Gratitude for family memories

 For my middle Path of Positivity Challenge I have another scrapbook page for you. Let's be honest here during a global pandemic with all the heartache for those who have lost relatives and friends as well as all the social restrictions it is hard to keep positive. With the year drawing to it's close our thoughts naturally turn to Christmas. At the moment here in the UK we are under our second lockdown and it is anybody's guess what will happen at Christmas. It is likely that we will still be under some restrictions and large family gatherings may not be possible.

Last Christmas my side of the family were able to be together for the first time in years. With nurses, ambulance drivers, telecommunication technicians, priests and veterinary nurses among our numbers everybody's Christmas rotas have been different but by a miracle everyone was able to book time off around Christmas and New Year that overlapped by a couple of days. Being in Somerset all our northern relations came down so ours  and our eldest daughters houses were full and a couple of local holiday cottages got custom too.

So for my offering of positive thoughts I have made a scrapbook page to mark that momentous event when four generations got together! This year we can be grateful for past good memories and look forward to future good ones The Snowmen Selfie image from one of our sponsors seemed very appropriate!

Materials used:

SheepSki Designs - Snowmen Selfie 

photo card

gold mirri card

12" x12" designer paper from stash

X-Press It card

Copic pens:

eyes- W5, W7, W9     C5, C7, C9, 100

coal mouths - W5, W7, W9

carrot noses - YR61, YR15, YR68, E15

satsuma noses - Y17, Y38, YR68

purple hat - V05, RV66, RV69, V09, V99     band - C5, C7, C9, 100

black hat - C3, C5, C7, C9, 100     band - B21, B24, B26, B18

blue/grey scarf and mittens - B21, B24, B26, B18     C0, C1, C3

red hats  and scarf - R29, R39, R59, R89     C0, C1, C3, C5

green hat and scarf - G02, G17, G29, G99     E95, YR02, E97, YR18, E08

blue hat - B000, B21, B23, B26     y15, Y18, YR14

pink hat - R81, R83, R85, R56     C0, C1

twig arm - E31, E33, E35, E39

pipe - E21, E23, E25     C5, C7, C9

shadows - B0000, B000, Blender

cheeks - R20, R22, Blender

background - B06, B16, B37, B39

eyes and snowflakes - white gel pen

I hope that you are able to find moments of gratitude despite all that is happening in the world. I really love the old song Accentuate the Positive, a mantra for our times I think! If you don't know it or if you do and want to hear it the Bing Crosby version can be viewed here. 

Please do join in with us at Path of Positivity and share some of your feelings of Gratitude.

Here are the details and links for the challenge:

• This challenge, our optional twist is Gratitude. It is the perfect time of year to reflect on all the good you have in your life. Therefore, this month create a project that depicts thankfulness or gratitude in some way.
  
  In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, remember that general types of  projects/posts will not qualify for the prizes unless they are also positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. Additionally, even if a project may qualify as positive, if your post promotes negativity, hatred or anything of an abhorrent nature, your project will be disqualified. Prizes this month include:
• Three images from SheepSki Designs, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
• ONE image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch based on all qualifying entrants.
• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

You can find the link up and more inspiration at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog here.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:

A Bit More Time To Craft #128 - Anything Goes 

SheepSki Designs #44 - Christmas and/or Sparkle 

Your Scrapbook Place November - Anything Goes 

Always Fun Challenges #189 - Anything Goes 

Not Just Cards November - Anything Goes 

PIP Challenge #2046 - Anything Goes 

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #146 - Anything Goes 

Stampers Delights November Chibi New Release

 It's new release time again at Stampers Delights and this month's Chibi images are a boy and girl photographer. For my project I used the girl but keep an eye out because the boy may appear in a future post.

Materials used: 

Stampers Delights - Adrianna Photo 

photo paper

12 x 12" white card

A3 white paper

pink card

X-Press It! card

Copic pens:

skin - E000, E00, E21, E11, E04     R20

eyes - YR12, E15, E37

hair - YR20, YR24, E35, E37

jumper - YR31, Y38, YR16, YR68

skirt - BV31, BV34, BV04, BV17

socks and ribbon - Y00, Y11, Y15, YR23

shoes - W3, E5, W7, W9

camera - C0, C1, C3, C5, C7, C9 Blender

camera strap - R24, R27

All the photos were taken in the summer at Blenheim Palace. The background paper is made by printing out a photo of a notice board with the map on.

Do take a look at the Stampers Delights Facebook Page and Inspiration Blog for more ideas and makes from the rest of the DT. Links below for you.

Store: https://www.stampersdelights.com/store/c18/ALL_DIGITAL_STAMPS_PRODUCTS.html#/

FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/stampersdelights/?ref=bookmarks

Inspiration Blog: https://www.stampersdelights.com/inspiration-blog#/

Also at the moment Stampers Delights have a sale on with a coupon you can use for savings.

Thank you for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:

Creative Fingers #196 - Anything Goes 

Pattie's Creations Challenge #176 - Anything Goes 

Krafty Chicks #532 - Stamp Act 

A Bit More Time To Craft Extra #November - Anything Goes 

A Bit More Time To Craft #127 - Anything Goes 

Love To Craft #52 - Anything Goes 

Love To Scrap #139 - Anything Goes 

Gratitude during difficult times

 So here we are at the start of another month in what is proving to be a very strange year. Another month means another Path of Positivity Challenge, and boy we certainly all need a dose of Positivity. This month the optional theme is Gratitude. 

Now despite all the madness that is going on across the world with the pandemic on top of all the usual human made mess there is still a lot to be thankful for. It is interesting that science is now catching up with what ordinary people have know for ages, crafting and the natural world are both good for mental well being. Last year it was all about mindfulness and being in the moment with a surge of interest in colouring. Meanwhile crafters smiled to themselves and got on with crafting as usual!

This year the emphasis has shifted to the natural world as more people discover the joys and delights a simple walk can bring, or a spot of gardening. I don't think the gardens in our area have looks so cared for before!

So with that in mind I have made a scrapbook page celebrating our roses in our garden. This summer they have been glorious, even our little Rebecca Claire which is in intensive care  has had booms.

All our roses have a connection to us in some ways. I will give you the connections at the end of this post, just a sneaky way to get you reading to the end!

Materials used:
SheepSki Designs - Wild Roses 

Express It! card

photo paper

black card

white printer card

12 x 12" rose design card

various shaped dies 

Copic pens:

roses: RV23, Blender

leaves: YG21, YG23, YG95, YG99

stems: F21,  G24, G94, G99

shadow: B0000, B000, Blender

To colour the roses I used the tip to tip transfer technique. I put a bit of colour from the RV23 onto the tip of the blender pen then coloured the petals starting in the shadow area. The idea is that as you move up the petal the colour fades out. I was aiming for a more pastel look.

The title and labels were created on the computer and cut out with dies. The labels have had a black pen run around the edges so they stand out a bit more against the background.

I did say I would give you the connections for each rose so here they are.

The oldest at over 30 years and no longer available to buy is the Rebecca Claire which was given to us by friends when our daughter, Rebecca Claire, was a baby. When we rented our house out while living in the vicarage it was somewhat neglected, when we rescued it there was only one stem about 8 inches long and it looked really sad. Thankfully a few years of very careful spraying and pruning have got it going again but it will take a number of years to bring it back to it's former glory. I think I did a post about it in the past.

Birthday Boy was a present from Tim's eldest sister for his birthday. We lost his sister to cancer last year so it is especially poignant now. 

Pearl was a gift for our 30th Wedding Anniversary 5 years ago. It has gone mad this year and will need a severe prune to stop it taking over the garden!

Keep Smiling was a gift from the school I worked at for 16 years when I retired. It was in a pot until this year but in spring we planted it out and it took off. It has beautiful yellow blooms that certainly make you smile.

Rambling Rector is a fairly new one. With Tim being a vicar in the Church of England we bought it on his retirement as it had such an apt name. It is our only rambler and it does ramble, on and on. The clusters of white flowers on it covered the frame it grows up.

Rachel is the newest of them all. We have been looking for a Rachel for a long time for our youngest daughter, you've guessed it, Rachel. Up until last summer all the ones we found were the wrong spelling or had a second name. Then we found this one at a local garden centre. It has blooms that change colours as they age so it starts off deep pink then develops yellow and orange edges as it opens up. Again it was covered in a fantastic floral display this year.

My photos don't do them justice and also don't give you the fantastic perfumes of Rebecca Claire, Pearl and Rachel. Sat out on the patio enjoying some evening sun and getting wafts of scent along with the glorious colours was a bit treat this year and went a long way to easing the frustrations of lockdown and not being able to visit family and friends.

I hope that you managed to find things to be grateful for among your pandemic experiences. It would be lovely if you felt able to share them with us at Path of Positivity.

Here are the details and links for the challenge:

• This challenge, our optional twist is Gratitude. It is the perfect time of year to reflect on all the good you have in your life. Therefore, this month create a project that depicts thankfulness or gratitude in some way.
  
  In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, remember that general types of  projects/posts will not qualify for the prizes unless they are also positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. Additionally, even if a project may qualify as positive, if your post promotes negativity, hatred or anything of an abhorrent nature, your project will be disqualified. Prizes this month include:
• Three images from SheepSki Designs, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
• ONE image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch based on all qualifying entrants.
• One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

You can find the link up and more inspiration at the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog here.

I do hope you will join in with the fun and spread some positivity around.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:

A Bit More Time To Craft #127 - Anything Goes 

Love To Scrap #139 - Anything Goes

PIP Challenge 2044 - Anything Goes 

A Bit More Time To Craft Extra #November - Anything Goes 

Love To Craft #52 - Anything Goes  

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #145 - Anything Goes 

Crafts Galore Encore #November - Anything Goes 

Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #483 - Anything Goes  

And Relax!

The DT at Path of Positivity have had their summer break and are back with a new challenge with the optional theme of Relaxation. Summer is of course the time most people kick back for a while and recharge the batteries. Here in England and elsewhere in Europe we have been experiencing some mini heatwaves so it has been impossible not to relax, it's too hot to do anything else!
We have just got back from a few days with our eldest daughter and her husband in Copenhagen. It's a lovely city and well worth a visit there is just so much to do and see. Being very flat meant that I was able to get about and do a fair bit of walking.

Ok I admit not all the holiday was relaxing, the day our passports and money were stolen was not so good but no one was hurt and the British Embassy were brilliant producing emergency ones so we could get home. Once the shock was over we thoroughly enjoyed our extra three day stay and I would still say that Copenhagen is the safest place I've been too.

Moral of the story, make sure everything is done up properly so you don't offer easy temptation to opportunist thieves!

This month we get to work with a lovely digi set from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles called A Taste of Summer available from Scribbles Designs (the link is below). I have teamed it up with a couple of holiday photos featuring the iconic Little Mermaid statue and an interloper!

Materials used:

Decosse's Dynamite Doodles - A Taste of Summer 

photos

12 x 12 card

Just as a change this whole project is done digitally. I could have printed off the elements and cut and pasted with glue but decided to try and see what I could do with my limited knowledge of digital designing.

The background paper has been lightened using a graphics programme. The original is quite a bit darker so it was overpowering the photos.

The challenge starts on 5th August and runs until the 1st September and our optional twist is a focus on relaxation. If you would like to challenge yourself, create a project designed to send someone a message to help them relax and rejuvenate or a project that depicts relaxation in some manner.

In order to be considered eligible for this month's prizes, remember that general types of projects/posts will not qualify for the prizes unless they are also positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature.

Prizes this month include:
The A Taste of Summer Kit, a digital scrapbooking kit from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles, our guest sponsor for this month, for a person chosen in a random draw based on all qualifying entrants.
One image (value of $5 or less) from Scribbles Designs, for the post or project that the team deems most inspiring of the bunch based on all qualifying entrants.
One digital image from Creative Bug Digital SnapShots for each person chosen as a DT Delight.

I hope that you can join us as we relax on the Path of Positivity. Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Entering the following challenges:
Get Creative Challenges #83 - Anything Goes 
613 Avenue Create #224 - Anything Goes 
A Bit More Time To Craft #97 - Anything Goes

Happiness is . . .

It is the midway point of Path of Positivity's current challenge with the optional theme of Happiness. I have made a scrapbook page for the midway sample using a photo of Rufford Abbey Country Park that I am quite proud off. It was taken on the 28th of January this year and the red and yellow colours of the bushes are the bark not new leaves. They look so striking with the blue of the water. We were blessed with a cold but bright winter day so the sky is reflecting in the water to give that beautiful blue shade.

I love a good walk out in the countryside enjoying the scenery and getting some fresh air. These days my walking exploits are more reliant on gentle flat walks, mountain climbing is a thing of the past, which is why Rufford Park was so good. The walk around the lake is fairly flat and where we stopped to take this photo there is a lovely little tea room. Needless to say we tried it out!

That day was a very happy day spent in beautiful surroundings with our daughter Rachel, son-in-law Richard and his parents. Rachel and Richard were celebrating their birthdays, Richards on the previous day and Rachel's that day. Now that they have moved further up the country we do not see them as often as we used to so it was wonderful to spend some time with them. A very happy day.

Materials Used:

Scribbles Designs - Sneakers 

Scribbles Desings - Wander 

12" x 12" white card

A3 printer paper

X-Press It card

Copic pens:

shoes - B91, B93, B95, B97, B99   C1, C3, C5, C7, C9  100

laces - R35, R37, R39, R56

The challenge at Path of Positivity  finishes on 5th May. We have two sponsors, our guest sponsor Limited Runs and our ongoing sponsor Scribbles Designs both offering a prize. For full details and the link up visit the Path of Positivity Challenge Blog. While you are there take a look at the inspiration from the rest of the team.

I hope you can join in the fun this month and tell us a bit about what makes you happy.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

(I think the red bushes are Red Bark Dogwood, and the yellow ones Yellow Twig Dogwood.)  

                       

Faith, Hope and Love

This month the optional theme at Path of Positivity is Faith, Hope and Love. As it is June and the start of the most popular time for weddings we are looking especially for wedding/engagement/anniversary makes reflecting the Faith, Hope and Love theme.

I love finding songs that have thought provoking or inspiring lyrics. I have used quite a few 'unusual' ones in my All Age Worship Services over the years. Jim Croce's 'Time in a bottle' has always been a favourite, the melody is lovely and the words are wonderful. In fact they work so well with the theme for the challenge that I decided to  make them the focal of my make.

Just in case you cannot make out the words from my photo here they are, including the part that did not fit on the front.

"Time In A Bottle"

If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day till eternity passes away
Just to spend them with youIf I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then
Again, I would spend them with youBut there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do, once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go through time withIf I had a box just for wishes
And dreams that had never come true
The box would be empty, except for the memory of how
They were answered by youBut there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do, once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go through time with

Materials used:
Decosse's Dynamite Doodles - As Time Goes By Clockwork papers
Decosse's Dynamite Doodles - A Matter of Time Watch Patterned Paper
Dragons Lair Designs - Summer Sunset Couple Digi Stamp
Serif Craft Artist 2 programme or similar graphics software. (Link to free compact version)

This is a different project for me because I have made the whole thing digitally, not a piece of paper or pen in sight. The papers are layered up, the text and digi stamp added and the shadows put in using Craft Artist software.

If I wanted to make a physical card I have two choices. I could print out all the different element and then assemble them or I could print out the whole project as a card leaving the shadows to give some depth to it. It would also work really well as a scrapbook page, again either printing out the different elements and assembling them or printing off as one page.

While it was fun playing around with the software if I am being totally honest nothing quite beats the more hands on approach with paper, pens and glue!

The optional theme at Path of Positivity is Faith, Hope and Love. As this is the start of the wedding season we would particularly like to see Wedding, Engagement and Anniversary makes.

In order to have a chance to win the prize for the Most Inspirational Creation, we want to see you create a wedding card, an engagement card or even a wedding anniversary card that reflects the concepts of faith, hope and/or love.  It is time to put on those rose coloured glasses and get a little mushy.

If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that we include you in the draw for the prize for Most Inspirational. We also ask that you please leave a comment letting us know how your wedding or engagement card relates to the concept of faith, hope and/or love if it isn’t readily clear within the design itself or clearly written somewhere else in your post. While you may easily see how your creation ties into the theme, it may not be as apparent to me or the DT members. That is why we ask that you clarify it somewhere, whether here or in your blogpost. You can simply write a sentence at the bottom of your post next to the link up for this challenge, if it would be easier. We just need to know how your project ties into the theme. Letting us know, clears up any ambiguity that may exist.

Remember, in order to be considered eligible for this month’s prizes, ALL creations must be positive, inspirational, motivational or encouraging in some nature. You don’t need to follow the optional theme if you simply want to have a chance at the Random Draw prize of three images from Pattie’s Creations, one of our guest sponsors this month. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month’s sponsored prize of a scrapbooking kit from Décosse’s Dynamite Doodles, provided by the second of our guest sponsors this month.

So what are you waiting for, come along and join us, please.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.



 

I would like to enter the following challenge:
Digitally Made Challenges #2 - Quote
A Bit More Time To Craft #46 - Anything Goes

Dragons Lair Designs April Challenge - Weddings

A new challenge at Dragons Lair Designs starts today and this month the theme is Weddings. Those of you who are regular visitors to my blog will be aware that there was a wedding in the family last August so what better opportunity than to use this challenge to make an anniversary card!


Materials used:Dragons Lair Designs - Wedding Dreams Digital Mini Kit
white printer card
wedding photos
Serif CraftArtist 2 software (if you want to try CraftArtist you can download a taster version from the Daisytrail web site.

I used the Serif CraftArtist programme to compose my card with. I have used a paper and some of the elements from the kit to make up the front of my A5 card incorporating a couple of photographs in the frames.

You could always use a bigger canvas and turn this into a scrapbook page. I may yet do that for them to add to the scrapbook I made for Rachel's 18th birthday some years ago.

I hope I have inspired you to come and join in the fun at the Dragons Lair Designs challenge. Why not take a look at the blog for more inspiration and visit the shop for some fantastic papers, digi stamps, kits and elements.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

Christmas in August With Dragons Lair Designs

It's the start of a new challenge at Stamping With Dragon and this month the theme is 'Christmas in August'. I have made a 12 x 12 scrapbook page although it would work just as well scaled down to an 8 x 8 card.



Materials used: 
Dragons Lair Designs: Holly Days Elements
Dragons Lair Designs: Holly Days Papers
white 12 x 12 card

The whole layout has been put together using papers and elements from the Holly Days sets to frame a photograph of one of the Christmas floral arrangements in our church a couple of years ago. I have used Craft Artist to do this, adding some shadows for depth.


So why not pop over to the Dragons Lair Designs Challenge Blog and join in with our challenge to make a creation on the theme of "Christmas in August" this month.  There's a prize of a voucher to spend in the Dragons Lair Designs store for a winner who'll be chosen by a random number generator.

You do not have to use a Dragons Lair Design to enter but it would be lovely if you did. There are lots of goodies to discover at the store to get you going. Here are some useful links for you.

• Dragons Lair Designs Store- A fantastic range of digital downloads


• Dragons Lair Designs Inspiration Blog- Bookmark us and come back regularly for inspiration


• Dragons Lair Designs Challenge Blog- Challenges starting the 1st Friday of every month with different themes, please come along and take part


• Dragons Lair Designs Fan Group- Even more inspiration, challenges, freebies and fun activities


• Dragons Lair Designs Facebook Page- Please do pop over and "Like" our page


• Dragons Lair Designs Etsy Store - Another location to get hold of our range of digital downloads


• Janette Padley's Creations on craftsUprint- Yet another location to get hold of our digital downloads


• Dragons Lair Designs Crafts Group- selling buttons and bits and bobs

We'd love to have you join us in our Fan Group and post up some pictures of any creations you make using any DLD items.

Thanks for popping in. Take care.



 

Blog hop time with freebies!

 

 Lisa D. from Décosse's Dynamite Doodles is this month's Featured Artist in the Through The Craftroom Door Magazine.

She created a brand new digital kit to mark the occasion and asked several of her crafting buddies to help out by creating samples for the July/August edition!

We've all come together to celebrate this event by bringing you a blog hop featuring projects made with items from Lisa's brand new digital kit called...

  A TASTE OF SUMMER

 

If you are arriving here from Marji's blog, you are right on track!

If you are just starting, you can find a full list of all the hop stops at the bottom of this post.

 To kick off the event, Lisa is providing a free summer themed word art creation that you can find on her blog. Comment at EACH stop along the hop for your chance to win the full digital kit as shown in the preview above. One lucky person will also have the chance to win a 1 year subscription to the TTCRD Magazine! Please be sure to head to Lisa's blog to read the full details on how to qualify for both of these prizes!

For a chance at winning the Sticker Elements section of this kit...

 

Simply leave a comment on this post and be a follower of my blog!

You have until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Friday, July 8th, to submit your comments for a chance to win one of the above mentioned prizes. For my stop along the hop, I am excited to share the project I created for the magazine.

Check it out:

Materials used:
DDDoodles - A Taste of Summer Kit (on offer as a prize for this Blog Hop)
12 x 12 printer card
photographs

The whole page has been put together on Serif CraftArtist. If you visit my blog regularly you will know that I have been experimenting more with digital scrapbooking.

I have used a patterened paper and a glitter paper along with a selection of elements from the kit. I am still trying to work out how to add shadows to create dimension on my page but have managed a hint of shadow under the waves section at the bottom of the photgraph.

Our youngest daughter has always been a bit of a water baby so while attending a friends wedding in Brazil earlier in the year she could not let the opportunity go by and ended up in the sea. It's great to see her beaming smile in use again after a difficult time recently.

Next stop on the blog hop route is Helen's blog.  Click HERE to head there now!

If you miss any of the stops along the way, here is the complete list. You are definitely going to want to check out what my fellow hoppers have in store for you:

LISA

SUSAN 

MARJI

PIPPA
HELEN   

DONNA

KATRINA

SUZE 

JULIE

PAT

Have fun and good luck.

Pippa

See how she grows

My Great Niece is one this week so I decided to make an 8 x 8 inch card which could be used as a scrapbook page.



Materials used: 
Dragons Lair Designs - Spring Medley Mini Kit (available free from the DLD Fan Group Facebook Page)
Clarity Stamp - Letter Box Kit (I can only find it as a multi buy with the numbers)
Papermania - Typography Large 1 acrylic stamp
Rubber Stamp Tapestry - Dainty Floral Stamp Set
Memento ink pads various colours
black archival ink pad
8x8 inch card blank
8x8 inch printer card
photo paper

The base of the page i.e. the pink paper and the framed photographs, was put together as one printable sheet with Serif Craft Artist using the Dragons Lair Designs Spring Medley Kit.

I used the Clarity Stamp Letterbox set to make Imogen, stamping onto a sheet of the green paper from the Spring Medley kit. I also stamped the number 1 on the same paper and filled it in with the Rubber Stamp Tapestry stamps using Memento ink pads. Both have then been cut out.

The flowers have been printed from the Spring Medley kit and fussy cut.

All the elements have been arranged and adhered to an 8x8 inch white card blank.

I also made the insert from a sheet of the pink paper to match the front of the card.

Dragons Lair Designs Facebook Fan Page has a challenge using the Spring Melody Mini Kit so why not head over there and take a look. If you would like to enter yourself the kit is available free to members of the group. If you are not already a member just request to join. There are lots of other challenges and fun things going on all of which are worth looking at.

Thanks for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my card into the following challenges:Dragons Lair Designs Facebook Fan Group Challenge
2 Creative Chicks Showcase #11
Artistic Inspirations #159 - Just for Fun/Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart #117 - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion #317 - Anything Goes
Not Just Cards - June

Dragons Liar Designs 3rd Monthly Challenge

I just have a day to post my entry to the Dragons Lair Designs 3rd Monthly Challenge using the Infinite Love Mini Kit. Recently I have been trying to understand the ins and outs of digital scrapbooking and using grahics programmes. I have the original Serif Craft Artist installed on  my computer but hardly ever use it! So with my involvement with Dragons Lair Designs and as they are geared more to scrapbooking than stamping I thought it high time I experimented a bit more. It's not wonderful but it is a start!



Materials used: 
Dragons Lair Designs - Infinite Love (available to download from the Facebook Fan Group Page
Craft Artist software

I have used a few elements from the kit to make up my 12x12 page. As the name of the kit is Infinite Love and since Rachel and Richard are aproaching their wedding I decided to feature them on this page.

I have to say it does seem strange not actually stamping or colouring on something but on the plus side it was a much quicker project to put together. I think I may be more inclined to do a mixture, putting the backgrounds and photos together digitally and adding stamped and coloured images to it.

Thanks for popping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my scrapbook page into the following challenges:
Dragons Lair Designs 3rd Monthly Facebook Fan Group Challenge
Crafting From The Heart #16 - Anything Goes
Artistic Inspirations #158 - Anything Goes
2 Creative Chicks Showcase #11 

 

New Toy!

Last Friday my printer died at a very inconvenient moment (don't they always!). I had been saving for a new one but was not expecting to have to get it quite so soon. After researching and checking out reveiws I finally settled on an A3 duplex one. My thinking was that I might get back into scrapbooking using the wonderful digi kits that are out there, not least Dragons Lair Designs. Now the wise amongst you will realise that A3 is not quite 12 inches but a true 12 x 12 printer is a little out of my league and after trimming down there is only a few mm difference.

So having got my new toy home I had to check it out and this is what I came up with, just in time for the Dragons Lair Monthly Challenge on the Facebook Page.

Materials used: 
Dragons Lair Designs - Floral Glory (free download from Facebook Page)
Aurora Wings - Wisteria Sprite 
X-Press It card
purple 12x12 card
A3 printer card
Copic pens

The page is made up with various elements from the Floral Glory kit and then the photographs just dropped in. I used Serif Craft Artist to construct the design. I am not really at home with digital scrapbooking and as a stamper like to play with ink and pens and things which is why the little sprite had to appear!

The photographs are of the beautiful ancient wistera at Barrington Court which is owned by the National Trust is is not far from us. We like to go and wander around on days off and each season has some new delights to reveal. We have yet to visit this year to check on the wisteria but judgeing from all the ones around us it is going to be even more glorious than last year.

Thank you for dropping in. Don't forget the blog hop at Dragons Lair is still going until the 19th so you have time to hop around and pick up all the freebies on offer at each stop. While you are at it why not visit the Dragons Lair Designs shop and see all the other goodies they have.

Take care.

Pippa



I would like to enter my scrapbook page into the following challenges:
Dragons Lair Designs (On Facebook)
Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge #277 - Anything Goes
Create and Inspire #45 - Anything Goes
Deep Ocean Challenge #128 - Flowers Everywhere
Inspiration Destination #85 - Anything Goes
Crafting With An Attitude #15 - Anything Goes
Sweet Stamps - Anything But A Card
Craft Your Passion Challenge #312 - Anything Goes
Love To Scrap! #78 - Anything Goes
2 Creative Chicks Showcase #10

Dedication

The theme for Path of Positivity this time is Dedication. Ever since reading the post I have had Roy Castle's song 'Dedication' from the TV series 'Record Breakers' running round my head. Those of you reading this who live in the UK may remember it!

When it came down to actually getting something together for the challenge I did have a bit of a problem deciding what to do. Did I go for my eldest daughters dedication in getting qualified as a Veterinary Nurse or my youngest daughter getting her degree despite illness and panic attacks. In the end I decided to do one of my own.

I have always loved mountains and climbing them. However having been born with heart defects over the past few years it has become increasingly difficult to walk up a hill never mind a mountain. So although I have been up Snowdon in the past my mountain climbing days came to an end in August 2005.

I remember the day well, we were visiting friends in Cumbria and they suggested going for a walk up Catbells, one of the smaller but very beautiful hills in the Lakes. Needless to say by the time we were two thirds of the way up I was holding everyone back. So I persuaded the others to carry on up with out me while I stayed to look at the view and await their return. However when they were out of sight I thought to myself that if I went at my own pace I could get a bit further up so that is what I did and I carried on going at my own pace until I managed to surprise myself and everyone else by reaching the summit. I was so thrilled to have achieved it and as a result made a rare scrapbook page of the event.

So here are some photos of the page and of some of the contents of the little book I made to put in photos of the amazing views and thoughts on the climb.





Maybe one day, if the dedicated team at Bristol Heart Institute can do anything, I might be able to make it to the summit of another hill and who knows maybe even a mountain and not by train but on my own two feet!

Thank you for visiting. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my scrapbook page into the following challenge:
Path of Positivity #30 - Dedication

National Scrapbook Day Challenge

Firstly apologies that this is late. I had it all typed up and ready to go and then Wordpress lost it when I posted it! This is the second attempt!

Deedee is celebrating National Scrapbook Day by running an additional challenge you can join in with. Several of the DT Members have made projects especially for the occasion and the idea is that you CASE one of them and produce your own project. You can find all the details on Deedee's blog.

I decided to make a scrapbook page, I used to do a fair amount of scrapbooking but have not done anything for quite some time now. I did enjoy meeting the challenge. I kept my page very CAS which is my preferred style.

Materials used:
Deedee's digi set - Coffee Cup Greetings
stamping card
printer paper
photo paper
12 x 12 pale yellow cardstock
corner rounder punch
Copic and Spectrum Noir pens

Method:
I printed out the background paper that comes with the set and the two coffee cup images along with the journalling and the photo. I coloured in the coffee cups with the pens and then fussy cut them. I trimmed the photo and journalling to the size I wanted, rounded the corners with a punch and inked the edges. I cut two strips from the sheet of background paper and inked the edges also. I then arranged my elements on the page and when happy with them stuck them down. The front coffee mug is raised on 3d foam pads to add some dimension.

My daughter found her Tassimo machine at a bargain price last year and I confess that I am just a little envious. It does make wonderful different flavours of drinks, from coffee to chocolate. Yummy!

I hope you will have a go at the challenge, I am looking forward to seeing the different takes on the DT samples. And should you need a little incentive, there are prizes to be won!

Thank you for visiting. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my page into the Your Scrapbook Place Challenge - Anything Goes

National Scrapbooking Day Challenge

Today is National Scrapbooking Day and to mark the occasion Deedee's Digi Stamps is running a challenge. Members of the Design Team have made either a card or a scrapbook page for you to lift and produce your own version. So why not give it a go, the challenge runs until May 9th and you will find details at Deedee's Blog. My sample for the challenge is a scrapbook page. It is quite a while since I last did any scrapbooking and I really enjoyed doing it.

Materials used:
Deedee's Digi Stamp Set Coffee Cup Greetings
12 x 12 sheet of pale yellow card
blending card
printing card
corner rounder punch
Copic and Spectrum Noir pens

Method:
My daughter picked up a Tassimo Coffee Maker at a bargain price last year and I am secretly quite envious of it. It seemed to be a fitting subject to go with Deedee's wonderful Coffee Cup Greetings set.


I printed off the photo at the size I wanted along with a sheet of backing paper that comes with the set, two coffee mugs and the sentiment. I cut two strips from the backing paper and edged them with black ink. I trimmed my photo and sentiment and rounded off the corners with a punch and edged them with black ink also. I cut two small mugs from the left overs from the backing paper and glued them to the bottom of the sentiment. I used the pens to colour in the two mugs before cutting them out. I then arranged all my elements on the page and when happy with the placement glued them down, using foam pads to raise the front mug. I kept my page as CAS as I could, that is my preferred style.

Thank you for dropping in. Take care.

Pippa

I would like to enter my page into:
My Scrapbook Place Challenge - Anything Goes