Anything Goes With The Southern Girls!

It's time for a new challenge at, Southern Girl's and the 

theme this time is

"Anything goes"

As usual there are some great sponsors this month, check 

out the challenge blog for full details.

If anyone fancies sharing some tips on photographing a 

layout, I'd be very pleased, 

it's something I always struggle with!

I'm using this layout for the following challenges:-

CGC87, Anything goes,

IDCB101, Anything goes,

TT309, CAS.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Anything Goes!

It's time again for a new theme at Southern Girls and this time the challenge is simply

Anything goes!

I fancied a change this time and decided on making a layout so although I didn't use an image, we still have some great sponsors this time so don't forget to check out the challenge blog for full details.

This isn't quite what I had planned but whilst checking through my supplies for suitable papers I found some corrugated card that I had saved from ages ago, I have seen some great work on Pinterest using it and had great fun distressing it, peeling back the paper layer to reveal the wavy lines beneath. I added some texture paste and distress inks to my card base too, quite liberating for a CAS girlie, I even sprinkled on some Brushos for good measure.

I'm using this layout for the following challenges:-

Sisterhood of Crafters, No DP,
Use Your Stuff 222, texture or modelling paste,
Unstampabelles57, Creative Upcycling,
We love to Create, Mixed Media.

Thanks for stopping by,
Julie.x

Come Hop With Me!

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!!!!

 We are totally excited that you’ve joined us this weekend for this extra special blog hop. 
SpiegelMom Scraps and the Southern Girls Challenge Blog owners and Design Teams have united and are hoping to inspire YOU!

We would love it if you joined us today!

You should have arrived here from the 
lovely Dawn's blog 
where I am sure you have seen something
 amazingly gorgeous !

If you found me by accident and would like to join us in our hop you need to start from here, 
with the owner of Spiegel Mom Scraps,
 the very talented Jody.

I haven't made a layout for several years and have just realised how much I've missed it!

I really enjoyed playing around, adding texture, stamping with my lovely Lavinia stamps and sprinkling my brushos.

I did some clever cutting with my ScanNcut too

I hope you've enjoyed taking a look at my layout, 
the next stop on the hop is the talented Karen.
 I can't wait to see what beauty 
she has in store for us to see!
I'm using this layout for the following challenges:-
2CCC26, no cards,
Scrap it May, Stitching or sewing,
Sketchabilities 138, Sketch,

Thanks for stopping by,
Julie.x

Challenging You To A Little Sketch!

As National Scrapbooking Day is almost here, 

Spielgel Mom Scraps and Southern Girls

 are challenging you today.

The first of the challenges is a sketch.

We would love it if you joined in with the fun!

And here's my layout.

I'm using this layout for the following challenges:-
Alphabet Challenge, F is For friendship,
2CC 26, No cards.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Embrace Your Lumps And Bumps

That was a close one, I've been so busy that I forgot that today's the day for a new theme at Southern Girls.

For this fortnight's challenge Lou wants us all to 

"Embrace Our Lumps And Bumps!"

Mine aren't all on show here lol!

I couldn't possibly share them all!

Anyway, I made this tag book as a birthday gift for a friend, it's decorated simply with washi tape and tiny hearts.

The lovely die cut on the front is by Marianne Createable, one of the sponsors this time. Please check out the challenge blog for full details of all of the sponsors this time!

I made the envelopes for my tag book using my wonderful new gadget, an "Envelope Punch Board" by Stamping-Up.

My oh my, if you think it's only for making envelopes, think again. I can't wait to get time to play properly with it and share some of the other things you can make using it.

I'm using this book for the following challenges:-

TTCRD, Anything goes,

Use It Tuesday, Brown lace,

CDD20, Tags,

MIM168, Anything goes,

SCH74, Tags or boxes.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Totally Distressed

I don't know what's going on, maybe it's the fact that I tidied and hoovered my "Crafty Cabin" but something's just not right. I've attempted five cards over the last couple of days, four of which ended up in the bin. I made a tag for a present and never checked that I'd taken a decent photo so you see, it's all gone to pot!
I'm getting blog withdrawal's so thought I'd show you a layout I made at my last Scrapbook class at Scrapbook Sisters instead of a card. I got a bit carried away with the distressing,even using the mask over my photos to distress some more. My son isn't impressed with the layout either, well, I'm not taking it personally, it's the photos he doesn't like! (I think he looks mighty fine!) The papers are This&That by Echo Park

I'd like to be able to say the usual "I'm entering this in the following challenges" but unless you know of any, I can't find any suitable.

Thanks for stopping by, have a good week,

Julie.x

Man Oman!

 I don't always share the layouts that I make at Scrapbook Sister's fortnightly classes but I was really pleased with this one. I freestyle a whole lot more these days,just using the odd bits from the inspirational layouts that the girls make to inspire us. Here I used the circles that they'd used but took my inspiration from the shapes in the photos

I love the chipboard alphabets,I just sanded down the letters and rubbed them over with inks. I used my copics to colour the gems to match.

The flowers were punched  and distressed and the swirls of brown were hand cut,just went with the flow lol! I used a looped scallop type punch on one of the papers but when I placed it onto the background it didn't look quite as I'd hoped so I placed a thin strip of  the chevron type paper through the centre which improved the look (to me anyway).

I'm using this card for the following challenges:-
Creative Craft Challenge,Fancy edges,
Make It Monday 60,Anything goes.
Thanks for stopping by,
Julie.x

 

Ribbon Coming Out Of My Ears!

Ok,come on, tell me your secrets......How do you store your ribbons? I thought I'd got a great solution, bought lots of large jars and hoped they'd look amazing filled with them, I can see the future lol! lots of knotted ribbons!  Anyone got any great ideas??? and what can I do with all these jars? Any advice gratefully received.
So by now you've probably guessed, I've still not got any crafting done so will share another layout that I did a while back. I took this photo trying to get the amazing waterfall in as there are lots of statues of divers within it, somehow I only captured the one so had to get a bit clever with cropping my photo,not sure it's worked but hey ho! 

I'm using this layout for the following challenges:-

Just Some Lines,ABC,

FWSAM 91,Punches,anything goes,

Jelly Park Friends,punches,

TPC82,Not a card.

Look forward to hearing your storage solutions,

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

 P.S. Be sure to check out Ladybug Crafts Ink half price stamp sale,this weekend only!

Julie.x



Where's The Week Gone??????

I had big plans to get heaps of crafting done this week,who was I kidding,I'm still finding stash and trying to organise my "Crafty Cabin" so instead of a new project I'm going to share a layout I did at Scrapbook Sisters fortnightly classes a while back. I'm not a natural scrapper and find the classes so inspiring,I don't tend to follow the class layouts to the letter but home in on ideas and fit them to my own. See what you think:)

I'm using this layout for the following challenges:-

MIM52,Anything goes,                                                                     

PWC169,Anything but a card.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x



A Quick Post From Me.

Hi,nice to see you here,I'm sorry I've not been around much for a couple of weeks but thanks to anyone who's still been calling by to see my scheduled posts. Anyway,I'm hoping to get back to my card making in the next couple of days but till then,I thought I'd show you a layout that I made at my fortnightly scrapbooking class at Scrapbook Sisters, the gorgeous papers are from the paper pad "Spring Feast" by First Edition Papers.

I'm going to use this layout for the following challenges:-
TTT30,Open Challenge,
Flutterby Wednesday 151,Open,
Make it Monday 33,Anything goes,
Lexis 38,Anything but a card.
By the way,This is a very rare layout,one that includes me in the photo and my first successful attempt at taking an arms length photo,tricky!
Thanks for stopping by,
Julie.x

Paris

Nice to see you this evening. I've been working on some cards that I can't share till after tomorrow so instead of a card I thought I'd show you another layout. I can't remember who the papers are by but somehow it seemed just perfect to use a minimalist approach for this layout. I just did some major distressing using various ink pads.

Not a favourite thing for me to do but I cut out the tiny flowers which I placed under my photo and cut out the scalloped strip from the DP.
I made this layout whilst attending one of my fortnightly Scrapbooking classes at Scrapbook Sisters though this one was freestyle.

I'm going to use this for the following challenges:-
C.R.A.F.T.90 , Not a card,

PCJ4,Anything goes(The challenge is sponsored by Sarah Paris,apt as my photo was taken in Paris I thought!

A Spoon Full Of Sugar 139,Anything but a card.

A big thank you and hello to the new followers that I've gained over the last couple of weeks,I'll call by your blogs very soon and leave you some love.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Now For Something Different.

I thought I'd share a layout from my recent Scrapbooking class at Scrapbook Sisters, inspired by Karen and Julie and their stunning layouts, this is what I came up with.
I was going to share a photo of my lovely pick n mix buttons that I bought on Friday,however,I cleared my memory card this morning forgetting that I hadn't uploaded the photos! Oh well,I'll just have to go back next week and treat myself to some more :)
Hope you've had a good day,Thanks for stopping by,
Julie.x

YUK!

That's all I have to say about today,it's wet,dark and miserable here in Kent today and summer is definitely over.There's a log on the fire and although we thought about going out for a while a heavy downpour soon put pay to that! I've not got a card to share today as the one I've made is for next weeks card challenge at Scrapbook Sisters,there's still time for you to enter this weeks though if you fancy making an "Over the edge" card.


I thought I'd share with you one of the layouts that I made in class recently,to be honest I took one look at the papers and wanted to run,They were not my cup of tea at all,but when you see the stunningly beautiful layouts that Julie made with these papers by Seven Gypsys if you're like me,you'll be amazed.I think this is why I make cards and only dabble at scrapbooking,I can't see past the 12x12, I just can't picture what to do with them unless I'm given the inspiration by Karen and Julie.Maybe I should try a few Scrapbook Challenges to make me think for myself and go freestyle,what do you think? I don't know where to look for scrapbook challenges though,anyone got any suggestions?
Anyway,that's me for today,not sure if I'm going to get much done in the way of crafting this week as we've got a man coming in to decorate but be sure to call by on Wednesday for the next card challenge!
Thanks for stopping by,
Julie.x

No cards

Hope you've had a good day,mine has been busy tying up all the loose ends before I start back to work tomorrow and the children return to school. I have made 3 thank you cards today and have given them tonight so It's too late for me to take decent photos of them. Note to self,always check that photos are good enough to post before the cards are given.


So as I haven't a card to show you I thought I'd show you my interpretation of last weeks scrapbooking class.The papers are "Life is good" by Echo Park.
Just a quick post from me tonight,please call by tomorrow as I've a card I'm desperate to show you. Thanks for calling by,
Julie.x

Another layout

Yes,as I predicted,no time to craft so I'm showing you a class layout.


I'm afraid I have no idea who the papers are by but they were great for a male layout.
I distressed the edges of the twill printed ribbon,and photo using a brown chalk eye.
Hopefully I'll soon get some time to craft.
Thanks for stopping by,
Julie.x

Blast From The Past.

Here is a class layout that I completed some time ago. I so loved the scalloped circle bazzil, the arrows were sizzix die cuts which were embossed to make them glossy.




I added a pull out tag to journal on between the layers of bazzil addind ribbon to pull it out with.



The edges were inked and mock stitched.
Thanks for stopping by,have a lovely day,
Julie.x

Sunday Quickie

This is a layout I made in my Scrapbooking class a couple of weeks ago. The class layouts were stunning but I hadn't any suitable photos with me so instead chose to use this photo with the papers and make the class ones at a later date.











My husband printed out this A4 photo testing out his new printer and these papers cried out to me to use them with it.I just added a strip of the paper,added the flourishes, stamped and cut out the flowers and arranged them down the edge of my photo.










The gems were coloured to compliment the papers using Copics.

That was quick,leaving me plenty of time to play with my Copics and chat with my lovely scrapbooking friends.

Thanks for stopping by,

Julie.x

Wednesday's Scrapbooking!.

Here I am,keeping my promise of sharing my class layout from my fortnightly class at Scrapbook Sisters one of them anyway as the other is only half ready.


I followed one of Julie's layouts for this though I changed mine a bit as the lovely concertina flowers that she'd used on hers looked a little too heavy when I placed them against the photo of my youngest lovely taken around ten+ years ago. Ahh bless,she's still cute now.I used an assortment of flower punches in place of them instead.I slightly regretted doodling around the edge of my layout but was able to soften the effect by going over the drawn line with my stickles. Baby Face was punched out using "Sunset Alphabet" by sizzix and the papers are by K&Co luckily I managed to get away with using the remnants of last weeks papers for this as we are working from a pad of papers over 3 weeks of classes so there will be plenty of these scrummie delights over for me to use up on card making after my next class.
I will try and share the other page when I get around to finishing it which may be some time knowing me and scrapbooking!
If you've got some time,go and visit the Scrapbook Sister's blog, Gayle Bond has been busy making beautiful boxes,she is so clever!
Thanks for stopping by,
happy crafting,
Julie.x

Scrapbooking

Haven't any time to make cards this week so instead I'm going to share a couple of my recent layouts from my fortnightly scrapbooking classes. I'm not sure who the papers are by but they are so lovely. I have used 4 of the papers here it doesn't show on these photos but they all have some glittering on them.

They are just gorgeous papers don't you think?

I love the dimension you can get by off setting two shades of flowers nearly on top of one another. I also "popped" the centres of the flowers by punching a circle of paper then with the colour side down I held it in the curled palm of my hand and moved the rounded lid of a pen round and round the centre which gradually shapes the centre. I then mounted it using a tiny foam square.

The frame was made using one of the lovely templates that are available at Scrapbook Sisters .

If you haven't checked out their blog for a while,their "shoe challenge"closing date has been extended to the 30th of April. I for one am pleased about this as I haven't had chance to finish mine. Why not take a look and have a go!

Thanks for stopping by,

happy crafting,

Julie x

Scrapbooking Class

As you might know,once a fortnight I attend a scrapbooking class at Scrapbook Sisters,last weeks layout was made using Magenta's Gypsy collection papers,the Layouts prepared as examples were stunning! odd papers,certainly not my cup of tea but recovered by the expert use of them,Julie had excelled herself.I however struggled a bit with this one,wasn't paying proper attention and cut my papers a bit wrong.

Here is my layout,not as good as the examples but passable me thinks!

I did however find the papers much easier to use in my card making. See you with some cards soon hopefully.

Thanks for stopping by,

catch up soon,Julie