Sunday 20 July 2014

My Scrappy Space

I have been meaning to scrap my creative space for a very long time and there have been many reasons why I haven't managed to do it. Largely because I kept meaning to tidy it up first. However Merly Impressions have set the challenge and I must rise to it.
Here is my entry:


I have virtually toured many scrap rooms posted on blogs and have been in awe of all that I have seen. I have come to the conclusion that my scrap space is like scrapbooking in general ... there are no rules and there is no right or wrong.  I had intended to tidy it up and make it perfect before taking photos ... but that's never going to happen.  I'm not a tidy person, I keep thinking I'll change but I haven't in the last four decades so I guess I need to accept that this is me.
I started out with just one bag of scrap supplies and was pleased with the thought that where-ever I went I would have all of my supplies.  It was a good sized tote and I naively believed that this was all I would ever need.


As my addiction grew so did the space I needed.  I progressed from using a corner of the dining table and the lounge floor, to the spare bedroom which is grandly called the study. Storage now extended to a plastic drawer unit and then a purpose built paper stacker. Not content with one, that grew to two and my husband realised that this was more than just a passing phase. He kindly built me a desk unit along one wall and I was supposed to contain all of my crafting within this space.  Luckily it took him over 2 years to discover that the lovely carved boxes and wicker baskets that adorned corners around the house contained stamps, blooms and silk roses!


This is the 'study' and I am allocated the left hand side.  The right side is floor to ceiling bookcases.  There are shelves for work related stuff and printers. I'm hoping to extend over that side in time.  The floor is cluttered with stuff that needs to find another home.


My little space is a far cry from the dining table and although not a lot of working space I love being able to leave my 'work in progress' to return to whenever I can.


My space is not organised, tidy or colour co-ordinated but it allows me to escape the mundane.  Unfortunately it is getting much more disorganised and cluttered, and that is mainly due to television craft channels and the temptation of Project Life.  I have a full collection ready to use ... it's been ready to use for a year now and I have to step around it on the floor every time I look at any papers.  Perhaps I shall be shamed into using it now that the whole scrapping community has seen my mess. 
If anyone would like to come and categorise everything for me they are quite welcome! 
 I am starting to appreciate the appeal of washi tape and I really do need to extend my ink pad collection ... if only I could just pop in to Merly Impressions each time I needed something. It would be perfect to live on a permanent retreat!
I am glad to say that I have utilised my Kaisercraft beyond the page projects for   storage but when I compare my flower or ink collection with other people's it makes me realise that I still have a comparatively small stash collection.










And lastly my cat who thinks that the space under the radiator is just for him and if it's difficult for me to open my units ... then I shouldn't!





When embarking on this challenge I wasn't sure where to start with colour and layout so I decided to choose my favourite colours and embellishments. As the layout details my journey in scrapping I thought it apt to include my love of buttons, pearls and blooms. Without Kaisercraft products this layout would have been impossible. The blooms, rub-ons, pearls, brads, sentiments and paper are all Kaisercraft, and as my love of scrapping germinated in Australia it is especially pertinent to use their products. The title grew as I thought about my addiction which began as a Christmas gift from a friend, and has grown like that tiny acorn in to a spreading mighty oak tree. I recognise that it is still only a single tree and not the forest that I have witnessed else-where but it is still quite a transformation.
For anyone who has ploughed their way this far, here are a few close ups of the challenge entry:
I love these little kitties and my scrap room is rarely without a feline friend to keep me company















I have recently discovered that a little glitter can add that 'something' you were missing.






Thank you for touring my little space, feel free to drop in any time!

Sunday 13 July 2014

Return to challenge

It's been a while since I took part in a challenge and I've missed CSI.  I was ready to embrace a challenge again and I just found time to create a layout for Case File No. 130 ...

This week I have scrapped in the true sense by using up scraps left over from a layout for the Merly Impressions retreat using Kaiser craft Happy Snap collection.  It was a photo I've wanted to scrap for a while.  It was a truly fun day that needed to be preserved.  We were on a cruise on a very stormy day when half the deck was closed due to extreme winds. We decided to walk around the promenade deck despite the signs and it was easier said than done. I have never battled against such a force of nature and we laughed hysterically as we tried to traverse the deck.  Perhaps we should have heeded the signs that said 'Do Not Enter' ... but then we would not have had such great memories!


I still haven't mastered the art of photographing a layout straight, I think I need a camera with a 2 way spirit level built in!

I used all colours in various amounts, unfortunately some ended up hidden by the time I'd arranged all the papers and embellishments.  For evidence I used stripes on the journaling card and the vertical patterned paper; and also splattered dylusion inks. There are some very tiny gem stars, and I had intended to use more evidence but somehow it didn't evolve.  For my testimony I journaled as an invitation. The Happy Snap collection was perfect to capture the spur of the moment fun that you cannot plan for and is why a good scrapper should always have her camera handy.  I was a bit concerned that there was too much stuff and not enough white space for balance but there were so many great sentiments to use that i just had to pack them in.



Thanks for looking and leaving any comments




a close up on those stars

Saturday 5 July 2014

Bonus Layout

With all all of the fantastic goodies we were given at the Merly Impressions retreat we had enough for a 'bonus' layout.  The guidelines specified it was possible if we used the supplies carefully.  Careful planning is not something I'm known for and particularly not in scrapping.  I am not really a planner and have little spacious awareness so cutting into a piece of paper is always a bit risky!

For this layout all I had was a selection of paper and the left overs from the other layouts. There was an example layout for inspiration but that featured a landscape photo and I knew I wanted to use two photos.  I have learnt a lot at the retreat about how I scrap, as following instructions and being influenced by the titles and their photos impacted on how I thought about things.  I realised that my layouts usually start with an idea and memory, then I find the photo that captures it.  Sometimes even the title is the starter and things evolve from there.  It was all a bit backwards for me to follow step by step instructions and find photos to fit into somebody else's 'idea'.  However it has all been a great journey and this week I managed to mix a little of all approaches.  I used elements of the suggested layout after my idea had been born.  



The first photo was taken 11 years ago and the second 2 years ago.  Although not perfect photos they represent the passage of time and the growth of my relationship with my stepdaughter.  I wanted to try and keep some white space (not something I'm very good at) but I also wanted to add journaling.  For me the layout is all about the journaling and telling the story behind the photo.  It took a while for me to work out how to keep the balance of the page and still provide enough journaling, so I decided to make a mini book. This isn't anything I've done before but I'm really pleased with how it worked out.


I made a concertina book and then attached the ribbon to the layout so that the book could be undone and taken out to read.  It is a note to my 'daughter' to let her know how important she is to me.  Every aspect of a layout is important to me and the title is the heart of the story ... Becoming Family was the most valuable journey of my life.



I enjoyed using the collectables which coordinated perfectly and no layout is complete without a kaisercraft bloom!
Something else I have discovered in the last month is how much I enjoy participating in the CSI challenges.  It's all about the story for them and has fostered my love of journaling on a page.  I have missed sharing my layouts with people who will enjoy my story ... hence my need to share it with you here.

Watch this space and I shall soon be back to embrace new challenges.  Thanks for taking the time to read my story and maybe leave a little one of your own ......

Thursday 3 July 2014

Official retreat finale

I was inspired to finish the prescribed layouts from the retreat and did mange it in record time for me.  This was a very different feel from the others which included so much fussy cutting and stitching.  It was quicker, but I still managed to procrastinate over which strips of paper to use and which cameras to fussy cut and then glossy accent.  I love the photo that I used which brings back so many memories ... which is exactly the reason that I scrapbook.  Five adults behaving like children as we ran around trying to capture the perfect pose ... and in fact doing the exact opposite.  I didn't print the hilarious photo of somebody's bottom as they were too late to beat the self timer, or the photo of us standing up with heads cut off ... but the memory lives on!

I was pleased with my first successful attempts at splattering. In fact I am altogether pleased!  Hope you like it too:


One thing I learned on this retreat is that journaling is so important to me.  It's all about the memory and the feeling.  I managed to find a little space to tuck it out of sight but it's there for anyone who wants a peak.



Titles were another thing that weren't prevalent on all layouts but somehow mine seemed naked without one.  I'm learning that it doesn't really matter how things turn out and the fact that I didn't have a steady hand to draw around the alphas just adds to the individuality!