Decorated Chipboard Swap

I am new to joining in swaps on UKS despite being a member there for years. I blame the lovely Karen (Kitty Crafts) for bullying (oops meant encouraging me) to join in.

This one was a swap hosted by my lovely CJ teamie Lynn (Topsy) I think it was maybe her first go at hosting, the idea was to decorate a bare chipboard shape 10 times, sent them off to her and get 10 different ones back. I was nervous about this one as I am always convinced other peoiples work will be soooo much better than mine but I thought what the heck and plunged in anyways. I chose hearts and decided to cover with ultra thick emosssing powder in gold which I then sprinkled green pearl embossing powder into and finally stamped into with a Tim Holtz script stamp. I just hope the recipients like them. I cant wait to see all the lovely shapes I get back.

I enjoyed doing this one so much I have now joined in a decorated chipboard Christmas swap and for that one I have chosen to do snowflakes.

I have a wee while to plan that one though.

Red Ribbons Cyber Crop

I took part this weekend in the Red Ribbons House Cyber Crop over on UK Scrappers. This was arranged by Sandra and Jo the House Leaders and they posted a variety of challenges over the weekend for us to follow. The great thing about this was that you didnt actually have to complete and upload all your challenges over the weekend, and we have till the end of this week to do that.

I am bogged down at the moment in finishing off an album for my daughters best friend Jade for her 18th birthday. She always admires the scrapbook layouts of Fiona when she is in the house and I knew that she would appreciate an album of her own.

I didnt actually realise how difficult it would be to scrap her photos though. Fiona and Jade have been friends since they went to High School some seven years ago so scrapping the recent pics of her with Fiona and the other girls was easy. Jades Mum gave me a whole batch of pics which I have copied but its difficult sitting down to a photo when you have no memory or ideas of the events when it was taken. I think it has actually really taught me that Scrapbooking really is all about the memories and the telling of the story behind the photo rather than just about making a fabulously pretty layout using all the latest products. I have had to produce an album almost without any journalling which has been tough. I am on the home run now and did six layouts for it over the weekend, three of which were from the challenges in the CC.

The first one was from a page kit challenge, we were asked to put together cardstock, three pieces of patterned papers, three blooms, three buttons and alpha stickers and complete a layout within an hour

This is the result - a simple layout but I am reasonably happy with it

The second challenge I completed was a takeaway challenge set by Mandy. I opted for the chinese version in which you had to have layers and circle embellishments, the picture is of Jade with her brother and sister. I used the buttons as my circle embellshments.

The final one from the CC at the weekend was where you had to look in your favourites in UKS and scraplift one of them

I chose a layout by my teamie and friend Heatherblossom, I loved her original layout and used it for these pics of Jade with her Gran and Grandpa - I entitled it - You Put the Grand in Grandparent.

There are other challenges I hope to be working on over the course of the week.

Chinese Whispers

Hello there. I have been missing in action again. Funny how when you are a bit stressed with life that the urge to create disappears altogether.

It was our East Kilbride crop on Saturday, I cant believe that's our fourth one already. Successful day again with 22 of us. I could not find my creative vibe at all so started off playing around with some Dylusions stamps courtesy of Sally and surprised myself by managing to do my entry in Fiona (Angelfish) CJ Take Flight for the Mojo Busters CJ. I wont post it just now as I dont want to spoil the surprise for her in case she is reading my blog.

My team on UKS have started a Chinese Whispers challenge where each of us has to do a layout and email to the next person who will then do their take on it. At the end we will each have an album on our profile showing how the layout has changed from start to end. Each person will work from the layout sent to them without looking at the original one.

I started my layout and the crop and finished it at home yesterday. The photo is my DD and My Parents and I when they had a small celebration down at their caravan a couple of years ago for their Golden Wedding Anniversary. I took inspiration from a layout in an Australian scrapbooking magazine and used papers from the Echo Park For the Record collection.

Sketch and Scrap - August

This is my third month as a member of the Sketch and Scrap Group run on UKS by two of my teamies Lisa and Heather

This month it was Shirley's turn to put up the sketch and I must say that I loved it from the minute I saw it. In fact I am fairly sure I will be using this sketch again.

I turned the sketch on its side for my layout which features a new statue erected in Seahouses down by the Harbour beside a new development of flats. All I have found out at the moment is that it was erected by the Developers but the next time I visit Seahouses I will be trying to find out more information so that I can add that to the layout.

I made the little lifebelt embellies by cutting out circles with my nestabilities and winding red embroidery thread round. I decided bunting wasnt quite right for the layout so made the little notched flags instead. I used papers from the Crate Paper Portrait collection pack I bought at the East Kilbride crop from Angel Crafts in their sale and which is fast becoming one of my favourite collections.

Cant wait to see everyone else's take on the sketch over the next couple of days then the new sketch will go up and it will be thinking caps on again.