Cyber Crop

At the beginning of the month was a UK Scrappers cybercrop.  I only did a couple of classes.  This one was all about tearing papers and I used some old favourite photos that went with the theme.

The other class I did was a digital layout.

Same template different layout

Having enjoyed creating the previous layout this morning I decided to see how I could adapt the template to give me a different layout.  Template is from Jessica Sprague but the papers and elements are from LivEdesigns, Sing for Spring kit also available from JessicaSprague.com

Digi Layout

I am loving Jessica Sprague's photoshop Friday series.  Really quick pages but learning something new every time.

Digital Designer

One of the reasons I didn't post much over the summer was because I took part in Jessica Sprague's Art of Design course.  It was aimed at college (US) level so was fairly intense, especially as I hadn't done any real design before and only a small amount of digi scrapbooking.  It was a fantastic course and I learnt so much.  At the end there was an exam and we had to submit some work to Carina Gardner for her to critique - scary stuff but I was over the moon with what she sent back.  So here is the proof:-

I still haven't finished the full kit as I still need to work on a few extra elements but I have created a layout with some of the papers/elements I have designed so far.

I really want to finish off my first kit and get to work on the next....hopefully soon!

Monthly Crop

Today was our monthly local crop.  It was a really nice day, good company and a reasonable amount of scrapping done too.

I think everything I used for all 3 layouts came from the gorgeous Scrapagogo September kit (except the brown thread).  This has to be one of my all time favourite kits and I still have loads left.

Gogo Take Shape

I know it has been a very long time since my last entry but a couple of weeks ago was the Gogo Take Shape event in Jersey.  Here are the 5 layouts I did that weekend. It was a fantastic day of classes, all different.  I think the one thing I learnt most was how useful and versatile the hybrid alphas are.

Universal

The next layout I did on Saturday used some of the bits in the April scrapagogo kit with some old tags and journalling bits added.  I decided not to add a title as the photo says it for me!  Layering up the circles at the top was something I did in a class at a gogo getaway and the paper, button and flowers seemed to be made for it  (Just noticed I forgot to add a brad to the top of the tag on the right - oops!)

Geography Trip

Again this layout used some of the gorgeous MME  papers I bought at the last getaway. I have added all the names to the journalling block but didn't want to show them on here!  Not sure about the ribbon, I was running out of time and felt it needed something but that might get changed!

On the Beach

Last Saturday was our local monthly crop and I did 3 layouts.  The first one was using a MME paper I couldn't resist buying at the gogo getaway.  The photo is one of my favourites from our holiday in Florida last October.

Final Gogo Getaway Layouts

I can't show you the 7th class I did which was taught by Eileen as it isn't finished yet!  But here are a couple of other layouts  I did during the weekend.

The first was a class by Lisa that I didn't take but I was lucky enough to get one of the spare kits.  I adapted it as I didn't want to decide which of my daughters to put on the layout so instead used 2 photos.

Finally here is a layout I did using my March kit in the small amount of spare time I had.

Yet more getaway!

Back to Lorraine for the 5th class.  The back of this is cardboard which means it is a much sturdier layout than normal. Lots of cutting, punching and tearing to produce this one. Learnt that drawing round a cats eye ink pad makes a good leaf shape!

Class 6 was taught by Helen Miles.  I signed up for this one as I got a lovely set of flocks for Christmas and wanted some ideas to used them.  Lots of messy paints, flock and glitter went onto this layout.  The title was hand drawn before painting, flocking and glittering...not my favourite bit and I think I need more practice!  Did like the effects on the circles though so will have to give that a try when I have plenty of time to clear up afterwards!

For anyone not familiar with One fish, two fish it is a book by Dr Seuss and my daughter is wearing her favourite one fish, two fish T-shirt!

Getaway Class 4

Continuing on class 4 was another one by Eileen and I think my favourite of the weekend.  Lots and lots of sewing, nice and relaxing.  I also learnt the bunny ears method of making ribbon bows! It doesn't show up well on the photo but there is a mesh skirt over the mannequin and some of the butterflies are cut so they stand up.  Love the finished layout and very different from 'girls in heels' even though I used the same photo!!

More Getaway

Seems to be working again now so here are some more layouts from the weekend.

The second class I did was by Lorraine Ablett.  That heart is made with layers of paper and strips of craft card is pleated around the edge and bits of tape measure threaded through.

On to class number 3.  Up until now the photos I had chosen all worked well but for the next class my beach scene wasn't going to work!  The class was aimed more at a male themed photo but I decided to adapt and really liked the result.

The class was by Sam Ball and involved paints and embossing powders on the cogs and frame.

Gogo Getaway

At the weekend I went to the fabulous gogo getaway.  We had 7 fab classes and I finished 6 of them plus did a couple of other layouts so a very productive weekend.

My first class was by Eileen Webdale.  Lots of cutting, embossing and some paint too to produce 2 6x12 layouts.

Birthday Card

Here is a card I did for my husbands birthday using my new Tim Holtz stamp and distress inks.

Central Park using sketch by Tamara

This was the other layout I did at Saturdays crop.  I used a sketch I came across on facebook  Sketches! {by Tamara}  I used to be regular visitor to her blog and was even a guest designer once but I seem to have got out of the habit - not sure why and I will have to make sure I visit regularly again.

Mothers Day

I have to share this fantastic Mothers Day 'Card' my 15 year old daughter made for me.  Completely on her own with most of the usual tools missing (I was at a crop) she sat and made this.  No idea where the idea came from. As it isn't clear from the picture it is stuck to a wall and the 2 strips of photos are just connected by the ribbons with the letters on.

Shimelles Class - prompt 2

Prompt 2 from Shimelles class arrived on Friday morning.  This one was about using up patterned papers.  As I was going to a crop on Saturday I decided to use the prompt as inspiration.  So here are 2 layouts inspired by the class.

Another LO using metal

I was on a roll yesterday so did a second layout trying to incorporate metal as per Shimelle's prompt.  Photos were taken from the balcony of the place we stayed in Florida last October.

New Class

A couple of days ago I came across a new class from Shimelle that starts today.  The title is Something from {almost} nothing and is based around using some of the stash mountain we have all acquired.  Now I have to admit that the last Shimelle class didn't go so well for me...nothing wrong with the course just in the run up to Christmas and starting a new job meant I didn't get past the first few prompts.  But this one will be different!!  So here is my first layout.

The idea is to use up metal!  There was a fab example layout by Piradee which started me off although the finished LO looks nothing like it!!  I was inspired to get out the old metal rimmed tags and with a bit of playing discovered layering them and adding some MM journalling stickers worked.  The words on the Tim Holtz metal  tags don't show on the photo so they are giggle, memories, silly, treasure, friendship, always.  The gorgeous cardstock is from creative imaginations and came in a scrapagogo kit.  Thanks Shimelle for making me use it - it is one of those that was too nice to use!!!

Final Crop Layouts

Here are the other 3 layouts I did at the new year crop - it was a productive day.

The first was using the December gogo kit and photos taken during one of the days the kids had off school due to the snow.

The next layout uses photos taken at this years New Years Day swim that Graeme and Katherine did.  

They also did the Christmas Day swim along with Becky but I was cooking dinner so wasn't there with the camera!

And the final layout is a simple one using a picture of Graeme taken in New York last year.

Zoo photos

We went to the zoo on Boxing day and obviously the camera went too.  When the girls went to stand next to the statue of Jambo it just reminded us of when they were little and we had to help them up to sit on top...not quite the case now as they are far bigger than him!

Again more gogo kits were used along with the fabulous Xcut butterfly punch.

At our New Years crop we had some challenges and one was to use a kit and sketch provided - thanks Sue and Joanne for the goodies and inspiration.  Again I used photos from the same trip to the zoo.  The meerkats were being particulary co-operative that day!

Another Yosemite

I am still going through photos from Yosemite - I took so many when we went in 2008 and I really must check and make sure that I am not duplicating them, but I found this photo lying around and thought I would use it!

I used the technique of cutting out the butterflies I learnt in a fab class at the last gogo getaway.  Again everything was from gogo kits!

Last Crop

As it is a lovely bright day for a change and I had my camera out to take photos of the card I have also taken photos of the layouts from the last couple of crops which I will publish over the next few days.

I am really pleased with this layout - I think it is my favourite for a long time - other than ones done in classes!!

I really wanted to use some of my punches so went a bit mad with the Martha Stewart around the page punch !

Papers and embellishments are from scrapagogo kits - not sure if they were all from the same box or not as I was mixing and matching a few kits at the crop and lost track!

Papertake Weekly Card

For a while I have been seeing lots of easel cards and I fancied having a go.  It was very easy to make and I enjoyed working on a smaller size than normal too - although I could still have made it bigger it didn't seem so necessary for some reason!

I used the sketch on this weeks Papertake Weekly challenge blog.  I did rotate it as it worked better with the rectangular image.

Papers are Basic Grey Porcellain and the magnolia image is coloured with my copics.  I probably could have taken a better photo to show how the easel card works - sorry!

What no colouring?

Here is another card I made - not for a challenge and no stamping and colouring either - just for a change.  Again I used MME asparagus including the decopage flower.

Sketch Saturday

Another card this time for this weeks challenge on Sketch Saturday.

I used BG Marrakech papers, my favourite Sugar Nellie Stamp - Fragile Beauty.  The Happy Birthday is using my new MS punch.

Just Magnolia Challenge

Here is my entry for the Just Magnolia Sketch Challenge.

I have used MME Asparagus papers including the decopage flowers.

Pretty Pink Papertake

Here is a second card I made yesterday, this time for the Papertake Weekly Challenge.  It made a change not to do a sketch challenge and this one was just to use mostly pink.  As most of the cards I make go to teenage girls that wasn't a problem!

Happy New Year

Ok I know I am a little late but crafting and blogging just haven't happened recently. So much for doing Shimelles blogging course!!

But that is all about to change and here is a card I made this morning.

This is for the The Sugar Bowl Challenge.