Happy Birthday Zak - Shore Thing

It was Zak's birthday a few weeks ago and so I chose this Docraft's Square Urban, Michael Powell stamp called 'Shore Thing' to create him a card.

I stamped the image in brown ink onto Kraft Bazzill, and coloured it with oil colour pencils. The patterned papers are Scenic Route, the edges were distressed and inked. I have used Lili of the Valley greeting stamp, and various punches (SU and Woodware).

This is the stamp and I'm looking forward to colouring this in many different ways. I also have a few others in this range, including a couple I had for my birthday (thanks Linda).


Hope you had a great birthday Zak and I look forward to catching up with you at the weekend.
Lynn x

Time Out

Catherine had purchased tickets for the two of us to go to The National to see 'Travelling Light', it is a play she wanted to see as part of her course and she thought it would be nice for us to have some time in London shopping before going to see the show in the evening. 

I had been staying with my Dad while Mum was in hospital, visiting her and travelling to work from their house. My sister and I had been taking it in turns so we could both get to work and keep Dad company while getting to the hospital for visiting times as well. I think we managed by only taking one or two days leave from work each.

As time went on it looked like we might not make it to London, but we rearranged things so Catherine and I were able to go in the end.

We had lunch at The Royal College of Nursing, went to Regent's Street and Oxford Street for a little shopping, then to Convent Garden for an evening meal and on to the South Bank for the show.

The Queen in Lego!

Hamley's window

Travelling Light by Nicholas Wright

Words from the National Theatre web site:

Set in a remote village in Eastern Europe, around 1900, the young Motl Mendl is entranced by the flickering silent images on his father’s cinematograph. Bankrolled by Jacob, the ebullient local timber merchant, and inspired by Anna, the girl sent to help him make moving pictures of their village, he stumbles on a revolutionary way of story-telling. Forty years on, Motl – now a famed American film director – looks back on his early life and confronts the cost of fulfilling his dreams.

How had a twenty-two-year–old pretentious layabout made a discovery that would elude every other cinematic pioneer for years to come?

It was an excellent play about film, and a good day all round. Thanks Catherine. xxx

Twenty is Plenty

I have been rather busy lately with family things so have got way behind with my blogging and crafting.

Here, at last is the card I created for Andrew's birthday. I can't believe he is 20 already! Where did the childhood years go to?

I thought these Basic Grey, Oxford collection papers were appropriate for Andrew who is at university studying physics.

On Friday we will be moving Andrew home from Manchester as it is the end of his second year, he will be going out to The University of Toledo , Ohio for his third year, then back to Manchester for year four.

I also used a Craft Creations card blank, the Cricut and the Don Juan Cartridge, Lili of the Valley greeting stamp, chalk inks, Stampin' Up 1 3/4" circle punch and Woodware 2" scalloped circle punch.

Belated Happy Birthday Andrew xxx

Happy Birthday Lesley

It was my friend Lesley's birthday yesterday, but I can't show you this card until today as it was aslo my DT card for Scrapology's May Card Challenge. The lovely Sue (soojay) on the Scrapology DT has set the challenge on behalf of Sweet Pea Stampers. The challenge is to make a card using mythical creatures.

Here is the card I sent to Lesley. I met Lesley when our babies were small, so about 20 years ago. Our sons are both called Andrew and were always found together at school, cubs etc. Lesley is also very good at crafts and loves card making and sewing.

I used:

Sweet Pea Stamp

Promarkers

Cricut Lacy Labels Cartridge

Midnight Kisses / Floral Row - Heidi Grace Designs paper

Ice Stickles

Blue Organza and black glittered ribbon

Pearl spray and paper roses

Thanks for looking.

Happy birthday Lesley - we must catch up soon,

Bluewater has a pot of tea with our name on it!

Lynn x

The Victorians

My children dressed for Victorian Day at Primary School back in 1999

This is my second page for the Scrapology May 'C is for Charms' challenge.

This is the pretty layout we are scraplifting by Karola Witczak

 Here is our sketch 

I used papers from Kaiser Craft's Sweet Nothings collection.

The stripe paper is called 'All Yours', and the beige patterned paper is called 'Devoted'

The music print is called 'Sincerely'

Green print is 'Love Letters'.

Use a sheet of cardstock as a base, this will be completely covered, so don't worry about the colour.

Cut 2 strips 12" x 2.5" from the striped paper, ink the edges and stick to top and bottom of base card.

I cut the Devoted paper to 9.5" x 12" and trimmed the 12" sides with a Martha Stewart border punch. Ink the edges and stick centrally to base.

Cut the photo mat from music paper the same size as photo. Distress both photo and mat, ink the edges and mount off set onto layout, don't stick right down as other bits need to be tucked underneath later.

Use the Big Shot and cut the clock face from cinnamon Bazzill cardstock and add to page.

Cut title from pink side of 'Love Letters' paper and shadow from Suguaro cardstock - I used the Plantin Schoolbook Cartridge.

Cut leaves from Storybook Cartridge and green side of 'Love Letters' paper and add to layout with some pre-made roses. The butterflies were cut from the 'Love Letters' paper and glittered with Stickles. I added metal photo corners, and some charms.

I added a buckle charm to a length of brown gross grain ribbon and attached over the bottom of the photo.

The book plate was made using the Fabulous Find cartridge and I added some flat backed pearls.

Thanks for looking, and please take a look on the Scrapology site to see what the rest of the DT came up with and the details of the 'C is for Charms' challenge.

Happy Birthday Ange

I very behind with blogging things I have made, but here is Ange's card and apron. It was her birthday back in April, and we celebrated at Debden.

Ange's card was made with the Cricut and the Everyday Paperdolls ad Lacy Labels cartridges. The paper and cardstock is all from my scrap box. The square, scalloped card blank and card candi are from Craftwork Cards. I added some flat back pearls for earrings and bag clasp.

For Ange's Apron, I tried to stick to her favourite colours.

Happy Birthday Ange, hope you had a good day.

Lynn x

The Boy Who Bakes

Andrew enjoys baking and my Mum gave him a cookery book for his recent birthday, called The Boy Who Bakes by Edd Kimber. My sister was looking through it with him and said she liked the Apple Pie Cake, so he agreed to make it for her birthday just two weeks later. He made the cake in advance but had to make the filling and topping at the last minute. The cake looked great when complete and we set of to her birthday lunch. After a few sudden stops in the car the cake started to look rather sorry for itself! He almost had to rebuild it at Sylvia's house. However it tasted lovely. I thought it deserved a layout of it's own.

I saw a great layout by Kelly Goree a while ago called 'Life is a Beach', created for Basic Grey's new PB&J papers. I have used her layout as a basis for this one of Andrew and his cake.

I used the Basic Grey Periphery collection - papers and letter stickers.

I trimmed the Syrah paper panels with a Martha Stewart border punch. The Big 3 3/4" letters spelling 'BAKES' were cut using my Cricut and the 'Sure Cuts A Lot' programme, the font is Cafe Rojo. I have added some stickles in dots to these letters.

For the geometric design at the bottom, I played around with different sizes until I worked out what would make up the block to fit along the bottom of the layout. The circles are 2 1/2" and the squares inside them are 1 3/4". I inked the circles added the squares to the centre of the back of each one and folded the sides in. so the pattern on the front shows around the square.these were then stuck onto a base piece of paper  cut to 3 1/2" x 10 1/2" before being mounted onto the layout. If making these shapes with double sided papers, you would not need to cut the squares.

The journaling was written on strips of patterned paper and added over the circles/squares.

This was a good fun layout to create, thanks for looking.

Lynn x

Catherine and George

This is my layout made in Linda's class - Hidden Treasures, at the Cardinal Colours Spring Crop weekend back on 1st April.

See Linda's original layout here.

The beautiful papers are from Bo Bunny's Enchanted collection. They are very glittery in real life, but difficult to see in the photo.

We could chose which colour ribbon we wanted, so I selected this lime and pink to match Catherine's cherries on her dress.

The photo mat opens out to reveal some journalling and is decorated with more of the images from the papers.

My diamonds are divided with black machine stitching.

There was plenty of white cardstock in the kit to make the swirl roses, which I inked with lime. I added a few paper wired roses, and some fern leaves punched from white card and coloured with a lime Promarker.

Lots of flat back gems and pearls were added from the kit.

This photo was taken in February when Catherine and he boyfriend George attended Steven and Nicola's wedding.

Thanks for looking.

Lynn x

Blackbury Camp Layout

Last year I posted (see here) about a visit to Iron Age Blackbury Camp in Devon. I finally created a layout of the event while at Debden this April. The photo shows Alan and me at the car, taken by our lovely friend Frances.

I used Basic Grey, Hopscotch papers and element stickers.

Prima and American Craft letter stickers.

Lots of machine stitching, stickles and perfect pearls.

A large feather butterfly and a length of antique lace.

Thanks for looking

The Road Less Travelled

I got the idea for this title and the quote from a layout by Gabrielle Polloco. My layout however is very different. The wording suits my daughter Emily's attitude to life and the things she is busy trying to achieve above and beyond her degree. The wording says:

"As you journey through life you will find many paths open to you. You will find that choosing a road less travelled can prove to be harder but in the end more rewarding and will ultimately bring you the most happiness"

                                                                                                                    Matthew 7: 13-14


I took this photo of her at home one afternoon when she had been busy taking Photos of her sister.

The papers I used are from the Basic Grey Plumeria collection. The print paper is from another project which I can't share yet, but all will be revealed in a few days!

The lettering is made up of Basic Grey letter stickers, two different American Craft's foam alphabets and some Prima letters. I added some stickers and a clip from my stash. The journalling stamp is a custom made one which I use quite a lot. The bakers twine has been bound round the photo and is holding the flower charm in place (thanks to Linda for the charm). 

Thanks for looking.

Lynn x

Medieval Princess

This layout shows Catherine dressed for the Medieval School Summer fete back in a 1999. It was one very hot day to be dressed up like this! I made the costumes for all of us to wear, more of the other another day. Do you like the bedroom slippers? They just happened to be the right colours for the outfit!

Another project I completed at Debden last month.

I saw a layout in Scrapbook Magazine Issue 63 by Elaine Rolfe which I loved and so adapted it to make my layout. I really like the big decorative circle, and all the hearts.

The papers I used were all from Basic Grey's Kissing Booth collection.

Butterfly Kisses, Heartbreaker, Lip Lock, Pucker Up and Sweet Nothings.

I gutted the Lip Lock papers so I ended up with a 12" x 12" - 1" frame, then I cut the Pucker Up paper to 11" x 11" distressed and inked the edges and mounted in the centre of the frame.

I cut an 8" circle from Lip Lock distressed the edges and added to the top left of the layout. I cut a 10" circle from Butterfly Kisses and then cut an 8" circle out from the centre. I then went round the outer circle with a Martha Stewart corner punch. I inked the finished circle and added it to the layout with 3D foam pads to add some dimension.

I added my photo to the right of the inside of the big circle.

The hearts for the bunting were cut from Heart Breaker. The edges were inked and then I added two pink eyelets to the top of each one. They were then strung together with pink and white baker's twine.

Then with the George and Basic shapes Cartridge and the Cricut I cut lots of hearts in different shapes and sizes. I inked the hearts and added them to the layout.

I added a crown charm with a pearl brad, and the silver glitter letters are American Crafts and were kindly given to me by Anita - thanks.

I also added some ribbon roses, heart shaped lace, wired paper blossoms and a lot of flat backed gems.

Thanks for looking.

Lynn x

1950's Style

Here are my Mum and Dad, on holiday with my Nan and Grandad back in the mid 1950's before they were married in 1957. These photos were taken at St. Mary's Bay in Kent.

This is another layout created from one of Anita's class kit designs - please see her original here. It is another project I completed at Debden in April.

The papers are from My Mind's Eye - Follow Your Heart - Be Amazing collection.
The kit included the flat backed pearls, twine and papers. We used a Martha Stewart punch for the butterflies.

Thanks for looking.
Lynn x

Hexagons for Emily

This photo shows Emily when she first arrived home, she was two months premature (being one of triplets and was the smallest of the three). Here she is at about four weeks.

The layout is created with one of my lovely friend Anita's class kits. I made the layout while at out retreat at Debden back in April. Anita's original page can be found here.

The papers are from My Mind's Eye - Follow Your Heart - Be Happy collection. Ther letters are Sizzlets. The kit also contained gems and thick twine.
I added a little antique lace.

Wedding Tea

I was asked to make another of the wedding boxes I made last year, for my sister's friend. This time the theme was to be tea party and the colours navy and cream. Geraldine and Richard were married at the end of April.

I purchased several sheets of pearlised navy wrapping paper from Paperchase and lots of navy and cream Bazzill cardstock. Then using the 'Once Upon a Princess' Cricut cartridge and a Martha Steward 'round the page' punch set, I came up with this box.

Sylvia also wanted a card to send Geraldine and Richard for their wedding day. I made one using some of the same items and some Basic Grey papers. 

For the card I also used a Craft Creations card blank in navy, perfect pearls gems and the Designer's Calender Cartridge for lettering.

For the greeting I used a Lili of the Valley greeting stamp, Stampin' Up ink and circle punch and a Woodware scalloped circle punch..

Best wishes to Geraldine and Richard. x

Rhoda and Nelly!

Over on Scrapology for the month of May, we are challenging you to use a few charms on your layouts. See 'C is for Charms' post on the Scrapology Blog.

The photo is my mother-in-law Rhoda standing outside the house next to her treasured clematis - Nelly Mosa. May 1984

We are scraplifting this gorgeous page by Karola Witczak

and here is our sketch

I used these lovely products:

1 Sheet Cream Bazzill cardstock

3 x 12” x 12” Patterned Papers - Basic Grey Kissing Booth – Kiss, lip lock and butterfly kisses

Key and clock charms from Kitty Pink and a dragonfly charm from Wild Orchid Crafts

A mix of pink and white hellebores, sweetheart blossoms and gardenia from Wild Orchid Crafts

Pearl beads, pink green and white

How I made my page:
Cut two strips of ‘butterfly kisses’ to 12” x 2.5”, stick this to top and bottom of cardstock.


Cut ‘kiss’ to 12” x 9.5” and trim long sides with deep edge punch. Using the side you don’t intend to use for the layout lay along the pink strips and dab with ink using the paper as a mask.
Flip lace edged paper over to the right side and stick horizontally to centre of the layout overlapping the borders.

Cut a photo mat from pink scraps, and music paper the same size as the photo and mount the mat and photo off setting them from one another.

Cut ‘Weathered Clock’ face using Tim Holts die and Big Shot.
Stamp a Stampin’ Up ‘Sense of Time’ clock face.
Stamp a journaling block onto a plain light coloured paper scrap. Add this to the centre left behind by cutting the clock face. Add journalling.

Cut a ‘Madera Corner’ using Memory Box die and Big Shot.
Punch a butterfly with the Martha Stewart punch.

Make some layered flowers by cutting tattered flowers with the Big Shot from music paper and add pearl beads to the centres.

Arrange all these die cuts and the charms and flowers over the page. When happy with the arrangement attach everything to the layout.

Thank you for looking and please pop over to Scrapology for more details of the challenge and prize.