Exploding Bag Card & Envelope

I know I've mentioned previously that I don't like templates, but I'm hooked now. After doing a exploding bag at one on our "crafting" get-together, I have now cut out several and produced one for Julie - she often says that she never gets crafty things from people.


So here what I produced for her Birthday on Friday.


I used the new Smark papers - Friendship and Naugthy or Nice Collections and embellishments. I've used embellishments that reflect our crafty friendship.


We both have a love of owls, so wanted to use one somewhere on her card - this is the Quickcutz one which was really easy to but together.

When we meet up we often drink "latte" so this was appropriate to us...

use this one to represent us as "kindred spirit" as crafters.

over the past few years, she has become a friend to me, and I hope I am to her.

this one represents our love of "Stash Shopping" and that it is definitely out of control.

She really loved it and I hope she had a great birthday.

I have done a layout this week, that is part of my UKS team challenge, so I can't upload till it goes live over on UKS which will be week beginning 13 April. I can tell you that its a scrap lift from a regular Gogo girl - Relliott71 - so thanks Rachael - will acknowledge you when it goes live.

Have a great Sunday and thanks for dropping by ...

Catch up Monday ....

Had a busy "crafty" day on Saturday, after returning from a Bridal rehearsal I decided to relax and I produced the following.

Hadn't done must over the last week in the range of scrapping, still trying to sort out my room - which is definiately an on going battle and with going back to the NEC on Sunday with some the the Solihull crop girls, I didn't produce many layouts at the crop.

Anyway problem solved and I feel on top of things again ... well a little bit.

So here goes, using Scrapagogo March 09 kit, this kit has a lovely selection of spring colours, oranges, greens and blue all very fresh and inviting.

GROW YOUR OWN - James uncle has been growning pumpkins for years and entering them into competition, and he has started a traditions where he given James a set of pumpkin plants and we see what we can grow. To incorporate the "pumpkin" colour I used the journalling card as part of the patterned paper.





THE ROCK - The photo is not very good, but it reminds me of our time on holiday, and this rock became our focus point to meeting up on the beach with family.

I added an outline to the letter stickers for added interest.

I also added some swirl stitching...

RELAX - photo taken in 2005 when we visited London for the day and had a ferry on the River Thames.

I LOVE US - using the Scrapagogo Feb 09 kit - this photo is out of focus, it was taken my our son on a visit to Windsor in 2005, but I've used it because it a rare one of me and DH together.

and finally, I recently purchased the We Are Memory Keepers - "Nonsense" Pad from QVC. which I used for this layout.

Rock Star - photo of my son with a blown up guitar pretending to be a "Rock Star". The guitar came with the "School of Rock" DVD a few years ago.

Used an Autumn Leaves "Talking in Circle" Stamp and cut out some of the patterned paper to make swirls, up the side of the paper.

These are ear-rings that I purchased from Tammy Girl in the sale, which make a great embellishment for this layout.

I've even cut out a bird on a branch from one of the sheets.

Have a great day and thanks for looking

xxx

Stamp with us - Blog Candy...

Just found this link to win some amazing Blog candy ....









Stamp with Us - worth checking them out.

Spring is here .....

What a lovely few days we have had this week, still a bit cold but the sun is shining, the birds are singing and all well.



Discovered a new feature on my camera, well I didn't really it was Kay (Solihull crop) had attended a course and learnt how to focus on a subject and let the background be blurred. So after a quick lesson from Morag (Solihull crop) on Sunday I took these pictures of the daffodils growing in my garden.

I know not a flower, but couldn't resist ....

Morag also mentioned that she was attending a 10 week photography course at the Botanical Gardens and how much she was enjoying it. when I originally got my new camera, (it was for my birthday - but got it in October), my hubby suggested that I go on a course to learn how to use it properly, but I never got around to sorting it out.

Well I have now, have just booked myself onto the next course which starts 30 April at the Botanical Gardens, its a 2 hours course, and it allows you access to the grounds to take photos using the techniques learnt in class, so after a quick turtorial from Morag, imagine what I could be doing after 10 weeks - LOL.

After visiting the NEC Craft Show last week, which I wasn't too impressed with but still managed to spend a fair bit thought, I'm on the look out for new stash.

Just got these delivered today, from A Trip Down Memory Lane - The new range of My Minds Eye - Penny Lane - Tiny Dancer, Feeling Groovy, Free Bird - small accessories, and of course some Thickers. The stash took 24 hours from ordering till delivery - how brill is that.




The Tiny Dancer paper is for my Great Niece photo on her Christening Day earlier this month.

She just looks like a "tiny dancer" - beautiful

Getting to Know You - Gogo June Getaway

In June will be attending my 1st Scrapagogo Retreat - something I'm really looking forward to, even though I've been on 2 retreats already, it will be good to see what else other people offer. I've even booked myself onto a photography workshop with Cheryl Johnson (Scrapbook Inspriations), who will be their as well, along with Shimelle Lane, Jane Dean & Mary Anne Walters. I've done a few of Shimelle classes at the retreat I've been too previously, so do other will be fun.

Lorraine & Janice have put everyone who is going into teams - my team name is "Apple-tini" and I'm with my friend Sam who is a Scrapagogo DT member, so if nothing else we will have a laugh together.

Part of the "build up" to the Retreat is to create a layout introducing yourself to others. so this is my take on the challenge.

The Challenge was to use the colours, orange, green and yellow (Scrapagogo colours), and do 5 points describing yourself.

Used Crate Paper - Lemongrass, yellow buttons, yellow stitching, American Craft Thickers.

The photo was taken by one of my neighbours when we went to Hatton County World, Warwick last year.

Stitching - and the orange circle strip - are from the new design from Bazzill with an edge packs.

Decided to use arrow for my journalling: Family Life, Bubbly, Fun Loving, Creative, Socialble.

Wanted to incorporate flowers on my page, and I seen other layout with handmade ones, so here are mine, used the scalloped nestabilities and scraps of the lemongrass papers with yellow button glued to the centre.

I'm really pleased how this has turned out, hope you like.

Back soon with some layouts I've done with my March kit and Mothers Day cards.

Saturday Night - Workshop at Solihull Crop

Nicki and Morag (Solihull crop organisers) had organised an evening session, so that we could produce a mini book, using basic grey chipboard book, figgy pudding papers and urban pairie alphabet stickers.

Nicky had even produced an extra mini "pull-out" for one of the pages.

We even stamped and embossed the back cover, which works really well.

The advantage of having a night session, is that we could taken all out stash with us ready for the day crop the following day.

The disadvantage is that when I got home I was so wide awake I wnated to carry on scrapping.

When I got home, about 12.30am was so awake decided to make some tea and toast, then noticed that some of the electric had gone off - so I had to reset the electricity all while my family slept soundly, then I heard my son get up shouting for his dad that his alarm clock was going off - so after a mad 5 minutes trying to sort that out, I was soon in bed. I think they both felt I had done something on purpose to get them up.

Christening Albums

Well I've finally finished my nieces daughters Christening albums. I ended up doing a 82x82 gate fold one for my niece and her partner, and 2 6x6 mini accordian albums for the godson, and my best friend.

I didn't take any photos of Ollie (Dad) side of the family with the baby, so I've included some layouts for the niece to add the photos to.

I've even done the 1st page with the details of the Christening, all my niece has to do in insert the names.

These are a few of the layouts, will upload the mini album later.

Hope you like

Millie Nannice Christening Day - 1 March 2009

Well I'm officially a Great Aunt, still makes me laugh when I'm referred to as that - but I truely, love it.. I'm so proud to be involved and be called it - and she is lovely ....











Spent this week-end with my best-friend celebrating her Grand-daughters Christening - which was great - as usual had ideas to go into Leeds to find the craft shops, but we didn't get the chance.



So here are a few of the pictures of the special day.





My Niece, Kelly, her partner Ollie, and the georgous Millie Nannice (names after her Grandma - my best friend)




Grandma, Millie, Kelly and Danny (my godson)







Nannice, Danny & Kelly

Danny & Kelly

me and my godson, Danny - he's one of the sweetest, most loving boy I know - apart from my son that is - LOL