Card Club ... A Reason to Smile

There was a reason to smile yesterday, an afternoon filled with crafting , chatting, laughing and good company, what could be better? Oh and cake !!!
We used the reason to smile stamp set, in 3 hours we made a beautiful box to hold cards, we decorated this with a 'grungy flower' made with the Blossom Punch, and we also managed to make two lovely cards.

Reason to Smile Promotion...

Reason to Smile from Stampin' Up: Any one up for a free stamp set from Stampin' Up ? Well with a spend of £ 60 this set could be yours for free !

The set has been designed to be over layered on one another with 2-Step stamping. Its a beautiful set not to be missed and will be available for the month of Aug '12 only.

Download the flyer with codes and prices here

Simply Scored ...

I am so glad I ordered the Simply Scored Tool and the diagonal plate to go with it. It is so easy to make a beautiful envelope to match your card with the diagonal plate. Some instructions are provided with the plate to get you started. The plate can also be used to create an embossed background as I did in these examples. Here I scored at 1 Inch intervals to create the " diamond " background.
 

 

Products : Baja Breeze Cardstock, Mocha Morning Speciality Paper, Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon, Oval All Stamps

Products : Whisper Cardstock, Mocha Morning Speciality Paper, Very Vanilla Seam Binding Ribbon, Oval All Stamps

From the Heart Challenge ....

The next challenge I participated in is From the Heart Challenge . Here we had to create a layout with I Love.... or I heart in the title.. 

I used my Studio Calico kit Boardwalk here. 

Starting Point Challenge

This weekend Shimelle ran an Online Scrapbooking Weekend , the challenges are all open till next weekend so go an have a look.

This is my entry for the Starting Point Challenge. I used my Studio Calico Kit Mind the Gap for this one.
Here we had to create a layout starting from the design using a large box of paper in the background, a wide vertical strip, plus a narrow stripe and a horizontal block.

Latest ....

I have been starting to think that I will never scrapbook again, because I have done nothing for months now! Each month my Studio Calico Kit arrives, I get excited, open the box, and then pack it away. Sad I know , but what does a girl do when you working long days, leaving at 7 am in the morning and getting home at 8.30 pm in the evening. 

Crazy ideas have even crossed my mind, like selling my stuff, because its only just accumulating dust in my garage. But I know, this makes me happy! Paper, photo's inks make me happy, I do enjoy it so much, just wish I had more time, oh and of course I wish I had my own space so I don't have to pack up all the time. 

I have been on leave this week, its been WONDERFUL, just being able to breathe for a bit, not being rushed off my feet, not having to think about work, not having to commute into LONDON. Being able to lie on my bed and read a book, its been fabulous. 

I scrapped a  bit too.... 

I did this page for the Sunday Sketch over at Studio Calico

This page just depicts Aidan so well ! He is getting so big, but at 12, he is still my little boy that loves life, loves playing. 

I also did the sketch over at The Scrappiest, I do love this sketch site and really need to participate more ! 

Here is the sketch : 

This is my take on it :

Once again this is a page done of Aidan , he is so at that stage where I cannot get him to look at the lens of a camera. This one resulted in me having to bribe him, and still he did not SMILE :) 

Snapshot in time..

When I look at these photo's taken at my friends house 4 years ago, just a day or so before we left South Africa for the United Kingdom, I smile. This is a snapshot of a period in our lives, that I often reflect on, and think how we managed to sell up everything and move countries in less than 2 months from the time I got the job offer.

These photos where taken at my friend Valerie's where we were staying as we no longer had a home, it was all packed up, in a box , a container no bigger that 20 feet long destined for far away shores. We had no idea what awaited us, we were leaving family, friends, our animals and everything we were used to behind. People wished us well but were very sceptical and told us it would be difficult to integrate and live in the UK coming from a beautiful sunny climate, big houses and open spaces. I think towards the end I was operating on just pure adrenaline , I didn't think , I didn't want to think, all I  knew was that this was an opportunity that didn't come around often and we had to make the best of it because there was no going back.

These photo's remind me of just how small the kids were, and that makes me smile too, they were so brave, they even spent a night at Johannesburg Intl airport when our plane had mechanical problems, we couldn't go home at 1 am in the morning, we hand no home, so we slept at the airport.

4 years on, here we are, the UK our home now, and photo's just memories of a time, a place in our lives.

Sketch # 118

I am a bit late in posting my take on the sketch over at the Scrappiest .  I tend to scrap my kids more than any subject and thought a change would be good so I did a page of my late father in law. TFL

This week my son started at the Local secondary school in the area. The 3 year wait is finally over. Can you believe it, its been 3 years that we have been on the waiting list for this school and out of the blue I got a call 3 weeks ago to say they have a place for him. Its going to be quiet an adjustment for him going back into uniform because the school he was at was very casual. I think he looks really smart :) ! He was not impressed that I stood taking photo's before he left for school.

Sketches.. Inspiration... What can I say

If your Mojo is floundering there is nothing better than to kick start it by doing a sketch or two.
For some reason I woke up at the crack of dawn today, so I decided to haul all my scrapbooking stuff out and be a little creative for a change.
When I am not scrapping, which is most days lately, I blog hop, normally with a cup of coffee in the hands. So this morning , during my usual routine of trying to find some inspiration, I came across this lovely blog with a sketch and a chance to win some stash.
Here is the sketch



Here is my take on it... I used my studio calico kit Singing in the Rain, I used Stampin Up 'En Francais' stamp to stamp script on the right side of the page.I do like the way it turned out even though I found the paper a little busy.

wanna be .... scrapbooker

The last couple of months, I have felt like a 'wanna be' scrapbooker, because I have been blog hopping, looking, admiring, and have pretty much done nothing.


The only time I have been scrapping is at our monthly crop, and sometimes that didn't even help, because all I did was talk and eat Gill’s scrumptious cake!

I do need to find the balance between work, which takes up most of my time because I allow it; the house work, which has been neglected; and crafting , which is my only outlet because I am able to switch off from the work bit.....

I really want to do Project Life, inspired and created by Becky Higgins. It’s a wonderful way to document your day to day life, without spending too much time on the project. I will have to improvise with my own stash though because the kit, which is awesome, costs a small fortune in postage to the UK. Maybe I will still get it because it makes sense to use it because of time it saves; no measuring, cutting, everything is already done for you.

So here is the only stuff I have done since Oct 10 till now! All products from Studio Calico's various kits . See how bad I have been, only 5 layouts in how many months ? :( 

True Stories

I am busy doing an Shimelle's online class called True Stories. I have been trying to keep up this week with the prompts and the goings on in the forum, given that I have been at home on leave. Next week when I am back at work, I will just do my journal/writing on the train into work and back, given I have 2 hours each way of commuting.
.
Today I managed to scrap a page, using yesterdays ideas from our prompt.
Here I tried to capture my feelings about these photo's and wrote a letter to my son.

The journalling reads :

To My Darling Son


Why is it that you don’t want to give me that gorgeous smile, when I try and take photo’s of you? You always give me this serious, I am so irritated look!

Yeah, I know you think I am crazy at times, but all I am is a mommy that wants a nice picture of the two of us together!

I know you thinking, this is only for you to scrapbook, why not? It’s not to make you feel silly, or so that I can show your girl friends one day. It’s just for me, for you, so that one day you will have something to remember me by.

Anyway, I think I achieved half a smile here, well I think that’s better than nothing right?
Love you lots

Mom

Pencil Lines 4th Birthday ....

Pencil lines is celebrating their 4th birthday tomorrow.... there will be challenges and RAK posted every hour on the hour. I think I need a day of scrapping !

Pretty Girl

Here is a quick LO of my darling daughter inspired by Color Combos... I love scrapping her
I seriously need to find my mojo for scrapping. I am hoping that by joining Studio Calico Kits,  I will find it soon .

To keep the creative 'juices' flowing I have been doing some cards lately, I forgot how much I enjoy making cards.
I am itching to start with my Christmas cards soon.

If you love stamping....

If you love inks, paper, stamps you will love this blog !!!! Have a look, she is offering some gorgeous blog candy too !!! http://theartisticstampercreativeteam.blogspot.com/2010/08/roll-up-roll-up.html

Pencil Lines Sketch ...... Number 199

This is my take on this weeks Pencil Lines Sketch. ....
I just love that site, there is always great inspiration, and it so helps me find mine.

Its the first time ever, that I have used Glimmer Mists, and wow, I just love the effect...I can see I will be getting some more colours, and playing alot more with this. I have had the Heidi Swapp butterfly masks for about 4 years now, and today I found the perfect opportunitiy to use them !