Scraplifting and sketches ...

... the latest copy of Creating Keepsakes landed on my doormat this morning and as I was flicking through I spotted a LO that I loved and immediately scraplifted it. Whilst doing the LO it got me thinking as to why I scraplift and use sketches quite often (sketches in particular - only yesterday I used one - see below). I think primarily it's because when I have new stash I can get an instant 'hit' by using these as inspiration, I can complete a LO fairly quickly without having to do the paper shuffling around thing and get quick gratification with my results!


Here's the LO I did inspired by Rita Shimiok using Scarlet Lime - the weather is dreadful here today so not a great photo I'm afraid. DD1 is obssessed the Meerkat advert and loved seeing them at the zoo - so it was a story that need to go into her album! This sketch I spotted on The Scrap Review website and actually comes from Kaisercraft. I got a one off kit from Cocoa Daisy and was playing around with the papers with a photo in mind and thought it would work perfectly.

A close up of the flower that I layered with netting.

I'm off to sunny sunny Majorca on Friday and I can't wait to leave this rubbish UK weather behind!

Doing a happy dance ...

.. as the postman brought me 2 new kits to play with today:

Scarlet Lime - these are the papers Cocoa Daisy

Both very different kits, but I am really liking the colours of Cocoa Daisy.

So straight to work with Scarlet Lime (well I couldn't be disloyal!) These are mainly 'Me Likey' Sassafras papers which I didn't really likey when I first saw them online, but the ones sent in the kit were the least cutesy of them all.

DD2 with her bum in a small tub of water as we couldn't find the paddling pool. I've used a sketch from a site I've just found called Stuck?! Sketches

Also managed to get my book covers made for LSNED, inspired by Shimelle's cover for this year's class, except I've made mine a different size and have used corrugated cardboard. Just need to cut my pages and I should be ready to go.

Busy bee...

... had a great time at the Exhall Crop today and did 2 LOs taught by Tracie Oakes using American Crafts paper. Lots and lots of cutting out, but it was quite enjoyable to sit without interruption and play with paper! The stamp on this LO I borrowed from Ann (although I have my own, but not with me!) and it is from last month's Unity Kit of the Month - goes really well.

Yesterday I finally got round to doing the Scarlet Lime project kit that I got in June, designed by Valerie Salmon. I changed the layout of the pages a bit so as not to obscure the photos.

I may give this to my dad and stepmum - but then again...

I'm waiting for the postie to bring quite a few parcels this coming week - can't wait for some new goodies.

Still cybercropping ...

... whilst waiting for my new Scarlet Lime kit to turn up I've managed another LO for the Butterfly Crafts crop. This challenge was set by Lou - to use a sketch (which I've rotated) and a Harry Potter inspired title. Having never read or watched Harry Potter I wasn't sure about the title so kept it simple with a 'magic' theme.

Learn something new every day...

... this class starts soon. It's got to be my favourite Shimelle class and the first one I've ever completed on time when I did it for the first time last year! I bought her kit last year and really enjoyed using it. There's another kit this year and although it's lovely, I've put my own together using the contents list of the one Shimelle was selling.

So I dug out an old Studio Calico kit I'd barely touched added some more paper - Crate Paper and October Afternoon, some embellies, tags, old book pages and library cards and voila!

Quite please with how it looks. I'm going to use kraft card stock and keep to the 6x6 size I used last year, which was really quick to pull together. I shall be on holiday when the class kicks off, but as I'll have internet connection I should be able to keep up with the journalling and photos and then get going with the pages when I'm home.

Last year's book is here if you'd like a look.

Good grief blog ...

... you may be aware that I lost my mum unexpectedly nearly 7 years ago, just 2 weeks after my first daughter was born. I have really struggled to cope with this and certainly haven't been able to scrap about my mum much.

Hopefully this new blog will help, and I'm hoping to play along with their challenges.

Go check it out, even if you haven't suffered a loss you can still play along.

A couple more ...

... didn't manage much scrapping yesterday as had lots of housework to catch up on! So catching up today. The first LO is a challenge set by Leanne based on her favourite film Hairspray - which is to document a hair style, use bright colours and ribbon. I had these photos of DD2 in my 'waiting to be scrapped' pile and have journalled about her obsession with having her hair straighten! LO based on one by Michelle Swartzinski in Sept Scrapbook Trends. This one's a combination of weekly challenge 18 to scrap about friendships and Jocelyn's challenge based on ET (friendships, 'I'll be right here' etc). It suited a photo of me and my stepmum as she's an amazing lady and has played a major part in my life since I was 14. ET was also the first film she took me to see - so very apt!

(That's a shadow in the top left hand corner!)

Cybercropping ...

... the weekend crop which is movie-themed started over at Butterfly Crafts yesterday. I've played along with a couple of the challenges so far.

The first was set by Tara to use a song title from Grease and I picked Beauty School Dropout to go with this picture of DD2 and her smudged painted face!

I've also used Challenge 10 over on Twisted Sketches for this LO - sketch and use tags.
The next was set by Karen and is Twilight inspired - to use black and red and either an apple, a feather, red ribbon or a game piece. I've used Jenni Bowlin red crepe ribbon and made it into the flower embellie.
Has been great going through some old stash and I hope to play along some more today.

On a roll ...

... I realised when I was cutting up the papers for the mini book that there were a couple that I thought would work well on a 12x12 - so I've made this LO inspired by Caroline Ikeji's in Scrapbook Trends.


I prefer this photo of my dad and me in colour - it was a lovely summer's evening and the sun was shining - which doesn't convey well in black and white. However we were wearing tops that would have clashed with the paper - so I think I'll have to scrap the picture again aother time!!


Butterfly Crafts are holding a CyberCrop this weekend - you can check out the details here - I'm hoping to play along.

Birthday Mini Book ...

... the excluive papers in the last Scarlet Lime kit were quite bold and busy and I've been struggling to use them on a 12x12 LO. So teamed with the obiligatory pink, I made a minibook for DD's 4th birthday.

The book is 6x9", not sure how I'm going to bind it yet - I do have a Bind It All but I'm also quite found of book rings! The Unity Stamp journalling block came in very handy.

Have finally scrapped ...

... managed to squeeze this in today after creating a bit of space on my craft desk! The room is far from being sorted, but I am slowly getting there.
This is for the latest Butterfly Crafts challenge to create a LO about a favourite food or drink. I thought I'd take the opportunity to scrap about what I have been missing whilst doing Weight Watchers, hence "I am mostly missing cheese". I love cheese but the high fat content has meant that I have had to ditch my favs of brie, goats cheese and stilton for the time being. The picture is of my WW folder!

Have used an old Scarlet Lime kit, got August's out to use but it just didn't go with the picture.

In a mess ...

... I thought I'd share a couple of photos of why I can't scrap at the moment! At the weekend I decided to redo the room I use to work and craft in. It is always a tip and doesn't make the best use of the space. It's also the guest room - although no one ever stays!

So a trip to Ikea resulted in a new computer desk seen below. The tall book shelf is going to be moved and that's my craft desk right in the corner.The new bookshelf is filling up nicely and my albums fit so much better on it. The crummy sofa bed you can see under all that stuff (never buy one of these) will hopefully be replaced with a proper sofa bed in the near future.

I can't wait for it all to be tidy - which is proving to be a slow process, especially with numerous requests throughout the day from the girls of various nature!