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

Wedding Album for Abby

Dear all,

sadly I did not get into the Guild ;0( As my brother said, I was scuppered (he didn't use that word, but not sure what the policy is on blogging swear words!) by my own genius.
Unfortunately, the foolish judges did not realise that I had made all of the items on show and assumed I had bought chipboard kits and decorated them - even though I had written, at length, about the process!!
Hey ho - in some ways I am relishing the fact that from now on in all projects will be bespoke :0)

So, talking of bespoke projects, my friend Abby asked for an 8 x 8 album for her sister and her future husband. She didn't want it all about the wedding so I have included general pages plus a couple of pocket pages with tags for memorabilia. I don't think you can tell from teh photos but I have pencilled in the dimensions for the photos - if it's a blank photo mat then it will be for a 6 x 4 with an edge. the overhanging embellishments have been glued so that the photos can be tucked underneath them.

The little tag reads '& life together'.

The ribbons have got glass beads hanging from the ends. If you click on the picture you can get a close up.

Becca's wedding colour is Cadbury's purple, I thought I was going to struggle with this as I am NOT a purple girl - in fact I had to get papers in as I didn't have any purple stuff in my stash (can you believe????) In the end I really enjoyed making this album and whilst not a complete convert to the colour purple I do quite like the way it turned out.

I am off to decorate a candle for Aimi now - she has seen the ones I made for our new bedroom and would like a 'patriotic' one for their lounge. I think she is hoping for one covered in union jacks but as most of their decorative items are of the 'flag' variety I am going to break away and just use the red, white and blue. I will take a photo and let you be the judge!

Wash Day

As promised, here is the next of the Guild projects. I made a 'washing line' of dresses for Ruby's room and decided to make another one but needed something to house it.
First off I made the soap powder box with a hinged lid but it looked rubbish, so I took the lid off and made a sleeve instead.

I love this because it can either hang on the wall, with photos on one side and the pockets can be filled with tickets and memorabilia, or it can be punched and ring bound.
I shall retake the photos of the other projects as the quality really is shocking! lol :0)

Photography is not my strong point!

Just as a caveat to the post below, having waited for a sunny day to photograph my projects, I realise now that it might have been better to draw the blinds! Sorry for all the shadows and whatnot...........must try harder!