pretty paper. true stories. {and scrapbooking classes with cupcakes.}

When I went back over some of our photos, these two made me laugh. I remember sitting on a bench in Melbourne, just too tired to walk or think straight for a bit because we had just taken part in a ‘cycle for power’ thing where you got on a bicycle that was hooked up to a power generator and the energy from all our pedalling got pumped straight into the city’s power grid. It was kinda crazy sprint cycling (even though we weren’t actually going anywhere) and about three minutes later we both looked at each other and realised we had to sit down. Now.

So these two photos were really me being exhausted and a bit silly, but they are the only two images in all those thousands that show something I saw every single day. With just two pairs of shoes, I was always looking at either these sandals or a pair of red Chucks. And that handbag joined our journey from Phnom Penh, after my first handbag (a completely fake Cath Kidston bag from a street market in Bangkok) fell to pieces. This green bag was horrible, actually. It was so uncomfortable to carry, it always got in the way… but I was determined to just make do rather than go shopping for a day bag yet again. We were both sick of the sight of this bag by the time we came home!

So now my feet have criss-crossed tan lines (despite covering them in sunblock every day) and I can sort out nail varnish rather than just leaving it to crack and I can carry a bag that I actually like. Two of the three are kinda fun. Also fun: scrapbooking with patterned paper!

So here’s Scrapbooking Day Challenge 1: Use patterned paper for your page background. Pretty simple! You can follow this page if that helps or you can create something completely unique – as long as the background is a sheet of patterned paper rather than solid cardstock, then you’re all set.

And there’s a prize for this challenge! To enter, create your page and share it online – on Flickr, in a page gallery or on your blog. Then leave a link to your page via the Mr Linky box below – or you can leave a comment if you prefer.

A note about all the Scrapbooking Day challenges here: You can enter any time between now and Sunday, 15th May, so you have a full week to do as many challenges as you like. Unless otherwise noted, winners have a choice of prize – an online class pass or a gift pack of scrapbooking stash. I’ll also be choosing three winners from all the links and comments left today (Saturday the 7th of May) on any post, so just participating and saying hello gives you another chance to win!

xlovesx

Comment [71]

Thank you so much for joining me for the online crop over this past weekend! I am loving all the projects and photos that are being posted. If you still have some time to take some pictures or finish up a crafting project, you can still get in on the fun — all of these challenges are open until 6am Tuesday morning — UK time. And each of these has a prize package up for grabs! Here’s a quick run-down of everything in one place:

Crafting challenges:
Scrapbooking with red, aqua and white
The first sketch
Scrapbooking with a free printable alphabet
Scrapbooking with circles
Scrapbooking with black and white photos
Scrapbooking with patterned papers
Journal around the page
Scrapbooking with squares
Scrapbooking with at least a little pink
The second sketch
Scrapbooking with heart
Scrapbooking with letters or numbers
Scrapbooking with paper rosettes
Scrapbooking with stamps
Scrapbooking with quadrants
The third sketch
Scrapbooking with layers
Scrapbooking with your favourite supplies
Scrapbooking with whatever you have left

Photo challenges:
Get close
Manmade
Through the glass
Explosive energy
I saw the sign
Night light
Up above
Add a laugh
Nature
Below the knee
Reflections
Study session
Get in the picture
Portrait or candid?
Craft in progress
Zoom out
Smiles
At home

And there are two posts where you can win a great prize just by leaving a comment.
Share a favourite quotation
Share a scrapbooking thought

Winners will be posted on Wednesday, and look for some details about an online class tomorrow! I hope everyone has a lovely week.

xlovesx

Comment [28]

Thanks so much for joining me for whatever part of this three days of crafting you could! It’s been lovely to see your photos and projects pop up across the blogosphere and in page galleries!

For our final giveaway, just leave a comment on this post sharing a thought about why you love scrapbooking. That’s all — just a little positive thought about this creative outlet that everyone here has in common.

One comment will be randomly chosen to win your choice of a knitted bow headband or a knitted flower wearable from The Funky Beau, Rachel’s lovely folksy shop with cute and affordable hand-knitted accessories. Please see this post for all the deadlines and details about this weekend. You have until bright and early Tuesday morning to enter this and all the other prize drawings from this weekend. I’m also going to throw in some extra prizes here and there. All of the prize drawings announced on each post will be randomly chosen, but I’ve saved some shimelle.com class passes to give to a few scrappers who have really made the most of the crop by taking part in many challenges or by creating a real masterpiece for one of the challenges. So those are out there to be won too! All of the prize winners will be announced on Wednesday, as the challenges are open until Tuesday morning.

Thanks again and I hope you had a lovely weekend, no matter how much scrapping you had on the schedule.

xlovesx

Comment [60]

If you’ve been cropping with us all weekend (or you’ve been out and about with all the other things on your schedule), it’s about time to crash and relax for the last few hours of Sunday. So this final challenge is something nice and calm.

Your challenge is to take and post a photograph from home! Absolutely anything in your home – a tiny little detail or a wider shot of everyone relaxing in the living room. As long as it’s from home, you’re all set.

Post your image on Flickr, on your blog or in another online photo gallery. Leave a link to it in the comments on this post to be entered.

One winner will be randomly chosen to win a prize pack of scrapbooking supplies with a home theme, but also great for a variety of other projects.

Please see this post for all the deadlines and details about this weekend.

You can even take this picture from right there at your computer screen if you fancy!

xlovesx

Comment [55]

One final crafting challenge for this weekend to help get the most of the supplies you’ve hauled out over the last three days or so: create something with the leftovers from everything else you’ve been creating. Try not to cut into any full sheets of paper or open any new packages of product – make a card, scrapbook page or tag with whatever you have open. Digi artists won’t have run out of anything of course but try using just elements you’ve already worked with this weekend to get a new look from the same selection of supplies.

As always, upload your project to your gallery or blog and post a link in the comments. One entry will win a prize pack of scrapbooking goodies — all full sheets and new packages, I promise!

Don’t miss the two hourly posts to follow — one last photo challenge and then a comment-to-win post to draw things to a close!

xlovesx

Comment [19]

If you’re happy and you know it… you should be smiling, right? So here’s a challenge that I hope won’t be too difficult for this weekend.

Your challenge is to take and post a photograph with at least one smile! Whether it’s you, a friend, a family member or your dog – just make sure there’s a smile on display.

Post your image on Flickr, on your blog or in another online photo gallery. Leave a link to it in the comments on this post to be entered.

One winner will be randomly chosen to win a prize pack of scrapbooking supplies, and the winner can choose from several options to make sure it’s just what she would like to add to her stash.

Please see this post for all the deadlines and details about this weekend.

Now run off and command people to say cheese!

xlovesx

Comment [44]

I almost always mix up my manufacturers when I scrapbook and tend to pull a piece of paper from this collection, some die cuts from that collection and some completely unrelated ribbon to form the mix that I want. But occasionally it can be quite liberating to take it back to just one collection or designer and work within that range.

Your next crafting challenge is to create a project with predominately one collection or manufacturer’s supplies — choose your favourites! Make a scrapbook page, card or other project and upload it to share. Leave a link in the comments and one comment will be randomly chosen to win a prize pack of scrapbooking supplies from a manufacturer of your choice!

So… what will your favourite be today?

xlovesx

Comment [22]

Nine times out of ten, I take pictures that are zoomed in close (well, maybe not with a zoom lens but still — framed closely) and I have to physically remind myself to take shots that include more of the scene. So if I have to remind myself, well… I’m going to remind you too. Just this once.

Your challenge is to zoom out and take a photograph of a whole scene. Depending on your camera, you may need to do this with your feet or your lens!

Post your image on Flickr, on your blog or in another online photo gallery. Leave a link to it in the comments on this post to be entered.

One winner will be randomly chosen to win a prize pack of scrapbooking supplies from American Crafts, ready for your next crafting project.

Please see this post for all the deadlines and details about this weekend.

Now… what scene will you find? Indoors and outdoors both welcome!

xlovesx

Comment [35]