BFF

Don't you just love it when a LO just happens to fall together infront of you and you love it - well this is one of those!!! January had a few busy busy days in getting projects done for the Graphic 45 design briefs and towards the end of it I so wanted to do a LO using Olde Curiosity Shoppe (can you tell this is one of my new FAVOURITE ranges ;) ) and I grabbed my photo and as I wanted to make it "pop" on the page I used black cardstock for my background sheet. Then the rest of it was created by tucking in bits of scraps pieces I had leftover on my desk - TRUE!!!!! Cut out a couple of the tags, add a peacock feather (no idea why I have one of these in my stash :P ) and VOILA :) Sometimes it is so good NOT TO THINK - just stick and place (although I never stick anything down till I am happy as when I am sticking down I then use a lot of 3D foam tape to give it a lot of dimension :) )

I also had another LO earlier this week up on the G45 blog showcasing ABC Primer - another stunning range of papers that is simply PERFECT for those school photo's!! You will find a lot of my LO's are interactive and last year Scrapbook Creations Magazine asked me to write an article on Interactive LO's - it is now out and on the shop shelves if you are interested but this is one of the LO's I have used to demonstrate how easy it is to go that one step further and create a bit of interest in the LO - movable scissors :) and envelopes discretely placed behind matted photo's are perfect for this!! Hope you enjoy

Steampunking Paint caddy :)

I just LOVE steampunk so when I got hold of these papers (lol or should say got hold of heaps of these papers!) I wanted to transform my paint caddy I picked up a few years ago with them. I love altering things and 3 of my staple products are Graphic 45, Modpodge matt and Gesso (black and or white!) - I have done up a tutorial for the G45 blog so if you wish to learn how to transform an item into something magical have a read here...

Otherwise here is some eyecandy for you all :)

Have a great weekend (it is Friday here - we are always ahead of you guys in the rest of the world :P )

Phew!! Round 2 here we come :)

Only just managed to really sit down and have time to post... Been a busy 12 hours or so lol - starting off this morning with a very early punchfit session for an hour home again and then down to Mullaloo Beach for a 5km walk including a few sand dunes and very soft white sand!! Now I reckon if I sit for too long I won't be able to move lol!!

Anyway in the middle of all that Graphic 45 have announced the finalists for Round 2 of their DT applications for 2012.... First thought when I scanned the list was PHEW did it - and just so peeps out there know - none of us on the current DT had any idea if we had made it through either - we had to wait it out too!! Next thought was crap PANIC lol looking at those list of names I have to pull something out of somewhere and create the best I can!!!

So a huge Congratulations to those who made the top 30 - I know I spent the day last year pinching myself before settling on a plan of attack!

Do yourself a favour and check out the other 29 peeps - can't say chicks as there are a few men in the final list too this year which is great to see... Good luck to all of you :)

Here is the list of 30 Finalists for the Graphic 45 Design Team 2012(in no special order)

1. Karen Zueger - USA
2. Alberto Juárez Díaz - Spain
3. Nate Da Silva - France
4. :) Nancy Wethington - USA
5. Romy Veul - Netherlands
6. Susan Fraser - Canada
7. Arlene Cuevas - USA
8. Karen Foy - UK
9. Maiko Miwa - Japan
10. Theresa Kimbrell - USA
11. :) Nicole Eccles - USA
12. Shell Carman - Australia woohoo another Aussie gal!
13. Kristin Wilson - USA
14. :) Gloria Stengel - USA
15. Roberto Cesar dos Santos - Brazil
16. Melanie Forbes - Australia ME!!!! :) :) :)
17. Sharon Ngoo - Singapore
18. :) Laura Denison - USA
19. Susan Killam - USA
20. Clare Charvill - UK
21. :) Jane Tregenza - Australia
22. Denise Hahn - USA
23. Kelly Klapstein - Canada
24. DeeDee Catron - USA
25. :) Tara Orr - Canada
26. Torill Fossum Stamnes - Norway
27. Jim Hankins - USAso glad to see The Gentlemans crafter on this list!
28. Jan Hennings - USA
29. Tracy Burtt - USA
30. Susan Lui - Singapore

Olde Curiosity Shoppe altered birdhouse :)

I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I spied this birdhouse in our local hardware store Bunnings (for those of you in Australia who are inspired to try your own - $20.00 each and 3 designs ;) ) It was screaming at me to alter into my own little Olde Curiosity Shoppe. (thanks to Cassie who emailed me her "Before" photo as I simply jumped in like a bull at a gate!!!

So how do you scrap an altered item..... first of all I chose the papers and then simply grab out the modpodge and start... I cover each wall simply by measuring each side and either lining the paper up against the birdhouse wall and using a ruler.....take it in little baby steps - cut out a rectangle first if it is an unusual shape then narrow it down side by side.... I ALWAYS ink every edge before any project or LO..... then I simply paint on the modpodge then stick the wall paper to the wall (or roof or floor!) and modpodge again.... I will say if any of you buy this birdhouse - a coat of gessos first would be handy as it sucked up the modpodge and I had very sticky icky fingers for an hour or so whilst coaxing the paper to stick!! :P

Then I let it dry completely...... whilst twiddling my thumbs I start to pull out whatever I think will match in with the project - in this case - glass vials full of clock bits, pocket watches, birds, chains, bells, clock hands, seahorses, emu feathers etc.....and then I simply sit and play and see what works before sticking it all down with a mixture of Helmar Scrapdots (thick paste - perfect for wedging stuff in!), foam dots and Helmar 450...

Enjoy - I believe the new ranges of G45 paper have hit our shores and a few Perth stores now have it in stock so I can finish this off - the towers need some more paper on them and perhaps a tag or two... Plus the back still needs livening up hehe!!! PS As much as it did look good hanging in the tree outside It will be staying inside with me!!! Lots of photo's just so you can see all the little details!! Enjoy :) PS Good luck for all those who have entered the G45 DT application for this year - roll on Friday (or Sat our time) to find out!!!

Graphic 45 Olde Curiosity Shoppe
Olde Curiosity Shoppe, Mercurial Masterpiece, Counting Down, Exquisite Motif, Optical Oddities, Race for time, Apothecary, Genuine Article, Bazaar of Wonders

Tim Holtz metal feet, assorted metal embellishments, clock hands, seahorse, emu feathers, pocket watch, light bulbs, florist grass, zip, chain, metal hooks, pen nibs, chipboard bird, german scraps, wire, gauze, cotton reel.
Mod Podge
Birdhouse from Bunnings

Graphic 45 Design Team 2012 Audition

It seems like yesterday that I applied for the Graphic 45 DT hoping with everything crossed that I would make it to the next round - simply so I could do the best I could and post it to them to show them! I was so very proud of myself that I did make it to the next round and secretly hoped and hoped that I would see my name up there when the time came. I did try to talk myself out of it - looking at the list of names I was sure that was going to be as far as I made it. Off to Bali we went on a special family holiday to celebrate hubby's birthday... won't say how old hehe! And it was also my youngest daughters birthday too whilst over - on 2nd April....... Being on the other side of the world to the Graphic 45 headquarters means that I didn't get the news until the morning of Chionia's birthday - we had woken up in the hotel room - I had booted up the laptop and connected to the internet (which in Bali was slow rofl!) and watched while Chionia opened her present - Hubby asked if I knew and my reply was no - not sure if I did want to look - my eldest daughter then said well I will then to which I replied no I will and did and couldn't believe what I read - there was my name... and I sat there in stunned silence watching birthday girl playing with her toys and then getting ready for a day at Waterbom park all whilst thinking OMG I did it.....

Now I am at that point again!! I really can't believe how quickly this last year has gone - whilst the year had it's ups and down's my highlight every month was creating for Graphic 45 - I truly have loved every single minute of being on this fantastic team....I don't want it to end rofl!! So a bit of ground hog day for me but here is a selection of some of my favourite pieces I have created over the last year for Graphic 45 - I hope you enjoy them and cross everything for me - I so want to do it all again :) I also want to thank every one of the Graphic 45 fans - your support and kind comments over the year have been unbelievable!! I still pinch myself reading some of the kind things that are written about projects I have done. Also to Graphic 45 themselves - Diane, Charee (Our DT coordinator extroadinaire!), Aimee and everyone :) You truly are not only wonderful people but so professional and bliss to work for :)

OK - My projects in no particular order!! I think I may just have more than 6 I can't narrow it down rofl!

One of my favourite LO's - this was actually my round 2 LO for the DT last year and still love it as much now as I did then!

Love using G45 Staples :)They are a bit hard to get over here so love the fact we get them in our kit!

Me @ 37 - true to my style lots of things to look at and interactive :)

and a special proud mummy moment....

And those of you who know me well know that I LOVE OTP and home decor projects so here are a few :)

PS and a big thankyou to Deb Godley who painted the faces on my clown family! Clothes have been stamped with G45 stamps too!!

A christmas Home decor piece - have orders for friends for this one!

Ok what next...... My Art supply cupboard and Steam punk paint holder .... love altering things I find at swap meets and garage sales!!

Altered Canvases are another OTP project I love doing - combine it with some texture paste and you have some good fun!

and two more just for good measure - another Christmas wall hanging and a clock

Good luck to everyone applying and/or Reapplying!! I am going to leave you with a sneak peak of an upcoming DT project......