...what ARE we up to?

What are we up to... you will have to tune into issue 1 of Creativity Life to see!!

Becks xxxx

Sunday Night Surfing

We have a bunch of 'youf' around our house tonight - all from our Church. So other than my assignment to bake edible sugary snacks... I am not needed, so have snuck upstairs for some Sunday Night Surfing...

Spotted: The new Love Elsie ranges (Cody & Claire) but I have to say that the original Love Elsie lines are still my fav. These girly lines are a little wishy washy (and the boys are all a little too "Stars & Stripes"...which is totally ok for my nephews who abode in the fair land of the free - just not ideal for Arsenal loving lads residing in Essex.)

BUT those Lacy Cardstocks ...Mmmmmmmm! Transcends continents. Very bubblegum pop colours (which are hot hot hot...) and think of all the possibilities. Pass on your Grandma's doily - as these are the next generation. Hopefully they will not be lining any teacake trays anytime soon ;)

Also waded through my craft shed (should I take pics... would you like to see how scary it looks?!!) I spotted some retro (from middle earth) old school scrapbooking stuff. Does anyone use their stash pre 2002? I still *love* some of it - but others I am just plain scared of.

There needs to be a comp somewhere to post layouts using your OLD STASH... and I think I may be the lady to start the ball rolling. I tell you what. How about I put together a box of cool *new-ish* stash for the winner that is chosen by you lot? Email me your pics and name, I will load them up here - and the fav gets the pile of goodies. Will take a pic of the pile of goodies tomorrow and load it... to tempt and motivate (as if using your old stuff needs any more motivation...) END DATE: March 31st 2008.

Let's get scrapping with those scraps!

Becks x

Name that...

Anyone up for 'name that adhesive?'

I only say that because my daughter felt the urge to unravel a few thousand of these photo tabs... and whilst I was a wee bit annoyed; it also meant I had a reason to scrapbook 4 layouts last night with a friend... with the adhesive already pulled out for us.

Granted, with all those little hearts ruffled over the floor - it did make it a pretty display of wantant destruction by a 2 year old.

CHA - Miss Fancy

Spotted: Lots going on with Miss Fancy Pants... Felt, Stamps, Chipboard (of the big variety) as well as Glitter Cuts (bling, bling, bling...) and Calendar Sets (urm, because in March we will all be making Calendars...?!) I still LOVE their humongous stamp sets... yeah, so they cost the world... but BIG is extravegant and we are totally worth it. Love their chipboard too - although I also love the Rusty versions... (and they are 'affordable' - not allowed to say the word 'cheap'... that just won't DO.)

Love how Jodi has developed this company (brought in designers) and moved on from those original paint slodged papers first release... anyone got any?! Anyone?! If you do, and you can email me a photo of you with a sheet of first born Fancy Pants paper, I will send you a set of Two Scoops stamps... can't say fairer than that!

So who we missing...?

There are a few brands out there that are still keeping us guessing (and I am happy not to have Christmas ruined by opening ALL the presents early ...although totally admit to being a shaker of unsuspecting gifts flaunting themselves at me from under that Tree.)

I am looking forward to BasicGrey, Rusty Pickle, Fancy Pants and Provocraft (I am sure there is a new tool to tempt...!)

So on to the wee laddie to the left... apparently BOYS NEED PARENTS (thank you Ruth!) and I would post a panty-liner pic, but would end up with a blog barred from view due to unreasonable amounts of flesh... would you scrapbook that moment?! Heck yes... just would not be pulling it out - except when potential girlfriends come on the scene (many years hence.)

Scraplift Challenge: There is no better time saver than forgetting your design brain for a night, and wantonly abandoning all originality in favour of project completion. Is it like selling your soul? I don't think so... more like recapturing the reason to scrap (aka photos need a home ...and words need a place to rest.) I so far have finished 5 layouts this week... finally scrapping for me (urm... it has been like 4 years; my 2 year old barely exists on paper!)

Happy Days...

Becks x

Vote --------->

Just a wee reminder to VOTE... totally anon;

It would be interesting to see how many of us actually WRITE on our layouts :)
I forgot to add STICKERS - as there are plenty of opt outs of 'handwriting' out there (and yes stickers are cheating, but if you have learnt anything it is that I never condemn a cheat ;)

More Later,
Becks x

Death & Taxes (...well, just death)

Last week was my Gran's funeral. She died just before Christmas (and not usually one to kick start the week with morbidity) it DOES make you think. She was my last remaining grandparent, leaving me now grandparent-less. She did not have much, but HER PHOTOS {which I would equate to being a piece of her} are a real legacy.

I realise that I now no longer have a verbal guide through the 'whos who' of the minute black and whites (and sepia.) I don't even have notes jotted on the back that make any sense... and so relatives become nameless faces, and a generation of knowledge is totally lost.


***Wait a minute...what the heck am I doing this all for?

Are my scrapbooks still as void of personality (bar the flourish of prima flowers and some generic doodling that can be found on any 'so 2007' layout.) Are my scrapbooks all about the new stuff and gunk - and less about the story, my story, history.

So here is my campaign for 2008!

Let's get writing... let's not leave our stories UNWRITTEN {thank you Natasha B} and let's quit measuring the quality of our scrapbooks against any online gallery or the lastest person who got published. Let's start measuring the quality of our scrapbooks by the legacy they leave... the written word; our written words.

Challenge for the week:
Create a page which includes a Family Chart (3-4 generations would be perfect... and I don't ask for much, do I ;) Include as much detail as you possibly can (dates and places.)
Ideas for Page Titles: Who do you think you are?; Roots...; My HIStory;

Tuesday nights are food, friends and photo night at my house, so I will be rising to the challenge and pull a few mates into the malay too...

Becks x

Psst... If you are a retailer, and don't already have an account with Design Objectives, I suggest 2008 is when you make that change... more interesting details later x

Boiling Condensed Milk and CHEATING...

Seriously - have you ever discovered the best cheat and like thought...WHY DID I NOT FIND THIS EARLIER?!!

My DH craves Banoffee Pie.

It is his all-time favourite desert - and whilst the rest of us can stomach only half a serving, he can clear his own plate and then start working on the leftovers around the table.

So not being one to ever slave over a hot stove for more than an hour (and that is pushing it) I have never ONCE (in all our 11 years of marriage) had the guts and determination to boil condensed milk to create his perfect after-dinner gorge fest desert.

So imagine my delight at finding the ultimate Banoffee CHEAT! With a little help of this average looking tin of Carnation Caramel I was able to serve up a little helping of heaven over Christmas.

I was duly awarded bonus WIFE POINTS (...you all seriously need to have a gander at the hilarious 'Don't for Wives' book - and please read the 'Don't for Husbands' alongside so you don't get too overwhelmed...)

CHEATING definitely has a FEEL GOOD factor!!

So onto Scrapbooking... and why on earth there is this fascination on creating a Picasso-esk original everytime that we sit down to scrap. CHEATING works ladies (and any gents that may also be dabblers!) It FEELS GOOD. Not only do you save hours of valuable TV watching time (I would say ironing, but that would be pushing the realms of reality a little too far); BUT you also complete something *victory, hurrah* and have not had to bust a brain cell doing it.

{Fair dos if all you ever scrapbook is going to be published and you need to be the Elsie, Donna, Heidi, Jane and co of our generation... but for the remaining 99.99999% of us - scrapbooks are just personal LIFE albums. They get pulled out by our kids, or mates - passed around and photos get laughed at, prompting 'Do you remember?' conversations. They are not the Mona Lisa...}

For me, when I sit down with my pen and paper (photos come after the story telling in my book) then I also grab a layout that I have spotted that I like, and replicate it with my own wicked twist. I do not reinvent the wheel...and I certainly do not boil condensed milk.

Try it, it's liberating!
Becks x