Mini Memories

I was stuck for something to do the other day so I thought I'd tackle this mini-suitcase which I've had for ages.  My thoughts turned to making a tiny album for our holiday to Menorca earlier this year.

The suitcase was started at a class at the Artisan show in September.  I finished it off by covering the inside with vintage maps and dictionary pages.

The mini accoridan album is made from Webster's Pages Seaside Retreat which has a lovely map printed on it. 

I added some stamped images like splodges and seashells, etc. before layering up a tag and star fish.

As the papers are all double-sided, making a mini-album like this is a piece of cake. 

Looping baker's twine across the pages help to lead the eye through the album in a very simple way.

The outside of the case is painted with brown paint and highlighted with Inka-Gold (absolutely lovely to work with). 
Hope you all bring in the New Year with someone you love.  See you in 2011!

Snow Wonder

We've just enjoyed our first white Christmas (or at least as far as I can remember).  I hope that you have had a peaceful one too.

I thought I'd share a layout I did for Allyscraps using Debbie Gaydos' sketch this month.  Sketches are such a blessing when you a scrapper's block (or otherwise). You can see the Sketch Challenge here.

I have used the fabulous papers from Echo Park Wintertime Collection - I love the colour range and the red accent colour.

I'm finishing up some projects so I'll share those asap.

Christmas Eve

I guess it will be hard to sleep tonight - we'll be listening for sleigh bells.

I have mentioned it before, but we didn't have too many family traditions, so I have instigated new traditions of our own.  A new 'tradition' for this year will be table gifts.  Just something very small to open at the lunch table - kind of stretch things out a bit and mostly because crackers are just so disappointing.

My gifts have been wrapped in kraft paper and decorated with a simple ribbon, tag and candy cane.  My favourite part are the jingle bells though. (Sorry that my photos are pretty poor).

Did you notice the nutcracker soldier?  DD begged me for one on our visit to the German Market recently.  He is adorable.  I think that we'll be collecting those in future.

Thank you so much for spending time on my blog - I appreciate it.  I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas.

Only 3 more days

I am a totally a last-minute shopper normally, I have good intentions, but can rarely decide on the perfect gift for someone.  I always feel that it has to be just 'right'.  This year however is different.  I have not only finished all my shopping, but it's all wrapped up too!  Woo Hoo!  What a great feeling.

My class at our crop next month features the lovely papers from Echo Park who have just got to be some of the hottest property around.

As there are normally 20+ people taking the class, we have to keep things fairly straight forward.  These papers were just great as we could use all those lovely little elements and cards, making it easy for everyone to follow.

Just love a little baker's twine.

A little space for journalling - more can be tucked behind.

I love some hand sewing on a LO when there's time - just adds a fab handmade touch.

Thanks for popping in.

Pencil Lines Sketch 218

Only 6 more days to go. Woo Hoo!

We had 7" of snow yesterday - I don't think I've ever seen so much snow here in one go. It's truly beautiful. I'm sure I'm not alone in hoping that it stays until Christmas - it would be truly perfect.

This week's sketch featured a portrait and a landscape photo - something of a challenge normally (well in my book anyway).

I picked out some photos from Halloween.  A little party at our house with our best friends.  One game that I organised was digging for bones in slime (sweets in jelly).

There was the inevitable oohs and ahhs before my GS stuck his head in the bowl. Just love this picture of his gooey face.

I really fancied some barbed-wire on my page, so made some by hand with garden wire.

Just love the brick work mask and my favourite pocket watch at the moment.

I dug out some more of the Halloween in Wonderland (Graphic 45)

My chipboard letters were inked before being smothered in Rock Candy Crackle Paint.
Thank you so much for popping in.  I appreciate your time and all the support and comments I've received over the year.

Craft Garden Goodies

I thought I'd share some projects that I have done for The Craft Garden over the past few weeks but just not had time to share.

I did another mini-album in a concertina format which can either be popped into a box or stand-up on display.  The beautiful Fairy Flora are a wonderful mix of sumptious colours with matching flowers and journal cards.

I thought I might try lots of whimsical stamping and stickles to really make the most of the papers.

I just love how this page turned out.  The very large dragonfly (Tattered Angels) has been highlighted with stickles

I'm afraid the lighting was poor so you can't really see how I highlighted the flowers on this page with more stickles - looks so pretty IRL.

This album is super-easy as I've used the journal cards as fancy mats for my photos and just clustered pretty Prima flowers.  Voila!
Thanks for stopping by.

The Stockings are Ready

I've been lucky enough to be a guest designer over at Ally Scraps this month. I just adore all the ranges that have been released by Echo Park (they know how to please a girl).

For my first project with Wintertime, I made this elf's stocking for the tree.



I have to admit that I found it difficult to cut up some papers (as usual).
I ended up drawing a stocking shape so that it could be cut out of one sheet of paper.

The beautiful stickers included in the paper pack means that decorating the stocking is a doddle.

Instructions
1. Create an stocking template and draw around twice (once in reverse)
2. Carefully stick edges together.
3. Make a pleated rosette using 1" of Red Swirls paper. Concertina fold every 1/10".
4. Top off stocking with striped paper, adding tiny bells to the points.
5. Add fluffy marabou and some candy canes.

Supplies
Echo Park Wintertime Collection:
Snow
Red Swirls
Stripes
Element Stickers

I'm back this weekend with Pencil Lines sketch. Be sure to check out the Ally Scraps Blog - they have some amazing guests and projects to oggle.

Thanks for popping in.

Large Cards

I was asked to make a large good luck card so that everyone can sign the inside.  Well, normal sized cards present quite a challenge for me, so an A4 card was mamouth task. 

My solution was to put the message as the central part to the card and decorate it with the prettiest things I could find.

Various flowers (mostly from Hobbycraft) and pearl accessories.

As I don't possess many items that go with this colour scheme, I resorted to recolouring flowers with ink. I'm pleased that they came out the way that they did.  I think that the really important element to a cluster of flowers are the leaves.  These are punched using X-cut punch and emboss (surely my favourite product of the year!)  Papers are all Prima.

Only 13 more days until Christmas.  We should be getting some snow this weekend.  I soooooo want a white Christmas!

Toodle pip.

Spooky Fun

If you know me, then you'll know I have an aversion to purple.  Don't know why, but I do.  Yet, this year, I seem to be drawn more and more to purple (although only certain shades).  I still detest lilac if you're interested.  I mention this purely because I don't possess any purple flowers and so I had to come up with something for this layout.

I ended up with some Cosmic Shimmer Mist in red (that's all I had on me) and some purple ink.  I got purple flowers, just not sure if I like them or not.

I do however, like these roses which are all the rage right now.  I've tied some black floss in between each one - kind of looks like spider's legs.

The background paper is We R Memory Keepers Heebie Jeebies which is mighty fab.

Thanks for popping in.

Pencil Lines Sketch # 216

Been another busy weekend.  Our school fair was as always manic and exhausting.  I'm sure there are loads of you around the country doing your bit for your PTA/School.  Hats off to you all!    It's always a lot of work on top of an already busy time of year.

On to my LO for this week's sketch.

I kept to the sketch more or less, but just shifted my photos so that they were off-centre.

I've used some stamps as my accents - mostly Paper Artsy (just love cogs).

Some more chipboard cogs, buttons and genuine bingo chips.

Hopefully, I'll have a bit more time to play now that I have done my assignments and school fair. I have move lovely Allyscraps goodies that I'm playing with so I'm sure I'll be back with those soon. Thanks for popping in.