Scrapbook Sunday: the March edition

We're having a spell of spring sunshine at the moment, and oh gosh does it make me feel better. It has been so nice to get out for a few walks, to stretch our legs and see all the little signs of spring approaching. I am slightly concerned that we might get a late cold snap - it would play havoc with the bees and the allotment - but for now I am just going to be grateful for clear skies. 

Lately, I find my scrapbooking is changing. I think it's partly because I sketch more now so I don't need a scrapbook page to feel like a work of art. And also, despite saying that I would never do 'Project Life', after starting a PL-style album for our holiday last year I am finding myself drawn to a more immediate style of memory keeping for everyday. I have started a Project Life album for 2014 and I'll let you know how I get on. In the meantime I'm also doing regular layouts as usual, and the intention is to slot these in between the pocket pages.

Is my little sister really 25? I had to sit down and work out the maths. It doesn't feel like it's possible. Maybe if I had actually done a page for my own 30th birthday last October, I'd be able to face the reality of us being properly grown up. I think I am still in denial. But whatever age we are, I am so grateful for my sister and the fantastic relationship that we have.

Take a deep breath and carry on

Gran was the bravest person I knew. She never complained, never grumbled about life, never faltered in her determination to carry on. I am desperately trying to follow her example but I don't think I'm doing very well. There haven't been many new sketches in my journal lately so I thought I would catch up and share some I did earlier in the summer. Happier times.

You can see this sketch in larger format here. Flickr has increased their free photo storage allowance so I can upload there again.

Reflections

Primrose Millicent Page

25.02.1926 - 14.09.2013

Much loved and much missed. 

Pink, pink, pink

I think the lack of Spring-like weather has impacted on my scrapbooking...I am using more flowers and bright colours than normal. Wishful thinking. Although the last few days haven't been too bad, so there is hope. Aren't those little girls adorable? They're from a mixed pack of embellishments I bought ages ago, and I nearly got rid of them because I don't do pages about children, but I remembered them as I was doing this page and they fit perfectly.

I am trying to use more stamping, as well, and small text elements are much easier for me to incorporate in my designs. And Primas....who uses them any more? Talk about mixing my trends! But these pages are for me, and in 20 years' time all I will worry about is that I recorded this story.

The pastel colours and floral pattern also help detract attention from the fact that this is a Christmas photo, being used to tell a story that isn't Christmassy at all. I do like Mindy's jumper, though.

No such thing as too much glitter

You know I love glitter, right? Glitter and shine and sparkle...I don't think I make a page without these in some form. When I made this page to celebrate Mindy and Jamie's Christmas engagement, I briefly wondered if two glitter alphabets was too many. Hah! Silly question.

This is actually on white cardstock heavily misted with gold, but that doesn't show up so well in this photo. I considered the thought that gold spray mist with pink and black glitter letters might be too much, but only for a moment. After all, what is life without some sparkle?

Welcome April...where is Spring?

It has been bright, beautiful sunshine for much of today, but still no sign of any warmer temperatures. I am so tired of the cold and so ready for some warmth. Spring is taking its sweet time this year. Chris assures me that the birds are nesting, and all our little seedlings are poking their heads above ground, so I suppose it's just a matter of time. I went shopping today and couldn't bring myself to buy another woolly jumper, even though that's what I am still wearing. 

My scrapbook pages are shifting to brighter colours and floral patterns, even if that isn't what is happening outside. These roses are from some Basic Grey paper that I loved but couldn't figure out how to use. I hardly ever do 'fussy cutting' but for this one it seemed the only option, and I used my coloured pencils to shade a green border that defines them against the background. It's very different from my normal style but I do like it.

I'm also a big fan of pages that are mostly 8.5x11 inches, on a 12x12 inch background. That was the effect I was going for here, but somehow my measurements went wrong and I cut the pink piece too small. To make up the difference, I sliced it again and then stamped in a washi tape-effect. I actually really like it, I think it brings the greens together and balances out the top half of the design. Happy accidents, eh?!

Since Gran got wifi, we have been helping her use Skype to communicate with my aunt overseas, and it is brilliant (if somewhat confusing for her). We'd been using our smartphones, but Gran is now set up with a Samsung tablet all of her own. There's no stopping her now!

Love and craftiness

Is there any better excuse for making things? Amanda and Jamie are a super-cute couple, and after his proposal on Christmas Eve they are now a super-cute ENGAGED couple! It is wonderful to see them so happy together.

This weekend was their engagement party, and a lovely chance to celebrate plus each side of the family got to meet each other. Adorable. Mum outdid herself (with some help from the happy couple too) with a lovely buffet including lots of vegetarian delights. Cheese and lentil bake, anyone? Yum. 

I had already helped Amanda make the engagement party invitations, but I still wanted to make a 'congratulations' card. I love 6x6 paper pads for their easy co-ordination, and this card came together ever so quickly. Pink and turquoise are one of my favourite colour combinations at the moment...I have tried to suggest them to Amanda as colours for the wedding, but she's got her own ideas!

Favourite photos

This photo is one of my all-time favourites. It's taken me a while to scrapbook it, because I wanted to do it justice. And there is SO much I could write. (There is some hidden journalling on a tag behind the photo). Sometimes, though, you just have to get it done. Things change, feelings change...let's get it down on paper while it lasts.

Flowers

Don't you just love flowers? I do, but then I'm easily pleased. Mum and Gran love flowers too, so for their joint birthday earlier this year, I bought loads of bunches of roses and mixed them all together for a huge, multi-coloured bouquet.

I'm also loving this embellishment under the photo (which neatly hides my foot in the photo). Paper + chipboard + washi tape....and those little wooden cameras will be featuring in a lot more pages in the future for sure.

Something different

I think this is as close to minimalist as I get. A white background counts, right? One of my favourite photos from this year, Mum and Gran's birthday lunch in February. My 2012 album is already really full, and I can't tell you how happy that makes me. 

A summer burst of creativity

I don't have a lot to say, really.

Well, I do have a lot to say but none of it makes a lot of sense. I think I need to go back to keeping a journal to get some of this stuff out of my system. But to sum it up: life is full. I am mostly quite happy. I still face challenges, but I am growing to meet them. And that's not a bad place to be right now.

Also, I have made a LOT of scrapbook pages recently. Something about the wet summer weather we are having just inspires me to stay inside and create. And I definitely can't complain about that.

This page? Probably the most complicated page I've ever made and it certainly took the longest. I started it three times with different background papers and kept changing my mind. Then I had already stuck down the photo and the title card, so I had to stick with those, but I changed the background again to make a grid of punched squares. Then I layered on the doily, the title, some stamping, that cluster of embellishments....and then it still didn't look right, so I decided to continue the quilted effect by sewing across some of the squares. After the first one, I realised doing them all was actually going to drive me insane, so I chose random ones across the page. Then I decided I wanted buttons. Then I had to thread embroidery floss through each button and use a glue dot to stick them on the page. I *think* it's finished now, but I'm still not entirely sure!

Catching up - Christmas in June

One of my projects lately has been to go through my albums and work out where the gaps are. What stories are missing? And I realised that if you just looked through my albums (organised by year) you'd probably think I spend a lot of time shopping, eating cake & drinking tea, and taking photographs of my cat. There are lots of occasions that I know happened, that just aren't in there.

I think partly it's because I always have so many photos. My Christmas pile is one of the biggest in my box of photos. Partly it's because I struggle to see the stories beyond the obvious ones of family, dinner, and presents. And yes, partly it's because for several years, Christmas has been an incredibly difficult time for us all. Christmas 2011 felt very different and very positive, and suddenly as I went through my pile of photographs, it wasn't so hard to think of a story to tell that was more than just about the silly hats and how we always have our crackers between the main course and dessert.

Not every page has to be that profound, though - it's perfectly ok to showcase some of the daft photos that are inevitable when you start messing around with crackers.

And sometimes, when you go through the pile of photos that you printed out, you find some that  you can't remember taking in the first place. The story in those is absolutely priceless.

Singing it out

Mama said there'll be days like these, 

there'll be days like these Mama said.

Can you get that song out of your head now? It wasn't intentional, but the title of the page kind of stuck and now it's all I can hear when I look at this.

I love this page for lots of reasons...the pale chevron paper is one I made using a new stamp. That alphabet I've used for the title might just be my favourite ever. And there is paper that's not straight. I'm not quite at the level of layering some people use but I'm getting there in my own little way.

Goodbye February

If you asked me, I would tell you that February was a really hard month. That it was grey and blah and I was glad to see the back of it.

But if I really think, February wasn't all bad. It's a month of birthdays - three special girls means several parties. And parties are always good.

And despite feeling as though I have had no time at all to be creative, the pictures I have taken of my scrapbook pages tell a different story. Apparently I did make stuff.

And actually, despite the grey and blah that definitely floated around, there was a lot of sunshine too. (I told you these yellow roses would pop up again).

So maybe February wasn't so bad after all. I am still, however, very glad to welcome March. Hello Spring!

Old photos, new page

These photos are from 2009, but I'm working on telling some older stories in my albums at the moment. As I was doing this, I wondered why my pages about Gran were always more flowery than my other pages, but then I realised that's probably not true. It just feels that way. I think it's that sparkly flower border and the glittery letters...there is an overload of pretty on this page.
It is definitely a contrast from the other page I created yesterday...

Reasons to be cheerful

After the excitement of this (yes I squealed!) I knew I was back. It feels fantastic to be creating again and doing things that are purely for fun. No deadline, no pressure, no task to meet...just doing something that makes me happy.

I have so many stories that I want to turn into scrapbook pages...it could be overwhelming but I don't feel that way any more. Instead, I just work with the photos that inspire me - either because they're beautiful, or because like these - they tell a story that just makes my heart glad.

The story: Gran loves reading, but it is hard to find books that are large print and still light enough for her to hold. Her new Kindle is amazing - it is lighter than the smallest paperback but allows you to enlarge the text to any size you want - so Gran can read really easily. This is what the 21st century is all about - technology to make your life easier. Gran has totally embraced it and I'm so pleased for her.

JYC :: Christmas

Christmas Eve...nearly done. Just a few things to finish off, but it felt very busy. I went to Mum's for dinner in the evening which was time to sit down and relax. And isn't this fairy pretty? Mindy made her and she adorns the top of Mum's tree. I do love handmade decorations.



Christmas Day itself was lovely. And who would have thought that I could fit so much on a single 6x6 page?



We went out for Christmas dinner and I'm glad we did. It made a lovely break from past years and meant that none of us were sitting there thinking about things that used to be. And of course, it meant that none of us had to prepare any food, get up early to cook it, or do the washing up afterwards. Afterwards we went back to Gran's to exchange our gifts. I couldn't decide if I was more excited to give or receive...my handmade goodies went down well and I received some lovely presents too. Follow that with some Christmas TV and it was pretty much the perfect day. Thanks guys :)

JYC :: Memories worth saving

Uploading these has taken a back seat over the last few days, but I am slowly catching up.

I love, love, LOVE my pink tree. I think unconventional Christmas trees are great anyway (my main artificial tree is a pewter/silver colour) but this one just thrills me. Seriously. It's just about 2 feet high and is currently sitting beside my TV, with co-ordinating miniature baubles in glittery retro brights and white. I couldn't handle a full size tree this year but this is small enough to be manageable, and is just enough 'Christmas' to keep me happy.

This prompt was never going to be easy - thoughts of Christmas past. 2007 was the last year before everything changed, and of course being without Jonpa is the biggest change of all. But I know that he loved Christmas, and would want us to be happy. It won't be the same without him, but it will be ok.

On 13th December, the prompt for Christmas music coincided nicely with the MHCC Christmas concert. Carol services and nativity plays used to be such a big part of my Christmas, but since I stopped going to church I haven't had anything like that in my life. Choir has helped me re-discover my love of Christmas music and really makes the season special.

Home's best

It's taken nearly a year but I am back in my own home.

I am endlessly, eternally grateful to my family: for letting me stay with them, for looking after me, for making me cups of tea, for putting up with my stuff all over the place, for coming back to my house to feed my cat when I couldn't.

But it is such a wonderful feeling to be back in my own home.

I have always liked this house, but lately it has been making me smile every time I come through the door. I walk into my craft room (studio, I mean) and my heart lifts a little bit. I sit at my desk surrounded by paper, paint and glue, and I get a warm fuzzy feeling that makes me giggle. I work at the computer and I am joined by my boy who is so pleased to have me back.

I am living my life again. And it is so very good to be home.

This is probably going to make Mum cry

Everyone wants their mum when they feel ill. There's nothing like it - someone who knows exactly how to look after you, who can find just the right thing to say, who can make you feel better with just a hug.

I am fortunate beyond words that I have had my mum beside me, right from the minute I was diagnosed. I have other people too - my family might be small but it's very supportive - but there is something particularly special about being looked after by mum.

Mum works harder than anyone else I know, and it's all for other people. She looks after me, and my gran, and the rest of the family, and she runs a retail business with all the commitments that entails. She can't ask for time off, or delegate her work to others. She doesn't broadcast her worries, she just gets on with it. I am so proud of her for what she does, and the way she does it.

Thanks Mum. I couldn't have done it without you.