Cocoa Vanilla Studio: JOY

Hi Creative Friends!

Welcome back for more Cocoa Vanilla Studio Christmas goodness!

Earlier this month, I shared my first layout with the stunning new, Tis The Season collection - well since then I've been on a bit of a roll and scrapping the festive season like there's no tomorrow! Lol!

Seriously though, it is hard to put this collection down - such gorgeous colours and patterned papers!

I've gone for a boy layout to share with you today, because despite the pretty reds and pinks, Tis The Season has some cool blues and mints as well!

Here's my layout,

"JOY"

Oh, isn't he the cutest?! Such a hilariously happy boy! Love this!

Let's start with those fun patterned papers - really cool designs!

I've used the reverse sides of Very Merry & Good Cheer

But it isn't just the patterned papers that are fun, bright and happy - check out the fun embellishments....

Wood veneer, flair, enamel dots, little stars, stickers and die cut ephemera really complete this page!

I do love the colours of the enamel dots - they partner perfectly to the papers!

And those wood veneers? Well, they'd be my favourite yet! So cool!

How fun is that arrow & title?!

And the stickers! Well, I'm not a huge sticker gal but these stickers won me over big time - just awesome!

It's not often I choose to scrap Christmas, but Tis The Season has changed my mind!

So contemporary, so bright and fun - LOVE it!

Hope you liked my layout and feel inspired to scrap your Jolly Memories too!

Thanks for visiting, 

Happy Arty Days, Amanda xo

Scrap The Boys: November Challenge

Hi Everyone!

Welcome back for a little scrappy challenge fun!

This month over at Scrap The Boys the challenge is....

Yep. Super cool, and very boy ;) !

Recently, I took my hilarious Mr A for Awesome out for afternoon tea at a cafe - he was so chuffed with the funny face biscuit he ordered that I couldn't help but capture the moment! Perfect pics to scrap for this challenge. Here's what I created....

"This Is So RAD"

Such a funny face indeed! Love this boy! 

I've created the layout with left overs from my Cocoa Vanilla Studio: Made Of Awesome stash. This collection is just perfect for all your boy pages! It totally rocks! 

Bright, bold colours and strong masculine pattern papers make this my go-to boy collection everytime!

I've also used a Tangerine gelato and black ink biro to create my background - very cool!

Loving that little Lucky Charm Camera from Cocoa Vanilla Studio too! 

Anyways, that's my interpretation on the challenge.

Hope you liked my take on it, & feel inspired to give it a go!

For more inspirational ideas, & to get started visit Scrap The Boys here.

Thanks for visiting, 

til next time, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo

Scrapping the Everyday with Christmas Papers!

Hi my Creative Friends,

Thanks for joining me today for another Saturday, ahem.... 

Scrapaday post!

Today I wanted to blog about all those Christmas patterned papers we love to buy around this wonderful time of the year.

You know the ones, they're so gloriously Christmassy that we can't actually use them until it's time for December Daily - well, not anymore!

I am not holding back on Christmas papers.

 My challenge is to scrap an everyday page that is not Christmas at all, but still uses the Christmas collection!

I know, trust me to find a tricky challenge, lol! 

Here's what I came up with,

"LOVE"

Isn't this layout the sweetest?!!! This photo melts me everytime! 

And yes, not a drop of Christmas in the page despite being created from the 

Cocoa Vanilla Studio: Tis The Season festive collection.

Lots of fun and so many gorgeous elements too!

Let's take a closer look.....

Let's start with those awesome pattern papers - seriously fun Christmas colours, but a simple dot or star pattern means we can create more than just festive layouts. Love it!

There's also a journal card popped in under my photo too - it featured a poinsettia so I made sure that was hidden away!

The sequins, flair and wood veneers are also from the Tis The Season collection - but as you can see, they're so versatile & work perfectly with my 'everyday' page.

The green doily is from my stash, but the other two are from Charms Creations.

The one beneath that cute flair is a Butterfly Mini Runner and just trims my photo beautifully!

And there you have it! Christmas papers but not a Christmas layout!

Hope you liked my creation today,

 and moreso, that I've inspired you to give my personal challenge a go!

Would love to see what you come up with! 

Post your take on this challenge on the Deer & Fawn Designs Group Facebook page & I'll randomly select someone to receive a RAK gift from me!

And if you haven't done so yet - please link up your entry to the Deer & Fawn Designs November pretty birdy inspiration challenge! 

There's an amazing prize up for grabs!

Thanks for visiting,

til next time,

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo

Guest Designer: Charms Creations: Together Always

Hi Happy Arty Days Friends!

Thanks for stopping by to see another of my Guest Designer projects for Charms Creations!

Today's layout features a Light BlueTab and Light Blue Heavenly Heart, and a couple of hand coloured doilies -  they are sooooooooo very pretty!

But enough chattering about it all,

 here's my layout...

"Together Always"

I know, it's truly a sweet page!!!

 I love how these two are just so awesome together! Makes my heart melt...

I've used the Cocoa Vanilla Studio: Life Is Beautiful collection to create this layout - because well, our life is beautiful and this collection is so pretty I can't keep my crafty things off it! LOL!

Let's take a closer look at those Charms Creations embellies....

How pretty are those doilies?! And that heart! Oh so very pretty and works perfectly with the 

Cocoa Vanilla Studio Wood Veneer and Bloom! A gorgeous cluster!

And that butterfly patterned paper is just divine!

But let's not forget that terrific tab....

How sweet (&versatile) is that tab?!! Love it!!!

So much pretty going on here! And I LOVE those blooms!

Nothing like prettiness overload to embellish a sweet captured moment!

I hope I have inspired you to get creating with these awesome, amazingly pretty products! 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo

Cocoa Vanilla Studio: Christmas Wishes

Hi Everyone!

Can you believe we're almost half way through November?

 I know, time flies when you're having fun!

& there's been a whole lot of fun this year with Cocoa Vanilla Studio releasing so many amazing collections!

But as we head into the festive season let me say,

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! LOL

'Tis The Season' is Cocoa Vanilla Studio's fun and fabulous Christmas collection that is perfect for all your jolly memories!

It's bright, fresh and totally festive ;)

But enough chatter about it, let's take a looksee.....

Here's my first layout with Tis The Season,

"Christmas Wishes"

Isn't this the sweetest?!! Such a super cute moment captured!

This would have to be the most fun and contemporary Christmas collection I've ever created with. 

Yes, EVER!

I love that it breaks away from the predictable patterns and colours and offers a fresh new palette with playful designs! It is young, modern and hap-hap-happy!!!

I've fallen for the mint and pink tones, & that candy stripe paper - well, who doesn't love a candy cane at Christmastime?!

I've used both sides of this pretty patterned paper, All Is Bright.

Really is so fun! And who knew that Poinsettias could actually look cool?

Speaking of cool, let's talk the entire range of embellishments in the Tis The Season collection; seriously must haves, each and every single one of them!

Let's take a closer look....

Yep, seriously awesome! From fun printed wood veneers, to cute die cut ephemera, enamel little stars, bitty bows and even lucky charms, Tis The Season rocks embellies!

My favourites include those sweet colour coordinated sequins - check out the gold stars! And those Little Stars..oh those enamel stars! (I mean, really, could they get any cuter?!)

Let's take a closer peak at my go-to embellies, the wood veneers.....

I love wood veneers - they are so easy to use and the printed finish just makes them even better. It was hard to resist using the entire packet on my layout - here's why..

Told you they are awesome! Even the trees have decorations on them - too cute!

And as for cute, here's one last peak at another fabulous, must have embellie....

Yes, the die cut ephemera is truly divine! Those bells are just precious!

What more can I say?

Tis The Season is just so FUN!

 I hope I've inspired you to get creating,

til next time,

Happy Arty Days, Amanda xo

Kaisercraft: New! Journal Planner

Hi Happy Arty Days Friends & Planner Addicts!

Boy-oh-boy was I excited to receive the new

Kaisercraft Journal Planner

For those of you who don't follow me, I am a total planner addict!

I love all things planner related and couldn't wait to try out this stunning Journal Planner!

Even the box it comes in is pretty.......

I know, when the packaging looks this good you know you've bought quality!

But, wait til you open the box....

I was greeted with that lovely PU leather smell, and it felt so lovely in my hands!

Here it is on my desk.....

Yes, it is pink. Yes, it is pretty. Yes, it has an inspirational quote on the cover - I am so already loving it!

This colour is 'Blush' but the Journal Planner also comes in classic Black and a beautiful mint 'Sea Breeze'.

Unlike other planners on the market, this one is a hard leather feel, with a really strong magnetic clasp.

(No cheap pop stud buttons!)

And I love that it is so very customisable. This planner is all about YOU!

Kaisercraft have really considered your needs with this Journal Planner - make it what you want!

Kaisercraft sent me the fabulous A Touch Of Gold collection to showcase with this Journal Planner - so lot's of black, white and gold in my planner today ;)

Very sophisticated!

Let's peak inside......

Totally gorgeous, and how fun!!!

I love accessorizing my planners - so you'll spy lots of pretties adorning my dashboards!

Captured moments cards, tags & collectables, pattern papers, pretty pins, memo notes, stickers, charms, clips, sequins....lol - anything pretty really!

I like to keep a few things 'handy' for decorating my pages with ;)

And while we're talking interiors, I love that natural tan leather finish inside.

It will work so well with any colour combinations -

meaning we can constantly re-decorate with our seasonal colours & pattern papers with confidence!

That said, if you're not into embellishing your planner,

then the quality finish on the leather will ensure you'll also have a stylish number without all the fuss.

Now, remember how I said this planner is all about you?

Well, in the following images I've styled mine to suit MY needs,

but you can create yours the way YOU want!

So the printed dashboards (dividers) are very stylishly printed inspirational quotes in black and white.

(Again, so you can customise to suit your style)

But for me, who loves colour &  pattern, well I just had to decorate mine with a little

A Touch Of Gold to them........

Isn't this the cutest?! And it took only a few mintues to transform.

A couple strips of specialty foil paper, a sticker, the NEW glitter printed tape (in gold, naturally!), a scatter of sequins, a few cute pens and that sweet tassle charm! Love it!

(Between you and me, making tassles is little too fiddly & time consuming,

so I do order these from Mint Boulevard, the quality speaks for itself.)

Oh, and let's not forget my planner inside cover.....

When it comes to planners you can never have too many cute pens, charms, stickers and clips!

Those super fun heart memo sticky notes, and it's matching notelet card are from The Planner Society - yes, there are even groups you can join to share your planner love, and be inspired!

You can also learn how to make your own planner embellies...

Cute paperclips to coordinate with your signature style? Yes please!

Simply take an extra long paper clip and attach either a charm, flair button, bitty bow or ribbon. Voila! So easy!

Let's take a further look inside my planner....

Here's my opening page for November.

I stitched a Captured Moments card to my ATOG pattern paper base to create an extra pocket for storing keepsakes, momentos and lil notes in. I've also embellished it with a cute heart paper clip from Merci and used another gorgeous tassle charm.

On the opposite page, I have used the new DD733 | Months in CD102 | Licorice to create a month page. I've embellished with sequins, pattern paper, a foiled washi tape & chevron bull dog clip. So cute!

As I really wanted to use this Journal Planner as a bit of a diary style planner too, I photocopied my fave month to a page inserts, cut them to size & embellished them too.

I like to keep on top of my hectic lifestyle - so a month to a page overview always works well for me!

Again, decorating your planner is a personal choice,

but I really believe that you can't go without the staple Printed Tape.

The new Kaisercraft Glitter Tapes are divine!!!

My next page in My planner is an inspiration page....

I love that you can use your planner to focus and stay on track with your personal goals.

I've even doodled a lil inspiration girl on a 6 x 4" Capture Card - cute, huh?

She's actually inspired by the artist Christy Campbell Tomlinson who creates Planner Girls for all her planners.  As an arty, inky, drawing kinda girl I totally adore this idea! Here's a closer look at my inspiration gal...

How cool is that Kaisercraft Clear Sticker in the bottom left corner? It partners perfectly with my illustration!

Apart from the A Touch of Gold collection, I've also dived into my Planner Society stash to 'dress' this feature page. Again, totally LOVING that you can mix n match, and customise your planner to be all about YOU!

Here's my other page to partner with the inspirational one...

Cool. Printed tapes, patterned papers, inspirational stickers & words, & I love that A Touch of Gold Tag to draw my focus in! LOL! Here's hoping it will keep me on task :)

Another of the other features of the Journal Planner is the included Captured Moments clear pocket refills. This means you can use your Journal Planner as a pocket page album, and have more room for journalling/story-telling too!

A quick sample page to give you an idea of how it could be incorporated into your planner style.

A few of my planner junkie friends have said that they will use this Journal Planner as a detailed Daily December, or Year Long Daily Mini Album. Awesome ideas!

Personally, I am sold on it being a way too stylish Organiser, so for me, those clear pocket refills are perfect for storing my supplies....

Yes, we all know that they hold the Captured Moments cards perfectly,

but they're also super handy for sticker, clip and charms storage too!

Perfect!

Loving the new Kaisercraft Journal Planner!

I hope I have inspired you with a few ideas on how to make the most of your planner.

Kaisercraft Products Featured: SA052 | Journal Planner-Blush, CM602 | Stay Golden Captured Moments Kit, PS422| Confetti, CD102 | Licorice, DD733 | Months, PT227 | Printed Tape-Gold, ST928 | Clear Stickers-Life, PT216 | Printed Tape-Ornate, FL441 | Pennants.

Other: Sequins, washi tape, pens, clips, tassles, charms, memo stick-it notes, charms.

Thanks for visiting & leaving a comment,

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo

Guest Designer: Charms Creations: Christmas Inspiration

Hi lovelies!

Thanks for stopping by to see another of my Guest Designer layouts for

Charms Creations.

I was lucky enough to meet the gorgeous Charmane Koch, 

the very talented owner & creator of Charms Creations for coffee the other day 

& she brought along some very sweet Christmas embellies for me to play with! 

I know, lucky me! Good friends, good coffee and amazing products - what  more could I want? ;)

And FYI she's even lovelier IRL too! Such a beautiful lady!

Here's the layout I created using those Christmas Charms.....

"Most Wonderful Time"

Isn't this fun?!

 Such a cute pic to play with - but how gorgeous are those handmade embellies too?

Here's a closer peak.....

Isn't that reindeer lush lollipop divine?! 

It's actually my favourite of the Christmas embellies!

Love those traditional brown earthy tones!

And that brown works so well the Cocoa Vanilla Studio: Tis The Season collection that I've used to create this layout with. 

(See the entire Tis The Season collection here)

Loving Christmas creating right now!

Here's a better look at that Christmas tree embellishment.....

Too sweet! 

That tree is just the cutest and will work with just about any Christmas colour combinations! Love it!

Yep, when it comes to Christmas creating Charms Creations & Cocoa Vanilla Studio have definitely got you covered! 

Hope you liked my layout today - to get your crafty hands on those sweet handmade embellishments click on the images below

 

Thanks for stopping by, 

til next time,

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo

Deer & Fawn Designs: November Challenge

Hi my Deer & Fawn Designs Friends!

Wow! Hard to believe it's November already?! Where does the time go?

But being a new month, it does mean time for a new 

Deer & Fawn Designs challenge!

& this month's is a ton of fun!

Simply take inspiration in any shape/form from the gorgeous image below...

I know - really stunning isn't it?!

So many different ways to tackle this challenge - 

And remember you can create anything you like!

But enough chatter, here's my take on it.....

"Laugh Every Day"

Firstly, how hillarious is my Mr A for Awesome?!! 

Loved that I managed to capture this moment; so funny indeed!

Note to self: Always keep your camera handy ;)

Now, back to the scrappy challenge fun.....

I was totally mesmerised by the blue and green tones of the birds feathers - 

such divine colours to play with!

I was also in a bit of a scrapping 'rut'  when I made this.

Having completed so many 'clean' pattern paper layouts of late, 

I really needed to break away.

Mixed media is always my go to style for renewing my creativity and having a bit of fun!

I love that you never really know what you're finished product will look like, 

it is just about the process! 

And boy oh boy was there a process! 

I've used gelatos, inks, watercolour, mists, texture paste, gesso, well a bit of everything really! 

Let's take a closer look.....

So despite breaking away from pattern papers, 

I still kept with a simple circular pattern throughout my layout. 

Love that Traci Bautista (aka Stencil Girl) circular template - so very cool!

I added the wood veneers to balance all the aqua & black.

And how totally awesome is that chipboard title and speech bubble?

They're from Imaginarium Designs, and I've sprayed them with Charcoal Kaisermist.

Seriously cool!

And that's my take on the Deer & Fawn Designs November challenge!

Hope you liked it - but more importantly, 

I hope it has inspired you to join in on the fun & upload an entry!

There's an awesome prize up for grabs too :)

Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment, 

til next time,

Happy Arty Days,

Amanda xo

Guest Designer: Charms Creations: Mo-vember Challenge

Hi Creatives,

Thanks for stopping by to read my exciting news...

I'm Guest Designer this month over at Charms Creations!

Yay! I love Charms Creations handmade embellishments, so this is a real treat for me!

For November, the challenge looks like this .....

Yep - it's Mo-vember! 

All you need to do is feature a moustache of some shape / form on your creation 

as well as a Charms Creations embellishment. 

Such a fun challenge!

Here's my take on it...

"LOL Mo'ment"

How cute is this?!! I used Charms Creations printed wood veneer moustaches 

(but glued them on back to front to better match my colour scheme),

 and I removed a butterfly from my Charms Creations Heavenly Heart in Cream & added a moustache in its place.

Very cool!

Here's a closer peak at it.....

I love Charms Creations Heavenly Hearts - too versatile and pretty!

Oh, & how cool are those mo' stickers?! Love 'em!

I've also used a Cocoa Vanilla Studio flair that features a moustache to add to the theme.....

Actually, there's quite a few Cocoa Vanilla Studio Made Of Awesome embellishments here - including the insta frame and sequins!

The papers are from Heidi Swapp: Wanderlust collection.

And there you have it!

My first Guest Designer layout for Charms Creations :)

Hope you liked it!

To join in on the Mo-vember challenge, & to see what the talented DT have created,

 click here to get started.

Thanks so much for visiting,

Happy Arty Days, 

Amanda xo