Saturday, 1 August 2009

The party's here!!!

Thanks for dropping by! I hope that you're all enjoying the party and getting inspired (and if you don't know what I'm talking about, get yourself over to shimelle.com for an ALL weekend party!). I don't know about you, but I've been struggling to get back into my crafty life since I had to put it on the backburner whilst I marked exam papers and dealt with the end of term so this party came at just the right time for me.

I do like to work from sketches!! Even if I have an idea in my head of how I'd like the page to turn out I usually scribble my ideas down. The inspiration for this LO were the downloads that Shimelle sent in advance of the party. The design I came up with based around them looked like;
Then it was just a case of putting all the elements together (since I already had the occasion to scrap in mind) and hey presto!

I was going for a rather messy look which sort of sums up the spa break we had only last week. Having not had a drink for a while, I (and my fellow spa goers) were a little worse for wear after only a glass and things did get a little messy :) But I also wanted there to be a little bit of glitz and glamour (we did try to dress for dinner!) so I combined the bling and flourishes to mirror that. The messy look is achieved by tearing a cardboard box up, and splattering paint on to it.
Then it was a case of adding whatever I came across to build up the LO. I like busy LOs with lots of elements. At one of my first ever crops I remember the woman next to me telling me you should always take off the last thing you've added because it's always one step too far. I say rubbish!! The busier the better. I much prefer Shimelle's attitude at a retreat last year when I asked her which title I should use on a LO and she said- 'Why not use both!!'. That's my girl :) When in doubt, use it all. I used loads of old 'bits and pieces' and a mixture of rub ons, stickers and sparkly bits and I even threw on a butterfly after I thought I was done, just for good measure. Why don't you have a look in your stash for some older elements to use today? Happy layering!

Materials:
Cardboard box
Acrylic paint
Entertainment/having fun downloads
Fancy Pants 'Delight Cards'
Fancy Pants 'Delight- Bubbles'
American Crafts Thickers 'Sprinkles'
Bazzil Blooms
Basic Grey buttons
Tim Holtz Adage Tickets
Fly Stickers
Glitz Frosting flowers
K&Co. Urban Rhapsody Adhesive Chipboard
K&Co. Wild Saffron Adhesive Chipboard
Provo Craft rob and bob studio craft candy epoxy sticker 'Birthday'
K&Co. Brenda Walton Clearly Yours
Junkitz Expressionz Rub-ons 'Hip hop expressionz'
Scenic Route 'Afterthoughts colour rub-ons'
daisyd's rub ons 'Reflections'
Crate Paper Mia collection 'Design rubons'
Basic Grey designer rub-ons

Thursday, 30 July 2009

The cat's out of the bag


Shimelle has revealed some details about her party this weekend on her blog today. I'm really looking forward to it since I've been lacking in inspiration since the exam marking. Hope to see some of you there :) Bring the bling!

Wednesday, 29 July 2009

'Ello, 'ello

The silver cloud (of inspiration) flies over the cuckoo's nest (or 12x12 page) all weekend @ shimelle.com. Pass it on!!

Tuesday, 30 June 2009

Exam boredom!!

Why, oh why, oh why did I accept two contracts for marking GCSE papers this year?? Well, I have completed online marking of 550 papers for one board, and have done about 600 of the 1050 for the other board. The deadline for the rest is Monday and whilst I'm confident that I will meet that deadline- I am bored of marking and just want to play.

As I mentioned already, I am Guest Designer on the Scrapper's Block Challenge Blog this week. The challenge set was 'What's in your handbag?'. I didn't have time to do it justice, so went straight for the obvious- a photo of my bag on a night out. The journalling reads 'I like to justify taking my camera on a night out, so I take the bare minimum in my bag'.


Materials:

My Little Shoe box 'Enjoy Life' patterened papers
Jillibean soup journalling circle
Fontwerks peach label, red label
Bazzil basics blooms
Doodlebug buttons
Buzz and bloom Shout Outs small chipboard (from Bubbly funk)
Junior Dymo
American Crafts Elements photo corner
Ribbon from stash
Paper Co. cardstock

So this is my only offering for the last few weeks. I have done a CJ entry- but not photographed it - and I have several that I've not uploaded yet. I can't wait to get my scrapping life back :)

Tuesday, 23 June 2009

Psst!

I got another commission from 'Scrapbook Inspirations', and I'm a Guest Designer on the Scrapper's Block Challenge blog next week too. Very excited ;)

Sunday, 14 June 2009

Colourful photos

This week Shimelle has encouraged us to take photos in various colours. I'm rather stretched for time so couldn't do this justice and will def. be revisiting this when the marking finishes in a few week's time but here are some of my photos;


Some pretty pink petals

And my Dad's doggie




I love how the light falls on my friends at Elissa's christening.





I love blue in the garden. I combine it with orange for the most colourful and striking effect. So here's a photo of my blue pots, oh and a blue flower too!

Wednesday: A day for greys, shadows and black

Tuesday: A day for red, rose and pink

To be honest, I was all redded out after last week.


Perfect, on a day I was visiting my Dad at his allotment for the first time this season!
And I found this rusty old bin at the park :)

Thursday, 11 June 2009

Thursday felt fun

Shimelle didn't disappoint today, coming in with another fab challenge! This week's SLYMI challenge on UKS was to use felt on a LO. To tie in with the 'Scrapper's block? Challenge blog' challenge (scrap the senses), I decided to go with the photos from this weekend of my Dad and Son picking and eating peas in Dad's allotment. It's his first season on the allotment and as the journalling says 'Connor loved picking the fattest pods and eating the peas from it'.

'A fresh and new taste'


Materials;

  • Felt from Hobbycraft (Plant green colour)
  • Hero Arts Fancy Felt 'Summer Flowers'
  • 7 gypsies journalling block
  • Sequin waste from Hobbycraft
  • Kaiser craft Rhinestones
  • Adorn it Carolee's creations Sleek Black
  • Doodlebug designs inc Beetle black mini rub ons
  • Fontwerks black labels
  • BoBunny Rub ons 'Gardenia'
  • Me & my big ideas adhesive gems
  • Scenic Route Afterthoughts colour rub ons
  • Li'l Davies Designs Chip-Art Words 'Spring'