Prima swirls and bling titles - I love Sparklies!

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love my sparklies. This can take shape in the form of glitter, diamantes, irridescence, holographics, metallics.. oh I am practically making an order for another fix of pretties right now!

I have been so busy with Scrapbook Apprentice work and it has been a great excuse to not do anything.. but when Katie left us a week without a parcel.. what could a girl do.. I had to scrap.

I haven't scrapped my family for so long now so I really enjoyed digging out a picture from the wedding and finally using a quote I had saved. The moment I saw 'Did you know that I was waiting for you? To love you for the rest of my life?" It really rang true in my heart but it's a long story!

I've had these blingy words for a long time now and the flourishes just kicked me into maximum sparkly overdrive. I haven't been able to use my own antique style for so long now as the materials I was sent were too bright so it was like slipping into a pair of comfy old shoes and getting aquainted with an old love.

The second layout needed some butterflies just to convey how this little bundle of preciousness makes me feel. I have added some concealed journalling (I don't do picture books!) but the picture speaks a thousand words to me.

If I didn't use all pink she would kill me. For sure.

I hope the sun has been shining in your life wherever you are. I am thinking of running a giveaway soon, so watch this space. My heart has been so full of love from my friends lately that I seem to be giving away like crazy and I'd love to give something on my blog.

TTFN

♥♥ Mel ♥♥

Free stuff - Blog candy!

Dizzy Blonde is a SU demonstrator and is currentely giving away a scalloped circle punch on her blog to one lucky commenter:

http://www.dizzyscrafts.blogspot.com/

You got to be in it to win it!

Secondly, check out the blog candy right here:

Hop on over to http://creativitylifemag.blogspot.com and become a follower to be in with a chance of winning all of this gorgeous stash.. all of which I had the chance to work with this month.

Whilst you're over there check out the Scrapbook Apprentice work I did this month and if you love it.. give me a vote.. just 4 days left now.. so nervous!

Thank you so much for all your love and support

Good Luck x

♥♥ Mel ♥♥

Challenge 2 - No paper keep it clean!

I have joined a brilliant challenge blog over at :

http://creativecardcrew.blogspot.com/

Which is run by my friend Polly and some other lovely ladies. I really enjoy making cards and sometimes it is nice to have a challenge and share your creations with other people.

This month the challenge was:

"NO PAPER - KEEP IT CLEANNow, before you all panic, it is easier than it sounds. We all love our designer papers, don't we? But you can also achieve some wonderful results when you don't use the papers. So why not give it a try? You just might amaze yourself. "

with a fabulous prize too!!

I thought I would give this challenge a go and see how I fared seeing as mothers day was looming! No paper hmm.. harder then it sounds for me.. I had just purchased a Prima cd and decided to print one of the images onto my cardstock:

I would never have got round to using the CD lol but this challenge really kicked my butt into gear so thanks Creative card crew - look forward to next week!

I get really annoyed over my bad photographs (the one I just posted wasn't very good either Grr!) So I retook the Magnolia card so that it shows the natural colours.:

I think I truly am a lunatic LOL what can I say..

No posts in weeks.. 2 in one day.. you lot are spoilt I tell ye :D

♥♥ Mel ♥♥

Scrapbook Apprentice - Challenge 5 Sneak Peeks!

Firstly, a big thank you to all of my followers for supporting me. If you're reading this, leave a comment and let me know you're alive!!

Hopefully, fingers and toes crossed.. I will make it into the next round for The Scrapbook Apprentice.. and you will get to see the yummy things I made with this months kit. It seriously was a frog that evolved into a prince. Bright green (Limeade) and seriously shocking pink (Bubblegum) were all thrown together with a huge bundle of gorgeous ribbons to calm the nerves. This months challenge was to focus on ribbon techniques. Heaven knows I collect enough ribbons.. but I can't say that I ever use them :)

So without further waffling here are the sneak peeks..
(sorry the photographs are rubbish but there has been no sun here!!)

You may have noticed that this month I have been asked to also do an extra project. Anything I wanted.. but still got to incorporate ribbon techniques hmm.. well all I can say is this would be perfect for a very cheap personalised gift and was bags of fun to make :)

I made two REALLY awesome cards and thought I had photographed them but alas.. I hadn't *screams*. One was shaped like a handbag.. I can't wait for you to see it. I went to town on that white cardstock and it just looked so pretty I really didn't want to part with it! The second is my rebellion.. I used this shocking bright kit in a cunning way to create a seriously soft and delicate baby card. That is not the best bit though.. underneath the card is a surprise for baby.. adorned with matching ribbons.. ahh wait till you see it!!

I would like to thank my very good friend Melissa for that idea.. she is so brilliant at siefting great ideas out of the internet and inspires me all the time.

Yesterday was a perfect mothers day even though I had the cold and sore throat from hell. My kids make me so happy all the time and my husband just tries so hard it fills me with love. He had cleared the top half of the garden just for me (because I had been hankering after a BBQ for so long) and then went to Asda to get charcoal and ingredients. We had a brilliant day and the kids made me cry when they presented me with cards. I'm going to scrap the day later so i'll show you piccies then.

I hope you had a wonderful mothers day.. Let me know about it x

I'm back to my duvet ;)

♥♥ Mel ♥♥

Magnolia gives me heart palpitations

I know that Magnolia is a little like Marmite. You either love their cute little moomin resemblance.. or simply despise their 'no-nosed' existence. As everyone who knows me will confirm.. I LOVE Magnolia like my first born child.

I was hoarding some serious new stamps lately that I scored from the Glitter Pot sale so I had to use one last night. I don't know why but it took me all night to make this one card and I didnt even take a good photograph..

GOSH DAMN IT!!

SO here is a strange coloured but I promise cute in real life card:

You can see the true colours much better in the close-ups:

This time, I cut out all of the detailings in Tildas hair and curled them.. You have to see it in real life to know what it looks like!!

I will try and get a bit more creating done soon but I have got to get my creativity scrapbook apprentice work finished and posted.. the deadline is the 20th!!

Love and Peace

♥♥ Mel ♥♥

My craft bargains from hobbycrafts NEC thrifty day out!

Can I add that I am not so insane that I have put gaps all over my blog post.. TSK! Sort it out blogger!!

I have been asked a few times to show what I bought but I have been far too tired to get the cam out and snap everything.

I was so shopping unsatisfied yesterday I had to go to Hobbycraft today for a browse and then accidentally bought a Subway with tons of olives and gherkins and jalapenos (I had a serious craving) and took the kids to feed the ducks. They have never fed ducks before and were a little tedious about going too close to the water (actually that's a lie.. Ez would have jumped in if I wasn't holding the frills of her coat!) I gave the kids the crusts from their sandwiches (Lee had made them a packed lunch as I freak about them eating too much takeaway) and as I was explaining about ripping the bread up I turned around and Emily was eating it!! She eventually gathered she needed to throw it but the ducks just ran off (I don't blame then in Wolverhampton!). Logey, being a typical Logan.. threw the whole load in as one and it made a huge splash. This caught the ducks attention and they swam over (Hurray) and you should have heard Logan squeal with excitement. He is such a special little one. We trekked back through the bushes to the car and had a warm.

I forgot to mention when I got out of the car I forgot I had undone my trousers for Subway (ahem) and they nearly came down LOL I then went to Sainsburys for a few things and was thirsty so I accidentally bought 4 loads of juice, 2 bottles of pop, 4 packs of cans, 2 loads of milk and 2 milkshakes. Yeh... It was all good!!

I just sat my lazy bottom down after finally taking some pictures of my stash haul yesterday. Hope you think it was worth it you slave drivers!!

First up (This sounds a bit like an auction daint it!) 2 copies of Crafts Beautiful for THREE pounds!! *shocked face* BARGAIN!

The Magnolia stand was pants.. then I get told there is a Magnolia bargain bucket.. YIKES!!! I hot foot it over there and get distracted by pretties whilst K goes straight for the good stuff. She scores this cute father christmas.. god damnit K there best be one left for me.. and yes, there was!!

The other is a cute 'fairground style' ticket. Prices shown!!

There was a stall with loads of pretties for 1 pounds. I love pretties! They was sparkling and asking to come home. The wings were 20p and I had to have them as I am obsessed with wings (my husband wrestles as The Arch-Angel)

I forgot to add them silver bows to my next picture.. tsk!!

There was this awesome stall where everything was a pound or 12 for a tenner. Me and K went halves after she was a genius and did the maths.

I have blades and tape mwahahaha!! Just kidding. OMG I totally forgot when I got home my tape had unravelled and stuck everything together inside my bag LOL!!

Absolute first thing I buyed!! These two ribbons OMG lush or what. The black sorta decorative length is exactly like prima so I was very happy and although they was ahem 1 pounds and 1.50 respectively.. I had to have them!











The new Smirk range is SO cute I had to hold fire on a few things because they was a tad too expensive but this ribbon was so cheeky it just matched my boy completely.. 99p!! 'heartbreaker' hehe!!

Log is train mad and Ezzy is always carrying 'rabbit' or 'teddy' (they have very clever names) so I chose these stamps as I missed them. 3.50 and 3.00 respectively. Thats a good word isn't it.

Me and Sarah have a mutual appreciation for flowers but I could only find stupidly priced Primas everywhere. As soon as she had gone I spotted these.. 20 for 1.30. I love them so bad!! You can get them from http://www.craftfairy.co.uk/ and she also has a code for 10% off but it ends tomorrow. I think it was loyal10









We spent a lot of time (and even more money) at http://www.craftworkcards.co.uk/. I would have never usually stopped at this stall but Sarah raved about them and then I saw their examples. This lady produces stunning work and really goes 'back to basics' instead of using the latest stash.

The offer was 50p for a diecut pearl 12x12 or 4.50 for 10 sheets. Let's get 10!!

This was some of the pearl paper I used in my ten too. The pics are rubbish because I have low light (it is half nine!!)

OoOo these were also from the same stall.. look at how brilliant these are... legless brads!! 100 for a pound is a steal and should save me a fortune so very thrifty!!

This shop has loads of books available for a bargain 1.95. I was in love and got one for me and one for Emma!!

Great, quick service and a lovely well presented stall. I will visit their site soon for sure!

OhMiGosh the stamps were 9.99 but OMG they say rock on and the guitar has broken strings and I have Rockstar papers and we play guitar hero and Lee plays drums and and and STUFF IT I am buying them! I plan to make some pendants using these. One days..

The other stamps were too cute to refuse and at 1.50.. I satisfied my Imaginisce cravings.

I only have the vintage pack of these brush markers so I picked up a basic colours back for a bargainous 7.99. Yee Ha!

Went a bit crazy at the fabric transfer stall.. WOWzers.. could have bought it all!! I got these for Lee's wrestling costumes and will use anything else he don't want.

1.99 for the big crosses, 1.30 for the little things.

Lees happy 'woooo yeh' Priceless!!

I am going to get out of here now and try to make some awesomely kinda attempt at a christmas card with my new magnolias EEK I wubs Magnolia.. did you know that?

P.S I Went out today in my NBC hoody with my NBC purse and my NBC keyring and my NBC badge but I left the NBC mask till I got home. I loves yer Ruth!!!

Peace and Love

♥♥ Mel ♥♥

Our NEC hobbycrafts meet up

I just came back from a meet up at the Hobbycrafts Birmingham NEC show and it was such a blast!

When I left the house this morning I seriously wanted to tell Lee to take me home.. I couldn't stand walking away from my family and stepping onto a train into somewhere unknown. I haven't really been on a train since mine derailed a few years ago so the memories flooded back and as the train got full to the brim (I travelled both ways during rush hour) I could feel the panic setting in.

As I stopped at New Street I somehow managed to walk up 2 flights of stairs, through a corridor.. down 2 flights of stairs and be back where I started! I waited ten minutes feeling a little childlike with my legs dangling and swinging from the bench and then I decided to walk a bit to see if I had missed K. Right on queue a train rolled in and I saw her cheeky smile under her trilby from her bright red lips. We hugged, she offered me a lolly and we joked how I had took her favourite sort then chatted like we had always known each other.

Next to arrive was Melissa. I have spoken via PM to this wonderful woman for about 6 months now and she is just so lovely and calming to be around. I have never seen her in my life but I recognised her straight away and it was hugs all round. Lovely to see her and her baby bump looking so well aww!!

Then there was Oona.. my word the party started. She is such a nutter I didn't know whether to laugh or run for my life. Oona is so down to earth and funny you can't help but just love her instantly. Every family in the world needs an Oona.. she is certainly a good time girl.

We all got on the train to the international and there were no seats so I stood up and let the lazy cows sit down.. just messing!! I was standing with my bottom in Ks face then I had to let a man past so I had it in Oonas face.. it was so funny. I said 'this is how dogs meet!' LOL. Then Oonas phone kept going off and it was the loudest old fashioned ring you have ever heard. We was all dying and she didn't care.. she is a star.

We got off at the international and I swear these lot just walked straight past Sarah!! how rude!! LOL I recognised her and it was so nice to meet her. She has such a great posture.. I know that is weird but I couldn't help notice how she is so immaculately presented and so wonderful to talk to. It is so nice to meet someone who listens and gives you something back because they genuinely care.

In walks Ruth.. oh my goodness talk-a-lotta-Ruth (says I). She is like the most darling beautiful lady ever. She is so perfect I wanted to marry her or something she is adorable. Then she presents us all with presents and a pyramid full of kisses in homage to RUSTY How cute is that!! This lady is just so full of goodness she is practically a saint if it wasn't for her nobbly adventures... :D:D

Thank you Molly for my lovely lickle Furrypiglet it was so very perfect and my favourite highlight of the day xx

When I got home I noticed the tag and what Ruth wrote bought tears. She is really a special someone.

I kept losing everyone all day but we had a great time and it was sad to leave each other. Me and K went off together and we had pretty much been together all day. I don't know how she felt but I really felt like I had always known her. We had such a laugh together and she was always there for me, as was I for her.

I can't even tell you how much fun I had today but right now I am absolutely knackered. Sore from the laughing, fatigued from the long journeys and fretting. It was worth every second.

Thank you so much to all of you for a really special day x

(I'll slip you a tenner later for all the 'you look younger in RL comments haha)

Some scrapbook pages and a Scrapbook Apprentice Update!

The weather has been all over the place lately and I find myself going from super-hyper to down and exhausted. Whilst riding this rollercoaster it has been a case of snatching time where my mind will allow me to do the things I want before flopping into bed with the everlong Twilight.

I was just chatting online to my awesome friend K and her son learnt to say 'Mel'. EEK! That is so darn cute I want to just buy him something haha! Well done little man.. I get called Men, Moon and Emeny so rolling off 'Mel' is just showing you are a clever little star.

As a challenge for my UKS team of 'beginner' scrappers, I have been asked to give a class on creating a layout about 'me'. This is always a brilliant topic to scrapbook and one I encourage and remind people of all the time!

These are the two layouts I came up with (unfortunately) featuring the ever-camera shy me.

In this layout I took the approach of creating the page but allowing Lee to choose the title and write a secret letter about how he sees me as I can be my own worst critic. The photograph was mounted onto an envelope to create a secret pocket for the note:




















Oh and then I just had the excuse to show off this totally cute hair slide I made.. EEK I love it!! Look.. I got black hair again!!:


















I did 3 months of brown and it was killing me!

The second layout was a continuation of a tradition I complete every year.. just a few bulletpoints describing me at my age:

So.. onto the Scrapbook Apprentice!!

I have taken close-ups of every product created so that you can share my journey but I have been so busy creating I forgot to upload them! We are not allowed to show the packages received or full pictures of our work so it is very difficult! Sometimes my least favourite layout is chosen to be displayed and I am so desperate to show you my other (like this month!)

Thank you so much for keeping me in.. even with the shock double eviction I survived!! I am so greatful to you all for your votes.

On to the 'Sneak Peeks/Close Ups'

Challenge 4 (This months)

'Sisters' Layout Close Ups:





















'Happy treasures' layout:

'Party' Card:

'Dragonfly Happy Birthday' Card:

Next months work so far:

'Birthday Girl' Layout:

So there we have it..

This months challenge is ribbon techniques so look out in my next post for more sneak peeks and temptations to get you using up all of those gorgeous strands! Heaven knows we all have enough, right? NO never enough!!

Peace and Love

♥♥ Mel ♥♥