I have been doing lots of bits and bobs of crafting but blogger has been refusing to let me share my goodies online. I am kicking bloggers backside, so lets see how far we get today.
The week before last my Uncle Charlie died suddenly (age 81) from a massive anurism, so I needed to go out and buy something suitable for the funeral wear. As I parked the car I noticed that the building which had housed PC World was now The Range. All thoughts of black dresses were abandoned as I rushed to the back of the warehouse to find the craft goodies. I was a tad dissapointed as there didnt seem to be a big selection and what was there was mostly christmas stuff, but I did get a First Edition 8x8 pad, Up, up and Away by Mindy Terasawa with a mind to making an 8x8 album for Finley's baby pictures which are beginning to stack up.
When I got home I ordered some free prints from a couple of online printing services, its a long time since I have had photos printed instead of getting them done myself and I was pleased with the results. I also scoured the net for some 8x8 sketches but there are not that many about. Pagemaps have a few, but not many, and thats about it, so if anyone has a secret part of the net where they know there are some hiding? Preferably with some examples too?
I decided I would back all the pages on white co-ordinations paper and make the pages double LO's to give some continuity to the book.
When I was at Debden some of the girls put up a bring and buy stall to share round some of the goodies they no longer wanted. One of the things I missed out on was a book 'Kick it up' by Greta Hammond and Angela Wigginton. It gives ideas on how to take ordinary looking LO's to the next level. I really liked the look of it, and when I got home I ordered a copy from Amazon not realising it had to be shipped from America. It eventually arrived a month and a bit later, but already it has been so worth it.
I started this LO at Debenham. It was done, but it didnt grab me.
I left it laying about but when the book came I went back to it and added.
I think adding the blue and yellow title and journalling makes the colours in the photo pop more. I also kicked this LO up a bit, it had been a bit bland so I added the white ric-rac and the title down the side of the page. I am really enjoying the book and its giving me lots of ideas but most of all its making me go back and take another look at LO's I would usually say were finished but perhaps feel a bit let down by.
Of course I am still making all my own embellishements. He was fun.
And the flower making was demonstrated to Kelly and I when we went to Ally Pally. We bought loads of twine, and so far this is the only one I have made LOL
Another LO recieving the kick it up treatment, adding the white ricrac and the side title after I had first called it finished. 
I also finished another of the classes from ATDML's long ago cybercrop.
I dont usually do mini albums but I recently discovered a neat little trick in Picasa where you can use templates to collage lots of photos onto one page.
I used it to put all our Portugal holiday together and was doing really well playing with some past kits from Kate Hatfield, it was a lovely sunny day so I decided to take some bits outside to play with. I was keeping every page very similar so I was bulk making the journaling which made it quite easy to sit in the garden playing.
When I came in though I had managed somehow to loose a whole page. A completed page at that, and despite much repeated seaching of the garden it still hasnt turned up which means I now have to start that page again, which has kind of kerbed my enthusiasm in finishing it, but I am sure I will get round to it soon.
Actually she has been all grown up for quite a while LOL but tomorrow she turns 30 and makes me feel very old. To celebrate, last saturday she hired the hall at our local community centre and had a 'bit of a do'.
Inspired by the geogeous milk bar on that talented lady Debbie's blog, I set about the decorations for her. In contrast to her pink and silver themed 21's party she went for a blue theme this time round.
Rather than a large birthday cake together we came up with the idea of a cupcake bar, and then spent two days baking umpteen cakes between the two of us.
(sorry the photos are a bit rubbish, my poor old Fuji didnt cope well with the dark hall vs the outside light and white table cloth).
It was little baby Finley's first party and he got lots of cuddles as he was passed around plenty of new 'aunties' desperate for a little hold and sniff of his babyness. He also got to have his first ever slow dance with his grandad.
I also didnt have my mega big memory card with me so all the later evening shots are on my dad's camera (yes we made him finally get it out the boot of the car) and I havent pinched them back off him yet.
In other news: I worked my last two days ever at the Children's Centre this week, budget cuts meaning they can no longer afford 6 teachers. I was rather sad in the way it was all handled as, although those of us on supply contracts had been promised a decent bit of notice, I didnt actually have more than a day, and had no chance to visit my nurseries and groups to say a proper goodbye, or to enjoy cakes and hugs with the lovely people I have been working with for over a year now. I am back to waiting for phone calls from the agency and hunting the web for jobs, *sigh*.
Anyway finally all that promised craft stuff !
We decorated the front bedroom and made a nursery!
We had the front bedroom replastered to smooth off the walls (and fill in all the hundreds of screw holes in the walls )which then painted in Almond White paint giving a lovely plain background. When I started out, we still didnt know the flavour of baby Laura was to have so I needed to find something fairly neutral but also something that wasnt too baby orientated as I still need the room as a guest room. A photo on the net and bedding from Dunelem supplied me with my theme of Owls.
I bought a duvet set for a single bed, which I cut down to make the cot quilt cover.
With careful cutting I was able to cover the frame of the picture I printed out and added embellishments to,
as well as make two cushion covers (including the applique owl).
The banner I started while on my weekend scrappy retreat at Debden
but I was able to add the name once Finley had been born.
Alongside the new cot, the mosquitto net, the new lamp, the repainted mirror and the pictures from the internet that I printed out and framed, I think the room looks pretty cool.
I've been flitting between my sewing machine, and my scrapbooking tables for the last couple of months. I spent quite a bit of time making a dress for the party. This is not a good image of it but you get the gist.
Its Simplicity 2362, a pattern I bought last year but which has sat waiting for me to find some reasonably priced suitable fabric for. C&A fabric shop finally had the kind of remnants I liked at a price I felt reasonable and I got this and two other peices. The pattern went together really easily and for once it fit in all the right places with no alterations. I had to shorten the skirt bit and add a small ruffle at the hem as the remnant wasnt quite long enough for the whole pattern piece to fit but I am really pleased with the result.
I have a whole raft of layouts and scrappy stuff to share but this post is getting very long so I will put those all up in a new post once I get blogger to accept a few more photos.
Of course I am still making all my own embellishements. He was fun.
And the flower making was demonstrated to Kelly and I when we went to Ally Pally. We bought loads of twine, and so far this is the only one I have made LOL
I used it to put all our Portugal holiday together and was doing really well playing with some past kits from Kate Hatfield, it was a lovely sunny day so I decided to take some bits outside to play with. I was keeping every page very similar so I was bulk making the journaling which made it quite easy to sit in the garden playing.
When I came in though I had managed somehow to loose a whole page. A completed page at that, and despite much repeated seaching of the garden it still hasnt turned up which means I now have to start that page again, which has kind of kerbed my enthusiasm in finishing it, but I am sure I will get round to it soon.
