Kids love to share....

... well DD2 has shared her Autumn cold with me, and i feel rotten :(

To cheer me up i'll post this LO i made last weekend, using photos taken on sunnier days! The papers are Cosmo Cricket Snorkel (still loving this range) and this was a really quick page, made with scraps. The journalling is totally true, i nearly hit one of the people in the chalet next to us by walloping the ball (It's the only sporty thing i was any good at!) so i retired to take the photos!!!

The flowers are made using a scallop circle punch, some scissors and a large ball embossing tool. Thanks to Jo at the Nuneaton crop for showing us how to make these.... it's fab being able to make embellishments to match the page and they are far more 3D in real life. I can see me using this idea again.

Was cropping again yesterday, as the LOs are A4 in size i have to fiddle about with one to make it 12x12 before i post it here.

A sad tale

This page is what scrapbooking is all about for me. A story, that evokes a strong memory or feelings. I know lots of people make beautiful layouts, with amazing embellishments, photos etc, but for me scrapbooking is about the story telling. I didn't realise this until i'd been scrapping nearly a year, but now a page is never done without journalling (two l's) preferably lots of it! Well Tyneham village really evoked strong feelings in me when we went to visit during the summer;

Sorrow that people were treated so shabbily by the governments of the day

Amazement that people lived such simple lives (the only water supply in the village had to be collected by hand daily)

Joy at the peace of the place

Pleasure at being able to experience what a village would have been like without all the modern trappings spoiling it's pretty face

So when SLYMI came up with a challenge to handwrite on a LO, i decided to handwrite lots on this page! The lower photo is one i took, the upper one is one i sourced from just before the village was cleared, and the story speaks for itself.

I got messy with this page, K&Co Remake cardstock, i used Tim Holtz barbed wire and clock masks, then sprayed over with silver cosmic shimmer mist. Papers and flowers are K&Co Amy Butler, Title is Cuttlebug Olivia (I did Glossy Accent this after taking the photo, but couldn't be bothered to wait for it to dry!) and a little bit of pink bling.

I can see Tyneham making future appearances on LOs, I was so taken with the place and it's story that i took loads of photos.

A First Festive post...

I have been putting off making anything even slightly Christmassy, as i really do think ity's way too early (I normally make any Christmas cards during October half term), but while out shopping last weekend with OH we spotted some very cute templates made by Dovecraft.

I thought they would be ideal for OHs class to make at Christmas, and that the little decorations would be so cute to send home and hang on the tree.

I had a go at making up some samples, so his kids could see what they could look like, and i plan to add a bit of ribbon to these so they can be used as hanging decorations.

I think my fave is the robin, he just looks so cute, i added googly eyes and a bit of doodling to him.

The tree is decorated with die cut shapes cut with a Cuttlebug snowflake die...

... and the king has an embossed crown with added gems, i think you could make 3 in various colours.

There is a second template with a Santa and Snowman, but this one is definitely my favourite!

Learning lessons

Last weeks SLYMI challenge on UKS was to scrapbook a lesson learned. It took me ages to come up with an idea for a LO until i found photos of Kev and the girls on holiday this year making grass whistles at Worbarrow Bay in Dorset.

I made the page using DCWV Green stack, the photo mats are hand drawn scallops, and i used a piece of die cut cardstock to cut out the large brown flower mat behing the photos. Title is stamped with Autumn Leaves and Doodlebug stamps. The sunshine journalling mat is a Unity stamp. I love the little owls that are part of this stack, and they seemed the ideal addition to a page about learning.

Spring Flowers

I know it's Autumn, so this seems like an odd title for a post, but this was the title for this page i made for the Nuneaton crop last weekend. The challenge was to make a page including flowers, and extra points for glitter.

I got to use some of my favourite spring photos taken over the past couple of years on a page, and you may recognise the photo at the bottom of the page....

I used a piece of die cut pearl cardstock, inked and doodled, Core'dinations whitewash cardstock, and a piece of purple 12x12 vellum I've had for ages. The title letters are Doodlebug flocked, and stamped with added Glossy Accents.

The new technique i tried on the page is for the frame on the alliums picture, and the large swirl. I had bought some white Stazon ink ages ago, and been really unimpressed with it. I decided to have a go with it again, using acetate this time. I reinked the pad just before stamping (I think this is the trick to using this ink) and used some Prima stamps onto acetate. I was really delighted with how they turned out after cutting out the stamped images. Sharpie pens added a bit of colour to the photo corners, and i added some irridescent glitter to the swirl at the top. The nice thing about stamping onto acetate is that you can still see the photos underneath it. I stuck it on using tiny dots of glossy accents under the stamped parts, so you really can't see these at all.

I fancy having a go at making some ghost style letters next using one of my alphabets.......

Photo swap

Michelle, who runs a crop in Nuneaton that I have been going to recently, had a fabulous idea for a challenge. We all had to take in a photo/photos in an envelope with a little bit of info about the picture, and what we would like (12x12 etc).

Two months later the layouts were brought in and the photo (duly scrapped) returned to it's owner. It was a fantastic double whammy really, as it was so good to see how well the pages we made went down with the owners of the photos, and wonderful to see what another scrapper could do with my photo (along with having a lovely new page to add to my own albums ).

I sent in quite a tricky photo of DD2 at a couple of days old, she was wearing red, but i still wanted the page to be feminine. I am absolutely delighted with the LO i was given (Michelle completed my page), her style is much cleaner than my own, (I seem to ink and grunge a fair bit) but there was still loads to look at, and she has managed to include red and pink with her choice of papers.

I added the title (Sizzix Rat a Tat and Doodlebug rub ons) and the journalling.

If anyone out there runs or attends a crop it is a great idea for a challenge, a bit scarey, but well worth the stress :)

Lollipop flowers, a tutorial...

As promised I have had a go at making another tutorial, this time to make lollipop flowers. They are really easy to make, and have a lovely home-spun look.
I used the DCWV Green Stack to make my flowers (I saw a LO made with this a day or so ago, and it reminded me how much i liked it!

The flowers are also a really good way of using up scraps of paper from the same kit.

Step 1: I started by drawing a circle shape using something to hand. You don't have to be too precious about this, so i would avoid cutting out the circles using Nestability dies for example, as they would just turn out too neat.

Step 2: Cut out the circle, again not too neatly.

Step 3. Use the first circle to draw around on your next piece of paper. I used contrasting papers for all the layers.

Step 4. Cut this circle out about 5mm inside the line you have drawn. This makes your circle smaller.

Step 5. Then use the smaller circle to draw around, again cut out 5mm inside the line and so on, until you have as many circles as you want. I tend to make my flowers with odd numbers, 5 layers for a larger flower, 3 for a smaller one.

Step 6: Now to start distressing, use the edge of your scissors (or you can buy fancy distressing tools for this) to carefully scratch around the edge of each circle. You dont want to tear the circle too much, just scuff up the surface. The DCWV carstock is good for this as it has a white core which shows nicely when you distress the papers.

Step 7: Then use your fingers and nails to run around the edge of each circle, pushing the edges up fairly randomly. Don't worry about creasing the cardstock, it adds to the look. Depending on the look of the page you could ink the distressed edges at this stage too.

Each circle should look like this once it's done.

Step 8: Pile up your circles in order of size, biggest at the bottom.

Step 9: Now to attach the circles together. You could use glue dots between each layer and add gems to the top, or use a brad, or a button stitched through all the layers.

I chose to use decorative snaps from WRMK.
Pierce a hole using a hole punch (I used a Big Bite) and then set the snap.

And this is how the flowers looked once i have completed them.

So, what did i use my flowers for?

I made another summer LO (did we have a summer?!)with photos of Katie and Harry messing about in the garden.

Title block stamped with a Prima stamp, title cut out with Sizzix Big Top and Sprout, clouds and journalling block Unity stamps. I hand drew on extra stems for my added flowers, and added a fair bit of doodling using a white Signo pen.

It's a sign...

....of how grown up Hannah is now, that she received a call from her boyfriend today, and he has passed his driving test first time. Hannah has had no lessons yet (she doesn't even have a licence) and having waited myself to learn to drive when i could afford a car at 24, i can understand why she isn't bothered yet.

As she is 17, and so are many of her friends, i thought she might need a few of these during the year.

I do like making cards to use up bits of old stash, and these partly fit the bill. The stamp is a really old Anita one, I've had it ages, and used it lots! I used scraps of white core DCWV card and embossed it with a Cuttelbug folder, then sanded it.

Ribbon was a small piece of American craft ribbon, and i added spray shimmer mist in the background, and a bit of doodling. I might make a few girly ones too, as i have some pieces of free paper from The Scrapbook Mag that i found lurking in my bedroom when i tidied it.

Off to make tea now, no news about jobs yet (sigh) so my stash diet continues :)

Job applications

I spent this morning applying for jobs, 2 primary and a secondary science maternity leave cover, hopefully i might hear something soon.

So to today's page, i made this LO as part of the weekly challenge on UKS. I had to make embellishments, use a film title, doodle and a bit of sparkle. When i looked on the web at a film site i found that a film is just about to be released called The Soloist, and i knew i had the perfect photo for this title. Katie looked so pretty as she played guitar for a talent show at school earlier this summer.

I made lollipop flowers using the Cosmo Cricket papers, and cut three layers of scallops. The title was cut with Sizzix dies Rat a Tat and Sunset. The flowers are really easy to make, if i get time tomorrow, i might make a tutorial for anyone interested.

And now for some beautiful blog candy, if you would like to try the Unity stamps that i keep harping on about there's a chance to win a prevoius Kit of the Month from Unity on Katrinas blog. Just leave her a comment :)

Feeling sad

I think the visit i made to the school i used to work at last night has unsettled me. It is time for us to make a decision about where Harry will go next year, and as his sisters went there, and all his friends will, it seems like the natural choice. So I had to take him for a look around last night, as it was open evening.

I visited science last, and seeing my old colleagues just made me feel really sad... and a bit ashamed that i'm still unemployed. I have seen one job with an exam board that i might go for, holidays not as good as in teaching, and it's a one year contract, but the pay would be the same.

As i said i made 2 pages using holiday photos at the weekend, here is the second one.

I used the Cosmo Cricket Snorkel papers again, and i love these pictures of Harry and Max. As i used the chipboard and card embellishments and journalling block, it made for a really quick page. The title letters are a mix of Basic Grey chocolate chip (these have been so useful) and Thickers.

Back to School

Hannah decided this year that she would use books to take her notes for her A level studies. So i was sent out last week to look for some spiral bound A4 books. I found these at a fab price in Aldi (£4.99 for 3 books) so i bought her two sets... but they are very dull.

So an hour or so later after playing with stamps, embossing powder and a heat gun this is what we came up with.

The triple embossing was Hannah's idea, and it was nice to look through my Unity stamps, and put them to good use.

Still no secondary jobs about. I have seen two primary teachers posts, but as i have only taught older students, am not sure i would even get a look in.

Two pages.......

Hooray! I manged to start scrapping my holiday pages last night, and made two using the gorgeous Cosmo Cricket 'Snorkel' papers.

I started with these photos of Hannah, i remember when i took them on the beach i had this cheeky title in mind, and I'm pleased with how they turned out. She thinks I'm making a comment on her being miserable on the beach (which she wasn't) but really it is just a record for me of how much she loves her phone, and couldn't be without it!

I made the page double for the SLYMI challenge which this week was to use metal on a LO. I added the lovely WRMK gromlets to the paper, i remember when i bought the Big Bite i wasn't sure i would use these, but i really love them... in fact i might need to hunt some more down as i am running low on some colours.

Off to Leicester today, John and Kathleen are over from Ireland for a flying visit, before going to France to see OHs youngest brother, as his family moved there this summer. Looks like a gorgeous day for a barbeque :)

Silver Surfers

At last my Mum and Dad have joined the internet revolution, and went online earlier in the week. Dad has had a go at e-mailing, and is excited about the thought of being able to complete the Sunday crossword before his sister with the help of the web! Mum just wants to chuck Dad out of the spare room, so that she can have a go too!!

I have been very lazy craft wise this week, but I have done a lot in the house and garden. A blistered hand was the result of planting around 100 bulbs in a part of the garden that has been given a new lease of life by Kev over the summer. He relaid the patio under the greenhouse, and has repaired said horticultural building so we can make better use of it. All this meant that a new planting bed was created under the trees at the end of the garden. As these are so dry in the summer i decided that spring was to be their time in the garden, and have put in lots of bulbs to tempt us out into the garden early in the season. It doesn't look much now, but give it time....

A Magical Page

This weeks SLYMI challenge was to make a magical LO, examples given included Disney LOs, but as Disney is definitely not my thing (he was after all a right wing Macarthyite) I went down a different route. I have had this photo of me and Hannah in my box of pictures waiting to be scrapped, and this seemed the ideal opportunity. I remember this magical moment really well, I had finished my first term after going back to work after maternity leave, and was really excited about having our first Christmas with Hannah (and look at me all young with long hair!!)

It does make me wistful looking back at Christmases when the children were young, they were so excited about the whole thing, I hope they recall their childhood Christmases with as much joy as Kev and I do.

I used the lovely K&Co Peppermint Twist papers, although these are a couple of years old now, they have such a lovely retro 50s feel that it's one of those rare kits that I have used up completely and had to buy twice.

The title uses my trusty Sizzix (Rat a Tat) which seemed to match the feel of the page. I also added a lot of faux stitching by piercing holes in the papers, and joining them with a Sakura pen.

The kit i bought courtesy of QVC had lots of embellishments with it, including the journalling tag. I played about with this a bit and flocked Santas suit and beard, feels lovely!

To flock the beard, use the flock just like glitter, colour the white with a Zig glue pen, wait for it to dry clear, add the flock powder and press into the glue, and gather up any spare powder. I used Doodlbug flocking powder, but Papermania make a reasonably price flock too, that works just as well.

I have been looking at this weeks challenge on UKS, but the theme of 'New' is stumping me for now. I might have to scrap a holiday photo!