I shouldn't be here!

I should be doing about 50,000 other things.

But........

I really wanted to show you these. I really have this ATC bug - and I am loving it! I am hosting a Digi/Hybrid ATC swap on UKS and after some thought, decided to go away from the crochet theme and go for the A-Z instead. I was going to do some stamping on them and it was suggested that embossing looks great.

The problem is that I don't have the stuff required to emboss so the very nice lady who suggested it sent me some embossing powder in the post.

Now I am hooked!

The embossing didn't turn out as well as I had hoped but, after trying on on plain card and it working perfectly, I have decided it must be the photo paper that is at fault.

Now I had better go and do those 50,000 other things!

I'm a Yummy Mummy

Honest!

The name of our team on UKS is the "Yummy Mummys"

The new layout of the site has made us realise that we are sadly lacking in the avatar department so I came up with an in-house competition for the Teamies.

Create an avatar and we can vote on it. So, these two are my entries. The first one is a digi LO. I scoured the 'net for lips and created this in PSE5.

This one is a "real" one. And the reason I bought those stamps in Tesco last week. The paper is double sided and, although you can't tell from this pic, the large circle has flowers on it. I crocheted the "Yummy Mummy" with letters from my Scrapping Journalling pattern on Rainbow Valley and arranged it around the large circle then stamped "Im A" in the small one. Finally, I used the flowers I crocheted for our Easter tree in the middle.

So now you know why I NEEDED those stamps.

Actually, Benjamin has been having loads of fun with them. And my pens. They have kept him quiet for hours - no mean feat for a child that doesn't stop talking!

I managed to get around to adding my new Rainbows and Stars to Rainbow Valley. No sales yet though. I am still trying to think of some more along the "Rainbows and Stars" theme to add to the pattern.

I have been scrapping!

"Real" Scrapping as well!

Unfortunately, they are not quite finished so you are going to have to wait to see them!

But you can see the digi ones I was sorting out my photos to send off for printing for my A-Z album, when I decided to digi scrap A. Part of the reason is to use the digi versions to "plan" the real versions. And part of it is because I want a digi album to share as well. I can put it on to a cd or online and it will look so much nicer than photos of the real one.

I have also used the journalling blocks from this and added them to the photos to be printed so that I can use them in the real one. This is A for Abbey. There were loads of photos and info for it that I ended up with a double one. The "Real" scrapping is for my Silk Album. I was going to wait until I sent off the other photo to do it but changed my mind.

Sorting out the photos gave me the urge to scrap so I printed them off myself. Besides, I wanted some of them bigger than 6x4 so I couldn't use the free ones anyway.

I have crocheted the bits I need for the embellies and am in the process of making the beaded embellies. I decided to stitch them on to the paper, rather than making wired ones for the rainbows.

I think I will be making a wired Snowdrop one though.

If all goes to plan I will have the Rainbow ones finished very soon and get the photos taken.

Unfortunately, I couldn't do the Snowdrops as I don't have any green handmade paper.

Also, until I start this job, I don't have any money to get some.

They are going to have to wait!

I couldn't resist!

Mark asked me to do dinner at lunchtime yesterday, as he needed to go and see a friend after the Grand Prix and it would be easier for him to have it before he went, rather than rush back for it.

This meant that I had some unexpected time to spend online and decided to have a look around UKS. While I was there, I checked out the weekly challenge.

I haven't done one in ages - and my points showed it!!!!

Imagine my surprise when I found out it was Alphabet Themed

I just couldn't resist!!!!!!

Its a digi LO and is here if you want to leave me loads of lovely comments!!!!!

More Scrapping Frames

I have taken pictures of the new frames and here they are. I was really pleased with the Christmas Tree, it took me ages to get right! The flower took almost as long as well and looks much nicer than in the picture, I really need to do that one again.

I have also made a 10x15cm rectangle. That one needs blocking before I can photograph it. I will also be doing square frames and other rectangles in different sizes. And if you want to turn them into pressies, I am working on a bow to go on the top.

And talking of free stuff, have you seen Lilybelle Scraps? Go and take a look!

Crocheting again.

I knew it wouldn't be long before the urge to get creative crochet-wise would take over. As much as I am enjoying this course and learning how to do all this stuff, taking photos just doesn't have the thrill that creating something with a hook does.

I am working on a new Scrapbooking pattern. This time it is frames. I did post the large heart one in a previous post. Here is the lovely layout by Fi.

However, now I have created a new smaller heart and two different sized stars as well. The large one is about 20cm diameter and the small one about 14 cm.

Mary has done a lovely layouts using a digi version of the large star. You can't see the true size on this as with digi you can make them any size - and use as many as you want!

I have just finished a flower and next on the list is a Christmas tree. If you have any suggestions for more shapes, please leave a comment. I would love to hear from you.

All of my Scrapbooking patterns are available on Rainbow Valley

Busy, busy, busy!

Is it really that long since I last posted????? I just don't know where the week has gone. I think that as you get older, the days get shorter!

But I have been rather busy. First of all, the OU course starts next week. The info and programs for it came through last Friday just as I was about to go out for my walk. Of course, I had to open it and ended up being late and missing it. The online stuff has been available from Monday. So I have spent a bit of time working on that. I have to read it all online as it is interactive but, as I prefer to read on paper, I have downloaded and printed off all I need so far and there is loads of it. I also have photo assignments to do.

However, photo assignments are just going to have to wait. I must be mad, but I agreed to look after a friends puppy for a few days. She is driving me loopy!!!!!! She doesn't know what "No" means and when you call her, she wags her tail and runs in the opposite direction! I end up having to chase her to catch her when I take her for a walk. Got no time to think about taking pics.

At least I got out on my walk this morning and my legs are aching! I used to go every Friday but lately "things" just seem to happen that stop me going. I have been cycling as much as I am able but walking uses different muscles so I am aching in different places! I ended up taking Millie with me, I figured on the "kill two birds with one stone" thing. However, she pulls a lot and so my back is aching as well.

I went for a job interview on Monday which, unfortunately, I didn't get. I am also trying to get an Aran poncho done. And it is the 1st on Monday so I need to get the newsletter done.

Of course, practising with PSE5 means getting plenty of digi scrapping done. This is another of the Ad Challenges. The little pic is the original ad. I learned to make a bsic template and then fitted the photos behind it. This was Benjamins first time in the sea at Porthkerry Beach in Barry.

Here is the original ad for this one.

These pics are from about the same time. I dressed him up as a Tiger so he could take part in the arena with the Brownies at the Scout and Guide Fete. He loved it. I know his face looks like he is crying but he was laughing! I didn't get exactly the effect I was looking for with this one but I did learn how to make the shaded gradient layer to go over the tiger paper.

And finally, this weeks team challenge on UKS.

Finding the Buttons

I have been finding where some more of the buttons on PSE5. I am finding it slow going as i keep trying to do things the way I did them in PI and it doesn't work. Sometimes I am tempted to go and do it in PI but that would defeat the whole purpose.

My latest creation is in response to an "Ad Challenge". An advert is posted and you have to use it for inspiration. Whether you stick strictly to the layout of the ad or just use the colours is entirely up to you.

Three were posted and this is the one I chose. I started with one of the pictures of the weir that I took. I decided to take sections of the photo and adjust the lighting to create the same sort of effect the blocks of colour had in the ad. However, the colours were just not vibrant enough to take having the light played about with. So I switched it for one of the fantastic sunsets we get around here. After spending far too much time on it, I managed to find out how to adjust the lightness, put borders around the sections and draw additional lines.

Do you like it?

If you don't recognise the song, its from "Fiddler on the Roof".

Getting to grips with it.

After spend nearly all day yesterday on here, I am starting to get the hang of PSE5. I have done another two layouts. I started the first one yesterday and decided to "go it alone" rather than a template or tutorial. I use a free digi kit called Twinkle Toes from Peppermint Creative and played with some of the tools on there. I managed to copy the stars from the backgrond paper and make them into a new layer. Took forever to get it right!

Then, for the UKS weekly team challenge, I found a template from Happy Scrap Girl and used yet another freebie from Miss Mint called Lilac Garden. I had to change some of the colours to fit the challenge.

Of course, all this made me late for Craft & Chat but at least I got there! Which was just as well as I sold some puppets. One of the newer ladies was looking at the ones I was working on last week so I took some others in to show her. As it happens, she was wondering whether it was cheeky to ask me if I would like to sell any. Cheeky???? Not at all. I was delighted to oblige!

PSE5

Thanks to somebody on UKS, I found some really easy PSE tutorials by Misty Cato. Not only does that lovely lady write them so that any fool can follow them, she even supplies some of the digi elements used. I did her first two this afternoon. The first one was a "Quick Page" and she supplied the page. I have to admit that while I was not entirely happy as using somebody elses design, as it was my first attempt with PSE5, I took the easy way out. Not a lot of creativity involved either, apart from all the creativity it took to find the right buttons!!!! The colours on the page are lovely. I suppose that as she has a son she doesn't do much pink either!

The second was a template. Bit more creativity here. I used pictures of the weir from our visit to Llangadog. All in all, not a bad days work!