Family Album

Well, having not scrapped much for the past month my mojo has definately returned, unfortunately the time to scrap hasn't been as forthcoming.

However, I have managed to make some more boxes for the teachers which I think were appreciated (but you never know do you?) and with the encouragement of my fellow UKS'ers I have made some copies of the Prima beauty marks to use.

This LO is one using just this item, which is a picture I took of my DD whilst on holiday this year.

We were waiting for the "boys" to finish buying stuff and she was sat on the grass outside Universal Studios, the sun was shining and for once, she was in a happy mood.

So I thought bright colours to go with this and I think it worked out well.

I used various flowers that I have acquired over the past week or so (dont ask, I am just addicted), Bazzil bling, thickers for the title and I used the Bazzil Stitches template for the sewn flower (which as a major non sewer is a huge accomplishment). The edging strips I bought in the US and am really pleased with them with this LO. Even my DH said he liked it!!!

The second LO is of Xmas Day at home about 3 years ago, we had purchased a chocolate fountain and the kids so wanted to use it. It was a lot of fun but very very messy.

Again I used a flower (3 different parts of 3 different prima flowers to co-ordinate with the paper), the flowers down the side are a felt strip in white which I coloured using my chalk ink pads, the paper is one of the QVC papers i recently bought and the journalling circle (never used one of these before either) was inked at the edges to match. Again thickers are used for the title.

The last LO I did this week was more to put my DS1 off the scent than because I needed to do this LO (although I love the photo and the finished product). As you know I am doing an album for DS1's 18th and I think he may have guessed as all the large LO's have been of his siblings, therefore I thought if I did this one of him then he may not be as concerned (and it worked!!)

I used the new K&Co new awning papers, a bazzil edge that I used my acrylic paint dabber on and K&C matching accessories (including "love") on a Bazzil 12x12. Again the thickers came out for the main title.

I am really enjoying my crafting at the moment (although not the tidying up every night) and my credit card has gone into hiding now because having spent and spent and spent, I am on a serious stash diet. I am not allowed to buy anything else until my stock has gone down, so either I craft like mad or I just don't look at what is out there!!!!

And there's more!!!

Ok, I am on a roll, having not scrapped for about a month I have got mojo back.

This layout is of my daughter back in 2004.

I used papers from the QVC pack I have just bought and some papermania embellishments I bought in a sale today.

This layout is entitled Shhhh!

The next layout is also of my daughter, fast asleep in a wash basket!!!! We did provide a bed (it's under the basket!!)

I used the BG Two Scoops papers and letters for this on Bazzill Bling card. I added velvet ribbon and Doodlebugs crushed velvet brads which i think compliment this well.

Hopefully the next time I blog I will have collected my son who has been away with school for 10 days and will have some wonderful photos to scrap.

And now for something a little crafty

Well, seeing as I have to stay awake for quite a while tonight, in order to pick up my son from his school trip at 3am in the morning!! I thought i would do another blog post.

Having not been too crafty the last time I blogged I thought I would put the layouts that I can show (some were for my son's album which is now top secret because I think he has got wind of it!!) that i did at the retreat and a few done since I got home.




The first one is one that made me hold my breath when I did it becaue it involved tearing paper, sewing, eyeletting into the paper, setting gromlets and the photograph - i blame my co-leeds papers dolls for this - we were pushing each other to try something new during the retreat and this was my brave attempt.








I used the Bo Bunny papers and the Making Memories Gromlets that came with the BigBiteII

my eyelet setting, sewing, setting gromlets and tearing are shown better below

I then made a very special layout.


This was to celebrate the long wait I had until I was able to enrol my daughter as a brownie.























I think the journalling says it all.












This is an arrow that I inked and then covered with glossy accents (another first for me) and I am delighted with the way it turned out.




The next lo is one of the easiest i have done because I managed to get hold of the perfect paper for the photo which would mean very little work would be needed to make a clear and simple LO.

I stamped swirls over the edge of the photos to tie in with the paper and used thickers and stickers for the title. The date was done using my dymo

I will do a seperate post for the rest of the LO's.

A Wonderful Weekend

Last weekend I was lucky enough to go on a retreat organised for the Leeds Paper Dolls by our amazing leader, Kirsty.

She had booked an adventure centre for us to stay in, in Alston, Cumbria and a local village hall to scrap in (which was next door to the pub!!). Below is the adventure centre.



We all arrived by 6pm and once we were settled in our rooms (thank you Alison for being a superb roomie) we headed to the pub!! We didn't have access to the village hall until 9pm so we ate a wonderful meal in the local pub (served by a wonderful chef who I swear was Anthony Worrell-Thompson's brother).

We set up our tables after dinner and we even managed a bit of scrapping before heading back to the centre.

Alison (below having the giggles) and I swore there was a ghost in our room when we heard knocking but no-one at the door. It turned out to be Kirsty and Hazel in the room below.

So like naughty schoolkids Alison and I headed off down the corridors to their room where we spent an evening filled with much laughter.

Up bright and early the following day, we arrived back at the hall for breakfast. Here we are busy as bees!! In the background is the wonderful Julie, who was our shop for the day - and did I manage to spend!!!

The weekend was filled with much hilarity and a little scrapping - some of my fellow paper dolls are indeed exceptionally talented scrappers and I am amazed how much I learnt this weekend.

And here are all the paper dolls who were able to attend the weekend - this photo took a lot of organising - and a multitude of cameras were lined up to take this shot. It was like having the paparazzi with us!!


I have to say that I have NEVER enjoyed a weekend away more than this, so much so that my ribs actually hurt when I came home from laughing so much. A special thanks goes to Kirsty for organising this wonderful weekend, to Lynn who travelled further than any of us to join the Paper Dolls, the Alison for being the best roomie a girl could want (and for not laughing at me trying to climb up to the top bunk) and to everyone of the 15 ladies who were there for the weekend, you are all wonderful.

I will upload some of my LO's soon that I did on the weekend or were inspired by the weekend.

Teachers present - a new idea

So what do you do when your eldest son goes away for a week with school, you've finished packing your second son's case to go away on Wednesday, the weather is absolutely awful for July, you've done the housework ........................... you make a thank you present for your daughter's teacher.

An email this morning from TV Weekly (an americal internet show) with a great new idea - expandable boxes. So having had a look at it before work this morning, I decided that having not really scrapbooked for ages I would have a go at this.

And here is the result:




I have used some papers from the costco papers i bought a while back which I am loving along with some scraps of chipboard I found. The expander in the centre is made from some 12 x 12 card for the sides and some navy A4 card I had laying around.

I really enjoyed making this, it was a challenge but an enjoyable one, which although wasn't scrapping, was in it's own way and exceptionally theraputic experience and hopefully has got my mojo back (which is just as well as I am away next weekend with the Leeds Paper Dolls for a weekend retreat!!)

I Won

Well, what a lovely surprise and start to the weekend. We had had a parcel delivered yesterday but we weren't in so it was taken back to the PO. I went to collect it today very puzzled as I had nothing on order that I could think of (well I have but not due to arrive yet!!). I opened it once home and although the contents were wonderful I was sure I hadn't ordered it!! Once I re-read the packing label I realised I had won the monthly draw from 3 Jolly Scrappers (http://www.3jollyscrappers.com/catalog/index.php)

The papers are Imaginisce All Kinds of Happy

Chipboard letters are Lil Davies Designs, crochet flowers, ribbon is Heidi Swapp and the maltesers have been eaten by my daughter!!!!

I am off to a crop weekend next weekend run by the wonderful Kirsty of the Leeds Paper Dolls and these will be coming with me. I am really looking forward to it but not sure how I will get everything into the car - although I am trying to sort out the photos and put them with papers, I will still have to pack all of my ribbons, chipboard, thickers, brads, buttons, foam, sizzix/cuttlebug dies, stamps, inks etc etc etc

I also have to pack my new BIG BITE II which i have just received (ordered from QVC in a wonderful pink colour) and I am looking forward to getting time to use it.

I am hoping that the order I placed today will be here before I go away for some lovely ribbons and have lots of ideas to use them on my LO's.