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Thursday 15 August 2013

August Scrapology Card Challenge - Milestones

Hello everyone and welcome to the August card challenge for Scrapology.  This month, Sandra challenged us to make a card with the theme of "milestones".

Well, a close friend and former colleague mentioned on the phone that her 40th wedding anniversary was coming up - and I thought it would be nice to send her a card.  Great coincidence that it could also serve dual purpose for our challenge!

Red = "ruby" so I searched through my scraps bag and found this piece of patterned paper.  I do really like monochrome cards and find myself making them quite often. 



I have also been turning to my Creative Memories square punch quite often and have used this fundamental design as a basis for many cards.  The hardest thing is to properly align the squares of paper to the card so it doesn't look like a botch job! 

I know this card will still be too busy for my friend, as she told me that she likes very graphic designs with lots of white space.  So I have left it very simple - added a strip of wide coordinating satin ribbon and softened the edge with my Martha Stewart iron fence border punch. 

I stuck most of the flowers down with glue dots but the leafy flourish, the numbers and the flower centres with wet glue. 

I had made the card and took a photo - and realised that I had attached the ribbon with a crease in it!  Normally I don't worry too much about that kind of thing, but this time it really showed up in the photo much more than in real life - so I very carefully got out the iron, and dealt with the crease.  I was a bit concerned before I started that I would damage the card more than fix it, but luckily the iron did its job with no detriment and this time the photo was greatly improved. 

I hope my friend likes her card but more importantly, has a lovely celebration!

Supplies:
Patterned paper -
Bazzill cardstock, white and red
Creative Memories Square punch set
Plastic numbers
Various flowers
White bead flower centres
Die-namics My Favourite Things Leafy Flourish die
Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Four
Wide Red Satin Ribbon
Scrappy Glue
3d Foam
Glue Dots

Why don't you join in with our challenge and create a card with a "milestones" theme?  As usual, there is a fab prize to be won!

Sunday 11 August 2013

Lewis and Henry - 2 years and one month update

Dear Boys -

Saturday 6th July:-
The actual day of your 2nd birthday was a pretty low key affair, being that Daddy was working nights this week - so it was a highlight that we spoke to Grandma and Grandad Brierley in Brisbane on Skype, and then Grandma and Grandpa Jones came and visited us and played with you for over an hour. 

Monday, 8th July:-
A good friend, Gill Parry, came to visit us - now only to meet you for the first time, but to say goodbye.  You have both just woken up from your nap, so were uncharacteristically shy, and took a while to warm up! You eventually felt more at home so we were able to take some nice photos. 

10th July - Today being Wednesday, we went as normal to the Maple Cross Community Centre where the Rickmansworth Children's Centre host the toddler group. July has progressively gotten hotter and hotter as the month has passed, and we are now experiencing a heat wave.  All the activities were based outdoors in the field, and you were both in your element, running around in the sun, and getting drenched in the baby bath filled with blue gel. 

This morning, Henry - I was thrilled when you picked up a rubber duck - and said "duck!" Another word in your increasing repertoire. 

Lewis, you are responding more to direct requests - you are finally grasping that when I point to things, you should direct your attention to them.  This has taken a little while for you to understand. 

Saturday, 13th July - the day of your second birthday party dawned bright and hot, hot hot!  It has since been hotter, but it was 31 this day - we were very grateful that Tara and Ian brought their gazebo for the children to play in during the party. 

I was mostly in the kitchen, or buzzing around cleaning up, but each time I turned around, Henry - you usually had a cocktail sausage in one hand, and a mini quiche in the other! People tell me that Lewis, you were eating quite a lot too.  I do remember seeing you with a dollop of dip on the end of your nose!  I know you both enjoyed your cake, because your faces were smeared with blue icing. 

Friday, 19th July - my colleague and friend, Paul Cave, came for a visit and to wish us well.  He had great fun playing with you both, and I know he was delighted to see how much you had grown!  He saw you at 6 months when I took you for a visit to the office at Southall.

Henry, as each day progresses, you are picking up more and more words.  Saturday, 20th July - you now can say "chicken" even though it comes out more as having a heavy scouse accent. 

Wednesday, 24th July - Today was the day we exchanged contracts on the house - at nearly 4:00pm, after being on the market since 29th September.  Daddy and I were very happy on this day, as it meant we could book the flights to Australia and confirm that things were definitely on the move.  This was also the day Henry, that you put your little bear in the highchair after breakfast and tried to give him some water.  So adorable!

Thursday, 25th July - Henry, when you were in the bath, you stood up and tried to wash Daddy too by rubbing his arm with the washcloth. 

Friday, 26th July - Henry, when you run around with your hammer from your workbench, you point to it and say "am!".  In Operation Aeroplane, I give you puzzles to do whilst in your highchair - Lewis, you call puzzle "diddle".  AAaaawwww! This has now been adopted by Henry. 

Friday, 1st August - we took you to the dentist for the first time.  It all went quite well, considering.  You both sat on me in the dentist's chair, and Dr Adam Deitsch tried to take a look in your mouths.  At least there were no obvious holes, and that was a good thing. 

Sunday, 3rd August - We had a family day out to Beale Park - our first one.  We had only been in the park a matter of three minutes, at the most, when Henry, you decided to take a dip in the coy pond. It was terrifying, as you went in well above your head, but luckily Daddy was able to fish you out before too much time had passed. We went on a lovely train ride around the site which you boys loved, and you had lots of funs on various swings etc at lunch time.  We then went to Grandma and Grandpa's for a visit afterwards. 

 
At the entrance to the Park ...

 
On the seesaw ...
 
 

 
Lewis and the lion ...
 
 

 
My boys
 

You both walk down the stairs now, holding my hand.  It is how you are learning to count - each time we go up and down, there are 14 steps to count.  As the month has progressed, you are both starting to walk up the stairs rather than crawl.  This time next month, we will have left the UK and be in transit to a new adventure in Australia.  All change!

Love always
Mummy xxxx

Tuesday 6 August 2013

52 Card Challenge UK Scrappers Week 15 - Make the Words the Focus

This week, Nat set the challenge as "Making the Words" the focus.  I pondered about this challenge for a while, and then took the brief literally. 


I had this glossy orange paper sitting around and rather than waste it, I backed the card with it and "patched" the background together where I had cut away from a sheet of paper.  I had previously cut an orange frame with Spellbinders, but it didn't look right, so coloured the frame and the flower with a black Promarker.

I have decided that rather than wait for the right time to cut into papers, with the amount of papers I have - just do it! So I am making cards for friends to give them messages before I move to Australia.  This one was for my lovely friend and neighbour, Roberta. 

I then coordinated the card with black and white.  I had the remainder of a Prima "Say it with Gems" black swirl, so used it here.  It adds some sparkle and dimension in real life, though you can't really spot it in the photo.  I used some black card candy in the middle of the flowers, and then covered it with orange Stickles, as I did with the word I wanted to accent, and the main flower. 

I can use the remainder of the lace paper in my Project Life pages, as we have just had the boys' second birthday party/our farewell do.  I think the message on the lace paper is pretty apt!

Supplies:
Orange glossy craft paper
ki memories black glitter lace paper
Orange Stickles
Black and white flowers
Black card candy - Craftwork Cards
Prima black "Say it in Gems"
Black button
Assorted flower

Monday 5 August 2013

52 Card Challenge - Week 29 Nordic Theme

This week, for the Week 29 challenge over at UK Scrappers, Nat set the participants a Nordic inspired challenge. 
 
As I am actively trying to use up anything "snowy" related, this Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses paper jumped out at me as the perfect main ingredient.
 
 
I am also trying to use up odds and sods of this and that - just so I transport a pared down and more cohesive scrapping stash. 
 
I added an oddment of red satin ribbon, and some cotton lace and just a few tiny spots of red Stickles on the middle of the flowers to add a little bit of sparkle.  A Hero Arts greeting matted on green Bazzill completed the card. 

 
Supplies:
Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses Powdered Sugar
Red Satin ribbon
Cotton lace
Hero Arts "Miracle of the Holiday"
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday 4 August 2013

52 Card Challenge UK Scrappers - Week 25 Sticker Sneeze

Nat set an interesting challenge this week - get out some of those old stickers and get using! 

I know for certain that I wouldn't have been as productive without this challenge - it really pushed me to stop thinking about the product and just get on with it!

I had half a sheet of Rusty Pickle "Grinchmas" stickers left.  They really looked awful sitting side by side - the colours clashed and I had kept shoving them aside in favour of other things. 

 
First time I used my Spellbinders Pointsettia die - I cut a flower from Basic Grey "Scarlet's Letter" range, and then used the die to outline flowers using my Inktense water colour pencils and coloured part of two flowers in.  I really like the end result!
 
 
The bling really made the difference to this very simple card, the sticker of which was outlined with Silver Icicles - the thicker Stickles. 

 
Went to town a bit with all the embellishments above - quite a busy card. 

 
I like the simplicity of the one above - I used the robin from a set of Christmas stamps and just added some felt ribbon. 

 
Even more basic - just added the bit of left over felt ribbon, and a couple of stars punched out from glitter paper and a few little gems as accent. 

How satisfying - all those stickers are now used up, as is most of that Basic Grey paper. 

Supplies:
Rusty Pickle "Grinch-mas" Stickers was the common elements in all these cards. 
Papermania felt ribbon
Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses "Powdered Sugar"

Saturday 3 August 2013

52 Card Challenge - Week 13 Take Inspiration

For Week 13, Nat's challenge was to take inspiration from online/elsewhere as the basis for the card.



The above was my inspiration - so pretty.  I've pinned it from Split Coast Stampers.  I took the ribbon banner elements and turned the card into this:

 
My starting point was that really bright ribbon that I wanted to use up.  I remember purchasing it yonks ago - some DCWV self adhesive ribbon.  Great idea, and lovely quality - just want to get it used. 
 
I have also been dipping into my sequin supply a lot lately.  They were coordinating colours but when I'd stuck them on, they were a bit too pastel - so I covered them with Stickles.  They looked too odd, so I then bordered every second plain card ribbon banner with Stickles to make them tie in. 
 
I also covered the blue sequin stars with Starburst Stickles and then stamped the greeting with Versafine  in two different colours. 
 
I'd also like to duplicate this card directly from the image - it is just beautiful in the pinks.  Thanks for stopping by.



Friday 2 August 2013

52 Card Challenge - Week 28 Deck Chair Stripes

This week, Nat challenged us to use Deck Chair Stripes as the Week 28 challenge -


My card couldn't have been simpler! I think a piece of Basic Grey as the deck chair mat, with a piece of Kaisercraft paper to mat the embossed dandelion clocks.

Several years ago, my friend Linda lent me her embossing folders whilst on a scrapbooking weekend, and they have been sitting unloved in a drawer for a very long time.  The rub-on leaves were CherryArte ones which had stuck to the backing sheet, so I simply cut them out and used them as such on the card. 

For a wee bit of dimensionality, I added some teeny tiny pearls which I bought by mistake - they really only require the most miniscule portion of glue to make them stick! Then a "Got Flower" flower by Prima - I still have a bottle of these in all assorted colours on my desk and I find them very handy for card making. 

The message was from a freebie stamp set which doesn't shop up very well.  I guess the quality is pretty poor, but I do really like the font!  I shall perservere, but if not worth it, it shall go in the bin!

I like the simplicity and "quietness" of this card.  You can't often say that about my projects!

Thursday 1 August 2013

52 Card Challenge - Week 31 Ribbon Banners

This week on UK Scrappers, the 52 Card Challenge hosted by Nat invited us to use ribbon banners for the Week 31 challenge. 

Impossible to believe we are that far into the year already, but so we are.  I went  to the Bellaboo crop on Tuesday night, which is run by Kate.  I was really unprepared and shot a few card making supplies in at the last minute.

 
When I found out her birthday was approaching, I put together this card for her.  The Bellaboo blog is also running a challenge for July called "Flower Show".  So  I also entered this card for that challenge. 

I put in my blue scraps bag and a few colours of ink, some Stampin' Up paper from last year. 
Kate's challenge was to use some supplies from the Bellaboo shop, so I bought some coordinating double sided papers from Kaisercraft - the "Miss Nellie" range. 

My ribbon banner die is by Stampin' Up!

One of the best things about going to a crop is sharing other people's supplies, which they are happy to do.  I happened to have the Glossy Accents and twine in my Cropper Hopper.  The journalling stamp is "Curly Cute!" by Stampin' Up - a beautiful set.

Another Kate brought along her dies and a lovely collection of embossing flowers, so I used the smallest Tim Holtz distressed flower and other flower dies and middles to embellish. I wouldn't have normally used so many patterned papers together, but I did like the result. 

Supplies:
Stampin' Up! patterned paper
Kaisercraft Miss Nelly - "Her Smile" and "Her Laugh"
October Afternoon "A Walk in the Park"
American Crafts
Stampin' up! Curly Cute stamp
Versamark chalk ink - Lagoon