Friday, November 9, 2012

Challenge Site - Show Us Your Stuff!

Get Challenged with
Marelle Jackman at Show Us Your Stuff!
 
Tell us a bit about your Challenge Blog & How it is Different Marelle? 
I took over the blog around a year and a half ago.
The blog is the only dedicated challenge blog with the criteria of hand made embellishments to be used on the projects.
 How do we enter the Challenges?
To enter the challenges you need a blog of your own to link back to showusyourstuff.
We have a scrapping challenge each month from the 1st of the month and that can vary and can be a sketch, a visual prompt, a colour challenge or a tecnique.
We post the DT's amazing interpretations on the blog.  The challenge runs for the whole month and is then judged by the Design Team and awarded a prize the beginning of the next month.
We also run a children's challenge which is run by our extremely talented 16 year old Sophie Koschman - Sophie chooses a technique or a colour for her challenges each month. We would love to see more junior crafters joining us as this is the only children's challenge in Australia.

What are the prizes & Who Sponsors You?
Our sponsors this year have been Scrapbookingfromscratch,Sassy Scrapper, Little Red Rocket, Charms Creations & A Piece of Cake Design kits.
 What do you think is the latest ‘in’product at the moment?
I feel at present chevron is still big in the scrapping world, when I was fortunate to attend CHA in Chicago in July this year I saw a trend towards small badges with quotes written, lots of misting and stamping.
Texture is beginning to play a large role in scrapbooking, lots of texture paste, paint, layering and stamping.

This Months Challenge Is?
Use the colour YELLOW + washi tape!!
 
Design Team Creations
 
Leonie Neal-Dawson
 
 
Ebony van der Starre


 
Leanne Jago
 



Kim Kendall
 


 
Sarah Martin





Leanne Nankervis
 





So Worth a Visit - Check It Out! 
 

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Mixed Work

Sharing some photos of some different work that I've done in the past
 
 

Created a Baby Shower Card for a Friend
 


 
 
 
A canvas created with Nathalie Kalbach
 

 
 
 Family History Layout using Bo Bunny
 3 Fold Card
 

 
 
Layout using Websters Pages
 


Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Challenge Layout - You Are My Star

For once a layout actually just came together for me....  I was a little surprised as normally I sit for ages thinking about it all then become very frustrated and do something else.  Anyway, for once that didn't happen so here is my layout for the Sketches With A Twist October Challenge.  I really enjoyed doing it and am happy with the outcome.  I also got to finally use one of my favourite photos of my youngest daughter, she looks so serene in it.

 

The paper range is Spring Jubilee by Pink Paislee, White Bazzill, Chipboard from Words or Whatever (WOW), little banner is a Basic Grey Paper Cottage Flag, Prima Flowers & a little bit of the packaging and the lovely yellow flower is from Manor House Creations.





Monday, October 22, 2012

Challenge Site - Sketches With A Twist

Now my next place to visit is a site called "Sketches With A Twist".  Run by the lovely Kim Kendell this site has some talented ladies creating not just from a sketch but with an added 'twist'.  The idea is to make the sketch a little more challenging by adding a 'twist' such as with this months challenge where  you need to use stars in one way or another on the layout.

October Sketch 


I loved looking at the earlier layouts - which is easy to see on the page on the right hand side.  There are also a good range of DT members who help give inspiration and there is a card example every month as well.  There is a forum that you can join if you want to chat about the challenge.  The challenge goes up at the beginning of the month and closes at the end of the month with the winner being announced on the 5th of each month.  In September there was a fantastic prize of a $50 voucher  - a great way to add to the stash!

Here is the story behind Sketches With A Twist from Kim Kendell


Sketches With a Twist (SWAT)

I decided after doing 2 terms as a designer for Sketchabilities, an overseas site, that I would like to do a sketch site that was Australian based and set out to create a challenge site that was friendly and inviting. I also wanted it to be a bit different which is why I added the Twist.

I have selected a sketch designer who I felt would offer simple but yet also challenging sketches with lots of variety to enable all levels of scrapper to participate I then select my designers and believe they all offer different and very inspiring designs. The Design team select the twist each month for the sketch.

The site is a blog but I also have a forum linked to the site so that members can chat with the designers and each other.

I was very lucky to pick up to very good sponsors in Scrapping Clearly and The Scrapbooking Hut  who both generously donate an awesome prize each month and also occasionally have a one of sponsor like last month with Scrapping Outback who very generously gave a $50.00 voucher



And a sample of the DT Versions for this months Sketch!



 Created by Dani May


 
 
Created by Laurie LaRiviere
 
 
 
Created by Julianne McKenna-De Lumen - Sketch Designer
 
        

So make sure you drop over - the handy way to follow the site is to use the Network Blogs or the Google Friend Connect buttons (just like Paper with Attitude has over on the right hand side).

If you do enter their challenge make sure you let me know!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

DT Call - Doodlebug Design Inc Closes 5th November 2012


Doodlebug Design Inc have put out a call for some new members to join their Design Team.

You need to show that you can work with a lot of colour - Doodlebug Design are known for their bright coloured papers so you need to show that you can design using those colours.

Make sure that you check out the Design Team Requirements and feel that you’re able to commit to the assignments.

Good luck and make sure you leave me a note if you do apply

 Happy Scrapping

Alita

Challenge Site - CopyCatCards

In the hunt for challenge sites I've decided to do a little investigation in what is actually involved.... the first site I'm looking at was suggested by Leisa Barwell.  Its a group that she runs on Facebook called "CopyCatCards".  You will need to be approved by Leisa to join the group which has over 150 members and obviously be a member of Facebook.

I was met with a warm welcome from the group while they were busy away uploading photos of their latest creations.  All sorts of techniques from paper tole and stamping are used and a lovely gallery of creations for you to look at.

Each week there are 2 challenge ideas posted - this week it's "Week 29 - Shades of Grey! Interpret how you like ladies!!"  Ummmm, time to get the thinking cap on ........

Here's how Leisa describes her group:



Copycatcards was started on 7 September 2007 via Blogspotby Susan Temple and myself. Originally the concept was for one of the designersto create a card, share it with everyone and challenge them to copy designaspects of the card - thus the name "copycat". By doing this wewanted to take out the competitiveness of the craft and freely share eachother’s ideas. The Copycatcards Group is a friendly place where we all motivateeach other and laugh at the occasional disaster that can occur when trying newtechniques and products!
Its lots of fun coming up with cards we may have never thought to create too. Keepingup with the times, copycatcards moved over to Facebook this year. Essentiallythe concept is the same although I am usually too busy now to create theinitial card, so I provide challenges each Saturday and Wednesday for themembers to participate in. Occasionally there are prizes but generally participationis solely for the fun of seeing what you can come up with based on the setcriteria. There is also no pressure to complete the challenges. They can bedone in any order and at any time. We want people to enjoy participatingwithout the level of pressure that sometimes comes with deadlines and competingfor prizes. We have almost 150 members already and growing.
 
So worth a visit for card makers for inspiration and ideas!
 
And here is my take on the challenge!


Friday, October 12, 2012

Which Challenge site is better?

Last night I thought "I'll just have a look at a few challenge sites" ......
Well, several hours later I came of the computer with my head spinning! 
 
There are SO MANY great places, so I thought I'd put it out there - which one is your favourite challenge place?  Please leave a link to it in the comments section and tell me why you love it!