Magical

I am so in the scrapping groove right now! I am making the most of every second as next week life gets busy again and I don't think I will have much time for me....never mind I am enjoying it while it lasts :0)

Today's lo is inspired by Challenge #31 at Color Me Scrappy. It'as a colour and layer challenge and you won't believe that I have chosen to go with this one!!  It has PURPLE in it!! When you see the photo you will see why this colour palette was perfect for my layout :0)

I have had a tub of Gesso in my cupboard waiting to played with and this was the perfect time to get it out....mainly to disguise most of the purple!!!

Not only did I layer up the papers but I layered up the hearts too!! The 'fireworks' are a TPC stamp in Cloud White Momento (the best white ink I have found) and a WRMK stamp glue stamped and glittered. Ali Edwards phrase stamp

Papers are MME Collectable Memorable collection, Websters Pages

This gorgeous overlay is a freebie from A Vegas Girl at Heart :) I converted the PNG file to an SVG file and cut it on the Silhouette. The calendar is part of a Studio Calico paper. The arrow stamp is my fave from a Heidi Swapp collection (you know the one Lizzy!)

and here is the colour palette:

 I know my background colour is wrong but all of the colours are in my papers and embellies :0) I could just about cope with a purple that was verging on blue!!

Thanks for popping in,

Ali x 

You and Me

yes.......another layout :0)

This one is for the Color Me Scrappy challenge #30 ...no patterned paper only washi tape and embellishments.....think I can manage that one ;0) !!

So, in my desperation to STOP buying ...... is it possible???? I am beginning to think not! I have decided to copy, forge, erm... emulate the products I keep seeing and feel that I HAVE to have!! This is my interpretation of one of the delicious new papers in the Elle Studio range :0)

lots of new washi tape :0) and an Elle Studio journal card (real not forged!!!)

DH would like it noted that it is the angle of the camera and not all the pies that have given him this look!!

bits and bobs from my Scraptastic Kit , forged Maya Road kraft star, a broked peg covered in washi, lovely Studio Calico veneers

You have seen the kraft star and here are the other 'forged' items....courtesy of the Silhouette and some random old pins :0)

sweet eh?

Thanks for popping in,

Ali x

Basil :)

Morning,

another one bites the dust!! I am on scrapping cloud nine!!!

I am always on the lookout for new challenges as a little prompt usually helps to get the creative juices flowing and having seen a few of my blogging friends refer to Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge I thought I would pop over and take a look ....so glad I did!!

Smashing inspiration and not only sketch challenges, although that is what floats my boat!!

Here is a layout of my beloved Basil :0)

I misted with acrylic paint as I wanted that specific limey green......I am going to be doing that a lot more often!

This is my homage to Heidi Swapp...created in frustration at not having a Michaels here!!! You can see I had a little accident with the white love but it doesn't notice so much in real life! Obviously cut on the Silhouette and the black was a an offset shadow of the original word.....I am finally getting to grips with all the functions!

Look at that face! Triangles cut from an old Anna Griffin photo corner and the star is from my bonzer mate Lizzy

and here is the fabulous sketch:

 reminds me of that Tim Holtz stamp :0)

Do you want a laugh?? For those of you who pop in from time to time you will know that I am having real problems getting my photos true to colour with all this dingy grey weather....this is what I resorted to for this one. Balancing on swivel chair, one foot on DH's desk (hence the clutter!!) trying desperately to keep the chair still just so I could photograph the lo under his desk lamp and hope that that would fix the problem.......erm.....nope!!!

I am off to try using some coloured paper ;0)

Thanks for popping in,

Ali x

Christmas Mini Album 2012

****be warned .... photo heavy post****

I rarely scrap Christmas. I think it's because the photos are usually dark and whilst I love Christmas colours when I get them out to scrap they don't inspire me.

I had bought an old Teresa Collins collection in the sale and decided that if I used it as white + one then it could work for me.....and I am so glad that I did :0)

Here is my rather large mini and a selection of some of the pages!! Once again I have to apologise for the dodgy photos!! I have either got to start using colour or get some proper lighting ;0) !!

I used my Zutter to bind it. The front cover is acetate with a doily and a 3D star that I made and some of the chipboard that came with the colelction

more chipboard

Ali Edwards SVG file, American Crafts arrow stamp

another Ali Edwards cut file that I have attached with washi so it lifts to reveal my journalling.  Hard to see but on the other page is a white heart with a chipboard attached to it

I cut the heart out and attached it to a stick, stamp is my fave MME, opposite page is Ali Edwards stamp and Cosmo Cricket Tiny Alphas

Ali Edwards Stamp and more acetate from the collection

Ali Edwards stamp and arrow cut on Silhouette, American Crafts thank you stamp

MME stamp, Studio Calico veneer heart

Heidi Swapp stamp

another Heidi Swapp stamp from the same set!

Teresa Collins journal stamp tucked behind photo

Thanks for popping in,

Ali x 

Fun Times at Monkey Puzzle :0)

Woohoo!! Two in two days and I've nearly finished a Christmas mini.......loving all this crafty time :0)

Today's effort is using the fantastic ScrapFriends sketch....love 'em!!

The photos (more bad but fun photos from my phone!!) were taken at the soft play place near us with DGD. In fact the one of us was taken by her :0)

Sorry for the weird colour again......roll on Summer!!!

I started with the ink splats: Cosmic Shimmer Chalk Inks and worked with my Scraptastic Kit Club kit for January :0)

American Crafts Thicker brackets, monkey cut on Cricut ....yeah I know NOT Silhouette!...but the arrow is ;) Stickers from Echo Park stamp is American Crafts

stamp is American Crafts, papes are Glitz Design and Echo Park

painted chipboard Vs, Echo Park letters and tab

and here is the sketch:

    delicious eh?


Thanks for popping in, off to finish my mini now :0)

Ali x

'Right Direction'

At last....time in my craft room!!! Yayyyyy!

I sat and I sat...... picked things up and put them back down again and really felt a little out of my depth.....it's been too long :0(

Then I remembered all the lovely inspiration videos at two peas and within a few minutes Janna Werner had inspired me not only to do a layout but to create my own background paper!!!

The challenge was to use the colour palette from the mood board she had created on Pinterest and arrows. So off I went to cut an arrow or two and then decided to use the negative as a mask :0)

I stencilled through using my new Dreamweaver brushes....fabulous!...using Distress Inks and then outlined them in black with a handful of hand drawn ones for good measure!!

2012 was a pretty rough year and although this year has been madly busy, it is all positive stuff, hence the right direction :0) The arrows in all different directions represent last year and the photo is of me in London on New Year's Eve....ready to start afresh :0)

Distress Inks: Old Paper; Chipped Sapphire; Fired Brick; Pumice Stone

October Afternoon and MME papers, tag with hidden journalling, Studio Calico triangle, letters from Pebbles

A massively HUGE thank you to my dear friend Lizzy for my first ever RAK.....the gorgeous little sparkly heart was one of the many goodies she sent me :0)

Thanks for popping in today,

Ali x 

Happy Birthday DD#2

My babe is 25 today....how did that happen???!!

Having a lovely day celebrating with a pamper session for her and me, then dinner and Mastermind Quiz with everyone tonight ...she does love a quiz this girl of mine!

this was inspired by a picture I saw on Pinterest. The papers are all My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline Howdy Doody

PLS tag and WRMK chipboard sticker; chipboard A and a bit of a Glitz Card

GCD Studio Epoxy Sticker; PLS 25 tag and Elle Studio Snippet

Crate Paper chipboard hearts and Hero Arts stamp; clay star tag...my new stuff to play with!!!

Thanks for popping in today, and happy birthday my darling girl if you are reading this :0)

Ali x 

Happy Valentines Day :0)

Valentines is not a big deal in my house but as I had created this die cut on my Silhouette...I know, get me!!!....I thought it would be mean not to attach it to a card and give to DH :0)

glossy accent heart

inside reads.....tomorrow and forever.

Hope you have a lovely day, thanks for popping in,

Ali x 

Sssh....it's a secret!

Hello my lovely bloggy friends,

I have scheduled this to post at the same time DD#1 is throwing a surprise baby shower for DD#2 :0)

It's the first baby shower that I have ever been to, having said that it's the first one that most of the guests have ever been to, including the host and the guest of honour!! As with most things, there is less and less cultural differentiation and although showers were primarily an American thing they are becoming increasingly popular over here....at least that's what I am guessing as there were a load of shops selling a ton of stuff to choose from. Which leads me to my post!!

I was particularly drawn to the nappy (diaper) cakes that I saw but no way was I paying £75 for one!!

Tadaa!!!

There are loads of brilliant tutorials on YouTube but the one that I kind of followed used a  large sweet tin with nappies around the outside and then filled with baby stuff to make the first layer.

 I filled mine with: shampoo, nappy cream, bubble bath, cotton wool, baby lotion, oil and nappies around the outside and tucked into gaps. Wrapped a blanket around and tied with ribbon.

Layer 2 was all nappies wrapped in a muslin cloth and tied with ribbon and then a little bear tucked into the front.

Layer 3 was nappies and 3 long sleeve vests (only because I know she needs them!) with another muslin cloth wrapped around and tied with ribbon.

A balsa wood star cut with Spellbinders, painted and stamped and attached to a bamboo stick

Another thing I changed was they say to fasten the nappies with an elastic band but it creases the nappy so I used good old washi tape which does no damage at all! It doesn't stick for long, but long enough to get the nappies where you want them :0)

I also made 3 'rain clouds' to hang above the table

more brilliant tutorials on YouTube. I stitched hearts together to make the rain drops

And a Guess the Date that DD#2 can put on her fridge as a count down :0)

I printed off a Heidi Swapp calendar page, cut a stork on the Silhouette, Ali Edwards stamp on the due date and footprints on my guess - I shall take the stamp with me and write the names of the guessers on the day.

Super, dooper excited!! I also did her a Yummy Mummy essentials bag but it's in a black case ready to take to the hospital so not very exciting to show you, LOL

Thanks for popping in today,

Ali x

I Love Days Like These :0)

I do, I love it when the postman brings my long awaited kit from Scraptastic Kit Club....and what a beauty it is this month....packed to the gunnels!!!

What I do NOT love is the grey weather, meaning that my layouts take on weird bluish tone in photos!!

See what I mean? Grrr!!

I have missed the boat for most of the challenges this month but I wanted to join in with at least one, so the first challenge they put up on the blog was to do a card or layout with 2 tags.

The first one I punched with a MS punch

and the second one I journalled on. This is me and my younger brother sharing birthday celebrations. It's rare to see us this friendly, LOL!!

an old rub on around the heart on one of the scrumptious die cuts in my kit

Thanks for popping in today and looking at me rather poor photos :0(

Ali x 

My Minds Eye and Gossamer Blue Challenge

Do you have a brand that you love beyond all others? I do, My Minds Eye!! I buy every new collection because they are always the stand out designs, however, because I love them I can't bring myself to use them!! I have dozens of 12 x 12s that just get stroked, so I buy the 6 x 6's in the hope that I will use them....well, yeah unless it's a paper that I adore, in which case I have to hold onto it...so that now means I have a 12 x 12 and two 6 x 6 versions of the same paper!! Do you understand, or at this point are you switching off to my ramblings??? LOL

Anywho, the point is with this challenge I have to use MME products....so imagine the sweat I broke into as I sliced and die cut my way through my loves ;0)

It is an eclectic mix of Lost and Found; Miss Caroline 'Howdy Doody'; The Sweetest Thing 'Tangerine' and 'Lavender' and Follow Your Heart 'Be Amazing' and 'Be Happy' plus stamps (although I can't tell you which lines as I don't keep the packaging!)......still waiting for the new lines to come to the UK.

 Apologies for the rather poor photos......but it is a very grey day in the UK :0(

Thanks for popping in,

Ali x