Da-Daa!

To round off the the end of January and an all time high of blog posts, I have saved something special for you. It's a DA-DAA moment...............MY NEW CRAFT DESK. Have a good look at this lovely, tidy desk at it won't be like this for long! I have even bought a new notebook from Paperchase just so it can look lovely on my desk.

Nabbed the french wooden biscuit trough from the staff room this week. It contained some delicious meringues given to us from the staff of the French school visiting this week. I spied it and thought....that will look good on my desk and left a note that I had first dibs. The next day as there wasn't many meringues left, I emptied it and scurried away with my find. I later found out that I had foiled a kidnapping plan and ransom note by my colleagues of said trough. I don't know who's worse at school the children or the staff!

And then I made this....

Making a mini-book from scratch is a first for me and actually only my second mini-book ever! I don't know why this is because I like mini-books but it may be due to the fact that I like things to match and never have lots of one type of paper. So having my set of American Crafts papers put a stop to that though at first I didn't think the colours would work with the snow pictures...oh yes I forgot to say it's a snow book. I always take photo's of the snow but never seem to do much with them so thought this would be a perfect way to document the bad weather of December and January.

Because of the photo of my colourful wellies (which incidentally have to be replaced now because they sprang a leak) and my eye shot with the bright pink hat, the colours went well and I could add lots of pink jounalling spots cut with my big shot.

I didn't have any cardboard in the house so raided the cereal packets. Don't you hate it when the ready brek is all static and clings to everything (oh the burdens of being a crafter). Then cut and chomped with my corner chomper.

So I am quite pleased with the end result....feel it is quite plain but it seems that my projects are going this way at the moment.....maybe that's my style after all, when all along I thought I was a shabby chic girl!

Allsorts

So, what have I been creating with my American Craft Papers? Well lots of things in fact. Firstly another LO featuring my new craft of crochet. The paper colours and patterns lent themselves well to the colours of the yarn I am using and the perfect excuse to use plenty of buttons. This has to be an all time record for the amount of buttons I have ever used on any craft project. 36 in all! And not even a dent made in my button stash. I keep looking at the stripy paper and thinking of Liquorice Allsorts!

Next I was very brave and reckless and cut into NEW pieces of 12x12 papers and covered all my little embellishment jars that sit on my shelves. They look so pretty....and still I think of Allsorts!

The most recent American Craft craftiness is to be seen on my mini book of snow. This just needs a few tweaks to finish and then i will reveal all in my next post.

Now where is that box of Allsorts?

I'm in Love!

That's right you heard me....I'M IN LOVE....and I don't care who knows it. OK don't freak out, I haven't run away with a Robert Patterson lookalike (as if I would have the chance!). No, it is all very innocent I'm afraid.....I'm in love with American Crafts Patterned Paper. The Blue Skies range in fact. It ticks all the boxes for me.....bright colours...check,glitter....check,patterns......check....yep, I just love it. So expect lots of projects featuring my new love coming to this blog very soon.....or maybe before that if you have already checked out my post titled 'An Apple A Day'.

Ohhh, forgot to say, glittered clear buttons......check!

The eyes have it!

My first Challenge layout for Uk Scrappers is for the house challenge on the subject of bad habits. It took a while to think of some bad habits (now I am sure I have plenty but nothing that I thought anyone would find interesting) In the end I decided on my worst habit of worrying too much. Yes I am a born worrier, I often joke that I am not happy if I didn't have anything to worry about! But sometimes you need a reality check don't you? Worrying about stuff is not going to make thing better so in 2010 I am going to try to worry less, starting with the small stuff. Like does it matter that my earrings don't suit with what I am wearing (for those fashionaras out there who are still debating this question, the answer is no)

Anyway after deciding the subject I had a problem with the photo. As I take most of the photos in our family the only photos I have of me are jolly posed shots on holiday or with friends (and blurred if my husband has taken it). So not really a suitable photo for a 'Why do I worry?' layout. So asked hubby (after setting the camera up for him) to ask him to take some close up eye shots. Well lets just say I won't be using them! I ended up reverting to taking a self portrait out in a snowy field! Still wasn't 'The shot' that I wanted so went to Picnik http://www.picnik.com/app#/home/welcome (a photo editing programme that is really easy to use, and free) and cropped the photo. Then used an auto-fix that saturated the colours and gave my eyes a brighter green hue. Result!, the perfect photo.

And before you ask....no I did not air-brush the wrinkles out, If you look closely they are still there!

An Apple a day.....

Scrapped this photo recently which was taken at a lunch and play date with my friend and our children back in the October half term holidays. It was near Halloween and so I had brought along some toffee apples for the teens to enjoy. As you can see from my sons face, he didn't enjoy his much, it appears his taste is changing now he is older and no longer has a sweet tooth.

I used American Crafts (my favourite at the mo) Blue Skies papers, Ki memories apple lace, Button It wood apple buttons and Paperchase rainbow stickers for this layout. I chomped the corners with my Corner Chomper (so much satisfaction doing this) and coloured the buttons with Sakura pens. No stickles or bling for a change!

Stash and storage

Here it is........hmm, not good. Trying to find a solution to this bit behind the armchair. But I do like my shelves with all the glass jars.

So there you go, don't get jealous now.

Hopefully to all those crafters out there who don't have a lovely craft room, you won't feel so alone!

My Crafting Space!

Well here it is! Your impressed aren't you? This is why we no longer have our dinner on the dinning room table (which is in the living room if that makes sense). I took this today after a crafting session, note the absence of clearing the table before use...old Christmas cards, candles, hubby's book. Hmm I'm not a tidy crafter, my cutting mat space gets smaller and smaller as everything gets pulled out and discarded. But I do clear up when I have finished..sometimes it's the same week!

Now have a really good look. Notice the Inghams holiday leaflet, that was handy to put over the top of some glittery alphas when I had to lean on them to write the journalling on the Lo. Fluffy paintbrushes, one to paint gesso onto chipboard another to wipe off said glitter from photo. Back of the table my envelope for my receipts, bus tickets for Shimelles 2010 document challenge.

Now because you haven't fallen down in horror at the sight of my crafting area I am going to show you my storage area.....are you ready.....I would sit down if I was you.................

I will show you tomorrow, I don't want you to have too much excitement in one day!

New Year , New Challanges!

So this year I am going to be more pro-active in my scrapping. I joined UK Scrappers http://www.ukscrappers.co.uk/ about a month ago and found a whole new world of inspiration and like-minded crafters. I have been really daring and decided to go ahead with TWO new challenges this year. The first is the house challenge and also Shimelle's 2010 document challenge. As they are both monthly, one at the start , the other at the end, I think I will be able to keep up.

The house challenge is going to be all about YOU, so there's a hurdle straight away, I do find layouts about myself difficult to do, but it will be interesting.

Shimmelle's challenge is......well I don't know yet but it sounds all very exciting. All I know is that I have to collect each months ephemera, take some random photo's and then wait for instruction at the end of the month. But it certainly sounds like fun.

So If you want a scrapping challange and you are not already a member of UKS, check it out now, you won't regret it!

Time to remember

As the New year begins it's time to remember those that are special in your life. This layout shows myself and my two closest friends. The journalling explains that although we don't always get together too often, true friends are always nearby to help, say the right things or just listen when they are needed. Jackie, Alana and Kelie-Marie, BFF.

The Collage Press Sweet Shoppe patterned paper,Bazzil embossed dots and turquoise cardstock picked up the colours in the photo. I sprayed some Pink Bubblegum Glimmer Mist onto corrugated card to add some depth to the layout. Also sprayed a nude chipboard butterfly and then added Crackle Glaze, Cherry Stazon Ink and Papermania shimmer pearls. Finished with a K & Co tag for the journalling and a small BG oval with our initials on.

I really like this layout, love the colours and memories it provokes from my Birthday get together last November.