Project Life 2014 ~ January x

Hello and here is the first post of my journey with Project Life this year. Having failed miserably last year to get going and stay, I really wanted to give it a try this year. I have got alot of scrapbooking paper all ready and a whole trolley set aside just for this project, however this month I got slightly waylaid again and in the end I decided to go for a month of digital scrapbooking.

And here are 3 of the layouts I created.

I have ended up doing single pages throughout January, one because I didn't want to force myself to make double page spreads straight off and two because even though I thought I had taken lots of photos, it ended up that I really hadn't.

For the layouts, I used the two free Becky Higgins templates, this is template A........

They are really easy to work with in Photoshop and as they were freebies, they didn't break the bank either. I had previously purchase a minikit of Maggie Holmes minikit which was on a special offer and only cost about £6.00 and I have used it throughout the pages in January. It uses alot of pinks, blues and lemons which I loved. It has a vintage feel too.

I also used the banners from Serendipity Designs and circular tabs from Studio Calico's Coppermouth collection. The circular numbers are from Becky Higgins Project Life Cherry edition.

I have completed weeks 3 and 5 as well but have as yet to make my title page as I haven't decided what to go for. If you would like to see any of the pieces I have collected for my Project Life project on Pinterest, you can see my board here.

How are you progressing with Project Life? I would love to hear.

Simple scrapbooking on Sunday

I have got a very simple digital scrapbook page to share today which I made the other day using this digital freebie from the Simple Aussie girl's site. This is their first challenge and here is my interpretation.............

I love this photo of my sister and I taken several years ago and thought it would be a lovely page to celebrate the highs and lows of sisterhood. Me and lil sis are great.

Today.............................

So it is the end of the week and a few things have happened................

Today I went to visit my friend Nancy in Colorado (well her blog anyways) and found this list so I am completing it at her behest.

Today I hoped it wouldn't rain.........................yeah right it is doing just that as I write.

Today I dreamed 

............a dream in time gone by
When hope was high
And life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving....................

Today I forgot to feel sad,

Today I heard that Benedict Cumberbatch is voicing the dragon in ''The Hobbit''.

Today I said ''I love you'' to my friend Luke

Today I read Alexa's blogpost and found her free digital downloads............

So I made this page in honour of her talent and also Mel's blogpost about scrapbooking pictures of yourself.

The papers and elements are by Meredith Cardall and called Apple Eye and can be found here.  The type is Travelling Typewriter and Ali Edwards own font of her handwriting.


Today I watched the final episode of ''The Shadow Line'' which has been such a brilliant series on BBC2. If you've missed it then watch it on iplayer.


Today I believed that prayers are answered.

Today I felt happy for the first time in ages and my friend said it was lovely to hear me laugh, aw bless.

Today I wondered what would happen this weekend

Today I bought a Fry's Chocolate cream.....................yummy.

Today I cleaned the kitchen in readiness to make cupcakes for Father' day and my mum's birthday

Today I was me.

Please pop by tomorrow when I will be a part of the second Colour Combo bloghop.............

So I thought Id upload the latest digital LOs from Cathy Zs class. These 2 are a double page spread featuring my friend's son Jonathin at his 6th Cowboy party. You have never seen a party organiser like my friend. She made a Mexican sweet holding thing out of papiere mache and a balloon and made up aload of cool cowboy games. I helped them all make cowboy/girl bookmarks, there were cowpat biscuits and sheriff star bicuits and a sherriff cake. Jonny had a fab time..............


The second layout is about having swine flu, need I say more!!!!
So today I signed on as I have to do every fortnight and then went to see the aged P's, that's parents for those not familiar with Dickens. My poor dad was in a right state, he actually cried. He is an Engineer and does training and consultancy work. He's been asked to do this lecture and it's really gotten on top of him. It keeps changing and so he has to alter all his presentation and he is not the best at IT so is wobbling abit under the strain. I felt really awful for him. Anyway we went on a little walk and I helped him by doing a precis of his life story for the big day.
Anyway, that's all for today, tired tonight as the fantastic twosome otherwise known as my 2 cats keep waking me up at an ungodly hour chasing around the flat and using me as a hurdle. I'm going to have to sit them on the naughty mat I think or get Jo Frost round with a sticker chart!!!!

You never know............

..........so today I woke up on the wrong side of the bed I think cos I felt really despondent about the whole-being unemployed- thing. I couldn't shake the feeling that someone had missed me off their mailing list of things to send out.
Anyway, this afternoon, I checked my emails and I've got a job interview on the 5th March for a job I applied for with NHS Direct in Bristol. Woop number 1.
Then Shimelle has been going on about a new class and has finally explained what it's about here



It's a class about using up all your stash, definately need to do that as have too much!!!!! She also is doing a giveaway of the new Pencil Lines sketches book. Her class is only 10 pounds for 3 weeks and they're always g8 fun and very informative, give it a go. I have treated myself.

Here is another LO from Cathy Z class, which is of my baby fluff Willow. Isn't she cute??

Cathy Z part 2

As you know I have been doing an online course with Cathy Zielske called Design Your Life, which uses her skills and knowledge as a graphic designer to work into your scrapbook design. Her style is very minimal and graphic, not like my usual style at all, but I am really enjoyinh learning about the principles and putting them into practise on the digital pages. Each week has a different theme, the one below shows Assymetry............

......below is a double page spread using the snowdrop photos again and a free digital download which I got yesterday called Age Tendre, there are 2 paper packs in spring colours and elements too a mega freebie you might say...............I love the little house and trees on this freebie


Above is a symmetry LO with all the pics and papers formed into a symmetrical whole. All about how I bought this young man a bag of fudge for his birthday. ''I love you'' he said, ''Awww'' I said and he said ''I love, I love the fudge Aunty Jo Jo'', oh well!!
This is another double pager of pics from Barcelona. It's not finished as the grey and green bits need doing, but I want to print this out and do something with hybrid papers/elements.

Tapnscrap

................for all you Apple Iphone users, this application has just gone live apparently.

Here's one for Mel

.......................can you all see the words which are quite pale on the background of this LO? It is easier to see at the top, but Jessica S has just shown me how to use my wordles to add into LOs, how cool is that!!!!!

Here's something I made earlier..........

................got my digital mojo on today and made this LO with the guideance of the wonderful Jessica Spraque. She makes it all seem so easy............yeah right, but I am well pleased with the stylish sepia photo and bright red twinkles I made. Clever huh?
Still getting to grip with the updated Photoshop which quite different to previous versions and you have to use stamps instead of brushes for some things and viceversa. It's well worth doing a class online with a professional like Jessica if u can afford it, I'm lucky mine was a pressie.
Anyway here is Fluffbun in all her glory.

In other news, I have applied for 3 more jobs, or is it more, I'm losing count. But onwards and upwards as they say. I also had a sweet email from Abi to say thanks for the typography stuff I'd sent her................she's so lucky to have us as her firneds. I wish I'd had a blog at school, it could have improved my grades!!!! Hahahaha.

Mum's calendar

A couple more of mum's calendar pages for you to inspect.


The one above is comprised of pictures of my mum taken from a young baby and into the 60s when she and my dad were courting. Groovy hats huh?!!!! You should see the lampshade mum wore for my christening it was truly terrible. The top calendar page has pictures of me and my sister and one of my mum's mother in a lovely garden in the Cotswolds one summer. I loved my grandma, she was the reason I became a nurse. She was a nurse in the 1930s and trained intially as a TB nurse. I have all her paperwork she had to complete to qualify including details about cleaning and sterilising equipment. I also have her cap.........just a simple square of white cloth which would have been starched and ironed into a neat hat. She was also an amazing vicar's wife when my grandad changed careers late in life and she and he led a parish in the Forset of Dean for over 20 years. It was amazing when my grandpa died as his funeral was held in Viney Hill. They let his casket lie in state overnight so ex=parishioners could pay their respects. The service was incredibely moving as so many people said wonderful things to say not only about him but my grandma who has passed away several years before.

Anyway off to bed now...........see you all tomorrow.

Knit 1, purl 1.......

Anyone old enough to remember Lizzie Dripping and the witch? Well it was a rather daft children's programme when I was alot younger and the witch would sit around in a church yard knitting and repeating K1, P1. Never could figure out why but hey it was the 70s, maybe she was on DRUGS!!!!

Anyway, my reason for reminiscing is because I got out my needles today. I am knitting a hot water bottle cover for my friend Teresa for Christmas and also a scarf for my mum. The cover is easy, just simple pattern witha bit of cabling and the scarf is just knitting every row, but the wool is all sparkly ribbon.

It's in lovely shades of metallic red, gold, and coppers. Yummy.
My other jobs have included writing and posting my Xmas cards which I had to post 1st class as apparently there's a shortage nationwide of 2nd class stamps...........so much for saving money?
Secondly I have started making calendars for my family using some digital calendars for Photoshop. Most will be CD size for their desks buit my mum's is abit posher cos she likes to write everyone's bits down even though we're no longer at home. So here's the first LO I did for February. I thought as it's Valentines day then I'd use a lovey dovey picture.


Off to watch CSI Vegas............

Blogging classes.

I know I have already blogged this picture before but I am so proud of it! It is the most difficult digital page I have done so far. So yesterday Shimelle's class on blogging got into full swing and I have to admit my best laid plans of scrapping everyday have gone out of the window. Mainly because I went to work yesterday and had to stay on as a colleague was unwell. I am often so tired after work as we do 9-7.30 shifts and they are exhausting.
Anyway we are meant to be pledging to keep our blogs as regularly as possible. I think to be honest I will have to go for every 2-3 days as if I work 3 long days in the row the last thing I have time for is blogging, which is a shame because I find it quite therapeutic.
I don't ever blog anything too overly personal because that's not my style. I began this blog to show some of my LOs and look at other people's. I love learning new techniques so I'm hoping that I will see loads of new inspiration while learning over the next few weeks.

Ne w digital layouts.

I have been doing a couple of online classes recently with Jessica Sprague here www.jessicasprague.com There are loads of classes to follow, some self-paced and some over a few weeks. The one I have just completed in Type and Writer which teachs loads of really helpful tips on typography and journalling for scrapping. Being digital I have not only gained a wealth of new skills for my scrapping but also more elements to use in my digital scrapping. The photo above is a page all about myself. It is a template so really simple to p0ut together and then the main pieces of extra work are the title and quote with the journalling around the little circles. I had to enlarge the specific quote words and learnt how to position them effectively. Also how to scrap in a circle using a template.

This layout was much more simple but no less effective. It taught me how to use brushes to effectively age the letters and numbers and how to move the words around at angles. I have really loved this course. If you get the chance to go over to Jessica's website you definately won't be disapointed.
Also a really nice comment was left on my blog by Humel and she has a fab site of recipes and scrapping. Check her out for g8 inspirations.