A freebie fruity framework for you!

I do love alliteration lol!

Things have been incredibly hectic this end. Seen far more of the Royal Derby hospital than I ever felt I needed to, and for far too many times too!

Josh's birthday came and went as has Mia's (my baby is TEN! - how did that happen?!) Chiara's is next on the list in May. FIL is still very poorly in hospital (thank you everyone for all your thoughts and wishes, they do mean a lot to me).

I have been doing a lot of creating in some form or another, whether it be baking and decorating, creating party pieces, cards, paper scrapping or digital scrapping. I just haven't really had the time to sit down and get all my thoughts together and bits and bobs organised for sharing properly.

Updating my slide shows is moving up my list of priorities (as should be clearing my paper scrapping space).

Just for now though I wanted to share a digital scrapbook template freebie with you. Bear with me, I haven't shared a download on my blog before so I am really hoping that I have it all figured out right. It's a .psd layered template, based on this digital page:



Credits:
Two Peas in a Bucket: Eggstravaganza and Kitschensinque by Polka Dot Pixels
Owl Tree Studio: Iced Cookie Alpha by Wild Blueberry Ink
Sweet Shoppe Designs: Itty Bits alpha by Danni Mogstad
Fonts: Dancing Script OT and Vintage Typewriter

Which, in turn, was based on this paper page made for A Trip Down Memory Lane for a monthly DT gallery using My Little Shoebox papers:

Scraplifting your own pages is in no way cheating! Nope, it's making the best of what you've already done and can be a great timesaver too.

Download the digital template here

Please let me know if you have any problems and I'll try to figure them out.

Oh and, if you don't digital scrapbook, here's the sketch for you instead :)

Shock! A blog post!

Yes. Really. It's been a long time since I last posted, I know. Not that I've not been busy creating. In fact I've done lots. I've just been a bad blogger.

Christmas and New Year went without a hitch. The snow was a bind (the kids got fed up after just a couple of sessions playing in it - they didn't like getting that cold!) but I took lots of pictures, some of them even quite good!

I'm going to start sharing stuff again on a more regular basis. Starting with stuff now and then going back and adding more from the past couple of months.

Firstly a shout out that the A Trip Down Memory Lane gallery for January is up and available for viewing here. We used a variety of lines from October Afternoon. Loved working with those bright, fun colours and patterns.

Also, I had a class up online over there for December, mixing up products a bit rather than relying on everything from one line. This is my page (look at those eyes, bless!) and you can access the pdf here.



This week I've made a big effort to get some of those layouts from the unfinished pile out, finished and put into albums. Well, they're not into albums just yet but all but two of the ten have had the finishing touches and journaling added. Mostly from classes (the last UKS cybercrop and the ATDML retreat) - I'll get them photographed and uploaded another day with details.

I've also done three pages from scratch for various manufacturer blog challenges. All were sketch challenges and here are my takes on them.

Bo Bunny

I used the Love Bandit line that I recently bought (a bit behind the times, I know, but it's only just appeared on the stall I visit when I'm in Derby), plus a couple of bits from the Persuasion line. How cute are those little creatures? Such fun and happy papers, perfect for scrapping my two girls having fun together in the garden.



I've added red Stickles to lots of the red hearts and also dotted some crystal gems and hearts around the page too. The one journal block was cut out and made double duty - as a base for both the title and journaling. As you can see I was pretty faithful to the sketch, except I used the lines of the trees in lieu of patterned paper strips down the left hand side and used different sized photos.

Little Yellow Bicycle

I usually struggle with blocked style pages (I'm not too hot getting everything the same size and aligned neatly) so this is a bit different to me. This Zinnia range was perfect for the photos, as you can see.

The embellishments in this range were beautiful. I used a variety of rub-ons and chipboard - the butterflies are using the same punch as was used in the project created by Chiara in the photos. Some of the smaller butterflies and journaling strips were from cardstock sprayed Radiant Rain.

And the banner is made using some transparent acrylic embellishments - a couple of flowers cut in half and a heart (which I mounted onto white cardstock to enhance the colours of it). Look at the glitter, gorgeous!

My Mind's Eye

A fabulous sketch from Anam, love the use of the different shapes. I used a selection of papers and other goodies from the Lost and Found series. I wouldn't have naturally thought to use them with Winter pages, but that was the theme, so I worked it in there. I'm really happy with how well it worked too, helped greatly by the snowflakes, tinsel trim and all the glistening glitter and bling.

I love this huge snowflake die (by Sizzix, bought secondhand from a friend just before Christmas - great purchase as I used it LOTS for Christmas cards, tags and ornaments - thanks Katie!). I also bought a new border punch - that heart lace one from Martha Stewart - with my Christmas money. I was gutted that my Fiskars Apron Lace punch broke (as in the metal die part actually cracked all the way through). Advised Fiskars who wrote back saying that it wasn't guaranteed for cutting through Bazzill so, basically, tough. Hmmm. Anyhow ...

I used lots of layering, distressing, stitching and distress inks on this page. Time consuming but I love how it turned out so it was well worth all the effort.

Oh and finally My Mind's Eye put a card sketch up too

I found it with perfect timing as I needed to make my Mum a birthday card last week. Again, more of the Lost and Found ranges and the hearts border punch. The stamp is by Papertrey Ink (another secondhand purchase - thanks Debbie, love them!).

Thanks if you  made it to the end!

xxx's

My Mind's Eye gorgeousness

My take on the sketch over at Creative Scrappers this week is full of an array of My Mind's Eye gorgeousness. Here I have to say a HUGE thanks to Amber and the customer service team over at MME for their 'wow I'm speechless' generosity. I had a problem with a product I bought a while back that I only recently opened and they sent me some of the new release goodies to compensate. It is all delicious. Truly. Full of beautiful embellishments and lots of beautiful blinging glitter. It's really hard to tell from the layout photo so I have included a close up shot so you can see that background cardstock. And the die cuts. All glittered. It's seriously stunning in real life.

Anyhow, this is the sketch. Please, please, please check out what the rest of the team did with this sketch. I think it's pretty well the best all round reveal I've seen anywhere for a long while.

And my page (I flipped the sketch and substituted the star with a heart)

Credits:
Pretty well everything My Mind's Eye
with a few extra brads, buttons and a bit of string
The digital frame I used for the photos is from Owl Tree Studio.

And look at all the glitter and beautiful dimensional embellishments.

Not an art lover

That's Josh! This photo is from one of the few times we had a painting session at home. And once he got to Playgroup, forget it! He never bought any pictures back, he hated cutting, sticking, painting, drawing, all of it. I remember getting so excited the one time he did bring a picture home, only to find out that the assistant had done it under his instruction as what colours to use! And he still feels the same way now he is a teen.

This page is for the Creative Scrappers sketch #118 which was revealed yesterday. Please go and check out what everyone else on the design team did, they created such fabulous pages.

Product used:

Papers, die cuts, chipboard, Cosmo Cricket
Star die cuts (from felt) Sizzix
Rub-on alpha Making Memories
Black pen Sharpie
Misc buttons, brads, paint


And this is the sketch. If you play along, please don't forget to add your link to Mr Linky over at the Creative Scrappers blog to be in with a chance to win the monthly prize.

More from my scrapping frenzy

from a couple of weeks ago! I've been so busy that sharing these projects fell by the wayside.

This first one is based on sketch #115 at Creative Scrappers

Though, as you can see, I flipped the sketch and extended the title somewhat (LOL!).

Product used:

Patterned papers - Making Memories, Little Yellow Bicycle
Stickers/die cuts - Little Yellow Bicycle
Flower trim - Webster's Pages
Flowers - Prima
Alphabets - Adornit, My Little Shoebox, Scrapworks, American Crafts

Oh and lots of pretty pearliness.

Next up is a page which records the special friendship between my youngest daughter and my husband's closest and oldest friend.



Products used:

Patterned papers - Scenic Route, Chatterbox
Acrylic heart - Heidi Grace
Scalloped Edge cardstock - Bazzill
Phrase sticker - Chatterbox
Chipboard frame - Maya Road
Phrase stamp - Art Warehouse
Dymo, paint, stickles

I painted the frame white and then liberally applied frosted lace Stickles over the top.

Finally a trio of cards using the Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday range. I love the sheet of 'cards' they are just perfect for cutting up and adding a super easy but pretty element to cards. The sentiment on the first one is a Hero Arts stamp

Sending you smiles and wishing you all an especially happy day (after all it IS Friday!).

Thank you :)

To everyone everywhere for their heartwarming birthday messages yesterday.

Made a snap decision when I collected Josh from swimming to go to the pics, so me and him went to see Inception (was going to be the A Team but I couldn't be bothered to wait until 9.15!). Really enjoyed it, one of those 'huh?!' films but an enjoyable action film which made you think and gave us lots to talk about in the car on the way home.

Yesterday the Creative Scrappers sketch #116 went live, another fabby sketch.

Which I turned upside down cos it suited my photos better doing that.

Products used:

Patterned papers - Fancy Pants, Scenic Route, Sassafrass
Stickers -  Sassafrass, 7Gypsies
Alphas - Doodlebug, Adornit
Fabric brad - Little Yellow Bicycle

Remember, if you join along with any of the sketches for the month, add your links to the blog and be in for a chance to win a prize. Have fun :)

Creative Scrappers yummy sketch #114

You have got to give this one a go, it's one of my faves so far, the page came together so quickly! Remember to link your creations to the Creative Scrappers blog to be in with a chance of winning the monthly prize.

I added in an extra photo, but other than that, I've used the sketch as is. Why change something great?

Products:

All items American Crafts with the exception of:

Paper flower and paint - Making Memories

Quote sticker - 7Gypsies

Stick on pearls - Papermania

Sweet and Sassy

That's Chiara! Growing up SO fast, she just had her two orientation days at high school last week and totally loved it! I'm really pleased. Mia is going to be such a lost little soul at primary school though.

Sketch #112 is now up over at Creative Scrappers. Loved it! Again my interpretation very literal. Very hard to see from the photo, but the background cardstock is a blinging Ivory and the SEI patterned papers are foiled/shimmery too. Very pretty and girly.

Patterned Paper - SEI, Making Memories, Prima
Cardstock - Gemstones
Chipboard - SEI
Alphabet - American Crafts
Stitching template - Bazzill

Creative Scrappers

Sketch 110 went live yesterday. Another wonderfully easy sketch to work with. And lots of more fabulous pages by the DT can be viewed over on the Creative Scrappers blog.

This is my interpretation. Can't really call it an interpretation to be honest. I'm rather literal when it comes to working with sketches - which is why a great sketch that doesn't need much tweaking is right up my street!


Some fun photos from an after school visit to the local River Gardens. The colours in the photo weren't great (black/white school uniform combined with green grass and blue and yellow play equipment) hence changing the photos to black and white. Not something I do too much of because I really like the reality of colour photos - well for the most part anyhow.

The page also works with the colour combo over at Color Combos Galore this week (148).
Patterned papers - My Little Yellow Bicycle, American Crafts
Alphabets - American Crafts, Doodlebug
Journaling spot - Maya Road
Butterflies - Papermania
Rub-ons and chipboard - My Little Yellow Bicycle
Inks - Ranger distress ink and archival ink
Die cuts - Nestabilities
Other - bling, buttons, brads


Lots of bling, brads and buttons. Yes I sewed them all on individually. Whilst watching the England/Slovenia match. Well, at least it wasn't a total waste of my time ;)


I used some more of the Little Yellow Bicycle Zinnia range (I had pretty well everything sent to me as part of a prize package from Memory Makers magazine just before it ceased publication). I added some of the circle rub-ons to white cardstock, die cut them using Nestabilities dies and (along with everything else) applied a liberal helping of distress ink to the edges. The gorgeously intricate die cut butterflies are a vinyl material and by Papermania.

Creative Scrappers

My first creation as part of the Creative Scrappers Design Team is now up. It's a fabulous sketch to work with and I just LOVE all the wonderful pages the others in the DT have come up with. Here is the sketch:


This is my page


Lots and lots of Prima on here. It was so tempting to go with all purple, but I do love adding colour contrast to my pages and so went with the lovely bright green for the extended photo mat and butterflies instead.


I added a couple of strips of crumpled and twisted purple vellum underneath the tulle to add to the texture and dimension. And the tulle really IS white, must be something to do with using flash and getting shadows which shows it a dull grey colour :( I also sprinkled that all important fairy dust over it (aka Stickles) to give the page even more shimmer and shine.


It would be great to see you playing along - there is a prize available, so check out the blog

Couple of must sees ...

Just a quick post as I am busy today ... but you got to visit both Creative Scrappers for the latest sketch #107, it's a fab sketch and ALL of the DT pages are so wonderfully inspiring!


Remember to complete at least one layout over at Creative Scrappers from sketches 106-110 inclusive to have a chance to win a prize from the monthly sponsor.

Also the DT gallery for June over at A Trip Down Memory Lane went live yesterday. We were all given a selection of Bella Blvd ranges and it's great to see the different and wonderful projects and pages which were put together by the team. Visit the gallery to check them all out - remember to click through on to each page - there are three pages in total. I did 5 layouts and 2 cards. I love the stickers and cut apart sheets - they really make embellishing and titling a page so very easy! Check out the shop for the Bella Blvd products. Even better, they have a sale on! Oh - another thing, check out the blog for more inspiration and a Scrapping Bingo prize challenge :)

Here's some sneaks of the pages I created:

Bunny Girls

I did start this last week but it got left on the desk underneath a pile of paperwork. It's a quick (if you don't count the time left between starting and finishing) page for Creative Scrappers sketch 104 from last week and also for the American Crafts Spring themed challenge week.


Another Easter themed birthday party for Mia - last year - they did crafty stuff decorating baskets for the Easter Egg hunt, plus standard party games. All the girls had these cute bunny ears to wear - don't they look cute?!

Scalloped Cardstock - Papermania
Patterned papers - American Crafts (Letterbox range) and Chatterbox (the blue tapestry and pink dotty ones).
Stickers - American Crafts
Felt embellishment - American Crafts
Epoxy Stickers - DCWV
Alphabets - American Crafts
Edger punch - Fiskars

I was determined to get this one finished today because I want to start on the next one!