Monthly Challenge No 8 (Aug/Sept)

Challenge No 8

Our theme this month is ...

Summer Time!!

Scrapbook your Summer photos ... use summery colours ... create a card with a summer time image!! 

  Take your inspiration from the sun, sea, holidays!
What does Summer mean to you??

Closing date for entries is: 19th September at 1pm

One random winner will win A Pack of mixed embellishments! Don't forget to check back to see if you are our lucky winner or you are chosen for our favourite 3 entries!!!

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:

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.

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 there is some wonderful inspiration from our Design Team!

Please do click on their name to visit their blog and leave them a comment ... I know they'd love you to pop by!

Jenny - Windmill Card

Supplies: Papers from Echo Park So Happy Together, Kraft Card & Stickles

 Lisa-Jane  - "You Boys!" Layout

My son and his friend at Beaulieu on an unusually sunny day last September.  

I think red, yellow and aqua really feel like Summer and I added one of my favourite Summery embellishments - windmills.

Jennifer - 'Captain Hook' Layout

The first thing I think of when I hear the words 'summer time' is the beach! I decided to use the beach as my inspiration for the layout, but not using beach photos, though the photos have a lose connection because of the mermaid / captain costumes.

I used beachy colours of yellow and blue, plus hints of gold for the sun, and blue gems and pearls to look like water droplets. I also added some pumice texture gel to gesso for some sandy dots, and layered blue border stickers and crepe paper under the main photo like waves:

Supplies include Crate Paper Little Bo Peep 'Alice' Paper, Border Stickers, and gems like these Hero Arts Blue Gemstones.


Louise - "Messing about on the river" Layout

Using the more muted colours from the gorgeous range of Echo Park Sweet day papers and washi tape for journaling on.

Sarah - "Chasing Waves" Layout

Supplies include: Paradise Beach papers, Hello Summer stickers and Thickers letters for the title.

We look forward to seeing your "SUMMER TIME" Projects!!

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

Good Luck and Have Fun!!

So Happy Together Collection

Today's post is brought to you by Design team member Jo who has been creating with the gorgeous So Happy Together collection.

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SO HAPPY!!! .... That's exactly how I felt when the So Happy Together range from Echo Park arrived on my door mat.  Having the perfect photos was also a bonus!

In the first layout I used criss cross paper as the base, Garden as a photo mount, a strip of Neighbour, small amounts of happy stripes and jot it down and finally patchwork.

I inked all of the edges in black to make them pop off the white cardstock.  The hexagons on the Patchwork paper were cut into patterns and everything was layered up.

I attached a couple of the stickers from the coordinating sheet using pop dots.

And finished the whole thing off with some stamping and washi tape.

Although I love the bright colours of these papers I know they're not everyone's cup of tea so I thought I would also do a layout to really highlight the B side of these papers.

I thought the B side of Diagonal Dot would make the perfect background for this picture.  I also used Garden, Jot It Down and Patchwork.  All of the edges were inked in brown and the two different sizes and fonts on the alpha sheet were perfect for the title.  To anchor the strips of paper in the diagonal corners I cut one of the flowers from the element stickers almost in half. The cute banner strip is also one of the element stickers.

This really is a great collection to work with whether you like bright, bold colours or if you prefer a more muted scheme.

Don't forget you can buy the whole collection on Special Offer, saving over £3.60 on the individual rrps!!!

Thanks for stopping by today!

Jo x

Crate's Little Bo Peep Collection

Crate's new collection Little Bo Peep is now in stock in the shop!!

The papers are gorgeous ... full of lovely soft colours and although many of the designs and the embellishments have clearly been designed for baby girl themed layouts many of them can easily be used on more general layouts.

So for this layout I used: Charlotte, Matilda and Alice 12" x 12" papers, Tag cuts (the Sweet Memories Journal card), a phrase sticker (Cute as a Button sticker), White Mister Huey Mist, Studio Calico Heyday Aqua thickers and some scraps of paper, buttons, washi tape, twine and I edged the papers with Brushed Corduroy distress ink.

I love these Aqua Thickers - not sure if you can see in the photo but they have a gorgeous (yet subtle) design printed on them!

I used a tiny spot of glossy accents to hold the twine on this tag in place. 

Click to buy Crate Little Bo Peep Collection!

Thanks for stopping by!

My Minds Eye Nostalgia Cards

Hi All ... I hope you have been enjoying the recent good weather!

Today I'd like to show you a couple of cards the very talented Jenny has made using papers from the gorgeous MME Nostalgia 6 x 6 pad which are in stock in the shop.

These papers really are so versatile ....  at first they may appear to be quite feminine colours with the pinks and yellows but Jenny made two cards suitable for males to show you just how adaptable they are.

Jenny used Glossy Accents on the balloon and liquid pearls on the bow tie and collar. 

The 6" x 6" Nostalgia pad is available here!

Also, don't forget to check out the Bronze, silver and gold Special Offers!!