Fairy swap

Over on UKS I participated in another swap-I can't say 'no' to them. This time it was a Christmas fairy swap using Tim's dressform as the base. I prefer to think of it as a winter fairy swap so that it can stay all year and not just for Christmas. Unfortunately I couldn't fit all of them on one canvas so here is the first and the remainding ones will go on another when I get one the correct size. I hope the girls like what I have done with them so far.

Now I think I'd better get on with some Christmas cards before it is next Christmas.

Confused?

Well I certainly am. I have never know whether or not I have a style and I think these layouts prove that I don't. I love the Prima/Webster's Pages style with lots of layering and ephemera dotted around. I take inspiration from the likes of Rachael Elliott and Ingvild Bolme who is the inspiration behind this particular layout

However, at the crop on Saturday I was fired up by what Emma was doing. In fact, so inspired was I that I came home and set to, producing this very different layout. Shimelle is encouraging us to use scraps so I have used the bits and pieces left over from the 2 prima layouts that I have done. The lonesome duck can just be seen at the bottom of the photo on the right.

So, my question is: Am I the only one with no particular style? Will I ever find my niche? Until then I continue to take inspiration from others around me producing non-perfect creations that are fine and will do for me.

the last or should that be latest?

Hard to believe that this layout also uses 3 different sheets of Victoria Gardens but it is the last for a while especially as I have just received some Webster's pages through the post. Right I shall go and search for a suitable photo-may be a while-it's very girly paper. Beautiful but girly.

Oh by the way this photo is another taken by my son on his travels.

The same but different

The arch that is. This photo is of a similar view to the one in the post below but taken from further back. I've managed to use Victoria Garden paper -again. I think I must be a bit obsessed when it comes to paper collections and kits. I feel I have to use the whole pack up before moving to the next range. I'm going to use it once more and then put it to the back of the cupboard and move on to something different. Hmmmm we'll see!!!!

For Paul

Paul said he'd like to see more so here is another one out of my comfort zone. I think that might be it for now, Paul, cos I'm not sure about this one but it'll do. I think I'll go back to my familiarity, but then again........

The photo, by the way,is one my son took on his holiday round Europe. I think it was in Holland. There were huge statues of various things such as lego dinosaurs and of men standing on their heads in the middle of a pavement. I feel a series coming on!

Something different

I thought I'd do something out of my comfort zone with this layout and use stamping and inking through a mask. I love inks and paints but tend to keep them away from my scrapping. the small amount of paper that I have used is from the Victoria Garden collection again. The photo was taken when we were in London-again.

Hanging Garden

When in London over the summer, to see War Horse (highly recommend it-unbelievable), we saw this piece of garden hanging on scaffolding outside the national Gallery. The photo does not do it justice or show the size of it. In reality the colours are bright and vivid with a mix of greens and tiny bits of purple-pink at the bottom.

What better way to use Victoria Gardens paper. Despite having only boys I have a penchant for pretty girly papers. Thankfully most of our holiday photos are of sites and sights that lend themselves to my preferred softer ranges.

(I did mention to hubby that maybe we should have another child in the hope that it would be a girl. He was not amused)!

Remembering mum and dad

Don't know if you have visited the wonderfully creative Ingvild Bolme. She is the inspiration behind this layout which she kindly let me lift and post on here. I love her style and some of the embellishments are her design too. The layout features my late parents who were always very affectionate.

The photo of this layout is rubbish so I may try and re-do it at some point. i.e. when my camera doesn't repeatedly say there is a fault on the card and to check it.

Goodness Me

Blimey. Two posts in one day. In fact, in one hour. this is due to the final putting together of jiggy number 3. Over the years a group of us have been participating in jigsaw swaps. Funnily enough, it seems to be the same people, more or less, who have rushed to take part. The idea is that we each decorate 9 pieces of a jigsaw which, when swapped , make up a whole 12" x 12" jiggy (as they are affectionately called).

NettyB always hosts these swaps but I think that is because she is a glutton for punishment!!! Number 3 had Alice in wonderland as it's theme. Here it is:

Home from Home

Well, the intention at the LB Crafts Street Life class, for me, was to show how Paris feels like home to me. However, by the time I had colour-washed the background of this canvas, the Paris images were hardly visible. Still, I know they are there and I also know how much Paris means to me.

I thoroughly enjoyed participating in this class which gave me a good insight into Fresco paints, metal, canvas and more besides.

The canvas now takes pride of place in my porch.

At last

I have finally finished the fairies for a swap over on UKS. Mr Mojo had completely deserted me and I have been in a mild state of panic for some days now wondering if he would ever return. Suffice to say he turned up for a short while last night and I took advantage of his presence to start the fairies finishing them today.

I must admit they have taken me the best part of the day to complete so the ironing is still in it's basket and the shopping is about to be done now.

Hope the recipients like them.

How lucky am I?

The answer is 'very'. For ages now I have wanted to have a go with Pan pastels without having to go to the expense of buying them so when I saw a class giving that very opportunity at LB Crafts I immediately signed up for it. Even better was that it was the day after another very tempting class. So off we went. When I say 'we' I do of course mean my partner in crime Michele and I.

I won't go into the fiasco concerning the B&B that we booked but didn't stay at even tho' we wish we had-enough said.

The 2 classes we did were great and I will eventually finish the one I feel needs a bit more adding to it due to my colour choice but for now here are the Pan pastel tags I did. I loved using the pastels and the effect they give but was not particularly happy with what I did with them. Anyone who knows me will know that the one on the left as you look is my favourite. Here they are anyway.

several hours later

I think I must be a glutton for punishment or else I just love pressure. I signed up for yet another swap over on UKS. Somehow it had slipped through my net and I didn't see it until a couple of days ago. The submit by date was far too soon so Kitty Crafts kindly moved the date for me and signed me up. The brief is to make 10 tag sized rectangles, leaving the left side clear for binding or book rings,and 2 covers which Kitty will then collate and make into a book. so here is my offering:

It is totally inspired by Paula whose creations are gorgeous, very feminine and ephemeral. Hope the recipients like it.

I need to go and pack for tomorrow's crop. This is another pressure because needing to clear my desk I just put everything into a laundry basket. Should be fun sorting that out-NOT!

opals in october

Here is my tag for the monthly tag swap over on UKS. This month sees us having to take inspiration from opals, girls and music. Unfortunately as I am not David Bailey, or even remotely related to him, the colours are not true. In reality the tag is very pale and I misted them with a marshmallow glimmer mist which gives a gorgeous opalesque sheen over the colours. I'm actually quite pleased with it because the colours are, for once, just what I envisaged (and nowhere near as bright as they appear on here).

food shopping

Yes it's that time of the week again when I really should go food shopping but the weather is so bad that I just don't want to step outside. I think I'll wait until the rain stops. In the meantime I've finished these layouts all from Craftystash kits. they are great-they contain everything you need to complete the two layouts that they suggest.

Now some people would not even look at the suggestions and some people would look but do their own thing which is normally what I would do-look and change to make them my own but with a bit of help. However, as I have already mentioned, my mojo has gone awol so I lifted down to the last detail even to the photo orientation which is normally the first thing I change.

On the plus side, I have used both kits- a definite advantage for my ever growing paper mountain.

Right I'd better go and see if it is still raining out there

Good morning!

Hmmm, think I'd better leave this collection alone for a while now. I'm at serious risk of overload. There are plenty more gorgeous collections out there.

A rarity

I'm not sure whether the rarity is that I have posted twice today or that I had to have the whole of the Bonjour collection and so you can expect to see more bonjour layouts. all I can say is thank goodness I have several photos of different places in France. Not quite sure of the title yet but when it comes tome I will be putting it on the tag.

Not quite sure why the colours are not true but they look really dull on here. IRL the colours are really pastel and lovely.

Bonjour again!

The Kaisercraft blog is a mine of inspiration and that's where I go when I want to scrap but lack mojo or initiative. Lacking both at the moment but desperate to use the beautiful Bonjour collection that's where I headed to produced this:

I daresay that as I am still feeling lacking in mojo I will head off there again.

Bonjour!

When a girl loves Paris and all things French as much as this girl does what is she to do when Chrissy at Merly Impressions gets the Kaisercraft Bonjour collection in? Answers on a piece of scrap paper to the bank manager please.

When said girl gets a rare day with absolutely no jobs and no work what is she to do?

Put the answers to the two questions above and produce this:

Now on with the next one.

Thank you Rachael

Having finally acquired some much coveted Webster's Pages papers and spotting the second of the two layouts below on Rachael's blog (which I confess I stalk regularly) I managed to sit and produced two layouts last night. After lifting Rachael's layout, (my version is nothing like as beautiful as Rachael's but heh, it'll do), I used the rest of the paper to do another one. The photos are of Sir Christopher Wren's house in Hampton, near Hampton Court Palace in London.

Now that my two boys are a bit older I have fewer and fewer photos of people to scrap but love to take pictures of famous people's homes or unusual architecture. I'm not particularly great at photography but as the pictures are only for me they do.

A recent visit

The latest visit to The Bean and Brush produced this cup and saucer along with the tea plate. Not sure I would want to eat or drink from such a vibrant coloured trio but I certainly had great fun making them and the bonus was that they have turned out just as I expected them to. What to do next time?!

present for someone

Every month my partner in crime and I go to our local (ish) crop where we undertake a particular project. The latest one was this box,which uses Kaisercraft products. (Several of our projects involve a Beyond the Page item from the Merly shop). I have put bling along the front have also lined the drawers with some faux suede as I want this to be used as a jewellery box. Just have to convince hubby that I need some jewellery to put in it now. Could take a while that one!! Maybe I'll just have to find a lady I know with a birthday coming up in January who I think may just like it.

Thanks Chrissy for letting put this on here and for the inspiration.

Late for a very important date

Well not really but I shall be if I don't get this jigsaw off to Netty B over on UKS. A small group of us have been taking part in an Alice in wonderland jigsaw swap. this is the 3rd jiggie swap I've been involved in and so far the first 2 are looking great on my craft room wall. I'm very much looking forward to seeing how the latest one turns out.My theme was obviously the white rabbit. Here is a close up of one of the pieces. Hope the girls like it.

Ongoing tag swap

For the past 20 months I have been taking part in a monthly tag swap over on UKS. Here are the ones I did for August-the peridot Wizard of Oz one and the September-sapphire one which had to have 7 of something and use something new. I used 7 gems and a new stamp-Ella Bella from Indigo Blu. Next month I have to choose the theme. As yet I don't even have thoughts running around in my head but I am beginning to think I work better under pressure. Either that or I am just totally disorganised.

More butterflies

I know it won't always be like this but really I suppose it is the novelty of being able to do this that has made me post twice in one day. This is the second of the items we made at the Bean and Brush. (Still got to get the hang of actually being able to take a decent photo). It is a lovely serving plate with feet underneath. We loved it the minute we saw the sample. Watch this space for more.

Flutterbye

I spent an evening recently with my partner in crime Michele (link on sidebar-haven't worked out yet how to add it to the post but I will) and we made a butterfly which is now hanging on the wall outside my house. We have been back twice now to the Bean and Brush in Sale. I will try and upload a picture of the second item we made later. It was so therapeutic to just sit and paint. The surprise was that in the firing of the butterfly the glazes merged such that they came out completely different to how they went into the kiln. Great fun.

It'll do

I have been nagged for so long now about starting a blog that I thought I'd better give it a go. It's not perfect as I have picked the simplest background but it's a start and IT'LL DO. Those of you who know me (if there is anybody out there) will know that my key phrase is 'IT'LL DO'. I can't do clean and simple and I definitely can't do perfect. So I do the best I can and usually end up saying "I've finished-it'll do".

So, there is my start. I don't know when I'll come back and look at how to upload pics or change settings but I daresay at some point I'll be begging my techie mate for a helping hand. Whatever happens it won't look perfect but it will definitely do.

Bye for now.