July Simple Scrapper Sketch Layouts

2 of the sketches this month at Simple Scrapper are based on my original layouts. What an honour! Both use 3x4 Project Life cards on traditional layouts. 

It's been really cool seeing the creative team's interpretations of them and i can't wait to see how the members use the sketches. 

i ended up using one of the sketches that was based on an original layout by my friend Jaimie. And she used one that was based on mine, which was fun! You can check hers out here, it's so awesome. 

We had a very specific colour scheme for my sisters Hen Do (hot pink, black and gold), so it was easy to pick products out for this layout. i wanted the page to have the same excited energy that my sister has in the photo which is why a lot of the embellishments are placed at angles and i think the touch of glitter adds some fun. Currently obsessed with the enamel hearts from the Illustrated Faith collection. i need them in more colours! 

The Premium Membership at Simple Scrapper provides skills and shortcuts to help you simplify and find more meaning in your memory keeping. 

June Simple Scrapper Layouts

2 8 x 11 1/2" layouts from me this month and they are both very different, but also use the same technique. The prompts this month are based on Teams so what could be more appropriate then a layout about being a part of the Simple Scrapper Creative Team?! 

i used a bunch of stamps from the Craft Story Stamp set from Ali Edwards with different coloured inks to make a little word cluster. Here's a close up.

This next layout uses a sketch from the June collection. i used the Little Moments Collection from Elles Studio which is so very cute. Then i used different word stamps from about 5 or 6 different sets and picked out ink colours which matched the collection. i have lot's of photos from this particular night out in New Orleans and i think the story will be told on another layout so i just wanted the stamps to tell the story here. 

The Premium Membership at Simple Scrapper provides skills and shortcuts to help you simplify and find more meaning in your memory keeping. 

V Festival *Crate June Sketch*

Yesetday i was discussing music festivals with a friend. i didn't go to one last year as i was busy moving in July and this year i have other adventures planned for the summer. But how i wish i could attend one! They really are the most fun. Our conversation inspired me to scrap a picture from the last music festival i attended. i designed this layout using the June Crate Paper Sketch, this one was reeeally fun to play with.

Paper, lace, buttons: Crate Paper. Mist, Alphabet chipboard: Studio Calico, Ink: JBS for Ranger, Other: date stamp.

i think this was my favourite photo from V Festival in 2009, such happy memories. This was my first time using the new chipboard letters from Studio Calico. Usually i find 'self-adhesive' chipboard letters not that adhesive (yes, i'm looking at you AC & MM!). But i was delighted to find that these are super sticky. Yay!

Happy iNSD!

What is iNSD i hear you say? {inter}National Scrapbooking Day of course! And actually yesterday was iNSD, not today, so i'm a little late. But yesterday was all full of fun-ness but no scrapbookey things for me, which a story for another blog post.

Anywho, i hope unlike me you managed to get some scrapbooking done on this wonderful day! i have been celebrating this amazing hobby today instead and getting crafty. This year marks a decade of scrapbooking for me and i am so thankful to have found it, not just for the creative outlet but also the wonderful people i've met along the way. If you'd like a giggle you can check out last year's post in which i shared a few of my very first pages!

This year Big Picture Classes teamed up with Creating Keepsakes for a Creative Crop, in which a different challenge was set every hour for 12 hours. i took part in a few including this one based on a sketch by Lisa Day.

Studio Calico Kit: Partly Sunny. Paper: American Crafts, October Afternoon, Studio Calico, Mist: Studio Calico, Alphabet Stickers: American Crafts, Stickers: October Afternoon, Flowers: Making Memories, Punch: Martha Stewart, Other: Twine, Tiny Attacher.

Around this time last year i started Flat hunting with my Bestie, She Who Must Not Be Named. It was a big decision to move in together, but one that has worked out happily. Mid way through our first day (and what turned out to be the only day) of flat hunting we stopped at a diner for lunch to talk things over. What better way to make a big decision then over pancakes and milkshake?

Some other fun things are going on in celebration of iNSD in a few of my favourite places: Studio Calico, Jenni Bowlin Studio and Elle's Studio. Be sure to check them out if you haven't already as they have challenges open until the end of the week! i'm hoping to complete a few more before the deadline, so i'll be beack during the week with more layouts to share. i hope you had fun on iNSD!

A Sassy Sketch

There's a lot more happening over at the Sassafras Blog these day including monthly challenges. i decided to play along with this month's sketch designed by Valerie Salmon because i loved it so much. i can see myself using this one again, especially as the Paper Whimsies would work so well for this design.

When i was visiting Singapore Zoo, i was most excited to see the Orangutan's. i hung around for a while waiting to get my picture taken. But it turned out i was waiting in the wrong place! Luckily, i saw them all woalking back to their enclosure (hand in hand, so sweet!) and their keepers offered to take a picture for me.

Papers: Sassafras, Cosmo Cricket, American Crafts, Studio Calico, Alpha Stickers: Sassafras, Mist: Studio Calico, Bloom: Sassafras, Brads: American Crafts, Other: Button, Tiny Attacher. 

Speaking of Sassfras, have you seen the new line Sunshine Broadcast? Love it! And they've released some new alpha's including a woodgrain print! Eeep! These alpha's are my most used and i LOVE woodgrain so i am particularly happy about this combo! Can't wait to get them!

Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day in the UK and i was fortunate enough to spend the afternoon with my very own mama. We took a picnic to the common and went to the Little Black Dress Exhibition that is currently being exhibited at the City Museum. My mum is the most caring person i know. i inherited my best qualities from her. Except for my curly hair, it's still a mystery where that came from. 

When i saw this sketch over at the Stucio Calico blog based on a layout by the fabulous Emily Pitt's, it screamed 'instax photo' at me. 

And i happened to take a picture of my mum + i this afternoon with my instax camera. i don't think i've ever scrapped a picture the same day i took it before. i used my favourite SC kit ever, Granny's Cupboard for this one, along with some sassafras stickers. i still dig into that kit all the time, i don't ever want it to be finished. It was the most 'me' a kit has ever been. And i'm still in love with that paper from Girl's Paperie (which i am sad to hear will be no more). i'm glad to finally have a page to share with you. i'm working such long shifts at the moment i feel like my life has been put on hold a little bit!

Paper: Girls Paperie, October Afternoon, Die Cuts & lace: K&Co, Alpha Stickers: Sassafras. Baker's twine. 

JBS 'Be Our Guest' Online Crop

JBS Mercantile has a new Forum (this is very exciting stuff) and this past weekend they had an online crop. Because of the time zone differences i didn't stop in for any of the chats but the DT set lots of fun challenges to play along with. A lot of them are still open until Sunday if you want to play along too! There are lots of gift cards for JBS Mercantile up for grabs! i'm hoping i might squeeze some more time for a few more challenges this weekend but i wanted to share what i've done so far. i decided as it was a JBS crop i'd try and use as much JBS product on my pages as i could. Turns out i have quite a stash of embellies but not so much of the papers and most of those i've been hoarding since 2007, eeep! Time to put them to good use me thinks.

First up was a sketch by Celeste based on one of her pages.

Paper, Crepe Ribbon, Month Card, Border Sticker, Buttons: Jenni Bowlin, Mist: Studio Calico, Twine from own stash. 

i already included a photo of cheese and wine night for my Document 2011 but it was a really fun night so i decided to scrap it again allowing myself to add more detail in the journalling, they're not the best photos, but i am ok with that. i managed to use nearly all JBS products on this one, they coordinate so well! i even handcut the title out of one of the papers. i couldn't resist adding in the mist or the twine though. i toned down the navy polka dot paper using some of the JBS paint in malted milk. Jenni has done a fabulous video on ways to use her inks here. i've decided i need those buttons in every colour, i think they are probably my favourite JBS product ever!

Betsy set a challenge to use an oval on your page or card. i think it might have been years since i used an oval on my layout! i remember when i first started scrapping and they were all the rage, i even cut my photos into ovals, scary! Anyway, i had some of these scalloped oval journalling spots from JBS so i used one of those to house part of my title. One of my sisters turned 25 last week and i still can't get over it! We grew up together so have a special bond, i think it's only one you can understand if you're fortunate enough to have had the same experience. i am so proud of the person she is. This is one of my favourite photos from when we were littlies. Circa 1986. And yes i still have my care bear, but he is rather well worn, travelled and loved so is not in quite the same condition.

Scalloped paper, journalling spot, stick pin: Jenni Bowlin, Mist: Maya Road, Tape: American Crafts, Alphabet Stickers: Sassafras and American Crafts, Twine from own stash.

This was my very last Jenni Bowlin stick pin, waaaah! i need to stock up on some more, i love them dearly! i punched some hearts out of scrap paper to use as a mask for the Maya Mist which turned out a lot better then i was anticipating (mist can be rather unpredictable at times). And i used one of Jenni's lovely die cut papers, but i had to trim the edges a bit to make it work for my 8 1/2" x 11" page. Now i can use the other half on different page :)

Warner Bros Park *Pencil Lines Sketch 200*

Sorry i haven't posted in a while, the last week or so has been crazy busy and i've been here there and every where. i just wanted to stop in  and share another layout i did using a Pencil Lines Sketch, this time it was sketch 200 and i loved it. 

Papers Sassafras Lass, Jillibean Soup, Alphabet: Basic Grey, Mist: Studio Calico, Doilie Stickers: Hambly, Flowers: Sassafras Lass.


i took these pictures when i was at the Warner Bros Movie World Theme Park on the Gold Coast of Australia. No one on my coach or in my room at the hostel were interested in going so i just went on my own. i started off on the kids rides thinking they'd be tame and i'd ease myself in, but even those were terrifying! i screamed my head off on every single ride. Haaaa! It was a really cool day though, i loved seeing all the characters because i am basically still a child at heart.

Speaking of Warner Brothers and theme parks, She Who Must Not Be Named discovered the other day that WB will be opening  up the Harry Potter Studio's for tours in the spring next year!! i am geeking out big time about this and can't wait to go! And it's only about an  hour and 45 minutes drive away. i am soooo excited!

Kite Festival *Pencil Lines Sketch 199*

i allowed myself a whole day of scrapbooking yesterday and decided to play along with a Pencil Lines Sketch. i like to save my favourite sketches from Pencil Lines and print them out so i have instant inspiration if  i need a little help with design. i love that sketches can take some of the thought process out for you but still allow plenty of room to play and put your own spin on things. This is Sketch 199, designed by Mahlin Wiggur.

Here's my take on it. i originally wanted to scale it down to 8 1/2"x11" but then i decided to add in the kite and the clouds and it wouldn't all have fit so it became  a 12x12. The kite is made out of some Sassafras banner stickers and i freehanded the stitching. It was a lot of fun to mix such bright colours, it's making me long for the summer!

Papers: Crate Paper, Echo Park, Stickers: Sassafras, Alphabets: American Crafts & Sassafras, Clouds: Buzz & Bloom, Ribbon & Buttons: MME, Mist: Studio Calico & Maya Road, Punch, Martha Stewart, Ink: Colorbox. Twine from own stash. 

Art Wall *February Crate Sketch*

It's been a while since i played along with a sketch over at the Crate Paper Blog but i couldn't resist this month's designed by Emily Pitt's, it was too fabulous. i scaled it down to 8 1/2"x11" and i also added a border, but otherwise i stuck to the sketch. i knew it was the perfect opportunity to use up some Restoration from Crate Paper and i'm obsessed with my tiny attached at the moment, so that saw some action. And a splattering of some White Mr Huey, of course.

Paper: Crate Paper, Alpha stickers: Basic Grey, Punch: Martha Stewart, Mist: Studio Calico, Buttons: own stash.

This photo was taken by my sister last month in Bournemouth. Check out her fab use of the rule of thirds in this pic, i'd like to think subconsciously some of my photography skills are rubbing off on her! My ma and i went down to celebrate her birthday and we all went out to lunch. On the way back we came across this wall, covered in tiles, each one different and individually hand crafted. It was was so inspiring. And what kind of scrapbooker would i be if i missed out on the opportunity to have a photo taken in front of it?!

What are everyone's plans for the weekend? Hope you all have a fantastic time!

My Friend Across the Pond

i loved last week's SC Sunday Sketch based on one of Stephanie Howell's layouts.

Sketches are a great starting off point for me. i love the creative process but sometimes it's fun to let go of the pressure of designing and just follow a sketch, it certainly takes me less time to put a page together!

i've had this photo sat on my desk since December (although it was taken in 2007 and yes it's not a particularly flattering one of either of us!), waiting for me to tell the story of Dianne & i's friendship. Then as i was sorting through supplies i came across the Jet Set paper from the SC Documentary line & knew it would be perfect for this page. 

We met on the first day of my round the world trip, in Tokyo. i'd already been out on my own to visit a temple and met a (hot) Aussie guy, who had been very friendly to me. The chap had told me where he was staying and said if i wanted to get something to eat later then to ask for him. However, one of the last things my mum had said to me at the airport before i left was DON'T TRUST ANYONE (i think by this she meant men), and this was still ringing in my ears. So i decided not to go, and headed back to my hostel. Then i sorely regretted not going to meet him because i didn't have anyone to eat dinner with and frankly Japanese blew my mind at that time, i didn't know what any of it was! It was very quiet back at the hostel but Dianne was in my dorm and i got chatting to her so we went out for dinner and that was that. i couldn't have struck it any luckier because Dianne's grandparents live in Tokyo and she can speak Japanese, so she was somewhat of a tour guide for the next few days. i'm sure that i would not have had such a fantastic time there if it wasn't for her, the underground system is terribly confusing, she took me to some pretty cool places i would never have found on my own and steered me away from the oddest foods. So for that i will be eternally grateful for. Not only that, but Dianne has become a wonderful friend. It turned out we had lots in common, we both love photography and have similar taste in books, she is always recommending things to me (i usually have to wait a few months for them to be released here though!) and i in turn tell her about the latest British indie music she needs to check out. She visited me back in 2008, coming in August hoping to catch the British summer, but typically it rained the entire 3 weeks!  Unfortunately i haven't had the pennies to go and visit her in Washington yet, but it's on my 'to-do' list, i would be there tomorrow if i could! We keep in touch over e-mail, facebook and skype (but not as often as we'd like) and we instantly fall back into our friendship, i really feel that i can tell her anything & she always gives me wonderful advice. Plus she sends me the most amazing happy mail, full of scrapbooking stash and  Reeces pieces! My heart is full of love for this girl! It's about time she was scrapbooked. 

In other news i went to see The King's Speech last week. i go to the cinema a fair bit, but rarely mention it here. i urge you to go see this movie! It is hugely entertaining, sad and funny. Colin Firth's performance is outstanding and he deserves all the awards he's been nominated for! i LOVE awards season!

My camera broke (insert big sad face)! It needs a new circuit and will cost about £150 to fix!! i think it will be cheaper to try and get a second hand body instead, so i'm keeping my eye out. i'm feeling very lost without it! Luckily, my flatmate has a camera that she never uses so i'm borrowing that for now. Don't think i'm going to have many pictures for my Document 2011 project for January though!

Also, i am very confused about all this Zodiac nonsense, apparently i'm an Ophiuchus now, what?!? i have a phobia of snakes, so this can't be true!

SC Sunday Sketch

Just stopping in to share a page i made using this week's sketch from Studio Calico.

It's been a while since i used a sketch and i'd forgotten what a great jumping off point they are. i had so many ideas for this one but i knew that paper from Basic Grey would go perfectly with these pictures. And i'm in love with that graph stamp.

Mi-Pod & a Pencil Lines Sketch

Adam has been one of my dearest friends for over 5 years now and as long as i have know him there has been one constant passion in his life: Music. i will often get a phone call or text telling me about the latest act that he has discovered and he will implore me to listen to them. He loves the divas of the world, the Beyonce's and the Gaga's, but he has a broad taste that includes most chart music. He always knows about the latest and greatest and if you want to be in the know too then he has started his own blog.

Here's a page i did this past weekend about our friendship, in fact i finished the sewing while i was on the phone to him yesterday. It's based on Pencil Lines sketch 103. Pencil Lines just celebrated their 4th birthday last week! i've been following the blog since the start and they've gone from strength to strength and you can never fail to find inspiration there each week. As part of the birthday celebrations each DT member picked a sketch from the past and i decided to play along with 103. Be sure to check out the blog! i used bits from the October Studio Calico kits and threw in some October Afternoon stickers. 

i had a very busy week last week seeing Marina & the Diamonds (she was fab!) Darwin Deez (who did some amazing dance skits, i think this was my favourite gig of the year! It was magical.) and the Social Network (seriously worth a watch). i also took a little day trip up to London on Saturday to hang out with family in Portobello Market. i'm planning on taking things a little easier this week and making decorations for our Halloween Party next weekend.  

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!

Crate Sketch

Crate Paper have just started doing a weekly feature using a sketch. And you know this girl loves sketches! Here is this week's, designed by Emily Pitts.


And here's the layout i designed using the sketch. The background paper and the grey patterned paper are from Crate paper, the other paper and stickers are from Sassafrass Lass.


To make these wool embellishments, i plaited some wool and then glued it to some card, sticking it down in a spiral motion. Does that make sense? i think they are something i will be adding to my projects more often.


The page is about the first time i went horse riding, in the Australian outback. The trainers purposefully picked a well behaved horse for me because i was a first timer. Her name was buttons, rather appropriate for me, i thought!

Scrapbook Share on Sunday

Hello lovelies,

Did you see me featured over at Laura's Blog? She said some really sweet things about the lift i did of her's as part of Shimelle's blog party the other week. It made my day!

i only have one little scrapbook share today. i'm working on a few secret projects at the moment that i can't share, and i feel a total tease saying that but hopefully i'll be able to show you in the coming months.

i made this using the Sunday Sketch over at SC, which is based on a layout by Waleska, an amazing scrapbooker, i loooove her style!


October Afternoon papers, Jenni Bowlin journalling circle & alphabet from Making Memories.

i love those October Afternoon papers but it's not often you find use for tartan/plaid/whatever you want to call it! It amused me so when i discovered a lumberjack chair in my hotel room when i was staying in Toronto last year. Only in Canada....

It's a Bank Holiday tomorrow in the UK & i have some fun stuff planned, provided the weather turns out nice! What are you up to?

Scrapbook Shares on Sunday and Blogiversary Giveaway winner!

First to announce the giveaway winner of my Blogiversary.i used the random number generator to decide the winner and it picked:



Congrat's Adrienne. Send your address to alexa_gill@yahoo.co.uk & i'll get the package out to you. Thanks to all those who entered & i'm sorry if you didn't win this time, but i'll have more giveaways in the future & there's still time to enter for the mini book kit below.

Now on to my scrapbook shares. They are all made largely with the April Studio Calico Kit. i will not lie, i was not crazy about this kit (and i am usually in love with their kits). But so far i have made 6 layouts with it, one i already shared earlier in the week. i think i'll get another 1 or 2 out of it and then the left over bits will go into the rest of my stash. i think it's been good to challenge myself to work with products that are out of my comfort zone but sketches have definitely helped me along the way!

This first one is based on a sketch by Rachel for the sketch challenge over at Sarah's Cards Ltd. i flipped it and moved a few of the elements around.


Sorry about the blob on the photo, looks like i need to clean my lens :/
Next up is a layout i took from sketch #11 of Kelly Purkey's Sketchbook class.



And lastly just a layout i did all by self without any help from sketches :) Makes me want to go back to Thailand so badly.


i've got a busy week ahead but i'll still be back to share the rest of those SC layouts and a few other things. Have a great week!