Right Now

Blimey.....where did the week go?

I'm quite looking forward to a night in tonight - first one this week anyhow!

My sporadic blogging is becoming a habit too unfortunately, so time to get posting.

This is another page I created a couple of months ago, just never got around to posting.

It's just another everyday kinda page, but it does have me in front of the camera instead of behind for once.  I believe my youngest was the photographer during one of her snap happy phases last Summer.

Right Now

Pretty simple really.

I believe I used an older sketch from Scrap365 that was printed and sitting in my stash for ages.

Chalk ink and a stencil for the background together with a few stitched butterflies.

Silhouette die cuts, brads and a few layers.

Followed by a few more and one of my faves........a pin badge/button.

Papers are a bit of a mix but mostly old MME.

Short and sweet today but I'll try and make it back with another page in the next couple of days.

Have a great weekend,
Jayne.x.

Sketch-y Friday at Scrapmuch? - Third Grade

Good morning.

There's a brand new Sketch up over on the Scrapmuch? blog and Team B is providing a little inspiration, so that's means a layout from me.

I have now finally finished scrapping this years school photo's so I'm officially up to date!

Third Grade

I really like this paper collection.....Creative Agenda by Echo Park.  It happens to match the outfits my girls were wearing perfectly!

I cut a deckled edge around the background paper, layered onto a separate sheet of cardstock, then stamped and applied more layers of washi and paper.

I found this cute little camera frame in the Silhouette store so that was added and of course I'd got to get a pin badge/button on there somewhere!

Those blue, shaped brads really are from my hoarded stash.......I think I bought them when I first started scrapbooking!

I added a few more Silhouette cuts - the scribbled circles, and finally the title.

All done.

Here is this weeks Sketch so please join us for the challenge.

I rotated this one 90 degrees clockwise and substituted the three photo's for a larger one........the possibilities are endless if you start with a good sketch!

Don't forget to link up your own creation over on the Scrapmuch? blog to be in with a chance of winning a prize.  There are at least four sketches each month!

I'm off for a day of scrapping with the Scrapmuch? ladies tomorrow.....woo hoo, so whatever you're doing, have a good one and I'll see you next week,
Jayne.x.

Sweet Memories

Hey, how's it going?

Thought it was about time I posted another layout on here as I've been a class one slacker recently!  I meant to make an appearance yesterday but decided to give myself the day off as it was my Birthday..........any excuse I know!

Anyhow back to it.

This page has been lying around for a few months (hangs head in shame!) just waiting for it's debut.  I love the photograph......fond memories of a visit from my parents last Summer.

Sweet Memories

I can imagine as we speak, my Mom and Dad are testing their brains thinking "where was that photograph taken".......hehe I think I'll leave them in suspense for a little while and test them later!

Lots of distressed layers on this one......

The papers are a really nice Fall collection from last year by Authentique.  I've veered away from a fair few of their recent collections as I got a little tired with the designs, but I was reminded when creating this page how consistently awesome the quality is.

The background consists of stamping and ink stains, and lots of layers around the photograph too.

More layers on the opposite side and a sweet little cluster of embellies.

This weeks happens to be my turn for a layout over on the Scrapmuch? blog so I'll definitely be back Friday.

Till then, have a good one,
Jayne.x.

Inspiration Elevator - New

Good morning, it happens to be the 15th of the month which means it's time for a little........

Our main purpose here at IE is to challenge ourselves, each other and YOU to take the creative process to the next level;  to inspire growth and change in our scrapbooking beyond our usual boundaries.
You can see all of Inspiration Elevator's previous challenges on Facebook .

 This month's challenge is issued by the creative and prolific Lisa Spiegel, a scrapbooker from California who works hard to keep her pages focused on the photos and the story. Here it is in her own words:

" January is a month where we make resolutions, start fresh and have a new outlook towards many things. Our scrapping is the same way! We start new albums, pick "one little word" for new focus and even try new techniques. My challenge this month is to use the word "new" to inspire your page. Try to move beyond new products (although that is fun!) and scrap about something "new" you're committed to (maybe a new diet?), "new" to you experience and while you're at it, use a "new to you" technique. Something you've NEVER tried before this page. Tell us how it goes in your blog post!!"

So.....New huh?

So far I'm slightly unsure of 2015 as there seems to be a little too much 'new' in one form or another!  Makes me realize that I am not overly keen on change.....good or bad......makes me nervous!

For my page this month I decided to play it safe in a way.  I dealt with the obvious instead of delving too deep.......yes, burying my head in the sand but I just wanted to use my scrapping for the therapy it quite often is.  A lighthearted opportunity to let myself go with whatever creative flow I get caught up in.

That said, my 'New' is a 'Do' I'm guessing I will need to explain but my page will do most of that for me!)

A New Do

See.....I told you - nothing deep here, just a new hairstyle for 2015!

My title got me to thinking though, after I'd already got it down on the page, when it's too late to change of course!

I'm not sure the term 'a new do' is commonly used here in North America?  I tried to test out the theory on my daughters, them being born and raised here in Canada, to check if they knew what the heck I meant and they said "Of course.....we listen to you all day".  Hmmm.... I'm not quite sure they are considered a 'controled' experiment!

So just to make things clear - the term 'do' is used pretty commonly in the UK(as far as I'm aware) to refer to your hairstyle (hairdo!) and is quite often shortened to 'do'!

Of course I could be way off and this might only be used by those such as myself from The Midlands or Black Country to be precise......we can be a funny bunch!

On with some deets:

I did try to include a few more 'New' elements, those being my paper collection to start.....fancy that......me buying more paper! Lol

This line is from Pink Paislee's Bella Rouge line.

I also tried a 'new to me' technique for the title (can't believe I haven't tried this before......so not with it!) and cut directly into my background, then layered a co-ordinating paper behind.

A hand-drawn outline helped give a little more definition.

My journalling is written onto vellum (using my Silhouette) - something I love but don't do enough of.

Another 'New' is the style of the page.  I went uber clean and simple for this one - not my usual thing but I actually like it.

Embellishments consist of four things......

a feather tied with jute, a vellum tag, a few enamel dots and a sparse scattering of brads.

I could get used to this if it wasn't for the fact of not making any dent whatsoever in your stash!

(For those that don't realise.....making a dent in your stash means the ability to buy more stash!)

Finally, my background has a mixture of punched circles, stitched lines and doodled pencil drawing.

That's about all from me but we encourage you to check out each designer's creation this month: here's a complete list of this month's participating designers!
  

Lisa Spiegel

Ann Jobes 

Jayne Morgan - that's me!

Wendy Robinson

Lisa Moen

Why not give the challenge a try yourself? Then pop by our Facebook page and share with us what you created!

Have a wonderful day and I'll be back tomorrow.....time to catch up from my slack week of blogging,
Jayne.x.

Sketch-y Friday at Scrapmuch? - (Wo)Mans Best Friend

Hi there, it is definitely Friday which means it's time for a beautiful new Sketch, and a wee bit of inspiration over on the Scrapmuch? blog.

Team B is up so time for me to get myself in gear.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with this page, maybe because it has pictures of my favourite furry guy on there!

(Wo)Man's Best Friend.

On our camping adventure last Summer, we happened upon a steam train so we took a little excursion seen as doggies were allowed.  Charlie of course spent most of his time with his head out of the carriage window.

Much fun!

Maybe we should all take a hint from our four legged friends.......enjoy life's simple pleasures!

Here is this weeks super Sketch:

So for my interpretation I changed up the vertical panel a little by using a sort of square patchwork instead.

If you really want the look of stitching on your page but really can't be bothered to either crank up the sewing machine or tackle things by hand (like a certain person!)I have a little tip for ya.

Distress the edges a little of whatever you're intending (not!) to sew, then actually pierce the sew lines before doodling a faux stitch with whatever colour you like.  It definitely takes a little more time than just regular faux stitching, but also not as long as the real deal.

The outcome is far more realistic and it's not quite so obvious that you've cheated (even though you have technically cheated!).

I love this background paper - perfect for anything really, so I had to go and mess it up a little with some random splatters from a bottle of white Mister Huey's.

You might also notice some of my faves on there......wood, metal, my homemade enamel dots (melted Hama beads)and of course layers.

I randomly punched a couple of half circles into one border strip which made the perfect slot for another fave - a little flair!

Papers are from MME Now and Then.

Well that's all from me but we'd love for you to play along with this weeks Sketch - just link up over on the Scrapmuch? blog and you could be in with a chance of winning!

Have a great weekend, keep warm and I'll see you next week,
Jayne.x.

Oh Holy Night

After walking the dog last night I am seriously considering hibernating for the next couple of months if these FREEZING temperatures persist!  Either that or he's going to have to learn to walk himself.

Thankfully I don't have go to work, which means I don't plan on leaving the house for the next 2 days, so fingers crossed it may have warmed up slightly by the time I next venture out.

Good thing is I get to play.......scrap, blog, etc.

Today I'm finishing up with my second page from a recent Two Scrapbook Friends DT Kit, using the Tinsel & Company collection by Teresa Collins. (You can check out the first here).

I loved using this line and from one that is NOT a Christmas scrapper, that's praise indeed!

Oh Holy Night.

Lots of the usual layers on here starting with a cut background using the Silhouette brand chipboard, and ending with a cute little peek-a-boo folded corner.

I made use of lots of stickers and the lovely brads that come along with this line too.

So there we have the first one into the book for 2015!

Well maybe not quite as technically it's sitting in the store right now but you know what I mean.......still lot's more to go.

I'll be back tomorrow as it's time for a Sketch-y Friday over at Scrapmuch?

See you then,
Jayne.x.

Happy 2015!

A very Happy New Year to you!

I realise I've been a little absent the last week or two but unfortunately it's par for the course at this time of year..........working retail during the busiest shopping period usually means not a lot of time for anything else!

Can't complain though.  I have a day off today so I'm going to make the most of it and wish you all (again!) a very happy and healthy new year.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas too.  We sure did in the Morgan house if not a little quiet, and perhaps could have been a little healthier but never the less everyone was happy and well blessed by the man in the red suit.

Mommy came out of it particularly well.........a new Canon Selphy to print those scrappy pics and a gift certificate to one of my favourite local scrapbook stores amongst other things..........ahhhhhhh I have taught them well! Lol.

The whole family also had a treat in the form of a new PC, so hopefully you will be saved from hearing me grumble about unreliable technology in the near future.

I do have a number of pages I could be posting today but I figured I'd save those for another day and instead I would do a mini recap of 2014 by posting my fave Top 10 layouts.

I've meant to do this every year since I started my blog (back in 2010!) but never seemed to get around to it so the wait is over!

It was a tricky decision I tell ya.......some pages jump out at me as faves for one reason or another.  Others, I really do dislike!  Thankfully I did wind up with more in the 'like' pile and had to weed out a few to get down to 10.  So here they are and whether you agree or disagree, the author's decision is final!

Top 10 of 2014.

Puppy Love

Attitude

Hello Specs

It's Only Rock n' Roll

Hello Disney

Shine

Fun In The City

A Winter's Tale

Good Day Sunshine

Laugh

There you have it - a whole year summed up in 10 layouts.

Here's to 2015 and another creative year of scrappy goodness.  I wish you all the best in health and happiness, and may you carve out as much crafting time as possible.

I'll be back here soon so much love and hugs,
Jayne.x.