Catching up a little

Not that I want to use that anti word, *behind*. But I've been, let's say, a little slow in getting my 12 on 12s done over the last few months. Not to mention, I keep forgetting and twice this year so far, I've had to do it on the 13th!

But time on my hands makes for an urge to finish up stuff and hey presto, three layouts later, I am totally up to date. Not only that, I have finally settled on a design that I'm going to use every month from now on. This has only taken me more than two years.... Sometimes things take a long time to settle in my brain...

But suddenly it clicked and June and July follow this new, simple, block design. Space for journalling, space for a small embellishment, space for a title, using mostly scraps. Yeah!!! Happy, happy.

I don't really like this one - the colours and embellishments are a little "off" but it's done, and it used up lots of odd, old bits and pieces. And it was really the 13th. Not really important. Pictures of the kids are much more appealing.

Tra laaaa. New design. Block, block, block. Nice, nice, nice! When I had printed off the photos, I noticed how much red and black there was and some flashes of yellow/gold which mirrored the whole German flag colours and feelings of national pride in World Cup month, so I went with these colours in the overall design. I like it!

And again. Same design + different colours = different look. Yes, there is a typo in the journalling, but it's not critical. And another one just using scraps from my box. 

I'm wondering how long I will continue with this project. Should I think about finishing it at some point, or just continue? The album I have assigned to it is very full and very interesting to look back at all those months, but is this something to go on forever? Not sure.

On my finished pile recently

While I may not be as productive at the moment than in recent months or weeks, there has been some scrapping.

Yet another class. Yet another set of challenges. Yet another bunch of inspirational ideas and fellow scrappers. Yet more stash being used up which is always a good feeling.

Creativa is the only craft fair I go to - it's just up the road from me and you see the most bizarre things there - as well as some really pretty stalls.

** Sketch by May Flaum as part of BPS class Camp Scrap

Just a little tribute to Charlie who now lives with another family who are more able to look after him with regard to his problems. I am sure we all miss him.

I seem to have gazillions of photos from our zoo trips - I seem to have done dozens of layouts about it! I think this has to be the last one now.

** Sketch by May Flaum as part of BPS class Camp Scrap

Lifted from my blog post a couple of weeks ago. Inspired by my Nic Howard class. It felt good to use up some of my Sassafrass stash.

I have wanted to do this layout for some time - the photo of the glass of champagne was taken on the day we booked our trip and I knew I would do this type of comparison.

** Sketch by May Flaum as part of BPS class Camp Scrap

Yes, that is my old stereo which died a few years ago and I was very sad to chuck it out!

** Sketch by May Flaum as part of BPS class Camp Scrap

And I also have hundreds of these types of photos from when we are in the UK. The sketch was a good way of using up a lot of photos. More Sassafrass papers - that pile of paper is now seriously depleted! The kids have grown up so much now but they still leap around in the same way!

** Sketch by May Flaum as part of BPS class Camp Scrap

Yet more finished layouts on the pile.

And yes, I really need to get some more albums in order to get all this year's layouts put away. Seems a shame that they are all lying around. And I think the basket I bought to hold the finished layouts maybe a "little" overwhelmed!

I've been...

Gleeked!

Yes, I have stumbled onto the Glee bandwagon!

It hasn't reached Germany yet. Actually, can't imagine it ever reaching here - not sure the humour would translate very well, culturally.

But I had heard so much about it online and then, when I was in the UK, I caught two episodes - I was hooked. So, I dashed home and watched the whole series one and a half episodes at a time online (the online service I was using limits free viewing to 74 mins!) - it was good for my ironing! Unfortunately, it only took about 10 days to manage this and as I watched the last episode, I felt bereft.

Over.

And the DVD won't be available until September over there in the UK.

There was nothing else for it - over to Amazon and order all the music!

Da daaaa....

This music is making me smile. Got to love that!

Coming soon to a LSS near you....

Have you been checking out all the sneak peeks for the new releases for Summer CHA?

Looks to me like there will be lots of scrumptiousness in the shops - there is some seriously gorgeous lines coming out.

I like to go to The Scrap Review blog where they have been listing so many new products - reminding me of  manufacturers I haven't thought of for a while (I'm far too focussed on the few that are my go-to lines - BG, MM, AC etc).

But I was just browsing through The Scrap Review and they have featured the new My Mind's Eye line - Lost & Found. Let me just say..... oh! It is gorgeous. So many collections within the line - browns, greys, pinks, reds - all smudgy and vintage and full of such wonderful designs. I am going to HAVE to check these out when they release.

Check out the huge line here: Lost & Found

Here are a few of the products that made me catch my breath:

   

   

   

   

   

   

Anything been catching your eye recently as must haves for the future?

Gutted...

Now anyone who knows me will be able to tell you that I am clumsy with a capital C. I drop things ALL the time. Cups, plates, glasses, bottles, sunglasses, key, books, bottles - you name it, down it goes. And of course there are a few days every month when EVERYTHING ends up on the floor.

So you can imagine that I get used to breaking things. Sometimes expensive things.

But nothing compares to this....

Yep, down it went - again! But this time, I wasn't so lucky. Smash.

Bizarrely enough, it still works which I think is quite cool although it makes it difficult to read the screen LOL. And I got lots of glass splinters during the first few days.

But I am keeping it for the moment. Am hoping to inherit R's old 3GS when he gets a new 4G. Then I will send this one it to get a (really expensive!!!) replacement glass screen!

Talking of broken glass, today was another glass breakage. This time though, not only did the glass break but I also seem to have taken a chunk out of my hand. Bit worried. Hope it starts healing overnight or I might have to go and have it looked at... All fun and games here.

Please tell me there are other clumsy people out there...!

Good job it's cooled down here or I would be really grumpy! ;-))

And 21 months late

Yep, here's yet another unfinished - now finished - project left over from Libby's Bellaboo days!

We all celebrated Bellaboo's birthday back in September 2008 and Cleo came along for three, fun, very Cleo, classes - a layout, a wall canvas and a mini-book.  

True to form, the mini-book involved much complicated folding and of course, true to form, I did it wrong, needed to start again and ran out of time! And so it sat, and sat, and sat on my shelf until the weekend when I picked it out and left it in the way in order to encourage me to FINISH it!

I had all the photos printed - retro, teenage, 80s photos of me and my wonderfully, poster decorated bedroom and a whole load of album covers that sum up that era for me. 

I cut them all up and slapped them on. Wrote out some strip journalling and worked out where to put it, popped on a few embellies, squeezed a title on the cover and have called it quit! 

Now, I have just looked up my reference photos of Cleo's original book and of course, it's much more detailed and wonderful than mine! Bits and pieces, flowers and twirly bits as well as Dymo strips here and there (should have thought of that!!!). Really cool and much more interesting than mine. It's unlikely I will go back to the book and spruce it up a bit now that I have seen how cool the original was, but you never know....

In the meantime, I am calling it done. Another one off the shelf. Gold star for Lisa!

Oh, and by the way, I really was pretty cool in the 80's ;-)))

What would you grab and go?

Susanne over at Snaps & Snippets posed an interesting question today: You have been invited over to a friend's to scrap. BUT you can only take 5 products with you - she has all the tools and adhesive you need which is such a relief but you are only allowed to take your favourite 5 products with you for some good, fun scrapping. What will you stuff in your bag? What is grabbing your attention right now?

So, in my (rather too small because it only fits in 5 products) bag would be:

1. BG Cappella - it's double sided, features lots of muted colours as well as some stronger browns and greens, has a good mix of small and large designs and I think it's really versatile - you could use it for all sorts of different types of layouts. And I have decided to leave my beloved Kraft cardstock behind to give myself one more product to take and the collection has some plains that I can use as my cardstock substitute.
2. American Crafts Thickers - Rainboots, puffy letters in black. I have two sets of this - can I take both, pretty please? Of course in reality, I would grab my whole alphabet basket which is 90% AC Thickers but if I had to choose, this is my favourite at the moment.
3. Prima flowers - I know I just did DD and we had a whole selection of techniques to make our own gorgeous flowers and embellishments, but I am with a friend, we will be chatting, time for actual scrapping will be scarce, I need to take some ready-mades! And I just love these flowers - two half packs of flowers making up one product - ok?
4. Prima Say It In Pearls - let's face it, these pearl swirls with the tiny flowers interspersed are just the business (need more).
5. Krima & Isa Twine - this is a German brand and I picked up two rolls of twine - blue and pink but the one I need to take with me will be the pink and white. After all, I shall need to make up at least a banner or two, tie some bows or just wrap it around the paper. 

Shame I can't take the buttons, felt flowers, bling, journalling cards, glitter brads, chipboard pieces etc etc etc. But I think with these five items, I would feel inspired, happy and creative. Now, to get on and use them!

Only 31 months late

I had started this little project waaaaaay back in 2007.

I just thought it would be interesting to make a few notes on the 30 days leading up to my 40th birthday and include some photos (30 to 40). Just a simple, little, easy project that would be done and dusted the day after my birthday - NOT!

I did, however, write the notes each day of those 30 days and I had also formed the basis of my album/mini-book, so all I needed to do this morning was to sort out the photos and then have some fun sticking them down and decorating them up a bit.

I had chosen Amy Butler which I still adore - such bright, gorgeous colours with sparkle and lots of embellishments (I had bought the whole range LOL) so this was easy in principle. Mostly a single page of notes/journalling with a photo on the back - one or two days have two - along with a some pretty paper and one or two embellishments. Date on the journalling page, countdown from 30 on the photo page.

It's done at last and I'm so pleased that it's finished. Tick!

Got unfinished projects on the table? Like to join in the challenge of getting them finished? Let me know and we can motivate each other!

*Sniff*

The extraordinarily good BPS class, Dimensional Details, is over. And we are all a bit sad. Or even a lot sad.

I felt so inspired the whole time and unusually, I completed all the assignments, going back and completing the only missing week just 24 hours after the end of class. The class was fantastic and every week just got better and better. Some of the techniques were just so "me" and you will be seeing this style more and more in the future.

Week 13 - just having fun

** Adorable photos courtesy of Libby!

Week 7 - stitching

** I don't have a functioning sewing machine at the moment which was a bit frustrating and I messed up the sewing a bit, but hey...

Detail shot of my cluster

** I had immediately reached for the flowers and then challenged myself to use anything but - I was pleased with what I managed to turn up amongst all my goodies.

Luckily for us, we have forever access to the class materials, message board and gallery and some of us are still meeting up there from time to time and redoing some of our favourite designs. 

And I am now working my way through some very old uncompleted projects - determined to get them finished! Watch this space!

Life at the moment ...

This is going on:

** Life on Balconia

And a bit of this:

** Bratwürst on the BBQ

And a whole lot of this:

** Germany storming through the World Cup

And plenty of filling time alone: scrapping, organising, tidying up, decluttering, finishing off some old projects. More later.

Happy Sunday!