BY2010 - March

This month's sketch was given to us by Sam. Here is the sketch:

And here is my page:

We were asked to include journalling on our LO and I decided to hide mine away on a tag behind the photo:

To continue with the hop please pop over to Kerry's.

If you get lost on the hop, here is the full order:

Sam's

Liberty Cottage

K's Crafty Corner

Furry Pig's

HERE

and then Kerry's  - see link above!!

How exciting...

I am starting my first ever CJ over on UK scrappers!! Its very exciting and I can't wait to get started!! I'm really lucky that I have the crop to go to before I have to post out, so I can have a whole day to make everything look beautiful!!
Here is the logo our lovely host created for our little group

Exciting stuff!!

Something from (almost) nothing - using page protector's

Today I created a page that utilised the actual plastic page protector as part of the layout! I have a second page planned doing something completely different, but here is the first one.
I simply sewed up a 8x8 pp, made slits, then inserted slightly embellished photos to Celebrate Friendship!

This month's Go Go kit has made me step outside of the box :0)

My typical style at the moment seems to be vintage/shabby chic/ distressed. Generally muted colours and toned down things. This is sooooooooo not what I saw when I opened my new GoGo kit box!!!
Bright and modern Sassafras papers and colourful brads and Elle's Studio journalling spots. Hmmmmm the challenge was on!!
I have been waiting until I complete my GoGo Yearbook pages before letting myself loose on the kit (to be sure I have the best for the Yearbook!!) but this month I couldn't wait. I really wanted to try something different and I did!!
It is really different to all of the pages in my 2010 scrapbook so far (so much so that even my OH said "That doesn't look like the pages you ususally do  - but I really like it!")
I hope you like it - any comments and criticisms greatfully received as I really am trying a new style here!!!

I've caught up...

with the Something from almost nothing prompts! Hooray!! I know the project is by no means a challenge with deadlines etc and that you can potter along at your own speed etc. BUT I am always far too strict with myself and I always set myself deadlines regardless and I get very uppity with myself if I fall behind!!!
Anyway ...
Prompt 3 was to use ribbon, and  photos that you had already printed but never scrapped. To find a link between these photos and to celebrate it. I used some photos of me and a hawthorn tree and the hawthorn tattoo I have on my hip - celebrating the fact i LOVE nature and the earth we are lucky enough to be living on :0)

And prompt four was to use a photo that made you happy on a page made using (if possible ONLY cardstock!) Tricky and I almost succeeded but in the end allowed myself a few brads a) to use them up and b) to hold my pretty flowers together better!!

Hope you like them! I think the Earth Love page could do with something else..any thoughts? You may see an amended version of this page later in the week!

I planning on being a VERY busy bee today!!

Today I am planning to spend the WHOLE day in my Crafty place as I want to get back on target with Something from (almost)nothing and have a play with my Go Go kit!
I'm looking forward to it, but feel a bit harassed too (which is soooooooooo silly!!!!!) I find 8x8 pages quite hard to get on with (and am only doing them for the project because I wanted to bust my stash and use the album I knew I never would use!!
As far as the Go Go kit goes - it is lovely, but I seem to have been doing Vintage-y pages lately - and this one is very modern. Hmmmmmm - thats what a challenge is all about I guess!!!
Finger's crossed for a good day creating!!

Simple Things

The new prompt for the Simple Things project is up on the It's a Creative World blog!
The word for March is HONESTY
Hmmmmmmmmmm, thats a tricky one, and very poignant for me at the moment. I can't wait to get started!

I'm really happy that they showed my tag book on their blog again :0)

I've finally beaten that kit!!!

For some reason, I have been having lots of problems trying to make a page layout with my February Scrap a Go Go kit. I've made pages for my year book, and a couple of other little things, but no 12x12 page.
FINALLY today I completed one and I LOVE it!! I think it is one of my best!

Simple Things - its all a matter of TIME

The prompt for February's Simple Things project was TIME.  In keeping with the prompt, I've taken rather a long time to do it, but here it finally is, and I'm really happy with it!!

 

I'm really looking forward to seeing what the team there created when the March prompt is set later in the month!

Something from almost nothing - using scraps of paper...

I decided to alter my page following blog comments, thanks ladies :0)

I also created this page for the challenge - using scraps of paper cut into cubes:

I hope you like them!

Life - and why I love it! Is this page OK or does it need 'something'??

This was the topic of todays class over at Shimelle's. The challenge was to use paper scraps on our page.
I decided to go with something different to my usual style and punched paper 'buttons' with my new Martha Stewart punch. These were then sewn onto the page. I use some simple lined patterned paper as the base and decided to journal straight onto this.
I didn't add any other embellies as the buttons are quite busy. Not sure if the page is OK as it is, or whether it needs 'something' - any advice anyone??

Something from (almost) nothing - Page One

This is the page I created for Shimelle's new class (which you can still join if you click here!)
The aim of the first page is to introduce the album that is accompanying the class.  It is focussing on Life and Celebrating the life we lead {*yay!!* jumps up and down*}The challenge for the page was to use that unused metal that you have in your stash!
Some of the first things I ever bought when I started scrapping were brads - LOTS of 'em!! LOADS and LOADS and LOADS of them!!! Why? Because thats what scrapbookers used surely?! In truth - I hardly every use brads!! Not the simple metallic ones anyway (I still lurve fabric ones and ones are justa bit spesh!!)
Anyway, here is the intro page:

Close up of the brads:

Close up of the metal frame:

I hope you like it? I can't wait for tomorrow's prompt!!

The first card I have made in about ten years....

I made this  for my friend's birthday today:

It is the first card I have made for a long long time and I actually really like it!!! Here are a few close ups:
The vellum:

The flower:

The cute little girl is on of SJ's Friday Freebies over at her Little Musing s blog. Click here to take a look!!

My little nest!

Here is a look around my Scrappy Shed now that I have moved back in after the winter!!
Here it is from the outside during the January snow- all pepperminty and lovely (if very very cold!!!):

The key-ring :0)

And the new and improved inside of my little haven:

This is the view from the door...

My cupcke storage boxes for bits and bobs and my embellishment baskets...

My very comfy chair and the all important electric heater :0)

My desk, my current paper holder and my cute peg hanger.  I keep stash I am currently using pegged here...

Cute drawers holding stamps etc.

My many many stash boxes filled with papers...

Ribbon, bloom and button jars...

Meaningful words on the walls:

And my absolutely BEAUTIFUL Amethyst geode to fill the room with an air of peace and tranquility:

I can't tell you how much I just ADORE being in this very precious place!!

Special Friends...

The prompt over at Dolly's this week is all about that Special Friend in your life. To be honest I have 3 very very special friends and I just wouldn't be able to pick between them as they all mean the world to me!!
One I have known for many many years. She was the dreaded new girl at school one year and the teacher picked me to 'be her friend'!! (That's right, in our school, if you were the new kid, you were assigned your first friend!!!) Needless to say, these friendships rarely lasted. But ours did!! Everyone did (and still does) think we are sisters as we are so alike its scary!! Approximately 22 years later, after many many dramas and highs and lows, she is still my very very best friend:

I met my other two 'sisters' (for an only child, I have a lot of sisters!!!!) what seems like yesterday (but what is actually - and scarily - about 12 years ago!!! WHERE does time go to!!!??!!
We have literally been through hell together and they are the people I know I can turn to in times of utter despair as well as times of joy. No one knows me like they do (poor them!!) and I couldn't live without them in my life!

I have taken on so many projects this year that I am starting to slip abit. Rather than letting anything go and stopping one, I have decided to re-organise how I do them. I have decided to blog the Dolly prompts rather than completing pages. I would rather do this than not be involved as its a great project and alot of work has been put into it, thanks Dolly!

It's been a while...

Wow!! I haven't blogged for ages (well, 4 days is ages to me as I enjoying blogging everyday usually!!!)

I've had a VERY busy weekend.
Saturday was spent in wonderful company at the Bromsgrove Crop. Its only my second time there but everyone is so lovely and I just didn't feel like a newbie!!
Its great to have talented people with the same interest as you sat in a huge room with you - a constant source of aid if you have a 'Hmmmmmm, where shall I put this flower??' moment (like I did!!)
Here are the pages I completed:

This one is called 'Awakening' and is all about colour in my life.  It still needs the title to be added.  I want that to be in white thickers and need to buy them first!!!

The handstitching took hours, but I love the quilted effect it gives the page, and I found the whole process very relaxing!

I found these beautiful flowers at the second hand stash sale at the Crop - such a coincidence that they were the perfect shades for this layout!!

I also completed my February Document 2010 pageas at the crop:

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I completed my Go Go Yearbook February page today too, so all in all, I have had a very enjoyable and productive weekend!!