Hey Sunshine!

I'm back because I've been playing again.......joining in with another challenge at the Two Scrapbook Friends online crop, in the forum.

This time I tried Shelby's challenge 'Let the Sunshine In', meaning you have to include a 'sun' somewhere on your project. I guess I could have used the last scrapbook page I did here, but no.....I had a plan! Always a little worrying when that runs through my head, as things can sometimes turn ugly if 'the plan' doesn't go 'as planned'.......know what I mean?!

Anyhow, fortunately for me (and you!) things went 'to plan', but I'm just not entirely sure about the end result! I'll let you be the judge.............


So I'm thinking that my 'sun' is now a little weird and doesn't look much like a 'sun'! Couple of reasons for this I guess......first I didn't want to use sunshiny colours - they don't match my photo! Nope this sun had to be 100% girly.....think we achieved that!

Secondly, well I got a little snip happy with my trimmer and should have maybe had a 'plan'. I had the general idea in my head, but as this is the new me.......no faffing, primping etc, I cut and stuck it on there. Well that will teach me I guess......back to procrastination 101!

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with the outcome, I just hope viewers will get the idea that it's meant to resemble a sun. Hint: the title is a clue!

Enough waffling, back to details, and this is a big one........I finally dusted off my sewing machine! For months, no years now I have been meaning to dig it out, as I always love the look on cards and layouts, but usually resort to hand sewing. To be honest, when I'm scrapping upstairs and my machine is two floors down in the basement......those two flights of stairs are the deciding factor!

Bone idle I know, but when faced with the choice of hand sewing every 'ray' on this 'sun', my legs have never moved so fast! So glad I did though as I love it, and I'm pretty sure you'll be seeing quite a bit more of it in future.



Papers today are from the We R Memory Keepers valentine line 'Love Struck', and nope there is no sketch.....just 'a plan'! (lol). I used sticker alpha's from Cosmo Cricket and chipboard from Bella Blvd for the title, together with some dollar store crocheted lace...........



The charm is another dollar store find, tied with a little Bakers Twine............



Well that's about all from me, but hopefully I'll be back again tomorrow with a card.
See you then
Jayne.x.

Summer days..........

Hello. Thought I'd hop on here with another quick scrapbook page. I got a chance to join in with one of the challenges yesterday for the Two Scrapbook Friends Online Crop.

This particular challenge was from Christa, a fellow member of the DT, to use some of your Summer stash. Is it any surprise I got to work on this one first.........I have plenty of stash! My layout uses last years Pink Paislee papers and embellishments...........


For the last 18 hours or so I have battled the temptation to fill the white space! Now I am finally at peace and no longer feel the need to stick more on there. Could this be the new me?

I'm actually quite happy with the outcome and the whole process......no faffing, worrying, need for perfection........well maybe a little of the perfection part! I almost caved when my eldest dd looked at it and said 'it looks a little bare'.......but no, be strong, she is 8....I am.......well anyhow, I'm standing my ground!

The title was conveniently pre-made for me by a banner strip, and I added pieces cut from the PP with a few Dew Drops.......



My stash of yellow buttons helped with the circle and the pennants are made from the excess I cut from the title.........

Finally, I quite like the thermometer I cut from the PP to form a sun, and popped behind a die cut cloud.............


That's all for today, but I'll be back this week with various bits and bobs!
Have a great day
Jayne.x.

Chase Away The Winter Blah's Online Crop!

Happy 'snowy' Friday!

I have just the thing today to cheer you up and put you in the mood for sunshine.............an Online Crop over at the Two Scrapbook Friends forum. The theme is, as already mentioned in the title, "Chase Away The Winter Blah's"........I think we're definitely in need of a little of that!

All you need to do to join in the fun is register in both the Gallery and Forum, check out the challenges posted, get creating and then you have a whole week to upload your creations to both the Gallery and Forum, to be in with a chance of winning some goodies......easy peasy!

So here we go, on with my challenge.

Before we actually get to it, we need a little 'word association':

When I think of chasing away the Winter Blah's I think "Sunshine".
When I think "Sunshine" I think "Summer".
When I think "Summer" I think "Vacation"..........
and when I think "Vacation" I think.........wait for it............."Postcards"!

Phew! Got there eventually, and there we have my challenge for you.......I'd like you to create a scrapbook page, card, altered item......anything really, which includes a "Postcard"or "Postage Stamp" or at least some sort of reference to the postage system. Could even be a letter, or if you're really struggling to find any of these things in your stash (surely impossible if your stash looks anything like mine!), then I will allow you to maybe broaden the use of the word "Stamp" and ..........well......maybe cheat a little! (get it? the rubber/acrylic variety?)

So I hope that makes sense, and to prove my point, I do have a sample of course.......a scrapbook page using a postcard, postage stamps and......ahem...........acrylic stamps!



I found this awesome "Postcard" paper sitting in my stash (DCWV I think!) just calling out my name. The postage stamps are provided by Nesties and my daughters..........



.........and acrylic stamps are used for the combination of tickets here...........



and for the postmark here.............



There's also some co-ordinating buttons and a little twine wrapped around the photo to finish the job............


I do hope you'll join us for the crop and maybe upload your creations, we always love to see everyone's projects.
Have a great weekend and most importantly have FUN!!
Jayne.x.

At your age!

Hi there, it's Wednesday so we've already made it through half the week!

Just a quick visit from me today....things to do, places to go etc. I have a quirky little card for you, and this one will eventually be making it's way to my brother. Not until April though.....am I on the ball or what?

Anyhow, here goes......it's Maurice from Pollycraft again............

I think I luuuurve Maurice! He's so darn cute.

He is of course coloured with Copic's with a touch of Glossy Accents added to his spec's.............



Papers are from a Cosmo Cricket 6"x6" pad I've had forever, the sentiment is printed using Word and the layout was inspired by the current sketch from The Deconstructed Sketch.

As mentioned, it's headed to my brother, so I'll show you the inside of the card........just a sampling of sibling banter..........brotherly/sisterly love and all that!


That's all from me, but I will be back on Friday as there will be a fun 'On-line Crop' starting over at the Two Scrapbook Friends forum . I have my challenge prepped and ready to go with a cute little scrapbook page too.

See you then
Jayne.x.
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Challenges entered:
Pollycraft Monday Challenge - #128 Ribbon and Buttons
The Deconstructed Sketch - Sketch #39

Crafty Challenge at Two Scrapbook Friends.....So Happy!

Hi there, I'm back today with this weeks 'Crafty Challenge' over at the Two Scrapbook Friends forum. After thinking long and hard about this one, I thought I'd go easy on myself (!) and challenge you to create a scrapbook page, card or any other creation using 'Mom's Favourite Recipe'!

For today's purposes, as I get to set the challenge, the Mom in question is....well.....ME! So your task this week is to create something using a recipe of MY favourite things - the elements that quite often make an appearance on my cards and layouts.

So here goes.
You will need to use at least:

ONE border punch
TWO from the following - twine, ribbon or thread
THREE patterned papers
FOUR buttons

That wasn't so bad was it?

Here's my scrapbook page using all of those................




Three patterned papers from Bo Bunny (well actually four but who's counting!), four buttons (well actually six but.....you know!)



one border punch used on three area's........



with stitching and twine in various places...........


Just for good measure, I made a fun little card following the same recipe.

This one's a cute little digi from Bugaboo Stamps, which my good crafty friend Dee pointed me in the direction of....thanks Dee! It's actually a couple of images which I just layered over each other and then coloured with Copic's.



Papers are from Authentique with a flower, buttons and bakers twine from my stash.



The 'Smile' 'Bingo' card is also cut from the same line of papers



I do hope you'll join in with this weeks Crafty Challenge and don't forget to upload your creations to the forum and gallery, as we always love to see what you create.

That's all from me so have fun and I'll see you next time,
Jayne.
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Challenges entered:
My Grafico Challenge Blog - #122 Flowers
The Crazy Challenge - #107 Use a Die or Punch
The Cutie Pie Challenge Blog - #12 Flower Power
2 Sisters Challenge Blog - #79 Stitching
Crafty Purple Frog Challenge - Flower Power
Cute Card Thursday - #204 Flower Power
Paper Crafting Journey - #3 Make It Cute

A sketch.....mine!

Hi there, it's me here with my first 'Sketch Challenge' for the Two Scrapbook Friends forum.

Yep this is where members of the DT have been given the task of creating our own sketches to be used for a weekly challenge. Sounds like fun....yes?

Be warned, I am certainly no Photoshop expert, so I turned to the good old fashioned pencil and paper! At least the final version of this sketch looks a lot better than the scribbled ones usually floating around my desk at home.

So here goes, I'm keeping things fairly simple for my first attempt.......................


If you'd like to join in, please feel free to use this for a scrapbook page, tweak it for a card LO or anywhere else your creativity takes you.

I came up with a layout using the Yankee Doodles line from We R Memory Keepers, which I picked up from the store quite a while ago, and have been hoarding ever since!



So I guess you can see, scale wise, I didn't stick exactly to my own sketch, but really, this is the beauty of a sketch......it's your starting point to build upon.

As soon as I started laying pieces down upon the page, I realized that if I expanded things a little, and altered the angles of the photo's, my sketch mimicked the carousel my daughter was riding.

The scalloped strip became a zig-zagged canopy...........



........and I cut a fairground style banner at the base, to hold the subtitle. I also added a little texture with my crimper.


I originally intended to use a doily at the top of the page, but to continue with the theme, I created a rosette semi circle which holds the title nicely. Alpha's are from Echo Park and seemed to fit perfectly too.


Well that's all from me, but I do hope you'll play along with today's challenge on the forum. I think the simplicity of this sketch allows for hundreds of possibilities, all of which will be completely different from mine I'm sure. I can't wait to see what you come up with, but most importantly......have fun!

Enjoy your day
Jayne.x.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you're having a good one so far. I have a happy day of scrapping planned so prospects are good.

Today is the big 'V' Day so it's time for my last Valentine card of the season. I had to save the best for last of course, so this one's for my hubby......



Another Saturated Canary image today - 'Queen of Hearts', but I thought I'd go a little different with the monotone colouring.....only greys using Prisma pencils, with a touch of red from Copic's............


I said the crinkled seam binding would make another appearance, and it did, together with a couple of pins..........


Everything else is distressed and inked with a little faux stitching...........


So enjoy the rest of your day, feel the love an all.

I'll be back again tomorrow so see you then,
Jayne.x.
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Challenges entered:
Saturated Canary - #10 Red,Pink and White
Crafty Bloggers Network - #13 Love is in the air
Crafty Boots Challenges - Valentine's
Crafty Cardmakers - #61 Monochrome Magic
Lexi's Creations - #58 Love
Ooh La La Creations Challenges - #98 Be My Valentine
Scrappers Delight - Love
Catered Crop - Hearts
Dream Valley Challenges - #25 Valentine
The Hybrid Chick - #12 Use Ribbon
The Squirrel and the Fox - #11 Valentine's Day

All you need is love.......

Yes, here I am with Valentine #2 in the mini-series of three......just doing my bit to spread the luuurve cause tomorrow's the big day you know.

Today's feature is for my oldest daughter.....remember it always has to be pretty, therefore predominantly pink on this one.........


Another cute image from Saturated Canary.....aren't they all? This one's called 'Penelope and Posey' and is coloured with Copic's..............



Paper's are from the same line as yesterday's card - We R Memory Keepers 'Love Struck', and the yummy seam binding makes an appearance again.........

I can't get enough of it right now, so be warned, it'll appear on everything for a while! The tag is cut, also from a sheet of the patterned paper.

Three buttons to finish off............


..........job done!

The card layout today, was again inspired by a previous sketch from The Deconstructed Sketch.

That's all folks, but I'll see you again tomorrow for the grand finale......my hubby's card for V Day!

See you then
Jayne.x.
-----------------------------------------
Challenges entered:
Craft Your Passion Challenges - #97 Recipe
Crafty Bloggers Network - #13 Love is in the air
Crafty Boots Challenges - Valentine's
Incy Wincy Designs - #133 Recipe
Love To Create Challenge Blog - #2 Buttons and Bows
Catered Crop - Hearts
Dream Valley Challenges - #25 Valentine

Be Mine.......

Hi there, here I am on a snowy Sunday!

If you're looking for the Two Scrapbook Friends Valentine Blog Hop then please scroll down to the next post.....or if that's a little too much trouble (I know, it's Sunday!) then click here.

So on with today's creation. I realised the other day that I haven't posted a single Valentine on here, the main reason for this being that....well....I hadn't made any! (hanging head in shame). So the rush began on Thursday to come up with something for my darling husband, darling children, and the 50 other kids in their relevant classes! Nothing like last minute to spur the creative juices.

Anyhow the point of my rambling is that I will be posting a few Valentine's on here, from now till the big day.

For today, here's the first for my youngest............

Don't you just love sweet little mice holding love heart candies? lol

But really, she is pretty sweet. This was one of the digi's included in the Mega Bundle I picked up from Pollycraft.....lot's of cutie's in there. I'm not entirely sure if 'he' is a 'she'.......it's either Mimi or Marley....can't remember, but for today's purposes, 'he's' a 'she'........get it?

She's coloured with Copic's..........


and papers are from the We R Memory Keepers 'Love Struck' line. I added some of my new yummy seam binding ribbon (which I scrunched a little) from my scrappy friend Dee.....thanks Dee, and of course a button............


There's a teeny bit of bling added at the bottom to finish things off..........

The layout for today's card was inspired by a sketch from The Deconstructed Sketch.

Well that's it from me, but don't forget to come back tomorrow for the continuation of my mini 'lovefest'!

Have a great day
Jayne.x.
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Challenges entered:
Crafty Boots Challenges - Valentines
Catered Crop - Hearts
Dream Valley Challenges - #25 Valentine
Gingerloft Challenges - #33 Love is in the air
That Craft Place Challenge Blog - #6 Love is all around
The Squirrel and the Fox - #11 Valentine's Day

Two Scrapbook Friends Valentine Blog Hop

Happy Friday everyone!

Well today's the day.....I'm feelin' luuurve in the air. Yep it's time for..............


If you're joining me mid route from Christa's blog, then awesome.....you're on track!

If you just happened to drop in by chance, then 'Welcome', stay a while, and if you'd like to join in the 'Hop' and check out a whole load of Valentine inspiration from the rest of the TSF DT, then you might want to head back to the Two Scrapbook Friends Blog where you will begin, then travel from blog to blog leaving a comment on each one.

If you comment on each blog, you will qualify to be in a draw for a special prize from Two Scrapbook Friends! Also, you will find a RED HIGHLIGHTED word on each blog which will make a phrase at the end of the Blog Hop! Once you have completed the hop to all our designers blogs, leave a comment on the Two Scrapbook Friends blog and email the phrase to us and we will enter your name for a second chance to win!

The hop will remain open from February 10th to February 13th at midnight (EST). Winners will be announced on February 14th in the Two Scrapbook Friends' Blog. So, be sure to stop back at the Two Scrapbook Friends Blog and check to see if you are the winner of a fabulous prize from Two Scrapbook Friends.

Here are the featured blogs in our Valentine's Blog Hop:

Carolyn

Christa

Jayne - You're here!

Joanne

Sharlene

Sharon

Shelby

So on with the show..............

For my little creation, I decided to make an 'Explosion Box'. Haven't made one for a while but this one came together perfectly. Here's the outside view.........

I used papers from the super sweet We R Memory Keepers 'Love Struck' line, which of course you can find at TSF. Here's a close up of the lid, showing one of the tags and clear acrylic stamps, which you can also find in the collection.............

Is this little guy not the cutest?

I think I could probably forgive him firing sharp pointy things in my direction!
He's coloured with Copic's and has a little super fine glitter added to his wings.

And finally the inside..............


No mass explosion, but the strands of acetate do bounce quite nicely in real life.
When I got around to adding the small hearts, I realized I didn't have a punch/die small enough, so they are actually portions cut from punched flowers.



For the center heart, I used a Martha Stewart punch and the trusty Dymo labeller made an appearance....................


Well that's all from me....I don't think I could possibly fit any more photo's in here!

Don't forgot to head on over to Joanne's blog to continue the 'Hop'........I'm sure she will have something beautiful to feast your eye's on.

Before you go, remember........

In order to be entered to win:
1. Leave a comment on all the blogs as you go and then come back to the Two Scrapbook Friends blog and leave a final comment there.
2. To have a second chance to win, keep track of the HIGHLIGHTED WORDS from each blog and email the phrase to 2friends@execulink.com. Put "Blog Contest" in your subject line.
3. Check back at the Two Scrapbook Friends blog on February 14th to see if you are the winner. (Winners will not be contacted personally.)

OK I think I've covered everything so have fun and enjoy your day
Jayne.x.

Gotta love twine!

OK I'm flying by the seat of my pants today, trying to fit in the impossible 100 things I'm supposed to be doing, so here we go!

Sharon posted a Crafty Challenge this week over on the Two Scrapbook Friends Forum, which of course I had to join in because the subject matter was 'Twine'. Love it, all kinds, so I thought I'd take the opportunity to scrap my other daughter's school photo, and use up the last of the intended papers. You can see my first LO here.

I'm liking how this one turned out too, so here goes..........


The papers, which I really do love, are from Graphic 45 and the LO for this page was inspired by a sketch from Pagemaps. You can see my natural hemp twine added at the bottom of the photograph, holding a heart charm from my stash..........


The stars are cut using my Slice, and I gave them a little 3D effect by scoring/folding through the center of each point.............


Everything else is cut from sections of the patterned paper, including the title where I've added alpha stickers from Doodlebug Designs............

Well that's it from me.

Have a great day and don't forget to check back in tomorrow for the Valentine Blog Hop.
See you then
Jayne.x.