My Favourite Things

For Apron Strings Challenge #20, I decided to HAVE FUN (just for a change when scrapbooking!) and indulge myself! So I chose some of my huge stack of pink cardstock, decided to stop hoarding these patterned papers, broke out every type of embellishment I own and wrote a big list of some of my favourite things! I think it's very whimsical. I just about squeaked it in under the hour time limit, though I forgot how fiddly eyelets are!

Challenge #19

Apron Strings challenge #19 - use more than 6 photos, none more than 4x6". Hmm well I made a bit of a mess of this, guessed the measurements of the title & journalling strips and it all came out wonky. Never mind! I also think it needs "something" around the central PP block. I might just get the sewing machine out!

Lovely Laundry

I have sorted my laundry room out! Previously, there were odd cables and weird space suit parts all over, all just waiting to be dumped in the garage (or should that say garbage?). Well, I finally got around to it today. Of course, there are ways to make these projects slightly less hideous, like making banners to cheer the place up! Next task - the cupboard under the stairs. Hmmm. Maybe sorting one grot spot is enough for one day.

Regifting!

Well, Lori's challenge today was to incorporate the idea of "regifting" into your layout! Now I have to say, I had never heard of the term before, but I knew instantly what it meant. What a perfect name for it! If you haven't heard of regifting, it's when someone gives you a gift which isn't required, so you keep it in hand to use as a gift for someone else. Personally I have never done that, and I doubt I would, as I have such a rubbish "poker face" that the recipient would know something was up! I also love choosing personal gifts for people (it's shopping, come on!) so this would not be my cup of tea!

Anyway. My layout! I tried to go vintage a bit, not my style at all but I'm reasonably pleased with it. I "recycled" the backing paper (a paper bag from an antiques shop) and the gold ribbon I saved at Christmas from a gift I received. And also I bought this stamp set (SU Office Accoutrements) second hand...So I think I can just about sneak this one in under the radar!

I have had such fun this week, following the challenges, and I am really chuffed that I kept up. Shame I couldn't manage them all the way along but ho hum!

Chasing Ducks

Apron Strings Day 17 - man I love these challenges. The challenge today was to incorporate a box or block onto your layout, to give the idea of presents. Well, I kind of went to town on the blocks. This is a great way to use up scraps!

I am silly...

Well this is the second birthday card I have made for my brother-in-law. Somehow when I was looking in my diary in February I managed to look at April, panicked and sent him a belated birthday card. Then, after I had posted it, I twigged and realised his birthday was actually in April. Duh!

So anyway, his birthday is actually coming up now so I have made this card:

Really clean & simple for me, perhaps too much so? I like it anyway.

Birds

Well I'm keeping up reasonably well with Lori's challenges this week, I am really going to miss them at the end of Apron Strings' birthday month! I really feel like I'm making progress with my scrapbooking.

Anyway here's challenge #16, incorporate round items into your layout. Well, as I am a big fan of circles, bubbles, spots and dots I thought I'd try something a little different. I am quite pleased with the results although the papers aren't really coordinated I still think it works quite well.

Silly Stew

Ok. Apron Strings birthday challenge #15 - use at least three different patterned papers. Well, here I actually used 4! And a new technique for me - emboss resist. I really like that technique, but I keep forgetting my embossing buddy.

I also love this line of papers, "Little Boy" by Echo Park. I think I need to stock up, big time. It is just perfect for boys of all ages!

Wagamama Pangs

Oh man this layout makes me want Wagamama! When is it coming to the US??? This is an entry for Apron Strings' birthday challenge #14. The challenge was to try something new to you in your layout. Well, I did a few new things here - homemade embellishments (the flowers), BIG brads (SU! corduroy buttons), using a menu on my layout (probabably no technical term for this!) AND using tissue paper on a layout. I just wanted to tone the menu down a bit, and the tissue paper also lended another hint of Asian influence with its gold and silver flecks.

An apology - I can't work Blogger so my actual blog post is below the pictures I wanted to include. Scroll down, down, deeper & down!

My Dad with Jacob (playing with Maya Mist)

Christmas 2010 in Northern Ireland

Jacob & I in the garden at West Street

Pre-Jacob Giant's Causeway

A pink & green scheme wedding dress layout!

Scrapbooking Update!

I have done lots of scrapbooking this week during the evenings, I am really enjoying documenting the events we actually have photos for (not many as we lost a lot when Stew's Macbook died), and it has made me resolve to take (& print!) more photos. Scrapbooking is so much more fun than just sticking photos in an album, you get to have loads of fun with paper & embellishments, as well as telling the stories behind the pictures!

Sadly my quilt progress has ground to a halt, I finally went to buy backing fleece today and because the roll was short, I didn't buy enough! So I need to sleep on it and think of a genius solution!

Anyway, scroll up (can't work Blogger, sorry!) for this week's output.

Quilt top finished!

Drum roll please.... here is Jacob's birthday quilt. All I need to do now is back it, I think I might use fleece as I don't have enough skill to quilt a batting and backing layer!

Keeping busy / Jacob's birthday quilt

Well I have 26 days to finish Jacob's birthday quilt. Given that I have only completed one ever, and it was a simple one, this could get interesting! I have at least managed the blocks!

I have also taken the reins of the family's finances! So I have been keeping very busy to take my mind off other things this last couple of days!

Jen Wren

Apron Strings birthday day 6 - use a banner. I found an 8x8 scrapbook kit in my bookshelf so I guess this'll keep me going a while, although I prefer 12x12!

This is for Apron Strings' birthday day 5 - use at least 10 brads/eyelets/buttons. I went for brads. I hope the flowers weren't cheating, I was just so inspired by the patterned paper (AC City Park - Bay Park).

The last couple of days have made me really miss my Mum (and my Dad) so I found this picture of Mum and did a layout all about the great things about her. Only problem with filling my scrapbook is, I have nowhere to put this one! A new scrapbook may have to be purchased...

Apron Strings Challenge Day 2

I'm working backwards but never mind!

Here is my first double-page layout. I found this tricky, but with the kit I had from February it wasn't as bad as it could have been! I only decided to try this challenge at the last minute so I apologise for the dreadful lighting - the title is "Portstewart Strand" not just "Strand"!

The sketch is a Becky Fleck one, for more details of the challenge visit here.

Scrapbooking

This is my entry for the Apron Strings birthday challenge. We had to blindly pick the ingredients on Thursday, then we got the ingredients on Friday.

I chose - Marble Cake, Fudge Filling, Chocolate Icing and Candied Lettering. These turned out to be cardstock of my choice, patterned paper with lines or stripes, ribbon and bling. I really enjoyed the challenge and quite like the results. Thanks Lori! 

I have been doing quite a bit of scrapbooking this month, I am aiming to finish my first ever scrapbook and only have 2 pages to go. I have done 6 layouts already this month!