'Together'.....my first layout as a Sketchbook365 DTer :0)

I am so excited to be sharing this layout with you today! I still can't quite believe that I am part of this amazing team....have you seen the work of the other DT members??? Incredible!!

I wanted to keep this layout monochromatic and was desperate to try out a technique I had seen Wilma do....stick any old thing down and cover it with Gesso!! Whilst hers is an abundance of texture I wanted mine to be simple. The best thing is you get to use all the grotty bits in your crafty stash :0)

the paper warps with all the Gesso but I don't mind that

see that beautiful metal love charm? My bonzer mate Lizzy made that for me...and she sent me the little silver star!! The papers are Echo Park's Park Bench....love 'em.

Silhouette arrows, glitter (whilst the paint was still wet) and Scraptastic Kit Club stamp

more Silhouette magic and Glitz Design letter stickers

So if you want to play (and I really hope you do!) check out this month's beauty of a sketch here.

Thanks for popping in today,

Ali x 

Sugar Plum Fairy

Last one from me for a while I suspect as I am off on holiday on Thursday :0) Going to Salsa and Mojito my way through Cuba!!

This is another layout completed during Jennifer Grace's fabulous Onwards and Upwards event.

This time it was a recipe challenge....nice!!

Here’s the recipe:

1 small square photo (you can crop down a larger photo) or square element

Something shiny or sparkly

Some encouraging / uplifting / happy words

At least one sticker (alphas don’t count for this)

At least 3 stars

Some yellow!

One stamp.

and here is my take:

I made myself a mini kit of muted tones (been using far too many primary colours recently!) added in the yellow re the recipe and I love the combo!! Papers are Studio Calico, MME, Bazill, Glitz and American Crafts - all 6 x 6 pads

I cut the fairy on the Silhouette, MME sticker, pin and chipboard. The stars are a Memory Box die. This part of the page flips up to read the journaling

more of that Safmat

Prima stamp

Homemade glitter tape (thanks for the tip Jennifer!) 

I really enjoyed making this one, pottering about finding bits and bobs to meet the recipe :0)

Thanks for popping in today, see you in a couple of weeks!!

Ali x 

giving things a try :0)

As yo may have seen I am playing along (as much as I can) with the Upwards and Onwards weekend.

After doing yesterday's lo I was browsing through the blog hop and came across Lisa-Jane's double page spread.....something I never do! OK...time to give it a go. I had 2 photos of my girl and having already done one I thought I would make a second layout to make it a double pager.

Here they are together:

don't ask me why 

there is a gap!!!

I used the same papers but ran the composition from L to R and put a little cluster at the bottom R to balance the cluster on the previous page. Lots of ink splatters coming down the page to represent Autumn leaves.

word cut on Silhouette and 'ombred' with Distress Inks. New Martha Stewart clay molds....sprayed with Color Shine.

a 3 because that was how old she was in the photo...Studio Calico Snippets. Marianne Design leaf die and MS butterfly punch

this little butterfly was made by DGD....that's how easy it is!!! I stencilled through the negative of the leaf dies with Distress Inks.

The ombre effect on the title was inspired by Jennifer's Good Morning Sunshine post.

Thanks for popping in today, I am back to the house to clear out all our tools now .....boo, hiss, no scrapping today :0(

Ali x 

I'm back!!!

Oh my but it feels like forever since I did anything on my blog!!

So, quick catch up... DD#2, her chap and DGS are settled and happy in their new home! After working 14 hour days for the last 2 months to get their house refurbished, I have had to have an x-ray on my knee and await the results. My house is now spick and span, laundry up to date and craft room has been cleaned and aired ready for use...yay!!

Fortunately for me, Jennifer Grace, a UK scrapper :0), is holding a weekend of inspiration, challenges and giveaways on her blog here :0) I can only imagine the work that must have gone into this as she is posting hourly!!!! I know, every 60 minutes!!!

So, after seeing all that inspiration, this was a very good place to start! My inspiration comes from the 'upwards' part of the weekend plus using rainbow colours and words in a negative space.....just like Jennifer :0)

Here.....finally!.....is what I did:

my title relates to both of us ...me and DGD....for her it's literal...for me, well she lifts me up and melts my heart all at the same time :0)

papers are: Maggie Holmes, Studio Calico and My Minds Eye. The 'sun' stamp is MME and the arrow is Scraptastic Kit Club. The sticker is October Afternoon. The ink splatters are Heidi Swapp's Color Shine in ......amethyst!! Yeah I know it looks grey...it does in real life too :0)

title cut on the good old Silhouette. Arrow is ...you know it... Studio Calico!! Sticker is Maggie Holmes

This journaling was printed onto this really cool stuff that I found in my cupboard: Safmat by Letraset. You can just about see the line where I cut and stuck it...brilliant!! I shall definitely be using it again.....albeit that it must have sat there for about 3 years!!

Ok that's me done for now.

Thanks for popping in today and do go and take a look at all the loveliness going on at Jennifer Grace Creates.

Ali x 

'Yes'

Super quick as I really need to get in the bath....but you really didn't need to know that...erm, when I say need, I mean need because I should be in bed as I am up early in the morning...not need because I am a grubby little oik!! Enough now, I am waffling!

Let's Get Sketchy have done it again....yet another super sketch :0)...so out came my March CKC Kit (only because I was beginning to get bored with the April one!!)

forged Glitz Design paper :0)

journal card tucked behind photo

Stash Panache button

yes.....you guessed it...the Silhouette created this!! plus a Scraptastic Kit Club stamp. SC kraft hearts....a happy find..forgot they were in this kit bag :0)

Here is the sketch if you want to play...but be quick!!



Thanks for popping in today,

Ali x