DARE TO BE YOURSELF ~ ARCHISCRAPS CHALLENGE

Good morning on the first day of Spring in Australia, I for one am looking forward to some warm weather. So the start of a new month means new challenges, today I am sharing my last layout as part of the DT for Archiscraps. I am sad to be stepping away and have enjoyed my time on the team.
So onto the challenge, which this month is to use lots of something . I have used lots of butterflies 

Dare to be yourself

Hope you join us this month with your take on the challenge.
Enjoy your day , I hope its a good one
Love, Peace and Kindness 
Mary x

WORLDS BEST DAD ~ KAISERCRAFT

Good Morning fellow scrappers. With Fathers Day this weekend in Australia I am popping in quickly this morning to share a card I made with the Kaisercraft Factory 42 Range. The range is perfect for Masculine layouts/cards/tags.

I am also just making it in time to enter in the challenge at Kaisercraft to use coggs this month.

I hope you like my attempt to make a tie with ribbon :)

Our children are very lucky to have such a good Dad. He was firm when they were little, but it was probably a good balance as I was too soft, however I also expected good behaviour and manners. They knew if he said something he meant it and knew not to overstep the mark. He would be on the sidelines to all the sporting events and coached as well , attended all the school functions ect ( now we do it for the Grandkids) They know he is always there if they need him and would go to the ends of the earth for them. He has really softened in his old age , which they find funny.

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads/Grandads 

Love ,Peace and Kindness

Mary x

Leave Ordinary Behind ~ Stuck Sketches ~ Kaisercraft

Good morning ! Today I would like to share a layout for the challenge at Stuck Sketches. The sketch really appealed to me, Also I am entering the layout in the Kaisercraft Challenge this month , which is to use coggs.
The sketch ~

and this is my take 

I have used the new range from Kaisercraft Factory 42 Collection

My beautiful Grandson who is growing up way to fast !

Thanks so much for popping by, I really do appreciate any comments.
Have a wonderful week
Love, Peace and Kindness
Mary x

Free Spirit ~ aall-and-create

Good Afternoon !
The new challenge is up at aall-and-create and once again I have been inspired to join in. The new challenge is Asia inspired. You must use at least one of the prompts ~

Motifs inspired by mandalas

· Geometric shapes

· Tiles - ceramic, pantiles, glazed tiles, or their designs...

· Asiatic flowers, such as cherry blossom, chrysanthemum, orchids, lotus, Frangipani, lilies, hibiscus etc..

· Calligraphy or handwriting

· Fabric, faded or dyed

· Powdered pigments

Free Spirit

I have used the Asiatic Flowers and also pan pastel on the stenciled cherry blossoms for the powdered pigment prompt.

It was nice to have this photo of my middle child ( the free spirited, gypsy child ) as he is usually the one behind the camera. The boy who took the photo kindly said I could use the photo of Christopher letting the Children from the Blue Sky School in Thailand play with his camera , taking a photo of him !

He has been over to the orphanage/school the last couple of years , working on building what is ever needed at the time and helping the children with school, the experience has really had a impact on him and he wants to go back again. He has never been materialistic but is even less so now. The children have so little by western comparisan but also have so much. They are happy, they have each other , they find happiness in the simplest of things ( no fancy toys or play stations etc ) They are looked after and appreciate everything. To me they seem a lot happier than a lot of children that have everything that money can buy. But it is when they get older and don't have the opportunities for careers etc and they have to find their way in the world that life will become more difficult for some of them sadly. He said they really want to learn though and try hard at school and learning English.

I know he is very grateful for the opportunity to help out at the school and I am sure he has made a positive impact no matter how small  and that makes me happy.
Thank You for calling by, I love to read any comments. I hope the coming week is filled with happy moments for you.
Love, Peace and Kindness
Mary x

DO YOU SEE ME ~ I AM

Hello on a winters day here, It is trying its best to snow and I am glad to have a day at home today.
I received some lovely mists in the mail from Scrapbook fantasies for a challenge I won and I had a little play , which led to ....

Do you See me ~ I am 

Which led me to create the page for the challenge at aall-and-create.
The criteria

• A face
• Papers (newspaper, printed paper, rice paper…etc.)
• Letters, numbers
• Blue for the colour of the European Union, Union Jack...
• Ribbon, twine, string or lace…
• Textures – take inspiration from history from ancient civilisations to the fall of the Berlin Wall
• Something both vintage and modern

You don't have to use all the criteria, but I think I have used most of it.

Not sure if I am the only one, but I can see a face , which I have highlighted with a white gel pen ( on the right of my layout ) This made me think of a photo I took in Prague and hence that is how the layout came about.

Can you see the half face ? I see a eye and half a mouth .

I later decided to add some numbers

 The sculptor shows seven bronze figures descending a flight of stairs. The statues appear more "decayed" the further away they are from you - losing limbs and their bodies breaking open. It symbolises how political prisoners were affected by Communism.

Thank You for calling by, please let me know you were here, I love to read any comments and they are appreciated.

Love, Peace and Kindness 

Mary x

Adorable ~ A2Z Scraplets

Hello ! today I would like to share some of my DT layouts for A2Z Scraplets, using their wonderful Chipboard pieces
I am on the A2Z Scraplets blog today with this layout

Adorable 

I have used the Adorable chipboard piece as my title. 

I then used the fence and the diamond shape wrought iron piece  (that the little photo of Joseph and myself is placed on ) to create  a little scene. 
For a description of how I treated the chipboard and a link to products used visit the A2Z Blog and whilst there check out the wonderful inspiration from the DT.

Popped some old star shaped brads on as well.

Smile

The next layout I have used the cool flower with the word Smile as part of its stem

My eldest son Joseph again with a good friend (still good friends) 

In this layout of our daughterI used the vine chipboard piece to continue down the page as part of the jasmine vine 

and finally a layout of our precious Grandson

Precious Baby

thanks so much for calling by, please let me know you were here, I really do appreciate your comments. Don't forget to visit the blog and shop, my goodness there is soooo many designs to choose from.

Love , Peace and Kindness
Mary x

THOSE THAT MATTER DON'T MIND ~ CHALLENGE YOURSELF

Good afternoon, after working I think it's time to relax , listen to Leonard Cohen and do some creating :)
The challenge over at Challenge yourself this month is to use Die Cuts

this is my take on the challenge , using die cut flowers and leaves 

This quote has been mulling around in my head the last few days, so I though I should get it down on paper ( scrapping can be therapy a lot of the time I find )

I also just got myself some Distress Oxide and having a play with them. I am liking them and think I will use them a lot.

Thank You for calling by, I hope your week is a good one, the weekends go way too fast !

Love, Peace and Kindness

Mary x