Bouncy Chair Layout & Stash Busting!

So with H back to school yesterday and hubby back to work after a few days holiday, it's back to normal (whatever that is?!) in this house. 

With a quiet house yesterday and a couple of hours to myself I tackled my craft area and had a good sort through my stash and a much needed tidy up. I badly need to review my craft storage as I've a tendency to "not use it if I can't see it". 

I'm not quite sure how to make "my space" work for me at the moment. I know I need to have more of my supplies within reach and better organised so I can easily see what I have. But for now, I've sorted out the "piles of stash" and discovered lots of buried pretty things!!

I love the idea of Niki's "Only Scraps Allowed" challenge where she uses just one 12 x 12 sheet and the rest is all scraps and off cuts. So I've challenged myself to use up more of my scraps and "old stuff".

So with this idea in mind, I gathered together some supplies I've had a while and rummaged through my (now sorted! bag of paper scraps. I chose some older photos too - when H was a baby in her little bouncy chair!

The only complete sheet of paper I used was the cream bazzill for the background. Everything else was off cuts of paper, stickers from half used sheets, alphas from packs with most of the letters missing. I resisted cutting into anything new and used up lots of flowers, pearls and brads I've had for ages.

Looking at these photos now, I can hardly believe they were taken nearly 9 years ago! 

Do you use up your scraps or do you prefer to use new supplies?

How do you store your stash so that your older supplies don't get forgotten - any tips and ideas?

London!!

Is it really September? Yes!!!! Can you believe it?

We have been looking forward to September for ages .... and our few days away .... just the 3 of Us!! We caught an early train on Sunday morning and arrived into a beautiful sunny London!

Dumping our bags at our hotel, which was right opposite Kensington Gardens we strolled through the park enjoying the good weather.

The gates to Kensington Palace were adorned with flowers and tributes to Diana for the 15th anniversary of her death. 

I actually felt quite emotional and choked up!

We packed in a lot during our 3 days .....

Knightsbridge and Harrods followed by dinner at TGI Fridays!

Monday morning. I loved wandering around Portobello Road and Notting Hill. Just taking in the atmosphere. Enjoying the sunshine. Relaxing.

Of course, we couldn't resist a photo outside the bookshop that featured in the film! After a late brunch we took Hannah to Oxford Street for some serious shopping!

Whilst we were away it was my hubby's birthday so it seemed only fair the choice of show should be his!! He chose well!! Wicked was fantastic!! 

Hannah enjoyed her first experience of seeing a London Show!!

Tuesday morning was another gorgeous day with blue skies. Perfect for a lazy (and late!) breakfast at The Orangery, in Kensington Palace gardens!

There was just time for a wander around Convent Garden before catching our train home!

Shall I???

Shimelle's Learn something New class starts tomorrow!!

I signed up for this last year but only did about 3 pages!!

I'm so tempted to join in again as once you've joined up you automatically get the prompts each year. 

Do I really need another pressure in my already crazy busy life?

Wouldn't it be wonderful to do something just for me?

Have I got time? Am i mad to even think about it?

If I keep it simple I could do it, couldn't I?

.... Decisions? .... Shall I? .... Are you?

Scrapbook Magazine

Hi and thanks for stopping by today!

Those of you that follow my blog may recall my excitement when this layout and these layouts were published in Scrapbook Magazine!! 

So you can imagine my squeals of delight to see my very first magazine commission in print!!

I was asked to make a layout for the Four Ways Challenge article for issue 66 of Scrapbook Magazine and this is the layout I made.

Morelli's is a very well known ice cream parlour on the promenade at Portstewart, Northern Ireland and we look forward to our visits whenever we go and stay with our relatives who live about 45 minutes drive away!

For some reason the green border doesn't look straight in the photo but I assure you it definately is!! lol!

The papers, embellishments and ice cream sticker are all American Crafts Dear Lizzy and I added some pink twine, washi tape and white Mister Huey.

I hope you have a lovely Bank Holiday weekend!!

Chasing Waves

Hi everyone, I hope you've had a lovely weekend - it's been a hot and sunny one down here on the south coast!

The new challenge went live over on the S J Crafts Blog a few days ago.

The theme this month is "Summer Time"!!

I chose to scrap some photos taken a few years ago on H's birthday when we were on the beach and she was having so much fun running in and out of the sea, chasing the waves!! I rarely use multiple photos on my layouts so using 4 made a nice change.

I used papers and stickers from Echo Park's collections - Paradise Beach and Hello Summer and Thickers letters for my title.

I used lots of foam dots to raise up some of the elements.

I'd love to see more scrapbook entries in the challenge so why not create a layout along the theme of summer time and upload it. There is a pack of mixed embellishments for one random winner!!

Birthday Girl!!

Sorry I've not been around blogland as much as usual ..... I've been busy with the 9th birthday celebrations for this young lady!!!

Photo taken on 9th birthday!!

A few days before her birthday, she invited 3 friends for a BBQ and Sleepover!! They had so much fun playing in the sunshine, painting their nails, eating BBQ food in the garden, eating birthday cake, drinking lemonade and watching DVDs with a big bag of popcorn to share!!

On her birthday we enjoyed a lovely evening out at Frankie and Bennys restaurant with family, followed by more cake!!

Good Times!!

x

Love Crate Paper!!

Crate paper has been one of my favourite manufacturers for a long time!

Their new collection Little Bo Peep is gorgeous! Many of the " a " sides of the papers and some of the stickers are clearly designed for baby girl layouts but I love that the " b " sides and many other elements are more general and can be used for a variety of different themes.

I used the Little Bo Peep papers and a few bits from my box of paper scraps to make this layout.

The journal card and "Cute as a button" sticker are also Crate Little Bo Peep and I used my new Studio Calico thickers for the title. There are more details and close up photos here!

I'm still working my way through a pile of half finished layouts so hopefully I'll have a few more completed layouts to show you soon.


I've entered this layout to Jennifer's  Scrapbooking Soiree party ... don't forget you have until the 7th of August to link up your layouts created since the 8th July!


Have you been watching the Olympics?
Our house has "olympic fever" and it was great to see Team GB win a couple of gold medals today!