Auld Lang Syne!

Amazing isn't it? Another year come and gone just like that. For me, 2012 was marked by some personal ups and downs, but I'm glad to say that I am still here to tell the tale. Through it all, scrapbooking has helped me get out of my own head which is sometimes the trickiest place for me. I have been inspired by so many of you out there and I have grown scrapbookingly because of you all.

For a few days now, many of my fellow scrapbookers have been posting their top twelve layouts that they have made throughout the year. I have enjoyed seeing their layouts and reading of their thoughts on their creative processes. I thought I would mix it up a bit and share with you my top "ten" inspirational scrapbooking blogs. In no particular order, here we go:

1- http://jannawerner.de/

2- http://jenkinkade.blogspot.ca/

3- http://jenjockisch.com/

4- http://umenorskan.blogspot.ca/

5- http://justnicks.blogspot.ca/

6- http://gingerbread.typepad.com/

7- http://luciabarabas.blogspot.ca/

8- http://kristinedavidson.blogspot.ca/

9- http://kellygoree.blogspot.ca/

10- http://erinblegen.blogspot.ca/
11- http://jtcardmaking.blogspot.ca/

I always look forward in seeing all of these ladies' latest blog posts to see what they are up to. I have been enormously inspired by all of their work and ideas and can't wait to see what they will think up of next for us all. And this doesn't even include store, magazine, sketch and challenge blogs out there! Thank you ALL so much for everything you do for the scrapbooking industry and for little ol' scrapaholics like me!

May 2013 be full of beautiful creations, no scrappy block, lots of sharing, lots of growing and all things scrappy.

Happy scrapping!

Creative Scrappers: Sketch #241

Hello to all! I can't believe how fast 2012 has come and gone. Lots of great memories for sure. Looking back at all the layouts I've made through the year, for me, 2012 was a year when I definitely had my scrap on! :) Hopefully, 2013 will be just as productive for me and for you, too! Hee!Hee!

This week at Creative Scrappers was a real treat and so much fun because the sketch we worked with was by its creator, Kristine Davidson:

Like many other scrappers, I just love Kristine's sketches. They are so versatile, totally adaptable and user-friendly. Did you recognize the sketch? It's the CS new logo!! And even better, this week, the whole CS design team could participate in the reveal! The CS girls are ringing in the new year with a bang! Hee!Hee! And here is what I did with Kristine's sketch:

As a belated 2010 Christmas gift, a friend of mine, Philippe Dumas, photographed my niece in June 2012, as she and her parents were moving from the house they had always lived in since she was four. This picture is of her in the treehouse her Pépére (my Papape) built for her. Such a natural shot of her... love it to bits!

I used TONS of Basic Grey Hopscotch collection on this one. I also added some Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze, Magenta mesh, Stampin' Up brads, Studio Calico wood veneers, Cosmo Cricket tiny sayings, Queen's Co washi tape, and stitching using a Crafter's Workshop template.

Speaking of TONS, the CS girls outdid themselves once again with this sketch. Head on over to Creative Scrappers and see for yourselves! A prize package from CS' December sponsor, Deena Ziegler, is still up for grabs for your CS participation. Complete a least one layout from CS sketches #237-238-239-240 and upload it (them) to the CS inLinkz at the bottom of the respective CS reveal(s). You have until January 1, 2013, to upload your layout(s).

On that note, I hope you have the best New Year's Eve possible with celebrations the way you like them most, may it be with tons of friends and family dancing the night away or with a bowl of popcorn watching a good movie. May 2013 bring you peace, joy, love and of course, lots of scrappiness!

Happy scrapping!

Creative Scrappers: Sketch #240

Two days to go! Two days to go! Christmas is literally just around the corner!! Are you ready? I always have some last-minute things to do, but it always gets done somehow. And it's so great to see the magic of Christmas through our son's eyes... and even better this year, my parents are coming for Christmas!! We haven't been with them for the Holidays for four years now. It's definitely going to feel like Christmas this year.

And yes, Creative Scrappers had another amazing reveal this morning. This week, the CS girls had the chance to work with a great sketch by the über talented Nicole Nowosad:

Don't you LOVE those pie chart circles? I love how Nicole is always coming up with trendy elements on her layouts. When I first saw the sketch, I was immediately drawn to those circles and started from there, making them while watching an episode of The Voice. The next night, I sat down to continue the layout, but I strayed BIGTIME from the sketch and started using circle punches instead. You may say I was punch happy that night! Hee!Hee! Creativity took the better of me... And that was fine, especially since it wasn't my turn to be featured at CS! ;) Here's what I came up with:

Once again, this is a mish mash of manufacturers: Basic Grey, Cosmo Cricket, Maya Road, Close to My Heart, Jillibean Soup, Robin's Nest, Studio Calico, Authentique, Bo Bunny, Tim Holtz, Kaisercraft, and Crafter's Workshop. And did you notice? No Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze on this one! Totally living on the wild side!! Hee!Hee!

Now, for lots of scrappy inspiration, head on over to Creative Scrappers. The CS girls did an amazing job with this sketch. As always, there is a prize package up for grabs for your CS participation. To win a fab prize from CS' December sponsor, Deena Ziegler, complete at least one layout from CS sketches #237-238-239-240 and upload it (them) to the CS inLinkz at the bottom of the CS reveals. You have until January 1, 2013 to upload your layout(s).

On this note, have a wonderful holiday season with family, friends and anyone else who makes your days brighter. Happy scrapping!

Creative Scrappers: Sketch #239

Hello, everyone! WOW! Christmas is just around the corner! Can you imagine? Every year at work, we organize a Christmas party for the kids and today's the day!! Rumour has it that Santa will be making an appearance... my son has been counting down the sleeps for a few days now. And come to think of it, he had a hard time falling asleep last night... Santa fever must have gotten the better of him. Hee!Hee! And with all the craziness that has been going on in the world as of late, it will be extra special this Christmas to see all of our children's eyes light up with delight... I know that I will appreciate everything that comes with Christmas a little bit more this year.

Today's also the day for another Creative Scrappers reveal. And I really do believe that this reveal is one of my all-time favourites. Each layout is truly amazing! Heather Leopard's awesome sketch was definitely a great starting point:

And here is what I created:

As you can see, I flipped some elements to other side of the page... When I had my pieces as per the sketch, the upper photo of Louis-Olivier was facing towards the outside left of the layout and it just drove me nuts!! This way, by moving the design elements to the right, he now faces towards the title at the centre of the page and makes for a cozier effect. And yes, my wee, scrappy panic attack has subsided... ;)

Once again, Echo Park for the win! Yes, most elements are from Echo Park's Season's Greetings collection. I also added some bits and pieces of Stampin' Up, Prima, Graphic 45, Tim Holtz, Pink Paislee, Studio Calico, Websters, Dymo and Tattered Angels. The stitching element was totally inspired by Nicole Nowosad's amazing creations.

Are you ready to see for yourselves the awesome job the CS girls did with this layout? Go to today's reveal right here... and be prepared for some major scrappy inspiration!! As always, there is a prize package up for grabs for your participation at Creative Scrappers. To win such a prize from the CS December sponsor Deena Ziegler, complete at least one layout from the CS sketches #237-238-239-240 and upload it(them) to the CS inLinkz at the bottom of the CS reveals. You have until January 1, 2013, to upload your layout(s).

Happy scrapping!

Paper Secrets December Colour Challenge

Hello, everyone! With all the Christmas hustle and bustle as of late, I decided to sit down and scrap just for the fun of it. At the beginning of December, Paper Secrets dared their scrappy peeps to do a project based on this colour scheme:

I decided to try it out. Here is what I came up with:

Yes, you guessed it - lots of odds and ends of Echo Park This & That. I also added some American Crafts Thickers alphas, Studio Calico wood veneers, Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze, Liquitex Acrylic Ink, and some stitching with Bazzill Basics stitching templates. And the sketch? Largely inspired by a December 2012 PageMaps sketch.

Happy scrapping!

Creative Scrappers: Sketch #238

Hello, everyone! Well. I arrived earlier today from a weekend trip to Toronto where I was singing in three Christmas recitals over the weekend with my brother, Bruno. Phew! Rough flight on the way back with the "storm" and all. TONS of turbulence. I am tired... BUT, totally had a great time and so glad to be back (I actually let out a sigh of relief when I walked into my scraproom to find new homes for some new scrappy goodies!). PLUS, I can talk to you about the latest at Creative Scrappers. This week, the CS girls had an another awesome Juliana Michaels sketch to work with:

I have always wanted to do a sunburst pattern like that, especially since I've seen them popping up everywhere in scrappy magazines, galleries and blogs for a few months now. This is where the inspiration lead me:

Isn't that teddy bear the cutest? Babette is her name (after a quirky character on Gilmore Girls) and it's actually a gift I received from Mathieu way back when. It's now one of our son's go-to bears for bedtime.

I've been drawn to pastels lately... weird for me, eh? I know! But I really love this Echo Park Sweet Day collection and thought that it would just be so perfect to honour the sweetness of Babette. Hee!Hee! After fussy cutting those balloons you see, I also opted for some American Crafts brads, Basic Grey alphas, Close to My Heart cardstock (yes, I do use cardstock from time to time!), Studio Calico wood veneers, Stampin' Up ribbon, Tim Holtz staples, and, of course, Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze.

As always, there is a prize package up for grabs for your participation at Creative Scrappers. To win such a prize from the CS December sponsor Deena Ziegler, complete at least one layout from the CS sketches #237-238-239-240 and upload it(them) to the CS inLinkz at the bottom of the CS reveals. You have until January 1, 2013, to upload your layout(s).

Happy scrapping!

Creative Scrappers: Sketch #237

We're in December... Christmastime is here! I do find December very stressful from time to time, though... Thank goodness for scrapbooking! It definitely keeps me sane! Hee!Hee! And for this week's reveal at Creative Scrappers, I got to play with a Kiki Halbert sketch. So much fun! Truly, it is a scrapbooker's dream of a sketch:

And here is what I made:

I was so looking forward to today in order to finally be able to show this layout, especially to the two women you see front and centre. Now, I knew these two or at least of these two before I started scrapbooking. I actually went to school with the one on the left's daughter and my sister has worked with the one on the right for ages. But it's really through scrapbooking that I got the chance to know them a little bit more and I truly love them to bits. Whenever I go home and get the chance to scrapbook with them, it's always a hoot!! The pictures I used is actually one I took of them at a local crop a few years back. Can't wait to see you again, girls!

I had lots of fun mixing and matching different company products for this layout. I used some Studio Calico, Crate Paper and Basic Grey patterned paper, Studio Calico frames and wood veneers, Maya Road metal embellishments, Bella Blvd buttons, Adirondack acrylic paint dabbers, Tattered Angels Glimmer Glaze, American Crafts Thickers alphas, and I new personal favourite of mine, the new Creative Memories hexagon punch. And those big circles in the background? I just dabbed some acrylic paint on the edge of an old cup and stamped away!

And of course, the CS girls did and awesome job with this week's sketch. Wanna see?!? Head on over to Creative Scrappers and enjoy!

To win a prize package from our December sponsor Deena Ziegler, complete a least one layout from our sketches #237-238-239-240 and upload it using CS' inLinkz at the bottom of its reveals. The deadline to submit your layout(s) is January 1, 2012. Happy scrapping!