Stampin Up 2010 - 2011 Idea & Catalogue

As from 1st October the New Stampin Up Catalogue is available, it has had a complete revamp, with loads of new colours, new stamps with some of the stamps, punches, paper etc, something for every crafter, so to get you own copy.

£5.95 - Free P&P (10% discount off your 1st order with me)

Scrapping and Baking ...

I'm slowly but surely making a dent, or be it a very small dent into my stash, so with that in mind I being trying to use up my Studio Calico kit, instead of them sitting there and me ohhing and arring about the lovely kits, so here is what I produced with the July 2010 kit.

The photo was taken on 'Peacock Island' and the journalling refers to even though we had a great time on the island, it wasn't a good idea wearing flip flops to climb to the top.

This is me on the plane, going over the Spain, the photo hasn't come out that well, but you get the main idea.

Another one with no title - but the photo is of me and the girls in Spain in 2008.

The large border punch is by Fiskars. I made the bunting myself, and add the scallop trim around the edges using a Fiskars border punch.

Then on Sunday at the Exhall Green Crop, I did two class layouts using Cosmo Cricket - Material Girl. I love doing class layouts when you learn a new technique, this one was using paint to stamp with, something I had ever done and wouldn't have either thought about it to be honest.

Thickers - not included in the class kit, but went well with the colour of the stitching.

The following layout is nothing like the class one being taught, I think the only thing that the same is the papers being used - LOL.

The photo was taken early this year at the Botanical Gardens. I had taken the shot using my tripod but when I printed the photo, I cropped and separated the two of us, I think it works better.

And this is card I did for Izzy, Julie's eldest daughter - I hope she likes it.

I love this 'birthday' stamp - it one of the new ranges from Stampin' Up - available after 1st October. Can you also see the mini tag punch and stamp - another from Stampin' Up.

Then I did a bit of baking this week, all with home grown products, apples from Nana's garden, hand picked by Jon & James, blackberries from my garden - hand picked by me. I did add a few raisins.

Before

Before baking

Just out of the oven

and yes it was scrummy ...

And I leave you with a photo taken this afternoon in my garden, hoping it will be one I use at the GoGo Retreat at the end of October. The colour of my top will work well with one of my class choices - LOL.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Back into the swing of things ..

It doesn't take long when you return from your holiday to get back into the swing of things, so I'm back scrapping and making plans for the coming months crafting activities. More of that later. (This is a long post - sorry !!!)

Well my LSNED has fallen by the wayside, even after I'd do the album, but eh oh! better luck next time.

Anyway at my Solihull crop at the weekend I did these layouts, using the Scrapagogo September kit

Crate Paper - Brooke: Jillibean Soup - Flower shape, corrugated alpha; Doodlebug Alphas.

I've done loads of photos with James and me and for the life of me I can't think of a title for this layout, well a title that I've not used before, so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Crate Paper - Brooke, MME - So Sophie, Jillibean Soup Flower Shapes. Pins, Button, Ribbon from kit

Crafte Paper - Brooke; MME - So Sophie; Doodlebug Alphas,

The one is from the new range by October Afternoon - Seaside

And this one from Studio Calico - Summer Camp - August 2010 and is a scraplift from Kelly Noel

And finally for today, one of the mum that I meet up with every month is leaving Birmingham and moving down south, so I did this card for her.

Papers from Scrapagogo August kit, Tim Holtz Vintage Alphabets, Magnolia Stamp, Nestibilities, Organza ribbon

So onto my scrapping activities over the coming months. The main one is Scrapagogo Retreat - I do enjoy these and thankfully I've been able to pay for it in monthly installments so the cost doesn't seem too much.

The Retreat forum opened this week, and its a great way to get everyone, every more excited than they are, and welcome newbies, find out about the classes, which are completely stunning. The shop (I'm broke already ... just looking at whats on offer - LOL), challenges and general chit chat.

The classes, which are all designed and taught by the GoGo Design Team, are stunning, each and everyone is unique, offering loads of techniques and some of peaks look like there will be something difference from each and everyone to learn. The hardest part of the classes is selecting just 7 out of the 21 on offer, and boy was it hard, I could have done all 21 and been completely happy with anyone of them. Well I've selected my 7 and hope to hear soon if I've got my first choices. There is one I've put has my first choice and I've got the perfect top that will go with the papers, so if I get that I will have to a photo shoot in the garden to get the right photo to use -LOL.

Next week me and Julie are going to the Artisan Show in Warwickshire, I only saw this advertised in the Scrapbook magazine this week, so have missed out on booking any of the workshops, but they have loads of demo and make & take, being done on the day so might get to do a few make and takes whilst we are there.

Then we have the NEC to visit at the beginning of November, I will be going but has I'm trying to downsize my craft room I hope I can stick to a 'strict' list - LOL..

Then at the end of November I away for the weekend with some scrapping friends from the Shropshire crop, which is a 'do what you want' retreat, I think that there might be one kit/layout by one of the girls but that all as far as I know, again another one I'm really looking forward to, not just for the scrapping aspect but to meet up with everyone and have a good laugh.

Thanks for stopping by ...

A week in Spain ...

with my girlies is difiniately what I needed, we had such a laugh, hardly any sleep and way, way too much to drink, but we all arrived back safe and sound and ready to do it all again next year.

So here are a few photos, I didn't take has many as I had thought, but hay oh theirs always next year.

On the plane at Manchester.

View from the plane.

Our first view of the sea

Waiting for our transfer to the hotel - arrived and it was 32 degrees - WOW

On the beach - looks likes everyone had gone home - LOL

Early evening on the front

Final view of Benidorm on our way home

Thats all for now, will be back with more when I get time - see the post below for my exciting news.

It's finally happened ...

I've been published ... yes, I was asked by Scrapbook Magazine to take part in the 3 layouts for £10, using limited supplies. As you can see from my previously layouts I love using various punches, in all shapes and sizes, templates, hand stitching, so this would be a very hard challenge to do, not using punches, thickers, etc.

Well here the ones I produced using a Crate Paper Collection pack, which happened to be on sale at A Trip Down Memory Lane, when I was looking for papers etc to complete this challenge, I also used a Cosmo Cricket alpha sheets, and some free ribbon that came with my order.

So instead of using any lovely thickers, I drew around some alphabets that I had and added some of the ribbon to the letter. So I've added you a closer look.

A also draw around some chipboard butterflies that I had and inked the edges.

these stickers where on the Cosmo Cricket alpha sheets - which I won at my Bromsgrove crop raffle.

This was my main scrapping resolution for the year, after having one of my layouts excepted by Scrapbook Inspirations before it folded, which left me very disappointed, I was overjoyed to be asked to take part in this challenge, so this has just made my month.

I hope you like my layouts and I would love to hear what you think, so please leave me a comment.

Thanks for stopping by ...

Back to School

On Friday was James 1st day back to school, I really can't believe that he's now in Year 8, this last year has gone or so quickly, and and has much has I love him getting more independent I am missing my 'little boy'.

So here are his yearly photo at the front of the house.

And one with my friends son, who started at the school this week.

So I had not intended to blog till after I came back from my hols, but the other day I went 'blog hopping' and over on Vicki blog she had done this, after some thought, I said to myself 'why not', I can take some tags on holiday and write each day and I know I will have load of photos to add.

So last night a put together my Shimelle - Learn Something New Everyday (LSNED) album. Like Vicki I started it last year but didn't get far, I can even remember how far, but I'm upto day 4 and with day 5 - 14 tags packed I should get at least half the month done.

I've used Shimelle and Vicki envelope idea (and what a great idea it is), but with mine I've done all the fronts the same, I just know if I had to think of 31 different designs it would never get done in a month of Sundays - LOL.

My supplies were

• Cosmo Cricket - Earth Love, Nutmeg, Boyfriend & Early Bird Papers and Chipboard
• Envelopes (from stash), which measure 5"x5"
• Fiskar border punch
• Stampin' Up circle punches
• brown ink
• Use Stamps

So I added 3 or 4 used stamps, and 3 or 4 circles, inked the edges of the tags, and added a stripe of border punched patterned paper, which I added to each envelope.

As you can see with this one I added my lesson learnt, and there is enough room to add other embellishments etc and add a photo in the envelope later.

Tag reads - Going to the playground is just has much fun as when I was younger, proving you never too old to have fun ... this refers to the day I spent with James on his last day of the Summer Holiday.

Please call back ...

Last Day of Summer Holidays and

other stuff ....

For James last day of his holidays we decided to go to Cafe Nero, he had a strawberry milkshake, I had a white hot chocolate - I think I'm getting hooked on these - lol. The photos of us with said drinks didn't come out that well, with the sun streaming through the windows (as you can see).

Then we spent ages at the Botanical Gardens, I wanted to take some photos to go with the September Scrapagogo Kit, so we dressed appropriately. So I will have some to scrap when it arrives in a few weeks time.

couldn't resist taking this photo.

On Wednesday, it was time to smash my Terramanda Saving Jar - I've been saving for my holiday funds, decided to save £2 coins, but added others and some notes that were from the sale of some of my craft supplies over the past months.

So with the help of James ....

I ended up with £360.00 - which is just fab.

My only crafting project this week, is this card, done last night, my neighbour had asked me to do a card for a 21st, apologies for the photo taken about 9pm in my craft room, before I gave to her, but you can get the idea.

Then earlier this week we got James tile back from our recent visit to Jackfield Museum, Ironbridge - you can see the before photos here .

That all for now, will back in a few weeks.

Thanks for stopping by ...