Precious time with you

I've always been a family person, but when you lose a parent it makes the time you spend with family even more precious.  In 2012 mum and I went to Cornwall for a week.  Admittedly going in August was probably the stupidest time to go, but go we did!

This year I have decided to concentrate on an scrapbook album at a time and have a theme running through my albums.  In the past I've scrapped photo's as and when I've felt like it, but I found the challenge of limiting the photo's I used to document the week a challenge.  It was also a very relaxing experience replaying the fun we had.

Over the coming weeks I'll show you a few more layouts but I wanted to show the final page as it summarised the holiday for me.  It was all about spending precious time with mum away from life.

It was great to reminisce and spend quality time together.  I'm loving longer titles at the moment and using multiple fonts.  The little polaroids were picked up in Australia, sorry friends they didn't quite make it to Christmas presents as I couldn't bear to give them away!

This album has really inspired me to use up lots of bits and pieces with newer items.  The flower stickers are fairly new (less than 12 months old) but I just didn't know what to use them on until now, but the buttons and grid material have been sat around for a loooooong time!

Happy crafting
xx

Ravishing ribbons

Over at Unruly Paperarts this month it's all about ribbon.  My fellow columnists have been showing some amazing uses for ribbon including some stunning flowers.  I thought I would show you all different ways of using ribbon on cards and scrapbook pages, especially leftover ribbon.

Here's an sneaky peek of one of the layouts I created:



Pop on over here to see more.

Thanks for looking and happy crafting

Debz
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Oz Winter 2012

One minute it's October and the next were in February.  Scary, time has flown so quickly.

I've been away in Oz, then it was Christmas and then the dreaded year end hit the accounts department at work.  Now that I've come up for breath I've gotten the lurgy, so I sit here on my sick bed looking at photo's of Oz.

I thought I'd share some with you before offering up some of my crafting experminents.

I went out to see a friend who emigrated during the Summer.  I missed most of the floods which was lucky for me, but whilst the weather was hot most days, be warned, the early summer isn't rainproof in Australia!

 

Thank you Bondi beach for allowing graffiti artists along the beachfront.  Stunning artwork and now I have the perfect opening photo for my scrapbook album.  There were some beautiful pieces some in memory of people lost during rescues and one dedicated to war hero's. 

 

 

I stayed in Bondi about 15 minutes from the beach.  Such a hardship being able to wander down to a beautiful beach each day.  Whilst really touristy, it was still a great place to people watch, practise drawing and read whiling away the day.  The famous Bondi iceberg swimming club was to the right of this photo.  Apparently to become a member you have to swim in the open pool every day for 4 years - nutters!

On my first weekend, my friend and I escaped the city for some fresh air in the Blue Mountains.  It was a little overcast, but it was still a stunning place to visit.  We trekked for two days taking in some beautiful waterfalls before heading down under the canopy via an old open mine train.  It was like being on an old roller coaster, but a very short ride.



I love culture so when I saw a show about the Aboriginal tribes I had to go and see it, dragging a reluctant friend with me. We watched and listened to tribal dance and music before heading off for more trekking.

 

I wanted to play with my tripod, but the one night I took it into the city it poured with rain.  This was the only shot I got, but I love it!  It was pitch dark at the time, we had had a lovely seafood meal and dashed over to the Opera bar for a quick photo before heading home.  

 This friendly boy lived just outside of Sydney in an animal park which specialised in conservation along with his Koala and Cockatoo friends.  Watching them being fed was hilarious.  They all rushed up behind the keeper waiting in a massive group following her around like she was the pied piper.

 

 

After a long and strenuous journey into the Hunter Valley it was only right to cool down with a taster or two of wine.  If you ever find yourself in Sydney and want a great tour guide I recommend Kangorific Tours. During the tour we visited a chocolate maker, a cheese maker and 3 wineries. 

 

What can I say, so cute!

 

 

 But not as cute as this boy!

 

 

I loved Oz, especially the time spent with Cas and walks along the coast.  I'll be back soon with some scrapbook pages and altered art.

 

Happy Crafting

Debz

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It's all about the abstract!

This month over at Unruly Paperarts we are playing with canvas and this theme fitted in nicely with the Shimelle.com class I've been doing in September call Learn Something New.  I really recommend this class - you learn so much about yourself, amazing.

I decided to become (well, pretend to become) an abstract artist for the day as part of my New Skill Saturday and this fitted perfectly with my canvas theme for Unruly.

Here's a sneak peek:

Pop on over here to see the whoe piece and how I made it.

Happy Crafting
Debz
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Eeek, such a bad person

I completely forgot to blog about my article of Unruly Paperarts!

It was all about collage and I must say my fellow unrulies put me to shame which such beautiful artwork.  I chose to do a paint collage, but it's quite hard to see all of the different layers.

I'm pleased with how it turned out, but I'm not sure it's so much collage than art journal.  Maybe it can be both.... maybe I should be less critical!

Anyway, here is a sneaky peak.

 

Pop on over to here to see the full article.

Happy Crafting
Debz
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Scrapagogo March 2012

It's hard to document a scrapbooking event as what do you photograph?  A load of layouts?  A photo of each individual teacher?

In order to document what a fun time I had I took a photo of my scrap buddies who were really friendly and good fun.  To represent them I just knew I had to use bright and breezy colours.

I used a Shimelle Laine idea for this.  Take one paper collection and cut it up before you start.  That bit was a tad scary as what if I cut it up and couldn't use it afterwards - what a waste of money....not to worry though.  It just works, but I did end up cutting up various bits more as I went.

I have pretty much used up the whole of this collection now, which is great as I'm often known not to use papers that are too pretty and this collection really did fall in this category.

I'd recommend this philosophy if you have lots to scrap and you want to get it done, rather than procrastinating... or is that just me?  There's not a lot of thinking needed after you have cut the papers and you can scrap simply unless you want to get more detailed adding ink, paint etc.

Happy Crafting
Debz

A stitch in time....

... not so much a stitch in time, more a stitch in line.  Well I'm trying hard to sew in a straight line, but failing most of the time.  Apparently you can alter the pedal to your own need - mine needs to be seriously altered.  I think I'm too used to driving my car - fast - and no alternative!

This month Unruly Paperarts is all about journalling. I decided now that I am a dab hand at sewing I would create a scrap(fabric)book.  The photo's are from The Living Rainforest, near Hermitage in Berkshire.  A small but stunning place to visit.

Here's a sneak, but if you want to see more pop on over here.

Happy Crafting
Debz
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