Massive layout spam incoming

So, for months now I've only been making layouts to fulfill CT requirements. And I have seriously got thousands of scrapkits just sitting there waiting to be used. Well, the scrapping bug finally bit me! I have been using kits lately purely for the joy of creating something!

I've been working hard also to get all my scrap stuff organised. Having so much stuff to choose from means I've always stuck to just one kit because it's been too much of a mission to try to find things that match or work from other kits. And my ways of organising are obsessive. There's not really another word for it. How do you organise?

First off, for myself, inside explorer, I keep everything in it's original folder. I place a tag at the start, to keep things in a certain order... such as [Baby] Baby kit Name, [Alpha] Name of Alpha, etc. Then, I've changed each folder to have it's own icon which is the preview of the kit/alpha/element pack etc. This was a serious mission on it's own. (If anyone is reading this and wondering, I use a program named icofx to create icons from the preview images)

Then comes ACDSee. I tag the preview images with type (kit, alpha, tools, element pack, paper pack), designer and a tagword (like baby, christmas etc).

Then I go through each kit and tag the letter A as an alpha (doesnt show up with the previews though, shows up under its on category) and the number 0. I tag all the papers and elements with what they are. It's HUGE and I'm not even close to being finished but the sad thing is, I LOVE working on it and the great thing is, I'm discovering kits I don't even remember buying! (I've actually discovered I have 74 kits from one designer alone! haha).

Anyway.... here's some layouts and awesome releases I have worked with.

Vale of Darkness is a Lord of the Rings inspired kit from Creative Victorian Designs. It's STUNNING. Just take a look -

Brady's Everyday Life Collection / and Volume 2 is an absolutely darling new release by Wishing Well Creations (And Brady's Room is one of my all time favourite kits so you can understand why I was so excited by this release). They're a digital take on Project Life =)

And the third CT related kit I've worked with is A New Year by Teresa Digi Designs. I absolutely love the colours in this kit!

Now, some other layouts I've created this year also! =)

I took part in the most recent Digi Dare! I never have before but I have so much fantastic stuff to use (including Studio Flergs newest kit which is ADORABLE) so I decided I would =) Here's how it turned out (and go here to see it in my DST gallery for credits):

Two others:

This uses Game On by Connie Prince.

And this uses Looking for Paradise by The Hidden Heart.

Anyway, longest blog post ever, hope everyone has a safe weekend and my next post should have a freebie in it!

Happy New Year

So, my new years resolution is to blog more. So here I am. While it's technically Jan 2nd for me... it's still Jan 1st for loads of other people so I'm on time with a new years post! :p

I am a terrible procrastinator. I put everything off. Constantly. But it's ok. It's no big deal. It's life. And I get it from my father. He is possibly the worlds worst procrastinator. Before this baby falls out of me, he's meant to be fixing up the nursery. Since I found out I was pregnant (at 9 weeks), Dad has been "working" on Oliver's room. There's a bit to do... however, it's not a huge job and would probably take only one day of work to be completely dumb. Yesterday, finally, he stops making excuses and gets in there. (Keep in mind we are now 36 weeks). He does one small thing (some panels across the top of the windows) and then promptly finds a reason to not carry on. So we are pretty much at square one. There is still sanding to be done, wallpapering to be done, curtains to be hung. Blah.

Everyone is talking about their one little word. I found it very hard to choose mine. It's hard to choose what your focus will be and what you want to change in a year that's already going to be so hugely different (due to becoming a mother in the next month). So my word is a simple one... an easy one: Joy. I want to find more joy in everything I do. I want to create joy for the people I love (maybe even the people I don't love, if I'm in a nice enough mood!).

Anyway, my first layout for 2012 is one about resolutions. And I love it! (I'm not usually overly thrilled with the layouts I create).

The kit used is Everyday Life from Weeds and Wildflowers/Gina Marie Huff: Elements here | Papers here. The font is GE Centurion.

Anyway, now I'm being lazy and stopping my post part way through. Go check out the new FB fan freebie from Wishing Well Creations! You'll also get to see the preview of her new upcoming collection which is AMAZING. (and I've been lucky enough to work with it already! I'm addicted!).

Possibly a freebie coming new post. I have been making acrylic alphas for my own use (because I love them but only have a couple!) so I may work up the motivation to upload and share =) Not that anyone will see this. haha.

Happy December.

So... I started doing the december daily. And then promptly gave up. My year this year is just not christmassy enough. Next year, when there's a child involved and I have a good excuse to do things like decorate and spend huge moneys on "The Elf on the Shelf" then I will definitely do it!

So, while I have been busy with non-christmas related stuff lately, I have managed to get a few pages scrapped with some very awesome kits. Here are three CT kits I have worked with lately -

First up is Truly Thankful by Pixelily Designs.

Grab it here!

Also, if you "Like" Pixelily Designs on Facebook, you can grab the cutest addon for free! Check it out here!

The next kit I have worked with is Cosy Christmas by Lacey Bittner!

Grab it here!

Then I played around with Vintage Holidays by Caged Bird Designs!

Grab it here!

I also made sure to try out the December Template Challenge over at Little Green Frog designs. I had a huge amount of fun and it gave me a chance to use some of the stuff I've bought lately.

Check it out in the DST gallery here for credits =)

Anyway, happy holidays all!

With Love Studio

Check out the grand opening events at With Love Studio!

Holy no posting batman!

Wow, so apparently I'm worse at this blogging thing than I thought. Anyway.... no real news from me. We are 26 weeks along and I am getting huge! And uncomfortable. And baby has settled himself down on what I can only assume is a nerve so every time I move my left leg I get this horrible pinching feeling in my groin :( But! it will all be worth it =)

Halloween coming and DSD right around the corner means HUGE specials everywhere in Digiscrap Land and I have spent far more than any sane person should this week already >.< But wow, have I picked up some amazing stuff or what. This post is really to post about a new kit by Pixelily Designs. It is GORGEOUS to work with! The name is Keep Your Chin Up and you can grab it here at FPD!

Also, make sure you drop by Scrapable.Co this weekend because there are some fantastic things happening for Halloween.

Oh, check out these great kits I've had the pleasure of working with lately. (I am insanely lucky to be a Scrap-a-belle!)

Baked Memories by ModernJune

Monster Mash by Designer Girl Scraps

Modern Family by Teresa Digi Designs

Anyway, that's it from me right now! Have a great and safe weekend!

(I really should make freebies so people actually see this, haha)

Major Pimpage (and falling off arms)

So... our weekend was fantastic... at least, our saturday was! We travelled to Auckland to go to the Parent and Child Expo and it was AMAZING! We got so many free samples and coupons and great GREAT deals. I got some awesome items that were on my want list including a Sangenic Nappy Bin! They were half price at the expo.... I also got some adorable dungarees from the Charlie and Me stall! Plus some neat compostable nappies/breast pads and wipes. We spent hours after the expo at one of the shopping malls also which was equally tiring but fun anyway :D So we came home and I have spent the past two days aching all over and completely exhausted, haha.

We had a midwife appointment today and that was good. I got a referral to go to a hospital to be fitted with a special belt to stop the back and pelvic pain so I'm looking forward to that =)

Anyway, I don't really have much to say right now so I'll just post some CT stuff I have done lately =)

First up, this is Spookable, a collab by the Designers at Scrapable.Co! It's gorgeous and currently free with any $10 purchase (or you can, of course, purchase it alone but why would you when there's so many things to spend your money on there!) Find it HERE



I also created a layout with this gorgeous kit "Visitors" by Pardon the Mess. It was a lot of fun to work with and it's available HERE



Now, the other CT I am on is for a designer who has just opened her first store at Scrapinsider - Paper Capers Designs! Check out these great kits (previews are linked)!





And that's all from me for now! Till next time, take care! =)

Reality Check

Disappointment. That’s the only word that can be used to describe the tone of voice that DP’s mother used on the phone today, upon finding out he is starting a new job tomorrow.

Why would she be disappointed you might ask? Let’s lay it out. I am 25. DP is 19. We have been living together for 1 year. And, until finding out we have a little one on the way, we were both full-time students. Yes, life certainly is easier if you have qualifications. But realistically, we can’t live on one allowance (as I would no longer be studying and receiving one). And I don’t want to put Baby into care and go to work. I want to see him grow. I want to see him hit all his milestones and be there when he takes a step and says a word. I don’t want to risk missing that.

MIL wanted DP to stay a full-time student. She wanted me to put Baby into care around 6 weeks and go to work so DP could study. Or, she wanted us to live off a student allowance. $169 a week. Goodbye baby clothes. It’s just not a realistic expectation.

We are thrilled that we will not have to worry about money. Right now, we are managing to go shopping and buy heaps of things. But we would have had to stress about me no longer being a student. It’s gone. A weight is off our shoulders. =)

Today I spent much of my day working on a layout for a scraplift challenge over at scrapable =) I had a lot of fun. It’s good to be scrapping again =)