Completely inspired.....

by a layout I saw and saved sometime ago ( beautifully created by the awesome scrapper Delaina Burns).....I made these 2 layouts a while ago using Echo Park papers.
I completely fell in love the the double sewn frame. The first layout is of Dale and Lauren, taken on holiday in 2011 and on a day out to Cliveden, a National Trust property in Buckinghamshire.

This layout is also using Echo Park and the photo is of my Mum,
myself and my little Sister, several years ago LOL and taken on the side of the River Thames, probably whilst staying at my Auntie's on holiday. ( check out my pvc coat lol)

And this is the absolutely beautiful original layout that totally inspired me...gorgeous isn't it!

Santa Baby.....2009

I made this layout using Echo Park's 'Seasons Greetings' papers. And then I die cut some swirls and findings using some Sizzix Bigz dies by Tim Holtz.

I used some silver mirri board to cut the shapes and then dabbed with alcohol inks, using terracotta and the mettallic gold.
I then punched 3 large circles and 3 large squares, stuck the squares in the centre of the circles and folded the excess of the circles back over the edges of the squares.
I then repeated and punched  6 small of each. I finished them off by popping crystals in the centres.
The photo is a few years old and is of Chloe ( posing for a Christmas card photo lol) I used some gold glitter AC Thickers for the title. xx

L is for Lace...April at Scrapology.

Be it paper or fabric, over at Scrapology, the DT challenge you to use lace on your layout. This month we are scraplifting a beautiful layout called 'Cherished Memories' by BettyLou1 from Scrapbook.com

Here is my DT offering for this one. I used papers from 7Dots Studio, doily stamps from Stampin Up, stickers from Echo Park, some glitter card for the photo mat, a variety of blossoms and some seed beads.



The beady swirl actually ended up a lot thicker than I wanted :(. I dribbled a swirl of Tacky Glue and dribbled the seed beads onto it, it just decided to spread out a bit LOL. I then sprinkled on some irridescent glitter for a little extra sparkle.



I couldn't decide whether to use paper or fabric lace, so ended up using both! I punched out some paper lace using a MS punch and then took some cream Broderie Anglais lace and sprayed it with various Cosmic Shimmer Mists.


This is the original, beautiful layout by BettyLou1, so pretty isn't it!

And here is the sketch we all worked from and is the one we would like you to use if you decide to play along with us.

As always, we have been very spoilt by Jill from Cardinal Colours, she has once again donated a fabulous prize for the winner. Its Core Impressions -Vintage Brights Collection.

Vintage Brights is an Exclusive collection of Jenni Bowlin Studios designs embossed on Core’dinations, the only sandable Colour Core Cardstock. The Vintage Brights Collection is the perfect compliment to the JBS Front Porch and Tangerine Dream lines. The assorted pack consists of four embossed patterns in five colours totalling 20, 12" x 12" sheets.
What a fab prize!
So, all you have to do is create a layout, using our sketch and some lace on your page....and you have until the 5th May.

Warmest wishes Anita xx

It's a Family Affair.....

As soon as I saw these papers 'For the Record' by Echo Park I just knew I had to have them! I have fallen for a few of their collections in the time that they have been trading, but I def think this is my fave so far. I taught this as a class early this month at Cardinal Colours
and I think all my ladies enjoyed it.




The collection packs are great and in each set they bring out you get an alpha sticker page full to the brim of different alphas, border stickers and some other bits and bobs.

The papers are all double sided and with the variety of patterns there are always some bits that you can cut out to make your own embellishments....just add a few foam pads and thats it.


I think I can see a few more layouts( not class ones though lol) coming using these papers.....YUM!

Fun In The Sun - with Echo Park

This was my 2nd class that I taught at the recent retreat with Cardinal Colours
I used the beautiful, bright and zingy papers from the 'Summer Days' range

The class was quickfire class, held in an hour and was aimed at using lots of layers and stickers.

Thanks for looking:)

Scrapology September Challenge - E is for Embossed.

Over on Scrapology this month our challenge is E is for Embossed and we had to use either dry or wet embossing. We have lifted a gorgeous layout by Kelly Goree ( see the layout and sketch lower down in this post).

Here is my layout for the DT, I have used a sheet of Bazill embossed cardstock from Cardinal Colours.
The papers are Victoria Garden by Echo Park and I also used some Spotty Black and White AC Thickers for the title and finished around the 3'D flowers with some Stickles.

The layout is of my youngest with her year 6 teacher at Primary School. It was taken on the last day at the School Leavers Dance. She looked so lovely bless her in her satin dress and wearing her wrist corsage that her big sister made for her.....
She starts Secondary School tomorrow :(.....where does the time go eh?

Here are a few close ups of my layout.



This is the original beautiful layout by Kelly Goree that we chose to lift.....her work is wonderful and she has been one of my favourite scrappers since I began scrapping a few years ago.

And here is the sketch we used, drawn by our very own Lynn


We would love to see you join in with us this month for this challenge, why not pop along to Scrapology and see what other creations our DT have made.... and then you have until midnight on the 5th Oct to create and get uploaded.
Once again we have been lucky enough to have a super prize donated by our lovely friend Jill, of Cardinal Colours...thank you so much Jill.xx

Chocolate Nests and Layouts!

Happy Easter Everyone!

I hope you are having a really lovely day today, it's certainly another corker isn't it!

I made some Devils Food Cake choccy nests and took some to our picnic with friends the other day...and we have finished the rest today ;), they were rather yummy.
This morning we went to a huuuuuuuge boot sale. i got a lovely skirt, brand new with the tags still on for Lauren....for the pricely sum of £1!!!!!! I bought 4 rolls of pretty wallpaper for......wait for it.........£1 for all of them!!!!!!! And I bought 2 punnets of strawbs, a bag of grapes and 3 mangoes for....yep....£1!!!!!!! So a lovely fresh fruit bowl will be on the menu later.



I had forgotten that I hadn't posted a couple of my layouts that I made at our Blossoms retreat last month. This first one was made using a paper from Websters pages and is really simple and basic, but i really like it. It shows Chloe picking Blueberries, Loganberries and Strawberries in my Aunt and Uncle's lovely garden in Devon where we were lucky enough to spend a weeks holiday last year.
Here is the other page....another basic one. I used some of the lush papers from Echo Park collection, which i purchased at Cardinal Colours, along with the cardstock. The yellow letters are AC Thickers and the larger doily of the 2 was made by cutting a circle then clipping round the edge with a MS punch, the small doily was made with a MS punch and I also used a MS punch to create the yellow strips down both sides. The photo is of our 2 girlies and their cousins when they were ready to go to my youngest nephews Christening last year....check out that car!!!

Right, thats me done I think, just off to nibble some chocolate.....enjoy the rest of the Easter Weekend everyone

Warmest wishes

Anita..xxx

Birthday Wishes to you Karen!

Blogger was being a real swine to me last night for some reason and I was unable to get on here and post Happy Birthday to a lovely friend...Karen
Karen is an amazing scrapper and also make the most beautiful cards too. I have known her for several years now, originally as a team mate on our team on UKS, The Blossom Babes and now we are also DT teamies over on Scrapology

So Karen, I hope you had a really lovely day yesterday and that you were thooroughly spoilt!

here is the card I made for Karen. I used some scraps of Echo Park papers, Wild Orchid Crafts Cherry Blossoms, CC birthday greetings, Prima Eline crystals and pearls....and of course the gorgeous image, which was very kindly gifted to me by my super lovely friend Lynn
( thank you so much Hun) I think its a Kraftin Kimmie, but I don't know which one, sorry.

Meant to say, its an easel card.....and I coloured the image with Promarkers.

Here are a couple of close ups

I hope Karen got the card ok and that she liked it :)

Enjoy whats left of this evening......I am sat here,with the house smelling of freshly de-brained pumpkin!!!!! Chloe has scooped hers out and carved the face and I think that Lauren will do hers tomorrow....I HATE the smell of Pumpkin.....bleurgh!!!!!

Wonderfully Windswept.

that's what she is!
I have had these photos of Chloe knocking around for quite some time now and wasn't sure what to do with them. Whilst I was sorting out some bags the other day I cam across the left overs from The Indie Girl class at Cardinal Colours retreat last month and thought i should put them to good use. I added a sheet of Echo Park and I am not sure what the other one is, sorry. I did some dry brushing with acrylic paint and also distressed the edge of the inner square.


I had a couple of big clear buttons and so I glued some of the Sassafrass paper to the back of them to make them co-ordinate. I used some scraps to make the spiral roses and then finished off the page with some gemstones and flatbacked pearls

I absolutely LOVE these photos of Chloe, she is so very cheeky and I really think you can see it in these pics....maybe it should have been wickedly windswept instead lol...

Warmest wishes Anita..xxx