The August 1st Challenge at The Studio

Morning again,

I've been having some problems with my hosting company the last couple of days. Its taking me ages to upload pictures and publish my blog. Apparently they have their top techie people working on it at the moment so fingers crossed they sort it soon. The previous post was actually the layout I did yesterday and since then I've managed to finish off the 1st August Challenge over at The Studio.

I've been wanting to do something on canvas for a while now to put up in the house. I always feel so happy at home and I think that's mainly to do with the people who are here (i.e. my family). I have lived in places before where I just hadn't want to come home but now I can honestly say that I'm at a point in my life where I love our little house and the people in it.

Anyway, the challenge was:

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  Use a non-scrapbooking item as an embellishment.
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  Use borders – be inventive! Unusual items as borders, layer them up, funky techniques, anything goes!
• 
  
  Combine your journaling with stamping. For example, stamped journal spot, stamp all your journaling with alpha stamps, include stamped images with your journaling – again, anything goes!

Here's my take on the challenge....

My non-scrapbooking item is my little dolls house window. I found it in a craft superstore and thought it was just so adorable! My use of borders comes from the Basic Grey Periphery papers which seemed to have a lot of borders printed on them. I used both the papers, diecut sheet and letter stickers. I then split a 7gypsies scallop metal page edge and stuck it on two sides of the canvas. My journalling reminding me where the photo was taken is stamped with pixie press individual letter stamps. I've also used a gorgeou tim holtz flourish stamp over the piece and on the top of the frame to give it another dimension.

The canvas iteself was painted black, then a crackle glaze was put over it, then white acrylic over the top. The last thing I did was highlight with distress inks to create a clouded effect on the canvas and add dimension to the outlines of the paper. Thanks for looking. Take care. x x

Twisted Sketches ~ Number 9

Morning all,

I've been crafting away this morning after getting up early (maybe I should try and do this more often..... nah!). I thought I'd give one of the wonderful sketches over at Twisted Sketches a try. This one caught my eye....

 .... and this was my take on it.....

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  Cardstock is Bazzill
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  Patterned Paper is Scenic Route, Basic Grey and SEI
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  Flourishes are unknown (covered in Basic Grey)
• Stickers and Journal spot is Basic Grey
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  Letter Stickers are American Crafts

Each sketch has a twist to it (i.e. a technique or item you need to use). This sketch involved doodling of some sort with pens, pencils or paint. I chose paint and lightly fluffed a foam brush over the cardstock with white acrylic to mimic the whipped cream on the top of Ethan's hot chocolate.

I had great fun doing this and, once I'd finished, I got onto an Anniversary card I needed to make to send off. All in all it's been a really productive morning ~ craft wise that is ~ the house is still a mess! LOL. Oh well, I may tackle that next..... or maybe not. Thanks for popping by. Take care. x x

Inspiration Has Struck! ~ The Scrappiest Sketch 25

Afternoon all,

My scrapping inspiration had left me for a few days and I was concentrating on starting my Christmas cards whenever I had a few minutes but, thankfully, I am so pleased that inspiration has struck this afternoon thanks to a sketch from The Scrappiest. I was really inspired by their latest sketch and was flicking through some photos I had put aside when inspiration struck. Here's the sketch.....

.... and here's my layout inspired by it....

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  Cardstock is Bazzill
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  Textured Paper is Fibermark
• 
  
  Bingo Ticket unknown
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  Star is KI Memories
• 
  
  Tickets unknown
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  Pen is Sakura
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  Thread is Making Memories

I was pleased with how this turned out since I don't use Orange that much but just felt this layout needed it with the backdrop in the photos. Now to keep the momentum going to and started on another layout.... once i have a little tidy up of course. Thanks for looking. Take care. x x

A Little Out Of My League...

Evening all,

I've been blog surfing this afternoon checking out all the wonderful blogs I love to read and be inspired by. They all look so pretty and so creative. I would love to have a pretty blog and feel that mine is just so plain.

Unfortunately it looks as though it's not as easy to get a gorgeous blog as I thought. I've seen so many gorgeous blog backgrounds this afternoon but they're all for blogs hosted on blogger. I host my blog on my own domain and therefore can't add the gadget function to create a blog background. All my items in my sidebar have been added by me through my ftp server. I'm a little familiar with html code so up to now it hasn't been too hard but I am stumped on how to get a lovely background.

If any of you lovely people out there know of a site where I can learn how to create a lovely background or where I can learn how to download some files and ftp them to my server I would be so grateful. In the meantime I shall keep looking. Thanks for popping by. Take care. x x

Such a Hectic Week but I am crafting away....

Evening Everyone,

I've had such a frantic week training staff for when I leave my current job. I'm in again tomorrow and Saturday and that will be six straight days of work. Thankfully next week I'm only in for two so I am looking forward to some family time and a bit of crafting.

I have, however, not been too tired to craft. Being the kind of person who likes to be organised way in advance I have started my Christmas cards. I found these really cute characters from Jolly Nation for our family Christmas cards this year. I'm in the process of making them but I'll post pictures on here once they're finished.

Thankfully after next week we are on two weeks holiday. I think all of us could really do with a break. I know Trace has been working so hard at work and I'm hoping to give her some real relaxation time. On Sunday the 16th we're both taking Ethan to see the Walking With Dinosaurs show at the NIA in Birmingham. He loves dinosaurs and said he wanted to go when he saw it on TV so Trace and I bought tickets but haven't told him we're going. We think he's going to love it. Can't wait to take some photos too.

Anyway, I'd best get dinner started so I can possibly have an early night tonight before being back into work for another 6am start. Thanks for popping by. Take care. x x

Candy Shoppe Designs ~ Warm it Up Pre-challenge & Such a Lovely Surprise!

Afternoon Everyone,

Today I've been at work since 6am and have only just got home. I did manage to get some crafting done at the weekend but by the time I'd finished it was dark so I wasn't able to get a good shot of anything. Thankfully now I have a chance to upload them.

Firstly, the group of cards I made on Sunday. The "60" one is for Trace's Nan and Granddad who are celebrating their 60th Wedding Anniversary on the 20th of August. Such a wonderful achievement. The pink and green condolence card is for our friend Briarlie and her family who lost her Dad last week and the other card is for Trace's boss, Anita, who lost her step mum last week. We are all thinking of you.

Once I'd finished my cards I was inspired to do the Candy Shoppe Designs Warm It Up Pre-challenge. We were challenged to use only warm colours and if we decided to do a scrapbook layout we had to use the sketch provided. It really made me think because I've never really thought along the cool or warm colours line. I decided to use some papers and embellishments from the My Minds Eye Out and About Range as well as some Bohemia Papers.

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  Cardstock: Bazzill
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  Patterned Paper: Bohemia and My Minds Eye
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  Overlay: Bohemia
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  Die Cuts: My Minds Eye
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  Blossom: Bohemia
• 
  
  Letter Stickers: Making Memories

We were lucky enough on our last trip back to Australia to see a baby Koala. The ranger told us it was a really rare site so, of course, I took loads of pictures. Then when the baby Koala looked right at my camera I was so chuffed. I though since it was a warm it up challenge that these pictures were pretty warm and cuddly.

Then I had a fantastic bit of news. I went onto the Candy Shoppe Designs blog to check I had done everything for the challenge only to find that the lovely girls over there have awarded me a prize in August! I was gobsmacked! It's a gorgeous Tough Dude kit and, since I have a Tough Dude six year old I'm already thinking of the pages I can scrap. Can't wait! Thank you so much Lynnette and all the girls over at Candy Shoppe Designs. Here's a pick of the gorgeous kit....

Anyway, that's all my news for today. I'm back into work tomorrow but I'm hoping to get some crafty time tomorrow because there's a layout I really want to scrap that's been floating around in my head the last few days. Thanks for popping by. Take care. x x

August Already!!!

Morning everyone,

I can't believe it's August already! This year is just flying by! This is the last full month I have left in my current job. I'm going to go in and help as much as possible before I leave but I do have two weeks holiday booked off as well. Speaking of holidays we're taking Ethan to a Haven holiday park in Great Yarmouth. It has a mini golf course which he absolutely loves and hopefully, if the weathers nice, we'll get to spend some time on the beach too.

But before that week away we have another week off and, since Ethan is going to his Dads, I've managed to secure a luxury suite in a five star hotel in London for a night. This hotel is just round the corner from Stamford Bridge (home of the Chelsea football club which Trace supports). I'm going to try and organise a tour round the football ground as well while we're there. She's just been working so hard these last few months and I just wanted to do something she would really enjoy.

Now before anyone starts asking if I've won the lottery or anything I would just like to point out that, yes it normally is a £500 a night suite but I managed to get it for £150 because the hotel is undergoing slight renovations but the room itself is fine. Of course we will take loads of pictures and I'll do some entries in a minibook of our mini breaks away.

Nevertheless, now that I've finished dreaming about the high life its back to reality with a bump because today is housework, washing and ironing day. No rest for the wicked. I do have a couple of cards to make this afternoon though. Unfortunately I have two sympathy cards to make for friends who have lost family this week, two anniversary cards and a couple of birthday cards for the month. I thought it best to get them done now before I'm called into work or away on holiday. I'll try and post some later today. Thanks for stopping by. Take care. x x