A Maze Book - Amazed at how easy it was

Well, after deciding to have an early night, I packed everything away and thought - I wonder how easy it is to do a maze book. The tutorials I've seen have always seemed fairly simple so off I trotted and had a go.

The only down side of it was my daughter came down and decided she'd like it so instead of embellishing it as I wanted, I have done hidden pockets for the tags and left it blank for her to fill in.

This is the front of the book.


















And this is it opened up.















I must say that for the fronts I used old cardboard that I had cut to size and covered and it works really well as it doesn't bulk up the book. It was a really economical way of making a card/book as the 12 x 12 I used was from a card pack I had bought and the rest is made from scraps that otherwise would have got thrown out.

My mind is racing with the possibilities for this and obviously I want to make lots more now but unfortunately bed is calling.

For sale!!

Well, having not been able to craft much over the past few days I decided instead to have a clear out - well being the sort of person that NEVER gets rid of anything I am suffering terribly now but it has got out of control, I have stamps still in the wrappers that I just will never use so have decided to put them on the marketplace on UKS and then thought, I have a blog - maybe I should put them on here as well. Prices vary and start at £2 so if you are interested in any of the stamps please email me or contact me through UKS.

present stamp shoe/fan/wig stamp

wedding dress


4 stamps (and yes I know the last one is upside down!!) which are all brand new too.


cheers stamp heart stamp



This one is the only one that I have used (and then only once) and is a tuxedo and wedding dress.

Autographs please

Well as we are off to Disney, my kids all wanted (yes even the 16 year old) autograph books so off I went to hunt for some. Not only are they difficult to find but when you do I think they were extortionately priced for what they were, exactly the same as everyone elses.

So armed with some disney papers and my BIA I decided that I would make personalised and individual autograph books for them.

The fronts are the same but with their names on

The backs are their favourite character

And the inside has a little extra added just to make them happy (and because they are cute).

I have to say, except for the fact that I had to make Gemma's name 3 times because I mucked up the first one when glueing together and totally lost the second one, that is until I'd made the third one, it was quite an easy job. So altogether I am rather pleased with myself.

Now I must clear up and go to bed cos I have work tomorrow and lots to do.

Cards and cards

Well, seeing as I am home I thought it would only be right to update my blog.

So, with what I thought - cos I haven't crafted since I finished the albums off as my shoulder has been sore. I did clear out my daughter's bedroom and the kitchen and the dining room but that's not crafting so doesn't come under the title of FUN.





This photo is a picture (ok, it's not a good picture) of one of the cards I made for my daughter's birthday recently. I used an idea from the crafters companion dvd and adapted it to suit Gemma by using a fairy from Lily of the Valley - they are gorgeous.

This one is a thank you card. Can't remember the make of the stamp (sorry) but it came from a set and I coloured it in with my prismas and blended it with sansador.


















Do I need to tell you that this is a magnolia stamp and I LOVE IT - I thought this was a stunning stamp for a new baby card and made at least half a dozen different designs based on this one.

And yes, another magnolia stamp and a than you card again coloured with my prismas. Just love these stamps and these cards.










Having been out this morning with my daughter who is off school today, we went round the craft shops and bought her stamps and inks of her own which she has gone off to play with (might keep her quiet!!). Mind you, it cost me a fortune. Also bought some papers to cover the fronts and backs of the autograph books the kids want for the holiday so will be off to make those soon ..... wonder if my 16 year old will want one?


Bought a few things for our upcoming holiday to Florida. Mind you when I was checking the details yesterday I did notice that the date we thought we were flying on wasn't the date on the tickets, car hire and villa!!!! Whoops, who's been working to the wrong date, admitedly only a day late but that could have caused a small problem, we'd have missed the flight. Unfortunately my husband is working away that week and the day we had planned to spend packing etc will now be spent flying so I will have to pack etc on my own - which is what I usually do but with my shoulder being bad it would have nice to have had some help!!!!

And another album

Well, having done an album for my middle son, I thought that I should do an album for my eldest son - so here it is.

This one is a gatefold album which I hadn't realised would be so complicated as I wanted to match up the pages!!!

I used various papers throughout including DCVW, papermania, brads and gems along with my thickers and new rub ons from Royal & Langnickel.

This page says it all - we are family (from the sister sledge song) and is very apt.

This page is themed to match the fact my hubby and I both wore beige.

I really enjoyed using these papers as I cut them to fit the over the sides of the photos and to make a frame.

Behind the tag on the left hand side is a comment for my son and I love the fact it adds an interactive element to the album

These are the group shots and therefore titled family and friends

These pages are us dressed up for our evening party - for which the dress code was evening dress!!

These show my nieces (who came in to the song Sisters are doing it for themselves) hence the title!! and the right hand page holds a tag in a pocket (see I'm getting daring now) which has some more personal comments for my son.

These pictures show my husband welcoming everyone to the party and the right hand party The pictures on the right hand side are of me receiving a surprise present, a heart necklace - hence the copy of the design on the title page.

These pictures are of the dancing and our song - flying without wings which seemed to tie in to the photos.

On the back of these two inside pages is a personal letter to my son from me (but that remains hidden)

I am really proud of my achievement and would love to stay home and make albums every day but work unfortunately calls. I also need to make some cards as my scrapbooking seems to have taken over from that and I know that I need some cards!!

I got an award!!

Yes, I (that's me - little old me) has been given an award!

Voodoo Vixen (Annette) (this is her blog voodoo) from UK Scrappers has awarded me the Arte Y Pico (Art & More) award.

It's awarded to bloggers who share their art and creativity making their contribution to the blogger world. Well, to say I am flattered (actually overwhelmed is more accurate) is an understatement - thank you so much!

The Rules!

1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity,design,interesting material,and also contributes to the blogging community,no matter what language.

2. Each award has to give the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.

4. Award winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of Arte y Pico blog,so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5. To show these rules.

So my 5 blogs are clairandshanisblog for being so inspirational and having so many good ideas, Kelly for having the cutest children and wonderful LO's, Tcake for having the most beautiful cards, Kirsty for some superb layouts, cards and generally being a wonderful person and lastly Sarah for her inspiration use of the Bind It All.

My very first completed album

Well having been and bought a BIA it would have been rude of me not to have used it, so yesterday and today has been spent quietly making an album (well not so quietly as I have involved the family in the decisions of which photos to use and to what wording I should use.

I based the cover on the colour scheme we had for the saturday, which was burgandy and worked from there. This front shows the first of my mistakes (I am sure you will notice more) in that I cut too many holes down the side - but having practised I now know how to do the correct number only!!

The first page holds a handmade envelope which inside is a letter to my son reminding him of how proud we are of him and that he is capable of anything if he sets his mind to it.

These are the pictures of us ready for the Saturday morning - hence the phrase - suited and booted (and we were raring to go!!!!)

And here we are on the Sunday. I know so many people don't like peel offs but I think they work on this page

And here are my two boys (hence brother's love) but I must say it's a rarity to find them together with a smile on their faces. And I used my new thickers for this too and added the nestabilities for the frames - see I am beginning to get a little more adventurous.

And here are the speakers (well of my house

anyway) doing their speeches on the night.

I even added a tag which slides out behind the picture of my hubby speaking with some personal words hidden on it (see - that's adventurous too!!)

And here is my favourite page - the one showing the present I got off my hubby - but that's hidden behind the flap (getting daring now)

The second page is of the dancing on the evening with Alex up in a chair - hence the title.

And this last page is of Alex and his friends because without them the weekend wouldn't have been the same to him.

I have now made a box with an acetate insert for the album and it has been put away for the moment and will be given to Alex when he gets married (I hope!!) or leaves home (I hope too!!)

Thank you for looking at my first attempt and I hope you like it.

Another gadget (but keep it secret)

Well, here I am having survived 2 cortisone injections last night in my shoulder. So as a treat to myself I decided I would go to our local and brilliant craft shop and purchase myself a gadget.

What gadget, I hear you shout (well ok, I don't actually hear you shout but you know what I mean). Well I bought myself a BIA (bind it all). And why, you may ask, would a card maker use a BIA. Well, although I love making my cards I am getting very quickly hooked on scrapbooking (this from someone who couldn't understand the point of it (I say in a whisper) and I have decided that it must be cheaper to make my own albums than buy loads. Well that's the logic I will use when I eventually tell my DH that I have ANOTHER GADGET!!!!

I have started on a very special project celebrating a family event back in June 2007 and have just printed of the photos (ok I know it's 9 months ago but what I can say!!). I have done the front cover which i will upload later and am starting the first pages.

What a day today has been

Well, what can I say, have had to endure two, yes TWO, cortisone injections into my shoulder after my recent fall and now feel very very very sore but hopefully I will now start to recover and be able to get back to work, even if only part time. I really need to catch up before I take my holiday which is in 3 weeks. We are going to Disney in Florida, a long awaited (only 18 years since we thought about it as a honeymoon but couldn't afford it) holiday which we have saved and saved and saved and saved for. The kids are really excited and there are so many things to think about that next week's job is for me to try and get as much information together so we are organised. Mind you, it would be nice if the tickets and info arrived from the travel agent. I am beginning to get a bit worried.



Well, I decided last night to make a small thank you present for my mum and dad, who always complain that they don't have any up to date photos of us so I made a mini album for them using sizzix album dies, sizzix texture plate which I then chalked and lots of different dies, including nestabilities along with brads etc. I am new to "scrapbooking" so it was a challenge but I think I am pleased with the outcome.

So this is my family, my darling husband who is so supportive of my crafting but maybe that is because it keeps me from nagging him, but seriously he has been wonderful since my "accident" and I really appreciate his support. My children are "wonderful" when they are asleep but it's lovely that I can now scrap them ........ scrapbook them I should say though when the arguments start, scrap them might be what I have in mind. And the last photo, the most troublesome member of the family - Harley our puppy who is just huge, and just like any other puppy but bigger.

Another Card

Well, I did promise that I would put something on my blog regularly but you know what life is like.

I am still recovering from a fall I had which has meant I am off work at the moment (well most of the time anyway) but I can manage the odd card or too - so here is my latest addition to my magnolia card family.

I made the frame using nestabilities and cuttlebug embossing mats and then put Tilda on with a matching dress. Think it looks better in real life than on the photo but that could be because my photography skills are next to useless.

Must make amends

Well, after the initial excitement of having my own blog, I forgot to update it!!!

Have been busy with cards etc and scrapbooking so I thought I would show you a couple of my magnolia cards which I have completed.

I have just started using the blending method with prisma colours which I love and this is one of my first attempts.

This one is also done with prismas which I have fallen in love with.

Will be back on to add some of my other creations later.

Hope you have a nice day.

Hello and Welcome

Hello to you all. This is my first attempt at blogging so here goes. My hopes are to update regularly with cards and scrapbook pages that I made and to keep you updated on my life (if you are interested).

So to start.

At the moment I am off work sick due to an accident which has hurt my shoulder and neck. Unfortunately this limits the amount of time I can craft in any way, however I have found that I can manage very short bursts of crafting because it is at the right level without stress being put on my injured parts. This is helping me with the boredom of not being at work. Next week I have promised to go in for an hour a day to help out and hopefully relieve some of the stress that is building in the office!!!

I am a sucker for new gadgets and today my nestabilities arrived. Have tried them on my cuttlebug and managed to cut with no problem and just about managed to emboss them too but will have to work a little bit on that to get the right thickness. Unfortunately the embossing mat that came with the cuttlebug was eaten this week by Harley!!! Typical, it has sat on my desk for over 12 months whilst I wondered what to do with it and now I need it, Harley has eaten it.

Well, the other exciting thing that has happened is that this week was my 40th birthday and I had a wonderful day with lots of pressies - just like being a kid again. My party is on Saturday at a local spa with all the girls so I am looking forward to that.

Well will catch up later and post some pictures for you to browse.

See ya!!