All loved up...

Just had to post sickeningly sweet photos of my cards from Rob- yes, plural, he didn't get make one last year so he thought he'd do a double!

Also, a rather lovely surprise of a dozen long-stemmed roses- surprising because he's not really a flowers man, and very much appreciated.

Thank you Bert xxx

Photograph...

I've always found great meaning in the lyrics to "Photograph", by Nickelback; however, looking back over my own photographs from the past, I realised that I've never really contemplated scrapping them. This surprised me, with it being what my scrapbooking is about, not to mention the amazing emotional content!
So here's my first attempt, albeit poorly lit, which also qualifies for the UKS Weekly Challenge:

One down, many memories remembered, and plenty more photographs to go...!
Leanne x

Ssh... It's a secret!

I just wanted to blog my latest UKS swap entry - a book with secret compartments.  I'm really happy with it, almost didn't want to send it off!  So I hope that my swappee, Frances, likes it.  Her theme was Carnavale:

The backgrounds were created with my Stampin' Up! Watercolour Crayons,

visit my SU blog to order yours!

Leanne x

What's in a Name...?

This is my latest LO - it started out as an SU-only layout, but then I got inspired!  It was perfect for the weekly challenge on UKScrappers, about the people we're named for, and I even handmade my rosette from scratch - no die I promise!
Anyway, everything's SU apart from the journaling card, which is MME, and lovely flocked Thickers to match the lush flocked papers :D  And the gorgeous young subject is my little little brother (not to be confused with my big little brother), when he was the pageboy at my wedding...

Have you had any LOs that started off one way and ended up another?  Have you blogged them?  Drop me a link or let me know, I'm always interested in hearing the stories behind creations!
Thanks for looking,
Leanne x

Counterfeit Kit & Collector's Diary...!

Finally, I finished my basic Collector's Diary, for the class over at Crafty Templates with lovely Leo :D

Firstly I drew inspiration from the Counterfeit Kit challenge and made myself a kit based around a patterned paper and some ribbons:

Then I used my altered binder technique learned from Chris, and old papers, ribbons, glubers, new pretty ribbon and gems, and LOTS of SU Ink, punches, etc. Oh and fell in love with tissue tape...!
The photographs are all taken with different light sources to try and bring out the true colour, but the miserable weather is NOT helping any:

 I'm especially proud of my handmade flowers and the punched embellishment in the last picture - loving the Authentique word stickers!

Now all I have to do is start following the class - what I'm going to do is make some sample pages as per the class guidelines, but then I can add to this over time - take out what doesn't inspire me any more, add in new techniques - I'm really looking forward to having an inspiration journal I'm proud of - and not a towering stack of mags and printouts I never read -thank you Leo!

Leanne x

Altered Binder...

I wanted to share a technique for making a great album or journal that I found whilst surfing the merry old internet the other day - all you need is an old binder and duct tape, and you can turn this:

into this:

over at my other blog: www.beautifulimpressions.co.uk

Give it a shot!

Leanne x

Credit for the basic idea to Scrapnanny x

Chic Chips & Spooky Stories...

Just a quick post to update on the chipboard swap from my previous post - I wanted to show off the selection that came home to me :D Thanks to everyone for their efforts!

Also, I wanted to show off what's off to Netty today for the Halloween Decoration Swap on UKS - I hope the recipients like them, they're not very glitzy for a banner I know, but I hope they go down ok!

Thanks for looking - anyone else made an early start on seasonal projects yet? Aren't we just so organised? ;)
Leanne x


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Decorated Chipboard...

As you can see I've just completed yet another swap - this time for Decorated Chipboard! I was really intrigued to see how they would be decorated and what shapes people would come up with, and how they might inspire a project rather than just decorate it...

Anyway, I only had the one die that could cut through chipboard - this lovely Stampin' Up! exclusive one that I ordered with my first discount :D so I decided to decorate it a bit like a bookplate of sorts, so that it might be able to complement the SMASHBook craze - especially for those making their own books :)  Of course they'll be able to use it as a normal embellishment too, a journalling spot, etc.

I used the Stampin' Up! Top Note die, Tea Stain Distress Ink (thank you Rachel!), generic chipboard, wooden dominoes from my LCS, Tim Holtz Film Reel, graph and lined paper by various companies, Prima printed tape, one of Tim Holtz' acrylic stamps for the ticket (thank you again Rachel!), Stampin' Up! permanent Snail adhesive, and Stampin' Up! kraft cardstock.

I can't wait to see what I'll get in return!

L x



Tip-In My Hat...

I've also waved  a fond farewell to the Tip In Swap pages - I really enjoyed working on these and hope everyone likes them - I wanted to give them the feeling that I'd drawn directly into their chosen book, so each pages was made with a background of relevant text, an appropriate image, and then hand-inked:
I was two groups - Group 3:

and Group 5:

I really hope people like them, I'm proud of them - havent done my own yet though, because I don't want to double up on quotes!

L x

August Tag Swap...

My first time hosting - how exciting! I set the UKS August Tag Swap theme of peridot + metal + inspired by oz, and here you go - the results of the August jury!

Group 1: nettyb, Kittycrafts, mistyrat, me, Kellmorris, and OLFRTAYL underneath

Group 2: Nerlly, KJJC, TinkerHamilton, with jainethepain and allyj50 below

Group 3: honeypip, RosieMac, cockneycrafter, Roxy52, funkymonkey, Weaselwise

I was impressed with the interpretations and the fact that they were all so different - well done everyone and a huge thank you for taking part!

L x