may help you to use up that piece of patterned paper you've had for ages or to use a tool you'd forgotten you had.

So without further ado, onto our first theme:

Challenge # 1     "Happy"

Added Extra : Use a Punch!

Our first theme is "Happy" so this could be a Happy New Year layout, or take a photo of something that makes you happy and scrap it, use the title "Happiness is .... " or maybe a "Happy Birthday" card a "Happy Anniversary" card or a stamped image that portrays happiness .... or anything else that "Happy" inspires you to create.

The "added extra" this month is "use a punch" ... so this could be a border punch or a regular punch, it's up to you! Nice & simple for the first challenge!!

Closing date for entries is: 15th February at 1pm.

One random entry will win a £10 voucher to spend in the S J Crafts Shop !!!

Here's some inspiration from our fabulous Design Team.

If you want to see more of their work, just click on their name to visit their blog.

Lisa-Jane

A fabulous card by Lisa-Jane using MME Fly a Kite paper, a fiskars bracket border punch and glossy accents to add shine and dimension to the kites.

Louise

Louise has used lots of layering and torn edges to create a lovely page ... and there's that bracket border punch again!!!

Jenny

Jenny has used MME Breeze patterned paper, Kraft cardstock, oval nesties and her punch is a Martha Stewart arch lattice punch.

Jennifer

I'm loving this little cute, credit card sized mini book by Jennifer, beautifully decorated with tiny photos, MME ordinary label stickers, mini alphas, and butterflies punched with the Martha Stewart butterfly punch.

I hope the DT projects inspire you!

I can't wait to see your projects!

Please remember to link directly to your project and not just your blog and to include a link back to the challenge. If you do not have a blog, please e mail your entry to me at sarah@sjpapercrafts.co.uk and I'll upload it for you.