Altered Book - Lesson 10 - PINK!

Just had the urge to do something PINK! I have been smelling the sweet scent of the flowers everywhere at present and thought a page on Roses would fit the bill for the Summer section of my Altered Book. (I dream away from the previous Olympic page!) I could only find one pair of rose pictures, so had to use other pink flowers aswell. Fortunately I found Sweet Peas and Stock, hmmmm the scent of those is divine.  No fresias, but they don't really come in pink! (I do have 2 pots of them flowering in my garden at the moment). Oh and the Orchids, yes my Christmas Orchid has decided to flower again and it only just lost its last flower from Christmas, it is gorgeous so I have snuck a photo of that in too.

Oh and on the Altered Book front, I even remembered to use "dry"  (Pritt) glue for the magazine pictures - horrah! I gessoed the pages (went to badminton!!) then inked with my new Summer Distress "Picked Raspberry" which I also stamped the flower boarder with. I (Pinflair) glued the embroidered flowers in place and popped a few dabs of Frosted Lace glitter glue inbetween the stamped boarder too. Now I need to comtemplate the "current " AB lesson! BJ

Altered Book - Lesson 10

"Magazine Pictures and Frames" is the title of lesson 10 on the Altered Book Classes run by Elizabeth and I finally got round to doing a page in my AB. I had the theme ready, even cut the circles/rings out ages ago but never quite got round to it. Then I realised I could make the rings, the frames! I didn't have many magazine pictures, as the Olympics hasn't really hit the Radio Times YET, but found I had enough to show the spirit of the games. I even found some peel-offs of sport things and to Sandee's delight there is even a shuttlecock! I inked and stamped around the edges of the pages which I suppose is another frame of sorts too. I even added a couple of stamps with the 2012 emblem on. So there we go, magazine pictures and frames page and my book is still fairly "flat" LOL.

WOYWW #160 - Scrapping

Hi Everyone, and happy WOYWW to you all. Here's my desk as usual. Seems that I am having a bit of a scrapping episode at the moment. I did the Scrap365 July sketch the other day, then the one of my car getting its puncture fixed, now the creations from my son's Year 8 technology classes. Oh and I did a Scout St George's Day Parade too. (not shown)

I have included a photo of all my scrapbook albums aswell. I am just about to complete my 8th album (lilac one) of day to day type layouts. They all have 30 pages in therefore 60 layouts in each! There are also 3 "special" albums with the basic 10 pages in and I have recently started the 3rd of those. The orange album on the left is of my grandmother's post card collection from the war, and the far left is one of my 19 sticky backed albums I used for my photographs before I discovered Scrapping. On the lower shelf is my first ever scrapbook, an Anna Griffin 6"x6" album with our family tree in it. The green 8"x8" album is a family one where I do a page each year of the 3 of us. The baby photo is of our son, moments old, on his keepsake box. There is even a little embroidery there too.


Oh and finally an ATC using the metal tape I mentioned the other day using Morti's method with diecuts beneath it and embossing tool patterns ontop.


Oh and did I mention the dress form? My Mother sent it to me last week, it is supposed to be a pincushion but I might have to "alter" it somehow, any suggestions? BJ

Summer of Colour #3 - Baseball Nut

Here's my week 3 creation, using the colours of Baseball Nut Icecream, as outlined in the Summer of Colour Event. I seem to have stalled on my altered book although really wished to try out the new frame technique from lesson 10 so incorporated that in this weeks ATC for the Summer of Colour event. I used vellum for the frame, not such a good choice in the end as it is rather stiff so I had to glue the curled parts down! I do like this technique but wonder how it would fare in my altered book which I weigh down with my Cuttlebug - hmmmmmmmmmm??????

Sketchbook365 - July Challenge

Horrah, I have managed to complete the Scrap365 July Challenge page in June!!! Their sketch this month is by Melenia Agapides and I just loved the torn and distressed upper patterned paper technique that she used. Had a bit of a job finding a double sided paper in my stash but fortunately this Kaisercraft paper called Guinevere from their Devonshire Collection did the job.

The Easter Bunny in the photo was the trinket included in my Easter Bouquet from Asda which just hopped into my trolly. I did post a photo of him back in April, but am only now getting round to scrapping him. I have enjoyed putting this page together roughly following the challenge sketch and even managed to slip in a second photo!

WOYWW #159

 Morning ladies and gents and Happy WOYWW to everyone. Thanks to everyone who commented on my desk last week, I hope I managed to return the favour to all. And a HUGE thanks to Julia for continuing to host this global weekly party snoop!!

I digress, to the batcave (uumm  - craft desk). Thought I'd go for the ariel shot this week - no climbing honest - just outstretched arms! Had the good fortune to find some trousers to fit yesterday, so bought 3 pairs (wearing one), just need to remove the other tags (saved for crafting of course!). I got a t-shirt too and the ribbons have been removed and they are also destined for the crafting box! Sewing box takes centre stage as a result.

And there - in a neat row - are my new Tim Holtz Summer inkpads. YIPPEE. I have made a butterfly ATC to try them out and the colours are quite vibrant and indeed very Summery. I am just missing the "Fall" set now - I hope they release that one again in the Autumn. If you look very carefully you'll spot my Week 3 Summer of Colour Entry, but I am saving that for next week as it uses a new altered book technique too.

Gosh looking at the photo, my desk sure looks busy or is that messy? BJ

The "Scrapbooking Your Faith" pass the book draw was won by Valerie in Texas and will be winging its way there shortly.

My Dad

Today is the anniversary of my Dad's passing some 14yrs ago. I did this page of him a while back but thought it nice to share today. Dad passed away some 3 months after I was married, he was only 68yrs. The last time I saw him was on our honeymoon as we popped in to say "hello" on our way past, I never thought it was really to say "goodbye"! Loosing him so suddenly still smarts with me and tears well up, especially if I hear "Amazing Grace" played. I'm off to light him a candle at our local church.
All My Love Dad.

Summer of Colour #2 - Mint Choc Chip

It is Mint Choc Chip week over at the Summer of Colour Event so I made up another ATC using lime green and browns. I'm going to do a butterfly ATC each week and then make up an art journal page with them all at the end of the event, using the lyrics of my favourite butterfly song... I had a piece of boarder left over after doing my ATC so I decorated a jar to use as a prayer jar. Then I did some of my day to day scrapping and would you know I unconsciously picked brown and green papers so more even Mint Choc Chip! Yep definitely liking these colours.

Sketchbook365 - June Challenge

Cutting it a bit fine, as the deadline is today at 11pm, but have been itching to do the June Challenge at Scrap365 for some time as I am definitely a multi-photo scrapper. Some may remember my raindrop photo entry for the Finding Fun Event, well here it is with its fellow photos on a scrapbook page at last! The arch in the sketch made me think of rainbows, so I made a rainbow with raindrops. I have also been studying colour in my Altered Book Lessons and this LO is definitely an example of the Primary Colours in action. A bright and cheery page for a wet day!

Stamp Man Challenge - Make it for a Man

In search of my mojo I decided to have a "play" with my new Tim Holtz stampset. You can't really escape masculinity with the Warehouse District set so the result is just the ticket for the current Stamp Man Challenge.
I used 2 of the new Tim Holtz Spring Distress Inks mixed with some Festive Berries, I seem to like this colour combination at the moment. Then a bit of stamping in Snowcap Dabber and Jet Black Archival. I added a metal fob watch brad and some coloured string plus parts of a mini cog diecut. Don't ask me why I added the date, but I have one of those little date stamps where you rotate the numbers and it just hopped out of the drawer!
Yep definately, made for a man.

WOYWW #158

Well here we are again, happy to be a WOYWWer showing off my desk. Not a great deal happening. I have joined in with the Summer of Colour event over at Twinkle Twinkle. I am going to make a buttterfly ATC each week using the colours depicted in that week's icecream! Not too late to join in if you want to. I have selected 3 cards for my Hubby for Father's Day/Birthday and added the appropriate sentiments/ages. And there, in the foreground, is my "Pass it On" book. If you would like to be the next recipient, please leave me a comment saying you are interested and I will pick a name next Wednesday.

I have just popped my latest tags in my Art Journal, still can't believe I won the Tim Holtz May Tag. They sent me the District Warehouse set of stamps, which I got to use in my June Tag.

Also here are the ATC's I received in the megaswapathon we had a fortnight ago. I think I still have one yet to arrive though. I typed out the sender's names, I hope you can see them after clicking on the photo. I guess that is about it for me this week. Thanks to Julia for running such a great show and to all who stop by and leave me a comment. Hugs BJ

Altered Book Lesson 9

Lesson 9 on Elizabeth's Altered Book Course is all about backgrounds. I was inspired by her "homework" so a stripy page it was for me. Still in patriotic mode, more red, white and blue. I started out with a layer of gesso and stuck some torn pieces of kitchen towel down whilst I was at it, to help obliterate the words! They also added texture to the pages. I made various shades of the reds and blues mixing them with gesso too. The horizontal stripes are the margins from the Radio Times magazine and depict the 3 days of Jubilee Celebrations here in the UK. The Union Flags are from various sources even one from a bag of potatoes!

Typically, with me and paint, I managed to get it on my previous page!! As a result I had to change one photo and the words, but fortunately had a duplicate bigger picture (top right) to replace the two smaller ones. And I guess "Queen's Diamond Jubilee" is better than "Britannia" after all. Lucky accident.

Summer of Colour #1 - Rainbow Sherbet

Decided to join in the fun at Summer of Colour this year. I don't often get the chance to use such vibrant colours so really enjoyed making this ATC.

TH#6 - June Tag

I received my Tim Holtz prize for last months tag today. Thank you so much Tim et al. I got the Warehouse District set of stamps, 2 of which I have used on this month's tag; Photographs and Curiosity (on the photo). I also received today the 2 distress stains I had ordered to enable me to do the backing. I had no more excuses so got to work! The photo is of my Aunty Jean (sadly departed) when she got married in the second world war. Part of her wedding dress petticoat was even made from a parachute.  I used metal tape on card and a typewriter to make the sentiment strip, even had my husband fooled! I hope everything else speaks for itself but do ask if you need to. Curious that the last tag I made myself was about family too and I made that back in May! Must have sensed this was coming.

WOYWW #157 - ATC City

Hi everyone, happy WOYWW. Have had a great week making ATC's for lots more SWAPping. There are 4 more on my desk at the moment, pending... I made the dolphin one for my main SWAP and then had to make a few more. Then I got all PATRIOTIC - I wonder why?

The 2 on the easel are ones I have received so far in the SWAPathon, from MAY and Redanne.

We did get to see the Queen as she drove to the races last Saturday. Can't believe we have lived so near for nearly 14yrs and hadn't tried to see her before. You know where I'll be each Derby Day from now on - LOL.

Managed to get hold of some Foil Tape at B&Q today, my friend Julia, mentioned this to me a while back. She's made some great stuff with it.

The other thing on my desk is my trusty Fiskars paper trimmer, love it.

I guess that is me for the week. Still haven't caught my breath from last week. Thanks everyone for making it a fab week, especially Julia.

I've Seen The QUEEN

We waitied by the roadside for ages and finally about 5 minutes to one the motorcade came by. The Queen's car at the front and 6 other cars behind. My husband had his big camera and kept the shutter button down and this is his best photo. The Duke was looking straight at us too and the Queen waved. My eyes welled up and I nearly burst into tears!

Here's the scrappage I did of her Majesty a while back displayed in the hall together with my new bunting from LLJ. I have just watched the Derby on TV and Camelot won coming in from the back - more tears!