Monday

The past 2 days, we had a painter redo our living room. While I am super happy to have a neat and clean living room now, it was quite difficult to live without our main room. 

Last night, I finally had some time again to scrap. 

I am not sure how it at your house, but the evenings are the hardest part of the day. DD is totally over the top, DS gets very loud when he gets tired and I am useless in the evening. Thankfully DH is around most of the time and helps out. 

So when I can say: Babies down, the battle is won and I can relax. 

When you lift up the photo, you can see the journaling and a photo of our kids (DH had the great ide< of adding the contrasting photo - isn't that sweet?)

I used the sketch from Let's Capture These Sketches 141 

 

I loved using a leather ribbon on the left side

The swirl is copied on the right side. I also did some masking!

The scrabble letters from Kaisercraft feel like wood veneer. 

Thanks for stopping by!

All the best, 

Elisabeth

Thursday

My June kit from Swirlydoos is perfect for those cute boy pictures I have of DS. As you might have seen on my last post, our furniture likes to "eat" our little, mobile boy. 

Hoppala means Oups! I used the sketch from Let's capture these sketches Nr 140 as a basis

All goodies are from my Swirlydoos June kit. With some items (just like the pendant) added from older kits.

I really liked putting the photo and the layering at an angle. Nothing is "straight" anymore when our little boy is on the move. 

Here are some details:

I used the wire to create those fun  spirals to add a bit more dimension to my flower cluster 

 The journaling is on a pull out tag. 

Here is the title and the cute doily die cut

Every morning, we do something fun with the Ferienspiel. Today, it was an outdoor day.

My sweet DD today at the outdoor adventure

and DS all ready to go with her

Thanks for stopping by, 

All the best, 

Elisabeth

Monday

On Friday, the June and July kit of Swirlydoos arrived. I was in heaven. The July kit contains the very special Swedish PION papers. Goodness are they beautiful.

The photo frame in the middle is very inspiring. I cut out the middle, flipped it over and added it back in after distressing and inking the sides. I also distressed and inked the frame and added a bit of lace around it. I cut a small incision to add a half of a journaling note card from Prima (from a  previous kit), which I misted and worked with smooch colors to match the colors of the layout. 

There was this white space above the photo, which I did not like. Then I watched the monthly technique kit from Lynne over on YouTube and then had the idea of adding texture with molding paste and ink. 

A bit of sewing was added to the sides and the inner sqare. The ZVA creative swirl was just white, I used my copic marker to color two strands in blue to match the layout. 

The photo was really bright blue- I used the "fade" function on iphoto to match the colors

Here are a few details. I love the tinsel from PinkPaislee which I added to the flower cluster. 

Here you can see the molding paste and lace I added. I also added a pull out tag for the hidden journaling.

The design was a bit too oriented towards the right, so I added the flowers and butterflies for a better balance.

In our apartment, we have got very dangerous furniture! It keeps "eating" our little boy! 6 months is a fun age.

Thanks for stopping by!

All the best, 

Elisabeth

Saturday

In my June Swirlydoos Kit, I found, amongst other beauties, papers, brads and trinkets from Bo Bunny Weekend Market. The perfect colors to scrap more photos of DS's baptism, a month ago. 

I just love the rich brown and blue colors! Not to mention all the fabulous embellishments that come with that line. 

I based it on Creative Scrappers Nr 216. 

Here are some close ups:

I fussy cut the flowers from a paper, added the Prima FAMILY on top of white feathers. I took the tiny tiny letters from Kaisercraft for the date. To give the photos a bit of a sparkle, I added some glimmer around them. 

The journaling is written on Prima packaging paper. The colors fit perfectly. I added the beautiful Prima flower and the Bo Bunny trinket to complete this cluster. 

I started to experiment with my sewing machine, changing the stitch and the length of stitch for aded interest. Another Prima trinket (the cute little bird) and some serious layering for added texture.

On this photo, I added the Tim Holtz embellishments, and a Martha Stewart punch with Prima bling. 

All of last week, DD was involved in a musical. Yesterday was the final performance. It was brilliant! Amazing what they managed to achieve in just 5 days. 

Thanks for stopping by!

All the best, 

Elisabeth

Thursday

Finally, the weather is a better - the heat was just too much for the babies (myself included!) 

Last night, I finished this layout using the April Swirlydoos kit. I used the sketch from Get Creative and then went nuts with layering. 

Here is the sketch

Here are some close ups. 

DD was very upset when she read the title (she will be in G1 in the fall and it took her a while to read the title - she did not read the cute, cute small print underneath. Only when I read it to her, she liked it. Good lesson on READING THE FINE PRINT!!!!)

 

I had this fun, fussy ribbon, which I twisted over a pencil and then glued it onto the page. I like the effect and the added dimension. 

Off to do some chores and clean out the refrigerator-  one of my least favorite things to do in the kitchen but since I am not keen on science experiments in my fridge, it has to be done. Sigh. I would rather sit and play with my papers LOL-

Thanks for stopping by. 

All the best, 

Elisabeth

Wednesday Once Upon a Sketch

This month's challenge at Once Upon a Sketch is FRIENDS. 

I am best friends with my older sister - we talk on the phone every day and see each other very, very often. This means so much to me and I truly hope that DD and DS will become best friends as well. I had so much to say to DD that I put a mini book on top of the layout to get all the journaling on it. 

The title of the layout Liebe Sarah (dear Sarah) is just like the beginning of a letter. 

Here is the sketch 

This is the title page of the mini album. The butterfly is mounted with 3D pads for more dimension. I used the Country Garden Collection from Bo Bunny. I love the soft but happy colors and patterns. Just perfect for my two little sweethearts.

Now a few close ups:

On each side, I made a few tags to pull out with photos of DD and DS. 

 I folded over the corner, added a "lock" brad on it and tucked a fluffy string in loops underneath.

Here, I ripped the edge a bit, tucked a doily underneath and decorated it with a layered flower. The paper itself had some stitching printed on it, so I added some real stitching on the edges as well. 

Thanks for stopping by!

All the best, 

Elisabeth

Sunday

I finally managed to complete this layout, based on Got sketch Nr 146. It just would not work. I found it quite challenging to use such a BIG photo but now I actually like it a lot. 

Here is the sketch I used: http://gotsketch.blogspot.co.at/2012/06/sketch-146.html

I took the colors from the blanket and used them on the layout. Otherwise, I kept it fairly simple not to take away the focus from the photo. 

Here is a close up of the right side: 

I created the light blue backing for the "6"by using molding paste and a screen, then I cut it out. I layered quite a few pieces of paper, ribbon and lace for added interest. 

I also made a center step card. You can find the tutorial to this technique HERE.

I used the Prima Londonarry 6x6 for ir. The little heart is also from Prima. 

My DS is practicing to crawl every day. He is a very mobile kid for his age.

And DD is busy with vacation activities.

Off to go to the pool to practice swimming with DD!

Thanks for stopping by!

All the best, 

Elisabeth

Saturday

It has been so hot here in Vienna! 96°F and no airconditioning. We had to choose our activities very carefully, only go out in the early morning and in the evening. Taking lots of cold showers and enjoy our fans. 

Last night, I finished this layout, using more of my May Swirlydoos kit. I fussy cut the flowers from Donna Salazar's Crafter's chronicle. For my taste, I put very few embellishments on the page but the purple is so pretty that I did not want to cover it up. 

DS cannot sit up quite yet, just for a few seconds, therefore he still has to lay down in his stroller, which he dislikes a lot (and he expresses his dislike with  a very stringed voice) So, despite the heat, I carry him around in his ergocarrier. 

Here are some closeups 

 

With DD being on summer holiday, we did something fun everyday- different museums, companies and institutions offer great activities and even the university of music has courses for children. She  had a voice lesson, which she absolutely adored. 

Thanks for stopping by!

All the best, 

Elisabeth

Wednesday

Summer has arrived in Vienna with an incredible heat wave. We are trying very hard to keep the kids cool! 

DD has started her activities of the Wiener Ferienspiel. There are about a billion activities to choose from, all either for free or for a nominal fee of 3 euros. On Monday, DD built a raft and tried it out on the old Danube. The girls (aged between 6 and 12) basically designed and made it themselves. The adults only helped with tying the knots really tight. They were thrilled when it actually floated (especially since the raft of the boys fell apart!)

Here are the photos from the raft building. 

 I used the sketchabilities Nr 74

Orange is one of my least favorite colors. With all the bright orange life vests, I was very happy to see that Bo Bunny Country Garden has some orange in there as well. 

 Here are some close ups. 

I used lots of foam dots for added dimension 

I fussy cut the butterflies from the paper to sit on the sprig. 

Used a variety of flowers from my stash for the upper cluster. 

Thanks for stopping by!

All the best, 

Elisabeth