New layout for blog

Hi

look at me getting technical!!! I sat up till 1 this morning trying to add a post divider but no joy - think I may be sprinting when I have only just started to crawl. Still, none of this would have been possible without the brilliant designs and tutorials from shabbyblogs.com, so thank you to them for assisting the clueless ones.

Hope you like it, I think it looks loads better.

Ali x

Album for Amelia

Hi all,

I didn't quite get round to taking a photo of the card I sent but I have made the effort to take photos of the album today, even though it is a very grey day :(

I have had these Teresa Collins 'Bella Girl' papers for a while, they were on sale at http://www.craft-emporium.co.uk/, you should check Lyn's shop and blog out - I always find something! Anyway I have been waiting for the ideal opportunity to come along and when Amelia made her appearance this week I knew that these were the ideal products to use as her Mummy is a real fashionista :0) I have used some other bits and bobs, see the captions.

I wanted this to be an eclectic mix of different layers so most of the pages are different sizes. The album covers measure 7.5" x 6.25". The little pocket book is for Kirstie (Amelia's Mummy) to give to her Mum or to keep in her handbag ro on her desk at work. It has been made from one sheet of 12 x 12 paper, there are tons of tutorials on YouTube.

Hope you like it:





This is a Nellie Snellen die stamped with TPC Studios Clear 'Baby'.

This stamp is from Abi's Crafts 'Journalling and Memories'

Stamped and cut out the pram from TPC Studios Clear 'Baby'

The circle journal stamp is from the same Abi's Craft set as before

Now for the main album:

I cut the felt flowers out with a Sizzix die. The 'Only' frame is a Prima stamp that has been embossed. The chipboard A is from my stash, as are the ribbons. 

The chipboard frame is from Teresa Collins 'Timeless' collection. I have stuck it onto acetate and popped a piece of black card in to use as a template. The foldout photomat is from Teresa Collins 'Chic Bebe Girl' collection, as are the tags above.

The folded page is for recording 'firsts' - see below.

These stamps are from my stash - a set from ebay. I can't tell you the manufacturer as I tend to stick all my stamps into ring binders and discard the packaging!

This is an envelope that I added paper to in order to have a flap big enough for a photo. Inside is a mini ribbon bound photo book.

The covers are made with Teresa Collins 'Damask' and inside the pages are just white.

An acetate page with Prima e-line flowers, pearls and a Spellbinders Scalloped Heart Die

I stuck black card to the bracket shape and cut round it, then used the same shape to cut round the pink spotty paper. The stamps are again from my stash, sorry. 

My lovely stamp was made by loongchai74 from an Ebay.com store, I love it!

Photo heavy I know, but I wanted you to see it all :0)
Ali x

A handful of cards

Dear all,

my Mum asked me to make a wedding card for one of the ladies at her golf club who was getting married. Cut, stuck and delivered that one, without taking a photo...grrr, when will I learn? Then she asked for something similar as another lady was getting married but with no reference to love, mr and mrs or any other usual wedding stuff!!!! Long story :0)
So created this with my beloved Anna Griffin papers..........are they Cecile, does anyone know?

Used the Martha Stewart Ribbon Loop PATP set, but the largest mat was too big for the card so cut the 'ribbons' off and stickled round the edge. The topper was made on the Anna Griffin Lettering Delights CD and then stickled.

Having used so much of this paper recently I have got loads of scraps so made this little cutie for my Uncle who is into sailing in a big way. Aimi and I have done a Cricut Cartridge swap and I am trying to get round to cutting out some shapes! This boat is from the 'Just Because' Card Cartridge.

It still needs a sentiment added to it but I shall do that nearer his birthday. It also has a tiny little boat stuck onto the insert but I forgot to take a picture!

The next one is for my Mum's school friend Alex, she's lovely, and always sends beautiful cards and presents, so I wanted this one to special.

The cake comes from the Just Because cartridge but the candle has been cut out by hand as it was less faff! The flame has been stickled and Prima pearls adorn the icing and the scallop. Again this also needs a sentiment, I shall probably stamp and emboss something in gold.

Finally, another of my Mum's close friends, Margaret, came round for coffee last week and bought a bunch of my cards. She emailed yesterday asking for a 70th birthday card to be made for her old Uni friend who taught history and needlework. I put my thinking cap on and came up with this:

The photo makes it look a lot pinker than it is in real life. I used Webster's Pages Trendsetter 6 x 6 paper and added a doily.The bow is made from seam binding (that's the needlework reference!) and then stuck in a hat pin. The sentiment was stamped onto cardstock cut with a Spellbinders die and the 70 tag was finished with crackle glaze. The vintage theme is a nod to history, lol.

I am off to start a baby girl card and mini album for my darling friend Kirstie who gave birth to Amelia Alix yesterday afternoon......lots of pink! I will endeavour to share it with you all!
Ali x

a few 12 x 12 layouts

At the expense of the dog and his walk (we will be going just as soon as I post this!) I found a bit more time to take a few photos of recent layouts.

Ruby's first Nursery photo. Anna Griffin Champagne, Teresa Collins Mr and Mrs papers.

Ruby in the bath. Anna Griffin Cecile papers, American Crafts pinwheels.

Ruby last winter. Anna Griffin Cecile papers and embellishments. Pink Paislee Artisan Elements, Butterfly from stash.

Aimi and Tones. Webster's Pages 'Hollywood' papers and journal spot. Prima bling.

My favourite photo of Aimi. October Afternoon Thrift Shop papers. Chipboard letters are from an old Cosmo Cricket kit.

Eloise and Aimi at V last year. Cosmo Cricket Circa 1934 papers. Tim Holtz die.

Basil...aah. Cosmo Cricket 1934 papers and Prima bling.

Ruby's Easter Egg Hunt. Just used rub ons that had been hanging around!

Our family on Easter Sunday. October Afternoon 'Cherry Hill' papers, journal tag and Anna Griffin flocked sticker.

Ruby at U. Tones' birthday bar-b-q. American Crafts 'City Park' papers, pinwheels and some thickers. Prima flowers.

These layouts have come from two of the albums that are on the go at the moment. I tend to have different albums for different kinds of layouts i.e pastel/neutral, bright, ott embellished etc as well as all the 8 x 8 albums that have been religiously completed in chronological order documenting Ruby's life. Ellie and I were laughing yesterday as she and Aimi have one album each from birth to 21!! I did explain that photos were not taken 24/7 when they were little, hence all the very posed shots!
Will be back with more as soon as I can.
Ali

It's been a while.................

Dear all,

sorry it has been so long, I have been so busy and have lots of projects to show you, I have only today found the time to photograph them!

First off are the things I have made for the 'blue' spare room
              

Picture uses shabbygreendoor.com Dream on a Wing papers, shadow box is K and Co Blossomwood as are the embellishements, the papers are Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden. the heart has also been made out of Butterfly Garden

                                     

The canvas has shabbygreendoor.com Dream on a Wing papers and Websters Pages Sparkler Buttons, ribbon and flower were in my stash. The butterfly is a Martha Stewart stamp and then cut out.

The photo of Ruby and my little cousin Nellie (Ruby's second cousin twice removed??!) is a chipborad frame covered in Anna Griffin 'Cecile' papers and iamroses.com flowers. The butterfly is from Eloise's friend's wedding...wastenotwantnot!

 The other spare bedroom in our house, (as one has been taken over as a craft room and another is apparently an office....you could have fooled me I would call it a bombsite!) is an eclectic mix of shabby chic. I can't show you the pictures of the art work in there as all I was getting was my reflection, but I did mange to get the shadowbox, made with a Tim Holtz box, it has been filled with all the tiny bits that were sitting on shelves in my craft room.

Butterfly from a broken necklace of Ellie's, kisses metal sticker from DCWV about 5 years ago, ticket and pin from a kit Eliie bought from my birthday, chicken from Aimi, flowers from iamroses.com, bath bomb from Sue before she started making her own, lock and disc from Tim Holtz, key from Making Memories, rose heart...I have no idea and papers are Websters Pages 'Wonderfall'

Do you remember the candle I said I was making for Aimi? Well I gave it to her without taking a photo and I have also made one for Ellie. Here are some pictures of the originals that are sitting in our bedroom.

This is also Anna Griffin papers but don't ask me the name as I haven't a clue!All I do know is that they are all in champagne and silver colours and absolutely gorgeous. The stamps are 7 Gypsies Avignon and the flowers are iamroses.com - I use them on everything!

Finally for today, is the half landing going up the stairs. We have always had one big picture  hanging there and it such a large wall that no matter how big the picture is it has always looked lost. So decided to do the collage photo idea on a grand scale:

you can see I had some trouble with the word 'together' the vinyl just did not want to stick. I cut it out a second time, which worked but the previous one had left a mark on the wall. We have got touching up to do so I will probably repaint and cut it out for the third and luckiest time :0) just so that it doesn't bug me every time the sun shines on it (that is the only time you can see it)

I have also been doing loads of scrapbooking as we have had so many lovely family days recently. I will be sure to get the camera out and get them uploaded.......just as soon as I find the time!

Ali x