Happy Halloween!

After a fantastic weekend retreat I hope Mel, Jill and all their helpers are taking a well earned rest! As Ann said - some photos of classes and challenges will gradually follow, but since today is 31st October by request I am sharing my altered bag project and wishing you all a spooktacular day - whether you are out trick or treating or hiding behind the sofa with the lights off!

Frantic Friday = No Thirsty Thursday

Apologies for the lack of Thirsty Thursday post yesterday but due to a Frantic Friday today (we are all away the the retreat and have been super busy preparing) we will be back with the letter I for Inspiration next Thursday. Before then will share some of the class projects from this weekend which has got off to a flying start with a CD Calendar class using Echo Park Victoria Garden papers taught by Ann. Mel then taught an interative Simple Stories layout using the Generations papers. Suzanne's first class of the weekend had delegates scrapping three layouts using scrumptious MME papers and after dinner we ended the first day of classes with Mel's Bind-it-all book using Glitz Vintage Blue papers.

Photos to follow in due course!

Year-O-Graphy by Simple Stories

New in the shop by Simple Stories is a collection called Year-O-Graphy.
If you are looking to create a minibook to summarise your 2011, or maybe a set of papers to feature on a layout-a-month project for 2012 these papers would be perfect.

They come with matching stickers and the papers are a mixture of great background papers and others with plenty of elements that can be cut out and used as embellishments.

How about using this paper on a double layout with twelve 3"x4" photos and the twelve bingo card months cut up into a grid format? One of my to-do pages for the retreat this weekend which Mel, Jill, myself and the majority of the design team will be attending in Stoke-by-Nayland from this Friday through to Sunday. Talking of which, I must go organise myself a little more, I have many photos to print off ready for a very scrappy weekend.

*H* Thirsty Thursday

Another Thursday crawls around and a slightly chillier one at that! Not to worry, simply take inspiration from our next challenge, make a cup of tea and head to your crafting zone for some creativity! Week 8 now and we are taking inspiration from the letter H prompts below to make a layout, card or another crafty project. So here we go...

H is for HEARTS - Be they heart patterned papers or embellishments, maybe a stamp or some heart shaped brads - time to get hearts on our cards and layouts this week. You could even incorporate them into your title.

H is for HOME - Home made, moving home, home grown or combined with our first prompt "Home is where the heart is" - feature the word HOME or make HOME the subject of your next project.

H is for HAPPY - Happy Birthday, Happy Christmas, Happy to have you in my life... how will you include a little sprinkle of HAPPY on your next project? Is it too early to make that first Happy Christmas card? we think not!

H is for HANDSEWING - Feature a little stitching on your next project, dig out the needles and colourful threads and add a little texture to your projects.

H is for HOLIDAY - Summer holiday photos still waiting to be scrapped? Or maybe you are looking forward to the Half Term holidays next week? Or once again maybe looking to the next big seasonal holiday and creating a little handmade something for the home. Whatever you choose as your holiday inspiration please do share your creations with us here on the blog.

Remember as always you can jump in and out of these weekly challenges as you like. There are no deadlines, but you can win a little something from us by simply sharing your creations using the link tool at the end of this post.

Before you head off to play we just want to share as always a couple of inspiring projects from our design team, this week from Dawn and Jane.

Dawn shares this lovely page which ticks several H boxes - Hearts, Happy and Holiday

Jane shares a printers tray for the HOME prompt


and a cute feline page featuring some handsewing.

See you again next week for another challenge, in the meantime....Happy Crafting!

*G* Thirsty Thursday

Hopefully you weren't too thirsty yesterday as I completely forgot to schedule the next Thirty Thursday challenge! Apologies for that - hopefully this post is better late than never. Week 7 already and this week we are taking inspiration from the letter G prompts below to make a layout, card or another crafty project. So here we go...

G is for 7GYPSIES - The latest range GLOBAL (also beginning with a G!) from 7Gypsies was loaded to our site earlier this week if you haven't seen it yet. For this challenge we ask that you use any papers or products from any one of their extensive ranges.

G is also for GRAPHIC 45 - We have over 150 different Graphic 45 items available, which are your favourites? Time to dig them out for this weeks challenge.

G is for GEMS - How about showing us how you put your final touches to your cards and layouts with gems? Do you mostly buy and covert (I'm guilty!) or use these pretty embellishments? Share your gem adorned projects with us this week.

G is for GAMES - Traditional board games, outdoor pursuits or maybe the latest technology inspired games, it's time to scrapbook pages about them and preserve the memories.

G is for GREY - One of my staple go to colours or cardstock and certainly ink pads which pair lovely with lemon or bolder yellows, equally as well with pinks and blues. Use the colour grey as a focal point or background colour to your next crafting project.

As always we have some design team examples to share with you.

Jane created this beautiful mirror last month as part of the DT Gallery using Graphic 45 papers.

Ann's shares a page from a double layout class taught earlier this year with Echo Park Valentine range featuring plenty of grey in cardstock, patterned papers and the b&w photos.

Thanks for joining us for another round of weekly challenges. Be sure to share your creations using the link tool to be in with a chance to win a little something from us.

Me, me, me, me, me!

It's all about me... well actually it isn't, that's just the name of Webster's Pages latest collection that has just landed in the store and is actually a tiny bit lovely. Ok so I think it is alot lovely!

There is a lovely die cut paper, six double sided papers, matching trims and fabric stickers too, not to mention an alphabet letter sheet as well. They can all be found here in the store. The 6x6 pads are already sold out so if you like this collection grab it while you can!

September Thirsty Thursday Winner

Congratulations to Jimjams with her letter B layout that wins last month's Thirsty Thursday challenge thanks to random.org which selected the 9th entry of those who shared their A-D Thirsty Thursday pages. Her layout featured Buttons from the B challenge blog post. Contact mel@atripdownmemorylane.co.uk with your address details to claim your prize!

You can still take part in the challenges for these letters if you haven't already done so. To be entered into October's random draw play along with challenges for the letters E and F and the remaining challenges still to come this month.

*F* Thirsty Thursday

We are back again bloggers with another Thirsty Thursday as week 6 of our regular challenge feature rolls around. This week we are taking inspiration from the letter F prompts below to make a layout, card or another crafty project. So here we go...

F is for FANCY PANTS - Fancy digging out your Fancy Pants products for this challenge be they papers or the fun glitter cuts they make. This week we challenge you to create with your Fancy Pants products.

F is for FABRIC - Use fabric of some type on your creations this week. Material, lace, felt or these neat Fabric Tickets from Websters pages. Which material will you choose to feature on a layout or card this week and will this be a first for you?

F is for FREE RIBBONS - How about showing us how you put your free ribbons that accompany each ATDML order to use. We'd love to see them!

F is for FAVOURITES - Use your favourite product of the moment, or create a page about favourite colours or foods. One challenge this week is to create something inspired by favourites.

F is for FAMILY - The main purpose of our scrapbooking is to preserve those family photographs and memories. Create a page about your family this week, maybe their hobbies, or footwear, something a little different to that which you would ordinarily scrapbook about.

As always we have some design team examples to share with you. Dawn's High Tea layout, a class from a previous retreat, uses lots of fabric and lace for texture and interest.

Ann's Bo Bunny layout from the April gallery this year features a photo of her daughter's favourite shoes.

So that is another suite of alphabet inspired prompts to quench your creative thirst this week. We will announce the lucky winner from the September prompts over the weekend so be sure to pop back and check in with us. In the meantime, happy crafting!