Start To Finish .... A New Challenge!

Hello! How's your weekend going?

One of the things I often hear Scrapbookers say is "I don't know where to start with a layout". 

Have you ever been in the position where you've managed to squeeze in some scrapping time into your busy week and you've sat down at your craft desk and chosen a photo or photos from your stack of "To Scrap" and picked out a few sheets of pretty paper that you want to use ..... and then you spend the next 20 minutes (or even more) deliberating what to do next??!!

Do you stare at the paper, thinking "Which way should I cut into the paper" .... "How big shall I cut?" ....  "Can I even bear to cut it - it's so pretty!" .... "Should I stick that piece horizontal or vertical?" 

Sound familiar??!! 

Well, if it sounds even a little bit like you (maybe just sometimes) then this challenge is especially for you!!

I will show you a layout in it's very early stages, which you can then copy!! Yep, no thinking about it - just grab your trimmer and cut and stick!!

You can cut full sheets of paper to the same size or you can use scraps that are about the same size - afterall it's always good to use up those scraps, right?!

Once you've got the basics in place, you just need to add your photo(s) and finish it off with embellishments however you choose to. 

So many scrappers tell me it's getting started that is the hard bit so hopefully this challenge will help with that.

Once your layout is finished, upload it to your blog, online gallery or our Facebook Page with a photo of your "Start" and a 2nd photo of your "Finished" layout and then use the Linky Tool at the bottom of this post to share your layout with us.

So here's the Start:

The background is a full 12" x 12" sheet (you could "gut" the centre if you wanted to and keep that spare piece for another project) or you could use plain cardstock for your background if you prefer. Add another paper (I used the yellow spotty paper) cut to 11" x 11" layered on top, a vertical panel measuring 3.5" x 11" placed towards the left hand edge then I layered a scrap (the light blue flowery piece) which was about 8.5" x 6" on top. Finally I added the yellow camera piece of paper  which is actually a 6" x 4" Simple Stories card on top.

Of course, if you feel you need to move the papers slightly or adhere them higher/lower than I did or use slightly different sizes then go ahead. As long as it gets you started on that layout!

I'll be back in a day or two to show you my finished layout!

This challenge will stay open until 8 August and as it's the first one I will pick 1 entry at random to win a small prize !

Don't forget to take two photos .... 1 of your "Start" and another of your "Finish"!!

A "link back" in your blog post is much appreciated.

I look forward to seeing your "Start to Finish" layouts soon.

Have fun!

Sarah x

Chococino Love Layout

Hi everyone

Firstly, thank you so much for all the lovely emails, messages and comments in response to my recent news!

For those that have asked me "Will you still be scrapbooking?" .... Yes, most definitely! I will still continue to make layouts. I have a whole mountain of photos to scrap so I have to get those into the albums. 

And yes, I will still pop up from time to time in your blog reader (don't forget there are bloglovin' and feedly "follow" buttons on the sidebar if you fancy making use of those)

The monthly challenges that I started earlier this year will continue (in fact July's challenge is right here) and there will be layouts, sketches, ideas and even more challenges to keep you happily scrapping popping up right here soon. And for those of you that were with us last year, there is even a little rumour that "Six on the 6th" (or something very similar) may be making a return appearance!!

So, that's a quick update .... and in other news....

.... this is a layout which I made for Scrapbook Magazine Issue 82 (Currently on sale)

Chococino Love

I started off with a sheet of plain white cardstock and spritzed a little light green Mister Huey ink onto it quite lightly. I knew the photo mat would go in the centre and cover the area of intense ink spray so that just the lighter splatters would show at the edges of the photo.

I then built up the page with patterned papers from the Capture Life collection, tucking the "Today" journal card in the left hand side and adding stickers (some raised up on foam dots).

The scattered stickers, chipboard stars and hearts, cork arrow & camera, wood "yummy" and enamel dots help to bring the eye in towards the photo.

Here's a couple of close up shots of some of the embellishments:

I'm trying to create more layouts about our everday life recently. I realised I tend to scrap our holidays, days out, birthdays and so on but sometimes I forget the more everyday stuff, like visiting our local coffee shop where my daughter has grown rather fond of their chococinos (they're a little like a cappuccino but no coffee, just hot chocolate!)

Do you scrap the everyday stuff? 

Do you use "pocket page" style scrapbooking for documenting your daily activities or do you still make 12" x 12" layouts.

There's lots of texture on this layout - wood, cork, chipboard, enamel, ink ...

Do you include different textures or are you a mainly paper type of girl?!

Have a wonderful day and don't forget to check out the Closing Down Sale!

There's still loads of bargains!

Some News!

It is with mixed emotions that I write this blog post ....

As many of you will know I  have been involved in the craft retail industry for around 7 years, initially working in a Bricks and Mortar shop, which I then took over as owner to starting and running S J Crafts for the last 3 years!

Sometimes in life our priorities change.....

In those seven years my priorities have changed a few times ... at first it was to gain my dream job in a craft shop and then to start my own business .... to be able to work from home so that I could do the school run and "be there" for my young daughter .... to get my work published in a scrapbooking magazine .... to establish and then buildup my on line shop in the craft world.

More recently, my priorities have changed again and, together with my family we have made a lifestyle choice. A choice which I'm very excited about!

It is therefore with some sadness that I tell you that the S J Crafts on line shop is closing!

As you may know there is currently a Summer Sale in the shop. There will be a Closing Down sale with further reductions all across the store, although please do bear with me whilst I get that up and running.

At the moment it is my intention to continue with the monthly challenges (with examples from the Design Team) here on the blog and to regularly post my craft projects to share with you. I would love it if lots of you will continue to follow the blog and play along with the challenges.

I have been lucky to work with six very talented ladies - Louise, Lisa-Jane, Jennifer, Jenny, Annie and Jemma, some of whom have been on the S J Crafts Design Team since the early days. 

These ladies have all been wonderful to work with and I continue to be in awe of their crafting talents - thank you to all of them! I'm happy to say that most of them have agreed to stay on to design samples for the monthly challenges.

I will post separately very soon to thank each of them properly and provide you links to their blogs should you wish to continue to follow their crafting journeys.

Thank you to each and everyone of you who has shopped with us, come along to a class or a crop, joined in the challenges, chatted on facebook, visited the blog, commented on a post .... I have become friends with many of you (albeit some online) and sincerely hope to stay in touch either through blogging, facebook or the crops.

Thank you and please do get ready to shop in the Closing Down Sale so that I can reclaim by craft room/dining room soon!!

Sarah xx

July Challenge - 1 Of Five!

Hi and welcome to a New Monthly Challenge!

The July Challenge is called "1 Of FIVE"

The idea for this challenge is that you choose 1 out of the five shapes/symbols to include on your project, 1 of the five phrases as your title or inspiration/theme and 1 of the five colours to include on your project.

The Shapes/symbols are: Butterfly - Banner - Star (or this could be a sun) - arrow - circle.

The Phrases : Summer Days - Right Now - You and Me - Explore - The Story ... 

* You don't need to include the exact phrase but something very similar .... I need to be able to see the link *

Colours: Yellow - Light blue/Aqua - Red - Black - White    

 *Any shade of the colour is fine!*

This month we have some fabulous examples from the Team:

Jemma

Jemma had fun with an Easter photo from last year and some very ancient stash (the Christina Cole Life Happens paper from 2006).  The page started life with the June sketch by MiniOwner but ended up elsewhere! 

Shapes/symbols: Circles

Phrase : (Here's) the story...

Colours: White and Aqua

Louise

Louise used  a photo taken a few weeks ago with Heidi Swapp products

from the April Kit along with the new Heidi Swapp shapes stencils and pink color shine, Tim Holtz stars layering stencil and inks

Shapes/symbols: inked arrows stars and sunburst paper

Phrases : Right Now

Colours: Yellow, Light blue and White

Annie 

Annie used a photo from back in 1982, when her son was just starting to explore his little world. The design was inspired by a Glitter Girl video and uses 3x4 cut-aparts from the collection, so it will co-ordinate perfectly with a pocket page layout using more photos from around the same time.

Shapes/symbols: Arrows

Phrase : Explore

Colours: Yellow, White, Aqua & pops of Red

Supplies: Simple Stories Homespun Collection Kit and Simple Stories Daily Grind Chipboard Stickers.

Lisa-jane

Lisa-Jane chose a photo from last summer about a crazy day watching Big Foot.  

Shapes/symbols: Star/Sun (The cogs!)

Phrase : Summer Days

Colours: Red, yellow, white, black and blue (Well done LJ for getting all the colours on her page!) 

Supplies: Echo Park All About A Boy, red cardstock and the rest from stash.

If you click on the name above the image of the layout it will take you to their blog. The team work hard to create their sample so if you could take a minute to pop over to their blogs and leave them a comment I know they would really appreciate it! 

So, are you up for this month's challenge?

Add your entry to the linkt tool below if you want to play along. A link back to this post is much appreciated. 

The challenge will close on 31st July 2014 at 11.59pm

Have fun!