The Family Yearly Scrapbook 2011

Another catch up - one of the things I have been doing for many years has been keeping a scrapbook of all of the different trips, events and general old stuff we do during the year and I have been keeping them in the traditional scrapbook format but last year (2011) I decided to try something a little different and here are the initial results.  I am now in the final stages of finishing off the album and then I'll add a final review over which style works the best and then it will be onto the 2012 version!  I do seem to have so many different scrapbooks and journals on the go at the moment but I hope to share those on these 'ere blog before too long too.

Here's the traditional style scrapbook which I have been using and the work well but have ended up bulging and needing to be held together with elastic bands!!

So I decided to try this style of basic 12 x 12 album where I could decorate the front cover myself - this one is an American Crafts D Ring Album in powder blue ....

I decorated with some My Mind's Eye paper, Stampin Up cardstock, MME rub-on and some ribbons and flowers from my scrap crap - I think the front cover looks quite nice - brown and blue work well together but may when its complete I may add some more flowers and embellishments. 

I also added a pocket inside the front cover to store items which needed to go into the album - its quite deep too so I was pleased with that as I'd never made a pocket with a gusset before!

And a couple of additional items to use in the album to help date pages and store bits - one just simple mini envelopes from Hobbycraft and the calendars were Jenni Bowlin (I think - no 100% though).  Overall pretty pleased with this - now just to complete last year and then start the one for 2012 - I had better get on with it too otherwise items will be starting to build up!!

Ciao

Sue

Reading challenge 4/20 - currently reading on Kindle Tower of Silence by Sarah Rayne and in print Drop Dead Beautiful by Jackie Collins

Craft Fair - Scrap Crap

As I mentioned in the previous blog I bought a few bits of scrap crap - all of which was being sold at great prices so I indulged a little but not too badly!!

 Some flower rub-ons and some dynamo label style word stickers (I have a specific project in mind for these)

Some alphabets, one set of rub-ons and two sets of stickers - the pink ones match some paper I have which I have used in a layout of Binnie and the black ones are just great value - upper and lower case and loads of letters.

Some lovely Prima flowers with leaves, butterfly, ribbons and bling and a alterable tin eventually - love my prima!

 And finally some bottle tops, I've never used these before so worth a try.

A couple of snippets of layouts where I've used some of these products - the beige rub-on alphas, which I also used on the front cover of my journal for the circle journal (more of that later) and the green prima flowers.  Below is my "Don't Tell Gwen" a piccie of me and Kai Owen from Torchwood and below that a close look at the flowers, I like the shapes which I hand cut an achievement for me!!

This layout is Jamie at the race track near Crick with his cub troop having a brilliant brilliant time, its called "boy racer" and I've used the alpha rub-ons for the title a closer look underneath.

Ciao

Sue

Reading challenge 4/20 - currently reading on Kindle Tower of Silence by Sarah Rayne and in print Drop Dead Beautiful by Jackie Collins

I Try My Hand At a Craft Fair (A catch up!)

A catch up blog from last year!!

One of my friends from the crop decided that she was going to organise a craft fair and credit to her for organising it and doing it well.  As I hadn't at that point returned to work I thought I would have a stall and see what would happen.  My stall would sell artificial flower arrangements - as that would be the best way to show off my skills, generate some interest and hopefully raise my profile for my flower business - as it has now turned out selling flower arrangements is really more a hobby but more of that in another blog.

I came up with some simple designs, and made up some inexpensive arrangements - I think its vital to remember your audience when creating items to sell - you need to ensure you have a variety but all within the budgets of the clientele of the craft fair - so most of my designs were priced from around £4 to £12 with most at the lower end.  Although I could have sold the poppies in the jug at least 6 times - market research done (!) - as we were near Mother's Day too - arrangements to suit that occasion were a priority - so lots of pink which is not my own personal preference.

I was pleased as I sold 4, although making money was probably the least important aspect of the event and I spent what I made buying cupcakes for home and some crafting materials from another fellow cropper - who has masses of stock from when she ran an online craft store.  I was more interested in gauging responses and to see whether craft fairs would be a worthwhile avenue to pursue and what styles price ranges sold the best or market research as I would call it with my students now (ha ha!!).  For me the jury is still out on that, but as other events have taken over at the moment not something I can devote much time to anyway.

One of the best outcomes for me was bumping into one of the fellow cub Mums who is a friend of the organiser too, so we are now good buddies and I'm looking forward (for Jamie) when her son joins Scouts too.  So we spent a lot of the afternoon nattering and Jamie was happily nattering away to his old cubs buddy.  Thank you to Jamie for the photos from my phone as I'd forgotten to take them at home!!  An enjoyable afternoon.

Ciao

Sue

Reading challenge 4/20 - currently reading on Kindle Tower of Silence by Sarah Rayne and in print Drop Dead Beautiful by Jackie Collins

A Stampin' Up Party

I went to my very first Stampin Up Party which was organised by one of the girls from the crop.  What could be more fun, great company, a chance to play with some crafting goodies and a couple of cards to have a practice on - really enjoyable evening.  Of course I spent some money too, but I was really impressed with the quality and range of the products.  As mentioned previously I was specifically looking for a border punch which I found (below is the punch and a picture of the effect it creates).  I've used it a couple of times now and I really like the options it gives - I'm hoping they add a corner punch to complement it too.  Photos snipped from the SU catalogue - couldn't drag the bits out to photo!!

I also bought a some paper, which will be useful as the basis for layouts - I have lots of patterned paper but less in the way of plainer 12 X 12 sheets.  I choose the subtle shades and they are lovely (I did choose them with a specific project in mind but more of that in another blog).  There colour range does rather leave you spoilt for choice.

I also got the colour swatch book as I felt it was a reasonable price and would work in both scrapbooking and flower arranging, especially for explaining colour harmonies.

There is likely to be another party in the new year and I already have a couple of things in mind to buy then - I have a couple of ideas for layout styles and feel I need a stamp to achieve that and I think SU have just what I am looking for - so I will keep my fingers crossed for some Christmas money I think and then I can have guilt free spending!!  Will add the card I made here when I find it (oops!).  The SU lady also comes along to our crop so that will be handy whenever I want to add a little something and there isn't a party on the horizon!!

N made some fantastic carrot cake and I brought some home for Jamie - for the next day.  He was still awake when I got home very late and I made the mistake of saying the N had sent some cake for him.  Bang bang, bang, bang as he shot downstairs and devoured the cake!!  But I don't blame him it was delicious!!

Ciao

Sue
XX

Reading challenge 15/16 - currently reading War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Scrapbooking Crop

It was time for the October crop and it seemed to be a bit of a slow day for me as I only managed 2 layouts - I guess it must have been too much talking!!  An enjoyable time as usual and here are the layouts I managed.

A layout of many titles, it could be Seasons Greetings or Here Comes Santa Claus but it is, of course, 'HO HO HO', quite a simple layout really, I love the journalling area on this layout and the colour scheme works really well for me, not as monochromatic as I can be but still quite a minimal colour palette which I really like.  Below is a close up of the journalling.  The patterned paper is Basic Grey and the scallops from Bazill, the bling ho, ho, ho's I picked up in a bargain bucket with these pictures in mind and think it works really well too.  I added a little bit of cotton wool to the top picture to give it a real Santa hat effect and to cover that I'd chopped off the top of Jamie's head, still I think it works!!

This layout was me having some fun with a border punch, I haven't rushed out and bought any yet as I wanted to have a play with one and after using this one a Martha Stewart one I was really pleased with the possibilities they offer so may well be investing in due course.  Nothing too fancy some K and Co and Costco papers, a Prima flower and some other scrap crap basics.  Below again a close up of the journalling, the title of which I have taken from Elegant word art , which is a blog I like to dip into every now and again.

Ciao

Sue
XX

Reading challenge 15/16 - currently reading War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

Scrapbooking and The Crop

I was off to the crop again in August and have a couple of layouts completed, the competition this month was something beginning with the letter B and I choose B for Brown and used a brown piece of cardstock to base my layout on.  I had a feeling I may have used one of the pictures before and when I checked when I got home it turned out I had - but it is one of my favourite pictures of Jamie and me so what the heck!

I used a little of MME and some Basic Grey Archaic, I am trying to use more plain background card and have the interest and colour coming from the photos and papers used on the layout rather than from the cardstock at the back (so to speak) - I'm not dissatisfied with this one and the colours appear to work well - picking up on colours in the photographs.  You can see the floristry training here as I am struggling to move away from 3 main colour areas in the layout as you would only tend to use 3 colour areas in floristry and flower arranging!

Playtime, laughter and buddies - I have had these photos for ages and really wanted to use them as the expressions on the faces are brilliant - they were having so much fun!  Again have limited the colour scheme but it works for the pictures.  K and Co papers and stickers on this one, some Karen Foster rub-ons (almost the last ones from that pack) and some Bazzill edges.  I printed out the words off the PC - I like the choice fonts I've got and the tittle is from some K and Co paper.  I like those pages which have lots of writing on where you can cut them up and use them as headings, or on the page, they are very good value for money scrapping.

This one I seem to have started ages ago and it sat unfinished for some time, which is unlike me (in those personality tests I always come out as a completer/finisher so that goes against the grain) and yes Mike I know I still have the paperwork to finish!!  A picture of a sunflower to look like a sunflower and embellished with a sunflower.  This was a playing around one, a bit of stamping a bit of journalling directly onto the page etc, just trying some bits out.  Love the picture of Jamie not so sure about the page.

This was an end of crop page, only had about 20 minutes so just threw the bits and photos at the page and its fair enough - quite representative of its subject matter.  It was a couple of crops ago and I suggested we have a speed layout as the next competition, which I was looking forward to and then wasn't able to make the crop due to being unwell (huh!).  I quite like the idea of a quick page not thinking to much but just going for it.

A couple here that have been blogged before, but have had some finishing touches put onto them just for completeness.  I must get round to scrapping this year's snow as the one above was from last year!!

A couple of monochromatic colour schemes too - I am trying not to do these at the moment as they are my natural style and trying not to use green too as I do lots of green!  We are currently discussing green accents for the sitting room!!

Ciao

Sue
XX

Reading challenge 13/16 - currently reading If I Was by Midge Ure

Birthday Stash or Even More Scrap Crap

Some ribbons from Websters Pages

I wasn't really sure what I wanted for my birthday and as I had already had my trip to Harrogate (nice hotel, lots of spends etc) I felt I really shouldn't want for too much anyway so I asked Mike and Jamie to get me a few little bits for my scrapbooking.  Those bits which I would balk at buying for myself because they are so expensive (!!) so I asked for a few Prima flowers and a couple of other odds and ends.  As it turns out I also bought myself a little present too but more of that in a flowers blog!!

The excitement of the pizza box full of crafting stash (scrap crap)

So, as all of us scrapbookers know, when a pizza shaped box arrives from the postman it is some exciting crafting goodies!!  I ordered the bits and pieces I wanted and then Mike and Jamie kept them until my birthday - the rotters!!

Lovely packaging

I have to here give a huge thank you (well to Mike and Jamie too) but to The Craftz Boutique who I ordered the items from and who have, I think, one of the best selections of Prima flowers I have ever seen on their website ( http://www.thecraftzboutique.com/catalog/index.php ) as the package arrived very quickly and it was so nicely packaged inside the box that Mike didn't even bother to wrap it (I guess that is what happens after this many years together!!!!! - well that and my natural Northern "don't bother wasting paper wrapping that up pet!!").  But the whole box was a pleasure to open - that extra service goes such a long way and of course I am very likely to order from them again next time I want a bit of scrapbooking something. 

A first glimpse of the goodies inside

And here are the goodies which I got for my birthday, yes they are still to be used, but I hope to start using them at the next crop, they really are lovely.  It is probably no surprise that I really like to use flowers on my layouts and that the better quality flowers really do appeal to me - after seeing some of these which are really lovely I want to try to have a go at making some flowers myself.  It would be really nice to be able to create some flowers which have an authentic look to them.  

Some of the luscious Prima flowers

So thank you Mike and Jamie for getting me just what I wanted (ha ha!!) and to The Craftz Boutique for a brilliant service.

and some more

and some crystals - I wasn't expecting such a large pack!!

Ciao

Sue
XX

Reading challenge 13/16 - currently reading If I Was by Midge Ure

Crafting and Floristry Purchases

I hate shopping! Well almost most shopping, if I can get it via the internet I am a very happy bunny! Except when it comes to shopping for a couple of areas in my life my floristry and scrapbooking.

I can spend considerable amounts of time in florists and wholesalers contemplating which flowers I want to use and how they would work in a particular design or other. Or try and think how I would use a certain sometimes unusual flower that I have found in the florists. I do use internet for florist supplies and scrapbooking, papercrafting sites but I do like to browse the physical shops too - at least to get some ideas and then shop around for the bargains online. Although the scrapbooking is firmly on the back burner whilst the floristry course is ongoing. As for shopping in general, in actual fact as of the time writing this I have not been up to MK shopping centre this year!!

But as we were in Suffolk I knew of a large sundries wholesaler who allowed NAFAS members in and who didn't have minimum spends or registration fees. So as part of our break we headed there to allow me an hour or so of indulgence!! I was eager to have a look as I needed to pick up one or two items for my shop window and in-store display assignments at college. And I was happy to go as W and M Smith had been incredibly helpful when I was trying to get hold of some items for an assignment earlier in my course.

The wholesaler I went to was brilliant and I had a great time browsing around their packed wharehouse and didn't even spend that much really as most items were very reasonably priced, even taking account of the VAT to be added! I managed to pick up some rainbow foam in lime green, some wire cushion bases which I need for an assignment I have coming up and college have been unable to source a wire cushion frame for me to do this assessment on. Luckily they had some, slightly rusty but very useable frames and the very helpful lady let me have about 4 or 5 for free as they had been planning to dispose of them - I will come back to this when I talk about my assessment.
Some cute additions for my Easter window display, like the chap above some chicks, the lovely lime green vase below, which is just for me at home!!

The chick below and the galvanised dish, which I may or may not use for my planted bowl. I also got another container which is my alternative for the planted bowl, some candles in the shape of eggs, jute ribbon (lime green) and a few other bits and pieces including some Mitsumata which meant the car was quite full!

I also picked up these yellow eggs too, which will all come into play for the window display and then hopefully I will be able to use in either my design or competition work (eventually!).

On our way back we had just a few minutes for me to pop in for a look at Capture the Magic but I am reluctant to spend too much on the scrap crap at the moment as I have so little time to indulge and I have so much stuff as it is so I made only a couple of purchases.

Some green and cream dotty cardstock which I love and do use quite a lot in layouts, some cream chipboard from Bo Bunny which I can ink up to the colour I want - lots of swirls and frames, which are the things I like to use,

and some alphabet Thickers which I love and use too italic green, a curly black and a useful blue,

and some more chipboard from Bo Bunny this time circles and arrows, so a modest few purchases after all!

At some point I am hoping to bring these two loves together and produce a scrapbook or portfolio of all my floristry creations - one day this will happen.

Ciao

Sue

XX

Reading challenge 10/16 - currently reading Songbird by Josephine Cox