The Most Glittery Book Launch in the Land!

On Tuesday evening I drove up to London with my friend Rosie, to attend the book launch of 101 Things to do with Glitter:

The book is by the sparkly Momtaz Begum-Hossain, and it features a huge variety of glittery crafts by herself and other contributing crafters - including me! I have 2 projects in the book, a scrapbook layout and some wrapping paper. 

So I was very excited to attend the launch and get my hands on a copy:

Spot the Hat I made for Fiskarettes when I was on the DT in 2010 - tutorial here!

The evening included goody bags if you bought the book, and everyone who ordered a drink from the bar got a bit of glitter sprinkled on top:

The venue was The Hackney Attic, where there's a craft evening on the last Tuesday each month, called The Make Escape. There was all kinds of crafts going on, including hat making, bow-tie sewing, and scrapbooking, where my layout from the book was on display to give everyone some inspiration! We could use a polaroid photo taken right there and then to make a page. Here's Rosie putting together a suitably glittery layout:

I made a page too - I found it hard without my usual stash around me, but it captures the spirit of the event:

And guess who was running the scrapbooking? Shimelle Laine! It was so great to meet her, and we got time to have a nice chat. She's super lovely!

Of course it was also fabulous to meet the book author herself - Momtaz is very friendly and sweet:

I won a raffle prize which was donated by Hatastic, and it included lots of hair and jewellery bits, which I halved with Rosie to thank her for travelling all that way with me. Here we are beginning our long (3 hour) journey home:

It was a fabulous night out, and well worth the trek to London from Dorset, even though I was exhausted the next day! The book is brilliant and Rosie and I are already planning out lots of crafty evenings following the glittery tutorials! 

If you're thinking about buying the book, it's not out for a couple of weeks yet, but you can pre-order it at Amazon! (Edited - NB: I had said you could buy it at Sainsbury's using 22 points, but that was wrong, sorry!)

I hope you're having a sparkly day! x 

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SJ Crafts Challenge #9

The latest challenge is now live at the SJ Crafts Blog! This time the theme is 'School / Learning', with the optional extra to use Scallops. Here's the page I made for it:

I love the Mr Huey Calico White Mist dripped on the background, it made the layout feel more 'free' - I wanted the page to hint at all the possibilities that lie ahead for my daughter. I also enjoyed using some stars and sequins to make it a bit magical:

The word 'learning' always makes me feel excited at what the future can bring! What do the words 'School' or 'Learning' mean to you?

Don't forget to check out the challenge to see all the other examples from the DT, and maybe join in with the challenge too! You could win a pack of ribbons and buttons - the deadline is 17th of October at 1pm.

Wishing you big dreams! x

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Joy - in more ways than one!

I'm full of Joy right now - I've had such a lovely lovely day! 

First, I went to Sarah's house today, and we chatted and scrapped to our hearts content. I managed a layout and a half (sorry - I can't share those yet), and I also made this, my first Christmas card for 2012:

I used the My Mind's Eye 'All Is Bright' collection, which I was so excited to get my hands on. Sarah had put some aside for me to buy, and I had to play with it as soon as possible! 

It was really quick and easy to make, as the 'Joy' word, the bird, and the flowers are all part of the patterned paper from the 6x6 pad. I just added some contrasting paper from the pad at the bottom, tied twine around, and added a few buttons, brads, and rhinestones:

I might even have to buy another 6x6 pad of this collection, I can see me using it A LOT!

Here's a glimpse at our craft covered table (with Sarah concentrating!): 

I think Sarah took some better photos!

I'm also full of joy today because I found out I won this 'Portfolio' prize pack from Pink Paislee (announcement here):

How exciting is that? I actually jumped around my living room, clapping and dancing. Hubby laughed at me, but I don't care, because scrappy goodies make me happy (especially when they're free!). I can't wait to get my hands on the collection, I'm sure you'll be seeing some projects featuring it in the not too distant future!

As if that wasn't enough joy for one day, I'm also sitting here with a glass of wine and a bar of chocolate. Things are good right now. 

x

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Katy's 21st Birthday Layout

Have you ever seen a layout made by someone else, and known straight away that you HAD to scraplift it? That happened to me when I saw this layout by Naoimi Atkins (which you can also see on her blog here). It's just so pretty. I especially loved the rounded corners on the 4x4 squares of paper and photos, and the mix of black and white photos. It inspired me to make this:

I made it for the 6x6 papers challenge on the SJ Crafts blog, though the deadline was yesterday! I had made the layout in time... but I ran out of time to blog about it. I'm super glad I'd read Lisa-Jane's 6x6 posts though, as it reminded me how much I love to use them! The 4x4 paper squares on my layout are all from the Studio Calico Hey Day 6x6 pad, and I love how they look as a backdrop to the title and other elements:

The background paper is Pink Paislee Nantucket 'Jumbo Shrimp' 12x12 paper, which I wrote my journaling straight onto with a uniball gel pen. I used to be able to write straight by sight, but lately I have to draw pencil lines for my journaling so they don't go all wonky. I can't tell if it's my eyesight or my attention span that's changing! 

The doilies at the bottom of the page were punched from train tickets that I used that day to get to London and back. I added half my underground ticket too - I thought the layout might look more balanced without it, but I wanted to include it, and sometimes the memorabilia has to win out, doesn't it?!

So, have you pinned or spotted any layouts that you want to scraplift? I'd love to hear about them... I might add them to my list. 

If you make any scrapbook projects don't forget to link them up to my Scrapbooking Soiree for the chance to win a gift voucher! x

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Recreation - Another Pink Paislee Layout!

I managed to finish another project for Pink Paislee's Social Media Challenge week! This layout was based on the Daily Cell Phone Photo post by Felicitas Klink. 

This photo was taken on my Ipod Touch, which is as close as I have to a Smart Phone (my mobile phone cost £15 three years ago - it texts and calls and that's it!). I think I applied the effects to the picture using the BeFunky app. 

The photo is an everyday moment for us, as we pass by this river all the time - it's right by the library, and on our route to school, and I love that we live near it. The photo shows me, hubby, and daughter feeding the ducks by the bobbing boats:

Pink Paislee Supplies: Old School 6x6 Papers and Stickers, Daily Junque Ephemera, Nantucket Ephemera, Mistables Scalloped Muslin Ribbon.

I'm going to write the place and date details onto the yellow journaling sticker once I've worked out when the photo was taken:

I managed to resist putting any gems on this project too - quite an achievement for me!

Do you pass a spot everyday that you love? Have you scrapbooked it?

x

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Tent Games - A Layout for a Pink Paislee Challenge!

Yay, I can tick another item off my list of '10 things I'd like to join in with', as I just finished making this layout for Pink Paislee's Social Media Challenge Week! 

This page was inspired by the Instagram blog post by Jennifer Evans. Do you use Instagram? I like it when I use it, but that doesn't happen very often. The main problem is that while I don't have a smart phone, I do have an Ipod Touch - which basically means I can download all the apps and games, but I can't ring anyone from it, and I don't get roaming internet. So I can use my wifi at home to upload photos, and tweet, etc, but when I really want to use it - when I'm out and about - I don't have internet connection. 

So, if I take a fabulous Instagram photo when we're out, I have to wait until I get home to upload it. Sometimes I forget. Sometimes it takes so long for me to remember to upload it that by the time I've remembered, the photo is irrelevant to what I'm doing and I don't bother to upload it. But I do check that it's saved to my photo folder, which was the case with this photo, from when we were camping for the weekend of my 30th birthday:

Pink Paislee Supplies: Soiree 'Music' Paper, a strip of Vintage Vogue 'Corner Boutique' Paper, Spring Jubilee 6x6 Papers and Chipboard Shapes, Mistables Chipboard Alphabet,  and Old School Element Stickers. 

I love the bright colours of the Soiree and Spring Jubilee papers, they bring out the lighter hues in the photo nicely, and remind me that it was a summer party day! I kept the main items near the bottom of the page, and added hints of gold thread, because it wasn't long after sunrise when the kids were all playing in the tent. 

The photo isn't perfect, but it's the only one I have of them playing so early in the day, which is one thing I'm thankful to my Ipod for - I have it nearby when a normal camera isn't in reach, and I'm able to capture moments like this - just look at baby boy's happy face! I'm glad I've managed to capture the happy feeling with the bright elements of the page.

Now I'm off to see if I can make another project for the Social Media challenges before tonight's deadline. How much do I want to win the entire Portfolio collection? A LOT! x

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Daring Cardmakers Colour Challenge

One of the '10 things' I said I'd like to join in with was the Daring Cardmakers Colour Challenge. I made this card for my Step-Dad:

I love the mix of subtle colours with the pops of black and pink:

I used the colours I liked best, and added a bit of silver too. The grey splodges on the background are Mister Huey (Clay) mist. It was fun to drip it on, I should use mist on cards more often!

The theme of the card make look a little odd - a fish and a playing card? But my step-dad is a magician and comedian, who loves to fish! I hope he likes it... and doesn't just think I'm strange!

x

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10 Things... That I want to join in with!

Life is quite hectic at the moment, with little miss starting school, and me getting used to the school run, plus a deadline or two I've been working towards, and a few other projects on the go. But there's so many other things I want to join in with! Including this '10 things on the Tenth' party, which I'm just about managing to post on the tenth!

I know that during my organisation celebration weekend I talked about how I organise my challenge entries and submissions by limiting them, but sometimes it's very hard to ignore all the fun stuff I could be taking part in. Here's 10 of the things I'm itching to be part of right now...

1. Daring Cardmakers Colour Challenge - I love the mix of grey, blue, and coral - Deadline Thursday 13th September
2. Two Peas In A Bucket Card Sketch Challenge with Kimber - I have a lot of cards to make this month, so I figure it might be possible to join in a couple of card challenges, and I like the big butterfly on this - Deadline Friday 14th September
3. Pink Paislee Social Media Challenge - oh, how I'd love to win the entire Portfolio collection, and I only need to create a project using Instagram pics and Pink Paislee products to be in with a chance... - Deadline end of this week
4. SJ Crafts 6x6" Challenge - Lisa-Jane created a great series on 6x6" paper pads, so I'd love to join in with some of the great 6x6 pads I own - Deadline Sunday 16th
5. Big Idea Festival at Big Picture Classes - Lots of different challenges, including scrapbooking your goals, and using big photos on layouts, there's great prizes for the winners - Deadline Monday 17th
6. Crate Colour Challenge - Gorgeous rich, autumnal colours this month - Deadline Monday 24th September
7. My Mind's Eye Project Challenge at Two Peas - I'd love to get my hands on some of the new My Mind's Eye products and enter this to win even more! - Deadline 30th September 
8. Scrapbook & Cards Magazine Winter Call - I've been thinking a lot about winter projects, planning for my Frosty Festivities weekend here on the blog, and I'd love to get my work in more magazines - Deadline Wednesday 3rd October
9. Counterfeit Kit Challenge Blog - It's been a while since I made a counterfeit kit, and I like the embellies and colours this month - Deadline Thursday 4th October
10. Mastering Manual Mode Workshop at Big Picture Classes - This is a workshop I'd like to take rather than a challenge or submission. I own a DSLR but I hardly use it. I've tried looking at all kinds of hints and tips from other bloggers, but I think I need the structure of a class to push me harder! Elisha Snow is an amazing photographer too, so I wouldn't mind some of that rubbing off on me! I've just got to see if I can gather the funds - Deadline to enroll October 31st or when student limit is reached.

What things have you got that you'd like to join in with? Maybe you'd better not tell me, or I might add to my list... x

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The Scrapbooking Soiree - September!

Welcome to this month's linky party, to share your scrapbooking projects - along any theme!

Last month's links were all equally intriguing. I really liked the bird washi tape and looped ribbon on Saskia's page, the colours and layering on Lea's layout is just so pretty, and I loved the kraft doggies on Julie's page, plus I liked hearing about her colour-matching process! Thanks to everyone who joined the party. The winner of the Bo Bunny mini-album is....

That's Alison from Life in the Slow Lane, with this cute, summery, doggy-paddle layout:

Alison, please email me your postal address at jennifer grace (at) hotmail (dot) co (dot) uk, with the subject heading 'Prize Winner' and I'll get the album sent to you! 

And now it's party time again! Link up any scrapbooking projects that you blog about (or upload to an online gallery) between 8th of September and 7th of October - no back-linking to projects posted earlier! For more details on the party see here.

I'm trying something new for the prize this month - instead of a postal prize, I'm offering one randomly chosen linker a £5 Gift Voucher (or closest equivalent in you local currency) to the scrap store of your choice. I'm hoping this will be better for any international or digi-scrapper linkers, as well as still pleasing local paper scrappers - let me know what you think!

Thanks for joining in with the Soiree, it's nice to see you at the party! Please remember to visit at least one other link once you've added your own - let's get to know each other! x

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Storytelling Sunday - Starting School

I know it isn't Sunday, but I wanted to wait until my daughter started school to share my story this month. So I'm joining in now with the lovely bloggers that have shared stories at Sian's blog - you can see her post for September here. 

Waiting until the end of the week meant that I could show you these photos of Little Miss, posing for a photo shoot before she went to school on her first day yesterday. I have a lot more photos from the shoot - she loves to pose right now - as long as I let her take some silly photos as well as the smiley ones:

She had a great first day. Her biggest worry before school was how she was going to play with her two best friends both at the same time - she knew one from nursery, and one from play-group, but they both started school with her. I explained that they could all play together, but she said "but who gets to be in the middle?" I think there's been enough other friends around that it hasn't been too much of a problem so far! 

She was certainly a lot more confident than I was on my first day...

I was clasping on to my mum's hand as she led me in to the classroom, which seemed so big, but crowded because of all the children inside. Most were milling around an art table. My mum pulled me over and talked to another little girl, called Stephanie. She had bunches (two pigtails) in her hair - I only had one ponytail. I wanted bunches.

"Time for me to go now" said mum, and I started to cry, begging her not to leave. She stayed as long as she could, but the teacher must have ushered her out. I noticed. I waited. When the teacher's back was turned, I ran.

Out of the classroom, out of the school building, everything blurry through my teary eyes. There were no mums left around, as far as I can remember. I didn't care, I just wanted to get home to my mum. I ran out of the big school gates, and halfway down the road (on the pavement), and finally caught up with mum, grabbing onto her skirt and bursting into tears all over again.

You can imagine that mum hugged me and told me off, then marched me back into school, and gave the teacher a piece of her mind for letting a four year old run out of the school on her own. I don't remember, all I recall is desperately not wanting to be there, and wishing mum would take me home. I sulked most of that day. 

But Stephanie was nice to me. As were others. And eventually I settled in. I never ran out of school again, though sometimes I wanted to - my school years were not always enjoyable. Like the day when I wet my knickers and had to wear a pair of BOYS ghost-buster pants all day long. I hated that! But I loved bits too, especially the actual lessons - I loved to learn. And though I don't have a photo from my first day at school, I have lots of others, and I'm very smiley in them:

Sian has mentioned a couple of times that my daughter's smile is the same as mine, but I'd never really seen it until I found this photo of me!

I hope that Little Miss continues to enjoy school, and always has the problem of too many friends! x

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Birdie Birthday

My Mother-In-Law loves birds, so for her birthday I used a tag with a sweet bird image from the Crate Paper Little Bo Peep Tag Cuts sheet as the feature for her birthday card:

I always use pink or purple on my Mother-In-Law's cards, as they're her favourite colours, and I know she pins them all up because they match her décor. She phoned earlier to say she loves this one and it's already up on display with the others. I really love to make cards when you know the recipient will appreciate them!

Did you know that Big Picture Classes are having a Big Idea Festival right now? It's all free and there's lots of prizes up for grabs. It started today, with Stacy Julian talking about happy mail and how nice it is to receive things through the mail instead of electronically. I almost always post cards for birthdays, but it's been a long time since I sent any letters 'just because'. I really should as I know I'd love it if a letter dropped through my door. When was the last time you sent a letter?

Bye for now, x

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August in Numbers

Sorry this is a bit late - but I went to be at 7pm last night with a headache and slept all night through. Thanks to hubby for sorting out the kids so I could get some rest - he is lovely!

Each month I join Julie Kirk and many others in recording my month in a numerical fashion. To learn more visit Julie's blog here, or her post for this month here. Now for my August in numbers:

9116, 5028 and 9057 ~ our Eurostar train numbers to Disneyland Paris and back again! This photo is of me, my mum, my step-dad, and my hubby, in the elevator at Ashford International train station, getting very excited about our trip:

67,200 ~ my score on the Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast ride, where you shoot aliens with a laser gun. Little miss scored 17,900, and my hubby scored 118,000, but the champion of our group was my step-dad, who scored 126,100! Here he is with the world's biggest Buzz Lightyear fan, my nephew, who wouldn't shoot the aliens because he thought they looked too sad (bless him!):

€317.57 ~ spent by me, hubby, and our kiddies, over 4 days, mostly on food. We ate lots of buffet dinners to fill us up, this one was my favourite, at Plaza Gardens, as it had lovely gammon, and delicious cakes for dessert. (Baby boy looks a bit confused in this photo - it's because I stopped feeding him his banana so I could take the picture. Cheeky mummy!):

 

266 and 211 ~ my winning scores on Scrabble, when I my dad came down to visit the weekend after we returned from Disney, and I beat him and hubby at two games. Go me!:

3 freshwater shrimps, 2 frogs, and 1 beetle, caught (and then set free again), on a pond dipping and bug hunting adventure in the forest:

10 tasks out of 20 completed on the Gruffalo Trail at Moors Valley Country Park. After 10 tasks the children (and yes, alright, the adults too!) were loosing interest, so we headed to the playparks instead:

9 ~ shades of colour on my face, when my daughter's friend came for a sleepover, and I painted their faces, and then let them paint mine in return:

53 ~ the approximate number of times that buckets of water were collected from the sea, when my brother and his wife and kids came to stay, and we took them to Swanage for a few hours. The children were filling buckets to fill up a pool of water which they had dug (with help from my brother), and baby boy had great fun playing in it (they were all quite wet by home-time, luckily we had changes of clothes!):

Another wonderful, busy month. I predict that September will be equally busy, with the county show yesterday, a visit from my sister-in-law and her kids tonight, my daughter starting school this week, and a trip to London for me, all planned so far this month!

I hope the numbers are in your favour this September! x

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