Winter in July!

Well, with the weather we're having at the moment, you could be forgiven for thinking that we're experiencing winter - wind, rain, cold.  You never know what to wear or what to take out with you!

The reason for my title in this blog is that the alpha dictionary challenge for the Craft Barn this time is the letter 'W', and I have chosen to illustrate 'winter'.  I think I've also been influenced by all the lovely new dies for Christmas that have been hitting the craft stores and showing online!

I love making Christmas cards and so I very happily dug out some of my wintery dies!

The paper I've used is a small scrap of BoBunny paper featuring snowflakes, and I added a few snowflake dies on top.  Finally, I added a liberal pinch of glitter in all the centres (although the photo does not show it terribly well!)

I had an even smaller scrap left over and so I made a small Christmas card, using Sue Wilson's tag die and her new Christmas sentiment.  I really like the style of the sentiment, combining capital letters and a friendly scripty font.  OK, so that's the second Christmas card I've made so far!  Only about 80 to go! LOL!

Thank you for visiting!

Beautiful Dreamer mini-album

The latest Craft Barn challenge is all about two different papers.  Ahah!  Right up my street.  I love buying and collecting papers and have only in the last 18 months or so taken to actually cutting them up and using them!  

As I've mentioned in a previous blog, I've been taking part in Kathy Byrne's mini album classes.  Last year's classes were for anyone with no experience, and this year I've joined the 'masterclass'.  

My entry for this challenge is a mini-album with a box and a drawer.  It is decorated in 8 different papers from Bo Bunny's Beautiful Dreamer paper and stamp collection.  I love the colours - the greens and pinks are gentle and pretty.  There are some beautiful illustrations of hot air balloons and and traditional bicycles alongside some quirky pictures of owls.  

Part of the charm of making mini-albums is the think about how photographs will look, using fold out and fold up pages, making hidden pockets to contain tags and other messages.  I've posted two photographs today of my project.

The first photograph is the outside of the min-album; the second is a close-up of the inside and a sample spread.  I really like to decorate the tabs.  The various die cuts on the tags and pockets are from Heartfelt Creations.  I've used Regal borders and pockets for the longer decoration running the length of the page, and Ornate borders and pockets for the tabs (you can just see a green tip poking out of the drawer).

A real test was making the drawer fit - not too snug, not too loose

Here are some of the pockets!

I'm typing this blog from my holiday in Mallorca!  It's a beautiful summer's day here in the north of the island, and our terrace looks out onto the stunning Tramontana mountains.

Here are a couple of pictures - I couldn't resist sharing them!

We've got a full week still to enjoy!  Normal blog service will be resumed soon.  Haha!

Thank you for visiting.

Anne

Mini-album time and a cheeky entry to a challenge

Hello,

Since the beginning of 2015, I have been attending a monthly mini-album class, run by Kathy Byrne who is a lovely tutor with loads of patience.  I'm now attending the 'master class' and our albums are gaining in complexity.

I'm sharing my latest album today and entering the Craft Barn's challenge at the same time. The challenge is to share some craft containing rabbit and and oval.  Well I searched my stash high and low for a stamp or some paper with a rabbit on it to no avail.  

Then in chatting at my mini-album class last week, it was pointed out that my papers are all from a gorgeous range  by Bo Bunny.  Surely that would meet the criteria?  Secondly, one of the elements that I use had an oval within it. So here goes, here is my cheeky entry for the challenge.

If you have never tried your hand at making a mini-album, give it a go.  There are some great ideas online and they are much easier than they look.  There is a bit of discipline involved in cutting papers, cardstock and chipboard to specified sizes, but it's a lovely feeling when you show off your first album and it's greatly admired.  

Beware, though, they are not everyone's cup of tea and you are just as likely to get the reaction of 'what's it for?'  I've made a few for special birthdays and dug out some old photographs to include. 

So fingers crossed that my entry is accepted.  

Have a good week everyone.

Anne