Smiles

This post is all about newly discovered scrap challenge sites.  Love that they are UK based and the inspirational DT work is fantastic, well done Ladies.  The first new challenge blog is Happy Scrappers.  This month they have set a challenge to use buttons and bows. 

I have also discovered a further three craft challenge sites.  The first is Whoopsiedaisy which I am entering this LO in to as it also challenges you to use buttons and bows this week.  The second site, My Mum's Craft Shop which also challenging you to use button.  The final challenge blog is Jelly Park Friends where there Friday challenge was all about the children.  This photo was taken at Christmas which to me is really for the children and my personal excitement for went many years ago.  My button stash is huge so these challenges have helped to make a dent.


I am typing this on my blackberry and can't link to the sites above, however as soon as I can get on my laptop I'll put the links up.

LO made using my CKC September kit Take Note.  Mostly picked American Crafts papers with some MME with twine bows and lots of buttons.

Summer 2012 CHA Releases; Being Thrifty & Selective

Lots of new releases from CHA have started to hit stores and I am loving some of them more than I should.  I really do have an overload of supplies and I don't think I will ever scrap at least half of what I have.  Yet as new CHA I buy up loads.  This year like a lot of people the purse strings are getting tight.  I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't do the social scene like a lot of other people and alot of other things that so many families do; my kids do not have all the latest gadgets and to ensure they are grounded they never will and then there is the fact that it is only me. 

Well, summing that all up money is limited and like a lot of families purses are being tightened.  This year this is my NEED list:

MME Sweetest Thing - Tangerine, Honey, Bluebell and Lavender*

MME Indie Chic - Citroen, Ginger, Nutmeg* and Saffron*

ECHO PARK Everyday Eclectic

ECHO PARK - For The Record 2 Documented

ECHO PARK - For The Record 2 Tailored

October Afternoon - Woodland Park

Bella Blvd - Birthday Book (Liam's Papers)*

Bella Blvd - Birthday Girl (Freya's Paper)*

Bella Blvd - Thankful

* just the ones with asterisks to buy now and I really think that will be it for this CHA releases.

There are a few other ranges that I have seen but to be honest they are just not jumping out at me.  I blame it on the fact I have so much paper and I really am thinking about costs.  Paper sat on a shelf doing nothing really is of no help to anybody.  It looks pretty but I will never use all of it.

What are you needing from these releases and are you at the point when you know this hobby has taken over your life and you can not buy any more supplies?

As every post needs a photo, here's some of the 1.200 photos I need to go through from our 3 weeks in Wales this Summer.



Thanks for looking.

Family Craft Morning

This LO has been made for 2 challenges.  The first is Studio Challenges sketch challenge and then SJ Crafts challenge to make a LO based on a Summer theme. 

Both Liam and Freya have also made a LO for both challenges.  You can see them making their LOs here.

These photos go back to July 2008 and I can't believe it has taken me until now to scrap them.

They were taken at the same place in Wales we are staying now, the very same place I have scrapped them.

Hand In Hand

I may have not been blogging for the last week but I have been crafting.   I have completed three LO's using my Summer Lovin' kit.

One of my favourite scrapbookers whose work I absolutely adore is Stephanie Howell.  I first discovered Steph via her work on the DT for Studio Calico some 3 years ago and have been an avid fan ever since then.  When I discovered she was leaving the DT hat Studio Calico I was quite upset...well that was until I found out why she was leaving.  Steph now works for MME, my favourite scrapbook designers!  This for me is nothing but a win win situation.

Yesterday on her blog Steph challenged everyone to scrap a LO, card, tag etc.  As simple as that, make a paper craft project on Sunday.  This is my LO:

The first mini challenge at CKC is join in with an online challenge which I am including this LO.  I am loving this kit I have made from scraps and would like to make a minimum of 10 LOs from the kit this month.  This is LO #3 that i have made.

Thanks for looking x

National Trust Visit; Kinver Rock Houses

A few miles away from us is a little sweet village called Kinver.  On the outskirts up on the hill are a number of houses built in to the rocks.  These were lived in quite recently but now belong to the National Trust.  The surrounding Kinver Edge is lovely for a walk around the number of paths through the woodlands with many open spaces allowing great views of the surrounding area.

The photos are printed and here is the first LO:

Made using the new MME Honey range and matching doily stamps.

In My Heart

I seem to have gone a little mad about online scrap challenges lately.  I don't think I have entered as many over all the time I have been scrapping as I have over the past month.  I am finding it really good motivation to reach my 100 LO challenge.  This LO is number 19 that I have made since the beginning of June.  At this rate it will take me until the end of the year to get to 100.  A long time but I really am hoping to put a dent in my stash. 

This weekend I have been looking at the My Minds Eye website and saw their current scrap challenge.  There are two challenges each month and the first challenge for July is to use their papers and scrap in monotone.  I first pulled out all MME papers I had.  I usually buy a complete range of papers and embellishments and store them all together for each collection.  This system seems to work for me but having said that I very rarely mix ranges let alone manufacturers.

In my stash I have the complete collections of:

Stella & Rose

Good Day

Miss Caroline

Follow Your Heart

Lost and Found

This was a good range from which to choose from.  I then picked a photo and decided to use pink.  Then I disgarded the none pink collections.  Then tries to match them up to have the same tone of pink.  It is amazing how many shades of pink there are.  Some were totally wrong, like Follow your heart.  The pink was so wishy washy with the other collections, yet on its own its a lovely pink colour.  I was then left with Stella & Rose and Good Day.  Then I tried to pick out scraps to use I up.  I was so surprised how small some of these scraps were!  These are the papers and embellishments I choose:

Although I was looking for scraps to use up I did pick the doilly paper on the left to use as my base paper.  As everything was pink I picked up some cream cardstock as a neutral base and layered and matted each element.  In addition to MME papers and cream cardstock I also used some twine, pearls and alphas. 

This is the LO I came up with the help of this sketch:

This LO is very personal and there is some hidden journalling. I found it quite difficult to express how I felt but I think I have achieved what I intended to do and have written about and expressed what "I need to tell you (Liam & Freya) what's in my heart".

Thanks for looking and if you have time pop on over to the MME blog to take a look at their new releases.  Just love love love The Sweetest Thing range which was obviously made especially for me!