Good morning from sunny Kent

This morning I have woken up to sunny skies and sunshine all the way.. after such a wet and miserable day yesterday (and it being the first of 5 days off for me) I can only think the sun shines on the righteous! LOL...... 

Today I am bringing you a LO created for a challenge over on UKS. It is a small group of us that take it in turns to select a sketch and then prepare a LO based around it. 

In this case, we were asked to use this sketch here. Now, anyone who knows me, knows that I find scrapping with more than one or two photos a real challenge... so I was really quite pleased that I was going to have to stretch myself so. Thanks to the designer of the sketch whoever you are.. great sketch but I cannot give credit as I don't know where it originated from.

First job was to find a collection of photos that needed scrapping that all went together. I chose to use photos of my youngest sons passing out service when he 'graduated' as a firefighter in early 2011.  As regular followers know I am making an album for his 30th birthday in November so this will be an addition to that. 

Next I took my Counterfeit Kit, 'Halfway to Halloween' that I made for the CKCB challenge blog and came up with this. 

The story is that my husband, also a firefighter, and he snuck into the ceremony room before anyone else (and especially the 'brass') was really allowed to and we took some great family photos before the rest of all the crew and guests came in.. ensuring we didn't have lots of random people milling around in the background. So, as we had the room to ourselves they started messing about, pulling faces etc! So naughty...but just typical of these two.. and I wanted to record the moment... I am actually rather pleased with it.. and it is a lesson to me that I can 'do' more than a couple of photos at at time! lol

Now, as some of you may know, I am coming up for my 200th post.. so if you would like to become a follower of my blog.. just click the button beside the (rather wordy) blog post! (Sorry... got a bit carried away) and become a follower too as I will be having a small giveaway for you.

Thanks for stopping by, do let me know you've visited! 

Elaine

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Altered Photo frame/tray

Evening all from my corner of England where it has been warm and sunny..but a bit breezy..so it was the perfect day to hide away in my craft room and finish an unfinished project!

So... here it is.. a new photo frame/ altered wooden house shaped tray.

First I covered it in gesso then layered up the following: Pink tissue paper using pva glue, Paperartsy Sherbert chalk paint and then I dry brushed some white chalk paint over the top.

I left it all to dry in between each stage. Then I cut the polka dot paper and cut to fit.. doing the same with the photos.

Then I added all the trims, lace, twine, buttons and bows etc.  I then used some word stickers to fill in all the other sections as I didn't want photos in all of them.

Finally I thought it was missing something, so I decided to cover the whole of the roof with buttons.. that got rid of a lot of my pink button stash (at last!) 

Anyway.. here it is.. do hope you like.

I have a LO to add later too.. so do remember to pop back soon.. and remember I'm coming up for my 200th post so I will be doing a random drawer of my followers..so if you're not a follower...do add yourself and you may have a little treat in store! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Elaine

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LO NO 6 from my April CKCB kit

Morning all

Today I bring you another LO made with my CKCB kit 'Halfway to Halloween' inspired by the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog.

This time, I picked the lighter colours from my kit and made this springtime LO with an extra sheet of stickers that I hadn't originally included... but it's all about using up your stash isn't it?

I used this sketch from the Stuck?! blog which I find invaluable each month. Such great sketches!

I combined it with a challenge over on UKS where they asked us to create a LO based on Spring.. which I have done here.

Just a quick blog from me this morning as I have to get to work.. but do let me know you've visited... I am having a small giveaway at the end of the month as I will have reached my 200th blog post!! Woohoo. 

To become a follower couldn't be easier.. just click on the link on the right and hey presto! 

Have a good day all!

Elaine
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Altered cocoa tin

Evening all... Three posts in one day..that must be a record for me..lol

Tonight I am bringing you an altered cocoa tin..and the bonus is..it stills smells of cocoa! Lovely!

First I made a master board to cover the tin. I first painted the background CS with watered down pink Paper Artsy chalk paint. Then, I split a very pretty cocktail napkin into the three layers. I added PVA to the dried paint layer, then stuck one of the plain layers to the CS, added another layer of PVA and then, finally added the patterned layer of the napkin on the top with another layer of PVA on top of that. When it was all dry, I added a very, very thin layer of gesso over the top to tone down the pattern...(which was really quite purple at this stage.) I was pleased with my master board and want to share it on The Mirror Cracked blogspot.

I covered the cocoa pot in a layer of tissue paper (rescued from a pretty parcel some time back) and ensured the bare edge of the tin was well and truly covered. Once it was all dry I wrapped the board around the tin and covered it with more glue.

I then stuck a layer of lace around the top edge. Once it was all completely dry, I made a cluster of paper roses on a white leaf,  one large lilac one, one mauve one and one small white one...and finished it off with a tiny green rose bud and two pearl trims.

So.... I am now the proud owner of a new brush pot to store my brushes... So simple and pretty and in keeping with my idea for a country style craft room in my new house... 

Finally.. why not become a follower of my blog? I am approaching 200 posts and am going to have a small giveaway when I hit the bog 200! so.. hit the 'Follow' button on the right.. and keep watching!

Elaine
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LO no 4 CKCB

Afternoon all

Another LO from me here for the CKCB Challenge blog. 

Here is another LO I made with my April kit, Halfway to Halloween. 

The fourth so far (well actually its the fifth but I can't share the other one with you yet as I am entering it into a dated challenge)

So here it is.. I confess I added some more of the Echo Park Summer Fun collection pack than I had originally included.... but its all about using up your stash isn't it? 

Regular followers of my blog will know I am making a gift album and this is another LO for that. If you are not a regular follower of my blog, please ensure you add me as I am coming up to my 200th post.. and I will be having a little giveaway.. it's simple to do, just click on the link to the right and you'll be more than welcome! 

Anyway, I wanted to use this sketch from the  Scrap Our Stash Blogspot where they offered up this lovely sketch by the very talented Laura Whitaker. 

First I rotated it left and used the strip from the collection across the top. 

I then picked various PP's from the collection and finished it off with some chips from the sticker sheet and some additional washi tape. 

Its another page done and I am so pleased with the end result. 

Do let me know what you think and, don't forget, click to become a follower and you could soon be the recipient of a little prize!

See you soon, 

Elaine
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CKCB LO no 3

Afternoon all.

Today I decided to hop on over to the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog and see what they have been up to. I love the look of their challenge no 3, but I haven't had time to make my contribution for that challenge yet.. I've already done challenges 1 and 2 though.

So, as I was itching to make a LO, yet didn't feel my kit was 'spring like' enough, I decided to use some of the black and white I had included in my kit, Halfway to Halloween. 

So,  as many of you know, I have a new grand-daughter, and therefore lots of new photos to scrap! and... my son is nearing 30 so I am working on his 30th birthday album! 

First I chose this sketch from Sues blog, Me and Mine, where she hosts a sketch challenge each month. Do pop over and check out her blog some time. 

I started with a sheet of the polka dot PP from Echo Park Chillingsworth Manor collection.. and a two simple striped sheet of PP that I had in my saved scraps for ever!  

Then I chose a piece of PP from the kit, which is a from Teresa Collins, 'We are Family' collection as the background for the photo. 

I edited the piece so the most relevant words were visible. 

I then added bling, and some flowers and butterfly stickers from the kit and as a final addition I added some small lime green leaves behind the flowers to tie in the green from the photo. 

Thanks for popping by. 

Elaine

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CKCB Challenge NO 2

Here is my second blog post of the day.. I know.. it's a miracle! 

So.. I'll keep it brief! 

The prompt over on the CKCB blog was to uses this picture as inspiration. 

... so I created the card below. 

I used a Stampin' Up stamp set and framelits die cut that my dear friend Sue from Frankiesues Blogspot lent me to stamp and emboss the pram shape and cut it out. I managed to get a bit of red embossing powder in the pink powder, which in this instance proved opportunistic as the only PP I had that was remotely girly in my CKCB Kit was a deep pink so this bought the two pieces together. The background paper was the reverse of a piece of blue paper shown in my kit post. 

I also stamped the sentiment with the same kit and added an enamel dot in the deep pink/red to bring it all together. A quick card and it's now ready to go out the next time I hear of a baby girl being born. I'm sure it won't be long as a few of my sons friends are expecting babies!!

Anyway.. I still have another LO to load.. so remember to pop back now!

Elaine

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White with one & Challenge 1 CKCB

Hi all

Today I am bringing you a dual challenge layout that I have created for the White With One blog and the Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog.

The first challenge over on the CKCB was to find another blog and pick a challenge to use your kit on.

As some of you know.. I chose to add a lot of white in my April Counterfeit kit 'Halfway to Halloween'  in order to lighten it up a bit. That is proving to be very handy as the photos I seem to want to scrap at the moment seem to be babies! That could, of course, be because of my latest addition to the family, or, in this instance, it is my final LO for my sisters 60th birthday album that I will be giving her next month. 

Over on the White with One blog, they challenge you to create a LO made with white and one other colour. This month their choice was white with 'sand'. Now initially I thought I could get away with using some of my tan/orange papers that I had picked to add to my kit, but when I pulled them out they were way too orange! So.. plan B!

You may recall I added a pot of gold acrylic paint to my kit in order to make some gold letters as I don't own any (I still can't believe I haven't got every colour under the rainbow of Thickers in my vast collection!) Anyhow.. I decided to take the gold and add black to it to make the colour of 'wet' sand.. and it worked very effectively! As you can see. 

Somewhere over on Pinterest I had seen a heart shape used as a stencil on a canvas bag (apologies that I can't give credit!) so I thought I could utilise this idea here. So.. first I cut out a heart shape and then I took a pencil with an eraser on the end and dipped it into the paint. I kept doing this until I had roughly got a three deep layer of dots around the stencil. 

Once it had dried I stuck the photo to the heart with spotty washi tape and added some wooden and burlap embellishments. I then used the rest of the paint to cover a scrap of white card and I cut the title using my new Silhouette Cameo. Finally I used a Martha Stewart border punch to scallop the bottom edge and cut a single cut from the top of the page and added a strip of the painted card behind there and the wooden letters too. 

So  here it is.. Challenge no 1 for the April CKCB and my take on the white with sand from The White with One blog. 

Thanks for popping by! 

I have more LO's and even a card to add so do pop back soon. 

Have a great Sunday all. 

Elaine

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Having a Great Day LO

Hi all

Here is one of two layouts that I have been working on today. I have started an album for my sons 30th birthday in November this year..I'm not sure where that time has gone! 

So here it is.. first I took a piece of white cardstock and spray misted it with moss green, red and yellow and then I mixed some of the same colours into some texture paste which I then spread over the brick mask behind the photo grouping.

I then chose some of the papers from my CKCB kit, 'Halfway to Halloween' and layered them behind the photo..using the reverse of some I initially photographed. 

I used a sketch that was over on UKS as the weekly challenge 
and it fitted quite well with the photo I wanted to use. 

Once I had layered them and added the wave of PP below the picture  I used several embellishments and stickers from the kit and added them. 

Finally I used texture paste with a stencil to make the title. I am entering this in to the Scrap Our Stash challenge for April too... They challenged you to make a LO with the letter S-T-A-M-P represented so I used S for Stars, T for Triangles, A for Arrows, M for Mask (bricks) and P for Patterned Papers. 
Thanks for looking.. and remember do pop back to see the other layouts I've made..until then, Cheerio for now! 

Elaine
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April CKCB kit 'Half Way to Halloween'

Hi all

Here I am today introducing my April Counterfeit Kit (for the CKCB Blog) , "Halfway to Halloween'.. why this name? Well, the first thing that jumped out at me was Black and Orange... which are, of course, traditional halloween colours.. and then I realised that by the end of the month, we will be exactly halfway between last halloween and this Halloween! (Pleeeeease can anyone tell me where the time goes?) 

So, I set about choosing some black and orange papers from my stash... but, truthfully, if was looking way too sombre for this time of year (who wants to scrap dark photos in early Spring) so I looked hard  at the original kit from A Beautiful Mess. And saw there were a few tiny splashes of blue, lime and pink.. and of course gold! 

Now I don't have a lot of gold in my stash, and no gold alphas (how did that happen?) but I do have a few gold things like washi etc. So I picked a few other pages of the pastel colours and went about searching for the embellies that would go with this kit... and here is the end result!

I think I lightened it up enough to make good use of the kit throughout the month and by adding the gold paint I hope to make some of those elusive gold letters using my new Silhouette Cameo I treated myself to recently. The same with the pale vellum hearts etc.. that is 'work in progress' and will, hopefully, get added at a later date!

Also having got a brand new baby Grand Daughter I had to add a lot of white so I can find an excuse to scrap some pictures of her in a soft way.. and with her name being 'Amber' that is a form of orange right.. so another excuse to use orange for a baby layout! Now all I have to do is get the photos printed! I really MUST do that...but in the meantime.. I can't resist sharing another photo of her here.. I know I promise I won't become a baby bore... but I really am so thrilled with her I can't help myself! Lol

Oh.. OK two photos! Ha ha ha ha ha



 

Thanks for popping by, do pop back soon to see what I've been up to! 

Happy Easter everyone! 

Elaine

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