Our November winners ...

We had some absolutely amazing entries last month - I wish I could award all of you prizes but I will say that I think each and every entry was a winner.

Our main winner for November is Amanda Scott with her amazing mini album all about Itchy and Scratchy.

There are also two RAK prizes - one going to Rita Moore for her delightful mini album she made for her little grandson.

 

The other by random draw has been won by Sharon Andrews with her page about life on the farm..

 

Congratulations everyone.  If you could all please email me  jjjustjane@bigpond.com your postal details I will get your prizes away to you.

 

 

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a safe and happy Christmas.

 

Please don't forget to play along with us this month with a Christmas layout or two.  We will be back on the 1st of January with more inspiration, a few new changes to the blog and a brand new design team member.  See you then.

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas on Pixels and Paper ...

Welcome to December.  I'm not sure how we made it to this point in the year so quickly as it seems like yesterday I was writing out Christmas cards and planning my shopping lists for 2012.

This month we have a sweet vintage Christmas photograph for your inspiration and of course it will not be difficult to create a project based on some sort of aspect of Christmas shown here.  In fact we are even making it easier for you by leaving the entries open until the midnight on the 5th of January to give you ample time to experience family and friends and the festive season while still finding some crafty time for yourself.

 

Aren't they adorable !

 

I love the inspiration layouts we have for you this month.

 

JANE 

 

The first thing that caught my attention were the children in their pyjamas.  I think we all have many photographs of our children in pj's at Christmas time.  Images of them getting ready for bed on Christmas eve showing off new sets of pyjamas, sitting under the tree with looks of eager anticipation on their happy faces, opening presents first thing Christmas morning.  Oh yes pyjamas feature heavily in my festive season photography.

TONE-LIL

I got inspired by the Christmas feel in front of the fireplace and a photo of my mom's dog, Aik, posing by the fire place with his Santa hat on. Using gesso and a stencil and a bit of brown glimmer mist  I made a brick wall background to recreate the fireplace.  All the patterned papers I have used are from Basic Grey winter inspired  "Blitzen" collection.

 

 

ALICIA

This took forever to make. I have at least 8 hours into die cutting the hundreds of foliage pieces.  But since Christmas is my favorite holiday I don't mind, and I love the look of this page. I hope it inspires you to take the time to create a Christmas page that you will love too! Merry Christmas! 

 

 

DI

With this layout I had a focus on the stockings being hung and possibly handmade decorations. I remember making strings of bells from the bottle tops that used to come on the glass milk bottles. We'd wash them, turn them inside out and mould them into bells over a lemon squeezer. Paper chains were also made, sometimes out of old cards cut into strips, but more often cut from strips of crepe paper and aluminium foil.

 

I used an Iris Folding technique for the stocking. The decorations were stamped onto foil and heat embossed before cutting out. Stamping and heat embossing was also used for the top border. I've used a small craft peg painted with 3D Stamping Paint and decorated with a tree, to represent the stocking hanging up. The photo is of our son taken in 1990, Christmas morning, and obviously delighted with the cricket bat.

 

 

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by 11.55pm on January 5th, 2014. We'd love to see your Christmas inspired projects. 

Please stop back later in the week when we will announce our November winners.

 

 

 

Our October winners ...

Thank you so much for your entries last month - there were some really delightful layouts so a big round of applause to all of you!

Our winner for October with her lovely page is Leanne Kroschel.

 

Our random draw winner of a little RAK from me goes to Donna Seamon - a first time entrant and a first time win - Woo Hoo!

 

 

 

 

Please join in with us this month - we accept any form of paper craft and digital entries.  International submissions are always welcome.

Hello November ...

Welcome to November on Pixels and Paper.  Can anyone tell me where the year has gone?  I seem to be missing it!!

This month we have an interesting little image of a boy and his chickens.  I have to tell you I love chickens.  People don't realise what terrific pets they make and there is something really cheerful and uplifting hearing the happy clucking of our feathered friends.

Of course your page doesn't have to be about chickens at all - perhaps you see the wider picture of a farmyard and would like to tell the story of a trip to the countryside or visit to a working farm.  Maybe your child has visited a farm as part of a school trip or raised chicks as a classroom project.  You might even like to think laterally on this one and explain your love of egg based dishes!  Bacon and eggs anyone?

 

Our design team have gone all out this month  ...

TONE-LILL

 

I got inspired by the photo to recreate a new landscape scene with the fuzzy cut photos.
I have used Graphic 45 papers and did some cut out bits of the flowers to give 3D effect. Chicken wire stencil with cupper acrylic paint. Cheese cloth/gauze with Cut Grass Dylusion.
Added some small pieces of wood for the chickens/ roosters to "sit on"

 
 

DI

 

This is a photo of husband and our first car. It was taken about a year after our wedding, when we were renting an old farmhouse. This is the shed on the property. It didn't get used much, particularly when we discovered a red-bellied black snake had taken up residence. The inspiration picture this month reminded me of the seemingly more simple and peaceful lifestyle we had during our time on the farm property. Although we didn't have poultry, we were welcomed each day with the sound of cattle and birdcalls. Quite idyllic!

I have used the Distress Stain, "Picket Fence", as well as experiments with a gelli pad and dried grass heads on this layout.

 

 

ALICIA

 

The inspiration photo seemed to me to show the little boy's love for his chickens, which reminded me of my niece. When we were visiting the zoo a few months ago she spotted her favorite bird, a robin, and I will never forget how excited she got. She got as close as she could and then insisted I take a picture of the bird as I had been taking pictures of the rest of the animals in enclosures. So I titled this "Robin my heart" because it was just such a sweet moment.

 

 

JANE

 

I had to use this photo of my father at about age 8.  They lived on a farm at the time and money was scarce so I have about four photographs of him as a child.  This one is a favourite - socks pulled up, hair neatly combed, clutching his cat like his life depended on it (and the cat isn't overly keen by the look of things).  I love the wicker chair he is sitting on, such an unusual design with it's sloping back and the vine in the background looks to be passionfruit or choko which might explain my Grandmother's  lifelong obsession with this fruit (but that's a story for another time!).

 

 

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by 11.55pm on November 30th,  2013. We'd love to see what you can make of  this photograph. 

Please stop back later in the week when we will announce our October winner.

It's All American ...

We have an email entry from Donna Seamon who tells me this is her first ever entry for any challenge !

 

I love the glowing birthday candles against the dark backdrop of the inspiration photo. Nothing speaks to me more of a birthday celebration than candles glowing in low light.

Our adult daughters were responsible for the Eagle Cupcakes for my husband's birthday this past June. I let that Eagle (he has an extensive eagle objects collection) carry a theme near and dear to his heart; America. Along with that...Harley Davidson, which he's owned and ridden since the early 1970's.

The map of the USA depicts his city of birth; San Diego, California, & the city we currently live in Michigan.

Since we were singing Happy Birthday when we took the shots, I added a white tile, on which I embossed a Treble Clef as a reminder of the song being sung.

I'm not sure if you can see them, but I used an eagle rubber stamp with a VersaMark inkpad to create watermarks on the plain red background page.


Thank you so much for playing along with us here on Pixels and Paper, Donna.

It's prize time ...

It's time to announce our September winners.  I wish I could give each and every entrant a prize because your layouts were absolutely fabulous - so big hugs from the DT and I for your wonderful efforts.

Our winners for this month are MARY BENNETTS and a  RAK from me goes to LEANNE.

Thank you so much ladies for your delightful pages - if you could email me your postal details I will see your prizes get out to you.

It's October on Pixels and Paper ...

Our October inspiration is one I think we can all relate to.  What do you see here ... the obvious birthday cake, icing, flames, darkness, eleven items or the colours of red, yellow, blue, white and black?

This one is super easy - hope to see lots of entries this month :)

 

This is what our design team came up with ...

Alicia

 

This month the inspiration photo got me to finally start on my 9 year olds 1st birthday pages! I loved making the page but most of all I loved looking back in time at the pictures of the celebration and my notes from the day in my journal. I adore this messy face picture, it reminds me of how he started out eating so careful and gingerly, not sure if eating this sweet stuff was really ok. Once he got encouragement from all of the adults he really dug in and there was no stopping him. I stuck with a classic birthday theme relying on the paper, photo, and embellishments to make the occasion obvious. As always I included a big of my own handwriting in the title.

 

Di

 

For this month's inspiration I knew I had to scrap some old birthday photos, taken at my son's 4th birthday. We had afternoon tea with his Nan and Pop... and there were 2 birthday cakes. The one I made was decorated with a clock face ( straight from the Australian Woman's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake book). Nan made a chocolate cake decorated with glace cherries. These were a firm favourite with my son at the time, and as you can see from his plate, many of them ended up there before the cake was cut.

 

 

Tone-Lill

 

The candles inspired  me to scrap a photo of my 12y old daughter from last summer when she was 11 and had her birthday in Norway. My mom had baked a big chocolate cake and she tried to blow all 11 candles in one go :)

I used gesso, stencils, stamps and ink sprays to create a colourful background to match to colours in the photo, and a bit of splish and splash is fun to do :)

 

Jane

 

I've used the birthday cake with candles theme, pulling out the red, blue and black to create my page. 

 

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by 11.55pm on October 31st,  2013. We'd love to see what you can make of  this photograph. 

Please stop back later in the week when we will announce our September winners.

 

Announcing our August winners ....

We've decided to do things a little differently - the DT will vote on the main winner each month and there will be a randomly drawn RAK taken from those remaining entries.  This will be dependant on the amount of entries we get each month as we need sufficient to make voting a viable proposition.

Congratulations go to Julie Short our main winner with Julene Matthews receiving a small RAK from me.  Well done ladies!!

Spring is in the air ....

Spring is here and we are on the downhill run to Christmas - both exhilarating and yet depressing in the same sentence!

This month we have what I think is a really delightful inspirational photograph.  It is simple yet really can produce so many thoughts. 

 

What do you see when you gaze at this image?  A beautiful little boy, amazing soulful eyes, a mop of curls, a hand knitted jumper, flowers, a hand extending friendship or love, an age gone by  ......

 

so many things from a simple picture!

 

 

Our team have some wonderful takes on this inspiration ...

 

ALICIA

This month I was inspired to choose a picture that was as solemn as the inspiration photo. From there I included white and yellow flowers and used a floral page with writing under a sunflower vellum page to create the background. For details on products used I have everything listed at my blog. I hope you find fun inspiration from this page.

 

 

DI

 

When I first saw the image of the small boy holding flowers in his hand, I felt a strong connection, as this was often the look on children's faces when they brought flowers to me when I was teaching.... an unspoken question; would I like them? and of course I did. I loved nothing better than being given flowers.

 

I've gone with a special event idea. The day that P & P is due for posting, is  my 40th Wedding Anniversary. The photo I have used for my layout is of my 2 bridesmaids and self showing off our beautiful bouquets. The flowers in these featured orchids, grown by my dad, so they were extra special.

 

 

TONE-LILL 

 

I had big ideas to use big flowers like sunflowers on my page but as I started the small yellow flowers on the inspiration photo really got my attention. I still have a few photos to use to fill in my nephew's album and I just love the cute tiny sunshine buttons I have used so this is what I made and those tiny smiling suns looks so cute on this. My nephew is now aged 15 and is on the recruitment team to the Norwegian national swimming team. No problem at all to keep him in the water ☀🌻

 

 

 JANE

 

I was drawn to the eyes in this inspiration photograph - they say that the eyes are the window to the soul and I have always felt that you can see well beyond the surface when you look into someones eyes.  I have used a vintage photo of my husband as a young boy - he probably won't like me saying he's vintage but I'll counter the slight with a comment on how beautiful and expressive his eyes are. 

 

 

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by 11.55pm on September 30th, 2013. We'd love to see what you can make of  this photograph. 

 

Please stop back later in the week when we will announce our August winner.

 

It's time for another challenge ...

... here on Pixels and Paper but firstly I want to send my appreciation to those who entered in our first ever challenge - thank you so much for your support.  Mr Random.org has come up with the number 3 which means Margaret C you are our very first winner.  Please email me your details and I will put your prize into the mail for you.


Our inspiration photograph this month is one I think you will all enjoy ...

 

so many ways to interpret this gorgeous photograph.  Use the colours, use the fashion, go vintage, highlight the hair or the legs or the shoes.  Work on a pageant theme or visit the beach ... the choices are endless and I can't wait to see what you all come up with.

 

My talented team have some wonderful layouts to inspire you this month.

 

ALICIA

DI

 

I adored the beautiful ladies and first thoughts were of: Beauty Pageant, then beach competition and the colours of the costumes and shoes. I also looked at their expressions and how much their eyes seemed to be a focal point. I hope this has come across in my layout.  I have also concentrated on a beach theme, using colours reflecting those of the costumes.

 

 

TONE-LILL

 

The ladies all in swimsuits in a row inspired me to use a photo of the beach huts in Torquay (south west England).  I used beach related papers and embellishments from Tilda.

 

 

 

JANE

 

I knew I had the perfect photo from probably the same era in a lovely picture of my MIL in her younger days whilst on holiday in Skegness, England.  I then let the colours inspire me.

 

 

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by 11.55pm on August 31st, 2013. We'd love to see your interpretation of this photograph. 

 

Introducing our final design team member ...

I'm delighted to introduce you to the final member of the Pixels and Paper design team, Alicia Somers.

Hello, I’m Alicia,

I am predominantly a paper scrapbooker, but I am a huge photo editing geek. I love how just a few clicks with my mouse can completely change the focus of a shot, add to the story of a moment, or enhance the mood of the photo. My style is tailored, although I have been branching out recently and adding more “stuff” and over embellishing some layouts just to try my hand at the style that is so popular right now. I began crafting as a kid with my mom, and have been scrapbooking since the 90s when we only had 8 ½”x 11” printed paper. I have a vast variety of techniques that I have picked up over the years from things as simple as creative layering to complex and time consuming quilling pieces.

In the case of the DT call inspiration photo I saw three girly girls who love each other and animals. I saw them living on the edge of the outback on a ranch where they were free to roam the gardens after chores, playing together all day long. I was drawn to the wrought iron chair the youngest was sitting on, which inspired me to use the metal looking corner pieces that I die cut. I wanted to bring focus to the three girls so I cropped and created another photo to use on the page that shows each girl better, and I tinted it pink to bring out a more feminine feel than the black and white shot allows. I kept embellishments to a minimum so that the focus remained on the photo and the story I created for them about how important and close they are to each other. I titled it “Together” because as a girl who grew up in a rural area myself I know nothing is more important than family being together. Journaling reads: Growing up on the ranch at the edge of the wild outback my sisters and I had only each other and our animals for playmates. Our animals are like family, and my sisters and I are the best of friends. Helping out on the ranch, or exploring the gardens we did everything together. I can’t imagine a more perfect way to grow up.

 

 

Here is some more of my work ..

 

 

 

 

 

The close up photos of the baby layout is of a metal foot I handmade, and the other is a tiny foot I drew.  I believe wholeheartedly that I am creating art to leave behind for the future generations and so I do a lot of personalized things like this. I like to put pieces of me into every layout, and even though my handwriting is nothing special I know one day someone will cherish all the handwritten stories I include.

 

Please visit me on my blog http://taylordscrapncraftreview.blogspot.com/ 

 

 

 

 

Introducing the lovely Tone-Lill Angelskar ...

... the second member of our design team.

 

 

My name is Tone-Lill, a young at heart Norwegian  who loves "artsy" stuff and create with papers, scissors  paint and glue. It started with card making, but now it's more or less only Scrapbooking I do. I don't think I have any particular style when it comes to scrapbooking, but I do enjoy trying out new things and ideas.  I love my gesso and misting sprays  making tags and using  different things not meant for scrapping. I  also love colourful projects and use art as inspiration, as well as visiting other blogs for new and fun ideas and connect with other scrap bookers who share the same passion for scrap booking and paper craft.

 I currently live in England and have been here 7 years. I have a son who is 18  and a 12 year old daughter (going on 20) and it is mainly their faces that end up on my layout pages. To me it is a fun and a memorable way to record their lives by scrapbooking events into memories.

I hope you will find inspiration here on this challenge blog and that you will join in on the fun and share something that is special for you.

 

Please see more of my work on my personal blog.

 

Here are some more layouts from Tone-Lill.

 

 

 

Introducing the first of the design team ...

I'm delighted to introduce you to the first member of the Pixels and paper design team, Di Hasthorpe.

 

 

Hi,  I'm Di Hasthorpe. I'm married (almost 40 years) with one son. We live in far north east NSW. I've been scrapping for about 5 years and started my blog last year.

I don't really have a set style, layouts are very much dependent on what mood I'm in and what I've been playing with at the time. I really love experimenting with different mediums and quite often use fibres on my work.

 

I enjoy visiting other blogs and attending classes to see what others are up to. I also enjoy reading (again quite varied, depending on mood, but always thick books... the thicker, the better!), photography (mostly natural environments and wildlife), painting (acrylics and watercolours), travelling in Australia (still heaps to visit), gardening and cooking (focus on gluten-free as I'm a coeliac, and using Australian native plant foods).

I also love catching up with friends and fellow crafters.

 

When I first saw your DT call inspiration photo, my first thoughts went immediately to Mary Grant Bruce's books which I enjoyed as a young teen. These books, so Australian were firm  favourites. I had other books also written by early Australian authors, given to me by my mum. She grew up in  this era, having been born in 1911. My other favourite way of sourcing these books was to visit the local Quota shop on Saturday mornings and searching through their preloved book section, and the joy of finding a bargain for sixpence.

 

Looking at your photo, I wondered who this group was waiting for. Could it be grandparents visiting?  a loved one returning from war?  Is the young girl sitting down nursing a doll?

The setting reminded me of stories mum told, of her early married life, working on share farms and living without any form of electricity, during the Depression. The tumbled-down buildings, overgrown with vegetation was also reminiscent of any area I visited as a teen.. an old , once thriving mining town north west of Tenterfield on the new England tablelands... heaps of old, deserted overgrown buildings.

 

This layout is my take on your photo. This is a photo of my late mother-in-law's family and sadly, the only thing I know is that one of the boys is her father. 

 

 

 

Secondly one is of self taken by a school photographer some years ago 

 

 

 and of an old home in the Midlands region of Tasmania.

 

My blog is: http://mytawnyinspirations.blogspot.com.au/  named for some little feathered friends, tawny frogmouths, which reside in my garden during summer.

 

 

 

 

Welcome to July ...

Firstly you are going to notice we have had a slight name change - my apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.  I noticed a few days ago there was an online magazine out of the US with the same name so in the interests of fair play (and self preservation) I've opted to switch things around now rather than risk having to do so further down the track. 

So a very big welcome to the very first challenge on Pixels and Paper.  It is great to have you join us.  Please make sure you view our rules to familiarise yourself with the how it all works here.

Our July challenge ...

 

When I look at this photograph I see many different things:-

 A child (girl) alone or a child (girl) and her dog (pet),

Someone fishing,

A bridge,

A river or lake on a sunny day,

Hair in plaits,

Rolled up jeans and sneakers,

 

If I look more closely I might see ..

A hand knitted cardigan/sweater (made for love or necessity?),

Intense concentration,

Companionship and/or love,
 

You may well see other things. What story do you wish to tell using this inspiration piece as your starting point?  Please explain this link when you submit your entry.
 

Introducing our inaugural Creative Team and their wonderful interpretations. Please welcome Di Hasthorpe, Tone-Lill Angelskar and Alicia Somers.   I will be presenting each team member individually and in greater detail throughout the month.

 

 

 Di Hasthorpe

used  a photo of her husbands grandfather and his dogs taken at a beach ...

 

 

Tone-Lill Angelskar

 

depicted the love of a girl for her horse

 

 

Alicia Somers

 

recounted a fun-filled day of a family fishing trip

 

 

Jane Howden

 

shows a tiny girl with her own fishing rod

 

 

 

Please upload the DIRECT link to your actual entry with the link tool on the LEFT by 11.55pm on July 31st, 2013. We'd love to see your interpretation of the photograph. 

 

I am still on the lookout for another digital based team member for Pixels and Paper - please contact me if this might be of interest to you.