Hand Crafted Memories

I didn't think I would be taking part in the Stamp with Us challenge this week. It's a recipe challenge to use: 2 x Patterned Papers 1 x Ribbon 1 x Piece of Hardware I don't have the modge podge hardware kit so thought it would exclude me. I then started to go through my supplies and realised I had the Pretties Kit, so thought maybe the pin and pearls may count instead, I hope so. Any way this is what I came up with. All products were Stampin Up: Ink Pads - Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel & More Mustard Double Sided Paper - Welcome Home (retired hostess gift from 2007/2008) Stamp Sets - A Sense of Time, Frames with a Flourish Hardware - Hat pin, Brad, pearls & Beads from Pretties Kit Ribbon - 5/8" Certainly Celery Grosgrain Other - Stampin Dimensionals

I work with the loveliest bunch of people, it's mostly men I would say the average age is 30 and we have about 7 ladies. I regularly take muffins and cakes etc. in for us to have with our cuppas and it is always appreciated. This week one of the boys said they hadn't had rocky road for a while and would I be making some. One of the other boys then asked if for his birthday he could commission some lemon curd tarts so I said leave it with me. I called at the supermarket on the way home, bought all the ingredients and made some lemon curd. It was the first time I'd ever made it and it's gorgeous. So the next day I took a whole load of rocky road , some lemon curd glazed muffins and a small pot of lemon curd for a verdict. Everything went down a storm and to say thanks I was sent these flowers. I was really surprised, I do these things because I like to, but also because I genuinely like all off my colleagues. I love the flowers and am very touched by their gesture.

I seem to be going through a dry spell at the moment, I have a room full of stuff but can't seem to come up with an idea of what I want to scrap. I haven't even done the pencil lines challenge yet. I've been trawling the Internet for inspiration. I'm finding loads of lovely work but nothing seems to be sending me into a scrapping frenzy. Even the Stamp with Us challenge isn't doing it, mainly because I don't have any Hodge podge hardware. Then suddenly I did this. How cute is this page I was inspired by this one , so borrowed the idea and switched it up a little, admittedly not much. I love it though, it's in one of my favourite colour combinations.

I recently completed an SDU course at Craft Haven , this week was the crop at the end of the course to consolidate all the learning. The crop had a beach theme so this was the page I made. I was following a sample page but the frame didn't come out the right size so rather than waste it, this is what emerged. I finished a bit early so made a start on another page, using some paper that I already had with me. This one just came out of nowhere but I love the colours and the coredinations card stock was perfect for the 'weathered' look.

I had quite a few pictures left from the page I made of Tye last week, so I made another page. This one was inspired by a layout in the Creativity magazine. I had quite a bit of paper left over as well so used that up on this layout. My brother also wanted a thank you card to send to the animal rescue that had looked after Tye, they wanted to send a couple of photos as well, so I made a little wallet with a card and pictures in it. Here is the card I made, it has a belly band around it and when that is removed the card opens to show pockets that has a small card in one and photos in the others. The animal rescue staff were very attached to Tye and my brother wanted to let them know he is doing well.

Hooray, they are back. This week Stamp with Us has set a colour challenge here is the inspiration. Here is my card. Stampin Up products: Card stock - Whisper White, Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Summer Sun Stamp Sets - A Tree for all Seasons Punch - Scallop Square Other products: Copic markers Black card from scraps Black fineliner pen Stickles

I've been playing with my Cricut , I love the lots of dots papers from Craftwork Cards the delicate dots on shimmery paper were perfect for this card. I also used the Home Decor cartridge and came up with this card that is suitable for either a wedding, anniversary or just because. I went to a workshop today with Julie Hickey at Craftwork Cards, my God they have some gorgeous new products and the cards we made were so lovely. I went daft buying everything so now I have to use it all, lucky I'm not going back to work until Tuesday. Here is the birthhday card that Julie, Sue & Richard gave me, it was made with Craftwork Cards 8x8 elegantly embossed cardstock and the in circle birthday messages, isn't it lovely.

Here is my page for this weeks Pencil Lines challenge. It was ideal because it's a layout with multiple photos, perfect for my brothers album. They have just got a dog from the animal rescue, I'm not a big animal lover. Personally I have no idea why people would want an animal living in a house, but when I see the bond that is formed I suppose as long as the animal is treated well and it makes the family happy then that's OK. It's just not for me. This dog, however, has such a personalilty and is so well behaved you can't help but like him. So here is Tye, short for Tyson. He was already named and they didn't like the name (it is a bit predictable) so it has been shortened to Tye.

It's my birthday today and I've spent it tidying up my craft room, which has made me very happy. Of course it's taken me most of the day because I've been playing as well as tidying. A while ago I got this stamp from Stampin Up and haven't done anything with it, I also have some Copics that I've been trying to get to grips with. I need to buy the full set of Copics I've only got half at the moment, I also used my lovely new toy my Cricut machine. This is what I came up with. I've had some lovely birthday cards, here are the two hand crafted cards that I got, the first one was from Lynda . The next one was from my friend Val and her daughter Rachael. I'm being taken out for tea tonight by my best friend, so with a lovely tidy craft room, a satisfied feeling that I'm getting used to both the Copics and my Cricut and being treated to a lovely meal, the only thing left is to round the evening off by lying on the settee and watching Big Brot

I've been busy with a couple of weeks making this little book for my nephew. He is very dedicated to his karate, I recently made a page for him that he was really pleased with. This little book is the sequel to that page, I suppose this is Karate Kid II. It has taken me ages because I didn't use a ready made book, I made the whole thing. I'm very pleased with myself, the only thing I would do differently next time is I would bind the pages together. I used double sided tape and it can be pulled apart. It is 81/2 x 6 inches and each page has a Kata pose on the right with the name of the pose on the left. I used my Cricut expression to cut out the titles, numbers and headings. I'm sure he'll like it.

Here it is a week late but this is my entry for the challenge set over on Pencil Lines last week. It's very simple but I didn't think it needs anymore, this was another page that I had made a long time ago as one of the first pages.It was awful and I never was happy with it, so I gave it a make over. I'm much happier now. I've also finally bought the Cricut Expression that I have been coveting for the last couple of months, I am so happy with it. This page has given me the chance to test it out.

I haven't posted for a week, I've been out and about with work. Barnet for three days the Manchester for one I was shattered when I got back, but now I have a week off work and this time I hope I'm not sick. There isn't a challenge this week over on Stamp with us 8-(. They are busy with their retreat weekend, so I decided to do a boy version of the card I did last week, the challenge that was set was to make a card for a child. I made a girls card with ballerinas on, the boys one has a trio of footballers. Stampin Up products used were : Stamp Sets - All in the family, Family Accesories , Happy Everything Card Stock - Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White Other products: Stripe ribbon, Copic markers, Momento tuxedo black ink pad

It's a theme challenge over on Stamp with Us this week. The theme is children's cards, so here is my entry. Stampin Up products used were : Stamp Sets - All in the family, Family Accesories , Pocket Silhouettes Card Stock - Pixie Pink, Bashful Blue, Whisper White Other products: Gingham ribbon Copic markers Momento tuxedo black ink pad

I've done it again, I made the fab five over on Stamp with Us again, it's the only card challenge that I do but I feel pretty pleased with my record of making the fab five. This was the card they chose this week. The current challenge over on the journalling challenge blog is to scrap words from a book or page. I chose Out of Africa, I love this film but I love Kenya as well. The film is based on the book of the same name written by Isak Dinesen the name Karen Blixen used for her books. The title of the page is the first line in both the book and the film. I've highlighted the title by cutting a frame from the vellum, I didn't want the journalling to be too prominent so it is underneath the vellum, this means it can be read but is not immediately 'on show'. I'm loving these trees at the moment, I have to be careful I don't put them on everything. The paper is from Jillibean Soup and because you are cutting the trees and birds out of the paper one