Why do I scrapbook?

I was given a link to Shimelle's video, prompting us to think about 'Why I scrapbook?' and so I've been pondering this ever since. I've always loved being creative and playing with pretty paper and scissors and challenging myself to create and learn new things. I enjoy looking at others pages and working out what it is I particularly like and then trying to copy that style on my own work. My style has evolved massively since I started scrapping 6 years ago. However, the creative element is only one reason to why I scrap.

Thinking back to when I started scrapping years ago, before I had my own children, I was with a scrapper friend and her young scrapper daughters. They were discussing the journalling element on a page and my friend wasn't able to give her daughter the details she required. When pushed for why she couldn't recall this information, my friend said, 'Well at the time you think you'll remember that moment forever but you forget'. I've always remembered that especially as I now have my own children and there are numerous times when I've wanted to stop time, to be able to capture a moment so that it'll be with me forever. We all know that's not possible and now I have my daughter I'm even more aware of how quickly time passes and how much I forget. That to me sums up the most important reason why I scrap. I want to have a record of moments of my childrens lives. I want to remember the funny things they said and did, their oddities and cuteness, the way they developed. I want to record my feelings for them on paper so they never doubt how much I love them.

My aim this year is to scrap more of those moments rather than occasions. I want my son to know how much he was obsessed by Postman Pat and the swimming pool; how for ages he called penguins 'peegwees', and how he used to tell his little sister that he was 'the big brubber' and that 'we look after you'. Those are the little details that at the time you think you'll never forget and I want to ensure that I don't.

I also want to scrap more about me as well as my family so my children get a sense of who I am; what makes me tick at particular times in my life; what I liked and dislike; where I've come from and where I see myself going. I want my scrapbooks to be a release for me- time to relax as I create each page but also a chance to record 'me' on paper. I'm not just a wife and mum- I have more layers that might not be obvious but do exist.

I'm a scrapbooker and I love it!

So tell me, why do you scrapbook?

Sarahs Cards Layout Challenge- December

So there are challenges and there are challenges! I usually find using a layout easy and it's a good way to get my mojo in gear and at least get myself started with scrapping so I've been enjoying doing the Sarahs cards challenges. Anyway, this month the layout was this one and boy, have I found it hard!

I think my problem is that I try to overthink things and when I look at what others have done, I always then think mine isn't as good and get a bit disheartened. I know I need to lighten up a bit (ok, a lot!) and that is one of my resolutions for this year. I can't be a perfect mum, wife, scrapbooker etc and sometimes I need to give myself a break and accept that I've done my best given the time I have.

Anyway, miserable bit aside, I've been thinking about and playing with ideas for this LO for days to the point where it's driven me crazy! I knew the photos I wanted to use but they were portrait instead of landscape so I had to rotate the sketch. I then played with the elements until they were in a fashion that I liked. It really got to the point where I knew the deadline was coming and I just needed to get my butt in gear and get things stuck down etc and see what happened. As it was, Emma was a fab girl this afternoon and settled almost straight away in her basket, Jack was happy enough as always in front of a Postman Pat DVD so I quickly put this LO together using stash from the December kit and I'm actually quite pleased with it. As a bonus, I'm pleased to be playing in pink for a change! What do you think?

As a bonus for reading all that, here's a photo of my little girl taken last night. Cute huh?

Sarahs cards Dec kit

So I thought I'd share a couple of LO's I've made with the December kit from Sarah. The papers were by My Minds Eye: Colorful Christmas and they're really bright and cheerful and perfect for Christmas photos when you have a young family.

This layout shows Jack as a lamb in his first nativity play. He was so cute and so well behaved even though he did the typical toddler funny stuff such as calling out 'Hiya Grandad!' from the stage!

I'm hopefully going to a crop tomorrow where I've already got plans to use some more of the kit but with non-Christmassy photos so I shall report back with that LO in due course.

A new arrival!

I haven't updated my blog for a while with very good reason- my beautiful daughter Emma arrived on the 5th December. She's fabulous and I wouldn't be without her for the world. You'll have to excuse me if my posts become rather baby focussed from now on!

Jack is brilliant with her and we really couldn't ask for him to have been any better. He loves to hold her ("Take Emma?"), kiss and cuddle her and talks to her, telling her that he's the "big brubber" and "we look after you". So, so cute!

I'm loving having a newborn around the house again and am trying really hard to relish every minute. She's a month old and is developing her own personality and routines etc. She feeds really well including only the odd feed at night (obviously likes her sleep like her mum!) and has just given us the first odd smile. Once she's smiling regularly I'll try to capture it on the camera to share! She also is a bit of a water baby and loves having a splash in the bath (the warmer the better- another similarity to me!)

Anyway, given that I have 'limited time' now, lol, I haven't done much crafting although I've still been finding smaller projects to help me scratch that crafting itch. I loved the papers in the Dec Sarahs cards kit and was inspired by the DT booklet to make the kids some Christmas door hangers:

I've also been using up some stash by making some cards using inspiration from UKS.



I also made this LO using up an old kit:

Will upload some other LO's from my Dec kit when I get chance! Not a bad amount of crafting when you have a toddler and a 4 week old!

TFL

My Tesco calendar

So I tried, I really did, but in the end I couldn't resist and ended up buying two Tesco Advent calenders to alter. It's my first go at an altered project but I'm really pleased with it and glad I've done the first one. It was a bit of a learning curve and there are things I'll do/try differently next time.

This was the calender as I bought it. As you can see, the colours are a bit garish and not particularly Christmassy.

My first job was to repaint most of it. I used a dulux tester pot called 'Redcurrant glory' to redo the red and found this was a really good match so I only had to paint the Santa. A couple of coats and he was gone.

I then used a pale green to redo the roof and half of the drawers (I did the remaining drawers in red). I painted them inside and out even though the originals were only painted on the front.

I then used the patterned paper from my stash to recover the drawers by tracing around the drawers and cutting slightly inside the line. I used an emery board to distress the edges. Next time I might not leave a slight edge of paint and instead paper straight to the edges. I also found cutting around the finger holes quite difficult but someone suggested (after I'd done it!) that a 3/4" circle punch does a great job. If only I'd thought about that! I'd like to use a wider range of papers next time too but I was only working with what I had. I glued the papers on using a mix of 2/3 PVA to 1/3 water.

Anyway, I then found some cute puffy stickers in WHSmiths reduced to a bargain of £1.24 and they matched the papers perfectly with Christmas trees, snowflakes and snowmen. I added those to some of the drawers along with some glittery numbers (a mix of small and large sizes and positioned randomly on the drawers). I added some ric rac to the roof along with some pale green bling gems. I also painted a reindeer decoration that I picked up from Tesco (10 for £1) with gold acrylic paint and a splash of glitter and then stuck that to the chimney.

The finished calender!

TFL! x

I've been messing around with some layout challenges for various blogs this week and it's been really useful especially as I'm trying to get my May holiday album finished before this baby arrives and takes over!

This was my LO for Shimelle's Scrap Like You Mean It challenge wk 47 (scrap with trees and leaves). It also fitted the brief for Sarah's cards layout challenge (yep, I'm multitasking as always!):

and this was the opposite LO to met the criteria for the Indigo Mill blog challenge:

I've also used up almost the last of the September kit I had making this:

And then I quickly did this one this afternoon. This was one of my favourite shots from holiday when I was practicing with my new DSLR and playing with composition:

On a positive, my November kit arrived today from Sarahs cards and it's lush! I sooooo can't wait to play with it and already have the ideal photos in mind. If only I had more time.....

TFL. x

Scrapped out? A post Cyber Crop blog!

Thought I should do a post CyberCrop update now that the madness of last weekend is starting to subside. It was my first CC and I don't think I've ever scrapped so hard (or so much!) and had so much fun in the process. This is what I got up to:

On the Friday night I went to my normal crop with Jo and Kim at 3jollyscrappers and Jo, Jo M and myself were the only 3 who were CCing so we looked like complete loonies around the laptop waiting for all our challenges! This was my first LO based on the theme of travel and using the sketch provided in the challenge as a basis:

Then it was time for the first class where I used the sewing machine to make this:

I then managed to make a start on the third class before leaving for the night although I had to finish it the next morning. Lots of sewing of ribbons and bright colours on this which is probably why I love it so much. Definitely techniques to repeat here: The next day involved a few more challenges and classes. I got a bit behind at this point as I went off to another crop which had a completely unconnected class going on so I couldn't catch up til I got home. Anyway Saturday LO's included:

• Scrapping an achievement with sewing included somewhere (Is getting pregnant an achievement? I don't know but it'll do!)

• Shimelle's class with multiple photos hidden behind the main one:

I got a bit distracted by X factor by this point so the rest of the challenges were put on my list for Sunday.

Sunday morning I did another class (Traciedoodles) which was fab and is probably my favourite LO/class of the weekend. All that cutting and doodling was definitely worth it:

Good witch/Bad witch Challenge aka a LO showing your good and bad sides. Perfect for pictures my brother and I as babies:I was starting to flag by this point but desperate to not let my team down and get as many points as I could hence the following LO's aren't my best but meet the criteria needed to gain points.

Courage (well I'd need courage to admit to these fashion disasters!):

Make a border and journalling mat and use it on the 'Take me home' challenge:
I think I'd gained about 4050 points by this point and was pretty much done for (as was Kev who wanted the dining table back!)

My Pre Crop Challenge based on home was this:

I was also pleased to come second on the mystery Kit challenge with this entry of items. I loved the minibook as I've never made one from scratch before and from a single sheet of cardstock too- bargain!:

Close up's of the MK:

Anyway, I had a fab weekend, am pleased with (most) of the LO's I made and can't wait for the next CC!