Ripples and ribbons

I am trying to find some time to finish some projects in time for Christmas. So I started some new ones.....I know, what am I thinking? But when I saw this ribbon yarn scarf I couldn't resist having a go. Now I am not a great knitter though I am determined to get better at it this year. This scarf is actually quite easy and grows very fast. It's a basic knit pattern but using the ribbon yarn gives a lovely ripple effect. You can get the yarn in Hobbycraft and is called Can-can. There is a glitzy version with sparkles and Ideal world are selling a yarn set called Flamenco which is a two tone version.
To the readers who were interested in my photo of the Bacardi......it was for my tropical rum Christmas cake. It just so happened that I found out I quite liked the taste of it and had to buy a bottle for over Christmas....hic! Well it was on offer in Sainsburys so it would of been rude not to:)

My week in pictures

Some Christmas preparations this week. Homemade whisky and walnut sweet mincemeat, tropical rum Christmas cake, ribbon yarn knitting, new floral dress, cosy socks, photo collage apps, antipasti help yourself lunch and the latest copy of Mollie Makes magazine.....quite a nice week really:)

How do you scrapook part 4

This is my final post about what we can use to motivate and inspire us to scrapbook.

We have talked about photos, stories, pretty paper, the everyday and sketches but what if we don't have a photo?  Every layout needs a photo right?

Ta-da!  News Flash!....no you don't.

This layout was inspired by my favourite words.  Yes, I have words that I just like the sound of.  For example...plod, splodge, sparkle, fab, fantastic, chevron, shabby....you get the picture?  The idea of making a layout about my favourite words has been in my head for some time so I decided to finally have a go.  Guess what?  It's the first photo less layout I have ever done....woo!...go me!



Sorry about the glare but I ran out of daylight hours as it was already getting dark at four today:(


Yes, I did struggle initially with not having a central point but knew I wanted to use some Kaisercraft labels for the words.  A few different layers of paper helped to give a focus and this is where I wrote my journalling.



My favourite technique recently is to rub distressing ink over embossed card stock.

 



Sepia glossy accents over sticker alphas....lush.

As I was typing this I realised that there are many more words that I like as well....lush, glimmering, squidge (did I make this one up as my spellchecker only recognises squidgy?), and don't even get me started on phrases I regularly say....what am I like (there's one of them). 



So there you go...it's official, you don't need photos to scrapbook...so now you have no excuses not to.....

Go on...you know you want to...

How do you scrapbook part 3

So far we have looked at sketches, stories and photos to kick start that scrapping mojo.  So what next?

Scrapping the everyday...

You know what it is like, you feel like getting crafty but you haven't been to any special events recently.  Or maybe you don't have children, or are single....what can you scrap about?

Well the answer is anything!!!

I regularly scrap the mundane or the random things in my life.  Such as:

• My little blue shed
• walking boots
• Little Ted
• Snow
• A shop window
• Colours

You can scrap about all sorts of things from your favourite sweets (liquorice allsorts, marshmallows, refresher drumsticks, milka chocolate, fruit pastels...) to your deepest thoughts.  If it's very personal to you, use hidden journalling or just don't share that layout with anyone.

Here's my take on the random...



My little craft room friends wanted to be in the photo...Kitty, Zombie and Christmas tophat pug.



Handmade buttons, splashes and polka dot ribbon...

 Yes, I am a tea addict and I admit it.  But it must be in the 'right' cup or mug.  I'm very fussy when it comes to my cup.  It must be pretty to look at but large enough for a good slurp. 

I have to admit the pretty 'the girls paperie' paper helped me to think of this topic as it almost matches my Cath Kidson mug.  A new acquisition to our mug shelf as the teen in his clumsy attempt to get his mammoth cereal bowl,knocked my other Cath Kidson mug flying resulting in a smashed mug.

So have a look around you, write down your thoughts and scrap the everyday.

How do you scrapbook part 2

Well, it seems from your comments that most of you start with a photo to give you inspiration to scrap.  I wonder what started first, the photography or the scrapbooking?

The 'Wacky Faces' layout started life as a sketch....this one in fact again came from the new Scrap365 magazine (boy, I should be getting commission from the amount of times I have raved about this mag....but it is good).



Sketch designed by Lisa Saunders

I have used the bare bones of the design such as the two small photos, bunting and journalling written on a tag and then added a small paper and heart detail to the top right hand corner and instead of flowers a more manly typewriter. 

A little hearty chevrons...chevrons, love that word.

A manly stamped typewriter highlighted with glossy accents.

So the sketch was the inspiration to kick start the mojo this week but I always need a story.  I immediately found these photos of the teen and my glamorous self (actually not looking half bad with a bit of slap on....makes a change from activity, muddy, school trip photos).  Taken on the same night as the 'Smile please' layout.  The journalling reads...


A 'nice' photo of us together is getting increasingly difficult, especially when you pull these sort of faces.  But I kinda like it.  As you grow older your personality is starting to shine through.


Have any of you ever used a sketch?  If not I challange you to try it next time you scrap.  Until next time, where I will continue our scrappy look at inspirations....happy scrapping.



How do you scrapbook?

How do you start a scrapbook page?  What inspires you?  Is it the photo?, a sketch?, a memory or some beautiful scrapbooking paper?

Most of us take inspiration from all of these at some time or another.  I know for me a sketch certainly helps when the old mojo is lacking.  For this layout I used a few ideas to kick start the page. 

I knew I wanted to scrap these photo's of Rob and his Gran as soon as I saw them.  There was a story behind the photos and I just loved the second shot of Rob caught mid laughter.  So I had the story and the photos, now to start the layout...

I am really liking the look of my i-touch hipstamatic photos at the moment.  It's not just the retro style they have but the different processes and the fact that they are small squares.

So I cropped the photos and printed them to the required size.

Another look that I like at the moment is the splashes and splodges of mists and inks.  It's something I have tried a few times and find after the initial interpretation of flicking the first splodge of ink on the page , is an enjoyable way of adding a distressed look to the page.  So when I saw this layout by Mahlin Wiggur in the new scrapbooking magazine Scrap 365, it helped inspire the placement of the photos, ink and colour scheme.

As you can see my layout looks nothing like Mahlin's which goes to show that when using a sketch or a technique you can make it  completely your own.

I will be back later in the week with another layout and what inspiration I used to make it.

I would love to hear what inspires you or how you start your layouts.  So it would be fab if you could leave a comment and share your thoughts with us all.

My week in pictures

What a special day I have had today:) a trip to Kew Gardens, special birthday wishes from friends and family, 50 kids singing a rendition of Happy Birthday (twice....one in Kew and one on the coach) and an evening with my two special men tonight when we will share an Indian meal and a beer....or two. Simple pleasures.....

Autumn Pretties

When I had my 'felt good' moment the other day I made this little autumnal prettiness.

I used a combination of pre-cut, die-cut and free hand cut felt.  Chain stitched the leaf, attached a button and some coloured pearl pins and voila....a pretty autumnal brooch for my coat.

I intend to make a Christmas brooch next but I have a very long list of Christmas present makes including all my cards to do first.  I have set myself a challenge of starting them tonight, multitasking in front of the telly instead of vegging out and eating chocolate.

Good intentions....



Great News.

Great news!!!

The new scrapbooking magazine, Scrap 365 is utterly fab.  I received mine today through the letterbox and wow!, so much inspiration and creativity in one place.  Whats more my scrapping cyber buddy Sian, from From High in the sky is on the design team and the first issue features a few of her wonderful projects. 

The magazine has come just in the nick of time to this household whose soul scrapper is hitting an all time creativity low.  After just returning from another residential trip I'm feeling pretty tired.  As much as I love my job sometimes (well pretty much all the time) it is exhausting and often frustrating.

Anyhow, a day of crafting is on the agenda but in the meanwhile here is my first Christmas card of the year....



Sissex Bambi folder embossed onto plain white cardstock, swiped with distress ink and Bambi glazed with sepia medium.



Not what I intended  but I like the finished result....quick and easy too.