Santa Sack from October Afternoon

Over on the October Afternoon (OA) blog, they had/have a Santa Sack Sale, information here. So has I just loooove OA I know I just had to have one, and has most you know what I have Julie also needs - lol.

The idea was to get one box a week for the 4 weeks that it was running, but lack of funds on my part only allowed me to purchase 1 box. Well it arrived, last week and I received a letter from ParcelForce informing me that because of the weight of the parcel that I need to make an excess payment before they would delivery it. So even though it was great value it just bumped the cost of postage up for both of us, which did put a damper on things, but only till I opened my box - WOW - I just love it all.

25 sheets of 12x12 papers - some older, a few newer one - 5 & Dime, Rocket Age, Boarding Pass, SideWalk, but all of it yummy.

8x8 paper pack - arrived at the right time to use for my JYC Album.

Word & Label stickers, journalling cards, alpha stickers.

Buttons, chipboard, rub-ons, flash cards, Rocket Age miscellany. It also included a Chipboard Mini Album from the 'Modern Homemaker' collection which I forgot to photograph.

It just amazing how much is in each box, and the value for money was great.

Now all I need is to find a little space in my room for it to go - lol.

Toad Hall Scrapping

So last weekend whilst I was with some of my scrapping pals, I managed to get my Doc 2011 October pages done, and start on my November pages, and a few layouts as well as Sam & Sheena teaching me how to crochet.

Here are my layouts, I will upload my Doc pages later.

I had this idea to make a layout of the layout that won 1st prize at Sarah's Cards Retreat earlier this month. I decided to use the same papers that I had used for the original layout, and also include some the same elements.

This one is to go in my album with the ones about my road trip to Ally Pally in September, and it meeting Shimelle and SJ for Cupcake in the Park, after the show had finished. And yes the cupcakes tasted as good as they looked.

Funny Faces - taken at the Sarah Card's Retreat when me and Julie were messing around.

Products: October Afternoon - Sidewalk Collection, American Craft - Thickers,

Scarecrow Weekend

My 1st visit to the Belboroughton Scareecrow weekend, even though it rained I did manage to get some decent photos.

Products Used: American Craft - Nightfall collection, KI Memories Die Cut Calendar sheet.

Studio Calico - Month Stamp, embossed with Apricot Zing Embossing Powder

Apologies for the poor quality, took them this morning and not the best.

Twisted Sketches Card DT Call

Twisted Sketches are looking for some new talent to join the Card DT Team. More information here.

If you enjoy making cards, why don't you give it a go.

Toad Hall Weekend

Apologies again for a photo heavy post

I've just spent a fantastic scrapping weekend in Shropshire with the girls from the Skrapz crop. I love spending time with fellow crafter and I had a really enjoyable weekend.

My weekend started off with lunch in Much Wenlock with Sam,

we had lunch in a tiny but very traditional pub, had a walk around the town and some shopping,

then we set off to officially start our weekend.

We was greeted with these,

and the room all set up ready for us.

My room shared with Sam

The lovely Deb baked these FAB-U-LOUS cupcakes, and yes they tasted as good as they looked.

Like last year we hired outside caterers, for the weekend, such a fab idea and worth every penny.

Friday night was Curry Night

Cropping the night away

mini snap - Sam has a great camera that produces these mini Polaroids.

Our little attempt of getting some different looking photo from our photoshoot.

It was nice to spend time with both Sam and Sheena who I don't see as often has I would like, something that hopefully will be changed next year.

I want to give a big thanks to Sam for taking over the organisation of our weekend away, and the girls for making it special, looking forward to seeing you at the crops, our if not same time, same place next year.

I will upload what I did over the weekend soon.

Twisted Sketches - No. 128 - White

This week sketch is up and you can find it here

Here is my take on the sketch

For the white twist - I used white card stock, and thickers as well as I a snow photo.

The photo was taken whilst we where on holiday at Easter (March) 2008. The Saturday we drove down to Norfolk from Birmingham in bright sunshine, all be it cold. On the Sunday we woke up to the place covered in snow, it lasted about 2 days, then it was back to normal spring weather.

Thanks for stopping by and please join in with the sketch, I love to see what your take is on the sketch.

Happy scrapping

2011 Christmas Journal - date tags

I've started to put my Christmas Journal together, and yesterday I made these date tags. I will be using a combination of different numbers, e.g. thickers, stickers and die-cuts, which I will add has I complete each page.

Product used:

Stampin' Up cardstock

old book pages

music pages

Sizzex Mini Envelope Die

Nestabilities - small pinkie

Tim Holtz Distress Ink

Ribbon from stash

Sarah's Cards Retreat - Part 5 - The Winner is ...

Over the weekend there was a number of games and challenges that you could take part to add even more fun to the weekend.

I love sketches, so I took part in the sketch challenge, where we were all give a sketch to come up with a layout.

I had purchased some the the new American Chap Collection, which I just loved especially for layouts of James, and one of the papers was called 'James' which I just had to have.

The sketch challenge was being judged by the DT team. So on Saturday night they had laid all the entries out in one of the classrooms so that we could all see what talented ladies we all are, and how we had interpreted the sketch.

OMG - out of all the entries - I'd won I was so chuffed and it was great to think that some of them had liked my layout to vote for me - what an honour. I know that if I had been in the room when it was announced I would have cried, as it was, I wanted to cry when Sarah came over. I'd won and that was a great feeling, and it was definitively the 'icing on the cake' for a fab-u-lous weekend.

This was my entry. Another photos from the Summer and James looking 'cool'. I love how it has come together.

American Craft 'Chap' collection

Studio Calico (SC) number stamp & Maya Road clear mini tickets

Tim Holtz tickets; Pink Paislee stamp, Studio Calico Chipboard Alphas; Mini Tag - punch from Stampin' Up: SC mini date stamp

So thanks to the DT who voted for me and thanks to Sarah & Leanne for my great prize.

So that all about Sarah's Card Retreat, has you most probably can tell, I had a blast. The whole weekend was well organised, the DT team were friendly and helpful, Sarah & Lianne were a joy to meet again, and nothing seemed like too much trouble.

My table buddies were a joy to be with, right from meeting for lunch on the Friday to saying our goodbyes, you make my weekend very special, so thank you. It is always nice to have 'Friends with Benefits - lol.

Now I'm getting ready for the next crafting weekend away in Shropshire. This one is a more relaxed one but will be just as enjoyable. I'm planning to get my Document 2011 unto date, and my Christmas journal pages started.

Sarah's Cards Retreat - Part 4 - Photos

A few photos from the weekends.

Julie & me in the class room

Now who can resist a chocolate fountain ????

A group shot.

Kirsty

Tyre Fun

me and Julie - she loves me really !!!!

Me and Sheena - its was so good to spend some time with Sheena, with one thing and another we have not seen each other much this year so I'm really looking forward to seeing more of her next year.

The night sky was amazing on our way home, I tried several times to get a good shot, but this was the best of the couple I took.

Final part 5 - OMG !!!!

We make a list ...

And we checked it twice - lol.

Just spent 6 hrs shopping with Julie at Merry Hill, got a boot full of Christmas presents ready to be wrapped.





Just need to get into the houses without anyone seeing it - some hope eh!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sarah's Cards Retreat - Part 3 - My Layouts

As well as the classes and the make and takes, I managed to complete some of my own layouts. I had set up some page kits, using past Studio Calico (SC) kits. I had taken the idea of cutting up several different papers into blocks and then decided which photos will go with the papers - an idea from Shimelle on-line - Pretty Paper Party class.

Teeing off

Used : SC - October 2011 kit, and my 'Ampersand' mask with Barnwood Mist.

A simple layout, of Jon playing 'putting' golf in the Summer.

Friends

Used: Studio Calico - October 2011 kit, Thickers from SC Sept 2011 kit.

I'm really pleased how this turned out. I'd seen a layout with this title on the net and just loved the title. I took a note of the title but not of the person who did the layout, so apologies that I can't give her credit for the title. I can't even remember if she had used a circle of the layout, but I did and love how my page has turned out.

I followed the theme of circles and added different sizes and colours around the main circle - followed by some stitching, to some of the circle and the card stock.

The photo was taken by Morag in the Summer, and when I first saw it, it made me catch my breath, she had captured our friendship, a friendship that will never end and will last way beyond a lift time.

Easter at the Beach

This was one of the October edition for Shimelles 4x6 love class. What a fab idea, I did think how would you add 10 photos to one pages, but its obvious when you think about it. So I got some page protectors and gave it a go. My page does not have as much detail has the examples, but I can always add more.

Part 4 - Friends with Benefits

Sarah's Cards Retreat - Part 2- Classes

This post is about the class that I did. All really enjoyable and with some using the same technique I still think I learnt something from all the classes that I could use in the future.

Tactile Memories - designed by Claire Wheatley. I used a photos of my wedding. The glitter thickers are from my stash.

Against the Grain - by Vanessa Stokoe. The use of the cardboard was a new technique for me.

Fancy Flora by Jen Naulls. Another photo of my Wedding, love how it uses the top of the paper and a small photo. I added the extra pearls around the bottom of the page.

Krafty Adventures by Louise Stevenson. James on the beach in Summer, involved a lot of gutting of the paper and learning how to do the paper pin-wheel.

Through the Window by Natalie Grant. Used a photo of my Mum and brother in the 1960's attending a Wedding.

Flying the Flag by Rachel Ward. Lovethe idea of adding an envelope to the page for hidden journalling and also how the banners are all clustered. My journalling is about how the time has flown by over the past 14 years since becoming a Mum.

Then over the weekend there was 4 Make and Takes, I did do all 4 but can't find my tag but here are the other 3

A sweet holder

A page layout

A decorative peg

Part 3 to follow - my layouts

Thanks for stopping by ...