UKS Dec wk1 Challenge

The UK Scrapper's Team Challenge for Dec wk 1 was to use a literary title, circular colour photo, handmade embellishments and hidden journalling. Here's my entry:


"The Story of a Mother"

The hidden journalling is in the little folder at bottom left:


With hidden journalling exposed


Journalling ~ detail

The journalling reads: "This picture of my twin sister Elise was taken on my Wedding Day in June 2006. She had given birth to Lucia just 8 days before and although she'd been through an emergency C-Section, she was still there for me on my big day. Lucia was our youngest guest and in the dress I bought her, she looked like a tiny bridesmaid!"

Thanks for looking!

Tan xxx

UKS Nov wk 4 Challenge

Here's my latest scrapbook layout, done for my UK Scrapper's weekly challenge. It's of my niece Lucia as the photo goes really well with the colours I wanted to use.


Lucia ~ you are such a joy to me


Lucia ~ detail

The journalling reads: "This is my neice Lucia, aged about 12 months in this photo, taken last year. She's so cute & funny & has me in stitches most of the time! She LOVES our shoes & bags ~ already this girl has great taste & takes after her Aunty Tan!"

I got the full 30 points for this challenge, so that's good! It was a nice easy one though. I'm also making a mini book with some of my fave photos of Lucia so I'll upload that when it's done.

Thanks for looking!

Tan xxx

Remembrance & Credit Crunch Layouts

I've just finished anothe two layouts - one is about my Grandad for the poppies kit we had at my Thursday eve Redbourn Crop and the other is part of a team challenge on UK Scrappers.


Remember ~ my Grandad


My Grandad was in the Royal Navy and I'm proud of his achievements. He received a medal from Russia in 1987 for the "50th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" and was also awarded a 60th commemorative medal by he Russian Federation in 2005. The journalling reads: "Remember: Bill ~ William Sydney Ramsden, 1924-2007. Crew on HMS Savage ~ involved in sinking battleship Scharnhorst in Dec 1943."

Sadly, he died suddenly in January 2007, and I miss him a lot. However, I was very pleased he was able to see me marry in June 2006 and to see my sister give birth to his first Great-Granddaughter Lucia. I have many fond memories of him.

My team challenge layout is called Credit Crunch Shoes:


We had to use the words Credit, Crunch, Money or Free in the title, and use old stash and something recycled and/or painted. I went with the credit crunch theme and showcased some of my lovely shoes that cost less than £20 each. The beads hanging from suede on the left came from a beloved pair of boots that I had to throw out (recycled element) and the number 20 comes from old stash bought at my local Crop. The number and the shoe are all painted too, so I think I got the max 30 points for this one ~ my teammates will be pleased!

I had fun making both layouts, though cutting into the damask design to show the teal background on my second LO took ages ~ I was cutting away with tiny scissors well into 3am on Thursday and had a really sore neck afterwards!!

Thanks for looking!

Tan xxx

Redbourn Herts Crop - Thurs 4 Nov 08

I went along to the Redbourn Herts Crop on Thursday night, run by my friend Diane and had another enjoyable evening scrapbooking and chatting with the ladies ~ they really are a lovely group and I wish I could bring them with me to New Zealand ~ it's going to be tough getting used to another group ~ even though I haven't known them for long, I feel really at home and I've really bonded with Di as we're both going through similar times and we've spent lots of time together over the last couple of weeks, so I really enjoy their company.

I didn't make much that evening as I was gassing too much, but I was able to hand over my 6x6 'About Me' page that everyone makes for their Members Class Book. Although I'm only going to be attending a few crops Di still asked me for a page so people would remember me ~ I thought that was really nice so I did my best and the results are below ~ I really enjoyed doing this and it only took me an hour or so:



The journaling reads: "I'm chatty, friendly, creative and passionate. I love making new friends and having a giggle. I also love art and crafting, especially sketching, making cards and scrapbooking." Pretty much the same as my intro on this blog site!

Of course I couldn't fit all of my favourite things onto a 6x6 page so I just picked the things I really love at the moment.

The fonts were freebies downloaded from a favourite site of mine called www.dafont.com. The title and brackets are Sketch Rockwell and the list is Dymo (like the label maker!) Another great freebie font website is www.fontspace.com.

Tan xxx

My first cards

I've started making cards recently and decided to post some of my first cards made for my family.


Cupcake card

This was my second attempt at a card and I made it for my sister-in-law. The design and materials came from the Jan 08 issue of You Can Craft! magazine, great for getting started in card making as it supplies all the materials you need to make the cards in the magazine.


Oriental Birthday Wishes

I made this using the free stamp in the October issue of Craft Stamper - my favourite magazine out of the 5 or so that I've read so far. I haven't sent this card to anyone yet - it's in my stock of spare cards for emergencies (I'm terrible at remembering people's Birthdays!)


Thinking of You

I made this for my Nan who is having an operation at the end of the month - I wanted her to know I was thinking of her. This was the first card that I designed myself and I also made my own butterfly embellishments using blending chalks and sparkly paint from Hobbycraft, which I then punched out using a butterfly stamp. I love the Woman in Repose stamp - I got it on eBay and nearly missed out in the bidding war!!!


Birthday Boy

I made this for my nephew Thomas using a design and materials from the Jan 08 issue of You Can Craft! magazine. I didn't have any blue card so I edged my white card stock with Blue Encore! Ultimate Metallic ink, another eBay bargain.