Christmas Cards and Moving House and a Birthday Cake!

Sunday's Weekly RoundUp- 3rd January 2010

Hi there, Happy New Year to You! I haven't posted for a couple of weeks because of the house move! I am now moved and back "online" but we still have the builders in and carpets to be laid so we are still "camping" a little bit.

Heaven knows where we are going to put everything!

So I won't bore you with it all now - I'm just going to give you a bunch of links to the articles/pictures I did post over the last couple of weeks... and there is a freebie for you all too...

I hope you enjoy!




A Quote from Bob Marley? Valentines Scrapbook Maybe?

Vintage Style Christmas Card 1

Vintage Style Christmas Card 2

Vintage Style Christmas Card 3

Card Making Freebie - December 09

Simple Card - make full use of patterned paper

Close up pictures of the Fairy Birthday Cake

I know it's June but here's a Christmas Album!

Yes Yes, I know... the sun is shining, the sky is blue...well it is somewhere, right! LOL

Anyway, despite all that lovely summery stuff, I have just finished (yesterday) a Christmas 6x6" album which I started last year! It then went on the back burner as the mojo for it left me.

The mojo hasn't really returned, but I'm on a bit of a...

"Clear up the unfinished stuff first" quest, so I 'made' myself finish this!

So I kept it simple, which is actually hard for me! I find myself often falling into the time consuming trap of "over doing" stuff.

I think the main problem I had with this album was my choice of papers, etc (which was actually a summery kit) wasn't the best choice as the colours were odd for Christmas. However, it's done now and I can move onto the next scrapbooking page idea that has been hanging in it's "LAYOUT TO DO" folder on my wall!

A Maze Book from my Teammie!

In December my fellow UKS team members and I decided to make something for each other for Christmas.

So we decided to make one item each and send it to the next person on the list we made of those joining in.

I sent an altered book (as I have posted previously) and I received this lovely maze book from my teammate Sally.

As I said to her... being someone who crafts and teaches crafts, I think everyone around me thinks they're not good enough or something... the "coals to Newcastle" syndrome!

So it was particularly nice for me to receive something that someone had really made FOR me.

It seems a shame to put photos in it, but I will do so soon, as that's what it's for!

So thanks Sally, it's a lovely little mazebook!

I will be demonstrating how to make a maze book at my next crop on Saturday 19th January.

Christmas "Thank You" Cards

I have just finished my daughter's thank you cards!

Although I have yet to write in them and she has yet to sign them!!

Hopefully doing that tomorrow, but it appears we are off to see another panto tomorrow lunchtime in Norwich, same price tickets as the last one (see previous post) but I am hoping that the production is going to be a LOT better! Unfortunately we are upstairs in the gallery, so no chance of a stage visit again! Will let you know how it was!

Anyway, list of items used on this digi card...

Frame and bow by Cinzia Loosemore
Swirl overlays by Lauren Bavin.

I printed this in the corner of an A4 sheet with the "Dear" and "from" on the opposite corner (and upside down) and folded it in half twice - does that make sense? LOL

Christmas Panto - Good Grief!

Ok... my first "controversial" blog post...

We took our daughter to a local pantomime last Friday and I have to say that I was disappointed.

It had a local "celeb" who looked most uncomfortable - an older woman in a fairy dress! The "professional" cast were very amateur and the baddie looked like he should have been on the Shakespearean stage (he was the only one with natural presence as opposed to the garish costumes of the Dame).

The Dame him/herself was the only redeeming feature of this fairly expensive outing in a VERY small local theatre! The costumes (even the dame's could have been a bit more lavish) were appalling, the 3 bears' costumes looked like they had been retrieved from a basement somewhere and Daddy Bear was down right scary I thought!

The accompaniment was mostly recorded, and I'm sorry but "Flashdance" is not a suitable song for a Panto and neither is "If they could see me now" from Sweet Charity. The words of both were not changed to fit the occasion. And these and other songs went on far too long. You could see the kids getting bored and fidgeting!

I do have to thank Goldilocks for my sides hurting with laughter, although she would probably be dismayed to know that I was in hysterics during her rendition of Flashdance, mostly because her "dancing" (and I use that term very loosely) was embarrassingly bad. It only dawned on me towards the end of it that her abilities (or should I say lack of them) were for real!

But at one point I was laughing so much I could hardly breathe!!!!

Now I do have to confess that I was an amateur dramatic and operatic participant many years ago... but I was shocked and, sadly, appalled at what I saw and my society would have been ashamed of itself if it had produced such a performance.

All that said... once Honey had got into the swing of things she enjoyed it. And, as you can see, she finally rushed up on stage (which I will admit would not have happened in a bigger theatre) to participate (which is all she thinks a stage is for..... HER!)

And I managed to (a) remember the camera and (b) take some good photos without using the flash! Good old Fuji 602Zoom - excellent camera!

Scrapbooking to clear the post-Christmas and New Year blues

Welcome to 2008!

This is a photo of myself with my daughter opening her presents on Christmas Day afternoon. She opens whilst I write down from whom all the presents came... as long as I can keep up!
The other photograph is obviously of our Christmas Pudding, made by my sister (especially without orange peel or cherries - cos I don't like them - bless her - thanks Troy!!).
I particularly like the photo for it's serene properties. The quiet blue flame lapping around the base of the pudding. Almost looking as cool as dry ice and belying the heat of the flame.

Well basically, we are now into the "after or post-Christmas" marathon of winter wet, cold and dark! Dreary times... however, Since I have found scrapbooking (and I used to do this with other crafts too) the long nights inside mean that I have a darn good excuse for scrapbooking all those photos I have just taken, OR I can scrap some more summery, warm photos if feeling a little bored of the winter blues.

If you are digi scrapping, now is the time to get hold of your templates and "quickpages" or go buy a couple and really churn out those layouts... do a couple in the next week or so and get them off to the family either electronically or by "snail mail" to the technophobic members! LOL!

Have you been collecting your bits from Christmas?

Well Christmas day has been and gone... how was yours? Mine was good and I have collected a few bits and pieces from wrapping and the like, mostly ribbons I have to say and not the wrapping paper itself as most of it is usually too acid to use for scrapbooking.

Worth keeping if you have plans to make some Christmas cards for next year mind!

However, don't forget the labels on any new clothes you or your children may have received... some clothes labels nowadays are quite "arty".

Then there is the little irritating loops of ribbon in new clothes that have to be cut off anyway, because they keep sticking out of your clothes at the shoulders... they are quite useful for layouts and all for free!

Cords from gift bags... I keep any halfway decent gift boxes for placing things like brag books inside... which reminds me that I must make up a brag book for my hubby. I ran out of time before Christmas.

Anyway... here is the altered notebook I made as a gift for a team mate in my team on UK Scrappers. It was actually inspired by a digital instant page, and when I have the time to remind myself who the designer was I will let you know! Papers from the Scarlet's letter series from Basic Grey.

Christmas Photos and Scrapbooking

Well I'm back after the festivities of the season!!

Here is a layout-in-progress - it is basically finished, and actually I created it whilst showing my family (sister and mum) what digital scrapbooking was all about!

Most of the page apart from the two flowers and the ribbon, is actually a "Beauty Quickpage" by Cinzia Loosemore. I just placed the photograph behind and the flowers and ribbon on top and voila!

I should really put on some information about who it is and when it was... and may be I will shortly... now then... where did I put those chocolates!!!

And a Merry Christmas to you ALL

I have to say that I am not a religious person... however, I am a "live and let live" person (as long as others are not harming anyone.

But I celebrate Christmas as I was brought up with it all, but that was mainly the Father Christmas stuff, etc. Something which I now do with my daughter (hubby not too sure about the whole thing as he didn't have it all as a child, so I take control... no change there then!!!)

But one day I do like to pay special attention to is 21st December - the Winter Solstice... the shortest day. Means we are now on the upturn and the days are getting longer again! Woo hoo. Of course there is no immediate change but it does have a psychological effect on me anyway.

However, this year I am trying to appreciate everything that I already have around me, even down to the smallest little thing, like having hot and cold running water on demand for instance. Stuff we take for granted. Believe me, when you have lived on a motorhome for a year (as I did) you really appreciate a normal flushing toilet and having an unending supply of water at the flick of a wrist! I think everyone should have to do the same, cos it makes you appreciate all that we have... even those on the bread line.

When we appreciate things, especially those around us, we attract more things to appreciate, in other words, more things that we want.

And this time of year is a great time to highlight such things. So take a moment, in between breaths (whilst arguing with the family again! LOL) to appreciate that you HAVE a family... and if you don't... maybe appreciate that!!!

I think my favourite thing about the festive season... is that I love to give presents. I wish I could buy lots more for everyone, and one day I will be able to. But I love to give.

Now then... the picture above is the 12x12 page layout I am giving to my mum as a Christmas gift... I think I am fairly safe in that I don't think she will have time to check out my blog before the big day, so I thought I would share it with you.

And the little picture... well that's little ole me and my homage to tinsel time!!!

So Merry Christmas or just Happy Solstice or May you Live long and Prosper !!! whatever your persuasion I wish you ALL health and happiness.

Christmas Circle Journal

You can tell it's Christmas time... normal things get shoved aside in the necessity to write cards, wrap presents, put up decorations... all stuff you wouldn't do every day because... you just don't have the time!! But do these things we must!

I have a chocolaty sort of theme going on... gold and brown with bronze on some of the wrapping paper and the tree, don't think my 4 year old daughter is that keen!! Kids always like lots of colours.

Anyway, I thought I would post a couple of pages of a circle journal I did with my Scrapbuddies group back in January. The whole book is posted on the Scrapbuddies website.

The idea for showing you this now..? Prepare for the Christmas layouts... think a little bit in advance (when standing in that looooong checkout queue at the supermarket with a trolley stuffed with food - LOL) about the pictures you could take that are a little bit different from the norm... like different angles, looking down on people, or sitting on the floor looking up at them for instance.

Then there are all the "bits" you can collect, such as little pieces (!) of wrapping paper and cracker bits, wrapping ribbons, product labels (Christmas pud labels/cooking instructions) to use on your backgrounds. Or even make up a background paper by colour photocopying a collage of all these things.

The theme for the Circle Journal was "Likes and Dislikes about Christmas". Quite interesting what people come up with!

Christmas Scrapbooking Pages

Ok, it's traditional versus contemporary... most people like one or the other - you know... a bit like marmite... love it of hate it!

Well, a couple of years ago I was making 8x8 albums for the female members of the family and for my mum and sister I decided to make an 8x8 layout about Christmas. So the traditional one was for my mum (as she likes grean!) and the more contemporary (alternative) layout of blues was for my sister.

Both Layouts use the same pictures, but it is surprising how different they can look isn't it!?

So which do you prefer, traditional greens, reds and golds or something different?

The year I made these layouts (Christmas 2005) I made the albums too, and the idea was that the one for my mum... well she scraps (a little bit) so she could fill it with her own pages, but the one for my sister -who isn't "arty" as she puts it - would be filled with page from me occasionally. Not done too well on that score.

However, the album I made for my mother-in-law, I have actually made a number of pages for that album. I made a small one for her... 6x8. That size works rather well, and I give her the odd layout of her granddaughter (mostly) periodically throughout the year.

So buy (or make) an empty album for someone and then Christmas and birthdays... presents are sorted! LOL Well you could try?!