Sugar Bowl challenge 66

I used to make a lot of cards. A lot. Now, I don't make so many. But every now and again I get a card making itch that I just have to scratch. And I like to use a sketch for my cardmaking as well as my scrapbooking. The latest challenge over at the Sugar Bowl took my fancy. Marlena has done a great sketch, and the theme of "for the girls" fitted in  nicely as I wanted to make a card for my sister-in-law's birthday.

My sister-in-law has a thing for rabbits - they have several bunnies, as well as guinea pigs, in hutches in their back garden. I had exhausted my Little Cotton Rabbits stamps over previous years, so decided to invest in a new Sassy - Bad Hare Day.

I coloured her in with ProMarkers, and played with the new fine nib set I got last week. I am not the neatest when it comes to colouring in, so these fine nibs are just perfect for me especially when it comes to the more detailed images. I think I made her look a bit Amy Pond-ish LOL

The patterned papers are from the PaperMania "Summer Bloom" collection, and the cardstock is from Bazzill. The circle behind the image was embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. The buttons are also from PaperMania, and the sentiment stamp is from Personal Impressions.

TTFN


xxxx

Nuts About Sketches week 175 :: Kayak

Another new sketch designed by Shawn is up over at Nuts About Sketches. If you love circles, then you'll love this sketch!!

These photos were taken after a kayak activity at the watersports centre at Loch Insh. As we were all in kayaks, we couldn't take the camera with us to get photos. Afterwards, we walked past where the kayak were being stored on the lakeside, and I really liked how they looked on their rack. So I took what Mark calls an "arty shot". Then I got photos of everyone stood or sat by a kayak! So we got photos of us with kayaks after all!! And yes, there is one of me, and no I didn't want to use it...

The patterned paper is from WR Memory Keepers, and the little bow shaped patterns on the paper reminded me a bit of butterflies, so I cut out some from the leftover paper, added a tiny button in the centre, and added them as my embellishments. I added a sun to the top of the layout to continue the circle theme, and to pick out the lovely bright yellow kayak in the photo. I added some hand stitching for the rays, using DMC floss. I added a hand stitched border round the main photo as well. The title was cut from white funky foam, using the Sizzlits Chunkadelic alphabet dies. I added my journalling on strips of kraft cardtock, as per usual ;)

Head over to the blog to see what the rest of the Design Team have come up with using this really fun sketch!

And speaking of the Design Team, take a look here at the new Design Team for Nuts About Sketches that was announced last week - and I have been chosen to continue for another term!! I am thrilled to be able to continue working with Shawn and her fab sketches. It really is a lot of fun...

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Well, the kids are back into the school routine. Jemma thoroughly enjoyed her first week at "big big school" - "awesome" was her reply of choice when asked about any aspect of her school day.... And long may that continue. Tom was glad to be back to school too, and he has fallen back in with his class mates and teacher (who he has had before) with ease. He loves school. Again, long may it continue....

I am back to work this week, so we shall see how the new work routine fits in with the school one.... Plus I am off to the Big Smoke at the end of the week, to check my wiring. So all in all, an interesting week...

TTFN

xxxx 

Sassy Lil' Sketches August week 3 :: Call me

It's my first reveal of the new term for me at Sassy Lil' Sketches, and I have moved!! Instead of being on the 7th of the month, I am now a week 3 Sassy, so my reveals are now the third Tuesday of every month!

This is my layout using the great sketch Cherie provided.



This photo of Jemma was taken on her 5th birthday, about a month after we had returned to the UK from our posting to Gibraltar. Sitting on the stairs was still a novelty for her - she had lived in a ground floor flat since the age of 10 months, so wasn't used to them at all. When the grandparents phoned to speak to her, she took the cordless phone and promptly sat on the stairs in this pose, as if she had always done it!!



I based my layout around a Fancy Pants acetate overlay I had - it fitted the sketch perfectly. Not one to make my life easy, I decided to stitch over some of the swirls on the overlay. I like how it turned out, plus the added bonus was that the stitching fixed the acetate on the cardstock, so I didn't have to find a way of hiding any adhesive! The patterned papers are also Fancy Pants.  I made a few handmade flowers,and added a few brads. I used a Martha Stewart border punch under the photo, and American Crafts glitter Thickers for the title. The ever present strip journalling finished the layout.

As always, there are a couple of sponsors offering prizes this month. To be in with a chance, link up your layout based on the week 3 sketch on the blog by the 5th September.

Our sponsors this month are.....

Our digital sponsor, Sassy Studio Designs

Our paper sponsor, Apron Strings Designs



Go and check out the blog to see what the rest of the week 3 Sassy girls have been creating, and be sure to check back on Saturday to see what the Switch it Up girls have done with the sketch! Not forgetting, a new card sketch is revealed on Thursday too!

Sassy Lil' Sketches also has released a sketch Ebook this week, head over here to find out more!

TTFN


xxxx

Nuts About Sketches week 174:: I spy from the London Eye

Monday morning again, and time for another new sketch over at Nuts About Sketches!  This week Shawn has provided a fantastic 2 page sketch, and I had great fun with it!



These photos were taken in October 2010, on our trip to London. We had ridden the London Eye before, but it is always a great experience, especially when the visibility is as clear as the day we went. You could literally see for miles and miles. We had my brother-in-law with us as a guide (he lives in Central London) and he pointed out all the landmarks to us. We even managed to spy his apartment!

I used American Crafts travel themed papers throughout - I love that they have a sheet with a London Tube map on it, just perfect for my London pages! I made the scalloped edge to my cardstock using a corner rounder, and cut the title from black funky foam using the Sizzlit Chunkadelic alphabet dies. The ribbon is also American crafts, as is the badge embellishment. I also cut a ticket from white card using the Tim Holtz ticket strip die to add to the cluster. I finished it off with some strip journalling.

Head over to the blog for more inspiration from the rest of the Design Team!



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Today is officially the last day of the school holidays, and the kids are spending it sailing in Findhorn Bay. All the uniforms are ready, shoes are shiny, bags are packed. Just need to make sure the alarms are set tonight so they get up in time!! I cannot believe the summer has gone so fast, only seems five minutes since they were finishing up for the summer....

TTFN


xxxx

Sassy Lil' Sketches Ebook

At Sassy Lil' Sketches, we are happy to announce the first Sassy Lil' Sketches Ebook has been released!

The Sassy Lil' Sketches Ebook features about 70 brand new sketches designed by Cherie Averill!

You'll find sketches for layouts with one, two, three & multiple photos! You'll even find double page sketches! Plus, sample layouts from talented designers that will spark your creativity!

Most of the sketches use standard photo sizes (4x6, 5x7, 8x10). To get extra mileage out of the sketches, switch it up! Use the sketches to create cards, double pagers, etc.! If you need ideas for "switching it up", check out the cards in the Sample Layouts section or stop by the Sassy Lil' Sketch blog on Saturdays.

The Sassy Lil' Sketches Ebook is available for online viewing or you can easily download and print it. It's your choice!

Visit www.sassylilsketches.com to get the Sassy Lil' Sketches Ebook & get scrapping!

If you look closely on page 30, you may see a familiar name.... Yep, I was asked to do a sample layout for the Ebook! I've had a sneak peek of the book, and it looks fantastic! I cannot wait to use some of these new sketches!

So, go on, what are you waiting for....???

TTFN


xxxx

Nuts About Sketches week 173 ::This girl

Another week over, and it's time for another new sketch over at Nuts About Sketches. I was really pleased with how this layout came together, and I think it is one of my favourite pages I've done this year!

 This photo of Jemma was taken in November 2007, so she would have been 8 years old. It doesn't seem 5 minutes ago, and hard to believe that she is younger in this photo than Tom is now. For the journalling I wrote a few bits about her that would have related to her at age 8. Alot of them still are relevant today LOL.

I tried to pick out the colours in the photo, and was very pleased with the result. The papers are from Sassafrass, and Prima Marketing. The doily (under the journalling) came from my local scrapbooking shop, and I inked it with Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Antique Linen. The cardstock is a mix of Bazzill and American Crafts. The title alphas are Scenic Route chipboard, and the buttons are all PaperMania. I edged the cardstock with some hand stitching, and kept the embellishments simple.

Head over to the blog to see what the rest of the girls have been doing with the sketch - I defy you not to be inspired!!

This week is the last full week of the school holidays and I've got the dreaded school shopping to do. On the list are new school shoes, school bags and new school stationary. I think the shoes are going to be the hard bit.... especially for Jemma... Picky 12 year old anyone???

TTFN

xxxx

Nuts About Sketches week 172 :: Moving on

Shawn has designed another great 2 page sketch this week over at Nuts About Sketches, and I knew that I had to use the photos I took of my daughter's last day at Primary School.



There are a few "traditions" on the Primary 7's last day. The whole school come out about 15 minutes before the bell, and they march round the playground to the sound of bagpipe music. The P7's then go in the centre of the playground, and the school makes a circle around them. Then they all count down the last 10 seconds to the bell. The P7's tie their school ties to a signpost by the school gate. They usually come to school with silly hair and odd socks, and they all wear a shirt that they go round and get signatures on. Then after school, they go to the harbour and jump in the water. It was a fun last day, before the hard work begins at High School in August!

I used W R Memory Keepers  and Scenic Route papers on this layout, Bazzill cardstock and a felt alphabet from PaperMania for the title. I kept the embellishments simple (a strip of ribbon and some buttons) as the photos tell it all!!

Check over on the Nuts About Sketches blog to see how the rest of the Design Team interpreted the sketch. We'd love to see your take on it too, so link it up for us to see!!

TTFN

xxxx