Overloaded

Life is really FULL at the moment. That isn't necessarily a bad thing - although there are a few bumps in the road that I would like to be able to squish with a size 10 boot. Sadly my boots are only size 4 and anyway that is just not my style so...
It all does really remind me how blessed I am to have a husband who does AT LEAST  50% of the housework/catering at home. He really is a star you know.

My Daring Card was so late to the table that I am going to add it into tomorrow's post. Well it might be tomorrow. It might be Monday when I post again - that is just how it is. But September is nearly over and October might be slightly easier and then we are in the home straight for the thing at the end of the year that if I don't start to plan for in early October I will be sunk.

So instead of a card - here is a layout based on the latest Inspired Blueprints sketch

As you will see I remained pretty fainthful to it

All the papers are from Basic Grey Junebug. Even this painted looked background that seems so 2013. I first used these papers when Hywel got his GSCE results - so 5 years ago!
I didn't want to add another paper layer so sketched in an outline using a dark blue and a light blue mist. I also added in a Kaisercraft stamp in various places, stamping with a light brown distress ink and not using a block to mount the stamp to give a more random feel.

Everything is Junebug apart from the badge (also Basic Grey)

an October Afternoon sticker

and the heart chipboard (Studio Calico). I outlined all the papers using a Prima chalk ink pad in blue. The finishing touch was to add lots of dots using yellow, red and blue liquid pearls.

A bit sketchy

I lvoe using sketches to kick start my scrapbooking - but because I am not very organised I don't usually manage to do them in the week that they are launched. Well this is my week because not only have I completed a layout for a current sketch, but the blog that I took it from gives you a whole month to submit it - which means I can also link the layout I did for last weeks sketch as well.
Result!

OK little things please little minds I know...
But thank you Stuck?! for the extra time

Firstly the sketch and layout for September 15th

and my take on it

Mine is a tad busier than you might expect given that clean looking sketch.
It was going to be simpler but the layers and patterns just kept coming! And besides the photos are all bright and busy so why not reflect that?
The base paper is from Simple Stories and the blue corrugated is from Fancy Pants but everything else is Basic Grey clippings. I was so pleased with how the big white dots worked with an eyedropper and Mr Huey white.

I loved the triangle paper but couldn't add that in so decided to turn some of the triangles into mock pinwheels.

 I didn't have enough of the ranson style letters left to do the title all in the same font but I rather like the overhanging "market"

 I used up some of my many stickers on this layout. I don't normally buy so many extras in a collection - don't remember why I did with this one to be honest! And I also used my big scallop scissors to cut the, well, big scallops.

 A sprinkling of diamente gems and I was done.
I am so glad I scrapped this. Just to remind Phil and I of the Sisyphian effort of the market workers who sweated for hours to clear the space (we know 'cos we had a meal our first night on the edge of the market place and watched them, marvelling at the hard work). They finished about 10pm only to put it back again next morning.
By the way - do you like the word Sisyphian? its about the only thing I remember from studying Camus for French A level.

And here is the layout using the September 1st Stuck?! Sketch

 Oh my, I actually love how this turned out
(And I don't say that a lot about my stuff)
Maybe because it is another memory that I so want to keep and the colours just reflect the whole holiday so well.

More corrugated cardstock! Fancy Pants is my current favourite paper company and I may have bought 3 of the recent paper packs which have two corrugated cardstocks in each.
The background circle was done using a very old Crafters Workshop circle template - look I was using it in 2008! I used lemonade Distress Ink for the circle. All of the papers and stickers are from the Wonderful Day paper pack (that I have been using a lot but still have loads left!)

The letter stickers were a bit flat so I added some Glossy Accents and Peeled Paint distress glitter

 

The other non FP items were these cute coated woodshapes from Studio Calico; American Crafts gold glitter tape and some teeny gold sequins

 The big white stars were cut using a Spellbinders die.

There was a possibility of Stuck?! ceasing to produce sketches but I for one am so glad it is going to continue.

it is still Friday isn't it?

No?
What happened to all the time in between?
Oh that is right - prayers/meeting planning/messy church prep/messy church/recovering from messy church/work on service almost all day/wedding/bit more prep/Sunday service/recovering from Saturday and Sunday
And now it is Monday again and I haven't blogged - and it is my turn to host on Daring Cardmakers this week. Oh the shame.

There is a thing that happens when it is your turn to choose a challenge. first you have to think one up - which is harder than you would think. Then you get a bright idea and put it out there before you can change your mind. And then, and only then, do you realise just how tough that might be. And feel that any card you produce is rubbish. Happens to most of us, most weeks! I came up with what sounded like an engaging idea - until I had to engage with it! Although I do think that the rest of the team did an awesome job!
I asked everyone to try and define their Signature Style on a card
Here is my attempt

So what do I like to have on a card? Usually a plain white background which usually peeks out just a little bit. It used to have to be a square card - much less so now but I pulled one out for old times sake! A load of different patterned papers - yup - from the new Fancy Pants Wonderful Day (again - I love these papers); Die cuts - there are 7 on this card! Stamped sentiment - usually from Clearly Besotted these days; an embossing folder - and most often this Swiss Dots one; some sort of circular embellishment - the middle of the butterfly was 3 dots of enamel accents but they merged together and so I had to do something different. So i also added some Enamel Dots - which I had already turned black using my most trusty crafting friend - the Black Sharpie Pen
I'm really bothered by the fact that the yellow on the chevron paper and on the butterfly are in the same place when they needn't be - but that is too late to change now!

I have been doing some scrapping in my spare time (rather than cleaning or ironing) and need to actually get round to sharing them on here.

This layout used up loads of scraps of paper and I also did a whole heap of stamping. The pink shapes are from a stencil - having used pink Distress ink I then went round them all in pen. The stars and circles are all tiny stamps (I tend not to use such small ones usually). And I used loads of brads. Funnily enough I made this about a month ago - and this morning finished a layout that included loads of brads and also the Pink Paislee embossed cardstock that I used as a tag (although this time I was sensible enough not to try and write on it). Wierd how those things must have some connection in my mind!

The background paper is a Basic Grey basics. I ought to use them more often as they are fab!
Here is a close up of the smudgy journalling that basically wonders how bikes get parked like that all over Florence

Say it ain't so

September already!
I can't get over the fact that we are heading back to school/university/etc

September is one of the busiest months in the Church diary - probably because it is thought that everyone is away in August. To be honest, maybe more people are away in September which makes meetings interesting...

It being the first Friday of the month it is time for another colour challenge for Daring Cardmakers. The gorgeous palette this time was chosen by Beckie

It is lovely - but not that easy for me in that I don't have a lot of purple. But I found enough for this card

The papers are all American Crafts - some are Dear Lizzy and some Maggie Holmes (if you are interested!). The jar is a Dear Lizzy die cut. The little folded papers are actually from the tear off top part of the 6 x 6 pads - so are the clouds at the top of the pink ombre piece. I found some old purple sequin stars and a little flower which I filled with blue liquid pearls. Finally I die cut a label and added a sentiment with blue ink.

I've been having a lot of fun with the latest Quirky Kits - you can read the details on the Quirky Kits blog but here are a few of the layouts. These are three that all feature Hywel

 

And that will do for now!