Hey!!! Here is a little (wonky) page I completed earlier this week. Lots of butterflies, a sprinkling of bling. I think I used a sketch but (as usual) I can't find it now! Looking at in now I think I should have edged the thickers so that they stand out more.
I cut off the journalling spot and used some embellishments I found in an old kit which I never used - a good find!
I am still trying to come to terms with using my slr. Somehow the person in the foreground was in focus but the people in the background were blurred. I have been wanting to do that for ages - but can never manage it. Any ideas how I could do it again?! Lol! xxx
Aloha! Exciting news my man and I have joint a gym...they sent me a ridiculously cheap offer after I inquired online about six months ago. So we went for a trial on Thursday night with our preggers friend who is due on....Sunday! Ha! However, like many things it was too good to be true as they only wanted to give me the offer as I had recieved the email (don't you hate it when that happens?) Thankfully the lady at the club gave us a competetive deal on him and so we have our induction on Monday night. You had to tick which out of the following you were hoping for: * to trim * to get fit * to tone up * to train So I asked if I could tick all of the above! I am excited to get fit for summer...beach diet begins today!
Since I found this pic at my parents house I have wanted to scrap it. I like the dynamic between us and feel it captures a time when she idolised her older sister and I thought she was a daddy's girl. I found the perfect words on a vellum sheet. I cut out the houses from some new cardstock I got on sale at TKMaxx - gotta love that place!
It's strange as I have been using orange in my layouts a lot recently. I journalled round the edge and didn't opt for a big title - another recent preference. It is quite simple, but I wanted the photo to be the main emphasise.
Hope you like it Gemmy! x
Blogger being down has actually boosted my creativity as I have been able to actually scrap, instead of just parousing all your pages! A shipment of new pics was on the way and I always love to scrap new pics, I was forced to make do and take a good look at the pics I already had.
This was taken last month of my man on a walk in the park, he was very distracted by the oldies playing boules and so I decided to do a layout of him about his obsession with watching sports.
Funnily enough I got inspired by the heather in the background and went for "girly" colours. I mixed gesso with turquoise mists to make a negative title, I like how its opaque and so you can still see the cool sporty paper.
The journalling spot is another *magpie moment* a coaster painted with gesso and grey paint. It took a few layers to cover up the original design and then I inked it in pink.
I used Shimelle's challenge of scrapping a photo that requires explanation.
Welcome scrappers and bakers! Today I have something for everyone. Ha!
Above is a layout using our one year anniversary pic (or rather pic from that weekend as we went away) This layout consists of two magpie moments - a coaster from a cafe in Bruges and a little booklet thing from the clothes shop Hollister that I used for an extra pic (of our wedding day a year ago from then) and the journalling. I used a triangle for the embellishments (thanks for the prompt Shimelle!)
The second layout I completed in conjunction with National Scrapbooking day uses patterned paper for the backing paper. I blinged it up with plenty of buttons, brads and sequins. It didn't take long, but I think its quite effective.
Lastly at the weekend I went to a baby shower. I made lemon cupcakes using the recipe from Hummingbird. They had lemon frosting which I tried to dye blue, but it looked more like grey. I prettied them up with homemade toppers and blue sprinkles. Any suggestions on good blue food colouring?
An arial shot...
That's all for now folks!
So I think making today National Scrapbooking Day gives me permission to put aside all the job stress with exams approaching and parents moaning and sleepless night and ignore all the piles of marking and just....SCRAP! I shall be playing along with some of Shimelle's yummy challenges. In fact I have a few (well lots) of stuff to share with you. Firstly her 4 by 6 challenge above is the layout and below shows the secret flap for journalling and an extra pic... The title 'Give a Little Brick' is inspired by the Goo Goo Dolls song - do you see what I did there?! I often used to do hidden journalling and pics so was glad of this chance to try it again. I like it a lot! 
Next my March Document 2011 layout. This has been the thorn in my side for weeks. I am still not pleased with the clash of colours and just the overall appearence of it. But it was all stuck down bit by bit and it was too late to change it. So here you go...March! 
The first of my April pages, with all the bank hols, a wedding, two family reunions, mothers day etc it's been an epic month. My camera has seen many a great pic and so I am going to do *at least* two pages. The first is showcasing the first part of the month...dessert bars, cupcakes, mother's day and Come Dine with Me Part Two. I like this one a lot more and moved away from the six box layout to fit more of the pics in. 
Lastly a cute little layout using two colours I rarely scrap with - orange and brown. It is in fact a scraplift from this lovely lady and I am rather pleased with it. It doesn't really have a title, just a couple of journalling cards. 
So...looking forward to seeing what all you lovely ladies create! M xxx
What is your favourite thing about spring?
I have a whole list:
* Prospect of summer in the air
* Fields of daffodils
* Walking in the woods (as pictured above)
* Light evenings
* Mother's day
* Easter reunion with the family
* Lots of treats
* Days out with my man
Completed for this My favourite things challenge blog.
These are the books:-
I forgot that I asked all my school friends to write about me and I in turn wrote about them. I really enjoyed looking back on this as there were stories and things I had forgotten...
My 16th birthday party. I am glad I kept the invite and one of the cards (from a crush!) I like how creative (and resourceful) I was using wrapping paper as the backing paper.
I made a profile of myself as different ages in my teens. It was interesting to look back at my taste - not always great reading! Ha!
All my birthday parties - pics and even memorabilia like napkins and invites etc. This is a great record to have of all my old friends.
So there you go...sometimes I wonder why I scrap. If it is a waste of time. (Even though I LOVE doing it and find completing a layout very satisfying.) But I am sure my future kids will love looking at their geeky mum and what she got up to in her teen years.
A lot of the scrapping in very crude and my supplies were limited so I toyed with the idea of rescrapping them, but my little sister wouldn't let me even consider it. I guess it is a study into the evolution of my scrapping style if nothing else....
Why do you all scrap?
Good morning all! (Well good morning Brits and whatever else to all my international readers!)
I was struggling for inspiration on these pictures of me at York on a day out with my hubby. Then I came across a card my mom sent me with this cute little couple on it holding hands. I then came up with the idea of making my own paper chain and I got a poem from the internet for my journalling. I struggle to always think what to write when I have a few pics of the same occassion.
Here are some close-ups:
It was completed using a sketch from The Scrappiest.
As promised the final pics of our easter dessert bar. Above are the rabbit whoopees which my lil sis Gem made. Below are her oreo cake pops, which were my husbands fav so I will have to have a go at making them. I have tried before and they became a big sticky, sludgy mess.
My older sister, Tamara, works for the English Cheesecake company and this is one of their chocolate fudge cakes. She is a new product developer and so gets to design and test out new products - is that not the BEST JOB EVER!? I don't know how she stays so slim.
My humble addition to the table was the floral cookies. I included the recipe in this post if you want to try to make them. They were very easy and very tasty.
Gem also made these delicious coconut cupcakes. She even made the little eggs on top with a mould and I think they look really professional. Can you see how difficult it is to diet in our family?
Here's one of the finished table. We do have another sister, but she doesn't like having her picture taken, so you will rarely see her featured on my blog. But rest assured she did enjoy eating the treats.
I know these are usually made for parties and events, but when our family gets together it always is an event and Gems loves featuring them on her cupcake blog.
What traditions do your family have when they get together?
Doesn't the bride look stunning? Below are the teaching trio! Do you like my new dress?
Above are some snaps of the gorgeous wedding I attended yesterday. The weather was so perfect for them and it was just a fab day with loads of cute little touches. I will post more pics later.
Many more exciting posts to follow, especially since I found some retro scrapbooks whilst clearing out my parents attic. They helped to remind me why I do all this, as I experienced such genuine joy and pleasure at looking through them and remembering the events recorded and reading how I felt and what I was like at 14.
Plan to do some scrapping tomorrow too as the weather is turning and I won't feel so guilty about being holed up inside.
Hope all my English readers had a fab bank holiday. Thanks for your support and comments.
This is completed using part of the lyrics from Aerosmith's Livin' On the edge for Scrap it with a Song challenge. In my teens I was a big Aerosmith fan and I remember distinctly using one of their albums on random to decide which boy I should go out with. Ahh the innocence of youth! And the joy of having options!
If I don't get to blog anymore over the weekend HAPPY EASTER to all my followers and readers of my blog. Hope you all get lots of exciting treats from the easter bunny - check out my previous post for a great easter cookie recipe.
Check out these babies chilling in the sun....
My slave driver of a little sister is insisting the good for our easter dessert bar at the weekend. The colour scheme is yellow and green and she has even made a mood board. I made these cookies and then had fun decorating them with royal icing.
The recipe (from Cookie Magic) is listed below so you can give them a go over the bank holiday:-
Basic Butter Biscuit
250g / generous 1 cup softened butter
140 g icing sugar sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large free-range egg yolk
375g / 2 3/4 cup plain flour
1) Beat butter and sugar together until very pale and fluffy
2) Add vanilla and egg yolk and mix well
3) Sift in flour and mix until it forms a firm dough. You may need to get your hands in and form it into a ball.
4) Wrap in cling film and chill for an hour (I didn't and it was fine!)
5) Preheat oven to 190 degrees / 375f and place cut shapes onto a silicone liner (I just brought some and they are a dream)
6) Bake for 10-12 mins until they are pale golden. Then transfer to a wire rack.
7) Put a few drops of food colouring on prebrought regal icing and then roll out and punch the same shape. Place a smartie or chocolate button in the middle.
8) Step back and admire and then devour.
Enjoy!
Above is a little gem of a layout. I loved these pics taken by my bro-in-law Byron and was excited to scrap them. I have always enjoyed using the Mission to Create challenges as they are very specific, yet flexible and they are a good stash buster. The requirements were:- 
Hope you've all had a non-stressful hump day and enjoy your evening. (We are off to Orange Wednesday!)
