Alice ATC Book Swap

I have joined a group of Very Talented (but crazy) crafters on UKS and Rebecca has organised an Atc swap.  We each have to make 14 atcs using an Alice in Wonderland character. I chose Cheshire Cat and I did get the Octopode Cheshire Cat stamp but he was too big :(  I think I will need to give the digital ones a go

Anyways thanks to Bean Chop Suie as  we like to call Suzie for stamping These out and emailing them to me, so here they are and I just hope they are ok.  I cant wait till they all come back in  their accordian book so I can have them on display

More Layouts from Lochhouse

Hello again. I thought Id show you my next batch of layouts from my long weekeend away. Its amazing really any of us got anything done at all between all the laughing, eating, drinking and generally having a whale of a time which went on but maybe all those things help oil the wheels of creativity. I know that I definately scrap better when I am in amonst my friends and this mob are the best a girl could have. First up is this one which is my Grandparents. I used the gorgeous Websters pages set which Dee gave me in our UKS Team Secret (or not so Secret) Santa.

Lots of fussy cutting and thanks to Dee for donating the pearls to string over the cut out of the mirror. Next up is this one of my daughter Fiona and her pal Laura - I just loved the sticker in with these Note to Self Papers and it suits the photo of them both. I coloured in the roses using a promarker as I didnt have any to match. Note to Self - just buy neutral colours from now on and custom colour as you go.

This one was for the April Week 5 challenge and shows my Mum holding my son Fraser up to get his first look at his baby sister - what an expression - says it all really - Unimpressed - he certainly was. It turned out an absolute riot of colour and very busy - not my usual style but I quite like it

Finally this one is the complete opposite - Listen to your Soul was printed on this gorgous sheet of MME paper qand I felt it suited this photo of the slightly stormy sea taken at Beadnell this Easter. I felt the page didnt need much embellishing so I used a lovely little corner die - courtesy of Heather and doubled up a Rosette cut using my Tim Holtz Die which I layered on top of a small doily courtesy of Donna which I painted pale yellow to match.

Spring Break at Lochhouse

Hello there. Well I am just back after a fab long crafty weekend. Five of us went off to Lochhouse Farm nr Moffat in Dumfries and Galloway and I can tell you a high old time was had by all. Much hysterical laughing, chatting, sipping of wine and eating took place with a bit of crafting thrown in for good measure. I managed a dl cj entry, some ATCs and 8 12 x 12 layouts. Here's the first three

This one used the April CCW kit- Pink Paislee Prairie Hill - I love these papers and might need to invest in some more of them. I took this picture of Beadnell Harbour last summer just as dusk was coming and it just matched the papers so well. Next up is this one of my DD Fiona and her boyfried Gary taken on her 17th Birthday last year - I used papers from my Quirky kit and did some sewing on this one - I am a bit addicted to sewing on layouts at the moment

Finally for now is this one of my son Fraser and his girlfriend Emma taken on a Christmas night out- I love these Echo Park Note to Self papers.

Rik Rak Ravers Weekly Challenge on UKS

This week it’s the turn of my team The Rik Rak Ravers to set the weekly challenge on UK Scrappers. The criteria are to use this sketch, which I flipped round.

Scrap a man in your life Use different fonts/alphas Use inking/misting Use Rik Rak Here is my layout

Its an old school photo of my Dad (ringed in red) taken circa 1944 when he attended the John Neilson in Paisley. Im trying to do some layouts of him and his family as he has recently been diagnosed with Vascular Dementia and will be 80 next year and Im hoping that by having an album showing various stages in his life it will help him to remember things Looking forward to seeing all the different takes on this.

A Lovely Crafty Break

Hello there. Im just back from a lovely break in the North East of England. I spent a couple of days with my lovely friend Heather and had a fab day cropping and blethering with Heather, Lesley and Julie. I managed to get caught up on my Photo Fifty pages for March which I will photo and put on the blog when I get a chance. I then had a lovely peaceful couple of days at my Mum and Dads caravan in Beadnell. Despite the dull and chilly weather I got my walks on the beach which were just blissful and peaceful. I love being by the sea and I find it clears out the cobwebs in my head which is just what was needed. I came back to work yesterday but the blow was softened somewhat by the arrival of a parcel from France. It was my matchbox Shrine from Rebecca. It is an utterly beautiful Beach hut hanging on a rope and the photo just doesnt do justice to how lovely it is. When you open the door it reveals a picture of my beloved Beadnell Bay which was just so thoughtful of her. There are also some lovely little shells in there.

It now has pride of place in my room at home. Also in the parcel was a beautiful hand crafted pendant made from Scottish Sea Glass and an altered box full of shells, little bits of driftwood and sea glass. It was all so beautiful and I feel honoured to have received it all

Matchbox Shrine Swap

When I saw this swap which Rebecca put up on UKS I just couldnt resist. I loved the idea of making a little shrine from a small matchbox. As ever though the ideas in my head took a bit of translating into practise and mine didnt turn out as I had initially envisaged it.

My swappee requested a Nostalgic/Vintage theme and I thought immediately of my Kaisercraft 6 xc 6 pad of Sweet Nothings papers which are in lovely soft vintage tones. I decorated the inside with some paper, did some inking, added a little filigree silver edge piece, a lovely little blue cameo which I got from Angela of Angel Crafts at the as I thought this would be lovely on the inside. I made a frame from the front using two nestability dies, added a three d punched butterfly and some little flowers I made from spirals with some stickes on. I inked and scrunched a length of hug snug seam binding to hung it up from and that was it done

I think Karen liked it and I hope she has a wee spot to hang it in. I loved this swap and think I will have a go at making one for myself. I am fortunate enough to know that Rebecca is making mine which is winging its way to me from France at the moment and having seen her sneak peak on UKS I cannot wait to receive my little beach hut shrine. I know exactly where that is going to live.

Mini Screen Swap

I couldnt resist joining in the mini screen swap on UKS when Karen announced it and once I saw Linda E's lovely version in Craft Stamper I knew I definately wanted to join in.

I was a bit stumped at first when I got the theme my swappee wanted which was Oriental as I dont really possess anything which could be described as Oriental. However I saw these lovely black and red Kaisercraft papers and took it from there. I covered the back of the panels with the paper and distressed and inked the edges. I then covered the fronts with red and black cardstock. I found a sheet of Oriental decoupage and set about cutting out the ladies - which was a bit of a trial for my limited cutting skills. A few little trinkets and they were done. Its quite simple but I really hope my swapee likes it

I asked for a Cath Kidston/Shabby Chic style screen for my theme and I received mine from Claire yesterday

I finished the screen off with stamped chinese writing on panels of white card inked at the edges and decorated these little Kaisercraft Chipboard lanterns finishing them off with tassels made from embroidery thread. I just hope the recipient likes it