Wednesday 17 December 2014

♥ My Favourite Projects of 2014 ♥






Hello everyone!  I am currently away on a little break at the moment. 
 It is so lovely having a change of scenery & a slower pace of life.
 Time to think - reflect on 2014 & think about the direction my life
 is going & what I want to try to achieve, God willing, in 2015.  

Things are on the verge of getting very busy around here with our 
Christmas plans & by this weekend we will no longer be at our tranquil 
beach hideaway but more centrally located for all the Christmas "shenanigans" 
so I am getting this post "out the way" so I have a record of my 2014 work {my faves...}

I have all my layouts {that are published on my various Design Team blogs}
 in a Facebook Album called 2014 Designs.  It is a PUBLIC album & this is the LINK
 You can also find it down my right hand sidebar.  So far I have 88 projects but have
 another 2 still to show this year that will be up at 7 Dots Studio shortly.  
(So I cannot include them in my faves as they aren't "live" yet).

So 90 projects in 2014 averages out to about 8 projects a month.
{I create for about 10 - 11 months of the year as sometimes I am away 
from home & don't take supplies with me as I use too many different things
to be portable - also I need a creative break as I find it improves my work).

I am happy with my productivity as there are also many more things I work on
 "behind the scenes" to run my challenge blog, Scrap Around The World,
plus other design team duties for my other teams, etc, & these things take
about 4 times as long as the actual creating!!  I am also working on branching
out in some new directions next year!  Well I have whittled it down to 20...

In no particular order :)


1.  "Happy" for 2 Crafty Chipboard.  I love subtlety & have worked 
hard over the years to tone down my style & lighten my hand.





2.  "Heart Strings"" for 7 Dots Studio.  I just love this page. 
 Love the paleness of the base & the rich purply browns 
as well as the texture & circular shapes.  





3.  "Time Flies" for 2 Crafty Chipboard.  Again I love the paleness
 of the base as well as the texture.  These days I am definitely
 more into texture than I am into colour!





4.  "Chase Happiness"" for my Prima Guest Design Spot!
I love this new "Forever Green"Collection from Winter 2014, especially 
the fern stamp - so delicate - always after a light touch these days...





5.  "You make me Happy when Skies are Grey" for 2Crafty Chipboard. 
 I love the colours here & the "Something Blue"" paper from Prima
 {toned down with gesso} & love Prima's new microbeads.  





6.  "Gateway to Growing Up" for Lindy's Stamp Gang.
  I love pink & green together & I adore those sparkly butterflies I made
 using Inkido papers & LSG glitter, as well as the local sparkly thread!





7.  "Penguins" for Lindy's Stamp Gang.  I adore the cardboard background
 & keep forgetting to use box cardboard again - the effect of tearing through
 to the core creates awesome texture.  I also love all the white, the pale
 tones & the diagonal design has long been my favourite composition.  






8.  "Paris" for Inkido.  I love the background.  It took ages to achieve
 but I love how it turned out!  Love the texture too.  Texture is definitely my jam...






9.  "Chips Chips" for the Prima Product Pick Competition in July.  
Quite a full page I know but I still like the itty bitty pieces of 
all sorts in the background & the small pops of brighter colour
 {the theme was 4th of July colours - red, white & blue!}






10.  ''#Love"" created for a challenge I won at Paperdhviznik.
{I was invited back as their Guest Designer but am still waiting 
for a date from them!}.  I love how the background turned out.
I was testing a couple of new stamps from "Crafty Individuals"UK.





11.  "Always Follow Your Dreams" for 2 Crafty Chipboard.
{I will miss this team when my term ends.  Their chippies are
really inspirational as is their team!  I love that there are brand new designs
 SO OFTEN - no chance for boredom!}  I love the stronger colours here.  
I worked hard to tone it down with white to keep it from garishness.  





12.  "Lido" for 2 Crafty Chipboard.  A great paper is half the battle won. 
 I love this print from Inkido & also love their little blooms that I recoloured.  
Those black flowers are also my very favourite EVER Prima flowers.  

That doily stencil, sent to me by my friend in the US, Mitra Pratt, is my
FAVOURITE EVER STENCIL & is actually an original vintage doily.
Using GREAT SUPPLIES makes me SO HAPPY, despite the cost of
it {nothing is cheap by the time it reaches South Africa as postage costs
are high & our currency is on a typical 3rd world downhill slide constantly}
but beautiful stash feeds my soul way more than pretty shoes!!!






13.   "Brothers" for 7 Dots Studio.  I simply adore all Finnabair's products
 & love "Cold Country" - designed by her for 7 Dots.  I love the look
 of the background brick work& love that finally those flowers
 I've owned for years found a home where they fit perfectly!






14.  "Happy Love"" for 2 Crafty Chipboard.  I really relived my love for embossing
 powder this year & also indulged heavily in Prima flowers, but mostly from my 
expansive stash of them, which I have whittled down quite considerably!  
That heart punch from Martha Stewart was one of my best buys for 2014.





15.  "Our Holidays" Album Cover for my Guest Spot at Prima in November.
I love the stash they sent me from their December Special Delivery Kit,
especially those amazing sequinned leaves.  Autumnal colour schemes are
definitely one of my faves {spicy Fall Colours} & I'm really happy I 
managed to stick to my 2014 RESOLUTION to create more OTP projects!






16.  "Dec 2014 Cape Town" - the inside of my travel album for my Guest Spot
 with Prima.  I had to do a step-by-step tutorial for this for the "Live with Prima"
 blog {for the December "Special Delivery" kit & was really happy with how it 
turned out from a "teaching to others" point of view.  






17.  "Follow Your Heart" Canvas for 7 Dots Studio.  I love this!  I made it as a gift 
for my MIL but REALLY wanted to keep it!!  This is the look I am ALWAYS after. 
 Everything came together perfectly for me here!!  

I have seen that, for me, I would rather not scrap than "Try to make a silk purse
out of a sow's ear".  I am so happy creating with beautiful, high-quality products
& so unhappy trying to create with bad quality, cheap ones.

  It's the reason I have never taught lessons here.  Because making something
 beautiful costs more money here than people are prepared to spend.  






18.  "Extraordinary" Canvas - 2 Crafty Chipboard.  
I love me a bit of colour & am happy that I managed here to get the balance right
with it through the addition of the white & paler tones.  I hate garishness & think
I succeeded in avoiding it.  Love all that prettiness in one place!  These are now
 on my studio walls & greet me every evening.  They make me very happy!





19.  "Make Good Art" Reverse Canvas - 2 Crafty Chipboard.  

This is actually made from a perspex "Ferrero Rocher" Chocolate box lid
 but looks like a reverse canvas!  I love that I used something FREE as my base
 & I love the colours & all the little bits of chipboard, flowers & goodies that
make up this piece.  That honeycomb stamp from Prima is my favourite stamp EVER.





20.  Trio of Cards for 2 Crafty.  I really don't know why I don't make more cards.
I loved creating these & have enjoyed giving them away.  Working on a small
space/area is not easy for me {Just answered my own question of why I don't 
make more cards!} but I'm happy with how I managed to do it here.  

Let me know if you post about your faves for 2014 {share your link in the comments} 
so I can pop over to take a peek.  It's always fun to look back & I'm happy
 with what I achieved in 2014.  Finally I can see a signature style!!

I know what I like now & creating with my faves is an absolute joy!
I notice I have PRIMA on EVERYTHING!!
I am seriously addicted...




24 comments:

Shona said...

gorgeous projects :)

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

I loveeeeeeee all your faves!! Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Lizzy Hill said...

Beautiful projects! LOOOVE the width & breadth of your talent:) enjoy your break away & can't wait to see what you get up to next year:):)

Heather McMahon said...

Fabulous Helen! I hadn't really twigged how textural your style is until I saw all these at once. You've got to be proud of yourself!

Val-Belle said...

WOW! all amazing pieces. I don't know how you do it... I need to get my act together for next year. :P thanks for sharing again. So much inspiration here. Looking forward to seeing what you are up to next year. Have a wonderful Christmas. xox

Sandi Clarkson said...

Fabulous choices! I don't know how you do all you do! These are such great choices! Here's to a great 2015!

Ульяна и Полина said...

Как красиво!!!

dstandard said...

Such gorgeous work Helen! Amazing layouts! Can't believe you have created so many this year - have never tried to count mine though!

Lynn said...

So creative and absolutely beautiful! I always get inspired when I visit your blog!

nancy carroll said...

Wow, all totally gorgeous and inspiring.

Helen Wallace said...

Beautiful examples of your style and your talent. Have a wonderful break and I look forward to see your activities in 2015. Happy Christmas.

Lizzyc said...

So lovely to see all these again, and just love the textures you achieve on your creations! Have a wonderful week!

Linda Eggleton said...

Brilliant work Helen...you have had an amazing year! Your work definitely oozes texture...one of my fav's is "Happy Love" - gorgeous colours & stunning textures.

Hope you are enjoying your break away. Wishing you & yours a safe relaxing christmas :) xx

nancy carroll said...

Thanks for the wonderful comment on my blog, I've had several surgeries this year and been less mobile, will try to keep checking in after the New Year, maybe not as often when I become more mobile though.. I find your site so inspiring!

Marjie Kemper said...

What a gorgeous post chock full of eye candy! Pinning some I'd missed before. Sending you and your family wishes for a Merry Christmas and very Happy New Year!

Desire Fourie said...

Amazing talent right here Helen. You are just one amazing artistic soul and one of the few people I know who are always up to date with the latest trends and are even a trend setter yourself. Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed festive season and a 2015 filled with tons of love and joy.
Hugs
Desíre
{Doing Life – my personal blog}

Cassandra aka Scrap Savvy said...

Such a gorgeous collection of projects! Helen, Thanks for another year of your wonderful creative inspiration.:)

Di Garling said...

Such a lovely collection Helen and I'm sure there are a lots of great memories here as well. Beautiful work my friend.

Lynette Jacobs said...

It is always amazing to see so much beauty in one post. Beautiful, beautiful projects.

Denise van Deventer said...

Your work is stunning girl and all of these are amazing projects! Just beautiful! I am sooo happy to say I am the holder of no.19.....it is an inspiration to me and is on my wall, in the hallway!!!! XXX

Adriana B said...

Just awesome projects, your work is stunning and beautiful :)

Athanasia said...

Amazing projects and beautiful faces! I wish you all the best for 2015 Helen, with even more beautiful pages! Hugs!

Margaret Mifsud said...

Awesome works Helen!! Doesn't matter whether you use brights or the more subdued colours, you always rock it!!! Each and every one is a masterpiece!! Love, love, love them all!! ox

Eila Sandberg said...

Loved scrolling up and down re-visiting all these fabulous projects. So much eye candy you created last year Helen, absolutely mind boggling creativity. Know that you will continue to wow us this year too, one never knows where everything takes you. Take care my friend, xoxox