Mel's Me Time

Hello Everyone, I have moved my blog to....melfield.posterous.com. Please head over there and don't forget to change your bookmark/RSS to my new site. Have a great weekend, Melxx

It has been far too long between posts! There has been so much happening here.....renovations, a school fundraiser, report writing and many other things have been consuming our everyday. As I speak my hubby is out in the back room putting on the last coat of paint on the renovations. Well, fingers crossed it is the last......it seems to have been going on forever!!!!!! Well, here I am and I have a few little bits and pieces to share with you.....as you can imagine the opportunity of sitting and scrapping has been very minimal. Here is another one for Brayden's 'School' album. I used one of the Get Picky sketches (obviously I am too late to enter the challenge - especially after the fact that it has been at least 2 months since they posted the sketch). These were some photos taken of Brayden on his first day of Prep last year! When I created these layouts I sanded the cardstock and sprayed them with Glimmer Mist. It is hard to see on the photo BUT looks great in "real

Happy Easter! I know I am a touch early but we are heading off tomorrow camping for the weekend! Should be fun.....especially now that the rain is falling here! :} I am still going on the Kaisercraft 'Class of '87' range. I figured whilst I had it out I would get the most from it and try and get the first year of Brayden's school album finished. For the first time in a long time I completed a layout in no longer than a couple of hours. I was heading off to my first Copic class and had a short amount of time.....I literally threw the papers on to the cardstock and this is how they landed!!!! Coredinations - Cardinal; Bella! Scholl Days Paperz, Kaiser 'Class of '87' Range - papers and paper pad, We R Memory Keepers - Telling Time Embossed Diecut, Cosmo Cricket Tiny Type Alpha Stickers, American Crafts Thickers - Letter Man Flocked Stickers - Emerald, Jo Sonja's Paint - Pine Green Thanks again to Jo from Scrapbookit for the pack that never stops giving! Wh

Hey Everyone......hope your weekend was a great one:) The new sketch and card challenge have started over at Scrapbookit . Here are some sneak peeks of my layout and card. Hop on over to the Scrapbookit blog and check them out. The other DT girls will also be posting over the next few days so keep your eye out for their gorgeous creations.....not to mention Liz's - she posted yesterday!! Melxx

Calmly We Walk Through This April's Day by Delmore Schwartz Here is my take on the first of two poems for Scrap That Poetry this month. Click here for the poem I chose the line "What will become of you and me" This photo was taken of my son and god-daughter on Easter holiday back in 2007 in Echuca, Victoria. I just love this photo and I often do wonder what will become of the two of them....what will the future hold? I used papers from the Echo Park Playground Collection that Jo sent me from Scrapbookit . Echo Park - Playground Collection: Monkey Bars, Capture the Flag, Heads Up Seven Up, Double Dutch; Bazzill Cardstock-white; Kaisercraft - Mini Alpha Stickers; Making Memories - Jigsaw Alphabets; ribbon; Kaisercraft Rhinestones; Versamark Ink - Royal Blue; Pure Blue Zig Writer; unknown chipboard embellishment; Alison Ellis - Sparkle n Soft - Sapphire Silk. I have got so much use out of this pack - it is so versatile and suits girls and boys.....what more could you ask fo

Back in February Jo from Scrapbookit sent me an absolutely amazing pack as part of my Design Team challenge. In this pack was the Kaisercraft OTP - Bus Album. I was SO excited as I had been eyeing it off and wanting to complete one for my little fella. Well, after a very successful weekend of scrapping with my friends I am happy to say it is DONE! Please excuse the photo quality ~ it has been raining and very overcast here so it was the best I could do with what I had to work with:) As you can see I used the Class of '87 collection by Kaisercraft. I decided to focus on Brayden's First Day in Prep last year. I had some photos printed that came with a line across them...sometimes across faces! I was able to use these photos for the little bus windows as Brayden's face was not effected! The emotions showing on his face in all of these photos tell enough of a story - from nervousness, excitement to confidence and cheek! I decided to laminate the letters for the cover of the al

Well, the past few weeks have been so crazy. We are now on school holidays...yay!!! I was very spoilt to be able to spend the past weekend with 4 beautiful friends scrapping. We had an awesome weekend and I was actually quite productive. Most of what I created I can't share at this point in time but will be able to next week. T omorrow, I will share with you a project I have been working on with Kaisercraft products for Scrapbookit. So pop back in then and check it out! Speaking of Scrapbookit ......the NEW website has been launched and in celebration we are having a giveaway. You have a chance to win an awesome Sassafras kit 'Ellie's Tale.' All you need to do is pop on over to the new website and check it out. Then: 1. Share this giveaway on your blog/facebook page 2. Become a follower of the Scrapbookit Blog 3. Leave a comment about the new site on the blog. Thanks for stopping by, Melxx

The current poem across at Scrap That Poetry is Robert Frost's "Spring Pools" For me this was a real challenge. Here is my interpretation..... I ended up using two parts of this poem. The title "Spring Pools" and the line "snow that melted only yesterday." I decided to journal "Our Spring Pools are not from snow that melted only yesterday." This photo was taken in September last year - the first of many floods and as I said not from melting snow. I used Kraft cardstock; Kaisercraft - Clear Stamp - Flourishes; Versa Mark Watermark Ink; Bella! Chipboard Alphas; Bazzill Ocean Blue Ribbed cardstock; Stampin' Up Stampin' Write - Close to Cocoa pen; quilling tool; Kaisercraft Mini Alphas - cream; Paper - My Minds Eye - Signature Life - by Jen Wilson - Everyday 'Cherished' - Cherished Flowers. Once again, some more paper rolling......obviously my fascination at the moment!!! I have also traced and cut out by hand the lettering for s

.....he is 6 and in business already!!!! On Saturday Jason and Brayden purchased 25 chicks for the new business......Brayden's Eggcellent Adventure. From the very beginning of life for Brayden, Jason has always said that he would teach Brayden some of the lessons in the business world through an egg selling business......and so the foundations were laid on Saturday. Unfortunately, one little one didn't survive the first night but so far so good with the rest of them. A quote of Brayden's today was, "Mum, I'm going outside (pen and paper in hand) to study my chicks!" Whilst they were being entrepreneurs, I zipped around did all of the housework and sat and did some scrapping. I started with the March card sketch from Scrapbookit . Head on over and check it out.... I have used the We R Memory Keepers - Be My Valentine papers; Core'dinations cardstock (Grassroots and Heartfelt); Cuttlebug Embossing Template - Birds and Swirls ; Green Brad; Kaisercraft Rhinest

How nice was it to have a long weekend. Work and life in general has been full on lately and it was nice to have an extra 'free' day in the weekend. I spent my weekend creating for the current Scrapbookit sketch challenge. Click here to go to the Scrapbookit Blog and check out the sketch Here is the layout I have created using the March sketch... I have used the We R Memory Keepers - Be My Valentine (Sweethearts and Together) papers; Core'dinations cardstock (Snowflake and Heartfelt); White cardstock; Pearl Glimmermist; Thickers - Sunny - Glitter Foam Letter Stickers; Organza Ribbon, Flower punches; Kaisercraft Rhinestones (pink); Kaisercraft Flower (pink); Petal Pink Versa Mark ink; quiling tool and paper and an unknown chipboard frame. Here is a close up of the paper rolling, flowers, frame and paper tearing. And another of the side details. Here are those gorgeous glitter Thicker stickers. I just love them.....very easy to work with and a good number of repeated letters.

How exciting.......the gorgeous Tiff from Breakfast at Tiffany's has kindly awarded me a blog award. Tiff is such a gorgeous friend whom I have met in the blogging world but also as we have been DT members of Scrap That Poetry. Thank you so much Tiff......I am so thrilled that you felt I was worthy. 1.Creating a post where I blog about the Liebster award and reveal my 3-5 blog picks 2.Let them know they've been chosen 3.Copy and paste the blog award on my blog 4.Have faith that my followers will rally and show their crafty love back out to those I awarded 5.Have fun! I have chosen a few of my favourites below.....be sure to stop by and check out their gorgeous work! 1- Scraps of Me 2- My World of Scrap 3- A Scrapper's Journey 4- Me and The Little Rascals 5- Stampin with Pauline

At the moment Scrapbookit has a sketch challenge running. I was so excited when Jo sent me my first parcel full of really yummy products to work with. The funniest thing was I had the idea for this layout prior to receiving my parcel. Once opening my parcel I was able to use the products to complete my layout. A little spooky...but very exciting!!!! I have used the February sketch to create this part of the layout.....it is a double layout!!! So you will have to pop over to the Scrapbooki t blog to see the other half. I love the second half.....a great layout for the keeping of school days memorabilia. Find out how on the Scrapbookit blog! There are also some brief instructions on how to complete the same technique featured on the second half of the layout. Even more exciting.....I received my next pack from Jo today! A challenge for me and I will be stepping out of my comfort zone........but really looking forward to creating with the products. Pop back soon to see my creations! Enj

Well, I said I would be back at the end of last week........sorry I am a little late! Before I start...... don't forget that Scrapbookit have a design team call out at the moment. Head on over to the Scrapbookit blog by clicking Scrapbookit above or by clicking the link in the right column to find out how to apply. You have until March 14th! In September last year my sister had her second little girl. She was born in Virginia Beach, USA. Last weekend was my first time meeting my new little niece.......she is just divine!! As I have done with my other nieces/nephews I have made them something when they are born. I chose to make a Twiddleybitz Life Book. I apologise for the photos.....I didn't have any luck snapping good shots! I used a variety of photos from her birth in the hospital to some of the first photos of her smiling. I only completed the first section of the book and have since handed the rest over to my sister to add her own touches to the book. I best be off.......I

Back to School has definitely hit our household and we have hit the ground running! Besides going back to school we have celebrated the little fellas 6th Birthday, had my sister and her family visit from America and celebrated my nieces birthday whilst she was here......alongside another celebration for the big 6 year old. Sadly, scrapbooking has taken a back seat as I have been preparing birthday cakes!!! My boy had a pool party with a few of his friends from school the day after his birthday. I made this swimming pool cake.....probably not my most outstanding however he loved it and so did all of his little friends:) This weekend, just gone, we had yet another birthday celebration with the family. It was such a lovely day. My sister, her hubby and my two gorgeous nieces were here from America for the weekend - my boy and my eldest niece and goddaughter celebrated their birthdays together. Boy did they have fun! I made the 6 and my sister did the castle cake - so clever! So now I may

How exciting is this.... Joanne from ' Scrapbookit ' has asked me to be her very first Design Team Member and I have accepted!!!! Check out the intro on the Scrapbookit blog! Thanks Jo for the great intro and I really look forward to working alongside you:) I have been sooo busy at work that my creative side has taken a little bit of a back seat! I have however completed my latest challenge for Scrap That Poetry which will be revealed later in the month! Don't forget to pop over to Scrap That Poetry and enter the current challenge for your chance to win a $25 gift voucher from Scrapbookit. I have also been madly working on my little gift (not so little!!!) for my beautiful niece Victoria who I get to meet next week.....very very exciting!!! Will pop back soon with some inspiration..... Melxx

Here is my layout for Scrap That Poetry Make sure you pop on over to see the Design Team's inspiration.....the projects are just gorgeous, the girls have done such a lovely job with this poem. This is a photo of my two gorgeous nieces. I just adore this photo of them! Now it is your turn....pop on over to Scrap That Poetry and check out the poem 'May you always be loved' Submit your take on the layout and you may just win a Scrapbookit voucher for your efforts and the opportunity to be our next guest designer. Sorry for the short post but I am up to my eye balls in school work...ahhhh the life of a teacher! Melxx

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY AUSSIES!!! Check out this really yummy blog candy that Purple Pumpkin has as a giveaway at the moment. Click here to head over to their blog to find out how you can get your hands on it.....well, unless of course I do!! Hehehe! As for me, this week has been a good scrapping week for me! I had a few days without my little man so that made it all that much easier:) However, what I am working on I have to hold onto for the moment....only because I know that my beautiful sister will read my blog from America and she can't see what I have been up to! Sorry....it won't be long though, I promise, they head out to Australia for a visit early-mid February. I have also completed my DT challenge for Scrap That Poetry but you will also have to wait for a little bit to see that. Speaking of Scrap That Poetry .....there are only a few days to get your entries in for the latest challenge "New Year" by Katharine Lee Bates. Make sure you get those entries in. On

Keeping It Simple has a fantastic giveaway at the moment. A Silhouette electronic cutting machine. If you would like to check out this giveaway and all of the amazing things you can do with the Silhouette pop on over to Keeping It Simple to register your interest. Hurry the giveaway is about to close.

Currently I am sitting in my caravan having a break away in Canberra, ACT. We have done some great things with Brayden but the best thing has been relaxing! Scrap That Poetry has a new poem up. It is called 'New Year' by Katharine Lee Bates. It looks at a new year being a white year and focus' on snow. However, snow here in the New Year is not common!! After 2010 being a year we really wanted to see the back of for many reasons I decided to look towards the New Year with optimism. From this poem I started by using the words 'New Year' for my inspiration. I decided to record my scrapbooking resolutions for 2011. Rather than put them onto a layout and into an album never to look at them again I decided to create something that can sit in my scrapbooking room to remind me of my resolutions for the year! I decided to create a 'Tree of Time.' I have left my list of materials at home so hopefully I will remember to post them when I get home. However, I used some