Thanks to Shimelle...

Hey there...

Using only ONE Studio Calico (add-on) kit and a few extra pieces, I made SIX LAYOUTS plus a mini-album. SIX!!!

Here's the story behind it:

For the past few weeks it's been percolating in my brain that I want to USE more of my stash (not just have it sitting on a shelf). I have approximately 1000 photos sitting in packets and boxes ready to be scrapped. Just sitting there. (what a waste!)

A little while ago, Shimelle posted a 'mini-class' called Creative Scrap Diving. It was all based around the idea, that you pull out some product; embellishments, patterned paper, cardstock, letter stickers or thickers etc....and then you scrapbook. With nothing but what you've chosen.  You will (Shimelle suggests) scrap faster, with less stress and get more important memories and moments captured on paper, than you might otherwise. Plus you'll use up your stash (which is why we buy it right?!)


Rather than hand-pick the elements, I decided to use a randomly selected Studio Calico kit from my shelf (they're still in their adorable brown bags, so it was like Lucky Dip!). The kit I chose was "Debate Team" from September 2011.

This kit is probably my LEAST favourite of all the ones I bought LOL and some of the colours in it are ones I really struggle with.  But I wanted to push myself.

For all of these layouts, I only used what was in the kit, plus about 6 pieces of coloured cardstock (All American Crafts), a date stamp, a pen for journalling, adhesive. (I'll specify anything else used below each photo)

Given that I've already talked your ear off, I'll just show you the photos now :)

I'll start with my favourite :)

 

Additions: paper punch to make the confetti and some Mr Huey's white mist.

I love love LOVE how the mist looks!! 

Additions: The Lawn Fawn Polaroid Stamp and Hero Arts Basic Lowercase Letters for the 'titles' on each photo.

I got the title for this after seeing those hysterical Pinterest photos of Ryan Gosling. Additional items: Teeny heart punch by EK success.

My goodness I hate my handwriting! lol

Just a little closeup so you can see how cool and textured the Amy Tangerine Chevron fabric paper is :)

I nearly didn't make this next layout. I was almost completely out of cardstock, thickers etc. But I pulled an extra piece of yellow cardstock out and put this together:

and finally,

Addition's: EK Success Punch.  I actually made this layout first, then used the little confetti that I punched out of the strip at the top of this layout, on the Walk in the Clouds layout.

That's all of them!

I'll share the mini album tomorrow, because I have to figure out a good way to photograph it!

I'm so glad to have scrapped some of these photos--they're my favourites from our trip to Japan in 2008.

Thanks so much for looking!

I'll be back soon

*hugs*

Linda xx

December Daily Day 2

Hi everyone!

Sorry for the delay in posting, I'm a day behind because I'm working on Journal Your Christmas too (so I kinda need to wait an extra day for the prompts to come through!) Plus I had some issues with a page I made, which resultied in the big RIIIIIIIP!!

Anyhoo, without further ado, here is my December 2 spreads.

For the first 2 page spread, I used a photo of (one of) our boxes of baubles and added two Ali Edwards overlays. The first was the daily 'calendar' type one (the outside frame with the 2 down the bottom) and the second was the phrase.

I'm SO excited how this turned out. i think it looks just like a catalog. I'm really tempted to make it my christmas card.

On teh right hand side I added a small insert type (2 photos back to back). here is teh first photo: 

This is also a photo with a couple of Ali Edwards overlays on it.

This is the second spread:

For the 'side B' photo (on the left), I did a similar technique and took the photo and added an AE overlay to frame it and give it a sentiment''.

On the right hand page (the journaling), I simply added a text box to an AE template (the frame with the date) then I typed my journaling in, (I also altered the colour of the frame to hot pink to match the baubles in the photos and the trim on Isabella's pj's), and then printed!

On the bottom of the page I added some Lawn Fawn Sally's ABC's stamps to write a little sentiment to finish off the page.

Well that's it for me! I need to get some more photo paper tomorrow before I can complete days 3 and 4, so I'll hopefully be back then with 2 days to share with you :)

Thansk so much for taking time out of your day to visit me and the wonderful comments you've been leaving --it's really such a thrill to see what you've written!

Take care and see you tomorrow!

*hugs*

Linda x

December Daily & Journal your Christmas day 1

Hello!

***warning!! this post is text and photo heavy!!**

This Christmas I thought I would participate in not only December Daily (having a very firm plan to get the main 'bones' of my album done ahead of time, unlike last year!) but I really wanted to try Shimelle's Journal Your Christmas (JYC).  I was lucky enough to win a freebie spot in it thanks to a lovely lady on twitter who was doing a random giveaway so I decided to go for it!

Journal your Christmas is basically about bringing a writing aspect (or verbal if you prefer) to your Christmas. I like writing a lot so I thought this would be perfect--especially as sometimes in the middle of December, on my 10th day straight of staying at home wtih 2 little kids, i don't always have anything very super-special-christmassy to put into my December Daily (DD) album!

Anyhoo, here are the first few pages of my DD (which includes prompts/elements from JYC):

The inside cover is a print-out from Shimelle. I printed it onto kraft cardstock after changing the font colour to a grey, then I added my journalling using an old typewriter font (but through my PC and normal printer).

Page 2 is a piece of acetate I stamped using Hero Arts Fancy Flourishes stamp (seen in my DD video HERE). 

Page 3 is an insert I created today, following Shimelles Day 1 prompt, to write a manifesto--a public declaration (list of) intentions.  I thought it would be cute to make it form into the shape of a Christmas tree. I used some Ali Edwards and Lawn Fawn stamps to personalise the page even more. The little tag at the top is from Bananafish Studios.

On the back page of page 3 I just repeated the final line of my manifesto using Thickers to really highlight the main point of what I hope to achieve/accomplish this Christmas season.

 

Page 4 is a mish mash of pieces (ironically, heavily inspired by Michelle Wooderson--who's blog is called Mish Mash lol. Most of the pieces are from Bananafish Studio again, an AC thicker (the asterisk), an office supply store tag, a Tim Holtz mini paperclip, 7 gypsies number tab, washi tape on the left side :). 

Inside the vellum envelope I cut a piece of index card to size and stamped 'december' using an Ali Edwards (AE) stamp and Hero Arts Latte chalk ink. Then I proceeded to write a little blurb about the 6 of us (me, my hubs, 2 girls and 2 dogs). I thought it would be sweet for future generations (who will, of course be reading this!) to know what we were like now.

Next for the 'big 2 page spread'--finally at day 1 Lol.

I added an AE overlay to a photo of Isabella--who just represents magic and everything good to me, and then printed it out to size. On the right side I added my journaling using my PC and printer (same Old typewriter font). 

To finish i added some Echo park paper, and AE stamp and some Tim Holtz tissue tape.

PHEW!! Are you still with me?!

Anyhoo, I'll be back tomorrow (hopefully!) with day 2. I'm sure it wont be as in depth or detailed as this was! (I'm sure you're breathing a sigh of relief! lol)

I hope you liked it! I'm really proud of it :)

thanks so much for stopping by!

may the magic of the season be with you!

Linda x

I want to hold your Hand

Oh yeah, I'll tell you something.....duh duh duh duh duuuuuuuuuh I think you'll understand...

*the song's totally stuck in your head now right?!*

Ok, here's layout number 6!!!  I even bought an album to put them in--very excited :)

I'd say sorry for the photo, but I've said it so much lately I'm sure you're all sick to death of it!

Anyhoo, all supplies were from my scraps of a Studio Calico kit (the one I've used uhhh, 3 times :) plus a Lawn Fawn stamp (the flower) and the hot pink thickers that are called Venus (perfect name huh?!).

This is for the half-page challenge on Shimelle's Scrap-all-weekend

I'm toooooooo tired to keep typing, but it's pretty self explanatory I think, though if you have questions or comments PLEASE let me know and I'll be happy to answer :)

Take care, I hope you liked this one! It's a fave picture of mine :)

Lots of hugs

Linda

Layout number 5 is alive!! ("Goin' to the chapel")

This is my second post for today, for the first, scroll down :)

Number 5 is alive!! ha! did any of you watch that movie? "Batteries Not Included." I went to see it when I was a kid with my dad. 

anyway, I digress:

Here is layout #5. The challenge for this one was to 'Chop-it-up'. You were supposed to cut up the one piece of paper and use it. I did a version of this and used all the scraps I had on my desk from all the pieces of paper I'd cut up making the previous 4 layouts! There are still more scraps, so I think I'll use them next :)

So here she is:

 First I spritzed my kraft cardstock with some new Glimmer Mist I just got today (that are probably discontinued lol), Iridescent Gold, then with Mr Huey's "Piglet" (the cutest pink).  You can see in the above photo how the Iridescent Gold is kind of clear, but with a smattering of gold flecks--UBER pretty. I might have to buy another 85 bottles of this one!

Next I found some strips of paper and cut them up a bit more, inked the edges (a-la-Shimelle), then I took my NEW Lawn Fawn Judy's Blooms stamps and stamped them over my gorgeous paper from My Minds Eye (Stella and Rose Collection--love love love). Cut the flowers out and adhered :)

Finally I added my photo (from my wedding day) and some little Vintage Whimsy Buttons from The Girls' Paperie (also in my SC kit) and voila!

hope you like this one! It's maybe one of my favourites.

talk to you again soon!

Linda xx
 

Shimelle's Online Scrapbooking Weekend "Feels Like Home"

Hey there ho there!!

Here is YET ANOTHER layout I made due to/thanks to the amazingly inspirational Shimelle and her weekend-o-scrapping challenge from last week.

 Sorry it's a bit of a grainy image, the iphone-to-laptop transfer seems to have messed it up a bit, but you get the picture.

The journalling (which is written around the border) says "It doesn't matter where we go. We can be on the other side of the world--or halfway--and as long as we're together, it will feel like home."

(all the photos are from Japan)

This whole thing was done using my Studio Calico kit from...maybe 2 months ago? Their add-on, but I have no idea which lol

The challenge for this one was to "Grid-it-up"...so I did. challenge accepted, challenge met. Or achieved...hmmm what's the right word there?!

Anyhoo, I'm still running with the song name/show name theme, and loving it. The layout that's coming next will leave the song in your head for days. ha!

Hope you like!

There's more to come yet :)

Take care and talk to you soon

L xxx

Shimelle's Online Scrapbooking Weekend--Splendour In the Grass

Hi again!

So I decided after my first layout (that I showed you all yesterday here) that I was going to add an extra challenge for myself, I'm going to ATTEMPT to use only song or movie titles for the titles of my layouts... I read somewhere a while back that there's a lady who scraps ONLY the song that's stuck in her head (that's the title she uses and the theme of the layout I mean). I love that idea but I would mostly have to scrap songs from children's shows lol. I'm not sure how many layouts I could create based on the Banana's in Pyjamas or Sesame Street songs haha!

So yes, that's my extra challenge for myself. Oh, and I'm using kraft paper on every layout too. (Preferably on the background).

Here is challenge #2 for Shimelle's Online Scrapbooking Weekend: 3 is the magic number.

This is what Shimelle wrote to explain the 'requirements' : 

Here’s your challenge: Create a project (layout, card, etc) that includes a group of three in the embellishment. It can be three kinds of flowers like I used, but that’s not a requirement – you could use three squares, three butterflies, three things that are red, three apples, three hedgehogs… whatever group of three takes your fancy!

and so without further ado, I give you my little version:

Don't worry, this layout isn't as depressing as the movie (not that I've seen it yet, always meant to). I just had the song Strangers in the Night (from South Pacific) in my head, but the words changed to Splendour in the Grass (again, in my head) lol, so I went with it. For a few hours I was convinced they were the real words haha.

Here is my group of 3. I just used the Tim Holtz Rosette for this, but cut one of the strips thinner than the others after I'd run it through the Big Shot (so it made a smaller rosette).

 I thought I'd give a go at "doing a Shimelle" and ran a little paint around the edges...I just wish I had a gorgeous little teacup to do my paint-mixing in. *note to self: must buy teacup*

It ended up more faded than I expected, but still good. I added a few 'flicks' too.

I'll let you in on a small secret: I loathed that woodgrain paper when I first saw it and thought 'what the heck am I going to use that for?!' but I like it on this layout. It suits. I kinda wish I had more so I could do a layout about when I was a kid (and that woodgrain linoleum-cupboard covering was in fashion. Gosh it was ugly!)

anyway, hope you like it!

Leave me some comment love and a fairy will grant you 3 wishes!! (One for each rosette of course) lol

Take care and I'll be back soon with layout #3.

Linda xxxoxo

Shimelle's Online Scrapbooking Weekend 'You've Got a Friend'

One of the challenges for Shimelle's weekend is to 'go retro' and scrap a photo that's old (or at least, not new), so I went digging through my parent's study cupboards to find old photos. I found plenty of big hair and crooked teeth (all fixed now thanks to Dr whatsisname at the orthodontists office!), bad BAD clothes and funny memories (best left in the cupboard I think!) but then I found some photos from my wedding.

anyway, one of the photos was of my girlfriend Sue and her (now) husband Matt. Their wedding was the day after ours. Yes, you read that right.  We had both already booked things and planned people etc, and we're good enough friends that it was never a question of missing either wedding, so I got married on Saturday, Sue got married on Sunday. That's friendship huh?!

So anyway, here's my layout:

The journalling reads: "When Sue told me her wedding was going to be the day after ours, there was no hesitation, we just said "oh well, looks like we've got a busy weekend that weekend!" So she & Matt came to our wedding the night before theirs and we went to theirs the day after ours.
A lot of people were/are shocked when I tell them, but to us it was simple.
We might not see each other much any more but I know I'll always have a friend in her"

All pretty self-explanatory I think!

I hope you like it:)

please let me know if there are any questions! I'd love to hear your comments too.

Talk to you soon

Linda xx

Shimelle's Online Scrapbooking Weekend

Hello there!!

I've been busy busy busy this past week or two, I've made several little bits and pieces, but today I'm going to start showing you the layouts I've been making for Shimelle Laine's Online Scrapbooking Weekend.  She's issued 13 challenges/prompts to get you going all to be completed by Sunday (I think they're all Sunday anyway! lol)

If you don't know who Shimelle is, go to her site immediately and get to know her! She's the sweetest little thing ever (I mean that in a totally good way), she's an American living in London (and loves it) and she scrapbooks like no other. I'm very deeply in love lol.  Make sure you get over the fact that she's wordy (like someone else we all know *whistles and looks around*), in fact, that nearly made me dismiss her blog altogether, but I'm so glad I had another look.

She has made SUCH a difference to my scrapbooking (and my mindset) I don't even know where to begin. Check out her free monthly class at Two Peas in a Bucket here too.

Anyway, enough of me gushing.

The first challenge I participated in was the Starting Point Challenge: 

This was the starting point 'sketch'.

I was immediately drawn to that big green rectangle as I'd just printed out a photo (literally minutes before I saw Shimelle's challenge) and wanted to use it.

So here is what I made:

I had the title in my head for hours beforehand (the song I mean--now try to get it out of your head lol!), and it just worked so perfectly I had to use it.

Here's a closeup of my little cloud. I thought it would be kind of amusingly ironic to punch a cloud out of cloud paper. I even chuckled to myself as I did it. (am I the only one who thinks this way?! haha)

 As you can see I didn't use much dimension but it didn't seem to need it. The grey-white patterned paper is kind of embossed and the strips/clouds and brown inking around the edge of everything (another Shimelle trick) make it so you don't need to physically add dimension. There's enough already.

Hope you like it!!

There will be more to follow soon (I've already made 3 layouts, there are definitely more inside me waiting to pour out!)

*Hugs*

Linda xx