Ho hum

Not much to say today I'm afraid. Just wanted to upload this LO, which is a scraplift of a very similar LO in Scrapbook Trends November issue.

Been doing a few scraplifts lately, not sure if it's lack of inspiration, enthusiasm or time or a combination of all three. Oh well, I have this week off work and as well as doing a lot of errands and trips out I plan to fit in some serious scrapping too. I have so much to catch up on!

Bye for now.

N x

Almost forgot!

This is a LO I've done of my niece for my sister. It goes in a lovely 12x12 beech box frame and will look fab in their new home. It's a scraplift of a fantastic LO by scrappyfairy on UKS, go check out her gallery, you will be so inspired.

Back soon.

xxx

It's coming along nicely...

... my mum's album that is, full of pictures and LOs of my grandad. I've done 9 now I think, but must keep going to fill the album. Only one month left to go before her birthday. Here are the ones I've done so far (some are scraplifts, I will round up the credits and add later):

I've got so much other stuff on now, including a mini album of my son and niece, a Valentine's album for dh, my 365 photos, journalling and LO, my A-Z, the Elsie challenges and another album I can't tell you about yet (all in good time hopefully). I'm just about keeping up, but I could do with a few more hours in the day!

Best get back to it, see you soon. :)

First week down...

... and I'm still keeping on top of the challenges I've taken on this year. I'm finding the journalling sometimes easy, sometimes difficult, but I'm enjoying it and realise it's something I need to do for myself as well as for my family.

I've also done my first weekly LO, as you can see, about the 10 goals I want to aim for this year. I'm no doubt being a bit ambitious, but as someone once famously said, aim for the moon - even if you miss you'll be among the stars. I like that quote.

I've also decided to stand down from the design team I'm on. I was honoured to take part but the team is downsizing, and my commitment hasn't been 100% lately because of everything I have going on, so now seems like the right time for me to focus on those other things and just go back to scrapping when I can find the enthusiasm and time.

Right, best get on, need to do my daily photo and get some sleep ready for an early start tomorrow.

Bye for now.

Natalie x

Keeping on top of my deadlines

Well I'm doing well so far and have been keeping on top of the challenges I signed up for. I've done all six prompts and photos for the 365 challenge so far (and I'm looking forward to tomorrow's LO prompt). I've made my A-Z art journal covers and completed the first letter, even though the challenge has only just started and there's a two-week turnaround. And I've also done the first Elsie challenge, which I tied in with my A-Z double LO.




I've re-done my 365 journalling notebook cover, well I had no choice after my son pulled the numbers and letters off. Think I actually prefer this version though (don't tell him that mind!)

I'll post the photos I've taken each week, seven in one go, otherwise I'll be spending all evening on the Internet and none getting any scrapping done, and all my good intentions will quickly disappear!

Here's the first lot.

Bye for now. :)

Natalie

x

Journalling my 2008

Well my journalling for the 365 days challenge is well underway, and I'm up-to-date with my photos (almost), so today I've altered the thick notebook I'm using to write my thoughts on each prompt.

The book was a Christmas present from my friend Erika (thanks hun, it's perfect!) and I've just added some foam numbers and Chitter Chatter letters painted with black paint or silver glitter glue.

Just hope it lasts the duration!

Bye for now.

x

Another month, I know.

Has it really been more than a month since my last update? The time just flies and with me being so forgetful and unorganised (aka busy!) it's not surprising it's been a while again. We're currently trying to sell our home and getting it ready for

But it's now 2008, it's a new year and a new start and to kick-start my scrapping again I've signed up to not one, but three challenges.

These are:

* 365 days by Anna Louise Bowkis

This is using a prompt every day to take a photograph and journal my thoughts, and then completing one LO each week from the photos and journalling. I've only just started but have almost caught up, I'm just a bit stuck on today's, which is about imperfections. I have so many, but I'm not sure what exactly I want to say.

* A-Z by It's a Creative World

This is about completing an art journal with one page every 2 weeks, one for each letter of the alphabet. Mine will be a Book of Me to leave to my son one day, but if I can find time I'd also like to do one about his personality, which hasn't been the subject of a lot of my scrapping so far and I'm afraid of him growing up so fast and these memories being forgotten.

* 52 Scrapbooking Challenges (see UKS)

Again, this will challenge me to complete the challenges set in Elsie Flannigan's popular book, one each week. I love this book and have been meaning to have a go at a few challenges for ages, and this will really get me back at my desk and thinking outside of my box - or at least that's the plan!

Wish me luck!

Natalie x

Tag, you're it!

Just a quick hello, no pictures as all this week I've been clearing out, tidying and cleaning ready for the house being valued today (postponed until Thursday now, grrrrrr) so no time for scrapping.

Anyway, Kirsty has tagged me to share 7 random facts about me. So here goes!

The rules are:-
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself some random some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their name (linking to them)
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs

So here are my 7 random facts

1. Saturday is my favourite day of the week
2. I have one tattoo - a purple rose on my right shoulder
3. I hate raw tomatoes, but like cooked ones in meals and tomato-flavoured foods
4. I am one of three sisters
5. I have caterpillar-like stitches up my right thigh and a metal plate and three pins in my leg
6. I'm incredibly short-sighted with a contact lenses prescription of -5.5
7. I love to watch Scrubs, My Name is Earl, Ugly Betty and Dead Like Me

I'm going to be naughty and share some of Kirsty's tags: http://twintroublesjourneythroughlifex2.blogspot.com/ - Erika
http://blog.flynnstones.co.uk/ - Karen
http://creatingspace.typepad.com/creating_space - Anthea
http://rewarddesigns.blogspot.com/ - Rachel
http://iscrapthereforeiam.blogspot.com/ - NattieG
http://www.olibobs.blogspot.com/ - DiO
http://www.scrapchatterbox.blogspot.com/ - Mitchy

Bye for now!

x

Holidays are coming!

Getting into the Christmas spirit a bit now, which is very unlike me at this stage in the year. No doubt I will be fed up of it all by Christmas Eve. Anyway, I have been busy making cards, tree decorations and even a 3D advent calendar using matchboxes, which is part of my design team assignment at www.papercraftjunkies.co.uk - the challenge will go live to you guys on Monday, check it out as it's a goodie!








Not much else to say really, work is really difficult at the moment so just don't feel too chatty. Hopefully normality will resume soon!

x

One more ...

... yeah I know, posting twice in one day, it's not like me! But I just wanted to show off this card, which I made for the Papercraft Junkies challenge. I won't tell you what the challenge is, but it will be going live on the site very soon, so check it out!

Bye for now... again!

x

Good day today!

Well they say things come in threes, and today I've had three lots of good news.

Firstly I won £50 on the premium bonds my uncle bought me for my 21st birthday, and the bank cashed it despite it having my maiden name on, and spelt wrong too!

Secondly, work have decided to take on another member of staff, which will take so much pressure off, and hopefully, give me more of an opportunity to get trained up and in a better position for promotion, whether that be in my office or not.

And finally, my boobs LO won a prize on the It's A Creative World blog, which is fantastic. I'm so shocked, I never expected to win anything, but I'm so pleased. I haven't got much scrapping done lately, and it's been a struggle, so this really means a lot to me.

No pictures today I'm afraid, just wanted to share that with you guys. Back really soon. :)

N x

Expose!

I can't believe I'm doing this, but here's my effort for the Scrap Your Bosoms challenge to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month on the It's a Creative World blog.

I quite like this, love the colours, and tried to incorporate a few different and new techniques or styles for me. It will do anyway!

Not much else to report, work has been mad today and I've only just finished from home so I doubt scrapping is on the agenda. Although I should really make a start on a few things I need to get finished like yesterday!

x

Back to the cold, dark nights

Got back from a wonderful, sunny seven days in Florida to, yep, you guessed it, good old English rain and, thanks to the clocks going back on Saturday night, cold, dark nights too.

But we all had such a lovely time. The weather was mostly good, including some scorching days in the theme parks, and I managed lots of stash, clothes and presents shopping in between visits to Sea World and Universal Studios and splashing with Harry, who has decided he absolutely loves swimming now (what a change from last time we went, he was water phobic and went into complete meltdown at the very sight of the pool!)

Here's some photos, which I hope to get round to scrapping VERY soon, using all the gorgeous new stash I bought there.

My favourite shop was by far Scrappy Boutique near Florida Mall. It's a lovely little shop, packed with brand new-release brand names, all absolutely gorgeous ranges and matching embellies. I bought almost everything I wanted and it still hardly cost anything. So any visitors to Florida, you must go check it out!

Managed a little scrapping tonight, a LO about my boobs. Yes, I said boobs (stop giggling at the back!). It's a challenge on the UKS website, and I'm just scraping in before Wednesday's deadline. Or I will be, if the batteries in the camera get put on charge so I can photograph and upload it.

Better get to bed, I can hear Harry still sat up in bed talking to his new Shamu cuddly toy - at 11.30pm! Something tells me I'm not going to get a good night's sleep tonight!

Byeeeeeee!

x

The countdown is on!

Less than four days now until I, sorry, we, jet off to Florida! I'm so excited, I have my list of scrapping shops, my shopping list and lots of space in my suitcase for all my bargains! We've just been to collect the last of our dollars too, they smell sooooo good!

Been a busy bee getting ready and scrapping too. Managed to get another CC LO done and also an autumnal one after taking hundreds of photos of mine and a friend's boys playing in the fallen leaves. We also took a trip to Eureka so I'm sure more LOs will follow soon. Must get my CJ done first though before I go.

I'm currently on a training course from work, which is going well, it's something new and interesting. Just hope I do ok with the practical stuff tomorrow. Then it's in work for just one mad day on Thursday and then we are off. Please let the weather stay nice for us!

Catch you soon, if not before we go then very soon after! :D

x

A quick visit

Not been scrapping much lately, still, as I've had so much to battle against, again. I won't bore you with the details, but in a nutshell I've been rallying round for my mum who is devastated my step-dad is acting so badly and seems to have left for good and a work colleague of mine died very suddenly in a road accident a fortnight ago.

This year seems to have gone from bad to worse, thank goodness a holiday is just around the holiday and that we're now all going. Yep, me, dh and ds are flying to Florida next Friday for a whole week and I can't wait. Dh has never been before and I know he'll love it. The boys joining me is not going to scupper my plans to stash shop til I drop, and hopefully we'll get some lovely family pictures now.

I've started to get scrapping again thanks to a CC and the crops, although my mojo is still lacking. But if there's anything all this tragedy has taught me it's that I must stop moping and start living and just live every day to the full.

Here's my latest offerings. The first three are classes from the CC, the fourth is a complete scraplift of a LO in my favourites on my laptop (sorry, there's no name but you are one talented lady whoever you are!) and the fifth is my own work and a LO for an album I'm making of my granddad for my mum for Christmas.

Bye for now.....

Natalie x

A whole month again!

Sorry, as usual, didn't realise a whole month had passed without me updating on here. Yikes! There's been too much going on, birthday, anniversary, family problems, job stress, a job interview (didn't get it) and decorating and cleaning. I'm shattered.

Anyway, been doing a few LOs, mainly at crops, and here they are for your enjoyment or otherwise!

Better dash, dh and ds are getting grumpy! Hopefully I'll be back really soon to show you my creations using the gorgeous new PaperMania papers and vellums (yes, it's true, PaperMania has gone a bit gorgeous! You have to check them out!)

Byeeeee for now!

Natalie

x

My comeback is long overdue I know!

Sorry for the long break, I have had a lot less time to scrap since going back to work full time and DIY projects at home have taken up all my spare time. In fact, my stash is currently in boxes (gasp!) while we swapped over the office and Harry's room. Harry now has a lovely little boy's bedroom and nursery and I, sorry, we (dh and I!) have a lovely light and stylish study. Well almost. The walls are done, just need to lay the laminate floor and get the desks, storage and everything else in.



Anyway! I haven't done any scrapping since my last update on here, shocking, until now that is. I am very honoured to have been picked as a design team member for Papercraft Junkies (connected to the Crafty Carrot online store) and I think this is just the kick up the wotsit I need to get my mojo flowing again.

I've already created my first DT LO, and although I struggled to conjure up any creativity at first, slowly it came and I'm really pleased with it. I promise to post it here just as soon as it is revealed on the Junkies website.

So that's me. Hopefully, once my new office is finished - and I can really sit down and scrap again - you'll me seeing a lot more of me.

So bye... but only for now!

Natalie x

Back shortly!

Sorry for the break guys, I've been so busy working full time again and it's really tiring me out. I've only been back five weeks and I've already had tonsilitis again. I'm also on a healthy eating diet now after allowing the weight to sneakily creep on, so instead of snacking on an evening I've been going to bed early and getting enough sleep to allow me to get up early, shower AND have breakfast, which is nice now I'm getting used to it!

Anyway, so with all that going on, and the refurbishment of the bathroom, I haven't been near my craft area in a couple of weeks. However, since as I have a CJ to make, design team calls to enter and a birthday card for dh to make this week, normal service should be resumed shortly!

See you soon! :)

Natalie x

A Shimelle-inspired day

You'll never guess what I did this morning? No, not work, which makes a change, I sat at my desk, feasted my eyes over the latest Scrapagogo kit and scrapped! I had the morning off due to working late every night so far this week and because an electrician was in to put spotlights in our bathroom (they look fab!), so I used one of Shimelle's LOs to help create this one using a picture of my mum and grandad in the late 50s.

It is the first heritage-style LO I've done and I'm really pleased with it even if it was a scraplift. I did alter it slightly and used different colours to reflect the theme.

I think I'll be doing more of these soon as I scanned, copied and printed a pile of photographs of my grandad throughout the decades and I'd like to have a few LOs or even an album to remember him by. And there are some lovely family photos among them too.

I also completed a LO this week using the gorgeous new Love Elsie papers, which finally arrived at work after a round trip of England thanks to Royal Mail! They are lovely and really easy to use. The photograph I used is even inspired by one of Elsie's in her 52 challenges book. I will post a picture later.

And this last LO I made after last Saturday's crop, just because I liked the shapes I cut out for it. I'm not sure if it works or not, but it will do - for now! Lol!

Right, need to eat, I've only had a sandwich all day! Back soon :o)

Natalie x

Just a flying visit!

This is just a quick hello as we have a busy day planned, and I'm already being nagged to come off the computer. We're visiting family and also taking Harry to a friend's birthday party, which will be fun.

I just wanted to upload my recent work though. The first LO is one I completed at yesterday's crop using an old black and white film picture of my husband at a music festival (aaaah, them were the days!). And the other is a scraplift from a LO in the April issue of the fab US magazine Scrapbook Trends.

I have more to post, so I'll be back to do that later :)

Got to fly, bye for now!

Natalie x