52 Card Challenge 2014 - Week 2

Week 2 of the 52 Card Challenge is based on a colour prompt.

For details of this challenge please see Kool Kitty Musings Blog 

Here is my card ...

I was asked to make a gardening card for Alison's 50th birthday.

The papers - Echo Park's Scoot collection

Chipboard shapes - Maya Road
Die cut picket fence - Cricut Paper Dolls Dress Up Cartridge

Punches - Martha Stewart (butterflies, flowers and leaves) &

Stampin' Up (circle and scalloped circle)

Stickles and Liquid Pearls

Greeting Stamp - Stampin' Up

Distress Ink in various colours

Letter Stickers - American Craft Thickers

... & here is the image for the stunning colour inspiration.

 

 

Thanks for looking and happy birthday to Alison.
Lynn x

Now The Rain Has Gone - 'S is for Splicing'

Memories of Norfolk again with this layout. Our very first time staying in the lovely Rookery 1 in West Beckham (1995). We had a long journey travelling from Kent to North Norfolk, then when we arrived it rained - just when the children (aged 3 at the time) were keen to explore their surroundings. So we donned boots and rain suits and headed outside - just as the sun came out and they just had a wonderful time running around the grounds.

The papers are from Echo Park's Scoot collection. I added twine, buttons, Liquid Pearls, white gel pen & Making Memories letter stickers.
This was my second layout for Scrapology's December scraplifi challenge - we are using  this clever design by Miki Krueger.
http://thecountryteacher.wordpress.com

I drew our sketch as always

Please see the Scrapology blog for more inspiration from the design team.

There is aprize on offer and the challenge runs until 5th January 2014.

B is for Buttons!

Hi everyone, I'm back to show you how I used buttons on my Design Team layout for this month's Scraplift challenge over on Scrapology.

We are scraplifting this fun layout by Laura Vegus:

and I drew a sketch as always:

I used Echo Park's Scoot papers:

border

4x6 journalling

Numbers

Stripes

I also used a sheet of Bazzill cardstock, blue and red funky foam, DMC stranded cotton thread, and a lot of buttons!


I made an 11" x 11" square of paper using the grid side of 'numbers' paper. Then I cut across creating a wavy line about 3" to 4" up from the bottom. I cut a piece of the coloured sided of 'stripes' with the stripes running vertically 11" wide and about 5" deep to place behind the 'grid' paper to complete the 11" x 11" square. The outer edges were distressed and inked. This was then mounted over the gutted Bazzill.

I cut a strip from the blue side of 'stripes' 10" x 1" this was trimmed with a scallop shape using a stencil. I inked the edges and stuck this vertically over the grid paper, from the top and about 5.75" in from the left.

I cut random strips from the left overs of 'numbers' and 'stripes' and cut more from the other two papers as well, these were distressed and inked and placed to show under the photo once matted.
The photo was mounted onto a piece of patterned paper and stuck over the strips, close the the scalloped border.
The funky foam lettering and shapes were cut with Sizzlets on the Big Shot.
All the buttons were stitched in place with the thread over the join between the two papers, with a few bows tied here and there too.

A fun and colourful page to make.

Thanks for looking. If you are interested in the challenge please pop over to the Scrapology blog. The challenge runs from today until 5th November.

Lynn x

Three Generations / Six Generations CSI Challenge # 43

For this weeks CSI challenge I have been working with this photo of my ancestors.

There are three generations shown here and and one element of the challenge was to use an older photo and tie the past together with the present in your journalling. So the writing explains the family link between the folk in the photo and then goes on to explain how the family now has a further three generations (see below). My journalling is framed which was another element and I have hidden it under the photo, which folds open to show my scribbles and a family tree.

These are the colours for this weeks challenge:  Black Tie Event, Lemon Chiffon,  Green Grace,  Alabaster Elegance & Fancy Foliage. 

I used these evidence elements:

Damask - the Glitz Design paper from the Love Games collection.
Ribbons - ribbon with shell and bead trimming and tape measure tape.
Frame -  black Bazzill frame cut with Marianne Designs Die used behind photo for journalling.
Foliage - and flowers cut with various punches and Marianne Dies in green Bazzill and Basic Grey papers.
Something transparent  -   Acetate film strip.
Patterned brad - Basic Grey
Flourishes - cut with Marianne die and Green Bazzill
A Black-and-white patterned paper - The Glitz Design paper.

Here is my journalling, visible by opening up the hinged photo. It reads:

"This photo shows three generations of the family. My mother Mary Holder is the little girl on the far right. Next to here is her cousin Patricia Coppin. Next to Pat is her mother Gladys (Humm) Coppin. In the big chair is Gladys' mother Susan (Dunn) Humm. At the far left is Susan's eldest daughter Winifred    (Humm) Holder (Mary's mother and my grandmother). 

They are all sitting in the garden of 'The Bird In Hand' Public House, where Gladys and her husband Charles and Pat lived at the time. Bickley near Bromley.

Today Mary is a great grandmother to two (Jamie and Jessica Prior), grandmother to five Mark and Sam Prior, Andrew, Emily and Catherine Cooper) and mother to three Lynn (me), Sylvia and Robert Banks." 

Then I drew a basic family tree to explain the links.

Other items used are Serendipity papers by Basic Grey (green and yellow)

Crate Paper - Portrait Collection - Honeymoon and sticker border

Tim Holtz Distress Stains - Black soot and Shabby Shutters

Bazzill - Black and green

Flat Backed pearls and gems

Perfect Pearls

Paper blossoms - Wild Orchid Crafts

Sticker '3' from a sheet by Echo Park

American Crafts - Alphabet stickers

Martha Stewart - Round the page punch - Cherish

Lots of chalk and distress inks.

Another great challenge, this week.

Thanks for looking.

Lynn x

C.S.I. #31 - Down By The Sea

I recently came across the C.S.I. (Colour Stories, Inspiration) challenge blog and I love the concept and the clever colour combinations. I wanted to have a go but haven't had much time, however I have a few days away at the moment so decided to give challenge 31 a try last night (with 24 hours to go to the closing date and time and very limited supplies). It did make me use papers from different collections and manufacturers together, which I must admit I don't often do.

 

My photo shows me on the beach with my Nan and Suzie the corgi in about 1962, and is scanned from a colour slide. I think it is Woolacombe in Cornwall but will check when I go home. Someone (Mum or Dad I expect had built some sand castles and written my mane in shells. 

My journalling reads:

Memories of childhood seaside holidays

* My Nan always came on holiday with us

* Suzie the dog on the beach

*The multi-coloured rubber bucket

* Someone writing my name in shells

* Building sandcastles

* That skirt with bunnies on!

Here is the inspirational case file #31

THE EVIDENCE FROM WHICH YOU NEED TO CHOOSE AT LEAST 2 ELEMENTS

I have highlighted in pink the elements I chose to include, and what I used:

wood/woodgrain

liquid medium (paint, mist, etc.) - Cosmic Shimmer Mists in Blue Lime and Mallow Blush and Colorbox Chalk Ink in Deep Lagoon.

distressing, 

Use repetition of an element.

umbrella accents

furniture accents

circles (inspired by the stools) - Large ring circle cut on the Cricut with George & Basic Shapes cartridge, EK Success deep border punch - scalloped border with circles, Echo Park dots and stripes paper in Peony.

Use a solid background (inspired by the cloudless sky) - White Bazzill

Include parallel lines (inspired by the pier railing) - Echo Park Dots and Stripes papers in Peony and Robin's Egg

I also used:

Magnolia Ink - Butterfly Dreams - Butterfly Kisses paper
Pink Paislee - Spring Jubilee - Celebration paper
Bazzil in a colour unknown to match the Caribbean Sea element

Martha Stewart Frond Punch

Cricut for Tags using same cart.

Star buttons

Flat backed Pearls

Lace daisies

Blossoms for a child's hairband

Pleased ribbon from Webster's Pages

Ribbon

American Crafts Thickers for title - Lovely foam rubber stickers by Any Tangerine

THE TESTIMONY FROM WHICH YOU NEED TO CHOOSE AT LEAST 1 ELEMENT

Again I have highlighted in pink the elements I have included. 
Document a vacation.

Write your journaling in the form of an itinerary (doesn't have to actually be about a vacation).

This photo is called "Key West Umbrellas." Begin your journaling with, "The key to ___ is..."

Use repetition in your journaling.

Add something to the top of your journaling spot, sort of like an umbrella or canopy.

Inspiration Words: colour, bright, vacation -- use these as inspiration for your journaling, not just as a title.

THE COLOURS  - YOU NEED TO USE ALL 5

Island Sky - cyan blue, taken from the second table

Tropical Sunshine - bright yellow, taken from the first table

Key Lime - chartreuse, taken from the umbrellas

Paradise Pink - Persian pink, (a shade lighter than Barbie pink, but the same kind of color, taken from the first pink stool

Caribbean Sea - bright teal blue, taken from the shadowy part of the cyan stool

THE COORDINATES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD IF YOU WANT THEM

The deadline for completing Case File No. 31

is Sunday, August 12, 11:59 p.m. EST.

I have had great fun scrapping this layout and look forward to doing the next challenge when I can get a few more items of stash together.

Thanks for looking.

Happy Birthday 3 x 3

Happy birthday to Oliver, Hannah and Lucy, as your three are three today!

I made cards for all three little ones.

for Lucy

For Hannah

and for Oliver

Using the Cricut and the Create a Critter cartridge together with Plantin Schoolbook for numbers and Cindy Lou for the scalloped square.

I used papers from the 6" x 6" Echo Park Summer Days paper pad, such lovely, fun, bright colours.

The cards are all 6" square and cut from Bazzill. I used scraps of card to make all the animals and balloons.  Inspired by a card in Cricut Birthdays Magazine.

I had fun making the cards, hope you had a fun birthday - see you soon!

Rainbow Stripes with the triplets

Here is another layout made with a kit I brought home from Jill's Cardinal Colours Retreat. The class was designed and taught by the lovely Anita and you can see more details of the class on the Calendar of Colours blog. I finally got around to making this layout at Jill's crop last weekend.

The photograph was taken by my daughter Catherine, on her mobile phone, when she visited the triplets with her sister back in September.

The papers are Echo Park Summer Days collection, the kit included Alpha Stickers, Journalling Cards, Die Cut, Rainbow and Borders. Red and white baker's twine.

The papers reflect Heather's (the triplets mum) love of colourful stripes.

Zoe lent me her Stampin' Up Banner Builder punch and gave me these fantastic colourful buttons. Thanks Zoe.

Thanks for the great class Anita.

Here is Anita's original layout.

Thanks for looking.

My Little Scholar

Really catching up now with the layouts from the Cardinal Colours Retreat lat month. This double layout was again designed by SJ. The papers are from the Dots and Stripes Collection by Echo Park and included three double-sided papers, as well as letter stickers and element stickers. I flipped the red and blue papers and used the dotty side, rather than the stripes, but kept the stripes for the green paper. The kit also contained Metal Art, flat backed self adhesive brass effect, squares and dots by K & Co. The photo looks a bit wonky, but the layout is quite straight - honest!

Your Journey as a Scholar

The photos show our son, Andrew on his first day at St. Paulinus Primary School, then his first term at Dartford Grammar School and then Just about to leave home for University last Summer.The journalling tells a bit about each place and wonders what will be next. Wishing him well with all his studies and future.

A closer look at each page

This is SJ's original:

Thanks for looking and please leave a comment.

Happy Anniversary Sylvie and Bob!

It's my sister and brother-in-law's wedding anniversary tomorrow.

This card was inspired by a card I saw in the Magnolia Ink Magazine, Autumn 2010, by Camilla S, but mine turned out very different, I used Camilla's card as a layout guide.

I am entering this card into this weeks Promarker challenge #107- Tie a Yellow Ribbon.

Rubber Stamp Image - Loving Couple, Magnolia

Square card blank and white digital card - Craftwork Cards

Patterned papers- A Walk in the Park, Echo Park

Rub-on greeting - Making Memories

Pens - Promarkers

Cricut - George and Basic Shapes Cartridge

Other - ric-rac ribbon, gems, blossoms, chalk inks, leaf punch

Hope you both have a lovely day tomorrow, see you at the weekend xxx

Cute for Christmas

This was the final class of the day at 'Your Creations - Big Event' on Sunday. This class was designed and taught by Lou Collins.

The materials all came from the day's kit and the patterned papers and stickers are all Echo Park's 'Everybody Loves Christmas'. This design uses the reverse side of both Snowman and Bright Stripes, both sides of Journalling Cards, and the Alpha Stickers sheet for lettering and borders.

My photos are of Andrew's first Christmas, and at the age of 9 months, the cardboard box was more exciting than the gifts inside, when this big package arrived from our friends in Devon. The photos are very dark and not very god quality as they were scanned in, I plan to get the originals from the album and try again.

Stompin' Chefs

This is the second class I attended at Your Creations - The Big Event on Sunday. The class was designed by Wendy McKee, and taught by Anna Parker.

I need to get a better photo of this when when the light is better, it faded so fast yesterday.
This was created using Echo Park 'Everybody Loves Christmas' papers, but was not a Christmas layout. There are plenty of patterned papers in this range that can be used for any occasion. This layout used both sides of the Bright Stripes paper, the blue side of the Journalling Cards paper and the Alpha Stickers sheet. The design also used a doily, clear gems, ribbon, decorative pins and buttons.

The photo I chose to use is one I have been meaning to scrap for some time. It shows Catherine and her dance team mates in costume after performing a stomp dance at the Kent Dance Challenge, Maidstone in October 2009, as the senior dance team of the Liz Burville Performing Arts Centre.

Poinsettia Gift Box

Here is the poinsettia gift box class from Sunday's Your Creations The Big Event Crop, designed and taught by Karen Leonard.

The box and lid are both made by folding squares of paper. In this case we used a whole 12 x 12" sheet of Echo Park - Everybody Loves Christmas, 'Christmas Words' paper and a 11 3/4 x 11 3/4"sheet of Bazzill.

I had made boxes this way before but it was fun to relearn this skill and be shown this neat floral decoration for the lid using ribbon, a 12 x 2" strip of  bright stripes (reverse side) paper (trimmed along both edges with the Fiskars threading water punch) and a doiley. The poinsettia was made in three layers cut from templates, lots of curling, scrunching and inking, then glued together with 3D double-sided foam pads. The centre of the flower is a pearl button and a clear gem.

Thanks Karen, I enjoyed making this box and I have the perfect wrapping for one of my Christmas gifts. I'm sure I will be making more of these too.

The Big Event

Today Linda and I headed off early to Henley, Suffolk for the first Your Creations - The Big Event . The scrapbooking crop event was organised by Anna Parker and was held in the Henley Community Centre. Together with Jane and Debbie they hope to hold two of these events a year.

There were two craft shops on site for the day - Paper Maze, and Crafts and Candlelight.

A choice of four classes was offered, you could take part in any number of these. There was a lucky dip, a raffle (I won a CM scrapbook album) and refreshments were available all day and we took our lunch with us.

The kit was optional and contained the materials necessary for all the classes, where there was overlap of papers and embellishments you could buy the extras needed. The papers and letter stickers were all 'Everybody Loves Christmas' from Echo Park.

There was a beginners class (which we didn't do), a non-Christmas layout designed by Wendy McKee and taught by Anna. A gift box class designed and taught by Karen Leonard. The last class was a Christmas themed layout by Lou Collins.

Here are some sneak peeks of each class from the designers, until I get time and daylight to finish off or photograph my creations from the day.

I also had time to make another layout, in the cropping room before I started classes.

Back soon with my box and layouts.

Thanks to Anna and the team for a great day scrapping!

A Little Light Summer Reading

Following on from yesterday's layout of Hannah, here is her sister Lucy, during the same week's holiday.
I am still enjoying working with kits from the Cardinal Colours Retreat. I was not able to take this class, but was pleased to have the kit to bring away (thanks Jill x). The page was designed by SJ and I worked from a photo of her finished layout (see below).

I made a few changes along the way. I added antennae to my butterflies with stranded cotton with little knots tied in the ends and I inked them before sticking them down, not just the edges but all over to tone down the whiteness. I added smaller gems to the centres of my butterflies. I dressed my buttons with thread - can't cope with nude buttons!

Here is the kit before I started chopping it up! It has papers from Echo Park 'A Walk in the Park' Line - Flutter and Playful Stripes. There is also a sheet of alphabet stickers and element card paper. The kit has four green buttons, striped cord, printed butterflies and large gems.

 This is SJ's super original class layout.

Thanks SJ and Jill. x