we interrupt this programme . . .

. . . I didn’t think that I would become an errant blogger but by default I seem to have slipped in to a very non regular posting pattern.

Both my jobs revolve around the UK school schedule so I am looking down the thin end of a quiet few months soon YAY, my “out of the home” job finishes for nearly two months at the end of July and my at home job schedule gets a whole lot easier after this weekend, only one more meeting in June and then its all housekeeping until October.

Going to be doing a lot of housekeeping around here too, got lots of decorating projects waiting to happen this summer. plus I am working on getting a whole project life style kit designed for 2014 – I have really enjoyed this way of documenting our lives this year and it has inspired me to keep doing this. I may have to think about storage for all my albums though – I could never go digital, enjoy playing with the paper too much.

There is every possibility that if I can get an entire PL style kit designed that I would offer it, or parts of it for sale providing that I could figure out the logistics of offering a large download, research required I think.

My intention is to design a kit for me to use next year and then adapt those designs if I offer it to the scrapping public, basically I will alter the colours so that the public kit is a neutral colour palette, that way it can be combined with anything else to create something unique, it also negates the need to offer the designs in a multitude of colour ways. See colour ideas below.

As always let me know what you think.

( all images below are from DESIGN SEEDS an absolutely amazing colour resource blog )

NSD Guesting and a Freebie

I’m taking part in a great challenge over at the home of Glitter girl Shimelle is hosting a whole day of challenges completed by different designers to celebrate International/National scrapbooking day

Here is a sneak peek of the layout I did for my challenge, if you want to get the full story and see what all the other talented designers have been up to head on over to shimelle’s blog today.

and here is a little something from me, a freebie printable to celebrate NSD

it can be downloaded HERE

This design would work well on a layout as a journalling card or as a project life filler card.

Project Life

I thought I would just do an update here – I am still doing Project Life and managing to keep up with it on a week to week basis.
My process has definitely simplified as I have gone along and is more “stripped down” that last year when I did undertook the PL albums for the first time.

One of the downsides of this years version is that I am not using my “big camera” very much at all, I got a mini ipad for christmas and have become a bit of an instagram junkie, It doesn’t mean that I am documenting less or anything just that my album is full of lots of little square photos!

I am throwing in a rare “big camera” photo here and there, I printed one out 12 x 12 so that it filled a whole page protector because it was a) a great photo b) it was a special moment and c) because I have been itching to cut up a large photo and fill a whole page.

At the moment I am using this format of photo protectors the most

One of these a week plus an insert occasionally is enough to document a week in our lives, but I am looking forward to being able to get my hands on this orientation

A while a go I purchased a large pack of Becky Higgins official Project Life photo protectors, they were a variety pack of different size “insert pages” I am sorry to have to report that I was seriously underwhelmed by them, the sizes and the orientation was fab but the quality was seriously lacking (SORRY but that is just my opinion based on my experience) I have had more than one of them split down the edge the first time you use them.

I have been using American Crafts and WRMK photo protectors as well and in my humble opinion , based on my experience and usage WRMK are by far the best quality.

Filler Cards – I didn’t use these much last year, I have to say I really didn’t get the concept (I mean lets face it the title isn’t a giveaway is it !! ) This year they are working well – I am having fun designing my own and using some of those great freebies that are available out there and they are an absolute must when you have “low photo” weeks.

Here is one of my recent pages really simple . . . I think this is a great example of one of my low photo weeks, only five instagram photos but it still documents our week adequately

Camera and laugh filler cards are my designs, the circle week card is a collaboration, the circle is a great freebie from September Blue and the background I designed.

A Freebie on Friday

Just a simple set of 3×4 cards, ideal for a small square photo or a journalling block.

Let me know what you think – feel free to download from the usual place

Quote cards

I used some of my favourite Seuss quotes and my go to font BEBAS to create these 3×4 filler cards.

download from the usual place.

Ta Da !

and the winner is . . .

number ELEVEN because thats my birthdate and because that’s who the random generator picked too !!

Lynetta send me your address please

GIVEAWAY for no logical reason . . .

. . . apart from the fact that it is my birthday today.

I am going to leave this open until 8am GMT Tomorrow (Friday 12 April 2013) any comments after that will not be included.

What I am giving away – Its a Surprise, just like a birthday gift.

It will be Scrapbook Stash and it will contain a small kraft three ring binder ( 9 x 7.5 x 1.75 inches ) some of my printables printed onto white card stock, possibly a stamp too, and a few other things too.

Sound Good

OK in order to win leave your name birthdate and email address and I will draw a random winner tomorrow.

Anyone can enter

Here’s a photo of some chocolate cake as no birthday would be complete without it !!

Cake by http://www.maisiefantaisie.co.uk/chocolate-trio-birthday-cake.html