December Scrapology card challenge

This month, the card challenge was set by Chrissy from Merly Impressions. 

My husband and my FIL have birthdays very close together.  The timing of this challenge was perfect with a theme of autumn and leaves.  I often resort to using leaves on masculine cards as I feel they are a very versatile embellishment. 

The above was the card for my husband - my Sizzix dies turned out very useful.  I have bought both the Tim Holtz labels and mini labels die and I also used some ancient alphabet stickers from Chatterbox.  I like the positive and negative images here - a great way of making the stickers stretch further on a budget.  All the leaf images are also from a Tim Holtz Decorative Strips die - Autumn Gatherings.  I used the Basic Grey Granola range of papers for all the leaf shapes.  The background patterned paper was an ancient piece of Jenni Bowlin - great to cut into some of these papers and get them used up!  I used lashings of Tim Holtz distress ink around the edge to add some depth. 

My father-in-law's card was a variation on the theme -

A few more bits and pieces gone from the mountain of stash - now, where can I buy some more time?  If you get some time, why not join with us and having a go at the challenge? 

December Scrapology Layout

I didn't think I would make it this month, but managed to carve out a bit of time close to the deadline to make the December Scrapology challenge.  This month, we scraplifted Pamela Young's layout below. 



This is how I interpreted the scraplift. 



I went with the three photos (albeit of different shapes) and the scalloped circle, so stuck to the main elements on Pamela's layout. 

The background is a very light green Bazzill cardstock, so it doesn't show up too well.  I haven't indulged in too many new scrapbooking products lately, but one thing I couldn't resist was a couple of collections by First Edition, bought to scrapbook the boys as babies.  The papers are so cute, and perfect for baby boys.  The alphabet, journalling block and patterned paper are all from the same range, called "Up Up and Away!"

You can see looking between Pamela's layout and mine that I also interpreted using the mist differently.  Rather than use tissue paper, I misted a border around the edge of the patterned paper.  I used a piece of Crate Paper as a template for the patterned paper, and then drew a border freehand using some white scrap paper to form the border.  The mist is Cosmic Shimmer "Teal Wash" and this mist really does shimmer in real life. 

The journalling spot and motif does glitter too - shame the effect does not show up on the screen.  My journalling reads:

"6 days old - 12th July.  When you were first home from hospital, we were still trying to breastfeed.  However, we were also worried that you weren't getting enough, so we were also feeding you with syringes so you weren't getting confused between breast and bottle.  Looking back almost 5 months, it is hard to believe you were both so small and we were worried about your weights!

Grandma Brierley and Lewis, Grandma Jones and Henry.  Scrapbooked November 2011."

Even though it is a very busy time of year, why not grab some time for yourself and take part in this challenge!  Thanks for stopping by.  :) 

A recent photo ...

of my darling boys, taken on 18th November, when they were 19 weeks old.  How they've grown!  Lewis on the left, and Henry on the right, dressed in their bargain jammies, at 50p each.  We were staying at Grandma's, so I took advantage of a little holiday and did a bit of a photo shoot with the boys.  :) 

It shall be scrapped in due course, naturally ....



Quidco

All about ways to save money at Christmas and all throughout the year?  I am, especially with only one wage coming in, and two more mouths to feed ...

If you do happen upon this post, and are interested in saving money, then Quidco is a special website which offers deals, and then gives you cashback at the end, depending on how much you've spent with them.  For instance, I recently bought a pair of Clark's shoes on line, which were not only 50% off, but I also earned a cashback reward, simply for clicking through the Quidco site!

If you are so inclined, follow this link, and then start referring other people too, for more cashback rewards ....

http://www.quidco.com/user/1057273/

Happy shopping!

Scrapology November card

This month, the card designer who set our monthly challenge is Joanna Sheen.  She challenged the Design Team to use a mouse image on their cards.  Bearing in mind the time of the year, I decided to try and incorporate the mouse with Christmas in the cheesiest way possible - get it!   (Hee hee hee .... )



Thanks to Linda for sending me some images as this is not really my normal style of card. 

I dug out an ancient piece of patterned paper for the background and made sure that I coloured in the image to match accordingly. 

I made it more "Christmassy" by sticking some felt snowflakes over the top and then stickled them to make them glitter.  I also glittered on the patterned paper on top of the stars to pull the card together. 

I then stamped out my Christmouse message using my PSX Playful alphabet stamps - I have several sets of small alphabet stamps.  I still consider them to be an essential part of my scrapbooking/ cardmaking tools, even though I don't use them nearly as often as I used to.  Great to get out these things from time to time and dust them off!

I then "enamelled" the outline of the flower using the Ranger white enamel accents.  It was my first time using these - they add a considerable dimension to the card, and hopefully look like snow!  The liquid flowed out of the nozzle faster than I thought it would, so I would recommend caution if using them for the first time.  Hope you join us in the challenge, and have lots of fun playing along! 

Supplies:
Patterned paper:  Colorbok Starry Sky
Ranger white enamel accents
Diamond Stickles
Make It Yourself Furry white snowflakes
PSX Alphabet stamps - Playful
Promarkers

Sketch and Scrap November

For my group's challenge on UK Scrappers this October, we were challenged to create a layout using this sketch:

I decided to use a picture of my boys, and make a companion layout to the one I produced for Scrapology for November. 



Supplies List:

Bazzill cardstock
Journalling pen:  A fine black permanent marker
Patterned papers: Urban Lily "Polka Dot", Chatterbox Scrapbook Walls "Stitched Ivy", 7 gypsies "Life Blanc", Sassafras Lass Indian Summer "Pumpkin Patch"
K & Company Metal Art
Doodlebug rubons Sew Easy Lilywhite & Black
Maya Road Office Sheers Journalling Spot
Wooden Buttons: Hobbycraft
Buttons
Ribbon, Lace, Felt, Fabric, Gem, Pearls

It's very satisfying to create what I think is a beautiful result from old supplies and great to get some of this hoard of stash used up! 

The photo is of my Mum with the boys when they were just over two weeks old. We did a photoshoot with a local photographer, and were so pleased we did it. I loved the photo - it's a very precious memory and is just what it says a "special moment".

Scrapology November Challenge

This month, over at Scrapology, we are scraplifting Hannah Young's layout below: 



The challenge this month is to make fabric flowers. 

This is my interpretation.  I decided to interpret the flowers rather differently, so had a shufty through my materials to see what I could choose from.  I had black tulle, bits of left over felt, and various bits of material.  The larger red flower is made from wide wired ribbon.

The photo is one taken at a photoshoot when my boys were 3 weeks old and is of my mother and I.  All the patterned papers have come from my scraps bag and are all ancient - how satisfying is it to use them up?



Supplies:

Bazzill cardstock

Patterned paper:  Urban Lily "Polka Dot", Chatterbox Scrapbook Walls "Stitched Ivy", Scenic Route Laurel "Sailmaker Lane", 7 gypsies "Life Blanc"

Tim Holtz:  Mini Labels movers and shapers die

Alphas: K & Company "Handmade mini alpha", Making Memories "Tiny Alphas white on black"

Stickers: Scenic Route Laurel Monogram ABCD

Wooden Heart: Hobbycraft

Buttons

Ribbon, Lace, Bonbon

Felt

Fabric

Because my target photo was a completely different shape to Hannah's, I had to reinterpret the sketch somewhat, and also decided to simplify the colour scheme. 

I am really pleased with how this layout turned out.  I shall be making a companion page for the boys' albums using another sketch challenge!  Why don't you join us - Jill from Cardinal Colours has once again donated a fabulous prize - check out the Scrapology blog to find out what it is!