Hand Crafted Memories

The colder weather is  making me feel like I should be making my Christmas cards, so for these colder evenings I've stamped out a few images and I'm having some big girl colouring sessions. I've promised myself that I will not buy any more Christmas papers, I have enough to make cards and pages for the next 5 years. I must Not give in! I went through my scrap box and there is enough in there to make at least a dozen cards. It is all going to be used before I cut into a new piece of paper. Come back later this week to see what I make. As September grows nearer I have completed my August page for Project 12 over on the Scrapbook & Cards Today Blo g. The weather is definitely growing colder but I refuse to put the heating on in the house just yet, I've just pulled out a cardigan for the time being. The sketch for August was a little bit different with only three photos on it. I wanted to record a lovely day I had recently with my friend in Tropical World, but it was

I thought to day I would get loads of crafting done, not at all. I seem to be on a go slow, everything I'm doing is taking ages. I have manageda couple of cards, I just can't leave Warren alone. These images are so gorgeous, I can't leave them in the box. I think Warren is going to be featuring on all my friends mantlepieces at Christmas, these are my favourite cards so far.

As promised, here are more cards I made using the Warren Christmas project of the month from Craftwork Cards , With a Bank holiday to enjoy, I feel a full day of crafting coming on.       Don't forget to order your tickets for the Papaercraft show in Harrogate, only a couple of weeks to get them. As always it promises lots of crafting goodness under on roof and you could pick up your own Warren stock. Go here to get your ticket.

I know it looks like following my scrapbooking frenzy I have burnt out for the last week. That is not so I have been working on the current Craftwork Cards project of the month. I love this kit, I love Warren. The colours are beautiful and this kit has so much in it. I don't think I'd be sticking my neck out too far when I say you could get more than 25 cards out of it. So without further ado let me introduce Christmas Warren       Come back for some more Warren tomorrow.

I am getting very excited about attending the forthcoming Scrapstars retreat . I was at the last one in April and had such a great time, we made some beautiful projects and I finished every one of them. The next one is the weekend of 23rd September at the Ramada Jarvis hotel , not far from the Leeds/Bradford airport. The teachers at the retreat are Rachael Elliott , Kirsty Wiseman , Lida de Witte and Emma Trout . With a line up like that it can't fail to be a brilliant weekend. Bellaboo is going to be on site for the weekend just in case I forget anything, shopping may be on my agenda as well. I've already started to pack my bag. If you are interested in booking a place go here to check out the details.

Yesterday I had a busy day making sure everything was ready for my return to work and I went to a wedding reception. It was really beautiful and each guest was given their own cake to take home. I ended up with three as people put them in my bag and forgot to collect them before they went home. Luckily I work with them so I can deliver them on Monday, just look how beautiful they are: this one is mine,its going to be my afternoon treat with a nice cup of coffee.Did you notice the buterflies? Yum! I didn't abandon my scrapbooking, I did make a page but I had to wait for the glossy accents to dry on the raised dots. It didn't get photographed until this morning. This page just came together, it popped out of my head onto the page Poof! just like that.It fits perfectly with the half page challenge on Shimelle's blog, Create a layout that only uses half the page. It can be whatever half you would like, but somewhere around half the page space needs to be breathing room!

I have so enjoyed the challenges that Shimelle set for us last week at the cybercrop. The timing was great as I have this week off work, I have managed to make a page every day. Usually I manage a couple at the weekend so I have been falling behind with the challenges I like to take part in. This week I'm catching up. The Scrapbook and Cards Today Project 12 sketch for July was perfect to use for Shimelle's Grid it Up challenge. The challenge was Create a project with a grid as a design element! You can interpret that any way you wish! Get creative! I pulled out these pictures from 2008 when the cooling towers in Sheffield were demolished. They were not the best photos, as usual they were taken on my brothers phone, I so wish he'd take his camera out with him rather than relying on his flipping phone. Anyway they are just about good enough to see the story. I'm afraid you can't see them so well in the photo. Here is the sketch I used and here is my page

I'm still making pages for Shimelle's cybercrop last weekend. Thankfully very reasonable finish dates were given, its hard when a limit of a couple of hours is given. I know its a challenge but I really want to make pages that I will keep rather than just throwing down something just to play along and keep up with everybody. I always have to bring pages home from retreats to finish them. I often laugh at programmes like 60 minute makeover , I love it but do wonder what the finish can be like. I had this programme on yesterday when I was spring cleaning (yes I know its technically summer) my living room. They did a makeover for three rooms and I was still cleaning an hour later!  This challenge from Shimelle was to create a page with a product or a technique you love so much you use it relatively often. Maybe it’s become your signature accent! Whatever it might be, put it on show and share it with us! Well I have two the first is I love butterflies and wherever possible

I managed to get out and collect some pictures today to add to my pages. Shimelle posted another challenge last night, this was to use a video for inspiration . Now I am constantly amazed at how two people start from an idea and end up somewhere different. I loved the original page that Shimelle made and have no idea how the photo that came to mind was one taken at Universal studios 10 years ago. I just knew what papers I would use and how it would end up. Usually I start and the page evolves, not this time I just knew. Here is my page, using Halloween papers but I felt they suited the mood of the photo.

I'm going dizzy now with my pages from Shimelle's cybercrop. I haven't made my pages in order, I've dipped in and out, working with photos that I know I have and will fit with the challenge. I have completed three pages and with a whole week off work I'm sure I'll finish more. This challenge was to go retro and scrap a photo from before 2011. All my pages will qualify as I'm trying to get all my old photos onto pages. I chose this picture of my brother from the 60's and used some more of the For the Record Sarah's cards kit .I didn't like this kit when I first got it, but I take it back, it has been the basis of some lovely pages. I also used the idea from a layout instruction over at  UKScrappers. I am really pleased with how this page came out.

I'm still following the Cybercrop that Shimelle is hosting, for some reason I'm being really slow. I've only completed two of the challenges, but I am making sure I make pages I want to keep and I'm making sure I finish them completely.  One of my favourite colour combinations is red, white and Aqua, lucky for me this was one of the challenges Shimelle has set. I am also following Shimelles 4 x 6 photo love challenges over at two peas in a bucket. This month we need to put 7 4 x 6 photos on a layout.  I have just scanned all my America photos from 1992, all 478 of them! i was trying to pick a couple from the photos taken at Ellis island to use in the colour challenge, when I realised there were seven photos. Why not use all of them on the one page. Here it is:   I even used one of Mary Anne's free journaling blocks

Shimelle is hosting a cybercrop this weekend, thankfully it is one with reasonable time lines. With a week to complete many of the challenges, this really suits me. I have a weeks holiday and planned to get so much done around the house and garden, I may have to rethink and make some pages. The first one I have completed was to start with this And here is where I finished up   With  regular posts that will include challenges, giveaways, mini-lessons, special guests, free downloads and all sorts of things to keep you scrapbooking, I know I'm going to be busy all week.

I was recently introduced to Molly Blooms stamps, and I just love them, the second one I bought was the camper van. I thought it would make great men's cards and so far it hasn't failed. I have mostly stamped and coloured it in, but then I saw a fabulous idea on Claire's blog and was completely inspired to make these cards great for using scraps of paper, this I know I will make time and again.

In February 2010 I attended a retreat where one of the classes was taught by Dina Wakeley . I'm not really an art journalist, I can appreciate the work that goes into them but its just not really my thing. I think that's why this little book was left for so long, I'm just not a grungy type of person but felt it would have been a waste of the class not to finish the project. I've added a few more bits than was included in the original instructions, but I can can't I?           I took a few quotes and added them instead of journaling. Even though I'm not really into this kind of thing, I do like the finished book.

Finally I am beginning to pick up, it all started with a sore throat that wouldn't go away, it ended up with an ear infection that gave me vertigo and laryngitis that needed a dose of antibiotics which gave me a very bad tummy. I just didn't know what to do with myself. Thankfully I've now turned a corner.  Nothing to it but to get my body in the craft room for a play. I also went out into the garden with my camera for a play, I'm still a bit wary of venturing too far.  First I managed to finish a page that I started a couple of months ago. I knew I was going for afternoon tea at the Holiday Inn with my friend so I made a page ready to take some pictures. I had made a kit up using the Dovecraft Tea House papers. I really enjoyed the afternoon and these papers were perfect for the page. Then I took myself out into the garden and snapped some pictures while the sun was peeping out. I was trying to use some of the techniques Kirsty had taught me. I also feel I need to g

I'm sure I'm the same as many kit subscribers, I collect them rather than use them. I subscribe to Sarah's Cards monthly kits, its like getting a present every month. There is usually enough to make several pages. Therein lies my problem, I don't get through a kit before the next one arrives, so I am constantly a couple of kits behind. On my recent girly weekend I used the May Kit that featured MME's Stella and Rose, just gorgeous. I scraplifted the design from the DT leaflet that comes with it, this page was an idea by the fabulous Rachel Elliot . The picture was taken by Caroline on our recent photography day in Leeds and as soon as she sent it me I knew it needed scrapping.  I so enjoyed making this page and it has truly put me in the mood for the Scrapstars retreat at the end of September, Rachel is one of the teachers who will be teaching a couple of classes. Only 49 days to go but who's counting? I AM, I AM!

The antibiotics don't seem to be kicking in yet, and my sleep is so disturbed I got to work this morning and turned round to came back home. I hater having time off work sick but I just couldn't get through the day. Lots of sleep and cups of tea don't seem to have eased anything so maybe a bit of blogging will. This is my final project I made for the Craftwork Cards stand at CHA. It was actually the first thing I made, And came to me in a flash. I had been out for the day and when I came back the neighbour had a new hanging basket outside their house. Bingo, and using the pennant die from Spellbinders this is what I came up with. and a close up of the flowers then I added the Candi but didn't get a really good picture, I'm sure you get the idea.

I wish I could go out and sit in the sun, but today I'm feeling pretty lousy. I'm back on the antibiotics for  stinking chest and ear infections.£18 for the prescriptions, my God! I already had today booked off work with the intention of giving my garden some TLC. Instead its going to be me that gets it. I had a great weekend with my crafting buddy Julia, nothing new there. We had another of our girly scrapping weekends. We both had the Sarah's cards kit from May , using the Stella and Rose papers, just gorgeous. I have also been tidying my craft room, it's one of those 'Why did I start that job?' moments. I discovered a few projects I'd started at retreats and just hadn't got round to finishing them. So they came out and are not going away until I finished them. I also pulled out some kits I hadn't really liked  . That left me with plenty to do. One of the kits that originally left me uninspired was the For the Record kit from April , this really di