Inspiration

I have signed up for a class on Big Picture Scrapbooking called "Inspiration" which Elizabeth Dilow is running. I feel like I am getting in a rut on the style of my layouts and the colours I use.

This was particularly highlighted to me when I sorted my patterned papers into colours. I was surprised on how many bright and highly patterned papers I owned. I liked them, the colours and the patters - hence the reason for buying them but when it has come to matching them to my photos I just don’t know where to start. So this class (I hope) is going to open my eyes to the world around me and help me look at shapes and colours for inspiration to use on my layouts.

Not sure how ...

Not sure how I am gong to scrapbook this photo. I am really pleased with how it came out and just want to make sure that I do it justice. I do know that I just have to have it somewhere in my scrapbooking album. I am not sure the journaling I will put on my layout. I shall keep on looking at it until I fell more inspired.

A - Z of Max

As part of my “Life Well Crafted” course Mays project was to do an A-Z mini book of hope. Of what you wish for, what you remember of this lifetime or what you want to become. I loved the look of the mini book and the idea of the A-Z concept but the aim of what the mini album was meant to show just did not inspire me. I had real difficulty in opening my eyes to the possibilities of topics that I could scrapbook.

Finally I came up with the idea of doing an A-Z mini book of my cat. The idea of this mini book was to give it to my ex-partner as a reminder to him of Max’s quirky character. I still have the mini book as every time we see each other I never have it with me or can find it – you know it’s in that “safe place”.

I really enjoyed making this book, searching through my photos and summarising his character and quirky ways. Every page I created bought a smile to my face when I thought of all the funny things he does.

I want to do myself something like this. Trying to figure out what format I want to do the A-Z of Max for myself.

Not to sure I want to do a mini book, think I would rather an album, but it’s deciding on the size of pages I am having difficulty with.

Should I split a 12x12 page into 4, doing 6x4 pages?

Or should I do a seperate 6x4 album?

Or should I do 8.5x11 pages?

Inside Pages of Mini Album 



(I heart you}

The idea of this project was to walk around your house; your town etc and take photos of hearts that you see around you. Now I really tried to see hearts but to no avail. So instead I did my own twist, just using the idea and layout of the album instead.

Moving into my own house where I could have things where and how I wanted them, albeit lots of things where still in boxes, it made me appreciate more some key items that i had, what they meant to me and the stories that were behind some of them. It made think of those things that I love, those things which keep me sane (that would be my powerful shower and Gold Blend coffee!), and those things which just make me feel like I am at home.

For each photo page I had a photo and a title. Then the smaller page tells the story behind the photo and why it is in this album. I made sure that this journaling page is hidden by the photo pages so when the mini book is closed you can not see them.

The class used an acrylic album for this mini book as its base but I did not want to go to the expense of buying one. I have a laminator and loads of laminating sheets so I decided to use them. I could of laminated plain sheets with nothing in them and make the album from that but acrylic albums are a bit scary for me so decided to make the pages and then laminate them afterwards. This did cut down on embellishments I could use but I wanted it to be more about the little stories behind the items than anything else. Have to say though not sure I would do it this way again, I think I prefer just a small album or a mini book with just cardstock pages.

Button Mirror

I have a thing for buttons. I mean I have stacks of them! It’s really really hard for me to actually use buttons, but extremely easy for me to buy them! I decided I MUST use some of them. So with good intentions I tried to come up with a way to use a large quantity.

Tidying up I came across some MDF mirrors which had still to be touched for several years. Bought originally to decorate using mosaics but gathering dust instead as one of those great ideas you have but never actually get started (or finished).

After looking at my button collection and the kind of look I wanted for my mirror I am afraid I had to go and buy the buttons - so much for me using up some of my supply! But armed with my new buttons and white paint I set about decorating my mirror. I am really pleased with the results.

It currently sits in my hallway nest to the front door. Positioned so I can do a quick check that I don’t look too bad! When I moved a few buttons came off in transit but I have some spares (somewhere) so I plan to do a repair job eventually.