15 loves {December 2015}

Welcome to the next in the series {15 loves} for 2015 based on the original concept by my beloved friend, Pam, back in January 2013. I shared my loves (mostly late) all through 2013 & 2014 and now it's time to see if I can continue the series through 2015. I hope you will come back each month to see if there is anything in my list to inspire you. You can see all my {13 loves} {here}, my {14 loves} {here} and now all my {15 loves} {here}

I hope there's something in here to inspire you or maybe just make you smile.

one

I made this layout last month for a Counterfeit Kit Challenge using my November Remembrance kit about waiting for my new niece. We are STILL waiting - she's officially dawdling now! - but I'm so happy to capture these sweet photos on my page. This is really such a great kit to use - love the mix of colours. See my reveal here.

two

I need to make my own little confetti heart - I adore this. 

Pinterest find here

three

This hobby has connected me to many wonderful people around the world and a particularly special one is Sherrie over at Sherrie's Muddle Puddle. Look at this wonderful parcel of goodies she sent me - complete with its matching Whimsical Musings prompt! And yes, it certainly rattled. Full of great products, this brought a real smile to my face.

four

I dream of having a little corner like this for myself.

Pinterest find here

five

As part of a new series over at the Counterfeit Kit Challenge, I offered up a failed layout to the team for constructive criticism and was delighted to turn that fail into two new layouts. This one uses the original base papers and I now adore it. I especially love that it records my part of the Scrapabilly Advent gift swap - another year of wonderfully crafty presents.

six

I created my own Advent candle display this year using some on-trend copper coloured wire and Cameo cut copper foil cardstock. Simple and provides exactly the right amount of Advent feeling.

seven

Always on the lookout for new ways to cook one of my favourite veggies - Brussel Sprouts. This recipe looks gorgeous and I might test it out.

Recipe found at Two Peas & Their Pod

eight

It's Christmas Market time again. Love it. Love how pretty the lights are here in Essen. Visits have been made and local food consumed and at least one or two Glühweins drunk!

nine

My obsession with NYC hasn't waned. This photo caught my eye - wish I could take photos like this...

Pinterest find here

ten

Pretty gift wrap is something I always want to do but then the time runs out and I just go for my usual. But this is very much me. Would my family think me ever so slightly mad if attached a gold fern leaf to their gift? Probably, but it would be oh so pretty.

Pinterest find here

eleven

It was my birthday and I got a new winter hat to match the snood I received last year. My sister is an awesome crocheter and I love the set. I also received pink stars for my tree and an oversized sage green tree and star that are hanging in my room. She is truly talented and self-taught. So proud of her.

twelve

Talking of birthdays, I got some fantastic presents. It was truly quite a haul this year and I am very blessed to have wonderful family and friends that give me such thoughtful gifts. This was a good birthday. 

thirteen

Love this even if I'm not going to make an Elf layout. But the die cut shaker element and the cluster of dies in the corner are just great. This collection is calling me. I'm not sure if I can resist...

Pinkfresh Studio's Instagram 

fourteen

My tree - it took a long time and there were a few bumps along the way but it's done and it's pretty and I'm very happy with it. The next three weeks are all about the pretty. 

fifteen

Love seeing this 2003 star hanging on the tree. This is the year we got married and we just passed 12 years. Happy times.

I’d love you to share your own {15 loves} lists with me. Why not link up in the comments below?

{15 loves} is a series that will feature on my blog each 15th of the month

Scrapabilly November kit shares (part 2)

Yesterday I shared the first three layouts I made with the Scrapabilly November kit featuring papers and embellishments from the Pink Paislee Cedar Lane collection.

Here's a reminder of the gorgeous kit

And here is layout #4. 

In October, I was lucky enough to be be in Munich at the same time as a wonderful Jean Paul Gaultier exhibition at the Kunsthalle. It wasn't planned which made it all the better for me to drop by by chance and spend an hour going round the exhibition. I may not worship him in the same way as I do Karl Lagerfeld (layout for another day) but he's a pretty awesome designer all the same.

I really loved how easy this collection was to use for totally different types of layouts just by choosing the b-sides and the more non-specific die cuts. Even though I used a very autumnally inspired corset photo, this layout has such a different feel to it - and the sparkly blue alphabet reminds me of JP Gaultier's infamous body shaped aftershave bottle (again, another layout for another day!).

I think this is my favourite layout I made with the kit and I got busy with my Cameo to cut out the skeleton leaves to go along with my fussy cut flowers. I'm sure I was inspired by something online - a wreath of leaves I think - but I have no idea where or who.

Anyway, just a little story about our mini apple harvest.

And last up for layout #6 was to use the negative cuts from the leaf die-cuts and back them with pretty papers to provide the backdrop for a favourite photo of me and my adorable nephew. Very much inspired by lots of layouts around now and specifically Paige Evans.

I softened the edges of the photo mat with vellum branches and kept the rest simple.

This seemed like the ideal spot to place those gorgeous foxes. I think they perfectly match his wonderful red hair.

Come back next week to see what I created with the December kit which features the absolutely stunning Pebbles DIY Home collection.

If you'd like to get your own November kit, you can find it here and the Design Team gallery is here.

Scrapabilly November kit shares (part 1)

I'm late sharing my Scrapabilly kit shares for November so I want to remedy that right away - today and tomorrow. And then early next week, I'll show you the wonderful December kit which I love, love, love!

November was based around the Pink Paislee Cedar Lane collection which was funny as we did a Counterfeit Kit Challenge kit on that very collection in November too. So I got the best of both worlds by having the "real" papers as well as the forged kit to work with during the month!

The November Scrapabilly kit contains 12 double-sided papers and the matching die-cuts from the collection as well as a sheet of Doodlebug alphas, wood veneer leaves, a Scrapabilly exclusive button and of course, cardstock.

I added in the blue glitter Thickers (here in the shop) that match the collection and was surprised just how well they went with everything and the washi shapes (here in the shop) along with a few smaller alphabets, some inks and a small amount of twine.

Here's the full kit:

  

My first layout had to be about sweet P who turned 3 recently and gets more adorable in every photo I see of her. Here she is in the outfit I sent over for her and I thought the colours in the photos were perfect for these products.

I painted over some of the words in gold mist to highlight them - I saw this somewhere online but I didn't save the link and now I can't remember which designer it was. To be honest, there were so many beautiful layouts online featuring this collection, that I know many of my layouts and techniques were inspired indirectly by them. I can't give credit as it was an overall inspiration rather than individual ideas!

I've done Remembrance Day layouts before but there was something about the printed flowers and this ombré paper that made me want to record it again - specifically, my crochet poppy I received from Lesley a few years ago. I fussy cut the complete page of printed flowers so that I could really pile them up and love the layered look I achieved here.

And one last one for today. This photo records a moment in time which was not set up in any way. I happened to look down into my handbag and saw the most perfect autumn leaf resign there, backlit by the light of my iPad which had turned itself on. It was surely a sign. My kind of sign. And it seemed to match the products pretty perfectly!

I stained the veneer leaves with mists so that they are all pretty and sparkly.

That's it for now but don't forget that you can get your own kit here and check out the DT gallery here while you are there!

I'd love it if you came back tomorrow to see the rest. Such a beautiful kit to work with...