I'm staying tucked up inside though having already been soaked to the skin this morning during a spur of the moment trip to Cheadle (Staffs not Cheshire) to check out the goodies at Crafty Urchins. I'm afraid I couldn't resist the new-in Gem Stone Birds stamps by Inkadinkado (although I've got to say the french description "Bijoux Oiseaux" sounds much more romantic). The heavens opened as I was on the way back to the car, and of course I didn't have a coat or a brolly with me so I had a very damp and uncomfortable trip home in the car (I hope the seats dry out quickly, I had a very soggy bottom!)
I'm sorry I haven't blogged for ages but as I explained to my good friend Debs when she complained about it, my head hasn't been in a happy place lately and I haven't felt in the mood to put fingers to key board, so whilst I'm still basking in the slightly damp glow of a morning doing one of my favourite things (stash shopping) I'll post the pictures I promised of Mum's Special Birthday Surprise.
Mum, like me, is a big gardening fan and I decided to put together a book of gardening quotes for her birthday card this year. (Nothing to do with the fact that I LOVE doing mini books and was feeling at a bit of a loss after finishing the BGF's!)
I had picked up two scrapbooking kits in our local Home Bargains for almost nothing a few months ago and was itching to do something with them and this was ideal as the colour palettes worked well together. (I've had some mega buys in Home Bargains in the past you know, Fiskars border and circle punches for 99p. Yes girls 99p - can't leave 'em in the shop for that can you?
The book is a Papermania chipboard mini book and all the papers are from two Inspirations scrapbooking kits. I hope you like it. If you click on a photo it will open up full size in a new window, just remember to use your back arrow to get back to the blog.
This is the front cover, painted with acrylic and embellished with co-ordinating papers cut with QuickKutz Cookie Cutter Nesting Labels and a layered up bloom made up of a de-constructed gerbera, chipboard flower, Prima Crazy Daisy, American Crafts Greenhouse acrylic flower and a flower brad.
The close up shows the detail of the layered bloom and a charm which has been tied with embroidery floss to the book ring binding.
The main paper mat on this page was run through a Swiss Dot embossing folder to mirror the pre-embossed border sticker I cut up and used on the tag. I was pleased with the way the Fiskars Threading Water (scallop) border punch and Papermania scalloped border stamp worked together on this layout.
Two very subtle pages with minimal embellishment, just some Gisella Graham gingham ribbon, buttons from Dunelm Mill and a layered up bloom.
Close up showing layered bloom, tag and charms attached with DMC Desire Wire.
I love the Cuttlebug Birds and Swirls embossing on the following two pages and was lucky to find some co-ordinating Papermania spring time brads to complement the theme.
Do click on this photo to enlarge it if you want to see the detail. I wanted to show the double page spread so that you could see the landscape scene. The clouds, tree trunk and leaves are October Afternoon Home Sweet Home stamps whilst the blackbird is a See-D's Springtime Collection stamp that has been heat embossed. The ladybird is an E-Z rub-on by Royal & Langnickel. The tree was cut from green paper using scallop edge scissors and the cherries were cut from border stickers which came with the kit with a dot of Dimensional Magic to add gloss. Just remember the back arrow to return to the blog.
I love the lilac and green colour scheme on these pages and used the scallops again to keep continuity through the book.
A real splash of colour on these pages thanks to Prima Crazy Daisy flowers with contrasting eyelet centres.
Anita's Dimensions stickers really set off this last page, which is probably my favourite. I'm a real sucker for butterflies and butterflies with sticky-uppy wings what could be better?
I'm already planning my next mini-masterpiece which will no doubt feature my new Bijoux Oiseaux stamps. Watch this space...
