Thursday, July 26, 2012

GO TEAM GB!!!!!

Hello!
 I'm here today with my interpretation
of the current sketch over at
Another London layout,
this time the countdown to the
 London Olympics.
When we were in London, in May,
there was still 80 days to go!
Well, it's here now
- Go Team GB!


The Sketch....


Papers are Papermania
"Portobello Road"


This huge countdown sign was in
 Trafalgar Square, under the watchful eye
 of Lord Nelson (pictures of him later!)


Flowers and ribbon from stash.
Martha Stewart "Double Loops" punch


Union flag ribbon by Papermania


Leaves from a die by Sizzix
Photo of the Olympic Rings
hanging in St Pancreas Street Station
- very powerful sight.
Daughter and I made a special trip
 to this station, because it is so old
and maintained so beautifully,
the rings were an added bonus....


And, of course, the Rings hanging
from Tower Bridge,
which I think is going to be a
common sight around the world
over the next two weeks....


A wee Martha Stewart "Lace Scallop Heart"
tucked in
and Bazzill red and white cardstock



Another layout completed for the
 London album

Thanks for coming by

Hugs


Friday, July 20, 2012

Westminster Abbey - SOUS DT Reveal

Here today with the Sketch Reveal
over at

And, oh my was this sketch perfect
for these photo's....

Because this layout has a wee secret.

It also has way too much
 white space me thinks....



The wonderful sketch from oor Nanne....



The papers are of course
 Portobello Road Collection from Papermania.
 If you couldn't get your hands on this collection,
it's probably because I bought it all,
well, that's what it seems like.
Still got loads to go.... LOL
The ribbons are also from the collection



The title is computer generated
and die cut from
 Spellbinders "Ribbon Banners"

The small photo is matted on a 
Spellbinders "Fleur De Lis Square"



The flowers are a Prima vine,
 which I have chopped into pieces and
 used on both sides of the layout



Martha Stewart PATP "Vintage Floral"
The wee note paper stamp is by Imaginisce


And, the wee secret is..............



A mini album hidden behind
the blue crown paper.....



Westminster Abbey is sooooooo
steeped in history, you can feel it
 as soon as you walk through those
famous doors below the West Towers....



There was no way a single page
layout, even a double page,
could do the Abbey any justice.
So, a wee album for some extra photo's....

I did not take some of these photo's,
particularly the one on the front
of the mini album. It is a painting from
 the 1700s, but it captured the history
 to me, considering most of the Abbey
we see today was built  in 1245....



Below is the story of the
Stone of Scone
(pronounced Scooon, as in spoon)
from Scotland, on which all British
monarchs are crowned.
I don't know if you will be able to read
the wee bit journaling I have added,
 if not Google It! A fascinating story. 
The Stone now resides in Edinburgh Castle,
 Scotland after a long (centuries) visit to England



I was also fascinated to discover
that the monuments above the West Door
(where Katherine and William entered
and left the Abbey at their
wedding last year),
are all from the 20th century.
It just shows that we never really see
what we are looking at!
I assumed they had always been there.
Wrong!
They were unveiled in 1996,
 prior to that the niches were empty....


The final photo,
on the back of the wee album,
is from the north entrance to the Abbey.
Not such a familiar view,
but, my goodness, how ornate is that....



So, there we have it,
Westminster Abbey

Now you need to hop on over to
drool at the wonderful creations
from the rest of the team,
and then have a go at the sketch yourself.
You have two weeks to enter,
and we will come visit your blog

Looking forward to seeing you there...

Til next time

Hugs

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

First Card Sketch Reveal at SOUS

It's finally here - our first card sketch reveal at



With the first sketch from our leader
Sandi Clarkson



I had fun with this project,
no photo's to worry about,
 just a wee 6 x 4.5inch blank canvas (card)



The papers I have used,
on a plain white card,
are from the DCWV Luxury Stack



The pearl flourish is by Hobby House



The mini roses are also Hobby House



The beautiful vintage image
is a Marianne design "Postcard"



I have used Nestabilities
 Beaded Ovals and
Classic Ovals small
and the wee bit of lace is from my stash....



That was fun.
Now, for more inspiration from this
card sketch, head over to
and see what my fellow DT girls
 have created, pure eye candy.....

Then have a go at the sketch yourself,
you have two weeks to create,
link it up, and we will all call by
 and leave you some love....

See you at
 Card Sketch Reveal....

Til Friday....

Hugs


Monday, July 16, 2012

Cards at SOUS

Hello fellow bloggers, scrappers
 and cardmakers...

I'm posting today with some
fab happenings over at

As you know I am on the
 layout sketch team over there,
 and there is also a die-cut team,
 and now, wait for it,
yes 
there is now a card sketch team

And I am on that team....

Jane Stirling - from the Sketch Team
Tracey Kelley - from the Die-cut Team

Our first reveal is this
Wednesday - 18th July

I am predominently a Scrapbooker,
 but I do like to dabble with cards,
and to have a great sketch to
 work with is a great starting point.

The sketches are all
designed by our great leaders:
 Sandi, Nanne and Leah,
and it's going to be a fun ride....

So, make sure you join us on
 Wednesday for our first reveal,
 and you will have the usual
 two weeks to join in - can't wait....

In the mean time,
 talking about cards,
 what am I doing in Scotland
now that I have no scrappy shops,
 classes, or scrapping friends
to play with (violins playing....)

I have joined a crafty group
 of ladies on a Monday morning
 at our local community centre.
They are a great bunch of girls,
but there is only one problem.....

Yes, they are all card makers!!!!

But, it's as close as I'm
 gonna get to scrapping
 here in Ayrshire

At least we talk the same
language - distressing, inking,
 layering, etc. etc.

And use the same products,
 to a certain degree.
They have never heard of
Graphic 45, Zva Creative,
Pink Paislee, to name a few.

However, Nestabilities
and Martha Stewart punches
are high on the tools list,
thank goodness.

Here's a couple of cards
I have made recently at the
Crafty Group, we are currently
on the summer break
- summer, what summer.
I forgot how much it rains
in Scotland, folk are saying this
 years weather is really bad,
not usually THIS wet....
Great for the ducks....






They use a lot of peel offs
on their cards here in the UK,
so, can't beat them, join them....

Looking forward to seeing you
 on Wednesday for our first
card reveal at

Til then

Hugs



Friday, July 6, 2012

SOUS DT Reveal

Sorry I've been missing for a couple
of weeks, but I have been crafting.
I brought so many unfinished projects
 home with me from Australia,
 that I must get finished.
So have been doing that.

Anyway, today is reveal day
for the Sketch Team over at
This is my interpretation of the fantastic sketch
 by our very own Nanne....



The sketch....

Continuing with my London photo's,
using the great Portobello Road Collection
 from Papermania...



The title block is
 'Fleur De Lis Rectangles" Nestabilities...



The leaves are a Sizzix die....



The flowers are die cut from
 Tim Holtz 'Tattered Florals'



The wee clock face is from the
 7 gypsies stamp set 'Venice'



The raffia flowers are 'Daisies by Sandie'



The wee roses are Kaiser....



Another clock face and Motto Bello
from the 7 gypsies stamp set 'Venice'



The photo's are daughter and I
at the Italian Gardens,
a beautiful setting within
Kensington Gardens.
The Gardens were a gift from
 Prince Albert to his beloved wife,
Queen Victoria....



The monuments, fountains and
carved stonework is beautiful,
 shame about the weather....


Still lots of London photo's to go.

I'm loving the challenge of
designing all these layouts
using the same paper collection.

My London album is filling fast.

Using sketches is a great way of
getting your mojo started....

So, why not come on over to
 and use the sketch to get your mojo going...

The inspiration from my fellow
DT girls is certainly worth the visit...

We would love you to join in....

See you there....

Hugs