hello stranger!

...and yes, it has been said that there's none stranger than me. 

They lie. I am not in the slightest bit strange, 

Right, quick update.

Honestly - I've just been too busy with work and "stuff" to be writing blog posts as well.... and if I really honest... not sure I've had a fat lot to share, or more importantly that I wanted to share publicly. 

So, a Not a New Years Resolution to to try and share something...    this is because one of my goals is to shoehorn in some creative time.  I miss my creative time and making those cards for the 12 Designer of Christmas event really made me realise just how much I neeed it. 

I'm currently working on finishing up my December Daily Album - yes... I did record stuff every day, just need to get it in the album now.  (I'm actually using the kit I purchased for 2014!)

The way I approached December Daily has made me want to make a more concerted effort with my "documenting life" album - project life type thingy.  I don't use Project Life cards - or albums so it isn't. Does that make sense?    

This year I'm scaling it down a wee bit and using a 9x12 album (and YES, I did get them in to the shop for that very reason!) I've gone for a nice muted grey one.  I love it.  

What else... 

I'm taking part in One Little Word this year.  As in I've signed up to the class and I'm already in full swing with my word.  Which is.... 

My daily reminder to keep going in the area's I want to Focus on is this little quote. 

I found a very colourful version on Pinterest, which was nice, but didn't make it clear so I created this white on black version.  

The font should you like it, is a free one - Remington Noiseless.  I've download a couple of typewriter ones recently but so far this one wins.  RMTypewriter being in second place. 

Anyway, this is now a 3x4 card in my album and I intend to print out a larger version to put on my wall by my desk. 

Finally, as an additional bid to getting my creative juices flowing, I've picked up my sketch book and started to doodle again. Currently trying to improve my faces... evidence as seen on my Instagram account... 

It was also an excuse to play with some new to me pens. 

 I'm thinking about stocking them in the shop.

OK - that's my quick hello to you & 2016, with a pinch of fingers crossed I'll be back sooner rather than later !

If you're reading, please say hello! 

or not.  

Your call.  

Be nice to know I'm not just talking to the wall though.... 

Normal really. lol. 

Until next time

Happy creating!

Vicki 

12 designers, my turn...

Hello again! 

Its my turn as the 2nd (sporadic) designer for 12 Designers of Christmas, over on the store blog! 

I've made some simple but beautiful white Christmas cards. 

Pop over and take a look and remember there are prizes to be win for those that comment! 

12 Designers...

hello there!

I know... VEEEEEEERY long time no blog action.

Reason... to be honest, because I haven't had a lot to say or share.  For a long time all my energies have been thrown into the shop.

HOWEVER.... you will be pleased to know that I AM taking part in "12 Designers of Christmas" over on the shop blog.

If you already follow the blog you will know what an incredibly talented team we have, and they, along with a smattering of guests and little old me, will be sharing lots of inspiration with you over the run up to Christmas,

So make a date in your diary, follow the blog or our facebook page to find out who and what as we work our way through December!

join us!

We are very happy and excited to announce our big Christmas extravaganza called

The Twelve Projects of Christmas.

I cannot believe what an amazing line up we've got for you with twelve crafters and twelve products to tempt you as we go into Christmas. 

Each day we'll be bringing you inspiration and gorgeous projects to look at.

So make a date in your diary starting on the 1st December to stop by.

the shop is taking a break...

I’m joining in…

hark at me… yes, this is a blog post (yep I know you spotted that)

BUT, not only that I created something…..  I’m done a piece for the May colour challenge over on the design team blog.

I couldn’t resist the gorgeous summer palette.

Here’s a peek, the full thing is on the challenge here and I’ll do a follow up blog post over there next week with the details.

Highline..

hi everyone,

Now we all complain that the US stores get products months before we get them in the UK,

but I am pleased to announce that this is NOT the case with the new BasicGrey collection: Highline!

Here’s a peek at some of the papers.

 

Chalkboard Wood Tags

Title Stickers

 

Vellum Tape

In all seriousness I am in love with this collection and it’s online right now ready to order!

There are 12 double sided 12x12 papers, Collection Kit, 6x6 paper pad, Stickers galore, snippets 4x6 stacks, brads and so much more.

You can find it here. I’m off for a play!

Vicki

didn’t we have lovely time…

hello!  We’re back from a fabulous week in Rome.

The stresses of day to day life all floated away and feeling refreshed and ready to start again. So now, I’m going to bore you with a few shots from the trip. Some of these will go into my weekly pocket scrapbook album, but then I’ve also decided to create a “holidays” pocket album after a chat with hubby. He said he’d like to be able to just look back at holidays. I now have a list of holidays to work through to include in it.  This will be an ongoing project. Very ongoing!

First stop was the Colosseum. You have to.  This was the first time we’ve taken the kids to Rome, and J is doing a project at school on the ancient Romans. I’d like to stress the holiday wasn’t planned around it (we booked it way back in April), but more perfect timing for him.  I would have like a traditional night shot from the “front” of it, but at the moment it’s decked out with not so attractive scaffolding.  Hard to get a decent shot without building materials in view.

We went back the following day to wonder around The Forum…. the kids got camera happy, mainly wanting pictures of us. So I obliged.

Classy huh?!

We had an apartment this trip so the kids had somewhere to crash out and find peace from each other (and us no doubt). We were on Via delle Carrozze, right by the Spanish Steps. A quiet street with the fabulous Quetzalcoatl chocolatier just two doors down.  Lethal. And where I discovered glace strawberries. Oh. My. I would share a photo, but was too busy eating them and on our last night they had run out so I didn’t get to take a photo. Or get anymore.  Gutted I was. Gutted. We left too early the following day to get any more when they were due in.

…….but here is the view inside if you are 6 years old!

A few more snaps now and I’ll leave it there. I have more to download from my phone yet. It’s going to be hard choosing which go into the weekly album.

My thoughts. If you are wondering about taking younger children to Rome. Do it! Last time we went as a couple and suffered from some quite abrupt service in cafes and stores. This time was the complete opposite experience, and the kids loved it. My little lady got quite sad about leaving, even though she was looking forward to her own bed and the zillion soft toys she wasn’t allowed to take with us.

 

 

taking a break....

hello, 

I know, long long absence from the blog.  I'm hoping to be able to rectify that after half term.. which leads me to this... 

we're spending some, what feels like long overdue fun time with the kids during half term.  Christmas was plagued with flu (for me especially) so it's feeling like forever since we had time to do fun stuff together as a family. Let's face it they won't be this young forever so we've gotta make the most of it while they still want to be seen with us. 

We're also both crazy busy with work, hence my complete blog silence.  Just so much to do! When I get back I'll share some of the pocket scrapbooking I have managed to get done, and I'm hoping to pick up my art journal for some play time as well (hopefully before Easter!) 

In the meantime there is oodles of inspiration going on on the Creative Design team blog for the store, 

and we have guest designer Riikka Kovasin joining us. 

You also still have time to join this months colour challenge. 

Enjoy, and catch ya later! 

ten minute tuesdays

the run up to Christmas… ahhh.

Once again this week has been a little devoid of anything crafty creative, but I did spend the weekend either clothes shopping (seems little miss has outgrown last years winter wardrobe! I never gave her permission to do that!), practising yoga or cooking.  Actually quite a nice weekend. Especially when I made those beauties in the picture above.  Dulce De Leche Buscuits from a recipe by Gordan Ramsey.  Now they are a ten minute wonder. Seriously – TEN MINUTES. Ok, maybe 12 minutes. They do not take that long to eat though!

Monday was more shopping and a mountain of orders to process. But I’m up to date now. Yay!

 

I’m also busy planning next year. I don’t mean January, but way beyond that. Way way beyond. I’ve decided I wanted to try something new so I’ve signed up to take part in Ali Edward’s One Little Word. It starts on the first of January and all I need to do is come up with a word between now and then. I’m pleased to say I can already tick that task off my list. I’ve even talked my choice through with hubby to explain why I’ve chosen it. I think I even shocked myself with my justification. Main thing is, right now it sits with me.  I’m sorry to say I’m not revealing it just yet on my blog. I don’t know yet how this all works, but I will share some of my efforts with you as I go through 2014.  If you are interested and, like me, haven’t done it before you can find more info over on Ali’s blog. She has a $5 discount if you sign up before the end of the month.

I have a couple of other online classes I have my eye on as well for next year once I have carved some time out for them. Proper inky painty creative type classes. I doubt that that will be this side of Easter though. eek..

Well, this is a scheduled post, so I should off enjoying the delights of York in the run up to Christmas. I’ll have my sharpest elbows on though, don’t you worry!

ten minute tuesday…

hello and welcome to you.

How’s the Christmas preparations going then?  Mine…erm, well the kids have presents and if they can get their rooms tidy between now and then, they may even get them. Couple of family presents have been tucked away but I have yet to start on hubby’s presents. What am I doing instead…. having a crafty clear out! Yay. 

This is the first fat cropper hopper that hit the recycling bin.  I had three like this in the end, and another one stuffed full of papers to move to new homes.  Some of which have already been re-homed. It’s not that I want to get rid of any of them, but I have to be honest about how much scrapping I’ve done the last couple of years, and how much space it all takes up that I want back.  Well, a girl needs to store her project life goodies somewhere…

In amongst all the clearing out I’ve found stuff I had forgotten I’d got. Inevitable really. I’ve chopped some up to make some project life style cards. I’ve been sat in front of the TV with my trimmer and corner punch.

Yesterday I spent some time clearing out my mountain of embellishment boxes, swapped some trays around and made myself a box full of goodies ready to grab when working on my albums.

The tray isn’t full yet, and there is a second one underneath so fill up with more “stuff” but I love my sequin corner. I’ve gathered up all the tubes I have.

 

I have also taken over half the dining room table as I have been working on my project life albums.  I’m mainly working on August at the moment.

One of our trips was to Buckingham Palace, where you are not allowed to take photo’s inside, but I did, after some searching, find a pack of postcards in the gift shop.  Now chopped up and inserted into the pockets of my pages.

 

A quick pop to Edinburgh of the day where Instagram featured quite a bit so I’ve used those photo’s for this page.

 

Next to work on is our trip to Crete. This is as far as I have got as I don’t have any photo’s printed off as yet.  But, I sat at the table with the kids while they were having dinner and made my small title card for the page. A perfect 10 minutes of creativity.   I keep popping back to the pages. I’m even working on last week.  Photo’s courtesy of the Polaroid camera my lovely hubby got me for my birthday. Best part is you can print from an SD card (not tried it yet, but I have high hopes!)

So, wow, looks like a productive flash back of ten minute pops.  Shame I have the best part of a year to catch up on! LOL.

ten minute tuesdays……

is all out of creativity. again.

Last week was just hectic with work. The weekend was spent, mainly, in the car. Firstly a drive to Newcastle to see the utterly awesome Stereophonics, and back again. Then to following morning a drive to the other side of the country to pick up the kids form the Grandparents, where they stayed so we could go and see the utterly awesome Stereophonics.

Have I mentioned they were UTTERLY AWESOME!

Monday was new stock sorting day with the arrival of Daily Grind, then my youngest was sent home sick from school. Ping back to pick up the eldest.  Today, she’s still quite unwell, bless her, and needs lots of Mummy cuddles, interrupted by a dozen boxes stuffed full of scrapbook albums arriving. So, I just haven’t managed to get my creativity on again this week.   Next week is my birthday so we will see what happens, maybe I’ll get to visit someone else's creativity for a day.

 

Carta Bella Giveaway!

Hello there.

Yesterday we took delivery of Carta Bella’s new Homemade With Love collection…

I love it.  It’s a fabulous collection, but it makes me want to bake, or just skip straight to eat cake. In fact, I love this collection so much we’re having a giveaway on our facebook page!

All you need to do is check out the collection, leave a comment on facebook and share the post to be in with a chance of winning a set of the papers from the collection.

challenge reminders!

You have this weekend to get your entries ready for the first " a sprinkle of colour" challenge. 

 Entries need to be in by midnight Tuesday - the 12th. 

It's also the halfway point for the Craft Stamper Take It, Make It challenge which we are sponsoring. 

Check out the halfway point inspiration here. 

ten minute tuesday…

well, here we are again, half term. It makes me feel a little crazy but it only seems two minutes since the kids went back to school after the summer break. I seriously hope that we don’t fast forward quite as quickly to Christmas. 

Yesterday I snatched ten minutes in my art journal.  I had some Montana Acrylic Markers sitting on my desk so did some journal spilling and had a quick doodle over the top.  Also on my desk was a roll of Glitz washi tape so I added some of that. Why not eh?! The colours cheered me up as I’m currently drowning in paperwork. I’ve also been doing some secret squirrel work again so I wanted to create a quick page that was nothing like what I’ve been working on.

I even started a second page, but at the moment it looks like someone has puked yellow paint all over it so it may need more working on before it’s shared. If at all.

That’s it from me today.  Fingers crossed I may get something else done but for now I need to persuade, in my best Mum tone, that it’s about time PJ’s weren’t ruling the day.  Tin hat on… I’m going in!