My final Twisted Sketch

' Leap' was the twist to this week's Twisted Sketch, the last one for this team.  I have so enjoyed my time on the team with such a band of talented ladies who never cease to inspire me.

This is what I came up with:

I loved the sketch straight away and thought of the photos and the button circles very quickly.  The photos are my boys in Galicia two years ago, jumping off the dock at Porto de Bares.  This became an evening tradition when the tide came in enough to jump safely into the water and they repeated it time and time again, with ever more outlandish jumps and bigger and bigger splashes!  Fortunately the only other people about were doing the same thing!

I used some of the BG Nordic range for my pp - not very summery but the pattern reminded me of water.  The buttons came from my advent swap - thanks Emma, for providing the perfect colour combination of buttons in one bag!  The summer embellishments are ages old so I was pleased to add them in the quest to use up old stash.  I split the prima swirl into two, to represent splashes and added a die cut bird and some journalling.  The letters are MM, outlined in journalling pen for added effect.

Thanks for looking, and sharing my journey with Twisted Sketches.  I've had a great time.

What I did with my counterfeit paper and other stories

Saturday was crop day - it's a shame it's only once a month, I enjoy it so much.  This was our 6th anniversary, and we were treated to gorgeous scented teacup candles by Gaye, who had let her creativity run wild in a new direction - thanks Gaye, they are gorgeous.

First up was my counterfeit paper - what to do with it.  I finally found the photo I wanted to use, then went a bit mad with my buttons - all sewn on as well :)  I'm still dithering about whether to add a title or not, so this is it in its current state.

As my photos had not arrived by the printers, I was using up old page kits from Eastbourne, and the next one was my DD's birthday.  I'd put the page kit together to go with her butterfly dress, but had tried a couple of times to work out how to use it with no success.  Then as good fortune would have it, I got a junk mail chipboard butterfly in the post from Keycamp - problem solved!  Our ribbon swap at the crop landed me some delicious butterfly ribbon as well that just about made it - thanks Petra :)

My final finished layout features my new washi tape.  I had so much fun and am completely hooked now :)
I also experimented, somewhat unsuccessfully with a wine bottle plastic mesh and an inkpad - think you'd call the background interesting rather than expert! lol.  Also managed to use up the last of my Crate Paper Glitter Cuts - think I used every single one over a long period!

I thought I could spell!!

Away from the craft world today and I've been working (I edit stuff) and came a cropper with supersede.  When I looked it up I found these.  The second two columns are fine, but the left hand one made me realise I would fall into those traps as well.  I learned something new today :)

New goodies... and a blast from the past

Ever keen to expand my stash and desperately trying to be on trend, I splashed out on a little purchase of washi tape from an Etsy shop last week.  I have been generously donated washi tape before (mainly by my lovely friends Claire and Sandra) but haven't had the chance to own any.  Plus my endlessly low boredom threshold doesn't allow me to buy a whole reel which I know I'll never use up!  So when I found the chance to buy some shorter lengths, and my choices, I jumped at it.

Beautifully wrapped, and in super quick time, they arrived on my doormat....

... along with a free gift in a little brown paper cute bag.  And indeed, there is nothing that doesn't come back into fashion at some point.  Soon after I started scrapbooking in 2005, there were some must-have (at least in my circles :) ) i-kandee twist ties, with little messages on them. I bought them, and never used them!!  Couldn't think what to do with them!  Well, they are back - at least in my house.  Red and white striped twist ties - how yummy and retro - and this time I'm jolly well going to think of something to use them for!

But back to the main purchase - yes! they arrived on little wooden spools - 15 different kinds, all chosen by my fair mouse click and simply delicious.  I couldn't display them all for fear of rousing jealousy all round, but I will show you what I did with them at the crop on Saturday in my next post.  They were worth every penny, and I'm now considering whether I 'need' more :)

A crafty catch up

I've done a little bit of scrapping lately, but have really got stuck into my other crafting loves.  First up, my seasons tree is currently sporting a crop of hearts for February, and Valentine's Day in particular.

The tree has a mix of hearts made of scrapbook paper, including letters from my latest counterfeit kit, and some metal and wooden hearts.  It is one of this year's resolutions to celebrate the seasons.  January was celebrated with making marmalade with the seasonal Seville Oranges and eating lots of root vegetables, February has brought some Valentine's fun, I made these, and cards for all the family and have a bit of a heart theme going on at home.

I've also been knitting!  I finished the socks - did I blog that or not?  No idea, so here they are again (or not as the case may be!)  I love the self patterning wool and have worn them loads.  I am now into my second pair, which are self striping in parrot colours - you'll be able to see me coming!

Last up is two sorts of crochet - my most ambitious project yet, a cardigan and matching hat for a friend's new baby daughter.  As someone who only does squares, this is a new venture, but the hat is finished, and the cardigan is started - it's quite simple (so far) and very pretty.

The squares are also making progress - I'm sure I've mentioned the great jumper disaster where I started a jumper for DH just after we were married (nearly 20 years ago), left it for a long time, and then realised I didn't have enough wool to finish it!!  So I've now unpicked it and am crocheting squares to make a throw.  I've finished about 5 in the last couple of weeks so feel like momentum is picking up again.

The new scrapping will have to wait for another day as I need to take photos.  Tfl :)

Another Twisted Sketch...

I had quite a productive time at the crop, although once again I came home with unfinished layouts - which is a bad habit of mine, and they rarely get finished!

This one has an 'Old' twist - namely the photo, which is of my grandmother, her siblings and a friend and which I love as she looks so elegant.

I rarely stick to one range of pp when I scrap, but this one, with the exception of the journalling label and a bit of lace and the alphabet is all from Crate Paper's 'Restoration' collection - I only bought 2 sheets! but also some chipboard.  I added the lace instead of the border strips on the sketch to the side of my photo, tipped the photo 90 degrees and moved the title but hopefully you can still see the resemblance to the original sketch.  I feel it has the heritage look I was aiming for.

10 things on the 10th...

I've been cooking this afternoon, so my 10 things are going to be some of  my favourite eats!

So, in no particular order:

1. Parma ham and melon
2. Mango
3. Coffee cake
4. Gravadlax with dill mustard
5. Entrecote with skinny chips
6. Mussels any way you like
7. Raspberries, with raspberry sorbet
8. Thai spiced butternut squash soup
9. Welshcakes - my Mum's are best!
10. Hummus and crudites.

I'm hungry now :)

Try Something New Every Week - January

I've been remiss - I admit it!  Try something new has gone underground over the past month.  The weather, illness and post Christmas budgetary constraints have all cramped my style no end, not to mention a chronic lack of motivation to go out and do!

But all has not been lost, new things have been tried, just on a much lower key level.

First up was a new recipe.  Having made a Christmas cake, there were lots of goodies left over including a load of marzipan, so I made stollen for the first time.  It was very nice :) if less picturesque than I could have wished!

I also tried a new marmalade recipe - 3 fruit - orange, lemon and lime - as my quantities were a bit different to the recipe it was a bit trial and error but it came out fine, clear and delicious :)

Next was Photoshop - I have wanted to learn how to use this for ages.   Now I have a trial copy and am working my way through some great tutorials found on Pinterest while looking for something entirely different - thank you Suzie at The Accent Piece and The Pioneer Woman website for the Actions download.  I'm saving up for my own copy and hope to be proficient in the basics and maybe get into a bit of hybrid scrapping?

Another was a lovely afternoon with my DD, a cold Saturday after we'd all been ill and two days previously through our letter box had popped Casablanca - a film on my 'to see' list for ages.  It was as good as I was hoping, DD loved it and we had a great time together.

I've also tried the new Vanilla Spice Latte at Starbucks, tried out a couple of new stamps and finished the socks I started a few weeks ago :)So happy with these, especially in the cold!  I'm back on the crochet and have learned a few new patterns for my squares but I need more sock wool!!

I'm now getting ready to try Skype - I know I'm behind the times, but I'm slowly working through lots of things I've not got round to, and one day I may really be a Twenty-First Century citizen!  Hopefully February will offer some more exciting possibilities for me!

Counterfeit Paper

The first thing that caught my eye in the Scrapbook Circle 'Note to Self' Kit that we are Counterfeiting this month on CKCB was this paper from October Afternoon.  I don't have any of this range in my stash, although I would like to!  So I thought I'd have a go at making my own version.

This is my version - tailored for the colours of my kit this month.

I only have one plain circle punch, so I didn't have the option of different sized circles, but I'm pleased with the result and will definitely use it.  And it was a great use of scraps.  I may have another go with my scalloped punches next time.

A lot of clearing up and a little scrapping

I spent rather longer than I care to admit sorting out stash and trying to clear my scrapping table this weekend.  I am sick of scrapping in one corner of what is a decent sized table, with bits falling on top of my LO and not being able to find anything, so I resolved to change and clear up after each project so that I can start afresh with a clear table.

I sort of managed, and did at least clear up between projects when I finally allowed myself to scrap something last night.

First up is a UKS weekly challenge inspired LO, detailing why I only have one really pathetically small picture from my trip to Kew Gardens (if it weren't for Jo and her pogo I'd have none at all - thank you :))  I also used up some more old stash (although the challenge was to use new! - hence the bunting at the top!) - the Daisy D's flowers have been in my stash forever, I used quite a lot of them when I started scrapping but they have been sitting there ever since, and I do love them.

My second LO is an uncharacteristic 8.5 x11.  It came out of playing with some embellishments I have in my planner (aka Fancy Pants Brag Book) which has pockets in which I stash bits and pieces with the intention of using them someday soon.  The star is from Heidi Swapp and was ideal to play with my Glimmer Mists. I then added a rubon and left it for posterity!  The coffee filter (also Fancy Pants, but more recent, from a Studio Calico kit) was also misted and left to dry and matches the star.  Added, an embossed felt frame from my advent swap two years ago, a stamp from my 2008 USA trip and a new graph paper stamp, plastic alpha (also Heidi Swapp and from 2006 I think), a tag, a little sentiment and three brads, a swoosh of inkpad round the edges and you have my LO.

I really enjoyed playing with bits and pieces with no clear direction in mind, and I may scrap this size more often as it's quite fun really.  Besides, if I want to, I can always put a patterned 12x12 behind it so it fits my usual albums.

Long overdue...

We went to Center Parcs last June, and I've had these photos printed ever since, and have moved them around countless pages trying to get an arrangement I liked.  I finally found a sketch in CK which gave me a start and although I changed the photo placement, I finally got some ideas about what I wanted to do with them.

I used plain Bazzill as a background - I haven't done that much lately, I've been having a patterned paper phase, but I used none in this LO.  In keeping with using up old stash, the letters are from BG Periphery and I've had them for ages.  The leaves are from a freebie stamp on Craft Stamper, using two shades of Stampin Up! ink onto kraft paper and I'm dead pleased with them.  The borders are Rip Strips from Studio Calico - I think the first set they ever made, so old!  The other embellishments are from Ormolu, as is the journalling block.  The only other things used are a staple from my new and much loved Tiny Attacher, a couple of bits of washi tape and a journalling pen.

Thanks for looking.

My 200th Post and it's a Twisted Sketch

Welcome to the 200th Altered Life post - thank you for dropping in.  I am very touched that people follow my ramblings and say nice things so thank you.  I had intended to do a little something to celebrate this momentous day but typically I haven't got around to it, and now will celebrate the 250th post with a little giveaway thingy!

Back to this week's Twisted Sketch - number 137.  The twist is 'Promise' but I couldn't make it stick with anything I had to scrap so I'm sorry, I failed on that!  But it was a good sketch and I do like a nice long title so here is my offering for this sketch...

The papers are from Glitz Design Vintage Blue, with alpha stickers from Amy Tangerine and Cosmo Cricket, chipboard from Crate Paper Restoration, some journalling and a little bit of bling.  I do love that Amy Tan font. I was pleased to use up most of the rest of my Glitz papers which I have had for a while now and have almost used up, apart from one sheet which is being saved for a special purpose which I haven't got around to yet - typical me really!

Do pop over to the Twisted Sketches site and see what the rest of the sisters have been up to this week.