And here's one I made earlier!

I started this layout at a classs at the Scrapstars Retreat in April and then have had a couple more sessions on it before finally finishing last week (it has taken me this long to get round to photographing and blogging it!).

The class and design was by Penny Kafai and I not only loved the papers (Carta Bella) but loved the design which incorporates a mini book within a 12x12 scrapbook page so perfect for a wedding where you have taken lots of photos and I have used my layout to feature photos from my cousin's wedding.

This is the front of the 12x12 layout and you can probably see the mini book which is cleverly worked into the layout and here are pictures with the book open so you can get an idea of what I mean.

The back of the book also incorporates a pocket with a journaling card and somewhere to hold any keepsakes from the day (I have included my placecard).

This side view shows you the thickness of the book.

Despite there being lots of room for photos in the book, I still had a few too many and also some were portrait in orientation and so didn't really fit so I created a second page making the whole thing a double-page layout.  Luckily our kit from the class included some spare papers and embellishments so although it doesn't match exactly it certainly co-ordinates well.

I really loved the design (which I may well use again) and am very pleased with the final layout.

Hope you are having a good day :).

Kate xx

A little piece of sunshine!

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are having a good day.  It has cooled down a little making it a touch more comfortable so I am much happier!

I was having a play at the weekend with some stamps and ink and came up with this very bright, sunshiny card.

I stamped the flowers in Versamark onto white card and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.  I then used Mustard Seed and Spiced Marmalade Distress Inks which I blended over the card.  In the gaps I inked a few of the small flowers with the Distress Inks.  It was backed onto some scraps of orange card and I stamped some extra flowers and inked to create my embellishment.  I added a sentiment (from Lili of the Valley), ribbon and a button.  I finished off with a little Stardust Glitter Glue.

And I just had to give the inside a little treatment too!

Hope your day is bright and sunshiney :).

Kate xx

Graduation

Morning Everyone,

Last week was my son's Graduation from University - definitely a 'Proud Mum' day :).  This is the card I created to congratulate him on his achievement.

The papers are from the Prima 'Engraver' range and the Owl and Learn Live Hope stamps are both Penny Black and I have used a faux silk ribbon.

I coloured the owl using my Promarkers and I have Glossy Accented his eyes but that doesn't show up in the picture unfortunately. The owl is raised up slightly on 3D foam pads and I have inked the edges of the papers with Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

Have a wonderful day.

Kate xx

Wild Thing!

Hello Everyone,

My Nephew was 18 at the end of June but he was celebrating away with friends in Portugal (not something you want to dwell on for long!), consequently we celebrated with him on Sunday and this is the card I created.

The stamp is a Penny Black and the image made me smile.  You can't really see in the photo but the white background has been embossed with a brick design.  The wording was printed on the computer and the papers are old Jillibean Soup pieces that I had lurking in my, newly organised (!), scraps bag, as was the red cardstock, there is something so satisfying about using up scraps!  I coloured the image in with my Promarkers and some of the motorbike has a coating of Glossy Accents which, again, doesn't really show up in the picture - sorry!

Have a wonderful day,

Kate xx

Opal the Optimist

Hello Everyone,

Sorry, it has been a while since I blogged; really, what happens to the time?!!

I have been busy creating though and here is a card I have made using one of the new Stamping Bella stamps  'Opal the Optimist'.  I love the sentiment that comes with the image in this set and of course any image with a bottle of bubbly included has to be a winner!

I have paper-pieced the dress on the image to co-ordinate with the background papers which are the gorgeous new range from Echo Park 'Beautiful Life'.  I finished off colouring the image with my Promarkers and then cut out the image and used silicone glue to raise it slightly giving a bit of depth.  The border punch is a Martha Stewart one and the ribbon is some I had in my stash.

Have a wonderful day,

Kate xxx

The Power of Three!

I decided to have a go at the challenge set by Caroline Lovett from Scrapstars over on the Scrapstars Facebook Page.  The Challenge was entitled 'Power of Three' and the layout had to include three photos, three different patterned papers, the title had to have three words and three embellishments were allowed.  Here is my attempt....

'1st Photo Shoot'

The photos for this layout were taken at the Scrapstars Retreat last year so seemed appropriate and although I am not a big fan of photos of myself as these were taken by Kirsty Wiseman and therefore probably as good as I get in a photo I thought they were worth including in a layout!

The main paper I have used is a very old 'Rouge de Garance' that I have had in my stash for 'oh so long' and the other two small black pieces were scraps; one an old SEI and the other a piece of Websters from their 'In Love' range.  The three word title is obvious and the three embellishments I have used are a chipboard swirl, an American Crafts pinflair badge with the words 'strike a pose' (it seemed appropriate although the colours don't quite go!) and the little journaling tag which I have also had in my stash for years.

I had such fun doing the challenge albeit I left it to the last minute; no change there!

Have a great weekend

Kate xx

Something a little bit different ...

Hello Everyone,

A little bit of a different post today!  This morning I met up with my lovely friend Louise.  Louise and I were at school together and she is my oldest friend - old, as in long standing friendship as opposed to old you understand, she and I are obviously still VERY young!!!  We don't live that near to each other but try and get together once every couple of months or so.

Anyway, back to the point (I will get to it eventually I promise!), during our lovely chat over coffee in Marks and Spencers we ended up chatting about food; cooking, recipes etc.  In the years I have known Louise she hasn't ever been big on cooking (I am sure she won't take offence at my saying that... well, hopefully not otherwise it could be the end of a beautiful friendship!), but the last time we got together she confessed that she was becoming known amongst friends and other school mums as a bit of a 'foodie' and someone to consult about dinners and recipes etc.  Well I was a little taken aback (and wondered what had happened to my friend!), but as I love talking about food, cooking and eating it as well, we had fun discussing recipes and so I nagged at her to send me some.  However, she said that she would only send me one if we exchanged and as I was telling her about some gorgeous 'Oat and Raisin Cookies' I had made recently I thought I would share the recipe with her and anyone else who is interested :).

The recipe for these yummy cookies is from Joanne Wheatley (winner of one of the 'Great British Bake Offs') and I had her book for Christmas which is full of absolutely gorgeous goodies.  Anyway, here goes with the recipe.

Oat & Raisin Cookies - makes 18-20

170g unsalted butter, softened

200g soft light brown sugar

120g caster sugar

1 large egg, beaten

4 tsp sunflower oil

250g plain flour

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp cinnomon

150g rolled oats

200g raisins

You will also need 2-3 baking trays lined with baking parchment

Preheat oven to 180oC/350oF/Gas Mark 4.  With a mixer cream together the butter and both the sugars until pale and light.  Add the egg and oil and mix again.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon into the bowl, add the oats and raisins and mix again until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Using your hands, roll the cookie dough into walnut-sized balls (large walnuts in my opinion!) and place onto the prepared baking trays.  Allow plenty of space between each cookie as they will spread during baking.

Slightly flatten the cookies with the palm of your hand and bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until golden and firm.

Cool on wire racks

A close up!

(I thought I would add a picture of Jo's book with the cookies in case I get done for copyright infringement!!!)

Louise was 'concerned' that the oat and raisin part sounded a little bit too healthy for her but in my opinion this just means that you can eat cookies and pretend they are good for you, a win, win situation!!!  Anyway, let me know if you have a go - they are really easy - and I can't wait to hear what you think.

Happy baking!

Love Kate xx

New Home

Hello Everyone

My Godmother moved house last week and I created this little card for her.

It is a very simple card using some papers I have had for years (Bella Blvd I think?).  The big 'home' stamp is by Technique Tuesday and the little 'New Home' stamp is from a set by Banana Frog.  I love the joyful colours of the papers and hopefully the card will add a little joy to their new home :).

Hope you have had a good day and haven't got too wet!  I suppose the gardens need a little watering but I feel that will do now and I would like the sunshine back and a little bit of warmth.... not sure we are going to get it tho'!  Still, at least I don't have feel guilty about not being outside gardening and can get on with some crafting, guilt free :).

Happy Crafting!

Kate xx

Birthday Boy

Hi Everyone,

Today is my Godson's 9th Birthday and I have created this card for him.

He is very keen on football and a Manchester United supporter so that is where my colour inspiration came from!  I was really thrilled with this card as, apart from the base card, all the other pieces of paper and card were scraps.  I recently sorted my 'over-flowing' scraps collection in to colour collections which doesn't work for everything but in this particular case made finding 'red' scraps a doddle!

The cute image is a LOTV design 'Super Striker' and I bought it with my Godson in mind.  The circle and scallop circle dies are both Spellbinders and the bunting is a Magnolia Doohickey Die.  The papers are a selection of Sassafrass Lass, Echo Park and an 'unidentified' piece!  The white card is Bazzill and the red hessian ribbon is May Arts Woven Burlap 'Bittersweet'.  The twine is from the garden centre!

I would like to enter the Lili of the Valley Challenge 'Boy oh Boy!' with this card.

Have a lovely day.

Kate xx

Mirror Mirror!

Hello Everyone,

My lovely niece turned 16 yesterday and I created this card for her using the 'Mirror Mirror' stamp from LOTV.  The papers are Pink Paislee 'Butterfly Garden' and I followed a sketch from 'Papertake Weekly' which was last week's challenge.  I didn't get round to entering the challenge in time but I enjoyed using the sketch and that is what counts really.

The image was coloured using my Promarkers and Flexmarkers and the sentiment is also a LOTV one.

Enjoy the rest of your evening :).

Kate xx