Finger Food: Sketchy Scrappers Layout

It has been ages since I last managed to do a layout for Sketchy Scrappers, so last week i started a layout using the December/January sketch and finally had a chance to finish it yesterday. The sketch for December is carried over to January so we can enjoy/recover from Christmas. Decembers sketch was set by Lesley who chose this sketch

I decided to catch up on my photos of Boo and chose two from last summer when she was starting to discover different foods with her fingers. 

I used papers from American Crafts & Crate Paper for the strips running along the centre. I then punched some small pinked circles from Alison Kreft papers. When I left the layout last week I had different papers chosen for circles, a mix of bold colours and patterns, but when I came back to the layout I swapped them for something more subtle. 

I added little gems and puffy stickers to the circles for a bit of interest. I then added various different die cuts and cut aparts to finish the embellishing. 

Positivity: Challenge YOUrself challenge #14

This months challenge over on the Challenge YOUrself blog is to chose a word for you to focus and reflect upon throughout the year. I must admit I can be a tad pessimistic and negative sometimes, especially when things seem to be going wrong which often feels like all the time, you see I'm at it already! So I chose a word to counteract this negativity and to try and see the bright side of things.

 Admit it you're now singing Spice up your life by the Spice Girls like I was when I was scrapping, "all you need is positivity" lol! 

I used an old sheet of MME paper for my background to provide a subtle patterned background. I delved into my stash further and cut a scallop border from an old sheet of Prima paper. After feeling good at using older stash I used papers and embellishments from Pink Paislee's Bella Rouge which I recently brought from Hey Little Magpie. 

So what is your chosen word to focus on in 2015? I look forward to seeing all of your layouts x

Week Two of Cracker

Our elf Cracker is still with us, getting up to all sorts of mischief! 

December 8

Cracker, feeling lonely, went in search of a mate and struck gold with Angel! Do we hear wedding bells on the horizon? 

December 9

Obviously sucking up for something, Cracker went stash shopping on Hey Little Magpie

December 10

Cracker thought about having a change of career and wanted to be a fireman. Unfortunately he couldn't fit in the lift! 

December 11

Cracker and his friends chose what to watch over Christmas. He just hopes that he can watch Downton Abbey in the North Pole! 

December 12

Abandoning the idea of being a fireman Cracker thought he'd better try his North Pole uniform to check it still fitted! 

December 13

Feeling very mischievous today, Cracker played hide and seek. 

December 14

There is definetly something wrong with Cracker's uniform! 

Crackers first week

So we're on the final countdown to Christmas and we have a new arrival in our house. Meet Cracker, who has been sent by the big man to keep an eye on us. 

So far he has had a fun filled first week. 

December 1st

Cracker brought us our advent calendars, although why he brought us three I don't know obviously wishful thinking lol! 

December 2nd

Someone decided to take up horseback riding on poor Fluffy! 

December 3rd

Cracker had a play date with Percy Penguin who then photo bombed the picture lol! 

December 4th

Cracker decided he needed to bulk up ready to help Santa with the pressies. 

December 5th

Cracker thought he'd join the Black Friday crowds and bag a telly. Didn't have the heart to tell him it was last week! 

December 6th

Cracker told us to wrap up warm and we needed to, it was freezing! 

December 7th

The cold spell must have reminded him of home as he went in search of snow. Unfortunately all he could find was washing powder! 

Festive Traditions: Challenge YOUrself #13

I'm super thrilled to reveal my very first layout for the Challenge YOUrself Blog Design Team! This months challenge is to scrap about your holiday traditions, and as usual to include yourself in the photo! After racking my brains I came up with this layout

For me it is not officially the Countdown to Christmas until the Coca Cola advert comes on the telly! The first time I saw it this year I was watching Downton Abbey and I'm not ashamed to admit I squealed and had to wake Ian up lol! Another tradition I have is to watch The Muppets Christmas Carol while putting my decorations up, this and Home Alone 2 are my fave Christmas movies! Finally we have to get into the spirit of Christmas and dress up with silly headgear, whether it is reindeer antlers or an elf hat! 

I used some old Kaiser Craft Christmas papers I'd had for ages for the bulk of my layout, along with an old MME paper and the remains of some gorgeous Studio Calico kraft star paper. I then raided my mums Christmas stash for some embellishments. Trust me, she has so much Christmas stash they will not be missed lol! 

What are your holiday traditions? Stop by the Challenge YOUrself blog and show us yours x

Truly Magical: My Creative Sketches October Sketch

While the tail end of hurricane Gonzala blew over on Tuesday I sat and did some scrapping rather than venture out. I decided to have a go at this months sketch on the My Creative Sketches Blog

I like the idea of having the punched out negative space but decided instead of circles I'd pull out my star punch. With the star idea in mind I pulled another Harry Potter photo and scraped this layout. 

This was taken at the end of the tour where you enter a room with a huge model of Hogwarts lit up at night. As you stand and walk around the room gradually lights up to daylight. I think the title says it all because it was amazing, I very nearly cried as it was quite emotional. 

I used papers from Recollections and Studio Calico. Rather than punching another row of stars I decided to use the punched out stars raised on 3d foam. 

I added some cut apart phrases from my embellishment box and finished with a sprinkle of Hedi Swapp gold. 

Scrappy Weekend Layouts Part 2

Back again with the rest of the layouts Made last weekend. 

Sweet Sunshine

These photos were from our pool day in the summer. I wanted to use all three on a layout but wasn't sure how, so I decided to set them out in a square with the title going in the fourth corner. I layered the photos on papers from Studio Calico and popped them up on 3d foam for dimension. The title & it's cluster are made from Dear Lizzy Neopolitan project life cards

Munch!

This photo is of the inlaws tortoise Vern munching on his dinner. I love the colour pallette of the Pebbles papers I used as they make the photo & title pop. Of course I had to add a doily! 

Christmas in Covent Garden

It's not like me to scrap Christmas layouts but I love these decorations from Covent Garden last year and couldn't resist. I used papers from Pebbles, not Christmasy patterns but they are festive colours. I'd had these Thickers for some time but hadn't used them until now. I finished with some Washi borrowed from Gemma