Valentine

Just a flying visit!

I made this card at the weekend, I think I have at last succeeded on a masculine card! hoorah! What is ironic is that I used a little girl line to do so! BG Olivia to be precise.



I never have the right sentiment stamp, so I printed this on my pc with the help of my silhouette studio software, I think I will be doing this more often!

Dress to Impress

I've done a lot of scrapping this week, but today was a nice treat, I sat and designed without a sketch I had to follow, or supplies I had to use or a brief to fill. That was lovely and added to the fact that I rarely scrap at weekends this morning has been a real treat.

A lovely lie in, a leisurely cup of tea and then a couple of hours pottering around my crafty space! I used pretty much all BG Olivia on this page (just the lettering that isn't) this has not photographed well, its one of those that looks so much better irl, I just can't get the colouring right in the pic.

Jess goes to performing arts class on a Thursday night, its probably my fault for making sure she looked nice on that first class, now it calls for ever more funkier outfits, I mean honestly, shades in the dark, I told her it looked naff but she wasn't having it (they are my shades too! and my scarf for that matter!)

I couldn't go without including this pic of some of my hexagons all ironed (I could live my life all over and never iron another one!) and ready to be sewed into the blanket. I think they look very sweet!

You're supposed to block your hexagons by pinning them out slightly damp, steaming over with the iron and waiting for them to be dry but life is really too short for that sort of shit, I mean really who has the time or inclination!

Hope you all have wonderful weekends - I am off to make lunch for the brood and then I think maybe a spot of card making.

Polka Dot Obsession

This is a bit of a bits and bobs post.

Every crafter likes Polka Dots right? Its always one of my favourite styles of patterned paper, that and grids. I decided to get a few more polka dot tools to add to my collection last week. A quick browse through ebay and I decided on these two embossing folders and a polka stamp. They are all FABULOUS, i've used the embossing folders on two layouts already and they really add something, I also love that you can use the pattern upside down for a reverse polka. The stamp is so huge I have had to cut it down to fit on my acrylic block. I could really get into embossing folders, its something that has never appealed to me before but I love these polka ones and I have already ordered a woodgrain one that looks so cute.

My replacement craft robo blade arrived at the weekend, my god that thing is sharp and I am having to redo all my settings - I am sure my original blade was never this sharp, even on the smallest depth cap and cut setting it is slicing right through my cutting mat, its lucky that I make my own mats from document wallets and card or that would be an expensive learning curve! I tried it out by cutting this cute heart background/mask, cuts like butter (mat as well *sigh*)

Yesterday I had a mega crafting session, only stopping for a spot of lunch and managed to finish a lo for Twisted Sketches and also do my two layouts for The Scrapbook Magazine (yes I know I am a slow scrapper and it took all day - but I enjoy the process) Sneek 1: (see that reverse polka!!? I'm gonna admit that was an accident, I put the paper in the wrong way, but a happy accident!)

TSM sent me Kaisercraft Bubblegum Hill collection to create with (not released til March) What a lovely collection, I'd never had paid for it, but I really enjoyed playing with it, its really so versatile and I managed to make two layouts that are totally different in style - you'd never guess I used the same set of papers! Sneek 2:

I'm a Twisted Sister

Yay, I have a spot on the design team of Twisted Sketches for the next term of 6 months.

I'm very excited to be designing for this fantastic website as everyone who scraps knows they really do have some of the best sketches around!



This was my 'try out' layout that I designed for the call, the twist was MAP.

Beanie Hat

Last night I had the sudden desire to crochet a hat, I love beanie style hats and wear one all the time in winter, the style suits me best and I thought I would have a go at making one myself, I thought it couldn't be too hard and so I watched a Youtube Tutorial for a basic striped beanie hat and thought yup! I can do that!

And so today I woke with that hat on my mind and got to it as soon as I could. Well it took me from 9am to 3pm to do, but that was with 1 hr of trying to work out the pattern (I had to keep doing the first 3 rounds until I got it right , I was missing stitches for some reason) and also another 1.5hrs was wasted when I realised I had changed the pattern half way through by weaving in the wrong part of the stitch, so that had to be frogged all the way back too! Frustrating

But here is the finishd article, it was too small for me, depspite being labelled an adult size and is only just a fit on Jessica, she loves it though.

The little edging I did myself using the same shell edging that I did on the Granny Stripe Blanket, I thought it would feminise the hat a bit!

I think now I have the pattern sussed it would take me about 3hrs to make one, and next time I will make it bigger, make it softer and keep it for myself!

Total cost - less than a quid! - maybe about 65p

On a roll

I've been trying to emulate a card style that I really like, that some do so well (I'm thinking, Wendy Mckee , Leah Killian and this lady who's name I don't know )

Quite pleased with how these turned out, the papers (MME- Fine and Dandy) really lend themselves to this sort of project!



I just cut out lots of shapes on my craft robo and pieced them together! My craft Robo blade has however just given up the ghost - its my fault I think I chipped it whilst being a little rough with cleaning it. I've had this blade nearly 2 years so I can't complain!

This second card is waiting on a sentiment stamp that I bought from ebay last night.

When I get my new blade I will deffo be making more in this sort of style.

Reserving Mojo

I have a busy time coming up Scrapping wise, I have a commission from The Scrapbook Magazine to do, but I am waiting on them sending me supplies (free stash - yay!) and something else in the pipeline too, so to that end I decided not to scrap today, reserving my mojo might seem strange to some but I find that I can only be on a roll for so long before I hit a slump - and I think that slump might not be too far away!



But I needed a little crafty fix so I decided to make Jasons birthday card, ummm EPIC FAIL as my darling son would say, this is about as unmasculine as you get! I don't know what it is about cards, but I just CANNOT do them!

Good news on the wool front, it seems my order has been dispatched, can't wait to get it as I have come to a grinding halt and need my dark pink wool.

I just also wanted to say a big thanks to everyone who leaves comments on my posts, I really appreciate each and every one! Thanks guys.

A Dogs Dinner

Good Afternoon, I thought today I would show you my process when making a LO with Paints and or mists.



I started off by just brushing some white paint in broad strokes accross the page. Then I masked off a frame shape and misted with Cosmic Shimmer Mist in Lava Red. Now at this point it looks bloody awful doesn't it? A right dogs dinner! Thats the thing with paints and mists, it looks dreadful until you start to add stuff, so don't get put off and think you can't do it! You can!



I then stitched in the frame with some white wool and added a little bit of PP and my photo and border, just 3 new elements but you can see its starting to look a bit better!





Add some more snippets of paper and an embelishment or two, make a start on your title placement.




Finish off your title, add some journaling and another embellishment or two and what started off as something fit for the bin is now fit for your album! With paints and mists you really just have to take the plunge and have a go!

In crochet news, my pretty pink and green MEGA HEX blanket might have to be a baby blanket, I seem to have a knack of liking products that get discontinued, and low and behold they have only gone and done that to my dark pink wool! I am not amused. I have an order pending at the moment and I hope they can fulfil it, but I have already had an order cancelled from another place. Please Wool shop, please have my wool in stock.

When Jessica Turned 10

Has this photo for ages, well since June! I don't like scrapping birthday pics in a traditional way for some reason, so apart from the title I just scrapped it bright and happy!



Also I used the wood vinyl I mentioned yesterday for the title - looks cool huh?

There is hidden journaling that tells what Jessica liked and what she was like in her 10th year (so far)

This layout is made with American Crafts and MME products, which I have shed loads of at the mo!

Now I must dash, I am Hank Marvin and need my lunch!

Wood Effect Vinyl

Just a quickie to tell you about a bargain I found today. In my local What! (its a cheapo, everything under the sun kinda shop) I found rolls of wood effect vinyl - 99p for 45cmx150cm.

It cuts fabulously on a die cutter - I cut mine on the Silhouette/Craft Robo on their vinyl setting with perfect results but it would cut lovely on a manual too. I'm thinking wood lettering, and journaling spots, birds etc!

I also got some cork on a roll for £2.47 and that will cut nicely on a manual like a big shot (I have one of those - yippee!)

So if you have a what (or possibly I think they stock the same sort of thing as Wilkinsons) get on down there and check it out!

Beauty and the Beast

Here is a layout made almost entirely with Sassafras products. I will admit that I applied to their design team call - I know I haven't a snowflakes chance in hell, but its about having a go I think, and I promised myself that I would push myself a bit more this year with scrapping and stop thinking that people will laugh at my stuff!





So I was quite proud just to hit the send button on the email! And that is that done and I can at least say I tried.



Also it is worth noting that against all my better judgement I am absolutely in love with the Take That song, The Flood

Her Best Gift

Good Afternoon

Not feeling particularily inspired this wet and soggy morning (it was when I got up!) but I forced myself not to retreat into my crochet and get some scrapping done. I am absolutely OVERWHELMED with new stash at the moment, I bought so many of those album kits from TK Maxx when they were on offer and got a fair bit for christmas too that I don't know where to start when I sit down. My Scrapagogo kit is due soon too and I am thinking I might leave it upopened for a bit to avoid confusing myself further.



I dug out the BG Olivia collection pack I got from my brother and used some of that, as I've said before BG is not my thing, but Olvia is lovely and it was easy in the end to knock up this layout of Jessica with her beloved Lotso bear.

Jess asked for Lotso for christmas and it was quite hard to find in stock or for a reasonable price. She asked me everyday for about 6 weeks for that bloody bear, worth it though as she absolutely ADORES it. She wanted to buy some clothes for it but Lotso is too fat for The Bear Factory clothes, so we went to Primark to get him kitted out (he takes 6-9months). Can you see us now, the two of us in the baby department trying the clothes on a bright pink teddy bear? I swear the security camera kept zooming in on us! Primark clothes are a lot cheaper though than The Bear Factory, so theres a handy tip for you!

Not one of my more successful scrapping sessions

In line with my resolutions, I resolved to Scrapbook today as yesterdays free time was entirely taken up with crocheting (whilst watching the Forsyte Saga on catchup)


I maybe shouldn't have bothered, I was going great guns, using a sketch of mine that was in TSM recently and just sort of throwing it together with gay abandon when I managed to put my arm in Perfect Pearls and drag it all around the white background. Luckily I managed to wipe it off, but the card was soggy, distorted and a little greyish in hue in places - pah! Whilst holding it up and wondering if it would look ok, the glossy accents I had applied to the star was merrily dripping off and sliding down the page - happy days!





Still it is okish (especially with a wee bit of computer jiggery pokery) and at least the aim - to produce a LO today was acheived, no matter how much swearing it was accompanied by!

Granny Stripe? Done!

Well here it is and in just under a month too! its 53 coloured stripes with white and blue edging! You can wrap it round you like a coat and I defy you to not want to sing Joesph and his amazing technicolour dreamcoat!



Woohoo







Very sweet little edging that I copied as usual from the Attic 24 blog, v easy and quite quick to work up! I also did one round of white granny clusters before the blue shell edging, I think it looks quite sweet.





Elegantly Draped on our 2 seater!


And of course when I finished that I had the urge to start something new, something ordered and repeative and in lovely co ordinated colours, and so the start of the MEGA HEX PATCHWORK BLANKET was born



In shaded of pink and white (this will go on our bed as our room is white, sage green and pale pink. This is made with proper gorgeous, soft and expensive wool!



They are very quick to knock up, I have already done 30 and I estimate I will need at least 150 maybe a lot more!

Yahoo

This time management thing is working quite well it seems, today I have semi tidied our bedroom (it needs a lot of work) and made a layout and done the usual houseworky day to day things already.

I now plan on preparing tea - I'm thinking of Stromboli as we had it ages ago and I keep getting asked to make it again, and then 30 mins reading and then 2 rows on the granny stripe before I will allow myself to hexagon for the rest of the day. Sounds rather nice I think and I have not spent too long sitting on my bottom, so far so good!

Just a nice simple graphic style LO today, I used a sketch from The Scrapbook Magazine and like the sketch I decided to do an 8.5x11.5 for a change. The colour is more orangey in real life, this weather makes it impossible to get a decent colour match!

I must get round to taking more pictures really. I want to take one of Joe and his new room, a couple of months ago we got him a high sleeper to give him more room in his box style bedroom and that worked really well. Last week we got a new tv in the sales, this was the BEST thing as although our old one was less than 2 years old, it hums loudly ALL the time and also it would throw a fit if you dared to use the remote and turn itself off frequently. Joe now has the old 37inch tv mounted on his wall and has bought himself (with a little help from moi) a gaming chair, he has the COOLEST boys bedroom for miles I am sure!

Resolutions

I don't normally 'do' resolutions, you just set yourself up for failure as far as I can see, but after several years of ignoring this tradition I find that this year I have several things that I want to change, so here is a little list to get it down on 'paper' as it were.

1. Read More

Last year I only read about 4 books all year. I am an avid reader, a book normally lasts an average of 4-5 days, so you can see how last year was different. I miss reading a lot so I have downloaded the Kindle app to my iphone and downloaded a couple of cheap books to it and so far so good, its good for the soul I think. Books I have read this year so far are: The Room (although that was read in one day during the christmas break), The Lost Daughter and The Basment what is spooky is that they all feature the theme of kidnapping.

2. Drink Less

I'm not worried about my drinking habits, I don't drink everyday but I do drink and it is a part of my life. So I am going to try one soft drink before an alcoholic one when I am out. I've been suffering from anxiety the last few months and its starting to make me feel introverted and out of control when I am in social situations, I don't think the alcohol helps. I want to be more considered in what I say and how I conduct myself in social occasions and so I am going to moderate my drinking a little to help with that. I've had a tough time of it recently and I sometimes feel like I want to crawl into a cupboard and never come out, this is something I want to stop feeling, its not like me and I don't like it!

3. Do more, sit less

I'm lucky to be a stay at home mum and not to have to work at the moment. I can be lazy at times, so I am trying to get more done (not necessarily housework!!) But I don't want to lose hours to the internet when what I really want to do is scrap or create something. Today was the kids first day back to school and I had housework done and ironing done by 9.30am and so the rest of the school day was mine, I scrapped, I read a little and I crocheted a bit, I did have to make myself do these things though or again I would have spent ages surfing the internet. This afternoon I have hoovered upstairs, prepared tea and done the kids lunches. Tonight I serve tea and crochet. Thats enough for a start I think!

4. Be Nicer to the people that matter

By that I mean Jason and the kids, be more generous with the time I give them etc, they are not the enemy. With the anxiety issues I have had I have realised even more how important family are and I don't know what I would do without them really. There will be more "be nice to Jason" days (thats what he calls them!) Not that I am horrid you understand, but both our sense of humour means that we often call each other names as part of our normal address to each other, and we take the mickey as a standard. Maybe that should change just a little!

5. If you don't have anthing nice to say.....

That says it all really, bitch less, smile sweetly and try not to gossip, I don't seem to be able to get away with it like most people can and I always get found out! Its not a nice feeling and its not really who I am.

Anyway there it is, Hopefully in time I will feel better and less like climbing into that cupboard!

Oh and I have been scrapping today - but its for a DT call so I will post it another time! Blankets are coming on nicely too!