Sail Away With Me: NSD 2017 Layout

The final challenge i took part in for National Scrapbook Day was to scraplift our first layout. Thats right, it was time to take a trip back down memory lane and scraplift the first layout we ever scrapped. I both cringe and enjoy looking back at my old layouts as it shows my scrappy journey, how my style has changed as I've learnt new techniques, etc. I originally started scrapping as I wanted to document a recent holiday to Wales where we climbed mount Snowdon for Ian's 30th birthday, but the first layout I scrapped was not of the trip but of my adopted niece Ruby. 

Just look at the shaped photos, admit it you did it too when you started out! This was back in the day of limited stash, a problem i no longer have, so I used some free papers from a Scrapbook magazine and some chipboard alphas I brought from QVC. This was how I scraplifted it. 

I stuck with the same design of having a photo in opposite corners but refrained from shaping them! I used a background paper from Studio Calico Atlantic collection to stick with the nautical theme, and some scraps from my scrap basket. 

I carried on the nautical theme by using a cute sail boat I recently brought from Sizzix, a yacht wood veneer and some anchors cut from another sheet of Atlantic paper. 

My Girl: NSD 2017 layout

The second layout i did for National Scrapbook day/weekend was for a challenge where we had to use a tv programme, song title or lyrics for our title. I love challenges like this so i pulled this gorgeous photo of my niece Boo taken last summer and scrapped this layout. 

I decided use a background paper from Dear Lizzy Neopolitan collection and cluster some cut aparts from the same collection around the photo. In one of my use it up bowls i have on my desk I had a scrap of blue lace which i decided to use up on this layout. 

I was torn between two titles; "Whose that Girl?", inspired by the hat she's wearing which reminded me of 80's Madonna, and My Girl which i eventually went with. For my title i used Thickers from Paige Evans. 

Vacay yay: NSD 2017 layout

At the start of the month was the day all Scrapbookers love, National Scrapbook day! We say day but in truth its kind of expanded and now takes over the whole weekend! There are always challenges going on eveywhere during the weekend and over on For the love of Pretty Paper on Facebook there was a weekend of challenges to join in. There were twelve in total and i managed to finish three which i was pleased with.  The first challenge i did was to scrap a spring or summer photo. I looked through my photos from our trip to Wales last year and scrapped this layout of one of the gorgeous sunsets we had.

To keep with the bright summer feel we were asked to create I used some 6x6 papers from Amy Tangerine On a Whim and Crate Paper Oasis along with a bold yellow and white stripe paper i had in my stash. I also used some die cuts from the Oasis collection and a scrap of Studio Calico vellum to break up the different patterns. 

Fabulous work of art: Daring Cardmakers challenge

This weeks challenge on the Daring Cardmakers blog was to make a card using two, yes only two, colours! I decided to make a card different to the normal white card base card i make, as this would count as one of my colours. While sorting my Raskog i found a package from Stampin Up Gemma got me for my birthday last year and in this wwre a couple of pre scored card bases in pink and a collection of pattern papers which included pink, black and gold. So i decided to be completly daring and made a black and pink card. 

This challenge wasnt as easy as it sounded as the patterend papers i picked were black and white patterned which meant i would go against the brief by bringing in another colour! So i decided to for go using any paper! I used a wooden Flamingo from a confetti pack i brought a couple of years ago in Paperchase and thought the sentiment stamp from Stampin Up went perfectly with it! I admit I'm not entirely sold on the black doily at the top, i think i might go back and change this by duplicating the washi strips i used at the bottom. 

Super hero fun: Daring Cardmakers challenge

This weeks challenge on the Daring Cardmakers blog was in honour of National Superhero day. I admit I had to really rack my brains for this one as I can't say I have anything that screams superheroes. But after looking through my stamps I found something that may work. 

I kind of bent the rules of the challenge and decided to use a knight in shining armour as my superhero and used a CC Designs stamp. After colouring the image in I found an old Elle's Studio flag which matched the feather and shield perfectly. I also managed to use some more scraps from my refusing to go down scraps basket! 

April Sketchy Scrappers Layouts

How are we in May already?? It's scary where the year is going! I thought I'd share a little scrappy catch up with you today. I didn't manage a lot of scrapping during April, I only managed two layouts for both of the April challenges over on the Sketchy Scrappers Facebook group.  The first layout I scrapped was for the sketch challenge. This months sketch was set by Nikki who gave us not one but two sketches to choose from. I chose this sketch

I originally ruled this sketch out due to the fact that it would need more than one photo. But then one Saturday evening I had a brain wave (don't all fall over at once!) why not use project life cards instead of photos? I have loads of PL cards and I don't even do project life! With that in mind I scrapped this layout

I had a go at replicating the messy background. I used some mist and did the packaging technique to give a watercolour effect and then used some stamps from Stampin Up. I used some project life cards from Simple Stories, choosing the bottom one to be my title. I'm really pleased with how this turned out, so much so that I decided to frame it instead of popping it into an album.  For the mid month challenge I set everyone a colour challenge, asking them to scrap a layout with this palette using at least two of the colours from it. I chose this palette because it had an Easter theme. 

I picked out the green, cream and light brown colour which reminded me of the in laws dog Skip and scrapped this layout. 

I decided to use a Kraft card stock for the base and used papers from Dear Lizzy, Crate Paper and Teresa Collins. I pulled some embellishments from the little bowl I have on my desk and added some wood veneer hearts from Cosmo Cricket.