The New Girl

i started a new job at the beginning of May. A new path for me... it was a scary decision to leave my previous job but it just wasn't a good fit for me any more. i had thought i would stay there for many years, for a long time i was happy but my last 6 months with them were incredibly stressful and took a terrible toll on me. So it was time to move forward.

Paper: Girls Paperie, Tags, Girls Paperie, Elle's Studio, Mist: Maya Road, Chipboard Alpha: Girls Paperie, Rose Button and sequins: Girls Paperie, Velvet Flower: Maya Road, Other: Tiny Attacher.

So far things are going really well. i am working with a great team, everyone was really friendly and supportive from the get go. It's a relaxed environment, which is ideal for me. The company genuinely care about their staff & i have witnessed this in many ways. i think that's a rare thing to come by in these hard times. i also work on flexi-time which makes things a lot easier for me. i've just had my 3 month probation review last week and it went well so i thought i'd let you all know about this new journey ( i made this page a few months ago). In all honestly it's not exactly where i'd like to be in life, working in an office makes me feel suffocated. i think that's the creative, free spirit in me. But for now this is my everyday 5 days a week.

You can't see too much of it, but in case you're wondering, this outfit is typical work wear for me. We're not under any pressure to dress super smart, we even have 'casual Fridays' every week. But i feel more in the mindset for work if my outfit is a bit fancy and professional. And if i can work in a vintage piece like the blouse above then all the better. 

Sweet memories

i will never get old of scrapping photos of cupcakes, or eating them for that matter!! This page is about the cupcake class i took with my sister last year. Photo taken with my Hipstamatic app. i just love doing fun girlie layouts!

Paper: Girls Paperie, Studio Calico, MME, Tags: Elle's Stduio Stamp: Studio Calico Ink: JBS for Ranger, Tape: Pink Paislee,  Punch: Woodware Other: Twine Doily, Crochet flower, Lace, Pearl sticker.

For the border above the photo/tags i used a mixture of Pink Paislee Artisan Tape and scraps of paper that i had stamped on using the graph stamp from Studio Calico. i layered lots of the Girls Paperie paper to create the paper ribbon.

i hope you are having a fabulous weekend which hopefully will include a cupcake or two!

CHA CHA CHAllenges!

The DT over at Studio Calico decided to set some scrappy challenges for those of us not going to CHA this week. You can see them all in the Challenges forum. There's often challenges posted there and sometimes it's just the prompt i need to get motivated.

 Papers, stickers: Sassafras. Brads: American Crafts. Butterfly: Jenni Bowlin, Mist: Maya Road.

The first one i tackled was Tina's challenge to scrap a photo taken in front of a mirror (note the silly face i'm pulling, heee!). My DSLR is still broken but She Who Must Not Be Named is kindly letting me use her point and shoot. The idea for the layout also came from her. She pointed out a while ago what an extreme person i am, in the sense that i usually really love something or really dislike it, there's no real middle ground with me. It's the same for books, films, music, and people. i guess i am just a passionate person, it's the same with my emotions too.

Papers: Basic Grey & Girls Paperie. Brad & Alpha: Making Memories. Stickers: October Afternoon. Mist: Studio Calico

Next up was Sasha's challenge to scraplift a DT layout from the Candy Shoppe Gallery. i chose to lift the design of Stephanie Howell's Sweet Lucy layout., because i loved it so much. i love using those OA stickers as journalling spots. 

Halloween is my favourite

i've mentioned before how much i LOVE Halloween. You know how in the The Nightmare Before Christmas the town Mayor starts planning the next Halloween on the 1st of November, and freaks out when they realise Jack has gone missing and is all like 'We've got to find Jack! There's only 365 days left until next Halloween! (364)' well, that's me. At least that's what one of my friends suggested this last December when we were watching it.Yep, i'm a total Halloween nut.

Papers, Stickers: Girls Paperie, Stamp, Mist: Studio Calico, Buttons & thread: own stash

i usually start planning my costume months in advance, sometimes i'll make it myself but last year i found a costume on-line that i loved and had to have. One of the advantages to forward planning is that the costume is much cheaper to buy in August then it is in October! So i don't feel too bad about buying an outfit that i'm probably only going to wear once. What with Halloween not being such a big deal here on our little isle it can be hard to find themed scrapbook supplies. i'm not too into theme scrapping anyhow, and i HATE purple, which most Halloween themed lines incorporate. i generally just try and make do with what i've got in my stash but last year i did manage to get some cuuute SC pumpkin stamps that Laura kindly picked up for me and the yummy papers from Girls Paperie which i've used on the layout above. The other day i was working with some Mix & Mend from Sassafras, designed by the fabulously talented Michelle Clement (who by the way has collaborated on another collection, which i'm soooo excited about!) and i noticed that the colour scheme would probably work for a Halloween page, so i got to work.

Papers, Stickers, Orange Alpha: Sassafras Lass, Green Alpha: Basic Grey, Mist, Stamp: Studio Calico
Photo Credit: AveryFineDesign

The banner stickers that Sassafras started releasing as part of their collections last year are one of my go-to embellishments these days. i love to cut them up and layer them, it's so simple! My favourite part of them are the leftovers though, the bits that weren't necessarily intended for use. And this line with all the stitched details and walnut ink splotches means all the hard work is already done for you, love it!

In other news: Remember that 8 is enough post i did last week? Well i failed to mention that each month you can enter to win a kit from Studio Calico and a gift certificate for Ella Publishing. And on Tuesday i had an e-mail from Angie Lucas to say that i was the January winner!! i am beyond excited!! Check out the lovely things they said about my layouts in this post! If you'd like to enter email entries to submissions@ellapublishing.com, with “Eight is Enough” in the subject line. e-mail pictures of all four of your layouts (each sized to 800 pixels tall maximum), plus a picture of your eight original supplies, and an explanation of how you stretched each layout. What are you waiting for? Good luck! 

My Little Shoebox layouts

My Little Shoebox are running a competition over on their facebook page at the moment where you can submit a layout using at least 4 different products from one of their lines. Each week is a different line and this week it Just Add Butter. So i used my remaining scraps to make this layout.



MLS are also sponsoring Pencil Lines this month and here is this week's sketch, designed by Anna Bowkis:


i moved the paper strips around to suit my page. i really like how the three groupings of circles create a visual triangle. It was refreshing to work with a predominately monochromatic colour scheme with just a few pops of yellow, it made selecting which products to use a bit easier!


i used some MLS papers and also some Girls Paperie which i punched pieces from using the Martha Stewart Starburst punch. i also used a journalling card from Fancy Pants and the die cut is from Deja Views. Here's a close up where i layered some buttons. Buttons will never be out of fashion for me!


i did a bit of hand sewing on this one which is something i haven't done in a while! Over the summer i'd like to get back into embroidery and do some pieces for our flat. It's an easy enough craft to take outside so hopefully i'll get some done while i'm down on the seafront.

Scrapbook Share on Sunday

Hey! How's your week been? Sorry for my blog absence. i'm in a weird mood this week. Nothing's wrong, but i am feeling super lazy and unmotivated. i've not been scrapbooking much this week, this is the only page i did and it's based on the Sunday Sketch over at the Studio Calico Blog. Good job they have those sketches every week or i'd never get any scrapbooking done at the moment! i hate feeling so uninspired. i feel like i need some newness. New music, new adventures, a new story to get lost in, new people to make friends with, a new obsession. In a month i'll be in our flat and everything will be new so i should probably be savouring the present. But i just feel urgh! Any music, film or other recommendations to help me get out of this funk are welcome!




i made this flower with the fabric paper from the Dear Lizzie line. Lizzie did an awesome video tutorial on them here, and can explain how to make them way better then i ever could. i also added some lace behind, ruffling it around the circle.


i used the May kit Granny's Cupboard and add-ons for this page, how cute is that dress form stamp?! The vintage lace is from my own stash and i also used a Martha Stewart punch with the houndstooth tape.

i went to a car boot sale this morning with my mum and i got some sweet vintage goodies including a suitcase, some lovely tins and a brownie camera! And i only spent £7! i can't wait til we're in the new place and i can start getting furniture!

Have a great week.

SC Sunday Sketch & 500th post!

So i noticed it's my 500th post today! But i haven't been organised enough to arrange anything special. i thought it was worth a mention though. Here's to the next 500!

My big news this week is that we got the flat that we liked and are planning to move at the beginning of July, so yay for that!! So the next month is going to be spent purging and packing. Fun times!

i have been in a weird mood this week. i've had lots of time on my hands but zero inspiration for scrapping. So i used this week's sketch from Studio Calico. It's taken from a page by last month's guest designer Jennifer Johner.



i loved her page so much i just lifted the whole design of the sketch. i wasn't planning on having quite so much journaling but i can talk some if i'm given the opportunity, the page looks kind of unbalanced now but i'd rather have my thoughts down, so it's ok.




i find it difficult to use embellishments so it was fun to be able to use so many on this page. i love that Girl's Paperie paper soooo much, it's yummy! The theme for this page was inspired by some lyrics by The Killers. I often find ideas for layouts from lyrics, even if i don't actually use them on the page.

i'm off to Bournemouth to hang out with my sister and my dad for the weekend so have a great one! And if you're in the UK, enjoy your extra day off!

Granny's Cupboard

A special hello to my new followers & thanks for your sweet comments over the last few days. i'm so happy that you're here!

i knew i'd LOVE the Studio Calico Kit this month and i wasn't wrong. For a start it features The Girls' Paperie & the Thrift Shop line from October Afternoon, which i have been desperate to get my hands on since CHA in January. It's also got lot's of other vintage style stuff in it, which is so my style, and i ended up getting 2 add-ons which is a first for me. And it's got me using some of my hoard of vintage lace. i don't want this vintage trend in scrapbooking to ever end. i'm having so much fun with it, thought i'd share a page with you.


Oh how i miss this little face, i think she is the cutest little munchkin on the planet! (but clearly i am biased). i should point out that i didn't take these photo's, my dad sometime's e-mails us pictures so we can see how she's growing and changing as we don't get to see her often. This page is about how after her first trip to Taiwan she started to do the 'peace' sign every time a camera was pointed in her direction. It's something they do in Japan all. the. time. too. A part of their culture i guess. Anyway it drives me and my sister crazy but i suppose she does pull it off, especially when she was at that age when she still had yummy little squidgy toddler hands. i have to admit that it's great having a little sister so that i can scrapbook pink and girly pages!