Girls Night

I completed this layout last night. Its called Girls Night, and is about an evening spent with my sister and our friend Nicola a few weeks before her recent wedding. The evening was good fun as we spent our time catching up and gossiping, but as my journalling shows, I ended up feeling a bit nostalgic for the times in our teens when we would get dolled up and go dancing at the weekends. Its only 7 years on but already it feels like those days are lost, which is a little sad.

I wanted to use some of the Junkitz Salsa paper I had ordered in the First Class Crafts sale, so decided to go for the darker paper which has lovely concentric circle designs on it.

I had been meaning to try making my own felt embellishments for a while now, so I cut them out with a cuttlebug die I had ordered off ebay. I've got to say, these dies are brilliant - they cut so easily, far better than thin cuts or sizzlets. I made felt flowers out of three different coloured felts and arranged them around the layout, along with a few brads. I decided to stitch around the top, as the title (which is handcut from PussyCat font) looked a bit lost without the border.

It was actually a very easy layout to complete. Its not my favourite layout, but I do like the felt flowers and the sentiments in my journalling.

I'm going in to work later today - I need to prepare a few things before Monday and also ease myself back in a bit. So no crafting this afternoon unfortunately.

Two layouts on the go...

I can't believe how many ideas I have for layouts at the moment - they seem to be filling my head all the time quicker than I can get them done! I have two layouts on the go right now - one is at the sticking down stage, the other is awaiting some embellishments from Rebecca (a boomin blossoms kit full of green and orange and yellow blooms) before I can move on with it.

The depressing thing is that all these creative ideas have come just at the time when I am going to have very little opportunity to make the layouts. I'm happy because my weekly Wednesday crop will be back on and I'm looking forward to seeing the girls from there again and to having a dedicated 2 and a half hour stretch to work on pages. But unfortunately a little thing called work is going to get in the way of a lot of my time. Now why do I have to earn a living again??? ;)

My China

Here is a layout called My China, about a trip to a Chinese Restaurant in Coventry of the same name that we made for my 25th Birthday this year. The photos all came out a bit blurred unfortunately - the lighting wasn't very good but my aversion to using the flash (it makes everything look washed out) meant that a few glasses of wine and we weren't exactly holding the camera steady. Even so, I think this layout has made the best of them.

I used Basic Grey Phoebe papers for this one, as well as Blooms and embellishments from the August Boomin Blossoms kit by Rebecca's Scrapbooking Stash. The little birds peeking out from the flowers are cut from the Basic Grey paper.

The title is handcut using a free font I found which is rather appropriately called 'Chinese Takeaway'! Its got an oriental feel but also looks modern which is ideal.

On another note, the end of holiday blues are really starting to kick in now - I so don't want to go back to work, I think I have forgotton how to teach! Also I got up this morning at 6.45 to make Ed's sandwiches for work which I had forgotton to make last night and it reminded me how much I hate getting up in the mornings :( Admittedly, I didn't go to bed till 1 last night, but even so. Anyway, enough of my rant.

I'm starting to ponder over whether to join in Shimelle's new class on her website. I still haven't made my mini book from the last one yet but I do have all the PDFs saved for making several different style books which is nice to have. However, I am also trying to decide whether to subscribe to the Back Porch Memories kit from America and I don't think I can do both. Decisions, decisions!

Check this out...

Yay, I made the BG gallery with one of my layouts - I submitted it the other day. Here is the link http://www.basicgrey.com/catalog/idea_gallery.php?page=4

Colour

Just a quick post today as I've got to go and sand around the plug sockets in the living room but here is the layout I completed yesterday evening. As I said, it is pretty 'inyerface'! Its called Colour of the Summer which might seem a bit ironic considering the weather we've had this year but its actually about the floral display at Eastbourne. The pics weren't the best but I wanted to get across how beautiful it was in the colours I used on the layout.



The paper is BG Lollipop Shoppe, the buttons are by Doodlebug Design and the other embellishment bits are from various Little Silver Hat monthly kits (I love the little Summer Days stamp!) I made the little felt flowers using my Big Shot - def a technique I will be trying again!



I'm not sure if I'm totally pleased with it - perhaps I would have done the title differently if I started again but overall I think it achieves the effect I wanted which is the most important thing.



As for the living room, I think I will wait until it is totally finished until I post the piccies of that - just a few more jobs to do now :)

The room is done!

Well nearly anyway. There are still the new plugs to put in and the edging trim to put around the edge of the flooring but most of it is there and it looks great! I may even take some pics to share tomorrow when the light is better. Now its time to start accessorising - I've already got my eye on a great big mirror and a DVD stand...my bank manager will hate me!
My two Creative Team layouts are up on Rebecca's website so check them out if you like - the link is on the right. And tonight I finished another layout - I'm obviously going through a really bright phase because this one is another one of my 'inyerface' style layouts - I can do more toned down ones, but sometimes I just love piling on the embellishments until the cardstock is groaning :) I will upload it to share tomorrow.

Soooo tired!

Well, me and Ed have spent all day trying to finally finish decorating our living room. This was a job that began with us stripping the wallpaper on my birthday (1st April!) and we have only just got round to laying the floor. It looks great but we've only done two rows so far - this is very much a learning curve and a slow one at that! And my sheer hatred of all things mathematical doesn't help much - its not that I can't do it, its more that I get really horrible if I'm made to. So measuring around door frames etc is not my idea of fun.
I may try to do a little scrapping this evening although to be honest I'm so tired I can barely type properly but at least scrapping relaxes me. I've got a few photos printed out which it would be nice to work with so I may just sketch some layouts tonight for them.
Hope to have more to share soon, other than the DIY blues!

Two more layouts.

Well I got a bit carried away last night and made another layout for the Creative Team. Its a really pretty one (bit different to my usual) and is about all the cats as I felt guilty making a layout about just Elmo. I've sent piccies over to Rebecca so they should end up on her website soon.
I'm pleased that I've acutally got around to starting my cat album which I bought AGES ago! And working in 8.5X11in was different too - you use up SO much less paper that way and you seem to fill a page so quickly. I think thats why I was able to get two layouts done in a day, gotta be a total first for me!
My best friend from uni and her boyfriend are coming to visit this evening which I'm really looking forward to as I haven't seen her for ages. She lives in a gorgeous flat in Brighton right near the sea (jealous? Moi?) and I love visiting her there too. Not sure what we are going to do yet, I'm hoping that the weather might hold and if so risking a barbecue but hey, come on, this is August in England and the minute I start planning something like that the law of Sod will dictate that the skies will open. So plans are on hold for a little bit longer...

Elmo is a star!

The crop this evening was a real success for me - I got another layout completed, in 8.5x11in format which is a bit of a change for me. Its for the Creative Team so it won't be on here for a little while but you'll be able to check it out on Rebecca's page first. Elmo, one of my cats, stars in this one (its the first layout in my new cat album!) and I have to admit that she looks absolutely gorgeous in the photo.
I received my first ever Sarah's Cards kit today which is really exciting - similar colours to the Dream Street Papers I have been working with infact but at least it means I've got plenty of ideas. Can't wait to see what the next kit looks like. I'm really getting into the idea of kits at the moment - while it might not be the cheapest option overall, at least you get to try out a range of different papers and you don't have to search around for matching cardstock either. And I'll just take this opportunity to say thankyou to the lovely Debra who is sending me some unwanted parts of a Cocoa Daisy kit so I can try before I buy if you know what I mean! Been umming and ahhing over whether to sub so we shall see!

A triumph!

My Walnut and Banana tealoaf turned out deliciously! Admittedly, it wasn't a difficult recipe but I still love the way you can put all these ingredients into a tin looking decidedly unappetising and they come out of the oven looking so scrumptious. Here is a little piccie:




This afternoon I also finished another layout about me and my sis, appropriately titled Sisters. I used a sheet of BG Lollipop Shoppe paper and put it together with some bits and pieces from the Little Silver Hat ribbon kit which I subscribe to each month. Its definitely bright but makes for a nice change for me.



The journalling on the strips around the page lists various things about me and my sister that make us who we are but are decidedly different. At the bottom of the page it reads: I love all the differences between us.



I just love this photo of the two of us together taken at the pub a couple of weeks ago and I knew that it was strong enough to carry off the bright colours of the ribbons and flowers.



I'm off to a crop this evening so I'm going to work on some more layouts for the Creative Team I think, if I can get the photos printed off ready. Still got a fair bit of the kit left so should be enough for at least two layouts in there. I'll see what I can come up with!

Just to say...

...my mini book is on the home page over at Rebecca's Scrapbooking Stash. There is a link to the website on the right hand side if you fancy taking a look. Poor photography I'm afraid - the sun seems to have abandoned us in the Midlands at the moment :(

I couldn't live without...

Here is my latest CJ entry, which I will have to pass on to Ann at the crop on Thursday but which I totally love so may have to make a layout inspired by it at some point! Its just so bright and colourful, and really cheers me up to look at it.

As with all my CJ entries, I wanted to make it really interactive, so it has a flap which opens on the left hand side to reveal another photo and my journalling and on the right hand side I made a pocket which holds another two photos on a pull out card.

I made the entry using some Love Elsie Betty papers and Autumn Leaves Hearts and Stars and Flourishes stamps (as ever!). When I first saw the Love Elsie papers I wasn't sure so I decided to start off with them on a smaller project like this and now I think I will definitely try them on a layout too.

The journalling in the CJ reads:

Wow! How hard is it to decide on those things in life that you just couldn't live without? There seem to be so many! In the end I got it down to four:

- My Family (who I couldn't have gotten this far without)

- My Gorgeous Guy (who loves me and keeps me sane!)

- My Fluff Monsters (AKA my three little cats)

- Scrapping (of course!)

Of course there are tons of other things I probably couldn't live without either but there is only so much space in a CJ!

I also sent my photos of my Isle of Wight mini book off to Rebecca today so hopefully if the pictures have come out well enough they will appear on her website soon. Unfortunately the Sun wasn't playing ball and stayed stubbornly behind the clouds while I was trying to take the photos so they weren't the best but we'll see if Rebecca can do anything with them.

I've had a great idea for another layout about me and my sis (I'm so sad I came up with it while I was trying to sleep last night!) so thats in the pipeline, as well as a couple more layouts for Rebecca if I can put together enough of the remaining stash from the mini book. However, today I've decided to indulge in a bit of my other passion, baking, and make a banana and walnut tealoaf, so all scrapping is going to come second to that today.

A late night...

Oh wow, I've just finished my CJ entry and I have to admit that its my fave one so far. I love it. Its gonna be really hard to let this one go, but such is the way with CJ's! I will photograph and upload it tomorrow morning. But for now I'm going to go and nurse my knee, which almost feels swollen now through being sat on the floor so long. Me thinks a change in scrapping arrangements may need to quickly follow...

A beautiful kit...

Here is the latest kit put together by Rebecca for her shop. This is the September kit and its totally yummy. I subscribe to these and have got to say, they are so useful - I didn't realise quite how often I use blooms and it gives you tons more options than just buying a bottle of Primas. Its about the only kit (apart from ribbon ones) that lets you just get 'embellishments' rather than loads of paper too.

I'm so behind!

What has happened to me? I got back from London on Sunday night and for some reason I've only been able to scrap in little bursts, despite having loads of ideas. I have just finished my mini book for the Creative Team (which I will photograph and send to Rebecca to put on her website before it appears on here) but I've still got to do my CJ entry and the posting date is today! Yesterday I spent the whole day in a bit of a wierd, feeling sorry for myself mood, and for no reason at all.

However, I am a little concerned that my excessive scrapping over the Summer hols may have done my knee in. For those new to my blog, I unfortunately have to scrap on the floor in the little bedroom, and do have a tendency to get cramp in my legs through bending them under me for long periods of time. But now I'm getting cramp in one of my legs all the time! I must be the first scrapper in history to get a knee injury from their hobby! It does mean that I've been avoiding scrapping for long, which may in turn be depressing me. What a vicious cycle! ;-)

Anyway, here is a picture of a cat in a bag to cheer us all up...

A quick post

Apologies for my silence over the last couple of days - they've been busy! We travelled down to London again on Thursday night and then yesterday we attended the wedding of Nicola, a family friend. My little sis was her bridesmaid and I did the makeup of the bride and her mum Chris who was giving Nic away. Nerves were pretty frayed when I arrived but despite Nicola shaking throughout the makeup session went well and she looked absolutely gorgeous! I will try and find a picture of her to upload tomorrow.
This evening me and Ed went out with my mum and dad to celebrate my mum's birthday which is on Monday. We went for a Thai meal (my favourite) at the best Thai restaurant I've ever been to - if you live anywhere near Sutton you should visit it, you won't be disappointed! I like the fact that the meals are light so you don't get bloated but totally full of flavour - the garlic and pepper beef was my fave :)
We will be driving back to Coventry tomorrow. I had started working on a mini book for the design team before we left so I've got that to finish as well as quickly getting my CJ entry done - I'm SO behind! It shouldn't take too long though as I've printed my photos out and I know what I'm doing - just gotta actually do it! I'll post that on here in the next few days, though the DT mini book will be up on the Rebecca's Scrapbooking Stash website before it appears on this blog. Its based on a trip to the Isle of Wight we took earlier this year and should give people some ideas for scrapping in a very small size.
I still haven't started my book for Shimelle's class but the trouble is I'm enjoying a bit of a creative flurry - I've got all these ideas for layouts in my head and I just want to make them reality before I forget them :)

Time for Tea!

As promised yesterday, here is my latest layout, called Time for Tea! Its a bit of a light hearted layout about my family and their mild obsession with tea (especially my brother who has about 15 cups a day!). I used pics from our recent visit to Eastbourne when we had to get a cup of tea pretty much as soon as we got out of the car so made use of the tea rooms on the front.



I used Scenic Route Newport papers (which, as with all Scenic Route, are absolutely gorgeous) to cut out random blocks for the background, based on an initial rough sketch. The title is part handcut, part printed on acetate. The stamps I have used are a See D's set, Hats off to You! for the little teapots and a Lil Davis one for the journalling stamp. I've obviously got hooked on the 'embroodling' effect because I decided to use it again here, accentuated with the pearl brads.

The journalling reads:

Sometimes, the only thing that will do is a nice cup of tea! Eastbourne, August 2007

I have now really got to get on with my CJ entry, which is all planned out but needs to be put into action - and then I can work on my mini book for the creative team, which I also have some good ideas for. And I suppose I really ought to find time for some planning for the next school year too at some point! :(

What terrible weather!

What has happened to the sun? I have a layout ready to upload and can I get a decent pic of it? Not in the complete absence of light we've been enjoying all day - I had to switch the lights on at half three just so I could see what I was doing. Off to watch Coventry City a bit later so I'm hoping it improves - there's nothing like watching football in the rain :-/
Suffice to say, my layout uses some of the photos I uploaded on here recently from our trip to Eastbourne as well as some yummy Scenic Route Newport papers - gorgeous! I also tried out one of my new L'il Davis stamps too. But it looks like you'll have to wait till tomorrow to see it now :-(
My design kit for Rebecca's Scrapbooking Stash arrived this morning and what can I say - the papers are fabby and there are some great bits and pieces in there to make use of too - I've already got started on a little mini book from Sugar Red...

Oh, nearly forgot!

The page I sent in to the Scrapbook Magazine has been accepted! So I will see my layouts in print but its going to be a while - apparently the waiting list is HUGE. But still happy news :)

Just a quickie...

Just a quick post tonight - I have been spending the last few hours printing off photos for a few layouts and also for my CJ entry which needs completing. The theme is 'I couldn't live without'. Well there are TONS of things I couldn't live without so I'm having to think carefully about what I choose! I need to try and get it done before the weekend because...
...its going to be a busy week as I get ready to go back down to London to go to our friend Nicola's wedding. Its my Mum and Brother's birthday the week after too so we are planning on going out for a meal to celebrate - I'm hoping for Thai! Or perhaps a nice meal at the Ramblers pub (see pics in post below...). Whatever happens, there are going to be a lot of celebrations, lots of photo ops and plenty of pages to scrap when I get back too :)

Some news...

Well its been an interesting few days on the scrapbook front. Last week I was asked to be a guest design team member in October for an online website called Scrapajack. So all very exciting. And then yesterday, Rebecca of Rebecca's Scrapbooking Stash asked me to be part of a creative team she is putting together for her website. Now I already sub to the gorgeous Boomin Blossom Kits she put together (see my Born in August layout for some of the fabby stuff which came in my July kit) and have just received the beautiful August kit in the post (see below) so I was more than pleased to design some pages to showcase her stash!

On the personal scrapbooking front, I decided to submit a couple of layouts to some scrapbooking magazines to see what comes of it. I know this may be a case of continuous rejection until you hit upon something the editors like, but it would be fun to see my layouts in print. More on this if and when I hear back...

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

So this is the double layout, eventually finished, and called Lazy Sunday Afternoon. It turned out to take a really long time but I'm pleased with the finished result.



The layout is about the barbecue we had last Sunday when my brother was visiting. I chose to use some SEI Winnie's Walls papers that I've had for ages, pretty much since I began scrapping in fact! The summery colours are perfect for the layout. I also used some orange paper that I picked up at a class but can't remember the brand.

The little butterflies are stamped using Autumn Leaves and Docrafts stamps, and the main decoration other than that are my beloved pearl brads and TONS of stitching to make the little butterfly trails. All the journalling is handwritten onto orange cardstock and the title is handcut (apart from the bit printed on acetate). I chose to use some of the Small Faces lyrics on my page (I am a massive sixties music fan!) because I thought they summed up the feel of a lost afternoon.

I've got to admit, I don't think I'll be attempting another double layout straight away - they take ages! But they are perfect for when you have a lot of photos to tell a story and you don't want to leave any out.

Another long journey...

...driving home - the M25 wasn't great again but eventually got back to Coventry at 5pm. Was great to see the fluff monsters - I really miss them when I'm away for a few days. This evening I have been working on that double layout and its coming together really nicely. I have to say, I remember now why I stick to single layouts - the logistics of putting together a nice, balanced double layout is doubly as hard! But I think its fairly successful and hopefully it'll be ready to upload on here tomorrow. Lots of greens and oranges to cheer us up for Summer.

A few days away...

Apologies for being quiet for a few days, I've been visiting my family back down in South London and I've certainly been busy!

I drove down on Tuesday with my brother and was unfortunately unable to avoid traffic jams on the M25 (there are three certainties in life - death, taxes and traffic on the M25) but eventually arrived. That evening I went out for a drink with my sister and friend Nicola who is getting married next week and who I'm helping to do her wedding make up (so no pressure there!). We had a lovely evening at a gorgeous pub called the Ramblers Rest, though unfortunately it started raining so the beer garden was a no no.

Then yesterday my parents, brother and me went down to Eastbourne for the day. I have lots of lovely memories of this seaside resort from my childhood - its so traditional and quaint. The beautiful Beachy Head is just close by, though we didn't get time to go up there yesterday. We enjoyed fish and chips on the beach and a walk on the prom.

When I got back, I went round to visit a school friend of mine for a lovely dinner and catch up over glasses of wine. I hardly get to see my old school friends these days so I really love it when we do get together - no matter how much time passes they still seem familiar to me.

I have been watching the classes on UKS homepage with interest though of course being without stash I have been unable to take part...yet! Will try to do a few when I get back. However, I did start a rather ambitious double layout about last weeks barbecue before I left and I'm desperate to finish that when I get back - I left strict instructions with Ed not to move it and to defend it from the cats till I get back! So hopefully will be uploading that at the weekend too. TTFN!

London Calling!

Not a very original title maybe, but I just couldn't think of any more perfect for the set of pictures I've just scrapped. The layout is about my younger brother's love of London and its architecture and were taken on a day out in Greenwich last January. It was nice to do a more up to date layout for a change - this one will go in my family album.

I used blue cardstock and some Scenic Route Laurel papers which I arranged around the layout to draw the eye around the page. I stamped using my Autumn Leaves Flourishes and Gypsy stamps. The title is created partly using my Ransom Note Alphabet by See D's, partly using a Free Font called Rough Linen which I printed onto acetate and arranged across the top, attaching in place with a few safety pins. The journalling is written into a journalling box stamped using an Autumn Leaves Doodle Tag stamp. Other than that, its just a few red buttons to add interest.


I'm quite pleased with the layout - I may go back later and have a play with the top corner, but the overall effect is what I was after - a bit grungy, a bit funky and full of interest.

A Barbecue

Well the barbecue last night was a real success so here are a few piccies of it to encourage you all to get out in the garden too. I never thought we'd eat all the food between three of us but we managed it! We bought one of those throw away barbecues from Sainsbury's but it was more than enough to cook for three people. I decided to make cajun chicken kebabs and minty lamb burgers with a cube of feta to melt in the centre. All very yummy!

Elmo was almost beside herself with the smell of the food and in the end I had to sit her on my lap to stop her from going after the barbecue!

A really lovely way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon, I think you'll agree.

I started another layout yesterday too, the patterned paper and photos are all in place but I'm trying to make some decisions about the title and just can't decide what I'm going to do with it yet. I think printed acetate might be involved somewhere but its going to take some playing around with. So check back later today or possibly tomorrow as I should have finished it by then!

What a pain!

So, I was sitting down to do some scrapping last night as I had a fab idea for a layout which for once isn't for my growing up album, and I needed to print the set of photos off. And of course, my ink cartridges, which have been saying they were empty for about a month now but still worked (never change them just cos your computer tells you too, there is usually far more mileage in them) decided to give up the ghost when printing out the final piccie. Isn't that really irritating? So no layout last night. But fortunately I now have some new ink cartridges and the layout can go ahead.

However, I have promised Ed and my brother Steve to do a barbecue today (it might be the only chance we get!) so I doubt it will be finished tonight. I just spent an hour wandering round Sainsbury's trying to buy barbecue supplies that everyone got to first. Oh well, I'm sure I can improvise! Perhaps I will even post piccies on here of the finished results...

A Tag Book

A nice day spent with my brother - we went into town and then spent some time reminiscing about old TV programmes we used to watch by looking them up on YouTube - hours of fun!




I thought I would just share this tag book I made as part of a swap with my team mates on UKScrappers - I posted it today and it will be divided up to be shared out but this is it in it's entirety. I used some of my Autumn Leaves Gypsy stamps, some Prima daisies and some gorgeous green paper (I'm not sure of the make). A cute little project if you don't have enough time to make a page.

I've had a good idea for my project for Shimelle's class and bought some card for it today - gonna wait and see some of the other ideas before I go ahead and make it though, just in case I change my mind!

Born in August

So, my latest layout, as I said yesterday a little different in style for me but still making use of my beloved Autumn Leaves Flourishes stamps!

This is another photo that I've had printed for ages but just didn't know how to treat it. I had thought about cream colours and crochet flowers but it didn't seem quite right - the light quality in the photo is poor (something to do with hospital lighting I suppose) and it really needed something zingy to help hide that! Baby blues and pastels were not going to work. So in the end I decided to take my main colour from (believe it or not) the bottle of Kiaora sitting on the bedside table. I combined this with some papers from the Basic Grey Perhaps range and then got out my boomin blossoms kit from Rebecca's Srapbooking Stash and went mad arranging huge blooms around the layout.

But with such a strong colour it needed something more - my usual technique of doodling in black pen wasn't going to work on this one. So I decided to try some embossing in gold. I stamped some flourishes around the page, stamped part of the title in See D's stamps and then embossed the edges of the layout too. While gold embossing powder is perhaps more reminiscent of Christmas cards, I like the colour scheme - it reminds me of late August which is the time of year my brother was born.

The journalling on the layout reads:

What were the chances of Steven being born on the day after your birthday Mum? Steven Michael Harp, 21st August 1988.

Despite this being a bit of a departure from the norm for me, I like the layout. It's always a good idea to try different things once in a while, I definitely wouldn't rule out using embossing powders again.

Thankyou!

Whilst I scrap primarily for myself, to leave a history of me and my family behind (its the history teacher in me!) and also because I love creative pastimes, it is always nice to know that your work is appreciated by others who also enjoy this hobby. So I wanted to start this post with a big thankyou to the members of UKS who have left such lovely comments on my work over the last day, in particular to Debbie who started the thread. It has given me such a boost of confidence and is prompting me to consider submitting some of my layouts for a magazine. So thanks again everybody!
I've had a pretty lazy day but have managed to complete a new layout, which is a little different for me being a bit of an odyssey in gold embossing powder. I know, embossing is not my usual style but it was inspired by the gallery of AnitaM over on UKScrappers who is a very talented scrapper and who has a gorgeous gallery - if you're a member, take a look. I will have to upload it tomorrow as unfortunately day to day life gets in the way as I have to go and do some washing and put the dinner on soon.
Still chomping at the bit for the first prompt from Shimelle in her latest class - really want to know the format for our books and choose some photos. So that should be anytime today...