Framed.........

It has been far too long since I posted! So much to do, so little time........

Anyway, below is a layout I created on the theme of Framed for the Scrapbook Sisters layout challenge. I love the background paper - old weathered wood, and it fit perfectly with the photograph I wanted to use. I cut the frame out and placed the image so it was part tucked behind the frame and then cut embellishments using Tim Holtz dies and Martha Stewart punches. I completed the page with a few gems and a title.

Here's hoping I get a bit more time to be creative for myself................

Snow Challenge...

Well, this snowy winter certainly has caused disruption this winter, we still have a lot of snow where I live and without the sunshine to melt it, it is lingering. Scrapbook Sisters set a challenge for this winter whiteout to create either a scrapbook layout or a card and incorporate the word SNOW. Below are my two entries, please visit their site to see all the other wonderful creations entered.

Longing for warmth.......

Longing for summer warmth now, this icy chill and snow is seriously losing its' appeal! As much as I love the snow and enjoy the crisp white world it creates, a bit of warmth would now be great - so today I share some warmer days in these two layouts I finished using photos from last summer.

My Sister...

Carrying on using the same papers, I also completed a layout using the words found on one of the papers. I drew around part of the letters with a pen and then added glossy accents to make them stand out more. They describe my sister to a T!

A Trip to the Zoo....

Back in November 2009, I spent the day at Colchester Zoo with some great friends. It was a day filled with laughter and a few antics, playing around on the elephant sculptures there, and seeing some amazing animals. So here are a couple of layouts documenting my visit.

Let It Snow.....

More layouts finished! Again using some of my many snow photos! These are layouts started at classes held at Scrapbook Sisters and have been sat in my UFO pile for a while now, so it was about time I started to dig these out and finish them, maybe the finished pile will start to win.....

I finally got around to finishing some layouts of my last Christmas in the Algarve, Portugal. I have missed that warm sunshine this Christmas! Christmas Day on the beach and paddling in the sea - definitely not here in Kent, that would mean a case of frostbite I'm sure. Boxing Day spent in a great villa with views over the hills and down to the sea, with a great BBQ spread.

Completed Layouts

CBH this week have a free challenge, so I have chosen to share with you a few layouts that I have finally finished! They have been sitting half done in a large stack of UFO's, but having recently been to a shop crop at Scrapbook Sisters, I had the opportunity to put the finishing touches to them. The layouts involve cutting of patterned paper, stamping and adding embellishments and doodling to finish. I hope you like the end results.

Compelled by Circles

Today I have chosen two layouts I completed a while ago of my mum and I, using a lot of cut and punched circles, and buttons as embellishments. I love these layouts, partly because of the shapes but also the colours of the papers, they worked well with the photos I had. I created these at a fortnightly class I attend at Scrapbook Sisters. They also fit the theme this week for Created by Hand of circles. I do tend to use a lot of circles in my work, there is something strangely appealing about the shape!

Books.....

I love to buy them, read them, draw in them, alter them, and make them........

For TGIF this week I have chosen to share this book I made for my sister for Christmas. It is a desktop book I learnt how to make at a class held by Karen of Scrapbook Sisters, and this is another version of it. Hope you like the end result.

Home Sweet Home

Home is one of the best places to be, especially on a day like today, cold, torrential rain, and wind!! What a horrible morning it was today, it brightened up a bit, but is still cold. I am still trying to get warm!!

For the MMM challenge this week I have chosen to share a project I completed at Scrapbook Sisters a while ago now. It is the pop up house by Karen Burniston, taught by Jane Dean. I had a fantastic day making it, and now wish I had time to make other people a little house!! Hope you like it as much as I do.

Hats...

I love hats and have several different kinds, so the theme over at TGIF was a perfect opportunity to do this layout showcasing some of my hats. The paper is the Archaic range from Basic Grey and sets the photos off well, each being partially matted with cardstock (thanks Julie for that idea!) and the metal tag letters added as a title embellishment. Sometimes I wish we lived in an era that still loved to get dressed up to go out - not just once in a blue moon, there are some great fashions out there, but nowhere to go in them on a frequent basis - why do we not get dressed up more often?

Alcohol Inks

Are a fantastic medium to use, they work on any shiny surface and come in a whole range of colours, even metallics. I love working with them, and there are some great techniques that can be done using alcohol inks. Over at CBH the challenge is to use alcohol inks in a piece of work. I made these two Skinny's with alcohol inks as the backgrounds. I then stamped a tree in Versamark on top and embossed in white. Finishing with some punched butterflies. The photos do not really do them justice as it is dark and the flash is going off, but it adds a very shimmery effect to the top one! Will try and take some photos during daylight tomorrow.

I will have some other techniques using alochol inks to share soon, as I have some work I have completed for Scrapbook Sisters as part of their design team, but need to share with them first! Keep checking back...

Colours of Autumn

Autumn is one of my favourite times of year, unfortunately we have not had many dry days in which to enjoy it and go take new photos. I made this layout for MMM, I took the photos last weekend, on a wet Saturday morning, all the rain was dripping off the plants, it was foggy and the sun was doing its best to shine through.

I spritzed the background with Tattered Angels spray, then matted the photos on black and added them to the middle of the layout. I printed leaves and swirls onto acetate in oranges & reds, drew on large leaves and cut them out. The edges were finished with shimmer red Krylon pen, then added to the layout. I hand drew words around the leaves and added the monogram to finish. Hope you like the end result.

Girls Can Never Have Enough......

SHOES!!!

Everyone I know loves to look at all those shoes for sale, some of us just can't resist and buy them too!!! I have far too many pairs of shoes according to some - but I just love shoes! All colours, buckles, heels, boots, laces, buttons, who could resist?

This is my layout on shoes for last Friday's TGIF challenge, slightly late I know, but it has been one very hectic week! Long hours and little sleep - I could sleep for England right now, and really need to go to bed once this is posted. Hope you like the layout and are having a great, productive week.

Ribbon Trim

I love the colours of this layout, they are definitely my colour pallette. I drew and cut out the trees and bird and added them on top of the square of colour, finishing the edges with chalk eye. The dots up the side were created by punching small holes with my Crop-a-dile and adding coloured paper underneath. I finished the photo off with a piece of ribbon and tied a knot part way down. It sets the black and white photo off, and nicely fits the theme for CBH of ribbon or trim, the layout was one I started at a class held by Scrapbook Sisters.

Black With White Stripes or......

White with black stripes? Actually it is neither, Zebra's actually have alternate stripes, there is no background colour.

For Wednesday Stamper the challenge to produce a piece on pattern. I created my own patterned background and created a layout using photos I took at Port Lympne animal park earlier this year. The stripes are made from a Basic Grey stamp, I then mounted the photos on black and arranged them on top and added a flower and buttons to decorate. I finished by chalking the edges and adding the wording up the left hand side.

Colours of Autumn....

This is a popular theme among many at this time of year.

I love autumn with all its fantastic colours. An early start on a crisp sunny autumn day to go for a walk around the woods, park and lake is fantastic.

I put together this layout from photos I took last autumn, and am waiting for the leaves to turn - they are starting to - so I can go take more photos. This fits the theme this week for Arty Girlz and Created by Hand. I combined autumn with dragonflies, I stull have dragonflies flying aroundmy garden, enjoying the autumn sun.

Autumn Is In The Air

There is a definite chill in the air in the mornings now, but does warm up. I got home form work today to a lovely sunny afternoon and was able to get out on the patio and enjoy the warmth still in the air.

For Arty Girlz thsi week their theme is Autumn, this is a good time to share an altered photoframe I created at a class called 'Picture Perfect' hosted by Karen of Scrapbook Sisters. I chose to use autumnal coloured papers, cutting out the background paper to fit the frame and chalking the edges. I then punched several leaves from a Woodware punch distressed them and then added to the bottom left. I used a quote from a sheet of paper and added above the image and then stamped some butterflies and dragonflies on acetate, cut out and added with glossy accents.

The full quote reads: 'If Nothing Ever Changed, There Would Be No Butterflies.'

Some Of What I Love To Do

MMM set the challenge to show what you like to do, well....

This proves a bit of a problem because I love to do so many things and love to keep changing my focus to stay fresh an interested in my work. So today I am sharing a few scrapbooking layouts, this is one of my loves, but there are many more.

This first layout is based around a photo I took of my sister sharing a hug with Hugo my lovable moggy! The brightness of the photo went well with the burgundy red papers and black background. It is quite simple but one of my all time favourite layouts. I mounted the photo, added two strips of paper to the background and added the photo on top. I then punched a range of flowers and used Quikutz dies for the titile. I then placed these on the layout and added buttons to the centre of the flowers. I finished with a bit of white doodling.

I loved this photo of Hugo looking up, it made me think that he is looking at something just outside his reach. I glittered up the pattern on the paper and the butterfly, double mounted the photo and added it to the paper. I then stamped a few butterflies and dragonflies on acetate and cut them out, adding them to the edges of the photo. The strip of blue butterflies is created by chalking through a strip of cardstock I had punched a row of butterflies out of and used it as a stencil.

This last layout was created at a class at Scrapbook Sisters. I like it because of the contrast between the bright pink and black, this is a few steps away from my own choice of colour pallette, but the blossom on the branches are set off against the background.