Welcome to my post...today I would like to share with you my projects for Scrapbookit and Sketches in Thyme which were both posted online on Thursday.
So grab a cuppa......we could be here for a little while!

SCRAPBOOKIT
The February/March challenge is up and running over at Scrapbookit. Click here to pop on over and check out what has been produced by the girls so far.
I have been lucky enough to work with the Kaisercraft Marigold Collection this month. I will admit that I am not a 'flowery' sort of girl but these papers have been so fun to work with. It made the challenge a breeze.....well, maybe!

The challenge this month at Scrapbookit is to:-
* Use a mask
* Use mist
* Use string or twine
Plus use this gorgeous sketch from Scrapbook Challenges.

Well, I was a touch naughty.....I flipped my sketch over and turned the photo so that it was a landscape photo. I can see a resemblance to the sketch........maybe you will tell me otherwise!

Here is my layout...

I have used the beautiful Kaisercraft Marigold Papers and Sticker sheet embellishments, bakers twine, Silhouette Cameo and Font 'SNF Infinity Bold,' The Crafter's Workshop 6x6 Template - Mini Rustic Paint, Mister Huey's Colour Mists - Dark Calico,  Kaisercraft Wooden Flourish - Ornate Frame.
Such a great little collection of yummy scrappy goodness I say!


Scrapbookit also has a card challenge. For this month's challenge you need to follow the following guidelines...
* Use embossing
* Use rub-ons
* Use a quote

I have enjoyed using the Marigold Collection so much that I made another card....just because I could! Actually I was procrastinating from doing work!

So they are my most recent projects for Scrapbookit. Just before I switch over to Sketches inThyme....If you have kids that love to scrapbook too...make sure they also head on over to Scrapbookit. This month we are trialling something new...
A kids challenge!
Make sure you pop over and check it out.

SKETCHES IN THYME
Over at Sketches in Thyme we have a new 'Double Page' layout. 
Here is the sketch....

There is some awesome inspiration from all of the Mavens and as always, we welcome you to join in. You may like to flip, rotate, and adapt the sketch to work for you- as long as we can still see the sketch in there, you're good! If you link up to any of the February sketches, you're entered to be a guest designer with us in April!! 


As I have said previously, I am using all of my Sketches in Thyme work to chip away at Brayden's baby album. So I apologise if you are sick of all of the baby photos.
I was so excited to use some paper by 'Little Yellow Bicycle' that I have had stashed away. It is the Baby Saurus collection. 
The photos were taken of Brayden when he was only a few days old. It was one of his first experiences in his bouncer. I gathered all of these photos together and made it a 'Many Faces of Our Boy' page.
Here it is...

Not only did I use papers out of my stash I also used embellishments that I have had stashed away for a long time like the little nappy pin and tags.
I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the cute little stars and two types of Thickers for my title.

Make sure you head over to Sketches in Thyme to check out what the other Mavens have created.....they are amazing! While you are there why not join in!

Well, that is me for today...my blog posts have been very few this year but hopefully I have inspired you to head over to Scrapbookit and Sketches in Thyme to join in the creative fun!
See you there,

By the way if you are a Facebook user I am beginning to create a 'Mels Me Time' page...not a lot there just yet but would love you to pop on over and like my page!
Here is the link....MelsMeTime on Facebook!

Wow! Isn't the month flying...
I am here today to share with you my latest layout as Design Team Maven over at Sketches in Thyme.
It will only be a quick post today as I am busily making and decorating a cake to celebrate Brayden's birthday tomorrow with family.
Here is the sketch that we had to use...

Here is my take on the #102 sketch.

I have used a mask and some Glimmer mist to create the background. Some gorgeous patterned paper from my stash that I bought years ago and Fabric Thickers for the title. I cut the scrolls with my Silhouette Cameo and doodled around the edges with white gel pen. I used a white fabric flower and some Kaiser paper blooms, as well as some roses for the flower cluster...

I apologise that this is a short post and I will attempt to get back and share a few other layouts with you from the past two weeks...it has been a little busy in my world!
Well, back to the cake making and decorating!

Happy Australia Day!
For those of you who are not Australians...today we celebrate our wonderful country! Lots of BBQs, Aussie flags, a few beers and a long weekend.

We have been lucky enough to be away for the last few days. Last night we had dinner on the foreshore.....a gorgeous night it was.

We have spent plenty of time in the pool....it has been hot! And heaps of time relaxing! Just what we needed...

Today I am here to share with you two projects that I have worked on in the last little bit.

Firstly, over at Sketches in Thyme we have launched part 2 of the Sketch #100. A double page sketch. As I said in one of my earlier posts...I have made it my goal to work really hard on my sons baby album using Sketches in Thyme as my inspiration. Here is sketch # 100.

And here is my take on the sketch....

These photos were taken of Brayden and his Aunty and Uncle a short time after he was born.
I have used Kaisercard, Simple Stories 100 Days of Summer Patterned Paper Collection, some Kaiser wooden flourishes and some Thickers. I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut the letters for 'Oh, how we adore you.'
Do you like my cute little flowers? I cut circles with a decorative edge and then folded them. I placed them around in a circle to create the flower and then held them together with a brad. 
Why not pop on over to Sketches in Thyme by clicking here and check the other layouts from the DT Mavens? There is some awesome inspiration!

My second project to share today is a layout that I have done of our Thailand holiday. Liz (a friend of mine) had a challenge at Soul Scrappers for a layout with a holiday theme. I thought I would jump in and participate.....here is my layout.

The challenge was to complete a double layout with a holiday theme using 5 or more photos. It also had to include 2 or more pieces of chipboard.
I have made a little pocket behind the photos to hold the brochure and my journalling.
I used the Kaisercraft Pack Your Bags collection and embellies that I purchased quite a while ago. The Thailand chipboard is by Scrap FX and the little chipboard tickets are by Simple Collections (I think.....) which I stamped with 
Another layout for our holiday complete - yay!

Hope you all have a wonderful Australia Day!

This post was supposed to be published live last Friday 11th January when the Sketches in Thyme post was released! 
Unfortunately I have been unable to post as my Father in Law passed away last Friday morning. 
We have lost a very special Dad, Father in Law and Pop. He will be greatly missed but we know he is in a better place. 
All of our wonderful memories of him will live on in our hearts forever. 

Well, what a start to the 2013 year!
I hope that yours has been a little less frantic than mine and you have had some "Me Time" in your day.

Sketches in Thyme has started off the year with a bang! Sketch #98 went up last week and wow! What talented ladies we have on the team!

Today Sketch #99 goes live on the blog....and it is my turn. Big shoes to fill that is for sure!

I really loved working with this sketch and I stuck closely to it. Not a lot of change from the sketch to my layout.
Here is the great sketch that I got to create with...

One of my goals this year is to work hard at pulling together a more completed version of my son's baby album. He is nearly 8 so I thought it was time!!!!!!
So, most of my layouts for Sketches in Thyme will have something to do with the baby album.

I loved working with this sketch so much that I decide to do two very similar layouts using this sketch....one as per the above sketch and the other I flipped the sketch over.
Here is the first one....

And here is the second one...

For both of the layouts I have used the Echo Park 'Little Boy' collection. I just love the bright, happy colours...great for such an exciting celebration!

A story goes along with 'Meeting Nan and Pop Stroud' which is detailed in the journalling...hence the large amount of journalling.
Here is a close up of the story...

And here is a close up of a little part of the bunting.

Make sure you head over to Sketches in Thyme (if you haven't already) and check out the rest of the Mavens beautiful work.
Remember to pop by their blogs and leave them some love too!
Hope you have a great day!

Happy New Year Everyone!
I hope that this post finds you well and resting after the festive season. I hope that you were able to spend time with your family and friends over the Christmas and New Year period and that this time was a very special time for you all.

2012 saw a mixed year for us.....lots of different things happened..some good, some not so but we have entered 2013 with positivity and hope for a wonderful year.

2012 saw a huge year of scrapbooking for me! 
I have completed a large number (too many to count) of layouts, OTP projects and a few cards here and there!

I have been very fortunate to be the Design Team Leader for Scrapbookit and work alongside some beautiful and very talented ladies.. Jo Caird, Rebecca Morris, Janene Selzer and Kerry Pace...who have inspired me no end.

I was also successful in my application for the Sketches in Thyme Design Team and have become one of their Mavens. Again I have worked alongside some lovely, inspiring and very talented ladies.

I have also been lucky enough to have another layout published as well as another accepted and ready to be published.
All in all a wonderfully scrappy year!

Well, I thought I would start off the 2013 year with a quick review of the 2012 year!
I have selected 12 of my favourite layouts to share with you...

I will begin with my family a layout I did for the Sketches in Thyme Design Team application process..

A layout of Victoria....the first time we met!

And Charlotte, Victoria's big sister,when she was younger.

My two handsome boys...

Our elephant ride in Thailand...

My sister's first cuddle of Brayden when he was born...

My little travel bug at Singapore airport...

The only layout I have done (so far) of our wedding day...

An extremely treasured layout...Brayden with our beautiful Aunty Liz who passed away in 2012 aged 60. xx

Our very first cuddles of our new baby boy, Brayden, back in 2005.

Harrison's first birthday - a layout that I created and taught at the Scrapbookit Retreat.

A gorgeous piece of scenery on our trip to Thailand...

I hope you have enjoyed looking back over the year with me. This was by no means easy to pick 12 layouts. There were others that have been removed for publication and others that the photos of the layouts were not great! 
Anyway, I hope that the New Year is among many things but most importantly filled with love, happiness, friendship and good health.

Well can you believe that there is only 8 days until Christmas????
Where has this year gone???

I apologise for my slackness posting this post here but life has been very hectic!

As always over at Sketches in Thyme there are lots of awesome sketch challenges to play along with.
On Friday our second layout for the month was launched. Sketch #96. There is also a prize up for grabs. To be in the running to win the little prize you need to enter a layout this month at Sketches in Thyme.
Here is what you could win....

Now for the Sketch.....

Such a great sketch and very easy to work with.
Each year I create a double page layout for Brayden's school album. Part of this double layout is a zip feature to store any certificates, sporting ribbons, extra special bits and pieces.
When I saw this sketch I thought immediately of using it for Brayden's Grade 2 layout which I hadn't started at that point.
Whilst I haven't completed the other half of the double I am well on my way with half completed for this sketch.
Here is my layout....

I have used the Simple Stories Elementary collection. It is such a bright school collection.
I am loving my Silhouette Cameo so much! It was so easy to cut simple things like the zig zag strips and the title on this layout.

Anyway, why not pop on over to Sketches in Thyme to check out the other layouts from the Mavens.

I am off to get the last week of work started.....bring on holidays!!!!

Pop back in over the weekend to check out this latest project for the Sketches in Thyme Team......see you then :0)

Well I can't begin to describe to you how excited I am today to be able to share with you my very first project as a Maven on the Sketches in Thyme Design Team.

Each week Sketches in Thyme have a sketch challenge. 
This week we have been asked to use the following sketch as the inspiration for our project.... 

I had lots of fun completing my layout. I just loved this sketch.
I also had another play with some photos of our overseas holiday to Thailand in 2009.
Here is what I came up with

I actually pulled out some of an older range from Kaisercraft to use. I get so hooked with all of the gorgeous new paper collections that I often forget to hit my stash...... it is nice to go back and use something from your stash!

Materials:
Paper - Kaisercraft 'Marrakech'; Bazzil Cardstock; Thickers - Chit Chat Puffy Stickers ; twine; Versamark Ink - Royal Blue; Kaisercraft Mini Alphas - Cream; Stampin' Write - Chocolate; Making Memories Paint - Monarch; Kaisercraft - Chicken Wire Clear Stamp.


Here are a few close ups of some of the details...

So, what are you waiting for???
I can't wait to see what you come up with.
Make sure you pop back soon for my latest Scrapbookit project!
Happy Scrapping,

A HUGE Congratulations to Jo from Scrapbookit.
Yesterday (1/11/12) the brand new and improved shop was opened in Porepunkah allowing more space, a bigger class space and lots of great new products. How exciting!
I look forward to hopefully checking out the new shop over the weekend. Can't wait!!

Today I have some other very exciting news to share. I have known for a few days but have had to keep it a little quiet. Luckily I have been really busy so time has gone quickly.

Recently I applied to become a Design Team Maven over at Sketches in Thyme.
And yes you guessed it.....I am now one of the new Design Team Mavens.

Sketches in Thyme is a blog that provides weekly sketches to spark your creativity. 
There are lots of very clever Mavens on the team who inspire scrapbookers with gorgeous layouts all month.

I am really looking forward to being part of the Sketches in Thyme Design Team and hope that you are able to pop over to the blog at some point and check it out.
Head over to check out the blog now by clicking here.

Hope all of our American friends are OK after the awful situation of Hurricane Sandy. 
You are all in our thoughts.