Sunday 30 December 2012

Favourite Ten Layouts of 2012

As 2012 is fast drawing to an end I thought I would post my usual Favourite Ten Layouts from the year. I have scaled back my scrapbookgng this year mainly due to lack of time and also due to lack of mojo. But, I did manage to create a number of layout that I was pleased with and during the year, managed to persevere with stash-busting and used up lots of older products. So, in no particular order they are:

1. A Year in Review - This was for Scrapology's January Layout Challenge and I used papers from the 'Year-o-graphy' line from Simple Stories to create a year in review layout. During the year Simple Stories has continued to be one of my favourite manufacturers. 


2. Carry on Nursing - This was an unusual layout for me. I used only cardstock and a teeny, tiny strip of patterned paper. The photo collage was made in Picasa and I cut various nursing bits and pieces on the Craft Robo as embelishments.



3. LovelyThis layout was made using the gorgeous My Minds Eye Follow Your Heart Be Happy paper collection and is a scraplift of a layout by Susan Goetter. I absolutely LOVE this collection and really enjoyed putting the layout together using one of my favourite photos of Lara and some hexagons which have been a popular scrapbooking trend this year.



4. All the Fun of the Fair - Another layout using My Minds Eye Follow Your Heart Be Happy paper collection which I created for Scrapology's September Layout Challenge. Trendy hexagons and bunting on this page and paint splatters!


5. Happy Summer Days - This was my layout for the July Scrapology Challenge. More Simple Stories papers but this time the 100 Days of Summer Collection. The 'PYO Sweet & Juicy Strawberries' picture was downloaded from the Internet and printed onto cardstock. I've done that quite a bit this year when I've not been able to find a suitable embelishment amongst my stash.



6. Bloom & Grow - My Bloom & Grow layout was created for the May Scrapology Layout Challenge. The theme was 'charms' and I used several very old plastic charms from Doodlebug. The flowers were made by layering varying sizes of die cut flowers (cut on the Craft Robo) with 3D foam. Before layering them I sanded the edged slightly and curled them. A button was glued in the centre of each layered flower. This layout was VERY bulky!



7. Time for Tea - I loved the photos of Lara that I used on this layout and had been eager to scrap them. The stack of tea cups were cut on my Craft Robo from more scraps of Scenic Route paper using a shape downloaded from the Silhouette online store. i.


8. Winter Wipeout - I was seriously stash-busting when I created this layout. The papers I used had been in my stash for far too long and it was good to use them up. I loved the candid photos of Wayne & Lara.


9. Medieval Make Believe - This layout probably took me the longest to make of all the layouts I created this year. The title posed me a real problem. I used more My Minds Eye papers and scraps from other manufacturers.


10. All Bundled Up - My last layout was my December Scrapology Challege layout. The brief was to create a monochromatic layout. Oh how I wanted to add some colour to this layout!


My scrapbooking resolutions for next year are to:

  • Try and scrapbook more;
  • Try and find time to attend monthly crops again. I've not been since the summer and miss the opportunity to sit and play for a whole day;
  • Stash-bust. At times I am disgusted with the amount of 'stuff' I have. Although it pales into insignificance compared to a lot of people I know, I really need to continue to use it before buying more.
  • Try and participate in 365 - A photo a day project. I last did this in 2009 and still look back at those photos and marvel that I managed to take a photo everyday. 

Monday 24 December 2012





Have a great Christmas Everyone.
I hope that it is happy, relaxing, peaceful and everything you wish it to be.


Graphics from http://thisthat2011.blogspot.co.uk/


Wednesday 19 December 2012

Christmas Cards

I don't make many Christmas cards. Just a handful for my crafty friends. The cards I made this year were all very similar and were made using various papers free with magazines, some pre-made embellishments, ribbon and embossed card. I tried to give them a Scandinavian feel and made duplicates of some.

NB. Looking at the close ups of the cards I've realised how badly I need to put a new blade in my paper trimmer!







Tuesday 18 December 2012

Scrapology - December Card Challenge

This month on Scrapology design team member Lou is challenging us to make a card using recycled or natural materials like packaging or dried twigs. Lou is providing a super selection of goodies as a prize for the winning card.

For my card I created a shaker box from the plastic bubble pack that some miniature battery operated fairy lights came in.



I used the packaging as a template to cut a rectangular window in some patterned paper and fixed the packaging into the window. I then attached to my background card some Papermania  Forever Friends layered stickers. Before putting the packaging on top I added some artificial snow. The card was then embellished with a sentiment, some gems and a ribbon taken from some other packaging.

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Scrapology December Layout Challenge - M is for Monochrome

This month Scrapology are scraplifting a gorgeous monochromatic layout by Pam Thorburn. You are challenged to make a layout using Pam's layout, our sketch for inspiration and a monochromatic colour scheme.

I decided to use a photo of my daughter taken a couple of years ago on a snow day


I chose a die cut sheet of white pearlescent card for the background and added lots of die cut snowflakes which I sparkled to an inch of their life with Stickles. I also added flat back pearls, star sequins, clear self adhesive gems and Aunty Sarah's clear Dewdrops from Sarah's Cards Limited. I used some Fancy Pants filter papers behind the photo, some unbranded silver alphabet stickers for the title and machine stitched on the edge of the photo and round the background card with silver thread.

Here's Pam's original layout ......


..... and here's our sketch.






















Pop over to Scrapology to see all the design team layouts and if you decide to take part in the challenge you could win a Monochromatic Bazzill Basics Pack and a selection of ribbons provided by Jill at Cardinal Colours.