Sea Treasures

Thursday 30 January 2014

Scraplifting is always fun. I love to take inspiration from other people's layouts. Sometimes it's purely the layout, sometimes its the type or style of photos, sometimes it's techniques or sometimes the embellishments, or colours - the list can go on and on. 

Whatever you take from someone else's layout, it is still your layout. Unless it is a direct copy, it is hard NOT to put your own spin on it so I don't ever feel bad when I scraplift. In fact I look at so many other layouts online these days (I am a bit Pinterest obsessed), it is difficult to say that anything is entirely my own anymore.


This is a scraplifted layout where I have looked at the layout and therefore placement of the elements on my page. This is the original layout I scraplifted, by Amelie Mordret. There is no similarity in respect of colours but I've used one photo, added a large patterned layer to my plain background, put my title in the same place and embellished in similar places too.

The papers are from the Paradise Beach collection by Echo Park. I don't usually go for themed collections (and parts of this collection are very beach themed) but I just loved the colours.

Have a go at scraplifting - it can be any element of someone else's layout, just something that inspires you.

Happy scrapping xx

Layouts using Dear Lizzy 'Polka Dot' party collection from January's 'The Story' kit.

Wednesday 29 January 2014

Great papers to work with this week - the American Crafts Dear Lizzy 'Polka Dot Party' collection. The collection contains lots of lovely pastel shades together with some bright pinks and navy - really pretty. I love the die cut cards that came in this month's kit (designs vary).

I've used the framed paper as my background for my first layout. I was concerned that the background was very plain (gorgeous flower in the corner but that was it). I cut out a load of frames and pieces from one of the papers, added a die cut card and utilised one of the manufacturing strips. I really love how this layout turned out - sometimes I just love focusing on the layout itself by using one small photo, instead of trying to get as many photos on a page as possible...what do you think?

I've used these diagonal arrows as my background this time. I've also used two more of the die cut cards, some more of the frames/labels from the cut-apart sheet and embellished with white and pink butterflies.

and here is Kirei's layout using these supplies. Check out her blog for more details on how she made it.

January's kit 'The Story' is now on sale and it's a big one!:

The kit contains:
3 x My Mind's Eye 'Mistletoe Magic' papers
3 x My Mind's Eye 'Vintage Christmas' papers
4 x Carta Bella 'Hello Again' papers
4 x My Mind's Eye 'Cut & Paste Charm' papers
3 x American Crafts Dear Lizzy 'Polka Dot Party' papers
5 x coordinating cardstock
American Crafts 'Thickers' alphabet stickers
My Mind's Eye roll of washi tape
My Mind's Eye Rhinestones
Carta Bella 'Hello Again' Element Sticker Sheet
My Mind's Eye Cut & Paste 6x4" journaling card
Dear Lizzy 'Polka Dot Party' die cut cards.

Plus...
10 sample layouts ALL of which can be made from this kit
Step-by-step written instructions for five of the sample layouts

January 2014 kit 'The Story' with subscription: £25 with free postage
(minimum 6 month subscription, subject to £30 cancellation fee if subscription terminated within the first 6 months
January 2014 kit 'Freedom' 1 month only without subscription £30
Thanks very much and happy scrapping xx

So that was Christmas...

Tuesday 28 January 2014

Back during December's Have I Got Scrap for You, I showed the foundation pages I'd made for my Christmas Journal. I was determined to actually complete a daily style journal this year because I'd been very unsuccessful at this in the past (and have a few barely started albums), but also because this Christmas was a special one - we were spending it in Florida.

I am pleased to say that, after several years of trying, I finally found a system that worked for me. I made all the foundation pages in advance of December. I left specific spaces for either photos or journaling. I then set myself a challenge of taking a photo per day. This was a bit challenging as I'm absolutely not used to doing that and I did forget on a couple of occasions but on the whole I managed it really well. Half way through December, I sat down with my PC and my photos so far and I worked out what photo to use each day. I saved them into a folder, did any editing that was needed (cropping portraits to landscapes and vice versa if necessary) and printed. I then stuck them in and did my journaling up until that point.

Then I didn't come back to it until January. My journal was planned up until 6th January because our Christmas was going to continue into the New Year because of when we got back from holiday, so after 6th December was finished, (well actually a couple of weeks later actually) I did exactly the same thing - worked out my photos, printed, stuck and journalled. 

I then spent some time going through all the pages (pockets) and adding additional embellishments and little titles. I was super pleased with the result:


Finally I had to think about my back page. I had originally thought that a large family photo would be good here but there was a problem with that theory for two reasons: 1. it is really difficult to actually get a decent family photo when you are generally the photographer and there are two very young children involved. and 2. even with one not-so-good family photo that I did get, it was impossible to work it so that the cuts wouldn't go through someone's face. D'oh! So I picked a generic photo of the beach, turned it black and white and printed it in 12x12.  I wanted a photo with some empty space so I could embellish it a little, but with hindsight, this photo had a little too much empty space! I'm happy with it though, it's a nice end to my album.

So a big thank you to all those who have read my Have I Got Scrap for YOU! class every month and to anyone who has participated. It is now finished but I have a new one starting in February called Team Project Life, which is (obviously!) about Project Life. You can find all the details on UK Scrappers.

Happy scrapping xx

PS a note to all those who haven't finished their December albums yet - put some time aside to do it, finishing it is very liberating! 

Christmas Sparkle

Monday 27 January 2014

I've spent most of my life avoiding gold. I've always liked silver - jewellery, glitter, gems etc, all in silver. I've always thought of gold as a bit tacky. However this Christmas I've fallen in love with it. Especially mixed with red and brown. I've not quite branched out into gold jewellery or clothes. Baby steps.

I started off with two photos to scrap - a portrait and a landscape which generally as a mix I'm not too keen on so I trimmed the landscape one down to a square without losing any of the main image. A much better composition. Then I realised I had a third photo to go with those two which was also capable of being trimmed to a square, albeit a smaller one. So three photos, all different sizes.

I put together some paper layers using several different reds in my stash. The background is a Teresa Collins paper (I think from two years ago) which was a dedicated Christmas collection. The rest of the papers weren't specifically Christmas collections I don't think, just a nice mix of reds that I pulled out.

After adding a number of layers of red patterned paper, I added the photos, all mounted on a deep reddy-brown. I then got busy with the gold bling. Gold washi tape, gold glittery Thickers and gold glittery triangles made into bunting.

Loving the gold bling. I think it may be a reoccurring element across my December layouts...

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_JxoKxZdsDp6-j-wfNsHEbi1XgoON-XUvecc_RDV_F4B9U1tJcGr-fqEkqfu-KNHCFUSSJM0EFrcJ0wvKIeAkaUUfZOT9vWSHYA_lvQT8bKrL1JOhL5x9N_exP72c9PsXFtA26jMQwM/s1600/Being+Scrappy+signature+copy.png

Engaged!

Saturday 25 January 2014

Morning sketchers!
My husband's little sister (who is much younger than us!) has just got engaged so today I've made a card for them. As always we have another great sketch over at Sketch Saturday:

Now I usually stick pretty closely to the sketches but the whole angle thing threw me a bit with this card, it just didn't look right so I've gone back to right angles I'm afraid! I love this image by Milk Coffee. Not a traditional engagement image but they are a bit of an out there couple so this image worked just fine for them. I've used washi tape instead of ribbon today and made the sentiment in photoshop.


This week's sketch is sponsored by Milk Coffee who are offering a great prize so make sure you join in with this week's sketch to be in with a chance of winning!

Happy scrapping xx