One Little Word

With thanks to  

Lisa

  for drawing my attention to 

One Little Word by Ali Edwards 

I now have my 2014 word...

Although I wasn't playing along last year, my "me" word was shine.

I chose the word shine mainly in the scrapbooking world as I wanted to be out there.

I think 2013 has done that for me and I am now working with some very talented ladies.

1. December Sketch Challenge winner over at Sarah's Cards
2. February winner of Have I Got Scrap For You (UKS)
3. January Scrap Map winner at CCW
4. February Scrap Map winner at CCW
5. Layout published in Scrap365
6. June guest at Punky Scraps
7. Just One Manufacturer winner at S J Crafts
8. Became a Counterfeit Kit DT Member
9. Following on from #6 - DT member :) 
10. DT member on Use You Words 
11. Asked by the lovely Jen to be part of her Wearcrafts Design Team

So, in 2014, I resolve to be better, more organised and more determined than ever to quickly resolve situations instead of dwelling on them - amongst other things!!!

All that is left to say from me for 2013 is...

A Quick Card

Here's another one of those projects I've been putting off 

as I couldn't bring myself to tackle the required details that had been asked for.

I am determined (from now on) that I will tackle things as and when then come in

 rather than wait until the very last minute to panic.

So with 4 days to go until the deadline for this card, it is complete.

I do hope the buyer is happy but more so that the recipient likes her

40th birthday card!!!

and with 5 days to go until DD's 15th birthday,

 I'd better keep that little promise to myself and get making...

A Winner!!!

I hope you have all had the most fabulous of Christmases.

I have spent many a relaxing hour with my wonderful family and have actually enjoyed not eating and drinking as much as I would normally.

However, with all the festivities and the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle, I completely forgot to choose a winner for my caption competition.

So without further ado, the winner, chosen my my daughter for their caption

"Venice is wheely cool"

is

 JULENE

(please get in touch with your address so I can get your prize in the post) 

CKCB Charades Song

(This post is part of  Counterfeit Kit Christmas Charades, if you want to play along,

 please go back to the beginning)

So, you chose ...

How many words to do you think are in my title?

Click on one of the numbers below

Two         Three         Four

and use one of those songs as your layout title.

Have fun!!!

I will show you my creation tomorrow...

CKCB Charades Book

(This post is part of  Counterfeit Kit Christmas Charades, if you want to play along,

 please go back to the beginning)

So, you chose ...

How many words to do you think are in my title?

Click on one of the numbers below

Two      Three      Four 

and use one of those books as your layout title.

Have fun!!!

 I will show you my creation tomorrow...

CKCB Charades Film

(This post is part of  Counterfeit Kit Christmas Charades, if you want to play along,

 please go back to the beginning)

So, you chose ...

How many words to do you think are in my title?

Click on one of the numbers below

One      Two      Three      Four 

and use one of those films as your layout title.

Have fun!!!

I will show you my creation tomorrow... 

Santa Baby!!!

I'm really not a one for Christmas layouts but the challenge over at 

Punky Scraps

for December is just far too Christmassy to get away with it!

Just look at this mood board...

...to take inspiration from.

We would also like you to use the following on your project;
mix of alphas
2 staples
fun photo

As I didn't have any Christmas photos printed, I have gone digi for my layout this month.

I am no expert at digi layouts and I'm still getting used to the new software I got months ago.

Here, I have sprayed, stencilled and cut out without getting so much as a dab of paint on me - some days are just so much better like that! 

Anyway, have a great time playing around with that mood board and don't forget to link up.

To all you Punky followers out there, have a wonderful Christmas and I'll see you in 2014!!!!

Remember...

...THIS?

Last year I made it for my sister as her and 3 friends are in a book club together.

She loved it and, back in April, asked me to make 3 more - one for each of those friends.

They were to be Christmas presents for them this year.

Well I had all the time in the world to make those gifts and kept putting it off until another day.

That day became today, the day before I needed to hand them over!!!

Once again, last minute panic but I got there and now all three are ready in the requested colours...

I feel a New Year's Resolution coming on but then, would I stick to it???

Bag IT

With only 19 days until Christmas morning

Have you wrapped up those pressies yet? Or have you been putting it off?

This year ALL my giving gifts are being wrapped in brown paper and decorated with ribbon and stamps.
If you're like me and have a cupboard full of brown paper bags
(with all good intentions of making that mini book) then here is an alternative use on how to use those them to wrap those special
Christmas gifts...

est voila....

Thanks for joining me today, hope to see you again soon.

3 out of 3

And here's the third...

...another of hubby, this time wrestling a Gator!!!

I just love the new Daily Grind Collection, there is so much that can be done with it.

I never thought I would be able to use it with some of my photos but it did just fit in perfectly.

If you want to see more of the collection or fancy some of your own, hop over to 

Wearcrafts 

and check it out.

Don't forget I have blog candy to give away on the 15th of this month.

Details on how to take part can be found HERE.

2 Out Of 3

Yesterday I was telling you about the Christmas Crop and shared 1 out of 3 layouts I completed using  the fabulous new  

Daily Grind by Sn@p

available from

Wearcrafts

Today I give you 2 out of 3

"Dreams Do Come True"

This tells the story of a bar named Rock'n'Roll Ribs.

It is owned by one of the members of Iron Maiden and my husband was like a boy in a sweet shop when we surprised him with this visit at the end of our Florida Road Trip.

We had made it quite clear to him that there wasn't enough time to detour when we knew all along that we would have plenty!!!

He was even more in his element when he realised that they also sold Trooper Beer (at a premium!)

Bless him!!!

 I'll be back tomorrow with 3out of 3...

Christmas Crop

I always love a crop but the Christmas one (even though it was in November) is always extra special.

Yesterday was no different and even though there were only 8 of us, we all had a great time doing what we like to do.

It also gave me 6 hours to play with some more

Daily Grind 

goodies and I managed 3 layouts which I will share over the coming days.

The first is "Mistery Tour" spelt that way because it tells the story of a cycling trip along the river in Tampa, Florida. It was a very hot day until we happened upon a very refreshing and welcoming path that sprayed water mist. Imogen and I cycled through a few times whilst Nick just watched un-amused from the sidelines!

Thank you for coming by today and don't forget there's still plenty of time to be in with a chance of winning some blog candy.

The Daily Grind...

...it's not, when you're asked to play with this wonderful new set of scrumminess stocked by 

Jen at Wearcrafts.

I squealed with delight when I opened my box of goodies this week.

I love the colours, the patterns, well everything really.

Why not take a look at the full set HERE and make your own mind up, you won't be disappointed.

Now, I don't do Project Life style pages but  

Daily Grind by Sn@p 

is very versatile and can be used in many ways and adapted to your own personal style...

Here, I've used the fabulous brads and chipboard stickers to highlight our people watching half hour on a recent trip. 

The filmstrips lift up to reveal the journalling and our interpretation of each photo which include...

"Strike a Pose"

"Thriller"

and

"Lovebirds"

 I have covered my plain chipboard number with "Cut and Paste" washi tape and used arrows to show where each filmstrip lifts up.

 I've decided I'm going to hold a little competition and it's all to do with my layout.

To be in with a chance of winning these goodies...

...you will need to...

1. Like the Wearcrafts Facebook Page

2. Tell me where you think my photos were taken

3. Create a caption for the bottom right photo

 (please leave your name in your comment if it's not obvious from your blog name)

Thank you for stopping by!!!

I will select one winner on December 15th.

Good Luck!!!

Guitar Advent

The Him and Her in my life are slightly obsessed with guitars so when it came to Her making Him and advent calendar this year, it just had to be a guitar related.

Just look at what she made for her Daddy...

I wonder what mine will be this year????

De-FEET-ed

After neglecting my blog for what seems like an age, I'm back on track (for the next few days at least)

Scrap365 have the last Sketch Challenge of the year ...

... up on their blog so, using the last papers of the lovely 

Basic Grey "Hipster" 

from 

Wearcrafts 

and just a few extras,

 I got to work on a very unusual style for me - I used patterned paper for my background (sharp intake of breath!)

The journalling is hidden under the cute quote and tells the story of how my daughter hates putting her feet down when she can't see what's below. She also tells me there is a "phobia" name for that fear.

I actually quite like how this layout has turned out (despite the patterned background) and hope the Scrap365 team like it too!!! 

Why not have a go yourself and be in with a chance of winning this bundle of scrumminess 

by 

Webster's Pages

Closing date is December 13th.

With Bells On!

Well haven't I been neglecting my blog lately?

My darling husband gave me his man flu and I've been struggling with the pain in my neck (no, not my husband!)

This week, I've kicked myself up the backside, had a word with myself and decided that getting on with things (despite increasing the pain) will make me feel much better.

I started Imogen's advent calendar a while back and it's been hidden away since.
Today was the day to get it finished.
I'd seen a similar idea on Pinterest but didn't pin it as DD sometimes has a nosy through my pins!

Anyway, I think she'll like this year's advent.

A wreath style to hang on her bedroom door

with her own bauble to hang on the tree on Christmas Eve,

purple fairy lights and jingle jangle bells

I wonder what advent I will get this year?
Do you remember the "forest" I got last year?

I was absolutely delighted with it, well wouldn't you be?

Let's hope she doesn't see this post before December 1st!
(Note to self - DO NOT publish to Facebook!)

Little Bits

I love it when a challenge comes along to use up those bits and bobs that have been sitting around on your work desk waiting to be made into something useful.

Counterfeit Kit Challenge #3 for November is just that...

Little Bits Card Challenge
Use little bits (buttons, paper bits, brads....) to liven up a CARD

Here are five very simple cards using those bit and bobs as well as using the negatives of the die cuts.

.

Using gems, die cuts, buttons, stamps and leftover paper from  

Basic Grey Knee Highs And Bow Ties - Thumb War 12x12 Scrapbook Paper

it took no more than 30 minutes to make all five of these cards ...

Why not challenge yourself and see how many cards you can make in 30 minutes...

Style Swap Hop

Good morning and welcome to a different kind of Counterfeit Kit Hop!

We have (or should I say, Lisa has) been mixing it up this month and we've found ourselves scrapping another design team member's style.

If you've already said "g'day" to Julene in Oz then you've been doing the rounds but, if not, why not hop back to the beginning to see what fun we've all been having.
Why not try to guess who our scrap partners are.

(it's trickier than you think you know!)

So, the questions were set in a kind of multiple choice style and

here are my answers i.e. my scrap style...

and from that list, my creation using 16 of those answers

We were then sent another DT member's answers and asked to scrap their style.

Here are X's answers

There are only 7 differences between the two sets of answers.

The main difference is that I generally start with a photo but "X" starts with a sketch or design.
The new sketch challenge over at Sarah's Cards had recently caught my eye so I decided that this would be my starting point. 

and here is my creation based on those answers again using 16 out of 20 of the answers.

The difficult part is NOW - I have to guess whose answers I have scrapped.
Lisa H, is it you? - The very person who brought us this challenge?
Whoever it is, it seems we are very similar!

Have you managed to guess who my scrap partner is? Do you agree with my guess?

Maybe it's the other Leslie who is next on the hop....

Counterfeit Kit Challenge: http://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com 

Angela:  http://colestoucan.blogspot.co.uk/

Bethany: http://inspiredscrapper-bethany.blogspot.com/

Dawn:  http://dawnsscrapbookcottage.blogspot.com

Jemma:  http://just-jimjams.blogspot.com/

Julene:  http://julenebydesign.blogspot.com.au

Lesley G.:  http://ohblogitifyoucantbeatthem.blogspot.co.uk

Leslie:  http://lcsmithsaved-outofthemire.blogspot.com 

Lynnette:  http://sassyscrapper2010.blogspot.com/

Millisa:  http://millermall.blogspot.com/

Stephanie:  http://skylinepaperie.blogspot.ca

Lisa H.:  http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com/  

I would be very grateful if you could take a little extra time to thank Lisa for all the hard work she has put into creating this challenge

Splat!!!

Today there's a new challenge over at Punky Scraps.

Using

 as inspiration and following this sketch

I had great fun splatting and dribbling! I used the colour combination from the picture to create a vintage yet bright page to showcase my black & white photo.

I've used the leftover scraps from my  

Basic Grey Knee Highs And Bow Ties - Thumb War 12x12 Scrapbook Paper

along with acrylic paints, a bit of washi and twine and some wooden die cuts.

Will you join in with the Punky Scraps Challenge?

Closing date for linking up is December 15th

The Colour of Her Soul

My assigned challenge this month over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog is...

Challenge #2: Change the Color:  
Change the color of something on your project to make it work the best it can.  You can paint, heat emboss, color, glitter....skies the limit!

This quote from...

... Pinterest
explains perfectly why I did what I did! 

 (Excuse the light reflection)

Are you wondering what I changed?
"Look" closer...
Yes, you've got it, I changed the colour of my photos!
I also changed the colour of the word "smiley" as it was originally silver and took the attention away from the photos. Dulling it down brought the focus back to the photos.
My background paper is  
Basic Grey Knee Highs And Bow Ties - Freeze Tag
but don't make the same mistake as me and use it upside down!!

What will you change the colour of?
Don't forget to link up. 

I Don't "Do" Flowers...

I love the vintage feel of this paper from the "Hipster" range of papers.

I don't normally "do" flowers but the black and white photo of that delightful look on my daughter's face fits perfectly with the floral surroundings.

I have used "Betty" as my background paper with circles of "Fab" along with the strips from the bottom of each paper.

The photo was taken at Carfest back in August, the look on our faces says it all don't you think?

WARNING - Sexually Explicit!!!

Ha ha! That got you looking (scroll down if you still want see...)

Yesterday was crop day.

There were only 6 of us but we had a good chat and catch up all the same.

Jemma supplied the delicious cake (I meant to nick another piece before I left) and it was good to see people that haven't been for a while.

I had a pretty productive day with 4 completed layouts to take home.

Here's two I can share now. Both were created using my November Counterfeit Kit "Heat"

My kit contained the lovely "Knee Highs & Bow Ties" papers supplied by Jen at Wearcrafts

 

and the "Leapfrog" from that range was just perfect for this naughty layout...

 This month I am determined to use more stamps 

(I have so many that I didn't even know I had!)

If you see an unstamped layout this month please give me a virtual slap!

Crop Day

I love a good crop day and today is it.

I am taking along my

 November Counterfeit Kit 

and my goodies from 

Wearcrafts

Do you take kits to a crop or just a big bag full of everything?

I try to be minimal but it doesn't always work especially if I have a few minutes to spare before I leave when I can just throw more and more in!

 Anyway I'm hoping to get a fair bit done and hopefully blog about tomorrow but here are two layouts from the Pink Booby crop a few weeks ago using the very gorgeous Cut and Paste Collection

Have a great Saturday