UKS Summer Challenge ....

... Niki is providing lots of inspiration to keep us all scrapping over the summer months with 10 challenges to complete by 30th September.

She asked me to help her with challenge 10 which was to make 3 layouts out of a specific set of stash - 'stash busting' and only use those supplies.

So in my pile I have
- 3 background papers/cardstock
- 5 patterned papers (Crate Paper - The Pier)
- scraps from the same collection
- different alphas
- wood veeners and cork embellies
- journalling cards
- buttons and enamel dots
- two lots of bakers twine and 1 ribbon
- some tags

Once I had that pulled together I set about on my pages!

Page 1

Page 2 - using August Stuck Sketch

Page 3 - using July Sketchy Thursday

And because I still had quite a bit leftover I made a fourth page!!

I probably could have easily made a couple more pages, but by this time I was getting a bit bored of using the same paper! It's definitely an exercise I'd try again and useful for when going off to crops.

Make sure you check out Niki's challenges - anyone can take part and you can share your work on UKS and on Instagram using #uks2014summerscrapbookingchallenge.

A bumper month for creativity ....

... National Scrapbooking Day certainly helped and I've managed to keep up with all the UKS challenges this month, even though work has been a challenge in itself.

So today I'm sharing the UKS monthly challenge to be inspired by a Winnie The Pooh quote and the Stuck? May 15th sketch.

I choose the following:

" I knew as soon as I saw you I knew that an adventure was about to happen".

I've bought a few new papers recently and this Title sticker was a perfect starting point.

Hope you've all had a good Bank Holiday week. When will summer arrive??

Happy (belated) National Scrapbooking Day ...

... did you get a chace to take part in any of the challenges yesterday? I'd cleared some crafting time and armed with a new batch of printed photos was determined to make the most of it!

Firstly, catching up with the UKS weekly challenge - a sketch, to scrap somthing you love, use stitching and inking. I think this is possibly my first ever stand alone Christmas page, normally I just stick to JYC.

Studio Calico had specific challenges for the day and this was their first one - a colour challenge of aqua, pink, navy and gold. Have used the latest May Stuck? Sketch.

I've entered both into the Big Picture Classes challenge to get 10,000 pages on Instagram over the weekend - there's lots of great prizes up for grabs.

Right off to try and get some more done!

My 500th post .....

... and if you're interested you can read my first one here, I started blogging in December 2007 to share my Journal Your Christmas pages and I love having a record of my creative pursuits. Over the years sometimes I've blogged lots and sometimes not much - but I'm comfortable with that.

I've made some wonderful new friends through my blog and am looking forward to crafting with some of them later in the year.

I'm catching up with a few challenges before the month finishes, so firstly

Stuck? March 15th sketch and this week's UKS challenge, which was to scrap about yourself including journalling and numbers. I got my hands on some cheap Studio Calico kits that were being sold for National Scrapbooking Day in May - always nice to have new goodies to play with!

And last week's UKS challenge - to scrap something that make you happy, use 3 colours, fabric and a flower.

The pages look like they were made with the same supplies but this is from an old Quirky Kit and Elle's Studio cards!

Words to live by ...

... another weekly challenge over at UKS and a bit of a pick and mix:

A - Sport - Inspired by the Cheltenham Cup
B - Charity - Inspired by Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
C - Lifestyle - Inspired by National Veggie Month (Vegetarian)

and to include the following on the LO:
1) Doodling
2) Ribbon, lace or washi tape
3) Brads, eyelets or buttons
4) Altered flowers - eg punched/cut from PP/inked/handmade/made into something else

I knew straight away that I wanted to document my new 'hobby' of running. In a bid to keep fit and get more exercise I encouraged lots of my colleagues at easyfundraising to sign up for X-Runner.co.uk extreme obstacle race last October.

As a complete novice I downloaded a Couch 2 10K app and in February I managed to run 5K non-stop which I was so pleased with.

Sadly though a couple of weeks ago I sprained my foot and with only 2 weeks to go to the race I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.

I've combine this challenge with Stuck? Sketches (however I didn't manage the flower!) and the colour combo was inspired by Leo's page on Quirky Kits Blog

Stuck Sketches...

... due to the timing of my Scrapbook Circle sub I got 2 kits sent at the same time, so I really need to crack on with some scrapping.

One of this month's Stuck? Sketches.
There's far less embellies in the Scrapbook Circle kit compared to Scarlet Lime, but when I look at all the unopened packs I have, that's probably a good thing. It also means you get to make your own and view the papers differently.

Steve brought me this necklace for our 10th Wedding Anniversary to remind me of when we celebrated my 30th Birthday in New York. He had forgotten that I bought myself the exact same necklace on that trip! Nevermind, it means that I have 2 to hand down to the girls at some point (they are like vultures near my jewellery box!)

Catching up...

... I have quite a bit of scrapping to catch up on - birthdays, holidays, special events so I thought I'd start with the most recent and work backwards! So here's DD1's 8th birthday. I truely cannot believe that she has turned eight - it feels very close to 10 and double figures!Using Jan 1st Stuck Sketch - I'd forgotten how much I liked these sketches.

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.

I fear ...

... I've combine the 1st of Jan challenges from The Studio and Stuck? Sketches for this one.

The Studio's challenge is to
- Make a page that includes a lot of “white space”.
- The subject of your page should be something that scares you; scrap your fears!
- Use 3 photos in the design of your page – but don’t forget that white space!

Another old kit, as still waiting for the postie to arrive!!

Stuck? Sketches...

... whilst waiting for my Scarlet Lime kits to arrive, Emma reminded me of an old kit, so I thought I'd pull it out and have a play. I've used the latest Stuck? sketch.

My blanket is coming on slowly but surely. Even though I ordered extra wool, I'm not sure I've got enough for the design I had in mind - it may end up smaller than intended!

Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine.

More circles ...

... thought I'd ought to make a LO rather than just talking about them!! All the sketch challenges seem to involve circles at the moment, so yet another rare LO for me that has a circle element! Sketch from Stuck? Sketches. I almost didn't add the buttons, but so glad I did as I think they really finish off the design.

Has been pretty dull and wet here today- the girls managed 5 mins outside to light some sparklers in honour of Guy Fawkes. Going to try and do some more fireworks at the weekend. I'll leave you with the obiligatory blurry picture!

Back to school ...

... the Report Card line from October Afternoon is perfect for the school photos I have, and with DD2 having just started there's plenty of them! This is DD1 on her first day back. Have used the latest Stuck? Sketch.

My that's bright!

... not my usual colour palette, but the papers seemed to work well with my iPod case! Have done this LO for Butterfly Crafts Challenge 19 - to scrap your favourite song. Thought it would be a good idea to get iTunes to tell me what I listen to most and have made a Top 10 List from that. Have also used Stuck?! Sketches - Sept 1st sketch

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.