Friday 22 July 2011

Where have I been lately?! And some Wooting!! {Scrapbook Kits with Jules & Imaginarium Designs} Plus some Colour Combos Galore Inspiration!!






Hi Peeps!   I've been quiet this week I know...sorry for that!!  My daughter is going back to uni on Saturday & she has had many things that needed to get done, with my help, before she goes...so we have been shopping, shopping, shopping, getting her an HPV jab at the pharmacy, etc, etc :)  We had a really busy weekend with our visitors but a great day was had by all, however, Monday came around & it all went downhill from there...I had a real life disappointment that is too personal to share but it set me back days, I'm hoping now that it has kinda been resolved that I can move onward & upward once again!!!

I've also spent hours blog-hopping & in my e mail, trying to get back to everyone - of course I still haven't managed it all but I've made quite a dent, and that feel's good!  I also found out this week that I have a serious condition - pre-diabetes 2 - and have been scouring the internet for hours trying to find my own solutions, as the doctors I have seen over the last 2 years, for my hperinsulinemia, have basically failed to properly deal with the condition & it has now escalated to a more serious level, so no more carbs for me {well not entirely of course...} and a host of herbal remedies to take daily - uuuugh.... :(

Enough blah blahing!

Onto the woot...I have finally made it onto a kit club design team!  To me I see this as the next level up from challenge blogs because it means I get given product to work with.  At Once Upon a Sketch we do get a chipboard sponsorship which I loooooooove...and I am on Pretty Paper Petals design team too, and will soon be receiving some very pretty blooms & embellishments {there's been a hold up on that one because of various issues with the store}, so now I will be getting a whole box load of stuff sent to me regularly, which is nothing short of awesomeness!

The lady I have to thank for that is the wonderful Jules McKenna De Lumen of Australia, whose blog I have been spying on for years now & who produces wonderfully vibrant work.  You can see the Design Team announcement here on her blog and the original announcement here on the SCRAPBOOK KITS blog, as well as the call here.  Jules has great taste so I know that whatever I am sent to work with will be yummo!!

I also want to make a record here of these links here & here where I had my work featured on the IMAGINARIUM DESIGNS blog, which is the awesome chipboard company that is sponsoring Once Upon a Sketch with free chipboard until the end of our first year {end March 2012}, the first as Guest Designer & the second in their SPOTTED feature.  

It sure has rekindled my love for chipboard & my chippie drawer is full to overflowing again - yeah!!

***I am hoping it will be a double-post day for me today.  I have to stop now to fetch kids from school & head off to dance class (Cami not me LOL!), out for frozen yoghurt with Chelsea before she leaves for uni tomorrow (thanks to Colour Combos Galore for that - too much ICE CREAM INSPIRATION going on this week has got my tummy rumbling!) and tonight we are off to watch GREASE the musical!  So that should be a blast from the past!!  {1979 to be exact...wowzers!!!} so see y'all again later.

Here's a layout for all you "visual people" out there who can't fight through all this literature :)


I will be posting it again with the inspiration board, my close-up shots, my supplies list, etc (not to bore you but because this is where I keep a record of all those deets!) but at least this makes it a post with a picture & something pretty to look at!  

Why not play along this week?  The colour combo is an awesome one!!  I have linked you up to it so take a peek - you have until Wednesday midnight EST.

HAPPY WEEKEND CREATIVE PEOPLE!!





29 comments:

Shayne said...

Hope it's nothing too serious helen.

Love the LO - it's beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous.

enjoy your last arvi with Chelsea x

Shane said...

A masterpiece! And I must be a connoisseur by now, living with the most creative girl in Southern Africa...(have I spelt connoisseur correctly??) xx

FiKenward said...

Lovely page Helen, from the cut out butterfly to the gorgeous photos.

Julie Tucker-Wolek said...

I am sorry that you got bad news on Monday... I hope everything will be ok...and sorry to hear about the diabetes... that is hard to live with... I know... I hope that your weekend is amazing and I loveeeeeeeeeeeee your lo!! That butterfly is GORGEOUS! :):):):):):):):):):)

Stefanie said...

Sorry to hear about your week thus far, I thought you were just busy. I trust that the correct meds can sort you out before it becomes diabetes, there are such good supplements available now.

Kerryn said...

A mix of highs and lows for you at the moment. Hopefully the lows aren't there for long.

The layout is gorgeous!! Looking forward to hearing a bit more about how it came together :).

scrapsylz said...

sorry to hear you had a rough week with ups and downs!
The lo is stunning, I love it!!

Alison said...

sorry to hear it's not been such a good week Helen, but good news about the Scrap Kit team. Take care...fab LO by the way!
Alison xx

Jasmine S said...

Yay, woot woot on the new DT. Cannot wait to see your work with the kits. And you know I just loooooved your CCG. It is just so stunning.

Chantal Vandenberg said...

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!

This is amazing, Helen!!! Fabulous work!!!

Rachael Funnell said...

Sorry to here about the not so good news.... *HUGS*
But you are still creating Gorgeousness Helen!!
Just love everything about this LO.....
Also Congrats on the DT- Kit club Position!!
Enjoy your Weekend!
xx

Karen Shady said...

srry to hear things have been hard for you :( HUGS from me too.... goodluck to your DD :) and BIG congrats on the new DT spot.. well deserved xx

sandi said...

Wow! Helen this is great news about your DT kit club....yippee! You go girl!!!!!

Sorry to hear about your up/down week and your pre-diabetes...lots of prayers your way my friend.

That gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous lo is such a stunner! I love EVERYTHING about it! Just beautiful!

Hugs,
Sandi :)

Lynette Jacobs said...

Congratulations on all the "woots and toots";-) Very beautiful layout...lovely muted colour comgination.

scrapbookertink said...

Hi Helen, sounds like you have a lot to deal with at the moment, makes your visits to my blog even more special, congrats on the kit club, how lovely to receive goodies to play with. Your CCG layout is so pretty love the design and all the pretty embellies. Hope you have a fantastic weekend and remember to look after yourself x.

Eila Sandberg said...

Hello my busy busy bee! WOOOOOT WOOOOT!! put the sad tidings in the trash and smile that vibrant smile of yours - the sun is certainly shining upon you sweetie!! Just came from CCG hoping to have a closer peek at your gorgeous page. Will come back for a looksie soon again. Take real good care mwah mwah mwah!! E

Paloma Scrapbook said...

Hello Helen..sorry to hear about your health problems..I will pray for you.
But happy with the news you are going to get free kits...I'm so glad when I get them too, here in Brazil scrapbooking's stuff is too expensive and hard to find. I have to buy a lot of things from internet and takes a long time to gets here. I bought some die cut chipboards from Imaginarium designs but it didn't arrive yet. I love the butterflies.
Hope you have a nice weekend, and congrats for your stunnig LO for colorcombos!!!

Mel said...

Again I am so sorry to hear you are not yourself my friend, the stresses in life with the time juggling have me feeling a little down myself, I mentioned on the last layout about these problems but I just couldn't not leave a gorgeous message to you from this layout, wowsers, stunning. I understand completely about being missing in action, but I think you have just encouraged my mojo to do a layout....wow Helen your designs are amazing. Melxx

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

Hey, good to see your beautiful work again, how have you been, long time..... congrats on your new DT spot and hope you get better soon!

topkatnz said...

Hey, love that layout - the colours are beautiful:) So sorry to hear that things are a bit up and down for you at the moment; and of course the pre-diabetes. Best of luck and keep smiling. hugs Hx

HappyScrappy said...

Oh, Helen, so sorry to hear you are low right now :(!
And with the pre-diabetes (my mother has diabetes), there are many good remedies on the market and with good attention on your diet i know you will manage to keep it at bay :).
About your LO, i can only be amazed, i love the muted background, the butterfly and the pics -so lovely!!! Congratulations on your new DT spot!
Take care :)!

Toni Cartwright said...

Sorry to here you News :(!!!!
YOu have such stunning work i love your creations
You have a great week now
TONI
XOXOXOXOXO

Heather Jacob said...

so sorry to hear about your health Helen .. sending lots of love and healing energy to you .. OMG!!!!this is extraordinary !! a real masterpiece ... my mouth is wide open with amazement just drooling how beautiful this is.. those colours are awesome ... everything about this is wonderful .. love it .. and huge congrats to you woohoo!!!! how exciting xoxoxooxoxoxoxoxo

Paloma Scrapbook said...

Hi Helen... Did you see that I used the flowers I got from your kit? I always check your blog to find out new challenges. I'm a prize's seeker..hehehehe :)

yyam said...

Please take care of yourself.

And a big congrats on designing for a kit club! How exciting! :) Love the bold and graphic layout! :)

Diana said...

Gorgeous LO. One of your most beautiful ever.
Sorry you had a setback :-(

Pearl said...

Awesome news yet again , Helen! Yeah I hear you on getting on a kit club ! I've never done that yet ! It's nice to get a new set of products every mth to play with ! ;)

I am so loving all your artsy looking layouts lately !

Yolande (pronounced you-land-a) said...

As I mentioned on CCG...this layout is...wow...completely breathtaking and I am in awe of it. That large butterfly and your title totally rocks! Love the handmade flower and all your other amazing details....divine work.

Trudi Harrison said...

Love everything about this one Helen - absolutely gorgeous!