Sharing Memories

So today I'm sharing with you a start of a journey - recapturing memories and collating them so that in years to come others may look at them and see what memories I had. I've never been into Scrap-booking, didn't own a digital camera until maybe 2007 so all of my pictures, memories, are in boxes in the loft. It's only as I've got older that I've realised the need to do something with these pictures.

I've recently (like many customers of Create & Craft) got my hands on Serif Craft Artist software, my mind is positively exploding with things I want to do, like photo books of holidays and special times etc, but this has only fuelled my ideas for a more hands on approach.

A recent visit to Paperchase saw me buy my first album. It's ring-bound with black pages and has black and white union jacks on the front. My plan is to fill it with snapshots of memories, whereas the photo-books will hold the whole event, I want this album to show different memories, or have pages with my thoughts and feelings say about my mum and dad or my brother or my son. A mix of Scrap and Smash I suppose!

So here's my first double layout, capturing memories of one of the proudest days of my life, my Graduation -

I used some papers I had that came with a digi-kit bundle from Daisytrail - fab old paper and book spines - perfect for Graduation to be the base. I took snatches from Tim Holtz Crowded Attic papers for the lettering, journal note and clock. Finally I matted and layered the photos on to Navy and gold to match the colours of my gown.  We took so many photos that day but these are the best ones to show me and my parents and Keagan. And the fantastic Cheltenham town hall where the ceremony was held.

I loved doing this, choosing the right photos and then the papers, a real sense of history in the making, as I hope in years to come further generations will be able to look at this album and get a sense of who we are/were. I'm really into family history too so hope this will make it easier for others further down the line to add to the branches of the tree!

Take care Zo xx

WOYWW 152 - new things

Morning - firstly can I thank all of you lovely people who pop by my blog, it really helps to cheer me up when things aren't so good with my conditions, and makes me smile, always a good way to forget about the pain!

Last week I shared my new wire coiling Gizmo, so many people asked where I got it from, did I make it etc, so today I thought I'd share with you where I got it from - Beader's Companion the link will take you straight to the Gizmo page so you can see for yourself!

Right today's desk -

I took this just a while ago, using my Ottlite to illuminate the desk! There's the new Bo Bunny papers pads, Humphrey's Corner stamps, and some images I'm colouring. The Black and white one I did yesterday, as I wanted to practice black hair, am pleased with it, it's not perfect but it's usable!

 And this Christmas tag - last year I received a few Christmas tags from crafty friends and thought they were fab ideas to send, so I'm making some of my own this year!

Right that's me done, I know I won't get round you all this week, I'm really not feeling too good and pain levels have stepped up a few notches today, but I will try my best! 

Ooh nearly forgot, pop over to Julia's to see what all this sharing lark is all about! 

Take care Zo xx

A Hanging Tag, a challenge & blog candy winner!

Good morning, how are you all?

Well it's wet, grey and horrible here so I'm staying put in my craft room. Right today I want to share a hanging tag (yes I know, bit random!) that I made yesterday and I'd like to enter it into a challenge, what's going on with me this week, that's 3 challenges I've entered! GO me!

Ok so my hanging tag -

As you can see I've used a Saturated Canary image, I've coloured her in dark bold colours using my Pro/Flexmarkers. I covered the tag with papers I had free with a magazine before adding the corrugated Kraft card. I added buttons and created a bow with, am not actually sure what that material is called, do tell me if you know! I tied ribbon around the centre to hold the bow shape. The words are from an K & Co embellishment pack I've had for ages.  On the back I've attached the small piece of ribbon to allow the tag to be hung up, and then covered up the tape/glue with the scraps of paper from the front so it all matches. I'd like to enter this into the 

Passion for Promarkers challenge

The theme is light and bright/dark and bright etc, I've coloured my image bold, bright but darker, and then used bright but lighter papers so I hope it meets the criteria! 

Right onto the Blog Candy winner, firstly a big thank you to everyone who entered, I put all of your names into a hat (well a bowl) and got my son to pick out a name......so the winner is........................

Sheena from Sshhh.....Creations!

 Please email me Sheena with your address so that I can post you your candy, my email address is on my side bar. Thanks my lovely!

Hope you have a fab day, and that you don't get too wet! Am hoping the rain stops before our trip to the Dentist after school! Take care Zo xx

Yellow! Crafty Boots challenge

Happy Monday everyone - well today sees the start of another challenge over at Crafty Boots and this time the theme is Yellow, as chosen by the lovely Faye - so pop over and join us, I'd love to see what you come up with!

Right my card - 

I've chosen a Mo Manning digital stamp called 'Checking FB' for my card, I coloured her with my Pro/Flexmarkers using different shades of yellow. I matted and layered the script paper from the Papermania Book-print pad onto yellow and black card stock. A Martha Stewart punch created the black doily decorative strip. I embossed a piece of yellow Coredinations card before mounting my image on to it. I drew faux black stitches too. The sentiment is from the Papermania Urban stamps. And, as frequently found, I finished off with a black and some yellow buttons from my ever growing collection!

Hope you like my DT card, I sure enjoyed making it, that image was so much fun to colour!

Take care Zo xx

Blog Candy Reminder

Just a quick note to say that my blog candy which can be found HERE is approaching the end. It closes tomorrow night and I will get my boy to pull a name out on Tuesday 1st May. It's still not too late to enter!

Hope you're enjoying your weekend and not getting too wet where ever you are!

Take care Zo xx

In Stitches for a birthday!

Okay so it's not the best of titles, but it sums up what this card is for!

Wanted to post this card for you all and to enter it into 2 challenges.....yes go me, I've been slacking a bit in the "entering challenges department" but I saw the following challenges and knew I had to enter - right firstly the card -

It's an 8 x 8 Centura Pearl card base, covered with paper from Daisytrail pack of papers I had with a steam-punk set of digi-kits. The image is, of course, one of Krista's from Saturated Canary.  I rolled paper tubes to create the frame, the image is coloured with a mix of Pro/flemarkers and Copics. I made the flower using Tim Holtz Tattered Floral dies and the sentiment tickets are from Polka Doodles Sugar Plum Daisy CD-ROM. I chose them as this image and the thoughts remind me of me this week! Though I hasten to add I don't look anywhere near as lovely as this fine young lady! I finished off with faux stitching everywhere I could draw it! 

Here's a closer look - 

Right the 2 challenges are - 

http://saturatedcanarychallenge.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/challenge-16.html - Happy birthday

http://glittergeeks.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/week-17-stitches.html - stitches

Right I'm off to get myself sorted for football, last home game of the season today :0( I shall miss my footy friends and, of course, seeing my boys play, but I will be there when it all kicks off again in August!

Take care and enjoy your day! 

Zo xx

Love & Kindness are never wasted...

Good afternoon - well the weather is a little better today, but I'm still staying in looking after my boy who has been poorly this week. No matter their age, they always need their mum's when ill, don't they?

Anyway I wanted to share a quick card I've just put together using a coloured topper from the Polkadoodles Sugar Plum Daisy CD-ROM.  I love these images and the pre-coloured ones are fab, though I have printed out huge amounts of the Digi stamps to colour for myself too.

This last picture shows my lovely (well I think it is!) handmade wired coil I made using my new wire Gizmo.  You'll be seeing lots more of these embellishments from now on!

As you can see I used a topper from the CD, the paper was from my stash, I then used 2 pieces of Coredinations which I embossed and punched and distressed. Most of it got distressed and inked actually! The sentiment ticket is also from the CD, I printed it on to cream card and then inked it with Peeled Paint to match. I added some buttons and that lush flower and there you go! Simple.

But so effective - I love this shabby but pretty look. How about you?

Take care Zo xx