Today was the best day

Here is my take on the Scrap365 sketch - I'm loving joining in with the sketches, it is also one of the pages from my mini-series about pockets (yep I know it is a full sized page) but I like to include them with my pockets and make double pages too.

For this page I used lots of Kaisercraft, mainly cos the colours went really well with my broken china bubble prints - I mixed some of the ink from a re-inker with a little water and washing up liquid in a ramequin - then blew and stirred so I got lots of tiny bubbles and printed them on my card stock. I then drew some circles (as per the sketch) and layered up some Kaisercraft 6 by 4 cards -I did a bit of cutting to make it all work and save the bits I wanted, then I added a glassine envelope for journalling, a prima wood veneer - conveniently in French - some Do-craft wooden buttons which are just a bargain price and I used some Kaisercraft stickers for the title too.

This is all of us on one of our holiday adventures - it was really lovely as the kids swim well enough and are old enough to have a go at some more extreme sports!

The Greeks

Another page using October Afternoons Public Library - I went with a banner theme and layered up loads of the papers, and then hung my photo on a little clothes hanger paperclip- the photo has been instagrammed and I made a little polaroid frame out of white paper.  I cut all my banners different widths and lengths and distressed them, adding some lace to a few, then I lined them up on my page.  To add the washing line I carefully added a thin line of clear drying glue in a curve and then added the washing line, I then added a couple of buttons which I threaded with more string at either side.  The title is a mix of October Afternoon mini alphabet and American Craft thickers.

A shot from the British Museum, and the best line up I could do to make them look like they are holding onto the Greek Urn (we have had a little flourish of funny photo attempts like this courtesy of one of our friends mentioning it to them....I have a Durdle Door shot a bit like this too :))

Also...if you have got to the end - I am doing a little mini-series on using pocket pages for scrapping events where you have a lot of photos...like holidays - I will post my take on it over the next 3 days over at ATDML...here is a peak and a link

Carousel

A different October Afternoon range today - this one is Midway - it is one of my all time favourite lines, I love the bright colours and designs...I bought the whole pack of papers, and only have scraps left (which obviously I couldn't throw away) - so my stash refreshed by ATDML - this is what I came up with.

I used a free silhouette die cut by Nicole Nowosad - and as I only have a little silhouette I couldn't do the whole page cover thing which she does so beautifully on her blog, so I decided to cut it and use it at each side, I then backed some of the circles (this was fiddely as it is a fine cut) - and then added sequins and stickers and a Simple Stories burlap banner.  It is a shot from Butlins and an amazing swing ride that they had - the kids loved it!

School Days

My kit from ATDML this month was October Afternoon, and as I had the papers out and to hand during the Cybercrop a few weeks back, I made some pages with it for that too.  I started with some mists and a stencil and tore some A4 paper in half to create the area I wanted for the mist.  I used the Public Library range of papers, which is lovely and full of vintageness - so I layered up lots of strips of paper behind the photo and hen embellished with some of the stickers - like the pile of books and the little 'Learn' flag, and made myself some buying by cutting out the numbers and then stapling it on twine.  A few wood veneers - the apple went perfectly with the theme and then the arrows to draw attention to the little title.  I've had this picture printed out for ages, but not used it, so they were the perfect papers for it.

I'll be back with more October Afternoon later on in the week - you can also find another page appearing on Created by ATDML today here.

Bit different.....bottles....

Baker Ross sent me a pack of 6 bottles to make things with...so initially I went for bathroom style decorations - and for this one I watered down some PVA and then filled the bottle (about 1/4) and then shook it and covered the whole of the inside with glue.  The next step was pouring in some blue glitter and patting it all around. It worked really well and the coverage is very good - I used quite a fine glitter which I think helped with that.

So for my next bottle, yes notice the different style - this has a lovely polka dot...I tried alcohol inks on the inside of the bottle - blue and gold.  Now this was interesting as I thought the alcohol inks would evaporate and dry fairly quickly, but this was not the case and I ended up having to re-shake it so that all the ink wasn't just at the bottom of the bottle, and I ended up leaving the bottle on the side to dry...however despite all that it is a really nice stained glass effect which I just cannot properly capture in a photo - here is my best go..

Next up I was inspired with a different idea for the bottles...what about using them as infuses - so get some oil and the wooden sticks and then just decorate them and fill them with oil.  You can get about 4 sticks in them, but I think the narrow hole at the top will help not let the oil evaporate too quickly but just use the sticks to infuse the scents.  Anyway - this is just decorated with some Graphic 45 papers as that was what was on my desk and they are very French Country vintage, I cut out some pears and a few butterflies and tied some twine around the top.

The next effect was with some paint, so I covered the bottle in my watered down PVA - partly to provide a key for the white acrylic and also cos it makes it crack.  I then spritzed it with some cosmic shimmer mist, then wrapped twine and added more papers to decorate it.

Here are some shots with the bottles with the infuser sticks in now.  I painted this one the same way and then once dry I added some silver paint to my finger and just brushed it lightly over some of the areas on the bottle so all the patterns started to stand out - then a flower and twine and a key - keeping it simple.

I think this is my favourite one...so covered the bottle in glue and some doublesided tape just to help hold down the twine whilst the glue dried...and then I wrapped it in the twine, carefully.  I did use a good layer of PVA and it has help really well so far.  I then used some Baker Ross ribbon and a little clay star that I made out of air dry clay that also came in my Baker Ross pack (I stamped the woodgrain into the air dry clay and the word Star - then painted it silver once it was dry) - and glued and pegged it onto the ribbon.

So lots of writing - but that is 6 different things you can do with the bottles and they will make lovely little infuser gifts for people :)

Inspiration Elevator - Beach Love

Our main purpose here at IE is to challenge ourselves, each other and YOU to take the creative process to the next level;  to inspire growth and change in our scrapbooking beyond the mundane.
You can see all of Inspiration Elevator's previous challenges at our blog and catch us on Facebook .
We are thrilled to welcome back as a guest designer with our team, the uber creative and wonderfully artsy Misty Russell!
This month's challenge is issued by the amazing Jayne Morgan. Jayne mixes classic styling with fun and funky embellishments and artistic mixed media touches. Here is her challenge for us, in her own words:
Time(d) to Change
It's no secret amongst my crafty friends that my biggest hang up when scrapbooking is procrastination. Being a perfectionist can certainly benefit the end result, but quite often, we worry so much about the outcome that we forget to enjoy the process! On a couple of occasions when I've had to complete a tight deadline for DT calls or assignments, I've been forced to throw caution aside and complete a page within an hour. This for me in itself is a miracle, but the most surprising part was that I not only thoroughly enjoyed the carefree process, but the end results have been some of my most favourite pages. Here's lies the inspiration for this months challenge - I'd like you to gather your photo's, papers and a collection of supplies you think you may need, hibernate to your creative space and take 30 minutes to create whatever you like.........not a minute more! Contrary to what you may think, the pressure is off here. Chances are the final result will not be your best ever project as the time constraint is a little extreme (!), but it's a well known saying that creativity flourishes when we are willing to take risks! Enjoy the process.

So here is what I came up with.....

I got my papers together and the photos so I had a rough idea about the LO and that I had had a look at the paper combination (though I had hauled out lots more than this).  I started with the white gesso and then soon realised that I needed to get my papers on the page to look at where I wanted them, so then had to dry my gesso!  The base paper is by Websters and from Our Travels. This was actually quicker than I thought - though it was still a little damp - I then just layered - I started with a Kaisercraft card (they are beautiful) and then behind that I slotted some Websters Sweet Routine vellum - with gold polka dots, then over the tops some off cuts of a yellow chevon paper - again Websters I think Party Time and then the green polka dot from Sweet Routine.  Over the top of his I added some musli, and then also slotted in some little Kaisercraft ruler stickers too.  I then layered up some embellishments at the corner of the photo - I had to choose quickly - and added some flicks of cosmic shimmer mist, and some pearls and one of the lovely Prima bark stars (I think I went for some of my favourite things as there was so little time!) - then the title is a mix of Glitz (another go to favourite - I need another sheet of this alpha) and American Crafts thickers, and added the journalling underneath.  I was just under 30mins - I didn't think I'd do it, but it was great fun!

Here's a complete list of this month's participating designers!  We encourage you to check out each designer's creation this month, then come on back and give the challenge a try yourself!

Jayne Morgan

Wendi Robinson

Katherine Sutton

Lisa Moen

Lisa Speigel

Ann Jobes

Christa Uttley

Guest designer: Misty Russell

Meantime, if you've wanted to participate as a guest designer with Inspiration Elevator, just contact team lead, Ann at ann jobes at bell dot net
Now it's your turn to get creating in 1/2 hour , and share your blog link at the IE blog. We would love to see what you were inspired to make!

Chatham Docks

This is my take on Ann Freemans interactive cybercrop class - Hyde Park Corner - it uses a MME 6" pad of paper to make all the squares and then has a lift up flap for the journalling.

It's really nice and clean and I resisted the urge to grunge it up at all, I love the little polaroid frame and I cut out my embellishments using balloons and some tickets from the papers, as well as making a little banner of flags.

You can find the class here.

You and Me

Another class from the ATDML Cybercrop - this one by Denise Holmes you can find it here - it is called jubilee - there is lots of lovely dimensions and she used Crate Paper and some of my favourite lines for it....I thought I had most of the papers...but it turns out I didn't so here is my improvisation of the class with less flowers and a little more red and blue!

This is just one of those everyday phone photos - of me and my son chilling and looking at my phone after a cycle to the coffee shop!

Also I am on Created by ATDML today with a little bit of a technique post.

Post holiday and Cybercrop

I was very slack and didn't carry my blog on seamlessly over the my holiday (lots of photos from that to scrap).  So just before I went away there was the ATDML Cybercrop - all the classes are up on the shop website under the 2014 Cybercrop heading (this one is Waterloo).  There is stacks of inspiration, tutorials and ideas so even though you can't join in the challenges - the classes are all there - I know I will be having a go at a few more over the coming weeks.

So here are some shots from my class - I did a double and single page LO all using October Afternoons Farm Girl collection.  For this page I used loads of patterned papers, along with stitching (I love that circle pattern - my favourite paper I think!) and then I made a little lace button flower too.  The photo is an instagram - I like the frames that you get...and having recently got a Canon Selphy I can now print them out really easily and get them quickly.

Here is my double page spread using a mix of 6 by 4 and 4 by 4 shots - I just cut my 6 by 4's down to 4" square photos rather than do that all on the computer.  The theme for this class was using water and I used distress inks to make some watercolour circles.  Having moved into using some pocket pages in my scrapping it was nice to have a go at a double page LO - something I haven't done in ages!