New Cardabilities Sketch is up!

It's the 15th today, which means a new card sketch is up at Cardabilities.


Here is today's sketch:

And here is my take on it.

Papers: October Afternoon

This is my first week in the new DT at Cardabilities and I was very excited to see what the rest of the DT had done with this sketch. Karan had kept all of the cards to herself, so none in the DT knew what the others had made.


And boy, these girls are so talented. Please head over to the Cardabilities blog for a massive inspiration and to learn how you can win a lovely price from this months sponsor. The Flying Unicorn

Looking for a layout sketch?
Cardabilities has a sister blog, Sketchabilities.And I promise you - this week's sketch is just lovely!
Why don't you go and have a look

Kassiopi (Skissedilla #175)

When we went to Corfu last month, visiting the coastal town Kassipoi was a must. We stayed there on a vacation ten years ago, it was such a lovely place, and we wanted to go back. And as it was just a ten minute drive frome our hotel, it was an easy trip.

DS12 was just a toddler when we visited ten years ago, and he had no memories of the stay back then. But he enjoyed seeing places he had just seen on photos.

Kassiopi is as nice as it was last time, and the people just as frindly as we remember them, so we had a great day there  - and we are seriously concidering spending an entire week there next year. And in swalking distance there are some really pretty beaches: the water get this awesome teal color from the white rock/pebble ground.

Some detail shots of the layout:




Patterend paper & stickers: Amy Tangerine



Flairs: Aflairforbuttons

This layout was made with Skissedillaskisse #175 and is my entry to their challenge this week.


Thank you for stopping by, I really appreaciate it!

Nook Card Challenges

As most of you know, MyScrapbooknook kit club, my second home, is closing the end of this month. That means, the September kit is the very last kit. It's so sad, I have hung around the forum for five years, and has been at the DT for the last two. And it's soon to be over.

I'll miss the beautiful kits and all the friends I have made there - I feel like a homeless child...


But the beautiful kit is in my hands, and the DT keep playing and try it's very best to inspire our subbers.
As always, there are two card challenges a week, and I'm proud to host the Monday Card Challenges this month.


Here is the kit:

Monday 3rd Challenge: Make a masculine card:

Monday 10th Challenge: Sketch time

Do you feel like playing along?

Please visit the forum to see the complete challenges and the sketch!

We would love to see your creations!

   

What have Redneck Parrots, CSI and OUAS in common?

I think it is a good idea to open this post with an explanation on the title:



  

OUAS: Once Upon A... Sketch - A sketch challenge blog.
Click here to visit their page



CSI: Color, Stories, Inspiration - A color challenge blog Click here to visit their page



 














Redneck Parrot:



A hen.... and DS9

 Journaling says:

Simen wants an Ara parrot, but mum says no: they need too much attention.

But hens are cute and doesn't demand that much, she claims.

And Simen had to agree when classmate Robin brought his pet hen.

Sponsor materials: Imaginarium Designs Chipboard Fence

So what do these three have in common?

Here it is: OUAS and CSI have teamed up in September, which means OUAS brings you four sketch challenges this month, all with a color twist, and CSI brings you four color challenges, all with a sketch twist.

And the redneck parrot (and the kid)? Their story was told by help of this month's OUAS/CSI file (not OUAS DT work for me this week, I'm on at case file #38):

I had a hard time photgraphing my layout, but the layout do use all five colors (even with a touch of darker grey on the background paper, a really old BG one). And I have followed the sketch pretty close.

My Evidence:

• Mesh (Authentic mesh, must be 7-8 years old - I never had the heart to toss it out)
• Leaves (two large metal leaves + two on pins)
• Fibers (in some of the buttons)
• Scattered elements across the page (buttons)

My testemony

• Scattered journaling

OK, please tell me:

Do you have those redneck moments, too?

Fornøyd / Happy

When we went to Corfu in August, we visited a coastal village named Sidari where there was a lot of water activities going on: boat and water jet rental, para sailing etc etc.

DS9 claimed he wanted to go para sailing, and so did I, but he refused to go with me - probably because he wanted to punish me - he had for some reason been grumpy since he left bed the very same morning (does this sound familiar?). He said he wanted to go with his dad - expecting hubby would say no as he isn't much into hights - so DS9 could complain the rest of the day that we had ruined his (does this sound familiar too?).

Then dad said yes. Bummer. DS9 couldn't go back on his wish *lol* But he's one tough kid, and we had talked earlier about doing this, so off they went.


Guess who was thrilled when they got back - DS9 even offered I could go with him if he could have another ride.

DS9's expression when I asked him what para sailing was like :-)

This layout is made wit a true mix of items from different manufactorers.
Background paper from Amy Tangerine, rubons from Fancy pants, overlay from Hambley(?).
The rest? I have no idea....

Hmmm, I kind of went bananas with the rubons...

Mix & match

I have wanted to scrap this photo in bright colors since out trip, but what kicked me of was the lovely
Sketch #174 from Skissedilla.

I had the opportunity to go out in the boat while DS9 and hubby were para sailing, and took a lot of colorful photos from both the preparations and the actual flight/sailing, and I need to scrap those later. I just haven't made my mind yet if I should do a multi photo (two pager) layout or a mini.


What do you do when you have 6-8 photos and you want to use them all?

CSI Case File #35 - Love Milk Shake

I admit it - I have a crush on these color combo challenges. I have avoided such kind of challenges for years, afraid I wouldn't have the right shades of colors in my pile of papers and stash, but after trying out a few of them, I don't fear them any longer:

My simple approach is this: If I'm happy with the outcome, who cares if the shades are not perfect? My kids when browing the albums in twenty years? Will they look at the layout, laught out loud and claim to the  world "Look, mum didn't manage to do exactly as the challenge required! What a loser!". I doubt it.


Here is this week's CSI file:

 I picked what I had which fit the scheme best, and came up with this layout:

Patterned papers & stickers: Amy Tangerine for AC. Rubons: Pink Paisley

Kraft Background & beads:Club Scrap. Photo Corner: Heidi Swapp

Alpha: BG. Paint: unknown. Pen: ZIG

Both kids claim they have a lot better milk shakes and ice cream desert further south in Europe. You have no idea how many photos I have of them drinking and eating the said treats! So while we were in Greece this summer, they grabbed the opportunity to get some!


Actually, I'm not sure if the dairy products are better further south, but may be they have the taste of Summer and Vacation?

CSI File #34: Relaxed

I admit it: when I saw last week's CSI color challenge, I though No Way! I never scrap with the given color combo and had no photo to go with it.

But a challenge isn't a challenge if it isn't challenging, right? So I put my thinking cap on. And suddenly I knew which photo I wanted to use, and what I wanted to scrap about.


To me relaxing is having time to do whatever I want to do, without thinking about what I actually should have done. Some times it's even necessary to get away from home to be able to relax completely, and this is what the journaling on my layout is about.

 The photo is of hubby during our stay in Greece this August. Releaxing isn't necessarely about doing nothing, but some times it feels so good! Just stretching out in the sun, having no worries or duties.

If it wasn't for this CSI challenge, I would probably have scrapped with completely different colors, but I'm very happy about the final result. I enjoyed beeing pushed out of my comfort zone, and will surely do it again!


What kind of challenges do you find are pushing you out of your comfort zone?