A little Christmas crafting

I'm mainly a scrapper and a card maker but every so often I like to do an altered project, and sometime in October I purchased this Tando Creative blank chipboard wreath.  I couldn't get hold of the Advent Calendar version so I decided to keep this as a wreath rather than number the circles.  Which is a good thing really, as having diligently gessoed the whole thing, it sat on the cupboard for the next several weeks doing absolutely nothing.  I picked it up today and finished it in one shot, with a break for drying time.  I am so pleased with the effect.

Forgive the flash in the photo!  I used a set of Christmas papers from last year by October Afternoon which had a pleasing mix of turquoise red and green with some subtle Christmas patterns.  I added some glitter and a little bit of 3d interest, some twine and a sign, and it was all done :)

It's December

..... and that means and Advent Swap and yes!! Santa has delivered and yesterday I got my grubby paws on a present - hooray!

My bag from Santa came like this:

It's all wrapped in kraft and dotty washi tape - so lovely, and if you look you can see the first present peeping out from the back - some lovely 6x6 Websters Pages papers - can't wait to have a play with these :)

 
I also made my Christmas cake - with a little help from DS2.  The fruit soaks overnight with some sherry and strong tea before being cooked for ages the next day - the kids traditionally ice it in their own inimitable style, and we'll eat it at Christmas - not a moment before, however much they beg!!

Finally I had an unexpected outing - the neighbours had some tickets for Palace that they couldn't use and as DH and DS1 are mad Palace fans and it was a high octane local derby against Brighton they thought they might like to go.  Sadly for them, DH and DS1 were already tied up so it was left to me and DS2 - neither of us Palace fans - but he wanted to go despite the freezing weather.

With two pairs of socks on, as many clothes as I could fit under my coat, a hat, scarf and gloves and a flask of hot chocolate in my pocket I ventured forth - I don't do football in winter as you get cold!  I'm really glad I did - the football was ok but the experience was really really fun - we stood the whole time - noone sat so we couldn't either.  There was so much singing and a carnival atmosphere, helped of course by the fact that Palace won easily, that we didn't really feel the cold until near the end.    There are a huge contingent of Eastern European fans (where the flags are in the corner) who seem to have adopted Palace and come with their own cheerleaders (men in t-shirts who obviously don't feel the cold) who conduct the singing and keep it going non stop throughout the match - their enthusiasm puts the Brits to shame - I mean, apart from the libraries at Stamford Bridge and the Emirates, 'Sing when you are winning' is a chant that could be fired at most teams in the league.  But not yesterday at Palace!  Unexpected as it was, I had a brilliant time!

In the evening we went round to some friends' for dinner - they had already put all their decorations up and the house looked amazing - put me to shame - ours are still in some else's loft - but now I feel that I really ought to get moving on the Christmas front - not to mention a fair amount of shopping to do - like all of it!!

The last from Eastbourne...

In 1985, I went to Hong Kong and China.  It was one of the best trips I have ever taken as I was staying with a HK Chinese family and so got to spend time doing some 'normal' things as well as being a tourist.  However, my photos from that holiday are typical of the time - not great quality.  I am going to scrap them come what may, although it is a slow process.

This is the last photo in my album - when I saw this cut file on Studio Calico it spoke to me of aeroplanes - so this is my departure lounge photo.  I was going to call it Leaving on a Jet Plane, but then I thought it was too corny!

The stamp is a lovely Kaiser crafts one which I embossed with white embossing powder.  The paper for the cut file is old Scenic Route.  In fact most of the layout has been in my stash for a while - Echo Park For the Record Stickers, a Maya Road envelope, patterned paper from Echo Park, Cosmo Cricket and SC?  Border stickers from Sassafras from ages ago.  The only new bits are the flag and a couple of bits of pp from BG Paper Cottage.

Now to tackle the rest of the album.

Getting even more messy!

The Mystery Kit at the Eastbourne Crop was a challenge in getting outside the box - with two sheets of white Bazzill, one of kraft, a square of red and white checked fabric and another of hessian, the brief was to make a layout without any patterned paper or premade embellishments - or anything else added in fact - but with free rein to use inks, stamps, paints, mists, masks, stencils, wire, embossing, diecutters etc.

It took me a while to get going but this was my finished result:

Please forgive the photo - it's so grey today I can't get a good one.

For anyone who is interested in the technique, this is what I did:

• In the spirit of the current trend I started by flicking mist across my Bazzill!

• I painted some bright rough flower shapes using acrylic paints and mists, used texture paste through a couple of stencils, one cut by a die cutter.  I also hand cut similar shapes out of the White Bazzill so I had a negative shape. I fixed some of the painted paper behind the cut shapes, and cut out some other flowers to use in my layers.

• One of the most fun bits was making my own stamp - you take this special foam block thing and use a heat gun to warm it.  Then you press it into anything textured you want - in this case it was decorative glass bits in a vase and then you can use it as a stamp - I have to do this again soon.
• The base layer was the texture paint and a wire mesh mask.
• Then came the hand cutting, and inking through a mask to make the blue flower shape.
• I decided to sew my title and used thread from the checked fabric to stitch the letters, which I then cut out in outline.

• I coated some threads from the hessian with gesso and arranged them in loops on the base.
• I had a ball playing with various embossing folders and the Big Shot to get some textured papers.  I coloured the kraft ones with paint, and used white embossing powder on some of the circles.  I stamped and embossed a border for my photo mat using a Hero Arts border stamp.  

• I then layered up my flowers, circles and embossed bits and pieces and stuck them down. The flower centres are made from texture paint, stamped, metal circles and curled up hessian threads, tinted with bronzing powder.  I also added dimensional paint to some of the flowers and embossed paper.
• Finally I added a flower (in two halves), cut from metal sheet and fringed, then tinted with alcohol ink.
• I also added some punched tiny hearts from the scraps of the painted Bazzill, and cut some more from white scraps, and added some butterflies in white. 

I absolutely loved playing with all this and getting messy - I'd even bought gloves so I could play without getting covered - and they are still in their packet.   I had no clear idea where I was going when I started, beyond using those photos and that font for the title, and I worked on it on at least 5 separate occasions as it evolved.  Some things I imagined didn't work out, others needed modifying, but all in all I have a layout that I am really pleased with, and that my DD loves too, which is great as it is for her album.

I'm definitely getting messy again - it took a change of mindset, but opened up a whole new world of possibilities - not to mention a new list of things I 'need'!!

The Annual Eastbourne Crop

Another successful scrapping weekend in Eastbourne with my lovely crop friends.  We had a Wild West theme - complete with human cactus - and so much effort was made to make the theme work - from Tin Can Alley, to the Wanted poster frame for wonderful photo opps, the Dirty Cowboy cocktail and cuban heeled boot bunting to decorate our room.

I didn't achieve as much as I had planned (as ever) despite the grey gloom which filled the first days making it less enticing to hit the shops.  This was partly due to the mystery kit (of which more in another post) which took up an inordinate amount of my time, and partly due to dithering on a grand scale.

I started off well with my Olympic themed layout (see previous post), and then moved on to the Silhouette heavy Wetland Centre double layout, and a challenge using an advert as inspiration - it was green and yellow with a sunburst on it - so guess where I went with it?  I even cut my own mask :)

This is testimony to just how finely the Silhouette will cut!  Am I getting boring?  Can you tell that I am in love with my new toy?

I was frustrated to not finish very much - due to massive ineptness on my own part - missing photos, or decisions to use things I hadn't brought and so came home with at least four incomplete layouts - but they will keep me busy if ever I get a spare evening!

Olympic Memories

We had a ball at the Olympics this summer and the bulk of my photos are destined for a minibook, but I wanted one layout for my 2012 album and armed with a new Silhouette I set out to make something interesting to showcase what was for me a highlight of my life.  So this is the first thing I have designed for myself on the Silhouette.  Of course you could keep the insides of the letters, but I decided not to.

This is what I came up with.  The hole, title, journalling and stars were cut out of a sheet of white Bazzill, then the rings cut out of different coloured cardstock.  I backed the cut holes with coloured card and cut my photos to back the rings.  I am dead pleased with the result.

I am very happy to share the studio file with anyone who would like to use it, but I can't upload them onto the blog, so leave a comment below with an email address or contact me on UKS (Ali TS) and I'll send them on.

UKS Weekly Challenge - 12/11

I haven't really got into weekly challenges, usually because I'm too disorganised, or because even if I do it, it's usually not done in time to gain any points.  My poor team, the Crafty Cupcakes, don't get a lot of points from my crafting efforts, but they are very gracious about it!

So when Alison asked for sample makers in advance, using scraps, it seemed like something to jump at.   Her brief:

• a colour scheme that is unusual for you to use

• delve into those scraps bags and use up some scraps

• do something arty! (whatever that term means for you)

Anyone who knows me will know how much I love scraps, and I have to confess that the scraps I used for this challenge weren't even mine!! Leanne, over at My Little Life of Scrap is a member of my crop, and has a completely different set of stash to me, mainly, I believe, Studio Calico kits, that I covet but can't really afford right now.  So when she offered me a root through her scrap bag I went for it, little knowing how quickly I would use them.  I know I'm sad, but I find it easier to scrap with scraps than with whole sheets of paper (of which I have many - untouched!)

So I went for a mix of pink and brown, something I rarely scrap with, although I couldn't resist the turquoise polka dots!  I used my Sissix Banner Die with Stamps found here. This is probably my most exciting recent buy as I can see so many uses for it, and I made a few cards from the scraps left over from my layout.

So a different colour scheme and scraps ticked off, now to do something arty.  Well I'm not very arty but to me arty means messy so I got out my paints.  Using the reverse of some Tando chipboard clouds as masks, I mixed and sprayed some acrylic paint to make a 'sky' to extend my photo a little.  I then embossed the right side of one cloud with white embossing powder to make it stand out better.

The embellishments all came from bits that were in a pot on my desk - a button, , punched heart and butterflies, a flower from a Doodlebug border, a couple of Primas and some gems.  The alphabet title is made of thickers, Gin X Rubons - my 'using up old stash challenge for every layout' achieved. 

I really enjoyed doing this, and will make more effort in the future as it took me outside my usual box!

eta - I've just seen Sutty's beautiful blog post about banners, and my heart sank as this looks just like a scraplift!!  However, I'm putting it down to 'Great Minds Think Alike' as I did this long before her post - I guess there was something in the air!!

Thanks for looking.

Ten things I love about Autumn

I think, just marginally, that Autumn is my favourite season, so here are 10 things that make me happy that it's here:

•  My wedding anniversary on October 3rd.

• Gorgeous colours on the trees and kicking through the leaves.

• Clear blue sky with just a touch of chill in the air.

• Harvest time - a good excuse to preserve for the coming winter - apples and plums in the freezer, chutney, pickles and jam, sloe gin and damson vodka for Christmas. 

• Thanksgiving - I'm not American but I really like the idea of being thankful for what you have and the past couple of years we have celebrated it.

• Comfort food - curry, soups, rice pudding and baked potatoes.

• Bonfire Night - I am such a big fan of fireworks.

• Eastbourne Crop - for the past 7 years I have had a November weekend of laughing and scrapbooking with my friends from the North Cheam Crop at a hotel by the beach. Such fun.

• Making my Christmas Cake.

• Boots and scarves come back into my wardrobe choices.

More from the UKS Cybercrop

One class and three challenges - complete!  I think that is all I will manage before the deadline, although there are a couple of classes that I will tackle at some point when I have more time.

Half term has been a very busy one with the addition of a French boy staying that needs some entertaining, (when I'd rather be at my scrapping table really!).  The arrival of my Cameo has made the week much more fun as I've been able to cut a few things that have helped my layouts, not to mention allowing me to scraplift Chick's wonderful class pretty much intact - which is something I very rarely do as I like to see my own style in my scrapbooks.  However this was too beautiful not to copy, and here it is.

I then got distracted into a couple of challenges:  Papillon which was a sketch challenge:

Then Fifty Shades of Grey:

The diagonal style was taken from a Layout by Kinsey Wilson for Studio Calico here.  Again the trusty Cameo came to the fore with my title cutting and the star borders.

Finally a challenge to use up my scraps on a card.  Well, this is second nature to me anyway, but as I'd been using scraps anyway, there wasn't a lot left, but I came up with this - mainly from the patchwork class and the Spring layout above:

It's been fun  - thanks everyone for lots a challenging classes.

My class for the Cybercrop

I felt very brave when I signed up to do a class for the UKS Cybercrop this summer, then as time went on my idea grew, but my free time shrank, so when I came to do it, I only had one run at it.

I think things grow in your head so that when they don't come out quite like you thought you panic! At least I did!  But actually, I am pleased with it and hope it proves inspiring for those intrepid scrappers who have got this far into the Cybercrop.

The technique is probably my signature style, and I've used it in various ways over the years.  The pdf file for the class is on UKS if you follow the link above, but it involves randomly applying watercolour paint to a sheet of White Bazzill and then using the most interesting bits to cut out/punch, then stamp, ink, emboss - whatever takes your fancy to make a completely unique set of embellishments for a layout.

I have done this with flowers, leaves, stars, but when Mary Anne mentioned a book theme for this CC, I decided to go with hearts for a romantic themed layout.  Who better to celebrate than my much travelled university friend, who ended up in Japan and fell in love with, then married a Cuban man.  The story is on hidden journalling behind the photo.

The title came from my love of frugality and using up of scraps and old stash.  I hope some of you have some fun playing with your paints - I find it a truly relaxing way to craft, as anything goes.

Thanks for visiting my blog today.

UKS Cybercrop - Part 1

How lovely when you have no mojo to have a Cybercrop to help!  Even better a slow paced one, rather than the manic kind - so I have had a lovely time playing today with a couple of classes.  I'm never going to get it all done, but I am actually scrapping so it's all good.

First up I tried a class by Suzisnail - The Patchwork Papers  - which was a piecing of triangular scraps to make a patchwork pattern.  Being a fully paid up member of the awkward squad, I can't quite bring myself to do the class in the way I'm told, so I adapted it by using a 1" punch and an offset placing.

I thoroughly enjoyed doing this class - playing with little scraps - thanks Leanne :) - and inking the edges - and getting very messy. I chickened out of sewing with the machine - compromising by handstitching a line across the top line of patches.  I kept up my 'use up old stash' challenge with the letters, the paperclip embellishment and some of the chipboard from Crate Paper which I have had for ages.  Definitely fun, and I am resolved to practice with my sewing machine so that a challenge like this isn't so daunting!

The second class was by Sutty - 'Mapping it out'.   I always like her scrapping so it wasn't hard to choose to do it.  Sadly I didn't have anything on the materials list, so I had to improvise.  This proved to be a lot of fun, so I started by choosing a photo and went from there.  

I can't remember the last time I used bright coloured Bazzill as a background, or primary colours on a layout.  I had a great time distressing, dragged out some embellishments that were lying around - Little Yellow Bicycle chipboard and K& Co journalling spots from forever ago, and more recently fabric tabs from Ormolu.

I started with my Cameo - cutting out the title and the chevrons, then got busy with gesso.  I had to iron the paper as I went a bit overboard and it got very wet, but no harm done in the end.  I enjoyed the distressing with scissors as I've mislaid my distressing tool.  I used some stamps, inked the Tando Creative stars and used some punched tiny stars to cover up the fact that I'm rubbish at splattering paint LOL.  Happy with this though, and the hidden journalling which talks about the day this was taken, I'm really trying to take journalling more seriously as without it, photos become a lot more meaningless to other people.

Happy Scrapping!

It's time to announce a new arrival in our household - and no I haven't been expecting, at least not in the conventional sense.  I have been waiting impatiently however, for my new baby - a Silhouette Cameo - to arrive.  And yesterday it did!!

After my difficulties getting the Robo to work, the Cameo is an absolute dream.  Easy to set up, test cut and create gorgeousness with.  After cutting a couple of simple things I was tempted into the Silhouette store to spend some of my freebie card - oh the loveliness!  I bought a few files and had a play last night - dreamed about it all night, then tried again this morning.  I am in scrap heaven. :)

I have to say, I'm hoping that this will kick start my mojo which has been sadly lacking recently, especially with our crop at Eastbourne coming up fast.  I have become a bit phobic about whole sheets of paper, and have been sticking with my scrap bag all the way lately.  I know I need to get over this, and am hoping that I can make this happen using the Cameo.

I also hope it will help me to be creative with some of my older stash which I don't know how to use.  So watch this space,  I can feel some nice things coming on - thanks to my new baby!

Sorting Stash

I'm having a blitz - I really want to make the most of the lovely things I have invested in, but working out the best way to use them (and find them) is a big challenge to me!

I don't have a scrap room, but DH kindly puts up with me having one end of the bedroom with a big table and a set of IKEA shelves.  The aim is to condense all my stash onto these shelves so that it is in one place.

One bonus is that we have recently had some shelves built downstairs where I can keep my albums - which gives me more space, plus I get to enjoy my scrapping more easily.   I love it so much!

I have all my clear stamps in a file; my totes have basics on one and tools in the other; I have two cropper hopper 'magazine' racks which have paper in - one has Bazzill the other is a bit random and I can't quite work out how to use it. Patterned paper is in a large IKEA box which fits into one of the cubes by range in 12x12 bags with odd sheets in a carry file - perfect for sorting out a Counterfeit Kit.

My next task is to sort through my rather large scraps collection.  I do love them and I do use them, but sometimes they seem to take over.  I have allocated a carry file which I will put them in by colour and see if that works better than the RU box I had them in before.

Embellishments are sorted in three ways:

1. My trusty Craft Mates tote has 7 divided boxes with buttons, brads and small embellishments divided up by colour.
2. On my desk is a static Really Useful set of mini boxes that has more colour coordinated bits and bobs that don't fit into the tote.  I find that sorting by colour suits me better than theme or manufacturer.
3. Finally, I have a larger Really Useful box with bulky embellishments (such as washi tapes) or fairly full and new packets which stay together until most are gone, then they get reallocated into the two places above.

Chipboard has been divided up into patterned - in three pockets by colour, and plain - in a box ready to paint.  Journalling cards are in a box, ideally I will sort these in some better way - ideas welcome!!
Paints are in the 'Paris' box as seen above, together with distress stains, gesso and 3d pearl pens - I don't have a big collection.  Embossing powders are in a box, embroidery silks in another and inkpads in an open IKEA container.  I'm wondering whether to get a box for my mini inkpads so I can access them more easily.

I still have lots of bits and bobs that are not really categorised at all and need to be - but its a work in progress which may take a long time.  No-one could call my shelves coordinated or matching, but I have developed a system that is working so far. At least I'm going in the right direction - I think!?

Fall Fearless & Fly - 2

A new challenge this fortnight from Fall Fearless & Fly - to be found on the Artists in Blogland site and the prompts went like this:

Headline Prompt:  Taking a Chance:  When did you take a chance or a leap of faith?  How did it turn out?  What did you learn?
Color Prompt:  What color do you like least? Use it!

Quote Prompt:  "Don't refuse to go on an occasional wild goose chase -- that's what wild geese are for." 

Anonymous

I decided to be brave and face the colour challenge - Purple is really not my colour - in any sense except perhaps nature.  I look terrible in it and it's a colour I actively avoid in my crafting 99% of the time.  So I bit the bullet.

Even mixing the colours wasn't easy, I couldn't get the colours right in mist or paint form, but as I loathe burgundy as much as lavender I went with what I had!

I misted, then applied gesso around the edge of the right hand page, and all over the left hand one.  While it was still wet, I added feather strokes of a variety of different purple shades on the diagonal and left it to dry.  As I was putting my paints away I came across a pot of metallic powder - now gold is probably my second least liked colour in crafting so i got it out and added a few brush strokes on both pages.  Amazingly I actually quite liked the look I had achieved!

My Headline prompt took place in this creating process.  I haven't hand drawn on anything for ages.  I wanted to follow the idea of a wild goose chase, but take it further in a positive way - towards flying, and also those things you find/see/hear/discover by serendipity when you are on the way to something else.  I found that I enjoyed using the Sharpie to create the bird silhouettes and the feathered wing.  This is definitely something I will try again and soon.

The last thing I want to say is a big shout for Gin X from Imagination Project - now sadly defunct.  They made the best rubons I have ever used - smooth, high quality and easy to use - love them, miss them, wish rubons today were as good.

So thankyou for the prompt - I definitely grew in my artistic journey by facing this challenge.

Playing with Pastels - CSI #41

For those of you who know me well, you will know that I don't do pastel!  So it was somewhat surprising that when this week's CSI challenge #41 came up, I already had a pale and interesting layout on the go, on which I based my layout this week.

Materials Used: White Bazzill Basics, Patterned Paper - Studio Calico, Basic Grey,Crate Paper; Alphabets - MME and Pink Paislee; Punches - Martha Stewart; Embellishments - Flags - BG Paper Cottage, Flower - Prima, Metal Flowers - from stash, Brads - BG and Making Memories, Veneer Camera - Studio Calico, Lace, Ribbon, Button, Doily and Vellum from Stash.

When I say on the go, I had the hearts which were left over from another project, and had been playing with vellum in an effort to counterfeit the rather lovely vellum feathers currently on the market from Jenni Bowlin.

No messy this week, but its amazing what you find on your desk when you have a colour scheme in mind.  The flags, pp strip, button and flower just sprang to mind as I was musing on how to accomplish this challenge.

The alphabet is one of my favourite ever and seems to have lasted really well in terms of available vowels - Lush from MME - wish I'd bought two!  Layers were the order of the day, so I grabbed some vellum as a base, then ruffled up some strips and put them through a scalloped circle punch to make some texture.  Ronda Palazzari's 'Art of Layers' has a great section on tucking in embellishments that inspired me here.  I added a piece of doily, a banner of patterned paper, a couple of flags from BG Paper Cottage, as well as a beribboned journalling pocket containing six things that make my friends special.  A few little extra embellishments and I was done.

One of my personal challenges is to use up some old stash on every layout and coming to the fore today were the metal flowers which I have had forever and finally decided were perfect for this layout (even if we were challenged to use gold!).

So in summary:

Colour scheme # 41, and an attempt to capture some of the dreaminess of the scene, Evidence in the form of  ruffles, flags, layers and texture, and  Testimony in a ribboned pocket containing six things.  I'm still not convinced about pastels for real life, but for scrapping, I might try it again sometime.  Tfl :)

Messy Play - some layouts

It was our North Cheam crop on Saturday and it was soooo good to get back and see everyone, catch up and do some proper scrapping.  I was far too busy talking and admiring everyone's new stash to achieve an awful lot but I did enjoy what I made.

I printed out my instagram photos from our recent trip to Berlin - no time to sort through the camera ones!  They are going into a minibook at some hopeful point in the future, but I wanted a couple of layouts for my yearbook.

The first one shows some of my favourite bits of the longest remaining strip of the Wall, upon which East German artists were commissioned to paint after the reunification in 1990.  It has recently been restored (although there is still loads of graffiti on it).  I loved the 1.3km walk along it, seeing different interpretations of what had happened, and trying to imagine what life was like when it was up for real.

I particularly liked the Trabant crashing through the wall!  For this double layout I used Concrete Bazzill and different strips of Lily Bee Persnickety papers, including the handcut clouds.  The red alphabet, the flair badge (which says Fly Free - the photo caught the light!) and the chipboard are all from Basic Grey's Paper Cottage range.

For the next one I wanted to play and got out my mist - brand new and still didn't work.  Thank goodness for Ranger mini misters which I used to decant some of the other (shall remain nameless but I'm not happy) into.

A couple of masks, plus a new technique to me, using alphabet stickers as masks for my title.  These were Making Memories epoxy letters and just wiped clean and ready to re-use - my kind of thrifty.

I then stamped on the layout using stamps from Kars, Purple Onion and Studio Calico, before matting my photos in the German flag colours.  I also stamped the extra journaling onto the layout.  Thank you to Lorna from My Little Blogette and a crop friend for letting me beg the little people from her.  A few gems and some 'confetti' made with a cropadile and I was nearly done.  The flags are from BG Paper Cottage (yes I splurged on the whole set!) and the delicious little camera stickers are from Claire 'Another Year Another Blog' Fader who discovered this source of fabulousness and was kind enough to share it here and share her stickers with me for the perfect finish.  Thanks ladies.

Making the most of the weather

We had a free morning so we headed down to Brighton with DS1 for a lovely walk along the sea and a bacon buttie - part of our new resolution to make the most of our time.

The weather was so lovely it seemed a shame not to be outdoors in it, and where better than by the sea?

Fall Fearless & Fly - Prompt 1

It starts like this...

Headline Prompt:  Inventing the Future:  Where do you want to be 5, 10, 15 years from now.  What's holding you back?  What's propelling you forward?  What do you need to do or stop doing to create your future?
Color Prompt:  Warm colors (reds, oranges, pinks, yellows)
Quote Prompt:  "The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time."  Abraham Lincoln


I was just ready to have a play after a huge crafting break which has been immensely frustrating.  However, out of it has come a big sort out (still unfinished, but making steps in the right direction) and now I can play, with my stuff more organised and within reach.

This was my response to the prompts:

This weekend was the Jubilee (50th Anniversary) of our church.  Many people came back to celebrate the event, and the local community came in their droves to the Community Fair, but on the Sunday evening, the Archbishop's Missioner, Graham Cray - a very good speaker - challenged us to look to the future, and not rest on the laurels of the past.  I was thinking about this when I started to muse on this challenge and an old hymn came into my head - beginning.  "I know who holds the future...'.

I'm very aware that not everyone has a faith, but mine is precious to me and I titled my piece 'Future Perfect' - using the words of the hymn around the side.  I used gesso, acrylic paints, a Sharpie, stencils and inks to make my background in the requisite colours, although I wasoverwhelmed at the brightness of them, especially the yellow and had to take steps to tone it down A LOT!  The arrow is a painted journaling block from the Basic Grey Oliver range.

I do like the quote from Abraham Lincoln though, and may be tempted to have another go, using that quotation.

Thanks for looking.

CSI - Case File 40.

Colour. Stories. Inspiration.

My DD is a great fan of CSI so when I saw this mentioned on a blog I was intrigued to find out what it was all about.

A weekly challenge, with just over a week to complete it - a colour prompt, embellishment prompts (evidence!) and a testimony prompt which guides journalling.  It offers loads of different options and some very delicious printables which complement the Case File #40.

My attention was taken by the 9 happy things prompt - which formed my title.  A printable list is hidden behind the photo and looks like this:

I am a big user of white Bazzill and I have a new pack so it was an obvious background. Using my Ranger mini misters I created a spray concoction with Adirondack Dabber paint and some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist and sprayed!  I decided to use scraps which were currently on my desk and came up with a couple of fuschia flowers, some punched butterflies in the chartreuse colour and a couple of buttons.

One of my nine happy things is my Benefit Lipstick, so I coloured a chipboard circle with the lipstick then sealed it with Glossy Accents.  I decided to put my photos into a collage, but also decided that a mix of black and white and coloured elements would work best.

'Evidence' Prompts included Circular elements (tick!), transparent elements (the letters in my title, that I have had since at least 2008 when I used them on a layout!), and a big flower - well quite big. I also used some ribbon in the green shade on the colour chart.

The yellow was the hardest as I'm not a big fan or user, so I settled on a couple of accents, just to close the case file!

So my first case - it's not exactly my usual style but I had fun creating it. TFL :)