Scrapping this weekend ....

... a new batch of photos from Photobox, a new Scrapbook Cirle kit and an online crop with Shimelle - I plan to make the most of that this weekend!

The crop started yesterday and the first challenge was to include some printables designed by Mary Anne Walters - on my LO these include the journalling block and the circles. She designed them to co-ordinate with the My Mind's Eye Stella and Rose range so as I had a few bits of this I used that as my starting block. I've also used the latest Sketchy Thursday sketch.

The next challenge was to use stickers from more than one range. This is the balcony shot that I always take of Steve and the girls when we go to Majorca. It's such a great way of seeing the changes in them. I've used old an old Scarlet Lime kit that I've used for a lot of my previous Majorca LOs. The stickers are all Making Memories and include Passport, The Great Escape and Circle Ledger.

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.

10am challenge Pencil Lines ...

... I'm back!

So this challenge was to use this sketch.

I've used the lefthand side as inspiration, again using SL Frugal kit.

You can win a copy of the Pencil Lines sketch book by heading over to Anna Bowkis' blog to celebrate their 200th sketch.

The Studio Pre-Crop Challenge ...

... so the fun has begun, starting with a challenge set last night that I've managed to do this morning.

Create a layout with a framed title.
Using Scarlet Lime August Frugal kit.

And answer these questions:

- what's your name and where do you hail from?

I'm Fay! I was born and bred in Torquay, went to University in Bristol and now live in Leamington Spa.

- what's your favourite scrappy manufacturer?

I normally get my supplies from a US kit and so use a range of manufacturers, but I always like the papers from Cosmo Cricket. Recently I'm liking Lily Bee and Echo Park.

- what product do you find yourself using most?

Anything to do with butterflies!

- do you prefer to make your embellishments or buy readymade?

Again because of getting a kit I tend to use more ready made embellishments but I love making my own flowers

- have you even taken part in a cybercrop before?

Yes! Lots! The last one from The Studio, a couple of Shimelle's, Cocoa Daisy and various on UK Scrappers. I love the challenges and the whole team environment of them.

I'm just putting the finished touches to the next challenge and then have to help DH clear the garage - we're finally getting round to clearing out some junk!! I'll be back.

Circles and a sketch ...

... managed a couple of LOs today, but was distracted from doing more as I did some sewing (I have a big project in mind, more on that soon.)

Firstly the 4pm challenge from yesterday to use circles. I've used this design a couple of times before and thought it would suit circles, so I've used it again (think it was a Sketchy Thursday sketch).
The next was today's sketch.

The photo challenge last night was to take a photo of night light. So I've taken a picture of some candles reflected in the window.

I did also take a photo for the Nature challenge today, which was of a robin that often visits our garden. I took the picture with my long zoom but when I cropped the picture down it showed the garden was in focus but not the robin!! Hopefully he'll return tomorrow.

Summer crop...

... I hadn't realised that this was going to start at 10am this morning, so it was a bit of a bonus as I found myself with some time this afteroon whilst the girls watched Hairspray (has it been pouring with rain where you are??!!)

The challenges are alternating on the hour with a scrapbook challenge and a photography challenge and I've managed a couple of both.

So the first challenge (10am) was to scrap with red, white and aqua.

The first photography challenge (11am) was to shoot a close up. These are my green tomatoes that I am trying to ripen in the conservatory - they're not doing much out in the garden.

Next up (12pm) was a sketch and you know how much I love sketches!!

I decided not to journal on this because my writing's a bit scruffy - I don't usually mind it on LOs but I didn't want to spoil the special picture on this one, so I think I might mount it on a canvas and hang it in my work room. This is my very lovely and very adored daddy xxx.
Photography challenge from 3pm was to take a picture through a window. So here's my very wet garden you can just see the yellow bamboo.

Looking forward to some more challenges.

A couple of questions from my last post - they're all Scarlet Lime LOs Claire, I'm trying to use up all my kits before the next two arrive! And Laura, the fabric is from my needle and thread and I bought Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane and Moda's Hunky Dory.

Enjoying the holidays ...

.... a little bit!!! I do struggle it has to be said as I work 3 hours each day and the girls get left to fend for themselves. This normally results in lots of shouting and arguing and me then getting cross. I always want the holidays to be full of picnics in the park (LOL at the weather), baking, reading and playing games, but this isn't my reality unfortunately. Anyway we make the most of the happy bits of the day we do have together and are looking forward to camping at the end of August (LOL at the weather again!)

I managed to get a bit of time this week to make a couple of LOS. The first is from a Stuck? Sketches Birthday Hop.
I omitted the strips from the sketch that go behind the photo as I thought it was already quite busy!! I cut out some circles from behind the photo and used them to layer up some other circles. I have also bought a new butterfly punch from Hobbycraft. I don't tend to buy much from Hobbycraft as it's normally more expensive than buying online but this punch seemed a reasonable price.

This one's from PencilLines.

Shimelle is having a summer crop this weekend and so no doubt I will have a play along - love online crops!!!

In other news I've had new fabric stash delivery from the US, looking forward to cutting into this lovely selection. I'm finding it hard to know what I prefer more these days - new fabric or new paper - I think fabric is inching ahead.

Lastly I want to send a big congratulations to my friend Lisa who has made it onto the Design Team for Cocoa Daisy - I'm so thrilled for her.

A crafty day ...

... I'm off work this week and off to Torquay tomorrow for the rest of the week. So I've had some time today to play! (Not working is good for my creative soul!)

First off headbands to match the girls dresses, they took me about 15 mins each and the girls seem pleased with the results.

Turning over my calender today (yes I know I'm a day behind) I realised it was SIL's birthday tomorrow, so a very quick and simple card that I could get it straight in the post.

Lastly a LO from this month's Stuck? sketch. I haven't played along with their challenges for a while, but always like what they come up with. Made with July Scarlet Lime kit, so now I've managed to make 1 LO from each of the unused kits I had.

And another ...

... have managed to keep the momentum going with this Studio Calico Sunday Sketch and using SL July Frugal kit.

Have also got round to making the girl's summer dresses - bought the fabric about 3 months ago! This is DD2's and I'm worried it looks a bit small, shan't know till she gets home later as they're both at a dance workshop. It's been a while since I cut out the pieces so I just hope that DD1's are bigger!

The dress is almost identical to ones I bought from Boden a few years ago. The fabric is Darla Rose by Tanya Whelan which I believe can now be bought in Hobbycraft!

I scrapped...

... and it felt good!

I have been feeling really guilty that my Scarlet Lime kits have been piling up (especially since I started subscribing to their Frugal kit aswell) and so today (whilst recovering from a tummy bug) I sat down armed with a pile of sketches and started to scrap!

They might not be my best work or win any prizes, but it was the process of scrapping that was really important to me. I decided to make one LO from each kit (I've got 6 untouched).

April Kit and Twisted Sketches sketch

June Frugal kit and Twisted Sketches sketch
June kit
May kit and PageMaps sketch

Last one ...

... think I'll call it a day with the Cocoa Daisy challenges now. Really pleased with what I've achieved - 8 LOs in 3 days.

The final challenge was to make handmade flowers. So I put the skills I learnt on Create 10 into good use here!

My new Scarlet Lime kit has finally turned up, delayed due to volcanic ash. About time too - desperately need some new stash to play with - yipee!

BFF ...

.. I've not felt well today (sore throat and headache) and DD2 has been off school as well. Work were really kind to let me finish after 2 hours (I work from home) so I had a bit of scrappy time. The challenges on Cocoa Daisy don't close til 2nd May, so here's another one - challenge to scrap your best friend and be creative with your journalling.

I went for some hidden journalling in a Q&A style.

Have just realised I've typed a ? at the end of a good book, will have to get the Tippex out. Note my butterfly obsession is still going strong!

Due to my fabulous productivity I am now in desperate need of albums and page protectors.

One hour challenge ...

... had so so much fun with this one. The challenge was to come up with your own sketch and then post it onto the Cocoa Daisy forum within 20 mins. You then had an hour to make a LO from either on your own sketch or someone else's. Here's my sketch (a bit messy) - I based it on one of my favourite LOs.
And here's the LO!

I had some lovely new fabric delivered today. I made the girls summer dresses last year which they loved, so am planning on making some again for them. I love new fabric - the feel and the smell is so nice!

Sunday challenges ...

... the first LO was for a challenge called Dear You, which firstly was to use one of the posted staionery images as inspiration (I continued with my butterfly obbession here) and to write your journalling as a letter too someone.

This next challenge was called Everything's Gone Green - the topic of the layout had to be green and growing things and the title hand-made and in some way reflect the theme of the layout.

I had only planted these seeds about half an hour before the challenge was posted, so perfect timing! I scraplifted a LO by Doris Sander.

Finally some pages to share...

... have had more creativity this last week and have managed 3 LOs - woo hoo!!!! 2 have been done in the last 24 hours!

This one started life as a Sketchy Thursday sketch but doesn't look much like it. These two are based on Jana Eubank sketches.

All 3 LOs were made using Scarlet Lime March kit and I love that they all look so different.

I had a new kit delivered from Scrapbook Circle this week and am looking forward to playing with that next, yummy papers from Cosmo Cricket, MME and October Afternoon and some interesting looking burlap!

Butterfly Crafts March Challenges ...

... there's been a change to the style of challenges over at Butterfly Crafts. Each month there will be a visual and a written challenge.

The visual this month posted on the 1st was a sketch and so here's my take.
The written challenge, posted on the 15th, was to use at least 1 of the following items:

Polka dots
Orange
Gingham Ribbon
Butterfly
Scalloped edge
Turquoise
Cherries
Pins
Felt
Bling

The latest Scarlet Lime kit arrived this morning and was perfect for this - I've managed 6 from the list!

I also made use of a PencilLines sketch.

Their story ...

... using the latest Sketchy Thursday sketch and journalling inspired by this post.
The light is fadin here so the colours look a bit more washed out than they are IRL.

Yeah, and another ...

... I cut straight into the February Project kit that I received from Scarlet Lime to keep the momentum going and scraplifted a LO by Linda Sobolewski in March's Scrapbook Trends.

Can't believe that this little baby is now 7 with a whole load of attitude!!!

Struggling to scrap ....

... since the start of the new year, I've had very little inclination to scrap. I think it's due to being distracted by other crafts (such as making yo-yo brooches for the school's Mother's Day Present Room) but also by the fact that my Scarlet Lime kits have not been turning up in a timely fashion.December and January's kit had been sat untouched when February's turned up this week (along with a missing project kit). So I knew that unless I cut into it straight away I was in danger of having the kits pile up. So armed with a photo, challenge from The Studio and sketch from Studio Calico I got stuck in. The challenge was to create a LO about being a boy and what you might miss out on - the title reads Glad to be a Girl.

I've taken a close up of the journalling.

Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things now, I have a stack of photos waiting to be scrapped!