Waxwings! || Scrapbook Layout || My Mind's Eye 'Market Street'

Hey everyone,

I have a layout to share today using some of my older stash.

If you don't know what a Waxwing is, they are birds that spend most of their time in Eastern Europe. If the winter weather is particularly harsh over there, they fly west. Occasionally, a few end up here in the UK each year.

This year, they have come over in huge numbers. I really wanted to see some, so I followed the 'waxwings UK' twitter account. A few days later I saw that some had been seen... at the other end of the village! I power walked over there with my boyfriend's camera and saw them in a tree, really high up. The only pictures I got were silhouettes. Got cold and came home. 

The next day, they were reportedly still there so I had another walk and got these great pictures. There were a few other people there with big DSLR cameras and I was there with my little bridge camera..., but when the other people got there, the Waxwings had already flown off.

I was so pleased with my pictures. First, the local park wanted to share them on their Facebook page. Then, the local newspaper asked to share them on their website! I was pretty chuffed. 

Anyway, here's my layout! 

I was really unsure what papers to use for these pictures. Anything pale just made them look dull. Then I found these My Mind's Eye 'Market Street' papers from a couple years ago and they were perfect! I have matching embellishments too (occasionally TKMaxx have some great crafty bargains). I layered up the papers (there's some Project Life cards in the mix too), added my photos and then chose red and yellow embellishments from my stash.

The date stamp is from One Canoe Two 'Hazelwood', it goes right up to 2023! 

Now... as you're reading this I'll be on my way to a very cool place to spend the day with some very cool people I can't wait to meet....! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

Sunny Selfie Layout

Hi all,

A new layout to share today using a selfie we took in Whitby outside St Mary's Church in early September when it was 30 degrees! Hard to imagine now isn't it.

Here's my layout. It's dull and cold outside so I really wanted to make a nice bright layout to cheer myself up.

I used a double sided sheet of Crate Paper 'Poolside' paper, cut diagonally down the middle, one side flipped over and attached back to the other side with washi tape (and sticky tape on the back for extra support). The washi tapes I chose from my stash to complement the colours of the ice creams (?) on the patterned paper.

I mounted the photo onto white cardstock and then onto this awesome metallic polka dot print vellum from My Mind's Eye. I used more on the bottom right corner.

The embellishments are all from the Pink Paislee 'Fancy Free' collection designed by Paige Evans.

I really enjoyed making this layout, I think I got too caught up in Christmassy things and autumn layouts I don't know how to finish and then forgot how to scrapbook! All better now. I love bright layouts! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

DIY Scrapbook Kit!

Hi all

A new layout and video to share today.

I have been thinking of a way to make it easier to use those paper pads that don't come with matching embellishments rather than just making projects made entirely with those papers.

So I looked at making my own kit. Here's a video I made showing what I included in the kit and how I put it together.

Here's the layout I made, I might make some more too as I love the kit so much.

Ignore my atrocious journalling - now you know why I hate it! Being left handed I always end up 'stamping' what I've written across the page and then suddenly my writing just changes angle for no reason...

Anyway... my favourite thing about this layout is the foiled elements...

Last thing now I've grabbed your attention:

My friend Katie has set up a new sketch challenge and we are looking for some people to join us on the design team. To find out more head over to Katie's blog now!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

Adventures In Green Park Layout

Hey everyone,

Today I'm going to share a layout I made using a picture I took of Nathan in Green Park on our trip to London. Each morning we'd walk through St James' and Green Park to get to where we wanted to be (to save messing around changing tube lines). We heard some hammering in the trees and were sure it was a woodpecker so Nathan went off to try and find it. I adore how he has become so interested in nature, just like me.

I used the 'Market Street' collection by My Mind's Eye on this layout, they had papers and lots of embellishments for £7.99 in TKMaxx, total bargain. 

The title is by Heidi Swapp, I love bare wooden embellishments I can paint to match the layout.

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

Pimp My Ride!

Hi all,

A new layout to share today.

As some of you may know I passed my driving test 3 days before Christmas and I told myself when I did I would order some graphics and new wheel trims for my car.
So I did, and a couple weeks ago my dad and I 'pimped my ride'.
Afterwards we took it for a ride out to a garden centre where we knew there was some space at the back of the car park where we could take some pictures with a decent background.
I made a layout using the pictures I took.

The background paper is by My Mind's Eye, it was one double side sheet which I cut into two and flipped one side over and stuck both onto a 12x12" sheet of plain paper. I went along the edges of each black stripe with my silver Sharpie so it looks like the stripes on my car.

Just need the weather to clear up now so I can take her on some trips out!

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

Wagamama Layout

Hi everyone,

I've a new layout to share today.

I was in TKMaxx a few weeks ago and I found a pack of My Mind's Eye Jubilee products - papers, chipboard stickers, badges etc... couldn't resist it!
I always make a point of using products at least once before putting them in with my regular stash... that way I don't have drawers full of unopened packets to forget about.

I used an Instagram shot of what I had when we most recently went to Wagamama. We go there a lot... on this particular occasion it was one of those nights when we finished uni at 6pm (ewww) and we fancied a treat. On a date night, Nathan normally pays but this was outside out usual 'quota' so we went splits. Whenever we go I always order pork ramen but this time I wanted a change so I had the ginger chicken udon and it was delicious! :)

Here's my layout:

If I have something behind my picture I always cut it down the middle and stick either side of the picture so then there's more of it visible, like with the clear frame and the red square border.

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx 

Valentine's Day Layout (and January/February Quirky Kit)

Hi all

On Valentines Day, Nathan and I went to York. He took me to dinner at Wagamama and then we spent the afternoon looking round the shops and gardens. It was such a lovely day (bit chilly though!)

Here's a layout I made using a selfie we took in the gardens near the museum. My January/February Quirky Kit arrived last week so I used elements from that in this layout. I love the Project Life cards,  and the acrylic birds are so cute!

Here's a picture of what was included in the Quirky Kit embellishment kit this time, you can find out more here

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

More Than Words Challenge January 2016

Hi all,

I've been busy today making my entry for the first ever More Than Words Challenge.
This month's theme is 'Personality & Selfie'

You can find out more about the challenge here 

Here's my layout.

Yesterday I ended up with lots of new supplies - I found a My Mind's Eye 'Jubilee' kit in TKMaxx, and my sale hoard arrived from Crafty Templates - a box of papers and embellishments. Most of this layout uses those products. 

When coming up with ideas for this layout I was drawn to the Simple Stories 'I Am' sticker sheet. 'I am' fitted the theme of this challenge perfectly!

The subtle colours on the background as made by scribbling watercolour pens onto an acrylic block and picking it up with a brush with a little water, and painting it onto the page.

Then I included some vellum in the shape of paint strokes. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll play along too

Emily xx

A Wild Layout!

Hi all,

Stopping by to share a new layout I made using pictures from a recent visit with my better half to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Nathan has never been before so a uni photography project was the perfect excuse for me to show him around, and do you know what? He really enjoyed it! Think his favourite bit was playing with the resident cat...

For this layout I used 'Now & Then' chipboard stickers by My Mind's Eye, along with layering up various papers from my stash. The postcard is from a set I got from Waterstones. 

If I'm honest I think I printed the pictures out a little too big for the page so I couldn't really do much else with it.... but here's how I printed them. (I used Photoshop but I'm sure there is other free programs to do this in. We only pay for Adobe CSS because we use it a lot for uni)

I decided I wanted the square of pictures to be the width of an A4 sheet, so 21cm square. (I'd recommend between 15 and 17cm, in retrospect) I set up a blank canvas in Photoshop. Then I opened each image and cropped it square, and pasted it onto the canvas. I resized the images so I could get three on each row with a gap between. Then I just printed on photo paper and cut out. It's a great way of displaying a lot of pictures on a layout.

Thanks for stopping by!
Emily xx

An update and a brand new layout!

Hi all

Been so busy lately... uni is such a pain in that you get nothing to do for weeks and then the deadlines approach and it's worth making a start so Nathan and I have been doing some photography and filming this week. Luckily I enjoy the photography aspect (most of the time!). Here's a portrait I took of Nathan. (I had to stand on a bench to get a decent angle. I hate being 4'11") Glad he's still wearing the scarf I knitted for him last year! :)

Also when I was shopping with my parents last week I picked up some new supplies, a set of ink pads and a My Mind's Eye chipboard embellishment set from TKMaxx. It's actually a better store for crafts than Hobbycraft because there's always something that little bit different. I couldn't resist the chipboard, especially as it has lots of gold foiling and I do love some sparkle. 

So, I had to have a picture to make a layout using those embellishments (obviously!) so I asked Nathan if he would take a selfie with me.

It's a bit different to what I usually do, more simple, but it works better that way I think. I tried to do an 'ombre' thing with the papers and embellishments to match the background paper... it kind of worked until I added the chipboard but then having a hint of pink at the bottom and a hint of teal at the top balances it out.

Thanks for stopping by!

Emily xx

Mini Layout

Hi all

A new layout today! Here's my car :)

This is one of my heaviest layouts - I'm trying to get away from my fear of using lots of layers of paper... and it's worked so well.

You know how sometimes there's things in your stash that are so lovely you keep them for the perfect occasion?

That postcard is perfect. It's even got 'Mini' on it!

And also applies to me because I'm tiny.

I coloured the word 'mini' in and framed it to emphasise it as a page title.

The same goes for the First Edition Man Made Mini print paper. It's been in my stash for years and I finally got to use it!

Papers and embellishments are mostly My Mind's Eye Cut & Paste.

Anyway, until next time...!

Fold-out Scrapbook Layout

Hi all,

Earlier this week I was suffering from Lack Of Inspiration. That's the problem with multiple photo layouts, when you really want to show off the pictures you've taken. 

However, I found a solution!

Why stick to one page when you can expand that one page...?

This layout shows pictures of a lovely Sunday evening Nathan and I spent wandering by the Thames in London.

Here's the front, a selfie and St Paul's

Then it opens out to reveal more photos.

 To make the base, I used 3 sheets of 12x12" paper.

One full sheet and two cut in half stuck back to back and then sellotaped to either side of the main sheet. 

The papers are My Mind's Eye Find Your Wings & Fly, as as some of the embellishments.

On this layout I've also used Papermania Glitter Effect Pens.

They've got a bullet tip and leave a lovely sparkle. The colours are really vibrant, too. I've used them to outline different parts of my layout such as doilies and sentiments.

Here's a close up of the 'open' tab. I inked wooden arrows in pink to co-ordinate with the rest of the lyout and stuck Thickers on top.

Thanks for stopping by!

PS I also bought a car this week!

A Perfect Pair

Hi all

A new layout today -
I had the idea for this page when I saw the 'A Perfect Pair' stamp on the Hobbycraft website - I instantly knew I had to make a page of Nathan and I with our specs on.
I used the My Mind's Eye 'Cut & Paste' kit that I picked up in TK Maxx in Cambridge. I love the colour scheme of the kit and wanted to use it properly.
I did add in other embellishments that complimented the colour scheme.

Now my next task is to come up with an idea for an anniversary card/something for Nathan...

Think I'll just get all my 'Gorjuss' and steampunk supplies out and play....

St James' Park Layout

Hi everyone
I was busy yesterday with another layout, using photos I took in St James' Park on our visit to London. I love this park because there are lots of different species of birds, and the ice cream is lovely.

Products used:

My Mind's Eye Find Your Wings & Fly paper/cutout embellishments/layered stickers

Dovecraft Bohemian paper/buttons

Santoro Willow wooden embellishments

Papermania Bare Basics mini bunting/Neon button

Hobbycraft mini alphabet

Sizzix Alterations chevron die

Webster's Pages sticker

P.s.

I was in the craft room and missed the first 6 Springwatch Blue Tits fledging. I did manage to see two leave, though. Lovely.

Will be posting another layout later. Stay tuned...!