My blogging has been so neglected as has my scrapbooking, i am blaming it on the pandemic!!! for the lack of connection to the kids, not seeing them for all that time therefore not taking all those photos!!!

i think this may be the last layout i made in 2021 and this photo is during the summer when i had the kids over during the half term.

I'm determined 2022 will be different, 

I'm planning some picnics in the park , something easy that doesn't take too much planning!!

and they can drop in and out easily.

just need to get through these dark couple of months, I hate January and February and spend most of my time wishing for spring that takes so long to come, I see the signs , get excited but then it all stops, goes on hold for another month, then another one!!

it will come, it always does!!

this year we have moved our retreat from October to February, something to look forward to, 18 days and counting!! its over 2 years since the last one and I cant wait!

in the middle of  the first 2020 lock downs when we were thinking it will all be over by the end of summer to now February 1st  2022 and we are still predicting the end of it and in all that time we had managed to keep it out of our house, but it had to get us in the end and it did!! 

but today is release day, we have both been poorly, not too poorly thank fully, thanks to the vaccines I'm sure but its back to work today and then count down to retreat and then looking forward to spring 2022

bring it on!!

 

Happy Days-Scrapbook Layout

 Loving my page for The Mad Scrapper using the Daydream range by Cocoa Vanilla studio.

so easy to use with all the bits and pieces to make a lovely layout.

Using pieces from the ephemera pack , the cut apart sheet and the 12x12 pages.

I gutted my first sheet as it only goes to waste under the top sheet and gives me more to play with. the border was about 2" I used a ruler sat along the edge and a craft knife to do this.

For the next sheet to go on top I used a ruler to tear down to keep it straight but give me the distressed look I wanted, this then went on the border back ground piece. The gutted piece just makes a lovely frame and I would always use the darkest sheet for this.

My photo which is 4x6 was then mounted on the leftover from my gutted background sheet.

I used one of the pieces from the cut apart sheet for my journal square, I loved the rainbow and added my journaling to this following the curves of the rainbow, love this feature, it adds great interest I feel.

I then added pieces from the ephemera pack, my title, houses, the top rainbow and flowers, all added using a mix of double-sided tape and 3D foam pads to raise where I needed them to, the front house some of the flowers are raised, the hearts on the journal square.

    

   

 I finished by adding a few sparkly gems here and there mixed in with the floating flowers, just finishes it off lovely I feel.

Mini Album/Journal.

 Handmade journal/ mini album

next DT project for The Mad Scrapper

oh I love a mini album.

I love it when I get some packaging like this, it's the perfect size and already in the perfect shape for a mini album, one of my favourite things, I love them for an event when you have quite a few photos to document, there is an end to it so it becomes complete.

 

For the outside and inside I cut the pieces for the flat surface and attached them with a strong double sided tape and then cut the spine pieces, measured and scored where I needed the folds to be but made sure they were wider so they overlapped the main pieces, on the front panel I added the extra red coloured strip just to add a bit of interest, again fixing the spine covers in place with a strong tape, right up to the edges so there will be no lifting.

I distressed all-round the edges of the book with a sand paper block, it just softened the edges a bit.

I added my elastic for my inner pages by punching holes and threading the elastic through and back again, tying a knit at the bottom.

The pages are just 12x12 cardstock cut to size and folded in half, they then tuck under the elastic, you can add more pages as and when you need or add different sizes for more interest, the pages can be removed to work on for ease and then added back in when finished.

For the outside design I cut some of the pieces from the playing cards sheet and layered them up with my metal leaf, die cut flower, embellishment cluster and my title. I used 3d foam pads and gel mediums for my glues adding height to the design.

Lastly, I splattered using the oxide ink watered down and using a paint brush to splatter.

On the inside I cut a pocket and with a strong double-sided tape I fixed in place, i then did some fussy cutting from the splendor sheet and glued it in place just poking out of the pocket, i made myself some little tags and cut some elements from the playing cards sheet and tucked them in the pocket, you could add another pocket on the inside back cover the add more bits and pieces from the set so they are to hand when adding to your mini book, embellishments ready to go.

 

products used.....

Paisley and vine papers

Pathway https://www.themadscrapper.co.uk/products/paisley-vine-pathway

Nature https://www.themadscrapper.co.uk/products/paisley-vine-nature

Playing cards https://www.themadscrapper.co.uk/products/paisley-vine-playing-cards

Splendor https://www.themadscrapper.co.uk/products/paisley-vine-splendor

Distress Oxide , Festive Berrieshttps://www.themadscrapper.co.uk/products/distress-oxides-ink-pad-festive-berries

from my stash I also used ....

Bramble Fox Perspectives

Embellishment cluster

Metal leaf 

Flower die cut piece

Scrapbook Layout-Free Spirit

Free Spirit, Scrapbook layout.

 

 I do love flowers!

This page is of my granddaughter Mia at my son's wedding a couple of years ago, I have titled it Free Spirit because she is just that!

 For this page I just loved the main background sheet so didn't feel the need to add to it which I quite often do its beautiful.

So, I could get straight into my layout without waiting for back ground dry which I normally have to do when I have been playing and adding texture.

  

  

Lots of layering on this page, firstly I cut strips of 3 of my papers not too important on the width but ranging from 2" wide down to 1" wide and 10" long down to maybe 8" long so that they can layer at different levels.

Two of the strips I cut points in the bottom like you would on the end of a ribbon to stop it fraying. i distressed all the edges of my strips , you can use a craft knife, dedicated distress tool, or an open pair of scissors (being very careful)

From the playing card sheet, I cut out 3 of the journaling squares and distressed the edges of these too.

I mounted my photo which is 4"x6" onto one of the papers, this can depend on your photo as to which one you use.

I then played around and decided on where I wanted them all to go, using the photo to move things around and work out the spacing. at this point I take a photo so I can look at it as I stick them all down as it is so easy to forget where I wanted it all to go! you could even put light pencil markings if it helps when placing.

I then added my photo using 3d foam pads at the bottom but not at the top to level things out as the top was slightly higher off the page.

I didn't glue or put my 3d foam pads too close to the edge of the photo as i wanted to be able to tuck things under the edge of the photo.

 

I then did some fussy cutting from one of the sheets and cut some die cut leaves and flourishes, I decided where I wanted them all to go and layered them up using a mixture of 3d foam pads and gel medium as my glue, tucking leaves and flourishes behind the layers of my strips and journal squares.

My title was one of the cut apart pieces from the playing card sheet that I cut with a round punch and distressed the edges.

I then added my flowers and my title. 

Lastly, I covered my photo and splattered with the oxide ink pad watered down a little to allow me to pick it up with a paint brush.

products used.....

Paisley and vine papers.

             whimsy- background sheet- strip

             splendour- fussy cutting- strip

             nature- strip

             playing cards- journaling squares- title

49 and market flowers- scarlet

distress oxide- festive berries- for splatters

round punch 

leaves and flourishes dies 

EEK-Soon be Halloween

I've really had fun playing with my Halloween kit from Louise at Thompson craft supplies

The fun papers and all the ephemera made it very easy to create,

this time its a mini album, about 8" x 8" 

all the papers and other ephemera are all from past kits, combined to make this kit, you can have one put together  just for you, just give Louise a budget and some ideas of your taste and she will do the rest.

made from scratch no base book, the base is some cardboard from a packing box from work, folded into shape.

scored and folded card make the inside spine where i have then fixed my pages, couple are fold out pages to add interest and extra scrapping space.

lots of fussy cutting and layering on the cover with patterned papers layered onto the black cardstock

which gives a great frame to each page.

added texture from the hessian, ribbons are art grit make it a very tactile cover.

oh and don't forget the splattering!!

inside each page has has been framed with the black and covered with patterned papers, with lots of pockets and fold outs, some added embellishments and its ready to add some photos

and maybe some more embellishments.

oh and can you see the bunting, card and fabric combine, love my Halloween bunting!!