Butterfly Crafts May Challenge ...

... this month's challenge is to use this ad as inspiration and I have to admit when I first looked at it I was quite stumped!

So first off I concentrated on the colours and then the design emerged from the triangular shape made from the model's flowers in her hair and her chin.
If you want a chance to win a guest DT spot you can enter here.

Canvas class ...

... my lovely and very talented friend Lisa taught a class at the Cocoa Daisy crop and here's my take on it. Looks a bit dull on screen but it is quite bright! It's 8 x 10 and I just need to find a little home for it now!

Cocoa Daisy crop ...

... was on last weekend and I fully intended to throw myself into it. However it ended up being a weekend of viewing potential kennels to put Modbury into when we go on holiday and so I only managed a couple of LOs.

The girls over there are so welcoming even if you aren't a kit subscriber and I always enjoy their bi-annual event.

This first LO was for the one hour challenge and you had to include an 8x10 photo (or collage), patterned paper, more than one type of alpha and a non-scrapbook related item. I came second and that included chosing and printing my photos after the challenge started!


The next LO was for a sketch challenge. This has actually been sat on my desk since Saturday and I finished it today. I wasn't overly happy with it, I think because I should have started with smaller photos (these were already printed) so that the whole design was tighter and had more white space. Anyhow I changed the alphas around today and added a touch of ribbon and feel better about it!

Once upon a sketch ...

... this new challenge blog set up recently with the idea of combining sketches with journalling prompts.

I've been meaning to take part for a while and finally managed to squeeze this one in before their deadline of 14th May. Along with the sketch the challenge included to journal on a journalling spot.
Got out the Elle's tags that I won recently!

A Royal Weekend ...

... now I wouldn't normal scrap a photo of people I don't know, but for some unknown reason (apart from the fact that I forgot to take my camera on an overnight stay in The Peak District) I took absolutely no photos the whole weekend of The Royal Wedding.

However there was lots that I wanted to say about what we did as a family that weekend and have it captured for the girls to look back on. So I decided to use my favourite image of William and Kate from the weekend and the file folder holds a diary journal.

The story behind the photo ...

... so the other challenge for NSD on Shimelle's blog that caught my eye was to find something that has more story than what you first see, and get explaining!

I take loads of photos of the girls for no other reason than I think they're beautiful. However there are only so many LOs you can make about their beauty! So I took this opportunity to journal about the orthodontic work that Lily is undergoing at the moment to correct her teeth and bite. Not glamorous but a story that needs telling nonetheless!

Happy belated NSD ...

... I don't tend to pay much attention to National Scrapbooking Day, but there were a couple of challenges on Shimelle's blog that caught my eye. This one was to scrap with a border between photos. I do tend to only scrap with one photo on a LO but at the moment I seem to have more, so this was a good challenge for me!

Layering ...

… just before Easter the supplies that I wanted to do the canvases for Lily’s room arrived. So between the two bank holidays I got to work and thought I’d document the layering process.


Background, paint and modelling paste:
Stamping:
The girls and blending:

More stamping, rubons and paint:

Working in 6x12 canvases meant that more of the background got covered by the girls than I planned. I also used some ink that bled when I mod podged, so a couple of lessons learnt!

Lily's delighted with them!

Some weekend crafting ...

… although seasoned campers last summer we decided to try some ‘glamping’ at Featherdown Farms. I was going to make a minibook with the photos I took but decided on a couple of LOs in the end,, the rest of the photos I’ve put into 6x4 page protectors so I can keep them together.

I thought I they would be the last LOs from April’s Scrapbook Circle kit but I managed to do this one as well, can you believe they’re from the same kit.

This was done for for a Scrapbook Circle Anniversary challenge from a Sketchy Thursday sketch.

Using up this kit made me realise that part of the reason I scrapped so little last year was that I was no longer inspired by the kits I was getting. Opening a parcel and wanting to get crafting straight away surely is a good sign.

Lastly some sewing for my niece’s birthday present, which I need to get in the post asap!

A quickie ...

... oh I do love scrapbooking and especially when a LO comes together quickly. This is a picture of my half-sister, Lily and my niece and I'm so proud of these 3 lovely girls. It makes me laugh when they get together as they have to all dress and style their hair the same!

Am missing having the girls off school, although Lily was home today as her school is used as a Polling Station, so I guess it will be back to a proper routine next week. At least there will then only be 3 weeks to half term!

RAK winner ...

... sorry for the delay in posting this, we had an inpromptu getaway at the weekend to the Peak District which was glorious!

Anyway the winner according to random.org (couldn't seem to copy the picture) is the number 2 so Jennifer!

25 April 2011 22:26
jennifer said...
very sweet bags indeed, I like the yellow and white one at the bottom best, it's so gorgeously summery. This is the sort of thing I always think I should try and make and never get round to it! x

Email me your details to fmatth4731@aol.com and I'll get busy sewing you a little bag!