Messy Mondays: Jars of fun with American Crafts!

 When first faced with a 12 by 12 sheet with a bold and fussy pattern I used to stroke it admiringly, but not really use it as I found the pattern daunting. However lots of Shimelle stalking has taught me that you fussy cut and use it for embellishments instead.
This layout uses lots of layers and lots of details cut from Studio Calico and American Crafts 6 by 6 pads. I used lots of washi tape to embellish and bakers twine. I stamped the title onto the American Crafts jar.

 How do you handle fussy papers?

Scrapping a family day out...

Last February half term we took a family day out to Botley Water Gardens and we snapped this rare picture of all of the crew.
I have been wanting to scrap it for a while and was waiting for inspiration.
I saw the idea of creating a border from punched out circles - which I inked the edges of to make them pop.
I used a 12 by 12 with border stripes to create a border and washi tape.
I like the polka dots with all of the patterned cardstock and stripy washi tape.
The main focus of the layout is the big wooden heart, which is part of a necklace that I broke and decided to stash for a good opportunity.
Click on the pictures to see the details better.

 

Remembering Remembrance Sunday

Our family tradition was always to go to the cenotaph in London to watch the remembrance day parade. I found this old photograph and decided that it needed scrapping. The journalling reads:
"There are a few things I love about this photo. Firstly we are waiting in the freezing cold to watch the remembrance day parade and that is a family tradition we always loved. Secondly the green jeans, the multi-coloured jumper and baseball cap are 90's fashion all over. Lastly I have my nose stuck in a book and not just any book one of The Babysitter's Club books. I loved those books and got the whole series. It's always the little things that you remember about a big day."

Do you have any family traditions like this?

10 Things I love about this epic double page...

All the way back in June this sketch by Shimelle caught my eye and I decided that although I sometimes find double layouts a bit intimidating and laborious I had some photos that I have been keen to scrap and so I decided to give it a go.
So the ten things I love about it:
1) The use of strips from this great cupcake 12 by 12 and how easy it was to also cut cute little embellishments with it.

2) The title - it is a favourite quotation of my sister's and I from the film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. It went so well with these picutres of my husband making his own cupcake in WhoDelicious in Santa Barbara and had to use a 'frostinator' to put the icing on the top.

3) The step-by-step process made by my dymo label maker. It helps to bring the layout together and to tell the story of the visit.

4) That cheesy grin in the first picture. The funniest part is that he usually hates cupcakes and suddenly he turned into a little boy just cos he could decorate it himself.

5) The use of the rule of three with the stamp to guide the eye.
6) The pinkness and girly look of the layout - it matched the vibe of the cupcakerie and the girly topic of cupcakes but then 7) the blue tiny polka dots add a more masculine touch.
8) The border stamp of mini hearts to pull it all together. So cute!

9) The banana frog mini cupcake stamp to create little clusters to guide the eye along the layout.

10) The fact that the lady behind the counter asked him to join her behind the pink curtain - possibly the funniest statement for a cheesy American lady to say to a sarcastic cupcake hating Belgian. My sister and I still laugh about it and it was last summer now!

I also love how different it is to Shimelle's khaki travel layout and that it why I love to use sketches as a starting point and to put my individual stamp on it.

Happy Bonfire Night!

5th November synonymous with toffee apples, candy floss, hot chocolate and lots of fireworks.
We went to the Bingley Bonfire on Saturday night as my sister was visiting for the weekend.
The Belgian had yet to be initiated into this very British tradition.
Finished off the night with...

Perfect!

Storytelling Sunday: The one where we lost the car park...

What does this fluffy peach layout have to do with a dark and stormy night I hear you say?
Well this layout represents the fluff that came before the storm.
Fluff like girly shopping, consuming the cutest cupcakes with rock star names and then seeing a cheesy boyband sing their best hits at M.E.N.
Fluff that I was so excited at participating in that I neglected to pay attention to where we had parked our car.
It seemed to be in a random car park that was at the opposite end of a long road leading to the arena.
So surely if we just followed that road we would get to the car park?
In the dark it seemed someone had moved that road.
Or the car park.
Or both.
It was approaching midnight.
A storm might be a push, but it was certainly drizzly.
And very scary.
We stopped into a take-away to ask for directions (having not had much luck with the drunks on the street as it seemed a car park at the end of a long road wasn't enough to go on!)
We got chips.
He still couldn't help us though.
Then his South African friend said he had a feeling that he knew where it was and it was just up the road and that he would take us.
Hmm..I felt a bit hesitant about following a stranger into the dark.
The guy behind the counter confirmed 'he's alright' so off we went hesitantly.
We walked a few blocks into the darkness.
I had my phone ready in my pocket.
We found some railway arches, a car park and my little Ford KA.
I had never been so happy to see my car before.
The guy then offered to get into the car with us and direct us out to Leeds.
Vulnerable but not stupid - we said we'd use sat nav but thanks very much.
An hour later I was home in bed.
But a valuable lesson was learnt and now I ALWAYS note down the address or level of the car park.
Has anyone else every lost their car?
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Linking up with the lovely Sian From High in the Sky

Second starburst of the week...

Procrastination.
That is what this post is really all about.
I have piles of exercise books to mark and essay drafts which give me a headache just looking at them.
So instead I immerse myself in prettiness.
In paper, letter stickers and flair.
Is there a difference between procrastination and just taking a break.
All you teachers out there how do you establish that work/life balance?
I try to keep most of my half term about me and relaxing.
Like eating a delicious toblerone brownies with an enormous hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and mini marshmallows.
Seeing Skyfall. My three word review: action packed, epic and endearing.
Okay so that was four words.
What have you been up to?
I know my sister who teaches in Canada doesn't get a half term.
So back to scrapping...some close-up shots...

I have been wanting to create a layout about where we live and what we like about it, but kept forgetting to take pics. This shows the market which is one of the things we like about where we live.

And a sneak peak of another trend I have been dabbling in...