Remember This

i've been trying to house my ever growing pile of finished layouts and realised there are quite a few i haven't shared here yet. So here's a couple using the 'Remember This' kit from Scrapbook Circle (which is almost entirely used up now!).

This is my awesome friend Vicki. This page is really personal, hence the hidden journalling. But let's just say she helped me out of a very dark place. i love just using the hexagon paper as embellishments, they are so cute scaled down on 6x6!

This layout actually got chosen by Rebecca from the Scrapbook Circle DT to Scraplift for the 'lift a subscriber' challenge that they run on the blog. You can see her take on my layout in the post here. If you'd like the chance to be lifted too, just share a layout using a Scrapbook Circle kit on their facebook page. 

For this one i used a text stamp on kraft cardstock around the edges. i also added a couple of wood veneer stars from Studio Calico & some Sassafas alphabets. Which by the way, i have a really big hoard of, i will be soooo sad when they run out as they are the perfect size for 8x11 1/2" layouts. Love that the Elle's Studio Tags are pretty AND functional.

These pictures were taken at a film convention last year where i got to meet some of the animals that were in the Harry Potter films. If you know me, you know i'm a huuuge HP fan, so i was totally excited. We also got to see them perform tricks & the animal trainers talked about how they teach the animals to learn new stuff for movie roles. The quality isn't great as they were taken with my phone so as not to freak the animals out, but i'm glad i've got them. 

Ms Pacman

The wonderful Doris came up with a new stash busting game called Ms Pacman. The details/rules are over at the JBS Mercantile forum here. i thrive on these kinds of challenges because they keep me focused. No indecisiveness about which product to use mid way through a project, because it's not allowed! It pushes me to look creatively at the supplies i do have and figure out ways to make them work for me. i really love seeing how i can get different projects from the same collection of product. Here's my Ms Pacman Kit:

Supplies: Paper: Studio Calico, MME, Pebbles inc, Fabric Swatches: Ormolu, Brads: Jenni Bowlin, Washi Tape: Masking Tape, Border Stickers: Basic Grey, Other: Twine, Buttons

Doris challenged us to create a layout and two cards but i ended up doing two layouts and one card. Rules are meant to be broken, right? Here's the first layout i did:

Although i like the finished layout, i'm not happy that your eye isn't immediately drawn to the photograph. The designs of the papers are too busy and the hand cutting i did is distracting. But i can live with it. i still have lots of photos left to complete the telling of this story so i'll add them into my album in divided page protector right next to this layout.

i am not the greatest artist with my craft knife, i am not a very precise scrapper and eyeball everything. But i can mange fairly straight cuts if they're small enough and i like to add interest to my patterned paper with this technique sometimes.  The graph design from Studio Calico is one of my all time favourites and i grab it in every colour they release. i barely have any of this navy left so i wanted to do something different with it. As triangles are so on trend right now and work well with this pattern that's what i went with. i also like that the sharpness of the angles supports my theme of the page (crocodiles).  i left a couple of the triangles blank so you could see the kraft cardstock and backed some with different papers. They really stand out against the navy. i'd like it if the triangle trend stuck around for a while yet. What do you think the next 'trend' will be, maybe diamonds?

Let me talk you through some of the 'techniques' i used on my pages.

i'm not sure if we were allowed to use punches or not for this challenge, but the yellow paper from Pebbles inc that i had included in  my kit already had lot of starbursts punched out of it from a previous project (in this post). So i decide to try & work that into my design. It seemed natural to house buttons and brads in the negative space. i really love how the brads are bumpy like a crocodile!

One of the things we had to include in the kit was 1 yard of trim, but only 11 inches of any one trim. i'm not sure if twine really counts as trim, but we'll go with it as it's one of my all time favourite items. Something i often like to do is add twine along the top of my page. But as we were only allowed 11 inches of any one trim it wouldn't stretch far enough! uh oh! i ended up tying two ends of  different coloured twine together to get around that. i really like the effect and will be doing this again for sure.

The Heidi Swapp Chipboard letters i picked out were glossy so i wasn't sure how it would take to mist or other mediums. i always experiment with the numbers that come in these types of packs as i hardly ever use them anyway. i tried spraying mist on one to see how it would take. As i was expecting, not very well. But i dabbed it with kitchen roll and found that some of it did get absorbed into the edge of the chipboard number, so some of the white still showed through, giving a kind of mottled effect. i quite liked the distressed look so i ended up using this technique on both of my layouts.

Here's layout number two:

The 'it's a fact' banner on this page is actually from the back of the packaging of my Ormolu fabric swatches. When i received my package from Ormolu i tweeted about my delight at the packaging and that it would be working it's way into one of my projects. Kaitlin told me that they had recently redesigned the packaging with that in mind! So very cool. i am a huge fan of their products and it's a real added bonus that they are earth friendly too! i added a little bit of stamping to one of my swatches using StayzOn and i was really please with how it took, no bleeding at all. Although my stamp wasn't in my original kit, i think i can get away with it under the 'unlimited techniques rule' ;)

There's no reason why you can't use washi tape just like patterned paper. On this page i cut it into short strips and stuck it right down. i also cut up one of the border stickers into three to create a repetitive design.

i also got to work on this green herringbone paper from Studio Calico, and made lots of random cuts. i didn't back it with patterned paper as it would have been too busy, but i think it does add some interest to the page.

 i stuck with triangles for my card. i'm hoping i can get a way with using stamps again!

i didn't even end up using the diagonal striped paper from MME, so that's still waiting to be used on another project. But other then that i don't have much else left from my kit left. i'm hoping Doris sets another stash busting challenge soon because it really keeps me motivated!

Guest Designing at Jenni Bowlin Studios!

i am super duper excited to be guesting over at the JBS inspiration blog today! It's no secret that i am a HUGE fan of Jenni's products, putting these pages together was SO FUN! Doris and the Design Team are all so creative & unique in their own way & the Message Board is an inspiring and supportive place to hang out.

There is so much to love about this line, but my favourite of all is that pretty flower paper. i like it even better scaled down. And did you see how i managed to sneak some packaging onto this page? Everything Jenni designs is pure class. You can see all my layouts & read about them over at the JBS blog. Thanks for all your kind comments so far, they are truly appreciated. 

April TMC Kit Layouts

Just popping in to share some more projects i made using this month's kit from Truly Madly Crafty. If you're wanting to see the other projects i made you can check out this post on the TMC blog. This kit is perfect for spring projects and these photos from a trip to Exbury Gardens in May 2010 sprung to mind when i first saw the kit. i really like to use product in a way that supports the theme of my page. The honeycomb pattern and the bees & butterflies all symbolise spring time and flowers to me. 

i have to say i am becoming a big fan of 6x6 paper pads. i really like the smaller pattern, they are perfect for card making and Project Life. Because the pattern was scaled down i was able to use the hexagon's from the 'honey blue' paper as an accent on their own. Maxine always sends me the kits beautifully wrapped in tissue paper and string. i managed to sneak both those items into this layout. 

i used my craft knife on the 'Be the Best' paper to cut out some of the hexagons and then backed them with the kraft coloured graph pattern on the B side of the 'Ephemera' paper. This one of my favourite techniques to use lately. 

As there was ribbon and washi tape included in the kit i wanted a way to incorporate them into the design of my layout. i created a mat for my photo using those supplies along with some pattern paper scraps i had left over. i liked the result so much i also made a card using the same design.

Happy Easter to you, i hope that you are able to enjoy a break and spend time with your families!

April TMC Kit

The TMC April Kit is now in the shop. Every month i am surprised how mush Maxine manages to pack into the kit, they are such good value! i really enjoyed working with the Follow Your Heart 'Be Amazing' line from MME. i am not normally a card maker, but i made NINE with this kit!!

i'll post the layouts i also made, later in the week, but you can see everything i did this month over on the TMC Blog.

March TMC Challenge

There's a new challenge up at the TMC blog & this month there's colour inspiration. Love this selection of colours, they are so pretty and perfect for spring pages. Here's my take on the challenge:

Overlay, Washi Tape, Rub Ons: Hambly, Mist: Maya Road, Studio Calico, Star Pins: Maya Road, Alpha Stickers: Making Memories, Other: Tiny Attacher

Haaaaa! This is my 'crazy excited' face. When i literally can't contain my excitement i get a little OTT! This page is about going to see the last Harry Potter film this past July. i went to a late night screening with some girlfriends to avoid the crowds in opening week. It kind of felt like the end of an era, those books and films have been a part of my life for such a long time. i thought after the last film was released the HP hype would have died down, but it hasn't and now i can see it's never going to. And yeah that is a HP t-shirt i'm wearing in that photo. i'm a self confessed Harry Potter nerd...

I didn't really have any embellishments in the right colour that would fit my theme so I decided to improvise with what I had and made my own. The little yellow star was made by attaching some washi tape to white cardstock and then punching through it. The larger teal star was made using a similar technique, but instead of using washi tape I used a rub-on. i have quite a lot of gorgeous Hambly rub-ons in shapes i find hard to work into my pages so this was a great way to stretch my supplies and get around that. 

Currents

i've always been a fan of Tina's Currents Series & was stoked when she released her own digital cards to purchase from her shop. i love the design AND they are grey! My favourite colour, right next to navy. It's like she designed them just for me! Except she didn't. But that doesn't make me adore them any less. And if grey's not for you then i'm guessing, if you know how, the colour can also be altered. Anywho, i bought them mainly to use in Project Life. Because that's right people, i'm taking a brave step and going HYBRID!! i try not to get my computer involved in my scrappy endeavours because i spend all day at work on one, a fair amount of my time perusing blogs and galleries for funs and editing photos (which i don't find fun). So i figure it's good for me to step away from the computer and just play. i'm also not very computer savvy. However, there were just too many lovely digital journalling cards out there designed for Project Life for me to resist. So i recently printed a load off and spent some time cutting them all out so they are ready to go. Job done. It's been a while since i did a Currents page though so i decided to incorporate some of Tina's cards on a layout.

Kit: Scrapbook Circle February, Stamp, Mist: Studio Calico, Ink: JBS

For this page i used the February Scrapbook Circle Kit which was packed with a new line from MME designed by Rhonna Farrer. This was my first time ordering with them and i was really pleased with their customer service and the kits themselves are gorgeous! 

She's baaaaack!

She Who Must Not Be Named moved out at the end of October to go travelling for 3 months. Honestly i was dreading those three months without her...but i have a wonderful new flatmate, i've kept myself occupied and we managed to keep in touch via e-mail and skype, so i managed not to completely lose the plot without her around. However, i'm thrilled she's back on British turf and am looking forward to having her closer and excited to cause mischief and mayhem together again. Life is so much more fun with my bestie at my side. It did feel like a piece of me was missing with her gone.

Paper: Studio Calico, Crate Paper, Stickers, Chipboard, Buttons: Crate Paper, Tags: Studio Calico, Stamp: MME, Punch: EK Sucess, Other: Tiny Attacher

i've mentioned before that she does not like to have her picture taken and i will probably get in trouble for posting this layout, but i had fun with it and it's not very often i get to scrapbook her, so i'm pushing my luck ;) Lot's of Studio Calico and Crate Paper here and did you notice some stamping again? Really trying to get more use from my stamps & ink & loving it. 

TMC February Challenge

This month's challenge over at the Truly Madly Crafty Blog is to use Ribbon & Bling. i am not really a blingy scrapbooker so this challenge stumped me at first. Then when i was riffling through my ribbon jar i came across my sequin strands and i knew they had to be used! i kept this page pretty simple because that Sassafras paper is so pretty.

Supplies: Paper, Alpha stickers, Flowers: Sasaafras Lass, Journalling card: Elle's Studio, Other: Ribbon & Sequins

There was an overwhelming response to our last challenge, i wish i could stop by everybody's blog and leave a comment, but i just don't have the time (there were over 460 entries!). But if you did take part, thank-you so much for playing along! 

Pyjama Day

Last Sunday i tweeted that i was planning on staying in my pyjamas all day and scrapbooking. i don't think i ever got such an overwhelming response to a tweet! It seems that a lot of my followers think that's a perfect way to spend the day. Now, it's not every week that i get to spend my Sunday in such a lazy manner, but if i do get the opportunity to indulge then i take it. This all led me to thinking that i should make a page about it.

Supplies: Tags: Elles Studio, Stamps, Buttons, Veneer Banner, Garland: MME, Paper: October Afternoon, Pebbles, Alpha Stickers: Pebbles, Tag: Amy Tangerine, Ink: JBS Date Stamp: K&Co Other: Pearl stickers

This is mostly the Salvaged add-on from Studio Calico with some Elle's Studio tags and MME Kraft Fun Day mixed in.  i'm really enjoying playing with bits and pieces on my pages lately and i'm still obsessed with that kraft garland from MME. i'm trying to actually use my stamps more too. i hope you are having a happy Sunday, be it a pyjama day or not! 

TMC February Kit

This month's kit over at Truly Madly Crafty is full of the Love Me line from MME & lot's of lovely Elle's Studio products. Love is such a universal theme i didn't have any trouble coming up with ideas for this kit. And there are some really pretty papers from MME that will fit any project, it's a really versatile line.

This is my sister and her boyfriend, they are a perfect match. We're lucky she found such a great guy to share her life with and be a part of our family. i went to town cutting our hearts for this layout so i could show off that lovely MME paper. You can check out my other projects on the TMC blog and i'll also have a tutorial up over there tomorrow. 

OWOT - January

We've introduced a new weekly challenge over at the Truly Madly Crafty Blog called One Word One Technique. We have assigned a different technique to each month of the year and each week has a specific word. The idea is that you create a project, be it a card, layout, art journal page etc based on that weeks word and using that month's technique.This month's technique is paint and my word is GO!

i decided to use paint for my title & finally busted out some Amy Tangerince goodies to do a page about a trip i took to Manchester last June. Does the design of the page maybe look a little bit similar? Perhaps a bit like the last page i posted? i'm ok with not reinventing the wheel every time :)

Jolly good fun

i recently started having a tidy up in what i like to think of as my 'making space' and realised it's not just been a really long time since i had a sort out but also since i put any pages into my albums. Anyone else have this problem? i counted and there were over 60 pages, plus there are at least another 7 in progress. Ooops.

i also haven't been so great at sharing those pages here or anywhere online. i guess i have been going through one of those phases where i just want to stay away form my laptop. This also means i owe a lot of people e-mails (sorry if you're one of them!). But i'm giving myself permission, because i'm still scrapbooking & having fun.

And speaking of fun, here's a page i did during the JBS Mercantile online crop back in October. This challenge was based on a sketch, which i stretched into a two-pager. The Royal Wedding was a really highlight of 2011 and i'm excited for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations this year! i've scrapbooked this event before, but it was an occasion i took lots of photos of & have lots of thoughts about so i felt i wanted a couple of different layouts about the day.

Papers, Chipboard, Stickers, Rub-Ons: Jenni Bowlin Studios Other: twine, embossing powder. 

TMC January Challenge

Happy New Year to you all! i truly hope that 2012 brings wonderful things for you all.

A new year, a new challenge on the Truly Madly Crafty Challenge Blog. There was a huge response to last month's challenge and it would be great if that continued. There's some other fun challenges planned which i am excited about. This month's challenge is nice and easy, the theme is 'anything goes'. So all you have to do is submit a new project. i used it as a chance to use up some of my new goodies from the MME line 'Everyday Fun'. i LOVE this line! i adore the kraft papers, the stamps are right up my alley and the embellishments are so freaking cute, especially that garland. i think it's such a fun twist on the banner trend, i want to use it on every page!

i snapped this instax photo on my 29th birthday (yes it's my last year of my twenties, eek!). And i used a list format to summarise the highlights of my day.

TMC December Challenge

This month's challenge over at Truly Madly Crafty Challenge Blog is to use Christmas images & colours as your inspiration. i decided to use it as an excuse to get started on my Christmas decorations. i mostly used Jenni Bowlin products, a few of which are available in the shop. You've got all month to take part in the challenge and there's a Bo Bunny Project Kit up for grabs as a prize!

TMC are also on the hunt for 2 new members to join the Design Team. Hope over here for the details of how to apply if you're interested!

TMC November Challenge

I was recently asked to join the Design Team over at Truly Madly Crafty & this month's challenge is up on the challenge blog! It's to take inspiration from this photo:

i chose to draw inspiration from the glittery  baubles and added glitter to the back of the Hambly overlay to add some sparkle to my layout. 

Papers: Echo Park Mist: Studio Calico, Pins: Maya Road, Ribbon: Making Memories, Stickers: Sasafrass, Echo Park, Overlay's: Hambly Screenprints, Tag: Elles Studio, Stamps: K&Co, Studio Calico, Other: Tiny Attacher, German Glass Glitter, Tab.

i hope you'll check out the blog to see how the other ladies interpreted this challenge and play along, there's some Bo Bunny up for grabs!

JBS Scrapfest

Yes, it's been a while since i posted. And if you’re wondering why the blog has been so neglected over the last few weeks it’s because i’ve been busy with all my Halloween crafts. i’m REALLY excited to share what i’ve been up to next week in a Handmade Halloween series! So i'll be making it up to you with lots of crafty posts!

But this weekend i'm joining in on all the fun at the JBS forum for their Scrapfest online crop. i loved the last one they hosted and all the challenges that have been posted so far this time around are really motivating. So much so that i actually finished a layout in one sitting last night, which is the first time i've done that in a while! i took Waleska's colour combo challenge of red + black + turquoise as my inspiration.

i thought it was about time i shared my new hair colour :) i had it done about a month ago. i just felt like a change for the new season. When i first had it done it was really bright and i got quite a few stares! Now it has settled down a bit. It's nice being different for a while, but i think i'll go back to my regular colour after christmas. 

i played around with twine a little on this page instead of going with my standard staple it down with my tiny attacher. And there's a real mix of old & new JBS products, i've been hoarding that die cut paper since 2007! i think that's what i love most about Jenni's products, that they are co classic and never go out of trend. Please pop into the forum and play along with us, you have all week to take part in the challenges so there's still lots of time. Hope to see you there!

Scrap Rat October Kit

The October Scrap Rat Kit is now on sale! i found this kit so inspiring, i ran out of time to get any more layouts done in time for the gallery reveal but plan to work on a few more as i still have a ton of product left over. My favourite pieces in the kit were the vintage crepe paper, the Jenni Bowlin Doily flowers and the Crate Paper Random Denim paper. i looooooved that paper! There were also a few things in the kit that i would never normally purchase like the Crate Paper Chipboard Accents, the Prima Resist Canvas pieces and the MME Beautiful Girl Labels paper. But that's the beauty of working with a kit, you sometimes end up challenging yourself to use stuff out of your comfort zone. And i ended up using these pieces as the main inspiration for a few of my pages.

Additional materials: Twine & Punch by Martha Stewart. 

i got a  little happy with my craft knife this month, which is something i almost never do! See what i mean about kit's pushing you to try different things? These papers were begging to be cut up! 

I'll be back with my other layouts later in the month but in the meantime you can check out the DT gallery here.

Scrap Rat Kit October Sneaks

The October kit is a beauty and there are sooo many embellishments included! My head was full of ideas but i was really short on time this month. Hoping to get a few more layouts done over the weekend. Here's a few sneaks. The kit goes for sale on Saturday.

i also have a tutorial up on the Scrap Rat Blog, please do go and check it out. 

Scrap Rat September Kit

Scrap Rat September Kits are now on sale and it's a pretty one! i can't get over how packed this kit is. My favourites are the mistable trims & alphas from Pink Paislee, they are a lot of fun!