Last Challenge of the Year and Giveaway! Deadline - January 9

I am hosting Let's Scrap's LAST CHALLENGE OF 2010, which actually starts tomorrow, but I am posting it now, as tonight I need to do grocery shopping (I've had a BAD cold this week and have nothing left in the fridge!!!!!) and go to bed early, as tomorrow morning we are driving to Asa Wright Nature Centre in the North of Trinidad. Given that this island has the most variety of birds in the Caribbean, people say this place is amazing, you can see a huge number of species in just one day! If I can judge from the many different animals I see in my garden, this should be great. Lots of photo ops, I'm sure!

It will be a very simple challenge, as everybody is stressed and exhausted and it is the last challenge of the year! You just need to use any Let's Scrap sketch, and include a year in the title. Tag your photo challenge83 (no space!). The prize is this My Mind's Eye Holiday 5 Pack:

 

I'll be waiting to see your work! But if you feel too stressed and exhausted to scrap after the holidays, you can get a chance to win the same prize just by leaving a comment below (or do both things and get two chances!). It would be great if you could mention this giveaway in your blog, too.

Here's my layout for this challenge, it is based on a sketch that hasn't been released yet (I have had a bad cold, as I said, and couldn't think straight, so I made a mistake!!!):

It has lots of detail, and it took me quite a long time (I'm a sloooooooooooow scrapper),  but I like the result and I can't believe I have already scrapped this year's Christmas photos!

 

Busy end of school term!

And the end of school term has been busy, there was the play and the Christmas party, and it took me two weeks to find the right drill to set up the clip it up wall mounts in my scraproom! I had a million plans for cards and layouts but, in the end, I haven't scrapped at all. Just wanted to share a pic from the school play with you. Don't they look cute?

Valetta

For Let's Scrap sketch 12-2-10, I used these photos we took in Valetta, Malta. We lived half an hour (by plane) from Malta for 6 years, but for different reasons we never visited it until two weeks before leaving. Boy did we regret it! It is a fantastic place and in July and August the streets are decorated amazingly. I didn't want to take too much attention away from the pictures that I love, so I decided to repeat the colours in the banners in a very simple layout. This sketch was just perfect for that.

Need to get some photo editing software that can straigthen pictures, I used to do that with the basic windows one but that function seems to have disappeared and I can't get a good picture of my LOs, especially the double ones. 

Let's Scrap 11-24-10. One day too late!

It's already time for a new sketch at Let's Scrap, but I've only just finished last week's sketch. As part of the CDT I should be weeks ahead! Anyway, doing my best to catch up while still settling down. The scraproom is much tidier and almost ready, just waiting for some scrumptious organizers I bought online to get here so I can finish it and snap some proud pictures! This is my layout for sketch 11-24-10:

I cut my letters from some felts scraps I had at home, but the green was too bright, so I softened it with some buttermilk maya mist, and it looks just like Dipsy's colour, so I am very happy with the result. Here are some close-ups:

Felt so nostalgic scrapping these pics, my daughter was very little and looking at our old house (which has been dramatically remodelled so doesn't exist as such any longer - even if we travelled all the way to Africa to "visit" the house)... already have some newer pics on the table, ready to scrap sketch 12-1-10 today, don't want to get nostalgic again!

Great Candy at Let's Get Scrap Happy

Just a quick post to let you know that:

a) I haven't been scrapping as I can't finish tidying up my new scrap room and I don't have a free inch to work on! In case you don't believe me, I have just taken this picture as proof!

Yes, I know, I shouldn't be posting pictures of this awful mess, but I wanted you to understand why I haven't been scrapping, I just don't know where to start tidying up! Plus, there's my daughter's playroom, which is not as big a mess but only because we clean up everyday, and I am working on creating play areas (house area, dress up area, reading area, arts area, etc), which is taking lots of time. I start doing one thing, then have an idea for the other room, go do that, have another idea for another room in the middle, and go do something else, and I never finish!!!!!!!!!! I promise I'll post pictures of my scraproom once I finish, so you can stop having nightmares with this picture!

b) my friend Betty Anne is having a fantastic blog candy giveaway. Here is the wonderful candy you can win by visiting her blog, Let's Get Scrap Happy.

Plus, I know she's organizing a big surprise for Let's Scrap members for the beginning of next year so, if you are not a member yet, you should seriously consider becoming one! I tell you you can't miss it.

Hope to be posting some layouts soon, thanks for visiting my blog and leaving your comments!

Let's Scrap 11-17-10

This is a card I created for Let's Scrap's 11-17-10 sketch. I started using the sketch, and looking for papers that would look like a quilt, then found this paper and thought "this pattern would be great for quilting", but couldn't cut small squares without losing the flowers, so in the end the card did not resemble the sketch much, but it was great inspiration and that is what matters most. Here is the card:

And this is what it looks like inside:

I've started working on a nice envelope for it, too, but, since I got my 53 boxes from the moving company yesterday, I'm finding it a little hard to scrap!

Nothing is original

I have been working on some first communion cards someone asked me to do this week (even taught myself how to do rosary knots and beaded crosses to embellish the cards!) so there's been little scrapbooking. I have also spent lots of time lifting ideas from fabulous Etsy shops to make my new house feel like home without spending too much, since we won't be living here that long. Love this: 

And this (though bigger, this is only 3 x 3):

And this, but I have more scrapbooking items than earrings to hang from it!

I wish I'd saved the shop's names together with the addresses, but I didn't, so if you'd like to buy any of these gorgeous things, you'll have to search Etsy. 

And since we are talking about lifting, I'd like to share this paragraph I came upon while Stumbling in my Ipod (what an addiction!):

Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is nonexistent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery—celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: “It’s not where you take things from—it’s where you take them to. (Jim Jarmusch's Golden Rule #5).

I think this is a perfect quote for scrappers. Where do you steal from?

Let's Scrap 11-10-10

First of all let me say thanks for all the encouraging comments I got both here and at Let's Scrap last week. For a nomad whose life keeps changing every few years, only two things remain constant: my family and my scrapbooking (though in very different priority rankings, of course). Feeling I'd lost my ability to scrap or enjoy scrapbooking was really frustrating and scary, but everything came back with this LO. It doesn't really mean this LO is any better than the previous ones, or that it is a masterpiece (far from it), it just means I enjoyed doing it and felt I knew what I wanted the page to look like and was able to make it look that way. So there's now a happy scrapper wandering this Caribbean island!

I think these embellies I just got in the mail are simply yummy! Really felt tempted to include all of them in one page!

Plus, I've just found a group of ladies who are dying to begin scrapbooking and asked me to organize a crop. Great way to get to know the people here and scrap at the same time. Will be looking forward to it, though I need to organize things yet, and get the supplies mailed!

Let's Scrap 11-3-10

I've started to scrap again, yesterday I worked on Let's Scrap 11-3-10 sketch, and a card sketch that will be revealed in a couple of weeks. I find it so hard to scrap, though. I've been blaming my lack of stash for my mojo problems, but I guess that's not the real cause. The thing is, I can't find my "style" back. I play around with materials for hours and  still can't get the look I like. I guess I'll just have to be patient and continue scrapping, things will eventually go back to normal. Or I might find a different style altogether! Here is 11-3-10:

 

Hope my inspiration decides to come back soon, I really need it!

Publish Post

International Fair

Only a few days after arriving in Trinidad I got a call from some moms at my daughter's school, asking me if I wanted to take part in the International Fair they hold every year. There is a booth for each country that wants to participate and, the school being international, the list of countries is LONG! I said OK as long as I didn't need to cook, as I am not ready yet, not until I get all my stuff (which is waiting at the customs office at the moment). So I made letters, signs, helped with the decoration and made souvenirs to give away. Here we are at our booth, waiting for the fair to start:

 

And here are the souvenirs I made, something very simple as I had very few materials and a short time to work on them. Still, I think they looked nice, especially when grouped, and lots of people came to ask for them. 

I'm also working on decorations for my daughter's Halloween classroom party, plus we are probably moving to our permanent house next Saturday, so no scrapbooking at the moment. Lots of crafting, though, so that keeps me sane.

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm back to scrapping!

This nomad has finally got her scrapbooking materials (or at least a couple of kits, the mail is slooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow). Haven't found HP photo paper yet, but it is easy to get prints here, so I got 57 photos printed to work with. Here's my first layout in months, based on Let's Scrap sketch for this week:

I tried to mix up embellies from the two packs I've received (a row your boat pack and some JBS papers and embellies), they were very different, but I like the way they contrast.

It really feels good to be scrapbooking again!

Let's Scrap - Sketch 29-9-10

This is the last sketch I made before leaving Tripoli, but could not post it here as it was for this week's sketch at Let's Scrap. I love those pictures; we took them early one morning during a holiday in the Cotswolds Water Park. My daughter went out and came running back saying our "pets" were here asking for breakfast. They were so cute, especially the little ones, we just couldn't resist the temptation to sahre some bread crumbs with them. Here are some close ups of the embellishment clusters, really enjoyed making this LO!

Still waiting for my supplies to get to our new home (the ones I've just bought, the one we are moving from our Tripoli home are still waiting for an authorization to be moved), I can't wait to scrap, I'm going insane without it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Home sweet home!

Here we are, in our new home in Trinidad. Haven't been able to see much yet, but this is the view from the balcony in out temporary flat and I can only say it looks nothing like Tripoli!!!!

Already asked for my scrapbooking kits and pending orders to be sent to my new address, so I won't have too wait too long to scrap!!!!!

Giveaway winner!

I've picked a number using random.org and the winner is number 13, Michelle, who left this comment:

Love your site.. have posted your giveaway on my blog as well..



http://homespunscrap.blogspot.com/


Holding thumbs I win this time round...

Thanks Cathy for the link

Here's hoping you have a wonderful break !

Michelle, please send me your email address to scrappingnomad@gmail.com, and I will have the GC sent to you! Congratulations and thanks to all of you for playing!

Princess party

No scrapbooking these days, as all my time was devoted to preparing my daughter's second birthday party this year! She had a pool party on her birthday, but her school friends were all away, so she wanted a new party with them now they've all returned. Everything was full of princess stuff:

A princess cake.

Chocolate cookies full of pink stuff.

Princess cupcakes (that's Snow White's apple).

     

And more princess cupcakes!

And every princess needs a castle... full of party favors! (I got this fabulous idea from Handmade Sparks).

the piñata

And the birthday princess!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't forget to come back tomorrow to see who's won the giveaway!

August giveaway

**this post will remain on top until August 31, please scroll down for newer posts**

I´ve been thinking and thinking about what to do for this giveaway (well, I´ve actually spent a lot of time relaxing and little time thinking, but still, a little thinking is a lot for a holiday) and have not come up with a good idea so I´ve decided to keep it very simple. Just post a comment about this giveaway in you blog or a link in your sidebar (you can use the image below if you want- thanks, Denise!), and post the link to your comment/blog here. Every person who posts a comment with a link has a chance to win a 25$ gift certificate from Crafty Steals. This site has great discounts, sometimes up to 70% off, so I am sure a 25$ gift certificate can get you lots of great stuff! Will be waiting for your comments... by the pool, with a piña colada next to me!!!

I´ve just realised I never said what the deadline is (thanks, Betty!); it is August 31st, I´ll draw the winner on September 1st.

Let's Scrap - Sketch 8-25-10

And here is the complete layout. I have had these photos cropped and ready for a layout for over two years, so I couldn't believe it when I saw the sketch, they were just right! Almost everything in the layout came from one of the last kits I got from the Scraproom Blog, and a lovely, yummy, yummy bag of assorted ribbons and embellies I thought would never make it to Tripoli on time but has arrived!