Big Idea Festival & Pencil Lines Sketch Challenge

  I've been following along over at Big Picture Scrapbooking's Big Idea Festival, but have yet been able to complete any of the challenge projects.  Until today that is!  With Isabelle down for a nap, I dug in and worked as quickly as possible to create the latest challenge layout with the help of Pencil Lines and Anna Bowkis' latest sketch and Colour Combo's Galore's pallette.

  Anyways, this is the layout I came up with based on my response to the starting sentence provided: I Listen.... I listen to the birds chirping and the squirels chattering as I sip my first cup of coffee in the morning.  This is my favorite time of day as the children are still asleep and the world is quiet.  The photo is a little dark, but with all the smoke and haze from the forest fires, there is little natural light today.  I have yet to finish my journaling, but I wanted to get the layout posted as soon as possible and will finish up tonight when everyone's asleep.

  I liked the addition of a little yellow to this colour pallette to brighten up the more muted tones of the papers.  I painted the grungeboard first with a soft yellow acrylic paint and then sprayed the bird with glimmer mist, so it actually has a shimmer that wasn't picked up in the photo.

Supplies:


Patterned paper - DCWV: Mi Casa,    Cardstock - Bazzil Basics and Paper Reflections,   Ribbon - Stampin' Up,    Font - Hannah Montanah Cricut Cart,  Border - Story Book Cricut Cart,    Ink - Stampin' Up: Going Gray,    Stamp - Autumn Leaves: Swirls V:I,   Alphabet Stamps - Making Memories: {NOTE} WORTHY,    Button - K&Company: Wild Safron,   Chipboard - Tim Holtz: Grungeboard,   Glimmer Mist - Tattered Angels

Precious Metal

  It was the morning of my daughter's friend's Birthday Party and we had yet to decide on a gift for her.  Normally this would involve a trip to the local toy store for a new Barbie, Bratz doll, or Littlest Pet Shop toy that these girls tend to favour.  But on this occasion I thought it would be fun to create something for once, especially since I have a room loaded with supplies for all types of crafts.  So here's what we came up with:

  Felicity and I created this tin together with her adding all sorts of sparkly finishing touches.  Her friend likes to collect all sorts of trinkets so this tin would be a perfect place to keep her treasures.  We also filled the tin with a hand crafted set of earings and necklace made by a friend in her favorite colours.  The papers are My Mind's Eye - Magnolia Starbirst "Sisters" collection and the glitter is Ranger - Tim Holtz Distressed Stickles.  Ribbons are Stampin' Up and American Crafts and gems were also unkown.

  This is a project I created for my husband when he first started working out of town.  I wanted something that would stand up to his wear and tear and would contain some treasured family photos for him as a momento while he's on the road.

  I spray painted a cigar tin with a hammered gold metal finish and stamped the word 'family' with Staz On walnut coloured ink.  I created a long accordian fold using an eleven inch strip and a six inch strip of gold Stampin' Up paper spliced together. I added metal accents from Stampin' Up's Hodge Podge kit and fussy cut floral accents from Basic Grey's Mellow 6" pad.

  Felicity had written a special note to her Dad and created this drawing which I scanned and shrunk down to put inside the mini file folder under her picture.  I used the computer to type her name on the tab at the top of the folder.

  The flap that has a picture of Tristan weaving a willow fish net with his Grandpa contains a special message to his Dad also.  It is always suprising what they will write when left to themselves.  Each message was very touching and much more than I expected from them at that age.

  A picture of Kieth's favorite toy was hidden in a pocket created behind the photo collage on the first page.  He was thrilled when he recieved this gift and keeps it with him when he's on the road.  With a new addition to our family (Isabelle), he says I have to make him another one that is up to date.  Could be a good winter project.

Back From Summer Vacation in Nova Scotia

  What an incredible experience to see the other side of this beautiful and diverse country we live in.  We had such a blast visiting in Nova Scotia and tried to see as much as possible in the short time we had to explore.  Peggy's Cove was the first on our must see tour after arriving rather jetlagged at 11:30 am Maritime time.  Taking the red eye is the only way to travel east I'm told, although not having slept a wink on the plane, I'm not so sure.  The rocks are enormous out here, and have been placed by the iceburgs all over this province.  Peggy's massive granite and crashing waves entertained us and the kids for at least a couple of hours.  I stood and watched as the waves kept building and climbing up the boulders.  A sign states that many have been injured or even killed by carelessly getting too close.

  The beach at Summerville was our favorite spot to hang out were the warm river waters meet the icy briny ocean.  There was an old train bridge that made for a great spot to dive in an float down the gental currents.  The white sand of their beaches is so soft on the feet and Isabelle loved running it through her little fingers while filling sand buckets on the shore.

  Kieth holding Isabelle on the wagonride at Ross Farm, a working historic farm in the interior of the province.  Felicity talked the driver's ear off with her many questions.

  We stopped at the "Look Off" (as locals call it) overlooking the Minas Basin on the Bay of Funday for some yummy icecream an a splendid view of the orchards and farms in the valley.  The tide was coming in and slowly filling the basin which almost emptys completely at low tide.

 Carter's Beach reminds me of the Carribean ocean with its clear teal coloured waters and white sandy beaches.  But the water there is frigid and not swimmable, although Kieth and Tristan dove in to show off there Manlyness.

  Lunenburg was full of History with all the beautifully maintained historic homes including this school that is still in use situated next to one of many local cemetaries. (Creepy!!)  I loved exploring this colourful village on foot.

  Kieth cooking our seafood feast of Lobster, Scallops, Muscles, Chicken and vegi Shishkabobs. 

  Felicity poses in front of this Nova Scotian tarten Lobster in the Halifax airport.  Hope we can make it back for another visit!