O'Christmas Tree

I chose two cards this year and made loads for family and friends. I think I made over 80 before I ran out of steam. This was the first.

I made all of the tree toppers first and then mounted and decorated afterwards.
The second was this one

Not everyone liked this one when I taught it in class but I found it easy to make and therefore easy to replicate again and again. The Santa image is a stencil and both Santa and the background were done using Distress Oxides.
I am definitely going to start making Christmas cards earlier next year.

Happy Couple

Another layout for my memory album but this time using a more recent photo as the focal point and using a black and white photo of my parents wedding.

The background paper was amazing with colourful overlapping circles. The flowers were punched out of complimentary paper and shaped using a ball tool.

The title was cut from a scrabble paper so that everyone could choose their own titles to fit their layouts. 

That's about it for now but I'll be back with more soon xxx

Summer Break

Sometimes scrapbook papers lend themselves to cutting and decoupage and that's what happened here.

Four papers were needed to make this layout, the two shown as the background and another two for the flowers and the tape measures.

and I used a border punch to separate the photographs

Sticky foam pads helped with the 3d elements and finished it off nicely x

When It Rains

I am a collector of some of the stamps from Lavinia Stamps. Admittedly I am not a big fairy/fantasy  fan but as you can see, there are more than enough background stamps  to collect. 

Another black and white stamping layout but again it is a great way for class to practise their stamping skills.

I added little stamped red hearts to the toadstools and tucked the photo behind a few of the cut out toadstools.

Ivy and of course the little tree houses

The wording was also stamped on paper, cut out and then added to the layout. 
Class photo

You can buy all of Lavinia Stamps HERE x

Summer Photos

I am definitely short of seaside layouts and I especially love anything to do with the creatures under the sea so this was a no brainer. 

Two simple circles make a good focal point with just simple needle holes around the circumference which could be sewn with thread if wanted.

from the picture you can see I edged the circles with Distress Ink.

All of the seaside elements were coloured in using Distress Oxides.
Class photo

Loved making this. More tomorrow. x

Somewhere in Time

Taught this class to my Tuesday night group in September and they loved it. The nice thing is I could use a mishmash of stamps that I already had in my stash.

 The beauty of this layout is that the circles move allowing more photos to be added to the inside, the number depending on the number of circles added.

The blue tattered butterflies are my go to and my favourite set of butterflies.

I printed all of the photos in black and white and used a turn and a brad to keep all of the circles in place. 
Class photo

xxx

Snowflake Christmas Card

So very simple and believe me the photo does not do this card justice. All made from die cuts and a lovely snowflake background paper and then blinged within an inch of its life.

A stunner and a real statement piece. I used Glamour Dust to give the sparkle and a gem in the centre to finish it off. (You can buy Glamour Dust HERE)
Class photo

 and believe it or not I took a video.

There is so much more to come. Have a great day xx

The Deer Family

I'm sure you are just like me and have loads of dies which are shut away in a cupboard and forgotten. These next two cards were made using two Sizzix strip dies, Woodland Deer and Gingerbread Men with Hearts (I think both are discontinued but you may be able to get them on EBay or Amazon)
Here is the first one. The clouds were made using the cloud stencil from HobbyArt.

The deer and trees were coloured in using proMarkers.

The second card I have used a scrapbook paper as the background and coloured the diecut using ProMarkers. 

I added little silver hearts hanging from the trees and drew the strings in using a thin black pen. 
Class photo

If you want to stencil and the two others that I use you can find them HERE xx

Deer Couple

Another stamp I bought and then didn't use for a while but it is such an easy card to make and one that you can easily make time and time again. This time the stamp is from Woodware and its called "Deer & Doe"

The soft background is Tumbled Glass Distress Oxide and the Deer and Doe are coloured in using Gathered Twigs watered down and painted with a brush.
Class photo

I really enjoyed using this stamp and I have no doubt it will become a firm favourite. x

Patchwork Reindeer

I have had this stamp for a while but never used it. It was only when I started to colour him in that I realised how beautiful he is.

I think I enjoy using unusual stamps and I wonder why I never used it before. Coloured in using Pro-Markers and the background made using Salty Ocean Distress Oxide.

Here is one of the class photos

Loads more to come so keep checking back xx

Merry Christmas Robin

I have made loads of Christmas cards this year and not all of them in card class. This wonderful Daisy B Robin was one I taught at the beginning of October and I love it. (you can find the stamp HERE)

The class was an introduction to Ecoline Brush Pens which is how I coloured in the Robin.

To give the card more dimension I stamped the Poinsettia a second time and added it to the card using silicone glue. The greeting is a peel off (yes I still use peel-offs at Christmas because they are pretty lol)
Here are a couple of pictures from class.

More tomorrow xx

Good Together

When I first started Scrapping Your Family many years ago, I started making pages for a memory album. Over time I have included many pages that cover current family and events but I thought it was about time to use some older pictures especially as it was Margaret (one of our class mates) 50th Wedding Anniversary.

The pictures for this layout are of my maternal grandparents. I love the pictures in the little film strip.

I found that my old photo programme Picasa prints off contact photos which fit perfectly into the tiny holes.

The flowers are by Cottage Garden by HobbyArt and are one of their new releases (you can find them HERE)

All of the flowers are coloured with Distress Oxide Ink Pads and a paint brush.

and I used a die cut for the little branch. This was coloured in using promarkers and some people in class added a bird on the branch.

I have set the blog up to release a new post every day for the next 7 days so please keep checking back. xx

Sri-Lanka

I am lucky enough to have been to some amazing places and I have loads of photos still to put in my scrapbook album so when I saw the Pink Ink Elephant stamp it was a wonderful opportunity to do a Sri-Lankan page.

It doesn't show in the picture but the patterns on each elephant as really sparkly and this worked well as I kept the elephant colours very neutral.
If you like the elephant and want to see more Pink Ink stamps you can find them HERE.

If Flowers Were Friends

This was my first time using this Die Creative Expressions Paper Cuts -Sunflower Edger and to be honest I was at a loss as to how to use it. It didn't take long though, I put my brain in gear and played for a few minutes and this is what I came up with.

 The secret is to die cut the edger in white and make sure you keep ALL of the pieces.

Choose a background and stick your edger in place. At this point you can start colouring the design in. I chose to colour the loose leaves and stick them back into the design.

Lastly I fussy cut the flower heads from a second die cut and stuck them in place to create a 3D effect.

I've ordered a few Christmas Edgers so I'll post the results nearer the end of the year and after the card class of course lol. x

Pink Ink Dragon Fly Cards

So in class my ladies were given a choice of two backgrounds for this amazing Dragon Fly by Pink Ink Designs one made using distress inks

and one made using a background paper

Both backgrounds were stamped on using black Archival ink and AALL & Create stamps and then highlighted with a Signo White Pen. The Dragonflies were attached to the cards using glue on the body and sticky foam pads on the wings.
I am loving these stamps.x

Christmas Card Bear

Are you a Pink Ink fan? Well I am and this bear will be appearing on a lot of my Christmas Cards this year. So easy to colour in and a great card for a grumpy husband in Christmas denial lol.

The background was made using Distress Oxides , spritzed and then stamped with small snowflakes using the same ink. I also love the way you can move the eyes to suit the card, in this case the bears eyes are looking towards the Christmas hat.

Adorable

Loved using the pink and lime green together. I am not really a pink fan or lets say it wouldn't be my colour of choice but add it to another vibrant colour and I'm happy.

The scalloped edge was made using an XCut border punch

 and the nut shapes (top left and bottom right) are also from a punch

 The bow is handmade from paper and would be great on a card as well as a scrapbook page.

Again I've typed my wording on the computer, printed it out and then cut the sentences into smaller strips to fit on the page. The little tags were hand cut and pull out from behind the picture.