Hello ..... new adventures!

Shewwwwww..
am I a bad blogger or what???
ok... don't answer that!

It seems to be difficult for me to open up blogger and actually just write... but I really need to do it more often... so I can share some of my projects with you...

This is one such occasion...
a quick card that I made for my friend... who has decided to look for greener pastures by giving London a try. The economic situation in Greece has forced many to look for work elsewhere... and this is quite a sad situation, so a card was in order to reflect the exact opposite!
 I wanted a card that would be hopeful and cheery.
This is the card accompanied a small gift to say, farewell... goodluck and .."Hello New Adventures"!

I am entering it in the Get Creative January 5th Card Challenge... to make a New Years Card...
ok.. xmmm... mine is about new beginnings... so it might not be applicable for this challenge, but I will enter it anyway and leave it up to the DT judges to decide!

On this card I used Basic Grey Sulty paper and embellishments... and cut out the Hello New adventures...
All the sparkly embossing on the "new adventures" ofcouse is totally lost in my B-U-tiful photography but I promise it is there!!... ha ha ha...
but you get the idea!

Thanx for looking!!!

Christmas Cheer Lives Here!

It is the beginning of a new month, everyone who already hasn't, is decorating their tree!
Unfortunately, I am struggling to get into the Christmas spirit. Memories of childhood years where Christmas was spent with the WHOLE family at my uncle's farm, all the cousins playing together, one of our uncles getting dressed as "farther Christmas" (as we call Santa in South Africa), make this time of year a little sad for me... wishing for days gone by.

Needless to say, I needed some cheering up...
SO, I decided I needed to get my paints, paste, brushes and stencils out, and just play!!
And play I did... you DO NOT want to see my desk after this little excercise! xi xi xi.
The result was this little canvas, that I call... Christmas Cheer Lives Here.
It will be hung on my door, to remind me that Christmas is meant to be a happy time of sharing, and that you can share even across great distances (thank goodness for technology!)

So back to business...
This is the sketch that Katerina of Scrapgreece designed for the December challenge.

You may enter with a layout, a card, an art journal page, a canvas, whatever inspires you as long as you follow the sketch.
I turned it clockwise on it's side, cut up some papers from Echo Park, took out my paints and inks... paste and stencils thin canvas fabric.... yellow glitter paper.... texture stamps and stazon ink....
and came up with this canvas....

I used the paste and stencils on the fabric to add texture to my tree....

you can see in the detail shots..

Come on over to the Scrapgreece blog, and play with us. As always, this challenge is open to ALL GREEKS whereever you may be on this planet!

Thank you for stopping by! Hoping to see your

Family Favourite

Yup... you guessed....
Just like any other family, ours is blessed with rivalry about who is yiayia's favourite... (yiayia is the Greek word for Granny)....
With 4 children, 11 grandchildren and now 8 great-grand children... you can understand what went on, when I had the brilliant idea of making our gran a scrapbook with photos of all of us.
Since we are all situated on 3 different continents now, with the majority in South Africa, myself in Greece, my sister in Australia, F in Dubai and N in Canada.... (literally an international family)....
e-mailing is a must... ofcourse now with Facebook we can chat in different ways....
but I am sure glad I kept a copy of the e-mails that were going back and forth in September of 2007. Even now, 5 years later when I read them, I cannot help but smile and laugh at the humour of it all, and remember how close we all are, even if oceans seperate us!
Cheers to the Papastefanou clan! I miss you guys!

So why am I telling you all this, you might ask. Well, because I decided to use those fond memories to make my layout for the November challenge over on the Scrapgreece blog. Katerina challenged us to make a LO using a memory of a moment that makes us smile. Perfect opportunity to scrap the story above.
Her sketch was just right to fit the photos of all the stars in this story.....
And this is my take on the sketch and the challenge.

Family Favourite

based on this super sketch

some close-ups of the details

I used my electronic cutter quite a bit for this LO (it was sitting alone on my desk quite sad from being negleted). All of  the embellishments and bits were cut out (most were found here, and the rest I designed myself.
You can download the files to my designs here. I have them available in svg, dxf, wpc and studio formats.

The background paper which started out white, was clear embossed, misted, misted again with masks, glittered up with gold (for glamour... xi xi xi) and then embossed again with white embossing powder to add more texture.
The e-mails I printed up in a 16-page format and bound it in mini booklet form, using the "smile" speech bubble as the cover.

I truly enjoyed making this LO, and invite you too, to come and play with us this month over on the Scrapgreece blog where we are honoured to have Frekled Fawn as our sponsor for November.

As always, the challenges are open for all Greeks where ever you are on this planet!

Thank you for stopping by!

Is it Autumn yet????

Θα σας ευχηθώ καλό μήνα... και ας άργησα μία μέρα!!!

Δεν ξέρω τι λένε για τον φθινόπωρο..... υποτίθεται ξεκινάει τον Οκτώβρη... ακόμα δεν τον έχουμε δει...
αλλά στο Scrapgreece, βάλαμε λίγη φαντασία και δημιουργήσαμε!!!

Η πρόκληση που μας θέτει η Κατερίνα για αυτό τον μήνα είναι να φέρουμε κάτι φθινοπωρινό στην σύνθεσή μας!!

Μας έδωσε αυτό το σκετς..... 

και να η δική μου ερμηνεία!
and then there was... cake!

Μόλις είδα το θέμα... είχα αποφασίσει πως θα χρησιμοποιήσω φωτογραφία από τον γάμο της αδελφής μου. Το θέμα και τα χρώματά της... ήταν φθινοπωρινά, και ακόμα δεν μπορώ να πιστέψω, πως κατάφερε να οργανώσει όλο τον γάμο της, ενώ βρισκόταν σε άλλη ήπειρο!

Η γαμήλια τούρτα, διακοσμημένη με φθινοπωρινά λουλούδια και φύλλα... ήταν ένα όνειρο, ΚΑΙ στη γεύση, εννοείτε.... Chocolate Mud Cake.. YUM!!!!
Και αφού ακόμα δεν έχω καταφέρει να φτιάξω σύνθεση με τις φωτογραφίες του γάμου... είπα να χρησιμοποιήσω κάποιες εδώ... μίας και ταιριάζουν γάντι στο θέμα μας!

Ελάτε μία βολτίτσα από το Scrapgreece, να δείτε τις δημιουργίες και των υπολοίπων κοριτσιών της σχεδιαστικής ομάδας... να εμπνευστείτε.... και να παίξετε μαζί μας!

Η πρόκληση είναι ανοιχτή, για όλους τους Έλληνες... όπου και να είστε!!!

Σας ευχαριστώ που ήρθατε να με επισκευτείτε!

Think ahead for teacher's gifts, support "hand-made"

Teacher's gifts from now????
Well... I guess some people prefer to plan ahead, so if you fall into that category, and reside in Australia or New Zealand (she will ship worldwide but is located in Australia), then I have a page for you to check out. Shanouki, can be found on facebook, on her blog here, or at her Madeit store here. She has some very very cute ideas for the end of the year teacher's gifts, or stocking fillers for friends and family. So, pop on over to her page, and have a look at all the hand-made goodies for sale!
I came across these and thought I would share them with you.

They are super economical, and original and so adorable!
She will also custom orders, check out her button art section! So cute!

Thanx for having a look, remember, drop in at Shanouki, and leave some love!

Roula’s Notes!

Hello friends!

Just a short post tonight… something I made about a month ago for a friend. I was on the roll with the bookbinding, so decided to make  a note book  for her, something she could use to jot down her ideas.

I covered it in pink paper… lots and lots of pink… nothing but pink… butterflies,  flowers and GLITTER!

thanx for stopping by!

LiveJournal Tags: bookbinding,digital designs,printables,handmade,craft,pazzles,scrapbooking,χειροποίητο

September Challenge over on Scrapgreece!

Υπό νέα διεύθυνση (μίας και η Ελίνα Κουτσουράδη, πέρασε τη σκυτάλη στην Κατερίνα Λαιοπούλου), ο scrapbook-κόσμος των ελλήνων scrapbookers, scrapgreece.ning.com, σας παρουσιάζει προκλήσεις υπό νέα μορφή…. και με σχεδιαστική ομάδα!

… και ΝΑΙ!! είμαι και 'γω μέλος αυτού του υπέροχου και δημιουργικού Design Team!

Για τον μήνα του Σεπτέμβρη, η Κατερίνα δημιούργησε ένα υπέροχο sketch για να μας εμπνεύσει, και πολύ σωστά το έθεσε πως… το καλοκαίρι, είναι ακόμα εδώ!!

Εγώ επέλεξα  να κάνω art journalling για αυτό το challenge, μιας και ήμουν διακοπές, με λιγοστά υλικά, όπως θα δείτε στις φωτογραφίες παραπάνω. Οι αγαπημένες μου υδατοδυάλητες ξυλομπογιές, έπαιξαν κυρίαρχο ρόλο, όπως και ένα κομμάτι καμβά, που έβαλα στο κουτί μου τελευταία στιγμή και χρησιμοποίησα για να φτιάξω τα διακοσμητικά που μου έλλειπαν.

Τα challenges είναι ανοιχτά για ΟΛΛΕΣ της Ελληνίδες, οπουδήποτε στον κόσμο!!!

Ελάτε να παίξουμε μαζί!!

Ελάτε στο blog των Ελλήνων scrapbookers, για περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες!

The September challenge for the Greek Scrapbookers, is up!
It is open for ALL Greeks, where ever you might be in the world!
Come on over to our blog, get inspired by the rest of the Design Team work, create a LO, card, art journal page, or canvas, and come join in the fun. Katerina has provided us with a sketch that she would like you to follow!!!

Let the fun begin!!
Thanx for popping by!

Βιβλίο Ευχών σε παστέλ αποχρώσεις!

Καλησπέρα σας!!!

Αυτές τις μέρες είχα κάτι πολύ όμορφο  με το οποίο να ασχοληθώ!!

Την Παρασκευή παντρεύεται ο Μ., την εκλεκτή της καρδιάς του, Γ., και ένας πολύ καλός τους φίλος, μου εμπιστεύτηκε την δημιουργία του βιβλίου ευχών, το οποίο και θα τους το κάνει δώρο!

Η νύφη επέλεξε τις παστέλ αποχρώσεις του ροζ, κίτρινου, λιλά και τουρκουάζ, για την διακόσμηση του γάμου, και πολύ χάρηκα που είχα να δουλέψω με αυτόν το ξεχωριστό συνδυασμό!

Όλες οι  εσωτερικές σελίδες, είναι διακοσμημένες με τις παλ αποχρώσεις και τρισδιάστατα στοιχεία στα ίδια χρώματα. Καρδούλες, πεταλούδες, πέρλες και κορδέλες!

Στο εξώφυλλο, επέλεξα να βάλω τα μονογράμματα του ζευγαριού, και λουλούδια φτιαγμένα από οργάνζα στις ίδιες αποχρώσεις όπως το εσωτερικό!

Εύχομαι στο ζευγάρι, η ώρα η καλή!! Να ζήσουν αγαπημένοι, ευτυχισμένοι και πάντα ερωτευμένοι!

Σας ευχαριστώ που με επισκεφτήκατε!

Summer Sale!!!

SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yeah!!!!!!!!! One of my favourite times of the year! Sun, beach, cool breeze bringing the scent of salt and surf, iced tea on the balcony….. ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!

To celebrate, this relaxed (hopefully for everyone) time of year, I am having a sale on my first hybrid printable kit!

This package includes, 12 8"X8" printables (that is 20X20 cm), and two add-ons, one long envelope with tag and fun tab, and a pocket with two tags and a card!!!!!
When purchasing this package, you will receive the link to the downloadable files, within 12 hours of payment received!!
(for any enquiries or problems with your downloaded files, please contact me on: nectars.creations@gmail.com)

NOW on sale for 6.99 euros!!! (you will be redirected to PayPal's secure payment page)

I asked Irini of Get Creative Embellishments to be DT for me for this kit. After a discussion with her one day, I was inspired to come up with this kit. Look at the FANTASTIC LOs that she came up with!!

Thank you for stopping by!!!

Xmas in July!!!! Hurry hurry hurry!!!

You still have a few days left, to enter to win 6 gorgous hand made xmas baubels over on Shanouki's blog!

So hurry on over, or on her facebook page here, and put in your entry!!!
Good luck!!!!!!!!

Birthday card & Get Creative Challenge

After  a very very very long time….. in other words, never….   I decided to make a card for a challenge! This is the first time I am entering a card challenge, and I decided to make my life even more difficult, by designing a birthday card for a man!!! Well, I wanted to make the card for someone special, and thought I would combine it with the fantastic sketch that Irini Liolia designed over on the Get Creative Blog…

this is my take….

on Irini’s sketch!

Happy birthday T!!!

I hope you like your card… I know you prefer a more graphic and not so shabby card…

but I couldn’t help myself, I couldn’t not reach for my inks!!!

(The papers I used are from the 7 gypsies  collection “Lille”.  The base of the card was cut using the Pazzles, as was the bookplate with the “39” that I designed. The inside of the card is adorned with a paper from the same line, and I used a barcode font called “IDAutomationHC39M” to print “Happy Birthday”. And then ofcourse… I inked the edges to give the card a “finished” look )

Thanx for stopping by!

Bookbinding!!!

Hi there!
It is SCORCHING hot here in Athens… and the only way to survive is with the aircon on!
Saturday was spent with friends, and the result was this beautiful book!

LiveJournal Tags: handmade,hybrid,printables,scrapbook,vintage,bookbinding

Yes, I made it! wow!! It is my first attempt at bookbinding, but totally satisfying when a pile of papers take shape into a book that can be used for art journalling, doodling and whatever else the moment calls for.

I bound the book using 190gms bristol paper, which might be too thin for serious art journalling, I am thinking I might have to use the pages two at a time  (this is all I had on hand, so went ahead and used it). I also had some heavier textured stock on hand, in a cream but that was a little smaller than the 25X17.5cm format of my other pages. These pages, I bound in the centre of each signature, and thought this would add a little interest to the journalling later on. I used my papers for the covers, and am very very pleased with the result! This is definitely a project I will be repeating!
Let me know what you think!
Thanx for stopping by!

Cards… cakes…. ANYTHING goes!!!

Just as I said in the title…..cards, cakes… and anything else you can imagine!!!
In my previous post, I gave  you the links to see the finished mini album that Zeffy made, as well as her super mini ATC-sized mini  journal!

Now… I have a card to showcase!!! MY friend Eleni, who is DT for our very own Greek challenge blog, Get Creative, used some elements from this printable kit, to make a card for the June 5th card challenge!! Pop on over to have a look, …. leave some love,…. and if you haven’t already…. TAKE PART IN THE CHALLENGES!!!!

…. cake??? oopss… yip, I promised you cake!!!
Zeffy’s creative gene’s have been passed down to her daughter Raphaella… who makes… TO DIE FOR YUMMY CAKES and cupcakes!!! LOOK!!!! isn’t this just gorgeous??????????????
Do you recognize the wings on the fairy??????

Well done Raphaella…. I am positive there wasn’t even a crumb left!!!!

Zeffy’s Album… COMPLETED!!!

Hi!! thanx for stopping by again!!!
I thought I would let you know, that Zeffy, has a video up, to showcase her finished album!!!
and….. I wish you could see this album up close!!!!!! She did some really clever and creative things with this kit, used it in ways I never would have imagined!!!
Pop on over to her blog, or watch it on youtube.

Then… you can watch another small video, so you can see what she made with all the bits and pieces that she had left over!!!
WASTE NOT… WANT NOT!!!!
Her ATC – sized little journal, is the perfect size to fit in any handbag… to jot down random… or not so random… thoughts and ideas!!! Have a look here!
Thank you for sharing Zeffy!!!

Zeffy's mini!

My dear friend Zeffy, of zeffysblog, made a wonderful mini with my new collection of papers!!

Go over to her ustream channel, and check out the recorded session!!!
Looking so gooooooood Zeffy. Very impatient to see it finished!!!!

thanx for popping by!

New Venture!!!!

Hi All!!!
It is almost two years since I have posted on my poor neglected blog!!! I can almost hear it crying!!
BUT.... I am back, and I have something to share with you!!
I have started designing some of my own printables, and would like you to have a look, let me know what you think! They are vintagy, steampunky... distressed, just how I love them.
There will be a new shop coming too, as soon as I can iron out all the gliches!!!
Well... with no further ado, I present to you, Nectar Creations, steampunk vol.1 !!!!

This package includes, 12 8"X8" printables (that is 20X20 cm), and two add ons, one long envelope with tag and fun tab, and a pocket with two tags and a card!!!!!

All for only
7,99 euros!!!

You will receive high resolution pdf files, that you can print on cardstock or heavy weight paper, I suggest around 150gms and over, and use them to make yourself a funky vintagy mini-album, or use them on your scrapbook LO! You can print them up as many times as you wish!! The tags, are all double-sided, fold lines are included in the files!!!

Not a paper crafter???? you prefer digital?? NO problem!! You can open up these files, in your image editing software to use in your digital LO!!!
When purchasing this package, you will receive the link to the downloadable files, within 12 hours of payment received!!
(for any enquiries or problems with your downloaded files, please contact me on: nectars.creations@gmail.com

If you would like to purchase this kit, please visit my website at  www.nectar-creations.com

Thank you for stopping by!!!!!!!

LiveJournal Tags: Hybrid printables,steampunk,vintage,digital