My 2016 "Plan of Action"

Happy Monday Bloglanders!!

I hope you are well. I took some time off blogging for a bit of work and travelling with my husband. Last year when my mom was so sick I realized that if you get to that point, all that counts, is your memories. We should really make them matter.

Part of making more memories is having more time to make them!! And YES, I'll still be crafting as it is part of ME but I decided to make it quicker.

I'm using a 6x12 album for my 2016 PL. I like that it is the same length as my 12 x 12's from previous years but it is easier to move around the house and one week in my life fits onto a single or double page. If I need more, I'll just use more ........................ no rules! Not only a change of size, I'm embracing my phone skills.

I spend hours waiting on clients, in queues at the Post Office, Traffic Department and Grocery Store. It drives me crazy to lose all this time. SO, 2016 started out with a few apps in my Christmas stocking. The ones I use is PhotoGrid (I LOVE collages!); LetterGlow, Project Life and Dropbox. Between these 4, I can do ANYTHING!!!

From top to bottom:

:

I added the date and location in LetterGlow. I wanted some open spaces as I'll be adding "hard" elements for the date and week.

I used a template from the Project Life app, added my pictures, a journaling card and some journaling then saved it to my pictures. I opened it up in Letterglow and added the other elements "lief dit" (love it); "PEREK" (perfect), the couple and the arrow. You can even change the colour of the digital image - I changed "lief dit" to orange. DONE!!

Exactly the same!

As I'm Afrikaans and we don't get ANY Afrikaans digi images, I decided to make my own!! These are my first attempts. Wanne know how I get it onto my phone?

I make it in Photoshop, save it to PNG, upload it to Dropbox and ta-da .................................. you can insert it anywhere. As I said, I use LetterGlow but maybe you already have another method. Leave me a comment - I would love to know.

I even make my own journaling cards:

Step 1: Project Life app for the layout, journaling box and filler cards:

Step 2: Still in the PL app, I added the journaling. You can do this in LetterGlow as well but in PL it forms a textpath which is much easier to manipulate than adding text one row at a time.

Step 3: Adding elements in LetterGlow. I also added the "Oktober" here - can't do it like that in PL app / I just haven't figured it out!!

The "hello" and red arrows is from LetterGlow's library, "PERFEK" (perfect) once again - my own handiwork uploaded to Dropbox and the pineapple  is a digital image from Amy Tangerine. "Oktober" (October) was just typed and moved and sized to fit the block already on the journaling card.

Have you tried using your phone for crafting?? I use an iPhone 6 and I find it really easy and straightforward to operate. I have NO knowledge of other phones but I'm sure the apps will work for whatever you use.

OH!!! Before I forget ................................ Before I go to the printers, I go back to the PL app and see what my completed page will look like:

This is the only 6x12 page template on the app (as far as I know). I would love to have one that has 1 x 6 x 12 slot and another with 3 x 6 x 4 slots. In the meantime, I'm making plans to do what I have to. You can print the page as it is but I do it in 3 separate 4x6 photos as it's a lot cheaper and I love pocket pages. IMPERFECT ME!!

I'm off to have my pictures printed. When I come back I'll add my "hard" elements and tomorrow you will have a picture of my completed page right here on Play as U GO.  Check back. I have some more 2016 shortcuts to share!!

Have wonderful day and thanks for looking at my blog today. Feel free to ask questions. If I can help, I surely will.

PS. To my Afrikaans Bloglanders. Here is the link to the two digital images that I've used on this page. Download and USE!! Check back and I'll share some more right here on Play as U GO.

Link vir "Lief dit"

Link vir "perfek"

Happy Valentine's Day 2016

Hi there Bloglanders

This morning when I wanted to write a brand, spanking new blogpost, I remembered that it's Valentine's Day tomorrow. I didn't prep anything special as Wynand and I are alone most of the time (with both the boys having their own, grown-up lives) and we do special things for one another every day.

I'm planning a picnic in our garden en have more than enough projects from past years lined up to make it special.

I just typed "Valentine's Day" into the "search" option on my blog and all these came up!! Have a go and you are in for a treat -a Valentine's Day treat  - from me to you.

We will be having coffee in the mugs, I'll serve cool, summery cocktails in the bottles, I'm printing the Subway art onto copy paper and it will be our placemats, the tins will hold small hearty chocolates.  I loved doing all these projects and are glad that they can be altered and re-used in years when my mojo is low.

That's it. Hope I brought you some inspiration. Have a hearty Valentine's Day and please come back to play as I'll be back with another project soon.

Planner Page February 2016

Happy Monday Bloglanders

I hope you are having a BLAST!! It's very hot down under in Sunny SA and we spend most of our time at the pool, having a "braai" or camping. SO, my Traveller's Notebook is filling up FAST. I'm also planning day (and night) in order to have as much free time as possible.

Let's look at another page from my Planner.

I've used paper pieces which I received as a freebie with a scrapbook order. This is what I got:

I'll be trying to use it to do a Planner page, a Traveller's Journal page, a page for my Notebook and a Project Life spread. Think I will manage??? Let's give it a go.

Here you can see the right side:

I LOVE the stamps that I've used!  If you want to know where I got them, I'll look it up but I'm totally too lazy to do it today!! On the left it looks like this:

Washi from my stash, the heart stamp is from Gorjuss and part of a set that I've never used - more suitable for cards and as you know - no elaborate cards for me. I'm glad that at least some part of the set fits in with my scrapping style.

Planner Page, done, dusted and next project ready to go.

I also made this "lekker by die see" digital stamp. YES. It's Afrikaans and I'll be sharing my artwork and inside info in my next Blogpost.  Just check back and all will be revealed. Here it is:

Like it? Just come back to play.

I'm off - things to do, people to meet and places to go. Have a wonderful week.

Notebook Layout

Happy Sunday Bloglanders!!

I hope you are having a wonderful time!! It is VERY hot down under in Sunny SA and even though I try to keep up with my crafting - today I thought it too hot to do. Therefor I'm sharing a project from a few days ago.


This page is all about the similarities between me and my mum. Not a lot but still worth mentioning - for the rest of my life, I will remember her sewing - she made ALL our clothes and it looked like designer outfits. I suppose they were - we drew pictures and she made it come to life.

Here you can see the whole page:

My inspiration came from this week's Magazine Monday Challenge:

and the colourful background came from last week's challenge:

Who said you only have to be inspired by one thing??? I loved the black title and doodling but as I decided to simplify my crafting this year, I only used black letters, journaling and a flourish on  my "busy" background. It was super easy and finished in a flash.

I added a picture of me and my mum. The frame is from one of Wilna Furstenberg's classes. Love it and have used it on numerous projects.

I love how it turned out and can't wait to get inspired by next week's Magazine Monday!!

Thanks for looking at my blog. Tomorrow is the 1st of February - if you haven't started on your New Year's resolutions - now is the time!! Get going with the first thing on your list - by the end of the year you would have accomplished 11. Even if you only get to 5 - it's 5 more than before!!

Have a GREAT week and a LOVE-ly February!

Midweek update - Traveler's Notebook

Hello Bloglanders

And I'm back to show what I've done!!

First up, a page from my travel journal. In my previous post I've shared the picture of our trip to Malagas. Here I've captured the detail in my Traveler's notebook.

I needed some more journaling space and therefore added the tag. The only supplies used on my project were watercolour, stamps, ink and the tags. I made the date tab from a Elle's studio stamp and  cut it with my Silhouette. Love it and you will meet again - I use one every week in my Project Life spreads.

And I've even added a map.

Currently, I'm brooch crazy.

And the full collection:

Some came from my grandmothers, some from my mum, a few are new and some are vintage secondhand finds. I do love them all. And this year I'll be wearing them like this:

(find the link on my Pinterest board)

And I figured out how to add a digital image to my pictures on my iPhone!!

I even made a digital stamp!!! And YES, it's Afrikaans!! For my non Afrikaans speaking Bloglanders, Lief vir jou = I love you; Perfek = Perfect. Next week I'll explain exactly how I did this. Saving SO much time if you prep your pics before you print them. If you want to know, check back and all will be revealed. I'll even share my Afrikaans digi's with my Afrikaans speaking Bloglanders.

If you want to know, check back and all will be revealed. I'll even share my Afrikaans digi's with my Afrikaans speaking Bloglanders.

Right now, on my desk is this Project Life insert:

My philosophy for 2016 - I AM unique, strong, happy and organized. These little squares from the Simple Stories "I AM" range is perfect for this. I've cut a 7.8 x 9.8 page protector a bit smaller to fit my 6x12 album. In my picture you see 2 pages side by side. I think the pockets are used by coin collectors but I totally LOVE them filled with pictures and beautiful paper. Want some?

LINK

Eating?? All things summery. Right now my fave is crackerbread with cream cheese, ham rocket, cucumber and red onion.

And on my sewing desk. Some new fabric for the South African fall. Right now it's SO warm but fall can have an unexpected chill down under in Sunny SA.

That's it - busy, busy, busy @ Hamman HQ!!! Thanks for looking at my blog today. Please check back as I'll share more of my creative fun right here on Play as U GO. In the meantime, have fun and remember to try something new- TODAY!!

Here we GO!!

Hello Bloglanders

And I'm back!! To tell the truth, I've just been so busy with my own stuff that I did not get down to writing a blogpost. That doesn't mean that I didn't craft, didn't think up new ideas, did not travel, meet people and see new things. NO!!! I've been there, done that and I will tell you all about some of it right now.

Let's start with my brand, spanking new Project Life album:

These are the first pages in my new album.  Left is my cover page and right week 1's 1ste page. And yes - I'm using an 6x12 album this year. I've been looking at other options as the 12x12's just became too big and bulky for my needs. As all my albums stand tall "cheek to cheek" on one bookcase, I wanted the same "length" but opted for smaller pages and - I'm hooked!!!

I'll be making life easier for myself with some pre-made embellishments, date stamps and journaling directly onto my photos and collages ex Photogrid's  iPhone app.

Here is one I did of a trip we took to Malagas over the weekend:

And I can't help sharing this one as well:

OK, and while it's snowing everywhere, it's HOT down under in Sunny SA. My current FAVE is popsicles
 - I make them with all sorts of fruit and juices / cordials and LOVE having one while floating around on my pool. Maybe SOME day I'll be slim enough to share a bikini pic!! Ha-ha-ha!!!

Wanna have a "I love SUMMER" moment? Here it is and I'll share some of my recipe ideas later this week. Just check back.

And while I had time over the weekend, relaxing, eating alfresco and drinking good West Coast Sauvingon Blanc - I made this mood board for my winter wardrobe. Time to get some fabric shopping sorted but that's a story for another day. Enjoy my mood board in the meantime. If you want the links, get them from my Clothes Pinterest board.

Thanks for looking at my Blog today. I'll be back with some more crafting fun. Just check back and all will be revealed. In the meantime, have fun and remember to try something new - TODAY!!

May 2016 be you Best - EVER!!!

I'll be back blogging next week. Currently I'm catching up on admin, spending time in my pool or on the porch drinking ice cold West Coast Sauvignon Blanc.

Have a happy 1st week of 2016!!