Paper Obsession

Getting ready to Learn Something New

I've been beavering away at my mini-book for Learn Something New.. just four days to go! Rather than having to 'reinvent the wheel' each day, as I attempted last year, I decided to make things easier by binding the book and stick in papers on each page. Eeeek! I'm hoping I don't regret what I've done so far - but my challenge is going to be 'Don't Stress - Just Go With It!'

The papers are all from the Stampin' Up! Sweet Pea Designer Series Paper stack.. so many gorgeous patterns!

I printed my dates on to white cardstock then punched each one out with a Stampin' Up! Oval punch. I also punched out a load of Scalloped Ovals in coordinating colours and stuck the first few dates to scalloped ovals (after inking the ovals first). I've done the first week's labels (you didn't think I'd have sat there and done all thirty did you..?).

Next job - gather up/make embellishments and journaling spots. Yummy! :o)

I'm Learning Something New.. Are You?

One week to go until Shimelle's Learn Something New Every Day starts again.. I had a darned good go at it last year but it was not always easy making a complete page every day! So this year I'm trying to get organised. So far I have:

• Decided on my page size
• Decided on my colour scheme
• Cut my chipboard covers to the correct size (no mean feat for my poor little brain it seems)
• Punched holes in covers and pages with Bind-It-All, also correctly (surely a miracle?)
  
• Started decorating said covers.

I can't quite decide whether to go further and start making up at least some pages according to last year's sketches just to make the whole process easier. Does that take the fun out of it? I just know September is going to be frantically busy so I'll probably need to keep this project simple and do-able if I I'm to have any hope of keeping up.

So here's where I am so far...

• Pages - 6x6"
• Colour scheme - mid-brown, hot pink, turquoise and pale pink...

or in Stampin' Up! speak... Close to Cocoa, Pink Passion, Tempting Turquoise and Pretty in Pink (don't these names sound so much lovelier?)

(the photo doesn't do these colours justice, obviously!)

I've also added in a couple of Hambly printed acetate pages for extra prettiness.

• Covers - 6 1/2 x 6 1/4" with two of the corners rounded.

Here's my front cover:

 

The stamps are all by Stampin' Up!, namely

• All A Flutter (the butterfly)
• Vintage Vogue (the flowers and vines)
• Very Vintage Stampin' Around Wheel (the background, stamped in Versamark)
• Just Perfect (alphabet stamps - 'something')
• Frames With A Flourish (the frame around 'Sept 2010')

The chipboard letters for 'Learn' are also by Stampin' Up! (they are called 'On Board Loads of Letters') - I inked them with 'Pretty In Pink' ink, then coated them in Crystal Effects (SU's equivalent of Glossy Accents).

{Interested in owning any of these lovely stamps? If so, why not pop over to my SU! blog, Seaside Stampers, where you'll find full details of a special September offer. I'd be delighted to help you!}

South Wales adventures

Last week we stayed with my parents in south Wales.. here's a few highlights of our week.

Monday.. we took advantage of the sunshine and headed to Barry Island.. recently made famous by Gavin & Stacey, of course..

   

Wednesday... Harry's 3rd birthday...

..Ogmore beach.. rock-pooling..

...Splashing in the sea.. (isn't this photo dreamy..? I just love the colours! Thanks Dad)

Thursday... Porthcawl promenade..

(been playing with the LOMO effect on Dumpr.. thanks Sian for your post on this!)

 
..the boys idolise their Grampy..

...Harry takes to his new bike..

..a rare family photo!

Now to get scrapping some of these...