Tuesday 15 July 2014

I've had a secret...

I've been keeping a secret for a few days now.

It's been really hard, I've been dying to spill the beans and I've even avoided texting or talking to my closest friends!


But thank goodness, today's the day when I can reveal my secret! I must add at this point there is no baby Ball on the way!

I applied to be on the Creative Team for Hey Little Magpie, the new trading name of the wonderful online scrapbooking store, formerly known as Sarah's Cards, and guess what, I've only gone and got on their team!

Along with 15 other ladies, we shall be creating with the very latest scrapbooking stash - how totally amazing does this sound?

And it gets better, because tonight I've discovered that some of my nearest and dearest buds are joining me on this team - Sheena, Jackie and Julie. Writing this post reminds me that Jackie was the first person I met on my first ever retreat and we have been great mates ever since! Neither of us knew anyone, we were retreating 'solo' so to speak and plucked up the courage to talk to one another - and the rest they say is history!

I submitted a series of five layouts…

The first two illustrate my love of my silhouette cameo - it tends to sit on the end of my desk until I get the urge to use it, then I go mad and use it on layout after layout!



I'm very into scripty phrases, but keeping the positive and negative of the cut, inking or painting the edges of the cut then simply re-inserting the cut phrase to create a seamless look.



I do like intricate cutting and boy does this illustrate my love of it! I've intricate cut so much before I end up with cramp in my fingers - not a great look, nor without a certain amount of discomfort - no pain, no gain!



I'm quite into grid formation layouts at the moment, especially when softened with 'paintily' effects or mists!



Lastly, I love colour co-ordinated layouts where the papers and photo complement each other meticulously - this is one such layout of pinks and beiges...




So there, the secret is out!

Monday 14 July 2014

Back on-line!


We all love our stash and I'm as guilty as the next person for hoarding it...




Today has seen the re-opening and re-branding of my favourite on-line scrapbooking shop. 

Sarah's Cards has today become known as Hey Little Magpie… how totally cool and what a brilliant name!


And so, dictionary definition no. 3 perfectly sums us up!



Check out their new shop and see how much you can drop into your nest!

Sunday 6 July 2014

Harry Potter World

Back in April, Harvey and I finally took the girls to Harry Potter World!

We'd been promising to do so for about a year and never got round to it! We booked tickets on Easter Sunday, and after a fairly early start arrived prompt for out 10am entry time.

Whilst Harvey managed to escape from being forced to wear a red spotted dress, like us girls did when we went to Florida, I did insist that we all had a pair of those famous glasses!




What an amazing place it is! Although I've never really watched the films or attempted the books, the attention to detail was just mind-blowing!

I'd seen friends photos of the car and motorbike, and of course we too had to oblige, it would be rude not to!



Not forgetting Privet Drive...


Having taken loads to photos, I hadn't yet had the chance to scrap any of them! That is until the Moxley crop in June.

Tracie Hudson taught three layout classes, with a further three to complete at home all using the gorgeous Homespun collection form Simple Stories.

One of the layouts, based on Project Life was perfect for using a collection of photos.


I loved completing this layout. I could dip in and out at leisure, simply crafting another square, which may have only taken me 10 minutes to do, but gave me the satisfaction of feeling I had had chance to be creative after work when time is precious...


The small touches made for a very tactile layout - one small section I'm sure I will replicate will be the use of sequins to enhance a feature.

So thank you Tracie for an amazing day, one to be repeated soon I hope!

Tuesday 1 July 2014

Happiness is...

Happiness is an early evening stroll where the cat comes too!