UKS Stash Bash Challenge

Well, this month on UKS, there is a daily challenge to use up all your stash, and boy do I have a lot of stash to use.

So having had a day off work yesterday I decided to give it a go.

The first challenge were mini books by Voodoo Vixen (Annette) who is the master of the mini book. So I decided I would try the circle album first and here is my attempt at this one.



This is the final cover - I am really pleased with this bit of my album and love the colours, especially the use of ribbon.

The inside was covered with some of the black and white DCVW paper pack I bought many moons ago when I started card making (so that fulfilled the criteria of using old stash)

I have added a couple of pictures but to be honest I am not convinced with the finish of this one, but as I will use it as a sample for customers to see what I do, I am happy with it.

The second album was a square one, and this one just said "baby" to me. I had some papers I bought with a QVC card kit, which once it arrived I realised I had absolutely no idea what to do with it. I have made some of the cards up but was really stuck with using the papers and thought I could utilise them on some LO's. Well, I suppose this is a LO of sorts and I used them to make a baby album/card (hence the back page being free to write a message). No photo's were added this time but I do love the finished effect.

The inside of the book has had some tags made and stamped with precious and cherish and the teddies have been decoupaged.

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.

I'm sorry but now for something crafty

Ok, I know it's been absolutely ages since I posted on my blog, but to be honest with everything going on in this house, I just haven't had the time or the inclination. Stewart is now starting to get better but he is just so stubborn. His neck and shoulders are still bothering him and won't go to a doctor, his legs (the ones with the holes in them) are healing but very very slowly, and his tongue is also slow to heal.

The kids have been keeping me busy too, with the boys both having their birthdays (Jamie turned 17 so driving lessons are now an important factor in our life), we have had visitors staying both weekends, which was lovely but hectic but obviously this has curtailed my crafting (i take over the dining room and am totally unsociable).

The only good thing is that Jamie's new girlfriend scrapbooks too so at least she doesn't look at me strangely (well not for scrapbooking anyway).

So today, with plumbers etc running round my house, I decided to do something for me. Having bought a baby box (going very cheap) from Costco to put my craft stuff (well some of it anyway) in to take to crops, I realised that it looked totally and utterly bare. So off I set to make it a little bit brighter.

I used my trusty cuttlebug and my cuttlebug red tag sale dies for the words and sizzix and sizzlet dies for the shapes and using funky foam I decorated the box.

All the foam was stuck on with pinflair glue which is absolutely fantastic.

This is the front of the box and below are the two sides

At least I don't think anyone else will pick this up at a crop mistaking it for theirs (LOL)

Update on my beloved husband

Well, after Friday's excitement, Saturday got no better. My husband's tongue had been hurt during his fall and was really painful so after a call to NHS Direct (who were brilliant) we set of for our local hospital. There, they decided to call a consultant at Leeds General Infirmary to see if he needed stitches. Well it was decided that he should, so off we set to the LGI and yes, 10 stitches in his tongue later, we came home. I am absolutely emotionally shattered by it all and with very little sleep am tired too!!

Sunday has been better other than I have spent all day cooking foods my husband can eat - he can't chew so unless he eats baby food I will have to be quite organised to ensure he, and all the family get fed. I've made soup, shepherds pie, spaghetti bolognese, omelettes, jelly - the list goes on and I feel like Delia Smith.

Although he isn't working tomorrow he is hoping to be back on Tuesday, although he has promised not to climb any ladders (lol).

Maybe my next post will actually be craft related.

What a shock

The experts always say you should talk about things, so this post is my therapy about yesterday's day from hell.

It started at 10am when I got a phonecall from my husband's apprentice telling me my husband had fallen off a ladder and they were waiting for an ambulance.

My son reckons I could win olympic gold with the speed I ran out of the house (just as well I was dressed!). I am sure I will receive a speeding notification in the next couple of weeks as I have never driven so fast anywhere in my life. I arrived to find the owners of the cricket club where he was working were looking after him, but he was lying on the floor, covered by blankets but was conscious at least. He had missed some security railings (those with the spikes on the top) by a matter of inches and the pictures of what could have been keep flashing through my mind.

The ambulance arrived and although they offered me a lift with them, there were cars and vans and people to sort so being the organised person I am, I arranged for various people to come and get various vehicles and to take me to the hospital where this is absolutely NO parking anywhere to be had. Luckily, his injuries seem to be superficial, they did think there was a problem with his wind pipe and his neck at the top but the x-rays seem to show everything is ok. He has badly bitten his tongue which is sore, swollen and making eating, drinking and talking difficult (well at least he won't shout at me). He has a terribly sore neck and shoulders (where he landed) and some lovely holes in the back of his thighs where he caught the security fence top. But, he is alive and he is home and I am now trying to get over the shock of it all. Although I am not sure that the doctors fully checked him over once they decided his spine was alright, I am just relieved to have him home.

The only upside to all of this, well I can't go anywhere and leave him so I will have time to craft today. I did say, as he was being wheeled into the ambulance that if I'd brought my camera it would have made a good scrapbooking picture .............. my humour is not good when I'm in shock!!!

It does make you appreciate how much you love someone when something like this happens but after his two ordeals with cancer I was hoping for no more stark reminders. I feel like I've aged about 20 year (and look it too this morning) and i've told him that he owes me my day off when he's better. I think once we can, a weekend away for the two of us to celebrate our life is in order.

I am not sure if this has helped me, and I hope it isn't too grotesque to read for you but at least by writing this down I have dealt with some of the thoughts I had during the night.

I promise my next post will be on a much lighter note.

It's been a while

Well, it's been a while since I have been on my blog. What with my shoulder being bad, the kids having exams, a cough, a cold and now a tummy upset, things have been a little hectic on the home front.

However, I have been working on my album for my son's 18th - ok it's not till next year (he's 17 next week) but as I thought it would take me forever I started early.

So here are some of the pages I have completed. I am really enjoying doing this album and it is like turning back the clock and remembering him when he was little and cute and quieter, when he didn't answer me back and went to bed before me. Mind you, I suppose that's normal for a 17 year old.

These are some more of the early years - Ihave tried to use as many different techniques to keep the album interesting and have been encouraged and helped along the way by my friends The Leeds Paper Dolls.

I have managed to do the earlier years quite easily but am struggling with the inbetween years - I don't remember not having a camera but there seem to be few photos around - not sure why!!!!

I will post the rest of the pages I have done soon.

Check out my Slide Show!

A Disney LO

Well, it's a week since we got back from the USA and the jet lag has just about gone. It didn't catch up with me till Wednesday but boy when it did!!!!!

So tonight I decided that I had better start putting together my album before I forget where we went!!

So here is my first LO and is the front page.

I think the title "Dreams do come true" says it all because my husband and I have wanted to go to the USA and especially Disney since we got married nearly 18 years ago (and I have wanted to go since I was 9) so this was the year our dream came true.



















For this layout I used lots of things I'd bought in the USA and made the Mickey shapes on my Robo to complement the layout.

The wording on the white Mickey reads

"It's been a dream for so long but April 2008 along with our 3 wonderful kids our dream came true".

The rub on "It all started with a mouse" was a rub on I bought and I think compliments the LO perfectly and says it all.

I'd bought the flag in Big Lots on the last day and just thought it would come in useful.

I hope you like it and hopefully I will add other pages soon.