Number 8

Number 8 finished! The Numbers are available on the Childrens page of Rainbow Valley The Poppy is available on the Scrapbooking page of Rainbow Valley

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.

Window No.8

Its me again! I hope you enjoy this Crocheted Bow. I made it for Scrapbooking. It didn't occur to me to use it for Christmas Parcels!

Its December!

Here is another quilted photo frame. This one is Sunflowers and Ladybirds. I have used the "Sun" with a big button to make the Sunflower and the "Pansy" leaves with added stalks to make the leaves. The stem is a crocheted cord that is used for Romanian Lace.

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!

Are you sitting down?

I have done some scrapping!!!!!!!

I took it into my head yesterday to have a go at the weekly on UKS And this is the result. Its a digi LO from some of the pics I took when we spent the afternoon at a friends farm. The pics are for my A-Z Photo journal of Chatteris and I do plan on a scrapbook for the complete collection. So I will be re-doing this one "properly"!

I used a photo of the corn in the field for the background and slightly lightened and desaturated the centre. Then I used different photos of the combine with a black and while border in the middle.

The Corn is from my "Flowers and Friends" Scrapbooking pattern and the Bow is a free pattern on my msn group. If you can't crochet, I can supply the "real" versions.

Weekly Challenge

I did the weekly challenge on UKS this week. My Team will be pleased with me!!!! Actually, the theme fitted very well with the next page of my Silk album. I did have to go rushing around to see Lesley to find out how to ink some edges and beg some blue brads - but I did it. Makes a change from digi ones. And, shhhhh - don't tell anybody, but I am quite liking this "real" scrapping!

Sunflowers and Pink!

Thank you for the comments on my snowdrops. Crocheting is more than a hobby for me, its a passion!

And, some day, I hope to be able to earn a reasonable amount of money from it.

Although I don't think it will ever earn me a living and certainly not the Aston Martin DB9 I have promised Mark when I become rich and famous!

Here are some more pages from my Silk Album. This is the Sunflowers. I used pieces of the backing and framing fabric on it.

I added the crocheted sun in the corner and Lesley said it needed a stem. So it got turned into a sunflower with a button centre, a wooden stem and some crocheted leaves. The beaded flower was made from beads used on the actual wall hanging and the ladybirds added a bit of colour.

Pink was a bit more difficult to scrap as I really don't like the colour. It seems strange that this one should have turned out to be my signature piece for the exhibition. It doesn't have a whole load of my own handmade embellishments on it. Just the butterfly and flower made from the beads.

But those stitched handmade papers where so pretty that I just had to use them! And I bought those quilted flowers months ago!!!!

Free Digi Journalling Templates

I have been busy this morning and it wasn't beading!

I want to make a scrapbook, by Sunday, of my silks. Yes, a tall order.

However, this is where friends - especially friends that scrap - come in useful!

I went around to see Lesley with some ½ formed ideas of what I want and now have some 3/4 formed ideas!!!!!

And have arranged a scrapping session for Friday.

Anybody else want to come and help?

As part of this, I have been playing in PSE. I want a lot of journaling in it to explain how things are done, similar to some of the posts on here. So I made some journaling templates.

I want to include scraps of silk and fabrics. Also the beads I have used.

The pictures shown here are of the templates after I filled them with paper. The two Rainbow papers are from Tracy Dean, Vibrant swirl and Wishywashy Bright.

I am not sure where the others came from but they are called CFR LPO Paper SpringColor and MST CollegeDays LeatherGold. They are most probably from Scrapgirls.

You can download the templates from here.

Enjoy!

Hidden Journalling Notebook

I was shown how to make this little notebook a few years ago and, on finding it at the bottom of my craft drawer, decided to share it. The photos aren't great as I was playing with my new lens and I didn't take a whole lot of time over editing as I wanted to get it done!

Step 1
Cut two strips of paper, one patterned and one plain. They can be any size you would like but must be 8 times as long as they are wide and the plain one should be a little smaller than the patterned one.

Step 2
Fold the plain piece into 8 equal sections. Each one should be a square.
This is the pages for your book.

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Repeat for the patterned piece but fold all the creases both ways. Then make the additional folds, again folding both ways.

Step 3
Lay the patterned piece flat on the table with the right side up.

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Step 4

Fold at fold 1

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Step 5
Fold at fold 2

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Step 6
Turn the whole thing over.

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Step 7
Fold at fold 3

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Step 8
Fold at fold 5.

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Step 9
Fold at fold 4 and tuck the flap under.

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Step 10
Turn the whole thing around and repeat steps 4 to 9 for the other side.
This is the cover for your book.

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Step 11
Turn the cover over and place the plain piece as shown in the picture.

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Step 12
Slide the end squares of the pages into the cover and fold in half.

If you would like a pdf version of these instructions, you can download it here.

New Pattern Finished

Oooh! I am all excited! I have finally finished my latest pattern!!!!!

As you can see, its very festive. A range of 5 Christmas frames for scrapbooking. Somebody did comment that it is a bit late for Christmas but, if I know Scrappers, its just at the right time. I bet we all have loads of Christmas pics just waiting to be scrapped.

The pattern is for sale on Rainbow Valley but if you want either the pattern or some of the Christmas frames free, enter the competition! Just click on the flashing button over there <<<< to find out how to enter.

Still working!

Well, things still seem to be working this morning, so I have some more goodies for you! I have finished the 3 sizes of stockings, taken pics and convereted them to pngs. Whats more, I have uploaded them as well!

You can find them on the Scrapbooking Frames page.

Have fun and don't forget to show me what you do with them so I can put them in the Rainbow Valley Album.

When I am good....

....I am very, very good!

Here is the 10x15cm rectangle frame, complete with a bow.

And what is more, the bow is a free pattern 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.

Scrap, Scrap, Scrap.

Learning to use a new program is a wonderful excuse for loads of digi scrapping!

I decided to have a go at another of the ads posted in the Ad Challenge. This one is a bit different to my usual style. I did learn where a few more buttons were though. The Denis outfit is one a made for Benjamin a couple of years ago. He was just getting to like reading and was encouraged with Beano comics! Well, whatever works. He didn't like wearing it much thought because people laughed at him. He couldn't get to grips with the fact they were supposed to!

I discovered how to "cut out" part of the photo in this one. I used free papers from Scrapgirls. The font is a long story which I have no intention of telling! However, if you really, really want it, you can buy it for £29 somewhere online!!!!!

And while I was on a roll, I decided to enter the House Challenge on UKS. Very different from my normal style. Paper and overlays by Dawn Inskip. A crocheted Sun by me. A handwriting font from a site that does a whole load of them that all start with "Pea" and I really should have bookmarked, and a "Raindrop Splash" free font filled with a free paper from Scrapgirls. I am sure there must be a much quicker way than the way I worked out how to do it though!

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!

Where Did You Get That Hat?

Here is a lovely layout by Debby using some of my crocheted flowers and a butterfly. I love the way she has intergrated them the other flowers and buttons.

The crochet pattern is available on Rainbow Valley.