Simple Stories ‘Heart’ Collection

Love, love, love this collection.

Layout #1...

The hardest thing about this collection is deciding which side of the papers to use, I love them all!

I used ‘treasured memories’ paper as a background border and used the ‘always in my heart’ paper as my main background page. I’ve embellished with washi tape, stickers, chipboard and enamel dots. There is also a couple of doilies (in yellow and mint) and I’ve managed to use one of the branding strips (black and white) to ‘ground’ my photograph.

All in all I’m very pleased with my first page using this collection.

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Wrong Title...

Isn't it annoying when you think of a better title for a scrapbook page AFTER you've photographed it for your blog?!!  I believe I was having one of those 'Sod's Law' moments, when if it can go wrong, it will, like when you urgently need to look up something on the internet (<<<URGENTLY>>>) and your computer crashes (twice!) or the day you wash your car is the day ALL the birds seem to have diarrhoea or you're late for work and ALL the lights are red!  You get the gist.

 

I made this using my LIKE FOR EVER October kit 'Hello Beautiful', which comprised mostly of the Maggie Holmes SHINE Collection by Crate Paper. The photo is of my two grown-up children who finally found a spare 'peaceful' moment together... a rare occurrence (even as adults)... as they still fight like cats and dogs! And so the title should  read something like... "A Break In Hostilities" OR "A Temporary Ceasefire", amazing how inspired I am NOW, when at the time of completion (and before) I couldn't think of a single title and stuck with a boring "Capture The Everyday"!  Oh well, such is life...

 

Gotta love a doily!

My 'boring' title

Lots of hearts and some Heidi Swapp colour shine in yellow (just to add

a little more interest and some sparkle)

Chipboard embellies and stickers and a quote from the cut-apart paper 'Bright'

 

 

 

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Family Moments

Hi...

My first page with a new kit... whoop whoop.  There's no better feeling than starting a new kit with all its beautiful patterned pages and embellies!  Although cutting into said papers is always hard!

 

This has been put together using the LIKE FOR EVER October 2015 Kit ~ 'Hello Beautiful', this kit is comprised of the Maggie Holmes SHINE Collection by Crate Paper. The background paper is called 'Divine' which I have added sequins and ink splatters to.

 

sequins and splatters in yellow, pink and gold

Thickers are by 'Freckled Fawn' (yellow puffy), the 'MOMENTS' is from the chipboard sticker sheet and the 'THE' is from the 'American Crafts' glittered letter stickers pack

The 'together' is also from the 'American Crafts' glittered letter stickers pack

 

Happy Crafting

 

 

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Rolling On...

Hello Everyone...

 

I've finally gotten over my 'feeling sorry for myself' phase and have decided to spend some time online.  As you may or may not know I have Progressive Multiple Sclerosis which quite frankly is a bitch!  It has been difficult lately to get my head around... grieving for the lose of the old me and accepting the new (not so improved) me! I have my ups and downs along with anyone else who is coping with a long term health condition... my depression set in when I had to accept that I could no longer walk with just the aid of my crutches but have to use a 'rollator' (an old persons walker to you and me!), the last few months have been hard :(

 

But I'm over my sulking and am using the 'rollator' like a good 'un...

My share today is my final page with one of my LIKE FOR EVER kits (due to my 'funk' they are now growing into enormous piles that is beginning to rival the Blackpool Tower!  The craft room is looking like some kind of pizza delivery warehouse with all those pizza boxes stacked high in uneven piles of crafty scrumminess ~ a sensible person would cancel their subscription, but HEY... I never said I was 'sensible'!).

 

I made this page LAST YEAR (!?*) and never got around to posting about it... so here goes...

 

 

This is layout number 12 with this kit from LIKE FOR EVER ~ it's the September kit called 'Acorn Avenue', the kit consisted mostly of Pink Paislee's 'Cedar Lane' collection.


Killed?  Oh yes...

 

Well and truly finished... now for all those pizza boxes...

 

but first some close ups...

 

 

 

 

 

NEXT!!!

 

 

 

 

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Just Desserts

I blogged the other day about 'white space' [here], a design concept in scrapbooking.  I featured an article (by Debbie Hodge) about white space which showcased three layouts (using the same images) to show off this concept on finished layouts.  I personally liked layout #2 and thought I'd give it ago...

 

Here is a picture of the original layout design...

 



 

 

 

 

And here is my take...

'Special For Today'... feature's my LIKE FOR EVER August kit (Oh So Lovely), which consists if the Crate Paper 'Wonder' collection.  This is my 8th layout with this kit, the photos tell the story of my daughter and I taking my niece out for her first 'grown-up' shopping trip... we had a ball!  Part of the experience was to be 'ladies what lunch', so here we are having lunch in Frankie and Benny's.  Of course lunch had to include dessert... and what fabulous desserts we had!  I'm so glad I managed to capture this moment.

 

 

My journaling

 

Love these sequins and enamel dots that came in the kit, they add just the right element

 

I used some of the die-cuts for my title and embellishments

 

 

I think this design may become one of my 'go-to' layouts when inspiration deserts me!

 

Have a great 'hump day' everyone x

 

 

 

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Abbie~Cat

As I sit here, typing away, in-between watching the new Christmas adverts on TV.  I'm thinking... why would you (supposedly) spend 7 million pounds on one advertisement?  Seriously, these supermarkets have far too much money, far too much power and not enough freebie coupons!

 

My current pet hate is the tiny amount of money countless big well-known businesses are not paying in UK taxes.  We hear about how much profit they've made each year, but they are not so forthcoming about the tiny percentage they pay in tax on that profit.  No wonder they can spend so much on adverts!  If they have enough money to spend 7 million on one advert or can afford to scrap thousands of pounds worth of merchandise (just because it is 'old' stock ~ that's less than a year old by the way) then surely they should be putting back into the country they are getting all this profit from!  But no!  They are more likely to create a new highly paid job to someone who knows how to evade taxes than just cough it up!  As a consumer it is MY responsibility to protest this, by boycotting these disgusting tax-dodgers and flexing my consumer muscles, by withdrawing my hard earned cash from these rouge outlets!

 

BUT...

 

How can I stand on my principles when the worst of these companies are... GOOGLE and AMAZON!  I mean my Christmas shopping would not get done if not for Amazon... I'm even on 'Prime' for goodness sake!  So much for my ethics!

 

And as for Google... does the internet even work without it?

 

I will do what I can, though... no more Tesco deliveries for me.  Definitely no more trips to Boots and everyone is going to get something from 'Lush' for Christmas this year (because they pay LOADS of tax on their profits)!

 

I've had my moan... so on with the crafting...

My photo today is from 2013 Halloween ~ my niece, Abbie, decided to dress-up as a cat ~ an 'Abbie-Cat'...

LIKE FOR EVER, August kit was used for this.  all from Crate Paper's Wonder Collection, the colours are lovely and that vellum with the gold triangles is beautiful

 

 

 

I love this little cardstock sticker

 

 

...more cats

These thickers are fab ~ 'Gold Charm' they are gold and corrugated for additional texture

 

and to finish a few stickers

 

Simple!

 

 

 

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The Beautiful Game... RUGBY!!!

I am obliged as the ex-wife of a Welshman; the mother of two 'Welshies' and the inhabitant of the rain soaked, sheep laden 'Land of my Fathers'... to love rugby and surprisingly... I do.  Seriously, what red-blooded woman doesn't want to see a bunch of beefy looking, muscle-bound hunks (just don't look at their ears), beating the crap out of each other ~ all in the name of sport!  When I compare it to football, the supposed 'beautiful game', I just don't see how anyone can like the theatrical play-acting and all those 'pratfalls' better than the skills of rugby.

 

Of course, being English (the lowest of the low in terms of rugby supporters, not only in Wales but the world over), I find it very difficult having the entire world against my team, but such is rugby... everyone hates the England Team, always have ~ always will (the rest of the world , "Are you really that insecure?"  Apparently... yes, you are!), but that's another debate.

 

Although in recent years rugby players, in general, have been getting a little out of hand (I blame the footballers influence), with too much hotel carousing; dwarf throwing (who knew there was such a thing!) and adultery, on the whole (probably because there is less money involved in rugby) rugby players don't display so much stupidity in their off-field behaviour.  Ummm, perhaps its all those Max Boyce/Tom Jones songs they listen to and although most of them don't remember the words to the Lord's Prayer, let alone a full song... 'Hymns and Arias' 'Green, Grass of Home' and 'Delilah' can be recited word for word by all Welsh players and supporters alike! 

 

The best match ever?  Goes to the Barbarians (with a nickname like the 'Baa Baa's' how could I not appreciate them) against the All Blacks (New Zealand to the ignorant) in 1973 at Cardiff Arms Park.  This, most exhilarating match was a display of unparalleled skill with the amazing dexterity of Phil Bennett and his physics-bending sidesteps which were as mesmerising as Gareth Edwards' finishing prowess.  The entire 80 minute match was a display of 'offloading', 'dummying' and  body-swerving and was accompanied by the iconic commentary of Cliff Morgan and the operatic Arms Park crowd.  Apart from the Haka, which looked like a drunken rehearsal of camp Morris Dancers (thank goodness this aspect of Maori tradition, the infamous war cry,  has improved and become more authentic over the years!), everything was... 'the perfect game'.  Is it sad that I remember this game from the countless videos I've watched (thanks to my ex-husband's sporting obsession fascination and the fact that no-one knew what to buy him for Christmas)? Full version [here], just fancy a little peak? [here]

 

Football on the other hand... is just not my game.  I would have a serious problem sitting through 90 minutes of watching a ball being passed back and forward (another reason to like rugby... it only last for 80 minutes!).  In fact I DID have a problem when taking my son to his football matches when he was a boy (his father refused to take him... it wasn't rugby, after all) and having to stay there... needless to say I read a lot; cheered (hopefully) in the right places and was very. very glad when it was time to go.  I didn't even mind all the muddy boots (and smells) and sweaty football shirts if it meant it was 'home-time'!

 

My future son-in-law does not feel this way... and every week he can be seen strutting his stuff on the football pitch, yes... he plays!  Which is depicted in the photo on my layout...

 

I've used my LIKE FOR EVER September kit 'Acorn Avenue' for this and I've even managed some mixed media... woo hoo!

 

The border was made from 4 manufacturing strips (waste not~want not)

 

 

Thickers by American Crafts (Fitzgerald in peacock)

 

 

Puffy sticker and mixed media (modelling paste and a stencil from 'The Crafters' Workshop')

 

Doily and mixed media

 

 

Fox? no relevance whatsoever (artistic license!)

 

Glitter circles from last month's kit

 

 

 

 

Even after ten layouts this kit is still going... but I'm definitely going to be killing it soon! 

 

Happy Crafting

 

 

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R.I.P. JONAH LOMU (aged 40), a true sporting great

 

 

Home Time

If we are very lucky in life, our children will actually turn out OK... no matter how many times we, as parents, manage to cock up ~ they will manage to get through it and grow up to have only minimal hang ups, they will (hopefully) not be too traumatised by their parents stealing the occasional kiss (despite the gagging noises sons and daughters seems to have been born able to do!). I'm VERY lucky with my two off-spring.  My son is willing to overlook my obvious deficiencies and be kind to his dear old mum, whilst my daughter works and lives away and so, has more understanding of how the world actually works and misses having someone to pay the bills!

Can we ever, truly be friends with our kids?  I think not... and that's not just because I want to be the boss of everyone!  I could never be anything but 'mum' (or as they were wont to say "ahh mum!!!"), I expected to be the one in charge... it wasn't a democracy in our house but more of a dictatorship!  And of course as my delightful, well behaved children entered teenhood I managed to cross the invisible line of 'fuddiness' by uttering the immortal words (and there's really no going back from this) "in my younger day" ~ and once said, that's it, game over... you have just labelled yourself 'old' and have turned into your parents.  It will bring back memories from your own childhood, remembering how annoying your parents were, for never understanding you, but it will not make you more understanding of your current situation and the stranger in front of you! I guarantee the first time you say it (and there will be many more times), you only realise after the word have left your mouth, what you have said because you will, by this point, be frustrated and ready to be classed as 'old' because at that precise moment you really won't understand the person who is now inhabiting your child's body. 

By way of revenge, I used to really annoy my kids by being the 'cool' mum to all their friends ~ they always found it SO irritating, I had them over a barrel, they couldn't say anything horrible because it would make them look bad ~ mwahhhh!

Since I'm talking about my kids I think I'll show you my seventh layout made with my LIKE FOR EVER August kit ('Oh So Lovely' consisting of the Crate Paper 'Wonder' collection ) I'll get around to showing you layout number six next time...  these photos tell the story of my son's love of school or not!  I never had any trouble getting my kids to school.  School was one of those non-negotiable rules (like seat belts)... you go, that's it! "Yeah, I know... life's not fair (get over it)!"  Anyway, back to my boy... he went, but by golly like the proverbial horse taken to water... no-one was gonna make him learn!  His favourite subject was detention!  The first photo shows his pre-school face (happy? NOT) and the second one shows his eagerness to get out of that blasted uniform (finally a smile)...

Very busy layout

wood veneer

 

yep, there's grumpy

 

I little bit of journaling (gosh, I hate my writing!)

 

 

Those 'Trinket' thickers are lovely even if they do take up loads of space!

 

 

 

 

I love being a mum... and even though they won't admit it, they love having me as their mum... I think!

 

May your inks never run dry!

 

 

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