Time for the sewing machine!

I bought some material today for the purposes of a background for some photography. Whilst I was at the material shop I noticed some small packs of meterial collections.

They were colour co-ordinated into blues or pinks or reds, etc and the pieces were about 12" square.

They reminded me of complimentery patterned scrapbooking paper! I asked what people usually buy the packs for and the answer was that a lot of children buy the packs! Some make dolls clothes and some people start patchwork in a small way by making say, a cushion cover! I think it was news to the shopkeeper that I was planning to use the material for scrapbooking!

Anyway, I bought two packs! So I will now have to get out the sewing machine to make some scrapbooking layouts!

A Garden of Quotes

Now we all need to use quotes every so often on our layouts. Most of us just use the ones we have stickers already for.

But of course the collections of quotes you have bought from shops limits you somewhat. And who is to say that you have to use pre-printed quotes... you can even hand write quotes onto your layouts.

So... there are websites out there that cater for your every need! And best of all they are often free resources.

The Quote Garden for instance has all it's collection of quotes in a nice neat order under subject headings, just click on a heading and choose away!

The following quote I have copied and pasted from the site under the section entitled "Art"...

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

~Scott Adams

So if you have a computer and printer you can copy and paste and print out your quote onto paper or maybe acetate... the world is your oyster!

A Scraplift Challenge

Here is the scrapbooking layout I was talking about yesterday.

It is a Scraplift from a one of my team member's (Siobhan's) layouts (pictured underneath).

The papers are from Daisy Bucket Designs and were part of the stash swap from another teammate Katy - here is a link to her blog.

So thanks Katy for the stash! And Thanks Siobhan for the Layout to lift!

I thought I would lift this one now because I my next demo at ScrapBuddies is about using paint on layouts, so I killed two birds with one stone there, with that and completing a challenge!

There are 9 other people in my team... I thought actually that I might lift a layout from each of them!

But then I am supposed to be organising a CJ... (circle journal) for the team too!

My theme is "Touch". I'll leave the possibilities to your imagination!

Scribble Pattern Card

It seems to be cards, cards, cards this week!
I have just completed a Speed Scrap - Scraplift Challenge (that was a mouth full!), but can't post it here till I know whether I can post it in my gallery at UKScrappers.

So in the meantime, I have made another card, the recipient hasn't seen it yet, but if she does come on here in the meantime, she won't know it's for her till she recieves it in the post... right!

Anyway, it's made from the Scribble colouring I created when doing some colouring with my daughter last Sunday... I wrote about it here.

I managed to make 2 A6 size cards from that one drawing! good eh?! So just added a few bits of ribbon and some buttons.

Colour Blocking Greetings Card

Here is a card I made during the demonstration I gave at ScrapBuddies regarding Colour Blocking.

Colour Blocking is merely the use of blocks, of coloured paper, photos, journaling, etc. You can purchase templates for this technique and it's a quick way to make pages. But also for cards. This is a very simple card with 6 blocks of patterned paper in a grid design with a larger centrepice carrying a peel off and some embellishments. Simple but effective.

Here is an article about Colour Blocking at Scrapbooking.com magazine.

Here is a link to Papermaze - it shows you some of the templates you can buy to help you create pages usin this technique. And... you can turn each template through 90 degrees to make 4 different layouts, and then of course you can flip the whole thing over and have another 4!

If you want more information on this technique, search under "colour blocking templates scrapbooking".

Personalising Cards

I spoke recently of using photographs on cards. This personalises the card specific to the person receiving it and can be nicer than just patterned paper and embellishments alone.

Well here is my 2008 Mother's Day card.

It's ok, I rang my mum today to make sure she had received it by now, to which she said she had and thank you!

I said that the reason I was asking was because I wanted to post a picture of it on my blog.

She gasped and said, "oh not you're not going to put in on there!"

For a moment I thought she meant that it wasn't good enough to be published, but then I realised that it wasn't about that at all, but was in fact about the fact that her photograph is on it!

She reckoned that my picture should have been the big one and her's smaller, but I explained that the card was about her... as my mum... so her picture was supposed to be biggest!

The didn't think it was a nice picture of herself. I disagree! I have fiddled with it in Photoshop Elements, as I did mine mostly to the drain the colour from mine.

The background paper by the way, is from Basic Grey, and so is the tag. And I did actually have to hand stitch all those buttons! But I did all that onto the background paper and when it was all done, I then adhered it to my card base.

My mum has always been an attractive lady and I believe remains so, if only she thought that too!

Second part of Valentine mini album

As promised here are pictures of the rest of the Valentine's album following on from yesterday's post.

As you can see there are separate photographs of myself and my husband but placing them in close proximity has the same effect as the pictures where we are actually photographed together.

I like mini albums because they have limited space and a "page" can be made so quickly, precisely because you can't put too much on them!

I have let the background papers do a lot of the talking in this album. The third photo here shows the insert tags found in the pockets. One is of journaling (a letter) - a private momento and therefore "tied up". It also means that within reason, you have a vast area to write as much as you want. The journaling on the tag is written on a piece of paper which has been folded. In other words you don't have to be restricted to the size of your album.

Why we should scrapbook ourselves part 5 - "From Me to You"

This is the next instalment of the "why we should scrapbook ourselves"(WWSSO) series of posts. Part 4 was about "Scrapbooking our Love". Creating layouts showing who, what or where we love most.

So this is about the Valentines mini album (as promised). I know I have recently posted my 2008 Valentine mini album, but this one is actually from last year.

I have included it in the WWSSO series because in these books I have also scrapbooked myself!

You see your husband/boyfriend/(girlfriend/wife for the men scrapbookers out there) want to "see you". Think about it... Isn't nice to have a good photograph of them? Don't you feel proud? Well it is the same for them?

We all have to "get over" this label - accusation if you will - of vanity. If you're caught looking in a mirror (other than when getting ready to go out, or similar situation) a flippant comment can be that you're vain? Quite often meant in jest, and often it starts from childhood. My daughter likes to look at herself in the mirror... family make little comments about it. All harmlessly meant, but it has an effect I think.

Society has made us feel self-conscious of our own bodies and faces and that it is bad to "look" at ourselves unless it's to get something out of our eye! LOL

So... if you want to give your other half something nice for valentines, or anniversary, or maybe just to say Thank you, make a little album with YOU in it for them, Put in some of you and them together, even if you have to use two smaller cut outs from different photos, it's still inferring togetherness if you place them on a page together, right?!

I think you'll find the recipient will be pleased, even if he/she pretends that they dislike all your "arty-farty paper stuff"! And even if you don't do a whole album, just a nice photo on a card says so much more than just pretty colours and patterns and embellishments.

And it doesn't have to be for spouses, my mum likes to get pictures of her daughters and granddaughters, so I include up-to-date ones on her cards.

Come on everyone... Stop hiding and start showing!

I'll post the rest of the album tomorrow.

Have I gone "International"?

This is a set of unmounted stamps available from Sunday International !!!

Have you gone global? .. you ask me. (For those new to this blog, my name is Sunday!) Well no, just stumbled across the site from another and another one before that... you know how it goes, right?

Anyway, it amazes me how photographic some stamps are nowadays. The production technology is so advanced now that there are just some simply stunning stamps out there.

I particularly like unmounted stamps, which these are, but I do actually prefer the clear acrylic ones because you can see through them for easy placement. And of course the unmounted ones are a lot cheaper than the mounted ones, and I think the ready mounted on maple wood-type stamps will be a thing of the past soon.

Anyway the reason for showing you this set particularly is that it is a collection of nudes! Naked women.

I have always said that I would much rather look at a woman's naked body than a man's, and the history of Art all over the world proves my point. We women (sorry any male readers!) are a pleasing form (there are some exceptions of course and in both directions if you get my meaning!).

But... where are the beautiful male nudes, eh? When will someone be brave enough to bring out a collection of stamps depicting tasteful male nudes, that's what I want to know?

Mother's Day Things

Well I had a fairly nice day... only fairly because I still had to sort the lunch and dinner, but it was good! My husband took my daughter to a play place for a few hours so that I could have some peace and quiet, which was nice of him.

I took the opportunity to make my own mother's card! I have taken a photograph, but I won't post it till she has received it. It would not be right for the whole of the world to have seen it before her! LOL Besides there is the remote chance she might pop on here!

So the picture is of something myself and my daughter did together this afternoon... painting and colouring. The painting was with ready filled brushes, kind of like a pigment filled water brush. You just give them a squeeze and the paint runs down the hairs!

I don't know what these drawings are called, but I call them Scribble Colourings! As you can see Honey went for the Gothic look! She took a shine to a "permanent" marker I was using, so of course I was sitting there worrying that she was going to get it all over her clothes, and when it says permenant, it means it! Phew no marks thankfully. Anyway her's started as a scribble similar to mine and then she decided to colour every area in black. Not quite got the idea... bless her! Of course all her masterpieces are signed, although usually much more neatly and legibly than that frankly!

Racing to finish a Card... Part 2

Well here it is then... Was it worth the wait?

I am definitely into "twisted ribbon" at the moment, I find myself putting it on everything!

But I think it works very well to bring "touchy feely" interest to scrapbooking layouts and cards. I attached the ribbon to the background paper before sticking that to the card base, so as to hide the backs of the staples.

Racing to finish a Card

No, I still haven't made my Mother's Day Card yet! I'm making a birthday card for someone!

I will finish this... just waiting for the glue to dry!

Speed Scrapping! Again

Right it's 11 in the evening and I have just picked up a photograph and have decided to Scrap it onto an 8x8 layout! When I have finished I will post it here! Who reckons I can do it before midnight. Not sure I'll actually get the photo uploaded by then, but to make the page... that's my goal!

Speed scrapping - I'm just grabbing anything and sticking it on!

UPDATE - Well I didn't quite finish it before midnight, but about quarter past so not too bad!

So pictured is the result! (and it's now 12.30am)

Mother's Day Cards

Well the time is nigh in the UK for Mother's day... yes it's on 2nd March this year (this Sunday) which is a good 3 weeks earlier than normal!

Well I'm not ready am I! tut!

Mum will be so disappointed if she didn't get one this year, so I hurridly put a "normal" but very humorous card in the post this evening, just in case I don't manage to make one in time for the post to get it to her before the day!

And I don't want to rush it do I?!

This photo is of the Mother's Day card I made for Mum last year. She is really into green and very much soft greens and pinks. I always like to put a photograph on this card, it makes it so much more personal!

I hope you are a little better organised than I and have already made your card!

Stamping for Scrapbookers

Here is a nice little article about using stamps as backgrounds, from the scrapbooking families.com site.

I think I will be doing a demo on stamping for beginners at my April Crop at ScrapBuddies. It is a very versatile medium and a part of stash that is very econimical, especially with the advent of acrylic stamps.

The word "pink" was stamped on this layout. It pays to deliberately jiggle the letters so that they look like that are supposed to not line up!!

And in case you are wondering... the word "Boots" was printed onto that piece of paper and then cut into a tag shape, and I have added clear gloss to the letters for a bit of depth.



By the way, Anyone interested in an ebook about how to photograph yourself well? let me know!

Make a montage - use up your photo frames

I was doing a bit of tidying up (rare thing I know but has been known to happen LOL!) and I came across a couple of photo frames that I have been given - some of them my hubby had rescued from someone throwing them out which have naff prints in them. (Only the best for me! LOL)

I was keeping them for a nice photograph, 5x7 or 8x10" size, you know the sort of thing.

Well I thought "why don't I just make up a montage of a few photos to place in these frames!"

So, that is what I shall be doing! I will probably use a digital layout format, although as long as no raised embellishments are used, I could make up a montage using traditional scrapbooking techniques.

The difference between what I am suggestion here and a scrapbook page...?

Well a straight montage is just a collection of photos placed together really, as opposed to a scrapbook layout which includes other things, but I will probably do a bit of both.

So if you have some unused frames that you would like to have displaying something rather than stuck in a drawer waiting... why not arrange a 2 or 3 photos on a piece of background paper instead of waiting for one big photo. You can always replace the montage when you find that photo that's just right... but I bet you won't want to!

The photos here are just a couple more of my Inde. The one below where he's jumping all over me trying to lick my face, hence the expression, was taken by my daughter! (with my Digital SLR! - and yes I always make her put the strap around her neck, because it's heavy and prone to being dropped by little hands!!)

My Team Scrapbooking Challenge on UKScrappers

Here is my entry/example for this weeks challenge on UK Scrappers!

This is the challenge...

Our team name is done in purple and ribbon is in our name so if you use purple and ribbon 10 points (5 points for only using 1)
February is pisces which is water so the theme has to be water 5 pointsthere are 29 days this feb so you have to use 29 of something OR 2 & 9 of something 10 points
and finally something metal or sparkly 5 points

And this is my entry editorial:

This is my entry for the Rockin Ribbon Raiders Team Challenge.

Water ThemeUse Ribbon - loads (I lurve ribbon)

Use 29 of something... buttons

Something sparkly... Sparkly brad bottom right of main photo (see closeups!)

Something purple... 29th Button is purple - can you spot it? (answers on a postcard please to... only joking) You'll have to check out the close ups!

Papers - Basic Grey from the Two Scoops, Blush and Urban Couture collections

Bazzill Green cardstock background and white title

Ribbons and buttons from various (non-scrapbooking) sources.

Sparkly brad from Team member 'Pink Lady'.

The title was cut using Craft Robo - Font: Script MT Bold.

As the white card of the title stand out as much as I had hoped it would I "added" a shadow to one side of each letter using a green/blue pencil. This help define the edges. (see last picture)

So far the ladies are working like demons sins it went live this morning and some ladies have posted their completed layouts already... how quick is that!

A Beaming Smile!

I couldn't resist putting these pictures up here tonight! Self indulgence maybe, but as much as a laugh can be infectious, I believe a genuine smile can be too!

This is my daughter having real fun trying to master the art of "rising trot", during a private riding lesson this morning! She was failing miserably, although she was trying to get the hang of it!

I realise that I am her mummy, so may well be biased, but I know a true smile of joy when I see one!

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR MY CAMERA!!

What would we be without our photographs... eh...? Well we certainly would find scrapbooking difficult now wouldn't we! LOL!

But there are some photos that just say it all! And these are amongst them!

By the way - I shall be making an announcement soon about some freebies that will be available when you sign up for interest in my new Scrapbooking ebook, more details soon!

Keep a Notebook for your Scrapbook

By notebook, I do actually mean the old fashioned little notebook made of paper and not the fancy pants laptop technology that is available today! LOL

I have mentioned this TIP before, but some things are worth reiterating - it is a really useful habit to keep a notebook handy at all times to scribble down those little conversations one has some days (usually noteworthy ones with children) which you can scrap at a later date.

These are great for those pages with either no photo, or a photo you really want to use (of the person(s) in the conversation) but have nothing specific to use it for.

Your notebook need be nothing more than a "value" notebook bought in packs of 5 at your local supermarket, it's just a piece of paper when you need one (and of course carry some sort of pen). Both of these I carry in my handbag at all times, along with various other things like a veritable pharmacy and a nappy bag and a spare pair of my daughter's knickers! The things we keep in our handbags, eh!!!

Something my daughter said recently I wrote down...

I asked her what she was doing and she said..."I brushing Harley, because he's melting"!

Anyway, the pic here is just an up to date picture of Inde, who is now just over 6 months old and training up well!

Chivalry is not Dead!

Well I had another flat tyre on my car this morning, on the way to taking Honey to nursery!

Same tyre as before (front near side(left!)), went down last December. It was repaired as apparently there was nothing wrong with it and it had "most probably come off the rim" so the garage reset the tyre onto the rim then and I have been driving on it ever since!

Ironically it was the wheel on the other side (front off side) that I was keeping an eye on over the last couple of days as I suspected that one of deflating slowing!! The trouble is, as you can see from the photo, my tyres are soooo low-profile it is actually difficult to judge whether they are slightly flat or not!!!!

"Does that tyre look low to you?" I ask my hubby,
"I don't know, they all look low to me!" he retorts! LOL

Anyway, the reason for this post is not to explain about my tyres, but to tell you of the chivalrous behaviour of two men who came to my aid!

I pulled the car over into a slip road-type layby, because I just knew what had happened and wanted a flat area away from the busy road to jack the car up, especially with a 4 year old hanging around the car (who of course can't be in it whilst it's on a jack!)
Thankfully it was only a about a hundred yards or so till I stopped (still managed to ruin the tyre though!).

I got the bits out and started to attempt to undo the wheel nuts! Joke! They were on too tight!
"Hey ho" I thought "I need to ring my hubby to see if he can pop out to help, failing that it's a call to the AA!"
Well my hubby said he was just waiting for his staff to arrive in the office and he would be along as soon as he could (only about 5 miles away).

In the meantime I found another (Longer) spanner for my wheel nuts and so, standing with all my weight (and I'm no cream puff I can tell you! LOL!) the nuts eventually started to give way!
I was just undoing the first when a van pulled up and two chaps got out and asked if they could be of assistance!!!

"Wow" I thought, "how nice of them!" They were travelling to a property only a few hundred yards away (from where I had pulled over) to put up some fencing and had seen that I was trying to change a wheel, so they stopped!

They changed the wheel over very quickly and were just tightening the last nut when my hubby arrived!!! (I had telephoned, but he had already left the office).

So as the title says... chivalry is not dead... someone came to my aid and I was, and am very thankful, and so was my hubby.

And as they gave us a business card I will say a BIG THANK YOU again to Rory Clifford of Down To Earth Landscaping based in Bungay, Suffolk Tel: 01986 896623 and his co-worker (sorry don't know his name!) who came to mine and my daughter's aid this morning!