Scrap Pages 04 & 05/2021 - Ebony & We Are Family

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for stopping by. I'm back with two more scrap pages. 

Ebony

I've gone back in time again, but not quite so far as with the last page here. The photos in this page only go back two years when Ebony was just a puppy. An adorable one at that. She's still a lovely very lovable and friendly dog now, one that would happily like you to death should you ever have the pleasure of meeting her. 

Materials used: tartan paper form a Carta Bella collection and the paw printed one from Stampin' Up. As is becoming usual the embellishment clusters are made up from my ancient stash - sources long forgotten. Punches used: a corner rounder and two small circle punches (1" & 1.25").

We are Family

And yet another old photo - 2013. This time one of my son-in-law and the two youngest of my grandchildren out on a bike ride to Portencross, a hamlet near Farland Head on North Ayrshire's coast. Not seen, because someone had to take the photo, is my daughter. ... isn't it always the case that the photographer is the one never seen. 
 

Materials used: the patterned papers are leftovers from an old Mind The Scrap kit and the title banner is years old - from an old autumnal collection, I think. the embellishments are a mix of new, also from a MTS kit, and ancient. The pink view finders are available as a digital file from NicoleJones911. 

I wish I could give more details about much of the materials used but my memory does not serve me well. Although, I'm still treating myself to paper and mixed media kits - there's a limit to self-sacrifice even for me - I have, for the time being, decided that there will be no more purchases of embellishments, thickers and stickers. Not until a serious dent has been made into the ridiculous amount that is taking up valuable space in my craft room! 

I trust you are having a good day - it's Friday, usually, and still surely, a reason to smile - and I wish you all a lovely weekend.

Take care and stay safe. 

What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 608

Hello everyone,

Happy What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday to you all. I hope you are all well and finding plenty of crafting time. I've been doing my best but, in truth, have not been doing much more than creating a paper storm around me. I did try to clean up a bit yesterday and still my desk looks like this.

This photo was taken yesterday in the bad light that has become the norm at this time of year. Sigh. Thankfully, it isn't long now until February when the light should start to improve. So this is what passes for tidy at the moment. Papers that were being played with over the weekend while I tried to participate in a cyber crop, and failed miserably, have been put away. Only to be replaced by another pile - just visible on the right - for this week's challenge. It involves creating pages based on a mood board, something I've never tried before. And that explains the materials lying out on my desk this morning. The photos are of Alan's great niece and nephew home schooling - very much a now theme. Here's a peak at the mood board borrowed from Pinterest. 

Interesting colours - not sure I like all those browns but it's my choice so I've only got myself to blame. And, with so little reason to procrastinate - no gardening, no road trips, no cafe's open - the challenge will do me good. 

Update on Alan - he's very much better today, almost his old self again. Given that he has never reacted to a vaccination before for him to have such a bad reaction to the Covid vaccine was totally unexpected. Admittedly, the leaflet he was handed at the time did warn him of the possibility but we happily dismissed them - it wouldn't happen to him! Lesson learned. 

I think that's all from me today. Not much going on so not much to show/report. There's a few scrapbook pages completed but they'll keep for another day. There's not been much progress on the nature journal but I'm hoping to catch up over the coming week. In the meantime, I've been entertained by a pair of sparrows that have returned to nest behind the weahterboards just above the craftroom window. Remember the fledglings last year so look forward to seeing this years brood. 

Take care everyone, and stay safe.

Scrap Page 03/2021 - Beautiful Kittens

 Hello Everyone

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you are doing okay, especially during the current lockdown. Personally, I can't wait for it to be over but the situation is serious and so we're trying to make the best of it . Alan had his Covid vaccine last week and unfortunately it made him quite poorly. Happily, he's getting over it and starting to get back to his normal, cheery self. Enough of that, I'm here to show the third scrap page of the year.

And I've gone right back in time for this one - 1990 in fact. I have an album dedicated to all the animals that have been in my life and it's proving to be such a pleasure to look back and remember. These kittens, sadly long gone, were twins that had been rescued by the local cats and dogs home. Named Dotty and Daisy, they were just a delight to have around. 

Materials used: the 'wordy' paper is from Stampin' Up and the embellishments are from a variety of sources - mainly Simple Stories 'I Am' sticker sheet, and the black cat fussy cut from an old Echo Park collection, 'Meow', that I've practically done to death now. The papers are edged with Adirondak's Stonewashed ink. 

I've completed many more pages since the start of the year which I shall, in time, show and write about here. It's just that I'm running way behind with posting, as I have been since the start of the pandemic last year. Too many other distractions - most difficult and too sad to talk about on this blog - to keep me away from here. You really don't want to hear about my troubles - I'm sure you have enough of your own right now.  I just keep thinking things have got to improve, and maybe with the roll out of the vaccine it will. Let's hope so anyway. 

Take care and stay safe. 

What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 607

 Hello Everyone,

Happy What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday to you all. I hope you are all well and finding plenty of crafting time. I wish I could say that the lockdown gives me ample opportunity for crafting but it doesn't seem so. I'm just plodding away, doing my best, such as it is and here's what's on my desk today. 

There's an old album full of old photos - most dated from before I discovered scrapping. I'm trying to mix it up and scrap both old and new photos this year. Obviously not on the same layout - that wouldn't make sense at all. Next to the album is the materials for my next page. The photo is of my late brother so it's bringing back all sorts of fond memories - he was a lovely man. The last page completed can just be seen behind it. At the back is an increasing amount of bits and bobs that should be put away but are not, and probably won't be anytime soon. 

That's about it from me this week. I have made some progress on the nature journal - not much but it isn't intended to be a fast project. This is the intro page - nothing exciting. 

And this is the second page. It's based on a quote I read in the book 'Every Day Nature' by Andy Beer, 'Spring starts in January' which got me out into the garden to search for those very signs. The photo is of bulbs emerging - definite signs of spring coming - and that prompted the stamped snowdrops. 

So that's my lot for this week. Not much, I know. Must try harder. 

Keep safe, everyone, stay well and keep on crafting. 

Christmas Card Club - Cards 3&4/2021 - Nativity Challenge

 Hello Everyone

I hope you've all had a happy Sunday despite current circumstances. We've had a typically Scottish day - bright and dry this morning, rainy and cloudy this afternoon. The light has been bad too so apologies for the quality of these pics - it was the best I could do with the lights on.

It's time again for the Christmas Card Club challenge. Margaret chose 'Nativity' as today's theme but, as always, the fall back is 'Anything Goes'. A thorough search through my stash was totally unhelpful - there's nothing 'Nativity' related here- no stamps, no dies - nothing. So it's 'Anything Goes' from me, but the images on the toppers on these two cards are a little reminiscent of the 'Nativity'. 

I'm back to recycling cards received for Christmases past. For these cards I've simply cut down the fronts of two commercial cards, added gold card to mat the first card and striped patterned paper for the second card. Both are embellished with Anita's gems - purchased from the local craft shop which closed a couple of years ago. Sigh.

That's it for today. I hope you will pop over to see what my teammates have created this week. You'll find a list of their names and links on my right sidebar - as always they are so much more creative than I will ever be.

Take care everyone.

What’s On Your Workdesk Wednesday - Week 606

 Hello Everyone

This is my first What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday of the year so Happy New Year to WOYWWers everywhere.

I've been doing a bit of sorting out here so there's been precious little crafting going on - a  scrap page (posted here yesterday) and that's about it. Except, I have made a start on this little album which was purchased some time ago ... some time ago meaning years ago! It's much smaller than my usual 12"x 12" size - it's pages measure approximately 8"x 6". Found it during a sort out session and thought it was about time I did something with it so I'm aiming to use it as a kind of nature journal. If there is something that this last dreadful year has taught me it is the benefits and pleasure to be found in nature. Even if, as has been the norm lately, it is only the feeling of well being gained from a wee stroll round my garden on a good day. 

On a bad day it comes from a dip into the books on nature and wildlife I've gathered together since April last year. These two, both by Emma Mitchell, a naturalist who writes for a variety of magazines, including Mollie Makes, and has appeared on one of my favourite TV programmes,  BBC's Countryfile, are my most recent acquisitions.

Not that I'm forsaking the 12" x 12" format altogether. Not at all! I blew one of the gift cards received for Christmas on this almighty pack of plastic inserts so have given myself the nigh impossible goal of filling them all. Given that each one holds two scrap pages that's a whopping 200 layouts needing to be done. As I said, nigh impossible, but I'm going to give it a go.

So that's what's on my desk or, as in the case of the books, on the floor - Helen (Stamping by H) might be pleased to see me making use of the floor too - today. I'm off to grab a spot of lunch and spend an hour  or so catching up with what's on your desks too. 

I'm not ignoring the lockdown completely - how can I - suffice to say I hope you are all keeping well and staying safe. Oh, and keep crafting!

Scrap Page 02/2021 - Snow Today

 Hello Everyone, 

Thanks for stopping by. Wherever you are I hope you are having a good day. It's not too bad here - the sun's out, it's dry, but it's still very frosty. Spring doesn't seem so far away now so I've given this blog a new, brighter, cheerier header - hopefully a sign of better days to come!

My craft space hasn't seen a lot of action recently but I did manage to make this scrap page using a Spoonful of Scraps challenge from December, #3, for inspiration. 

For this page I've left the Christmas pics behind, I said I would in this post and I have, and moved on to January, winter and the garden. We don't get a lot of snow here on the west coast of Scotland ... it's being so near the sea ... so when we do you might spot me doing a little celebratory dance. Of course, I have to take a pic for the record too. This one is dated 29 Jan 2019. 

Materials used: papers - 'Flannel' from the Heart & Home Collection from PhotoPlay (background), 'Merry Everything' from Pinkfresh's Oh What Fun collection and 'Sweet December' from Crate Paper's Hey Santa collection, and Heidi Swapp's Make Pretty Stuff 'Today' paper for the title. Other materials used - Winsor & Newton's blue watercolour, and sticker embellishments from the earlier mentioned PhotoPlay Collection. All other embellishments, title letters, etc., are from old stash, including enamel dots

That's it from me today. I'm making no promises but I'm hoping to be back tomorrow for What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday. It's a plan. 

In the meantime, I hope you are all well and wish you happy crafting.

In A Vase On Monday -

Hello Everyone

It's been quite a while since I've been able to join in with Cathy's In A Vase On Monday over on her blog, Rambling in the Garden . Getting round the garden was for a time quite difficult for me - my arthritic hip didn't make it easy - but I've been able to venture out more recently. Nothing too ambitious. Just a wee stroll down to the woodland area and back again but it's been a real pleasure to check for signs of spring again. I can see buds on branches and bulbs just starting to push through - promises of what's to come. 

I couldn't resist picking a few of those budding twigs for this week's vase. There's the elder, Sambucus nigra 'Black Beauty', Winter Jasmine Jasminum nudiflorum, Sarcococca 'Winter Gem', the variegated myrtle Myrtus apiculata 'Glanleam Gold'. I've added a snip of ivy, a last hip from the climbing rose 'Arthur Bell' and the dry coppery leaves from the beech tree growing down in the woodland area. Many years ago that beech was brought as a tiny sapling all the way from a nursery discovered on the edge of Loch Ness. It's now a lot bigger, a lot taller too, and a year long delight. 

So that's what's in my vase today. No flowers but beautiful nonetheless. Thanks for looking in and do pop over to Cathy's blog, Rambling In The Garden, to see what she and other keen gardeners have found to put in a vase this Monday. 

Christmas Card Club - Cards 1&2/2021 - Kraft Challenge

 Hello Everyone,

I promised in yesterday's post that I'd be back today for the Christmas Card Club Challenge. Today Kate has set the challenge for us to use Kraft on our cards if possible - otherwise it's anything goes. Happily, a search through all my bits and pieces unearthed some much forgotten scraps of Kraft cardstock that made lovely backgrounds for these two cards.

 

Materials used:

• two white card blanks measuring 53/4"x4" (Papermilldirect)
• scraps of Kraft (background) & white (topper) cardstock, 
• embossing folder - background on first card - Diagonal Stripe Background (Darice)
• scrap of alcohol ink blended card for matting topper on first card,  products used used: Adirondack Juniper ink, Gold Mixatives & Alcohol Blending Solution
• scrap of tartan patterned paper (Stampin' Up's Plaid Tidings 6x6 pad)
• scrap of hessian (Dear Lizzy New Day mixed media pad)
• snow scene& greeting stamps (Stampendous' Winter Stags set from Issue 90 of Creative Stamping Magazine)
• ink pads in shades of brown & green (Versafine's Vintage Sepia & Olympia Green and Adirondack's Noel)
• embellishments - printed ribbon, White Opal Liquid Pearls and Zazz! Honeycomb glitter glue

I had a lovely time going through a couple of boxes of past 'trials and experiments' to uncover the embossed card and the leftover scrap made with alcohol ink. Old stuff but good stuff. 

The Adirondack Noel started life as a Rainbow mix of Cranberry, Mushroom, Bottle & Lettuce ink colours. Over time, however, the colours have merged together - a lot! It now stamps in shades of brown - it's interesting if not as intended.

I'm submitting the first card to Di's challenge: Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 393 - all those old scraps must qualify.

And also to Hazel's challenge: Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge 523 - that alcohol inked piece is positively ancient!

That's it for today. I hope you will pop over to see what my teammates have created this week. You'll find a list of their names and links on my right sidebar - as always they are so much more creative than I will ever be.

Take care everyone. 

The First Post of the Year - Daybreak Photo & Scrap Page 01/2021

Hello Everyone,

We're in a new year and hopefully things are going to improve for us all. Time will tell but I certainly felt a bit more positive today, probably because the sky at daybreak was this beautiful. 

It has been a cool, crisp winter day too so I managed to get out for a short, very short, walk - the first for many weeks. There's nothing like a bit of fresh air to make me feel cheery. 

And here's the first scrap page of the year too. The theme of this layout is how early signs of Christmas appear in our shops each year - it seems it gets earlier every year. The photos on this page were taken in November 2012 but I spotted festive fare on the shelves in our local supermarket as early as September in 2020. By my reckoning that means it's only 9 months to next Christmas! 

All papers are from the December kit from Mind The Scrap and the embellishments are from old stash. The layout is from a Scrapbook Page Maps sketch by Becky Fleck and the idea for the page is from the Festive Flavours Event, #1, at A Spoonful of Scraps - a Facebook challenge site.

I think that's me done with Christmas pages for now. I'll be looking at scrapping winter themed photos - I'm looking forward to using quite a different colour palette - cool blues, whites and silvers instead of all those reds, greens and golds. 

That's it from me today. I'll be back again tomorrow with the first of my cards for the Christmas Card  Club Challenge tomorrow. 

In the meantime, I hope you are all well and happy crafting.