Argh, No Ribbon!

Even with the knowledge of the three great challenges set by our Queen Laura this month

I failed to put ribbon in my kit so I quickly added some in

whilst packing for the monthly crop.

Now don't get too excited thinking that I've created something wonderful with this ribbon because that wasn't the challenge!!! That's my excuse anyhow.

As you can see, I have used it a wonderfully unusual and creative way.

Yes, I've stuck it down in straight line - it is pretty ribbon though!

Again, my journalling is tucked in behind my photos and tells the story of how this little boy ran as fast as his feet could take him when he saw us handing out sweets to his friends.

He was rewarded with  a few extra for his efforts and he rewarded us with a beautiful smile.

Again, I have used that clear plastic that was headed for the bin

What dustbin bound item have you saved lately to use on a layout?

A Simple Story of Me & the Snake

Do you know something? 

Have I told you before? 

I absolutely LOVE being a part of Jen's Design Team. 

Not so long ago, I received some fabulous items from 

Simple Stories DIY Boutique 

to play with and I must say, I am in love with this collection.

By following this sketch (it's LOAD time again)

I created a layout all about me and the boa constrictor.

Now snakes don't bother me, but don't bring a spider anywhere near me!

This Boa was handed to me on our recent visit to a wildlife park.

I was quite happy, knowing it was a constrictor, to hold it and pose for a photo

that is until the guide said

"be careful it doesn't bite you"

My arms extended, DH and DD walked backwards as quickly as the possibly could and my face in the picture tells the story!!!

How silly and naive of me to think that just because it suffocates its prey

that it wouldn't be able to bite as well.

So if you fancy a bit or even the whole of the collection

why not take a look at all the goodness that is

Wearcrafts

You won't be disappointed!

Reasons to be Cheerful Part 5

My fifth and probably final layout (although I do still have a fair bit left)
using 

Cheer, the September Kit from Wearcrafts

follows Sue's sketch over at Me and Mine.

I missed joining in last month so I'm getting in early for October!

There's plenty of time to join in so why not have a go yourself?

Don't forget to see what Jen and Virginia have been doing with the kit too and
while I'm here how could I not show you the card
the child made for her Dad's birthday yesterday.
I think he may be on rations for a while!

Lost!

We recently spent a few hours attempting to escape from a local Maize Maze.

The three of us went our separate ways and the last one "out" had to buy the ice creams.

HE had the map but still couldn't find his way out - I rest my case!

My "Hello October" counterfeit kit was perfect for this layout - all those arrows facing different ways!!!

He's not the best map reader in the world and on our road trips he will ALWAYS get us lost.

Is it just a man thing? He cannot possibly look for road signs whilst talking, reading a map or anything else for that matter and never tells me what I should be looking for so

sometimes the air is "blue" inside those hire cars.

It was quite satisfying watching him trying to get out whilst I was safely at the end!

Reasons to be Cheerful Part 4

My fourth layout created using Wearcrafts

12 Pledges Kit - Cheer

tells the story of the the child when she had Chicken Pox.

She was only about 4 weeks into starting nursery when she developed the spots 

and was more upset that she couldn't go for two weeks 

than she was about having itchy and annoying pimples!

The current challenge over at

The Studio Challenges

is to scrap lift one of the Design Team layouts.

It was such a difficult choice but in the end I chose Anna's starry layout

which had previously been scrap lifted from Cari.

Anna had changed Cari's triangles into stars which I then turned into spots to fit in with my layout.

So, it's not the fact that the child had Chicken Pox that cheers me 

BUT the fact that we are very lucky on this island of ours 

to avoid the world's more debilitating illnesses.

Yes, we may struggle at the time to contend with Chicken Pox or Influenza 

however imagine having to cope with ebola where there is no medical help.

Don't forget that Jen and Virginia have been playing with this kit too
so make sure you stop by their blogs to see hoe they've been using Cheer.

Killed it!

This weekend was the monthly crop that I attend and love.

Having put my October kit together the night before

and

being in the know re. challenges, I have already killed my kit and it's only October 1st!!!

"Hello October" 

was an unusually small kit for me 

and I thought I would get maybe one or two layouts out of it 

with maybe a card created from the leftovers.

So on Saturday I was quite shocked when

six layouts were finished with a few leftovers to make 3 cards.

I can't show you them all right now but this

first one is probably my favourite and follows this month's sketch at

The Memory Nest.

The challenge closes today so get in there quick if you want to join in!!!

I have flipped the sketch and created this layout about this cheeky little boy

whose smile was so contagious and all because he could see his face on DH's camera screen.

These kids have nothing but they ALWAYS smiled and melted our hearts.
My journalling (as always, is hidden on a tag)

I hope you'll join me in the coming days/weeks to see the rest of my creations.

Bye Bye September...

Hi and welcome from one part of Cheshire, where you have hopefully been ooh-ing and aah-ing over Jemma's kit, to another only 7 miles up the road.

September was an "odd" month for me to say the least.

I didn't get a lot of crafting done and really missed my forging friends.

By the time I got around to checking out the October Kit which

this month, our Queen,

Laura 

had chosen to tempt us all with, it had disappeared into cyberspace.

Luckily, one or two of our super duper and well prepared Master Forgers had saved the images (phew)

and I was therefore able to shop my kit.

On first inspection, I knew I had quite a few of those patterned papers in my personal shop BUT

they were a bit flowery for me and I just don't "do" flowers!

So why did you buy them I hear you ask - well, could it be for the "B" sides?

So, I've already told you that I don't do flowers so, in my little scrappy world, I've turned them into dots, words, chevrons, zigzags - yes, you guessed it, anything but flowers!!!!

Just as I was putting my kit together, DH handed me some A4 clear plastic
"can you do anything with this?"
Having just seen the arrows with the dots on (did you see them?) and remembering those candy dots that we all once bought, "of course" came my reply and with that my little cutting machine jumped into action...

 then it dawned on me that with that little cutting machine, said plastic sheets and some liquid pearls,
I could also make these...

So simple, don't you think?

I then added in some washi,  chipboard accents, alphas
and a couple of word sheets

to create my kit "Hello October"

A smaller than normal kit for me this month which will hopefully be used up in no time at all.
(That statement may be answered later today when THIS post goes live!)

So before you head East a few thousand miles and drool over Leslie's blue box 

I would love to know - do you "do" flowers?

Our Queen, Laura:  http://beadsbuttonsandbirds.blogspot.com 

Julene: http://julenebydesign.blogspot.co.uk

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

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

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

Lisa: http://lisahausmann.blogspot.com

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

Margie: http://scrappinmargie.blogspot.com

Susanne: http://snapsandsnippets.blogspot.com

Stephanie: http://skylinepaperie.blogspot.ca