A quick pre-Christmas post!

Thought I'd just nip on quickly before the Xmas chaos starts as I know there will probably be little time for scrapping & blogging for a while!

This last weekend was spent at my folks house doing the annual Panto trip. Went a bit hipstamatic happy taking loads of random shots - not the best pictures by any stretch but there is something I really love about the way they come out, even the blurry or bizarre ones!

Doesn't everyone look happy?! It's only Christmas time after all!! I'm sure if dear mother or hubby see these there'll be hell to pay!!

I even managed to get a few pages done inbetween all the Christmas shopping & wrapping!

A couple of pages and some exciting news..............!!!

Thought I should share the latest pages I've done using Cosmo Cricket Social Club papers....

and number 2.......

Challenge time!

Over at Sarah's Card's blog there is a monthly challenge. For November it's all about 'thinking negative so my take on this was to use the left-overs from an alphabet sticker sheet to create part of my background. I wanted to keep things simple so that the picture was the focal point & I'm really happy with the way it worked out. If you are mighty quick there is still time to get an entry in!!

......and breathe!!!

Well despite my best intentions it's over a month since I last ventured into blog land! We've had several birthdays and a school holiday in that time! Despite the hectic comings & goings I have found the odd minute here & there to do a few LO's.

I decided to join in with Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party and although I've not worked my way through many of the many prompts yet, I have done a couple of pages using the ideas. The first was additonally inspired by Jen Naull's take on the idea......

The next was completed with artistic contribution from Karen who ably assisted in the palette selection! A bit - well actually a lot!! - out of my comfort zone but I'm happy with the result. A great way of using up scraps

Starting point!

When I get stuck on where to start, when I find myself staring at pieces of paper but don't know how to put them together, Shimelle's Starting Points can be just the thing.
here is her's - a very simple beginning - and below is my end result. A bit of a double whammy as I was able to use up some of my build-up of stash from Sarah's Cards!! This particular selection was from the May kit, MME Stella & Rose!

Thanks for looking x

It's been a while!!

Crikey! can't believe a whole month has passed me by and only just getting round to adding some holiday photos and some stuff I've been playing with too!


The boys enjoying the pool at our first site on the Vendee

This has to be one of my favourite photos!!

Can't take the credit for this one! Hubby is pretty nifty with a camera!

No.2 son at Chinon, Loire Valley

No.1 Son also at Chinon, but in the depths rather than up top!!

Sculpture "The Braves" at Omaha Beach, Normandy

So, that's a snippet from holidays but I've also played with paper!!

This was based on a sketch over at Shimelle's Blog - you can find her version here. I chose to rotate it as I had landscape photo's and used the acetate doily in place of the cardstock die-cut

Another LO on greeny background (I seem to have had a run on this colour quite by accident!!) & again helped along by Shimelle - this time from a starting point. I'm not sure how happy I am about the full on journalling as I don't usually 'bare my soul' & I'm not a fan of my own writing and it's gone rather wonky but hey ho!

I'm back!!

Just a super-quick post - back from my jolly hols in France so lots of new photos to play with. Watch this space!!!

Sources of inspiration!

Sometimes you just need something to give you a bit of inspiration & a shove in the right direction! Shimelle has had a weekend of challenges over at her blog so it was a great excuse to get creative......

This challenge was all about going retro & using an old photo - this one was part of a home studio sitting that my brother & I did!!!!!

This next challenge was all about space & leaving plenty of it!!

The final challenge from Shimelle was about reflecting a current 'trend' in the pages that you are doing - for me it's definitely bunting!

And if Shimelle's inspiration wasn't enough, I also used the latest challenge over at Sarah's Blog for my final share - 5 different patterned papers all from Basic Grey's Oliver range

Why not have a bash yourself & re-kindle your mojo!!



Layouts!

Now that I have this space, I can start to share some of the things I like to do when I get those scarce few minutes to myself!

Scrapbooking has been a part of my life for a good few years now and I allow myself to indulge in monthly kits from here. Below are a few of my more recent creations & I look forward to sharing more in the future!

The first is of Tom whilst on holiday in France last year - I used up an old supply of 'Recess' papers from Basic Grey

more fiddling.......!!

Ok, going to try something else now.......

Trying things out!!

Just thought I'd have a go at putting a picture in - getting a bit more technical now so bear with me!! OMG it worked!! It's me at Whitby, in the sunshine whilst away getting creative with the girls!

New beginnings

Having long admired my chums who have & maintain blogs, I thought I would give it another go! Please bear with me whilst I get to grips with how it all works & hopfully in the not too distant future there might be something worth looking at on these pages! Off to have a play now x