Thursday 5 December 2013

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.

Sunday 1 December 2013

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.