Greedy giraffes

So, this post has been sitting in my blog "draft" folder for ages so I thought I'd better get on and finish the post!

I made this layout a few months ago and it's another one from our weekend away to Centerparcs last year where we spent one of our days in Longleat Safari Park which is right next door to the holiday park.

For a lot of the Safari Park you have to stay in your car as you drive round in amongst the wild animals but some sections you can get out and walk about, like this area by the giraffes.

Longleat sell bunches of lettuce leaves which you can then feed to the giraffes from a raised up platform - the only way to be at the right height to the giraffes mouths!!

The papers, washi tape, buttons and stickers are all from My Minds Eye Cut & Paste collection and  I added in the "Today Was" Sticker, enamel dots and the green Thickers.

One particular giraffe was very hungry and cheekily followed my hubby and daughter as they moved along the platform waiting for another lettuce leaf to be held out to munch on!

Have you ever been up close to a wild animal to hand feed it?!

Lovin' the Outdoors

I think you all know by now just how much I love Shimelle's Starting Points.

One day I will finish my layout in time to upload it to Shimelle's link list.

This layout is based on this  starting point.

The photo was taken earlier this year on our trip to Northern Ireland. On our way up to Portrush and Castlerock beach we stopped at a little picnic spot to enjoy the views and of course I had to get the camera out! I love how relaxed and happy Hannah looks in this photo as she enjoys the fresh air and sunshine!

I've used a real mix of supplies including some Echo Park This and That, MME label stickers, washi tape, brads and I have punched the pale pink ledger paper with my Notebook E K Success punch. The date is stamped with my Dear Lizzy roller date stamp.

Right, I just have time to go and tidy my craft desk before I need to make a start on the dinner! Thanks for stopping by and for all your lovely comments, I love reading them!

Turning Four!

I started this layout ages ago as part of Shimelle's on line crop weekend. I think the challenge was to scrap using grey and yellow, which would not be a natural colour combination choice for me but once I had added a splash of pink and brown I quite liked it.

Inspired by Jennifer who often scatters gems and pearls across her layouts I gave it a try with some little pink and yellow ones for this page.

As you can see it's dated 2007 .... I'm pleased  another photo from the pile of "Older photos of H To be Scrapped" is in my album and the memory recorded!

I've been lucky enough to be able to get along to a crop today and last weekend (2 different ones!) so have been quite productive with my scrapping. Just need to get them photographed now!

i hope you are having a lovely weekend!

Biddys Layout!

I hope you have all had a wonderful long bank holiday weekend!

My daughter was in a show with her dance school on Sunday so our weekend was busy with last minute costume preparations, rehearsals on Saturday and then the actual show on Sunday afternoon but I did manage to squeeze in a little crafting.

I seem to have a pile of "half done" layouts which all just needed finishing off so over the weekend I settled down and got a couple of them finished. 

Last year, whilst in Northern Ireland visiting family, my hubby and I got a rare couple of days away on our own in Donegal whilst H enjoyed some quality time with Grandparents! On the way to Donegal we stopped at the famous Irish Pub, Biddys O' Barnes, nestled at the foot of the Blue Stack mountains. I adore old traditional pubs like "Biddys", with it's original flagstones still on the floor and roaring open fires!!

I used mainly Echo Park's Note to Self papers, alphas and stickers. The brown woodgrain paper is from MME's Miss Caroline collection and I added some brown tiny letter stickers and used my EK Success punch to create the notebook border edge. All the papers are inked with brushed corduroy distress ink.

A fairly simple page but right now I'm all about getting the photos into my albums and the memories written down! 

Note to me: Add the date to this layout!!

I'll be back soon to show you the other layout I got finished!

Thanks for stopping by!

Shimelle's On Line Crop

Oh dear, long time since I last blogged.

I won't bore you with reasons why!

Let's just say life got in the way of my scrapping and blogging time!

Anyway, last weekend the lovely Shimelle hosted an on line crop. I was determined to find an hour or two to scrap. I decided to have a go at the first challenge which was to create a layout inspired by this beautiful page by Jaime Warren. Details of the challenge are here!

I loved the placement of the photo and the papers at the top and bottom and the clusters going off the edges .... so I took those elements and came up with this page:

I am making an effort to scrap some more of H's baby photos - this one is from 2004!

I used up some old Crate Mia paper for my background, MME Miss Caroline Fiddlesticks 6" x 6" paper, Echo park chipboard and some scraps of Crate Random paper and various stickers from my stash!

The scattered embellishments across the page is a new idea for me, but I do like the finished look!

Here's hoping I manage at least another one or two of Shimelle's challenges!!

WOYWW # 142 .... & A Finished Layout!!!

Hello from a rainy and rather chilly Dorset! Perfect weather for staying indoors and scrapbooking!

I have had a few days break from my little blog. There's no particular reason for the lack of posts apart from it was half term last week and I was enjoying spending time with H. She is such great company and growing up so fast, I wanted to make the most of our time together.

Anyway she is back at school this week so I'm back at my craft table again. It's good to be back!

So for those of you who are here for a nosy at my craft space - this is how it was looking earlier this morning!!

This week I've taken the photo from the other side of my desk so that you get a glimpse of the units and shelves behind me where I store my stash! To the right hand side of the photo is a pile of letter and alpha stickers. I had to have a good rummage through them to find enough letters to make a title. There are so many sheets with just a few letters left. My fabulous Martha Stewart butterfly punch is there again. Will I ever tire of it?

I've actually managed to finish a layout today!! Woo hoo!! I started off following a sketch by Jules Dix which was in Scrapbook Magazine, issue 61. My finished page looks quite different though.


The photo is H and my niece L (the two of them often get referred to as "the girls") on a walk in the forest just over a year ago. My journalling is about their lovely relationship and how they are very close and enjoy each others company sharing lots of fun, giggles and happy times.

My supplies included: MME Miss Caroline papers and stickers, a Ranger tag, MME Kraft Funday twine and Prima pearls.

Right,I must get on over to Julia's blog to see what all the other WOYWW participants have been up to this week!
Thanks for stopping by!!

The one I forgot to share ....

I hope you are having a fantastic weekend and have managed some crafting time!!

I have been having a little tidy up of my craft area. It really does need a serious sort out and reorganisation but today I only had time for a quick tidy. I came across a few layouts that need putting away in my albums and realised I hadn't shared this one with you.

I used the S J Crafts January kit and added some alphas from my stash for my title. The papers are My Minds Eye  Kraft Fun Day and as usual, all the edges are inked with Distress ink (Brushed Corduroy). The photos are from a few years ago, taken on holiday at a Haven Holiday Park where H loved the amusement park rides.

If you haven't already been over to the Shop Blog, why not pop over and join in the new monthly challenge - the first theme is "Happy" and there is some fab inspiration from the DT!! If you join in you could win yourself a £10 voucher to spend in the S J Crafts shop!!

Right, I'm off to settle down for Saturday night TV (Take Me Out!!) and a lasagne for tea!!

WOYWW 135

It's the first Wednesday of 2012 and as I haven't done a WOYWW for a while I thought it would be fun take part this week and show you what's on my craft table today!

This morning was "Back to School" and thankfully H couldn't wait to get there and see all her friends, so with the school run done in super quick time I was back home to take down the Christmas Tree and pack it away to be stored in the loft for another 340 or so days. Job Done. Time for a cuppa and then it was down to some scrapbooking.

It was nice to take a break from my Christmas journal which I'm doing in a didddy 6" x 6", and scrap 12" x 12" with some of my new My Minds Eye Fundays. I love, love, love this new collection and I think the border strips and chipboard pieces will get used loads as they are just gorgeous!!

Nothing is actually stuck down at the point this photo was taken so the finished layout could end up very different. Do you stick down as you go along or are you more of a "place everything first and only start sticking once you've decided where all the elements will go" ??

Right I'm off for a nosey around some more desks/tables/floors .... if you want to look too hop on over to Julia's blog for the list of peeps taking part!

Christmas is coming!

Every year, about now, once the new school term is in full swing and the darker evenings are here my thoughts begin to turn to Christmas. I don't mean I rush out and shop for gifts and wrap (oh no, I tend to leave that until at least the end of November!) but I do like to really get "stuck into" my christmas cards. Most years I'm still making cards 2 days before the 25th even though I start early.

I have already made a couple a few weeks ago but today I realised I really do need to start making cards in serious numbers if I'm to have any chance of having enough cards made in time this year.

So today I made these two:

The patterned paper is MME It's the season paper and the stamps are from the Oh Christmas Tree clear stamps set.

For the first card I heat embossed the image with silver silver sparkle embossing powder, then mounted it onto some red cardstock. I made the background with more of the red and a piece of the MME Paper, knotting green ribbon around it before mounting it to the square card blank. I used mounting foam tape to raise the stamped image up a little and finished off with some little gem stones. Quick and easy!!

I used promarkers to colour the stamped images for this one, then cut them out, and put glossy accents on them which when dry made them look lovely and shiny. The little trees are then mounted on a piece of kraft and red cardstock and then using foam tape to stick them to the background which is made from a square of the patterned paper and more Kraft. I then popped a green candi in each corner to finish. Again very quick and easy (apart from the glossy accents drying time!!)

Have you started Christmas cards yet?

15% off at my shop!!

I try to ensure this blog doesn't just become full of shop news but I just had to tell you about the special offer happening over in my shop to celebrate the new design team!

Enter code TEAM5 in the discount code box to get 15% off your order!!

This offer will close at 11pm tonight (23 September) so be quick! Sorry, UK delivery only.

P & P is still free when you spend £15 or more and with goodies like Crate's Random Collection and SummersEnd from Fancy Pants Design hopefully you'll find something you like!

Stop Press ... MME 12 days of Christmas Collection and Lost & Found Paper Pads has just been delivered so I will try to get these uploaded today so that they can be included in the 15% discount offer!

Enjoy Your Day!!

* I made cards this morning! *

What's a girl to do on a rainy, dull morning??

Shopping? (Maybe!).... Housework? (NOOooooo not if i can help it!) .... Craft? .... Yeahhhh, of course!!

So, this morning I have been making cards with one of the gorgeous MME LimeTwist 6" X 6" Paper Pads

This first one is very simple. Background paper is from the Lime Twist Life of the party pad and some kraft cardstock (I use kraft loads and I'm almost completely out of it so must remember to get some more!). I have inked the kraft with distress ink. The cute butterflys are punched with my Martha Stewart Punch and attached with a spot of Glossy Accents so that their wings are left free and a stamped greeting, Craftwork Cards candi and gems to finish.

The second card is pink bazzill for the background, to which I've mounted a piece of green spotty paper to the top half and flower paper to the lower half (both from the Lime Twist Life of the party pad ) with all the corners rounded and the edges inked with distress ink. I cut a strip of brown Lime Twist paper and punched the edge with my Fiskars border punch and added it across the join. I tied a piece of grosgrain ribbon before attaching the whole piece to a white scalloped card blank and embellishing with a chipboard flower and finishing with craftwork cards candi and a greeting attached with 3d foam tape.

I haven't made cards in ages but I really enjoyed making these two. I really should make cards more often but when I sit down to craft I tend to always reach for my photos and scrapbook!!

Right, I'm off to watch "The Apprentice" on TV .... have a great evening!