Layouts Galore!

Another layout completed for Ben's 21st. These photos were taken on his actual birthday when we went to the Chinese restaurant to celebrate. I meant to write down which sketch I used for this one and forgot to do so! I think it might be another Becky Fleck from Scrapbook Maps 2 which I recently purchased.

This was definitely based on a sketch from Scrapbooks Maps 2! I also used my new Cricut cart, Graphically Speaking, to cut the 'Look Closely'. The photo collage was created on Picassa and is of Ben and Henry when we went to Duxford Museum.

The last layout for Ben's 21st! I am really pleased with this one. I love the cut out swirl, which I made with my Cricut and the cards, which being an Ace and a Jack, add up to 21! The layout is based on a sketch from an app which Anna put on her blog - Anam Stubbington's Sketches2Scrapbook. I downloaded the app onto my Iphone and have been having a lot of fun with it! There are 3 apps in total - Sketches2Scrapbook Winter, a 'lite' version which is free (well worth the download to see if you like the app) and the third one is the original one, which can be found here.

Anna's first class

At the Retreat I did both classes led by Anna. The first class on the Saturday morning was a layout using a sketch as the basis. How did you guess that I would have done this one? Would the fact that it was based on a sketch be a bit of a giveaway lol! Anyway, Anna gave us a picture of the sketch and then explained how to build up from the sketch and do more than just the basics.

We used Nikki Sivils Flaming Butterfly range of papers and ended up with this ...

I love how layered the layout has become from just being a flat sketch and I am trying to do this more now in my own layouts. (Bit cross about the journalling as I spelt the name of the gardens wrong, but if I tried to change it, it would make a mess!).

Had a lovely time on my birthday yesterday - Hugh gave me a Big Shot which I had been hankering after! Also a load of embossing folders. Ben gave me a lovely handbag and Penny the Alice in Wonderland DVD and some shower gel and body lotion. I had quite a few other lovely presents too, but need to get the camera out and get snapping! Celebrating again tomorrow with my extended family, which I am really looking forward to.

A freshen up and an excellent weekend

I have tweaked my blog a bit - hope you like it - not much different, but I think it is a little easier to read.

I have spent the weekend here

attending this

run by

Anna Bowkis

I attended 6 classes over two days and scrapped from 9am Saturday to 4.30pm Sunday with only a short break for sleep and food!

I had a wonderful class with MJM (Michelle Jackson-Mogford) where I created a very distressed layout! All layouts will be photographed at the weekend and appear over the next few weeks.

I made some good friends, including Emma, Solance of SparkleDreams, Tina, Sandie, Emma and oh, so many others whose names now escape me!

I did both of Anna's classes, where we made a layout and a mini book. The mini book needs embellishing and photos putting into it, so that is an ongoing project!

Another ongoing project is the flag book I made with Sandie Vincent. This was such a fun class and I really enjoyed it. I shall definitely be making more of these - once I have finished the class one off!

 And lastly I did two classes with Tracie Hudson - a love themed layout (used photos from my sister's wedding and am really pleased with this one) and a beautiful book using Prima products - lots of work to do on that one to finish it off!

There was plenty of stash shopping available courtesy of 3 Jolly Scrappers, Kim and Jo. These two brave ladies are doing a tandem parachute jump for Help for Heroes in September - I wish them loads of luck :)

We finished the day with a raffle in aid of MS and also to raise money for a hospice which one of our Scrapping Angels attended during her last days on earth in May. She is a true Angel now - RIP Catherine.

Sadly, this was the last Scrapping Angels Retreat - I have had such fun the past two years and will miss this event, but hopefully keep in touch with the lovely friends I have made. Thank you so much Anna (and your helper Sue Deacon) for all the hard work you put in to make this such a successful and wonderful event.

Anna and Sue

 

This was on my doormat when I got home from work today - I am so excited! I ordered the book way back in November when it was first announced on the Pencillines site. I am a huge fan of Anna Bowkis's work and the other people she had got to design for the book are first class too. I am looking forward to curling up on the settee tonight and having a good read and getting loads of ideas for my next 100 or so layouts! (Only football on the telly tonight anyway lol.) If you would like a copy they can be ordered from Pencillines here . You can also see a few pages of the book on the home page of Pencillines.

Anna's Flowers

Anna did a lovely step by step on her blog on how to make some beautiful flowers and so last night I sat down to make a couple. They are so addictive to make, so easy and look so effective! I ended up making about a dozen of them.

I am going to use them on some Christmas layouts, so used some 8x8 Christmas paper that I had hanging around which I wouldn't actually use for a layout, but was perfect for this. I edged some of the flowers with Stickles Icicles

and a couple I edged with Smooch Ink (which I had forgotten I had and turned up when I was tidying up my craft desk!).

If you have time, why not pop over to Anna's blog and have a go at making some yourself - have fun!

I also completed a layout using Pencillines Sketch 169 using the photos of our CSI snowman!