Revamp

So that appears that it is not only Ella that is on half term, my scrapping mojo is too. I was beginning to think that I might not find a new crafty project either, but I needn't have worried. I have turned my attentions to my craft room, where better to add some craftiness. My craft room is basically a storage room for my stash, yes I do layouts in there but I have never really paid attention to the walls. I have a large noticeboard that was a castoff from my DH's office and that has warped so badly that things do not actually stay on there.

So with the words shabby chic ringing in my ears I am going to add some ME to the walls. Last week at the craft show I came across a stall called Decopatch this is such a great idea that is so simple. So I bought a kit for Ella to do and a kit for me to do. Half term was the perfect opportunity to get stuck in.

I bought the letters for Ella to do her name and chose papers that will go well in her bedroom. I bought the word love and chose my favourite colour red.

We spent a good half an hour cutting up the papers into postage stamp sized pieces, Ella joined in with this, but did get a little bored half way through.

Next was the fun part, you add the glue to your letter, then put on your small piece of paper and then put more glue over the top.

Ella's will take a little longer, but she has made a great start, it is great as it does not matter where you stick the paper just as long as there is glue underneath and over the top. I love my finished piece.

It is already hanging in my room and I have already been back on the website, to see what I can do next.

I have my next project lined up, it is to make a noticeboard for my room. I have bought a mirror, with a frame that I like.

I have some magnetic paint that I am going to cover the mirror part with, I also plan to sand the frame a bit. So I will let you know how it goes x

New Additions :D

I went to the stitch and craft show in Braintree with my Mum today. While I didn't manage to do any research on my electronic cutter, I still managed to spend some of my pennies. As I have mentioned before I love Martha Stewart punches and there were loads of them there today, so I have added to my growing collection. I also managed to get some double sided tape, which after the blog hop I was in desperate need.

So with my new additions, my next job is to have a tidy up and reorganise in my craft room. Then I might get my scrapping mojo back.

I did it!!!

Woo hoo! I managed to finish all fifteen challenges for the Let's Scrap Blog Hop. I have never done a blog hop before and I really enjoyed myself. It was a lot of work and there were times when I didn't think that I would finish, but I did and I feel like I have really accomplished something. So here are the final four pages, which also means four more pages towards my 100 page goal.

This page was for Resolution Two, Kristen came up with a colour challenge, she provided five colours and we had to use at least three of them on our page. I found this challenge really hard, the colours were lovely, but I was trying to use stash rather than buy anything new. I think I have just about managed it. This is another wedding photo, so I am gradually getting a wedding album done now. I really like how this layout frames the photo and I am starting to get braver by using more embellishments on my pages.

This layout is for Bev's challenge which was number eight. The resolution was to use a black and white photo, with blue and yellow embellishments. My new nephew was perfect for this challenge and the K & Co boy papers finally got used. Again I have used stitching on my layout, I have done a few now that I have stitched on. Since my Mum got me this fab little gadget, stitching is so easy. Also it helps me use all the cross stitch threads that I still have from the days when I used to cross stitch.

Resolution six was from Roulien and it was to do a valentines themed layout. I thought this photo from my Sister's wedding would be perfect. The papers are from an kit that I got from TK Maxx, I think that they really work, it makes the layout have a warm feel to it. Maybe I could have added some more bling??

                              

My final completed resolution was number ten, Megan wanted us "to use a leftover item from everyday life (non scrapbooking supply) and a Let's Scrap sketch to make a one or two page layout." I left this page till last because I found this the hardest. 

I eventually found an old dress of my daughter's which I then cut up. I used the zip from the back of the dress and a flower from the front of the dress. The colour was perfect for the papers that I had chosen and I will be able to use the rest of the dress for another project at some point.








Here is a closeup of the zip, I sewed it to the papers. Behind the zip is my journaling for the page, I folded the papers into a concertina so that you are able to read the journaling. I was so chuffed with myself until I realised that the zip does not open all the way to the bottom, which would be much better for this idea. I still really like the idea though.

I made these flowers, following a design sheet from Eclectic Keepsakes. So there we have it, all fifteen challenges completed. 




So what do I do now? Well I have a sketch from Eclectic Keepsakes to do for next months crop. I have also been introduced to a great blog Chicken Soup which provides "visual therapy for poorly mojos", which will come in very handy. I am still keeping up with my New Year's resolution of cooking a new recipe once a week. So I just need to find a new crafty project. Looking at this blog in preview is making me think that I need to work on my blog skills, I have no idea how I have managed to have black and white writing, but I don't seem to be able to fix it, also the gaps between each photo is large, again each time I try to change it, it seems to make it worse. That's all a job for this afternoon maybe.

Nearly there

I have until Monday to finish the Let's Scrap Blog Hop and I am nearly there. I have two layouts to complete then I will have completed all fifteen challenges. Only one slight hitch and that is my printer has decided that it only likes to print in blue ink, so I am off into town tomorrow to get my final photos printed and then I can finish my layouts. While I am in town I will be going to the library, as the books that I have requested about blogging are in. So who knows next time I blog, fingers crossed I might be able to add something funky.

The layout entitled "Simply Happy" is for Resolution 15, I found this one hard as it was to use the colours, teal, yellow and silver/grey and also the word happy. Teal is such a hard colour to find, the photo doesn't really show teal, it just looks blue. Other than not being happy with the colour I am pleased with how the page came out. 

"Together for Summer Fun" is for resolution 9, it was to put together a layout of something that makes you smile or laugh. I chose these photos that were taken last summer of my family. It is so nice for us all to be together and it was a glorious day. Family and sunshine what a great combination. What is also great about this layout is that it is a two pager, which means two more towards my 100 goal!!

It's spreading!

This is a photo of my living room floor, messy isn't it. I am lucky enough to have my own crafty room, which tends to contain most of my craftiness, but this weekend I spread to the living room as well. I was so buzzing with ideas from Saturday's crop and I only have a week left until the blog hop finishes, but at the same time need to spend some time with my lovely husband. Hence the move to the living room, at least we are in the same room together :)

Four pages done this month, so I have just updated my ticker. Off to see if I can finish some more.

A Great Weekend.

I had such a great time this weekend, Saturday was crop day at Eclectic Keepsakes. The two Karen's had organised another great day. As usual we had the morning to work on our own stuff, I had planned to complete some pages for the Blog Hop, but I didn't, because I was chatting! This is not a bad thing, it is nice to be with other people who get the crafty thing. My lovely Hubby tries, but it is not quite the same. I learn so much from the other ladies, new techniques, where to buy stash, but not only scrapping tips, I get parenting tips. These lovely ladies give me some of their wisdom, which is amazing & gratefully received.

After a cake stop (daisy topped cakes made by Karen), which were so pretty & ever so yummy, we had a class designed by Ann Freeman. Ann had done the most stunning two page layout, using Echo Park papers. I have only just discovered Echo Park & let's just say I LOVE THEIR STUFF. We had been told in advance what size photos we would need and we were given a sneaky peek of the papers, so I decided to use some of my Sister's wedding photos.

This is the almost finished LO (a double pager, woo hoo!), I just need to do some more journaling on the left page. I want to add the names of the bestman, and bridesmaids, but my Sister is currently away, so it will have to wait unitl she gets back. I love the finished layout, Ann is such a talented lady.

 This is a closeup of the stamping and the gorgeous papers. My title didn't quite fit, hence Forever is split in half. I added some extra bling in the middle of the white flowers. Also I learnt a new technique, distressing, you can use some scissors or some of the ladies had a nifty little gadget. It is different to using sandpaper, as it raises the paper, whereas sandpaper wears it down.

Another closeup of the papers and also my poor cutting. We had to cut out the frames inside and out!! Again it was another Eclectic Keepsakes lesson in how not to be afraid to cut up gorgeous papers. In the past I would never of dreamt of cutting up such pretty papers, but then again that means that they would just sit in their box and never get used.

Crop Day Tomorrow

Hooray! It's that time of the month again, crop day tomorrow. If I am totally honest it feels like it has come round really quickly. Need to get my act together and print off my photos tonight. We have been given a sneak peek and the papers look gorgeous, it is going to be a double page layout, which will help towards my 100 page goal.

Other than than not printing off my photos I am organised, I have roughly put some kits together, so hopefully I will get another page done for the Blog Hop. Spoke to soon, just realised I have bought myself any lunch for tomorrow. Oh well maybe one day, I will shock myself and remember everything.

So next time I blog I will be able to fill you in on what I got up to tomorrow.

Better late than never

I am a few days late with updating, so much for doing my blog the following day. I had a busy weekend of birthdays and at the beginning of this week we had workmen in to put a log burning stove in our living room, my DH has wanted one for a long time.

I have been working my way through the Let's Scrap Blog Hop, I have completed nine of the fifteen challenges. I will admit that I am starting to struggle with the last few and I am not sure if I am going to complete all fifteen.

This page is for Resolution7, the challenge was to use a banner on the layout. I took these photos on our family holiday in Florida last year. We were at a great restaurant called The Cheesecake Factory. As you can guess they sell cheesecake, loads of it!

Daddy's Girl is for Resolution3, the challenge was to use three patterned papers and also some stitching on the page. I stitched the title, which I think came out really well. These papers are actually from a wedding pack, but I thought the colours worked well with DD's dress.

This layout is for Resolution12, the challenge was to use eyelets. I like eyelets, I like them even more since I discovered the Crop a dile at the crop. I bought one off Ebay & I love it, it sets the eyelets so easily. This is another photo from our family holiday last year, this Blog Hop is helping me finally finish our holiday album.

This layout is for Resolution1, the challenge was 'Pick a favorite layout in the Let’s Scrap Photo Gallery and scraplift it. Make sure to tell us, why it’s a favorite, what you scraplifted from it  and give a link to that layout. Note: you have to use the same sketch as the one you scraplifted from.' I picked a Dawn Tavela page, I think Dawn does lovely pages, unfortunately I don't think my efforts do her work justice.

This layout is for Dawn's Resolution, number 13, we had to use just cardstock, no patterned papers! I kept this quite simple, I think it that by doing so, it shows the photos off better.

Resolution14 was a  'Numbers challenge – Make a layout with the following on it 1 x lace/ribbon, 2 x pattern paper, 3 x flowers and 4 x bling/gems. This challenge took me out of my comfort zone, I tend to keep my pages simple, using all of the embellishments on one page is a new thing for me. I am really pleased with the results though.

So there we have it, my challenges so far. Just need to get motivated to finish the rest I have until the 14th of this month. Wish me luck. Oh I nearly forgot, as you may of noticed I finally managed to get a ticker on my page, hooray.