Clean & Simple

I have always admired those who can scrap a beautiful clean, simple page (I bought Cathy Zielske's Clean & Simple Book and loved it) but I always struggle with needing to add a bit more here and there so I rarely manage to make a clean and simple page even if that is my purpose when I set out.

I cut this title on my silhouette probably about 2 years ago and I knew I wanted to use it with this photo - (I just love those eye lashes in the photo!!) However I have spent a long time faffing about not knowing what to do with it all.

In the end I had a firm word with myself, stuck down the title, added a strip of camera washi tape and added the photo. It felt like it needed more (of course it did I told you I can't keep it too clean and simple) so I added the heart to pick out the pink on Izzys top in the photo.

And then I made myself photograph it and file it away! I kind of love it but I am am afraid that if it is out on a desk I might add more and more.

In the interests of full disclosure I should confess that after I took the photo I did handwrite Isabelle - August 2014 above the photo on the right because I don't like to leave my layouts dateless!

It would be great to see your take on the Clean & Simple look, or perhaps try a style you love and admire but find hard to do. Don't forget to share what you are creating over on the ATDML # Create Facebook Page.

March Sketch Challenge

Hello, hello - Karen here with the March Sketch Challenge.

This is the sketch I have chosen this month .

And this is how I interpreted it.

I would love to see your take on the sketch so please post them on our Facebook page.

March Virtual Crop Class 3 with Ann

Banish those winter blues and don't look out of the window this afternoon! The weather here is sunny and warm along with the Hello Summer papers we are using for my class today. There is no snow!

Couple of summary pages for you today from me, nice and easy ones to pull together. I hope you enjoy them.

Instructions can be downloaded here and you sure don't have to have a kit to join in, just grab some coordinating papers and scraplift away from the images shown.

Have a great crafty day.

March Virtual Crop - Class 2 with Mel

Hello and welcome to the second class of this months virtual crop. I hope you are enjoying a cosy day of crafting, looking outside here we are experiencing very cold temperatures and the mini "Beast from the East" with yet more snow! To me that is a day that screams crafting.

My class kit featured the Bo Bunny Alora range, it is a collection which I have owned for a while and found that while I love the zingy zesty colour palette it can seem a little overwhelming so in my two layouts I tried to get that balance between letting those funky colours pop and sing but without the papers overpowering the photos.

To see both layouts and download the instructions click here.

Don't forget that you can share your creations over on the ATDML # Create Facebook page.

Come back at 2pm for the last class of the day with Ann Freeman.

March Virtual Crop Class 1 with Karen

Hello, hello and welcome to the first class of our March Virtual Crop.

For my class I have used The Reset Girl range from Simple Stories.

This is a two page class with the first featuring a 7 x 5 landscape photo.

And the second using either a 4 in square or four 2 in square photos. 

If you didn't manage to get a kit you are still most welcome to join in using your own stash.

Instructions from my class can be found here.

Please share your pages on our Facebook page and pop back at 12 for the next class.

March Virtual Crop Challenge

It's Virtual crop weekend again (YAY!) so welcome to your March Mood Board inspiration challenge ahead of our Virtual Crop day tomorrow.

This month the mood board colours are fresh and spring like in soft pinks and aqua with a hint of grey.  There are flowers (feature those on your page), a wheel (circle layout element/design maybe), hanging lanterns or will you just stick with the colour scheme to inspire your spring page? There is plenty to take your inspiration from including the layout of the mood board itself if you fancy creating a more graphic/block feeling page which is where I went with my layout. 

Here is my page where I also stick to the pinks/aqua colours of this board to scrap some pbotos of my daughter and I atathe statue of liberty lastvyear. 

I hope you will join in this challenge and if you haven't had a go at the January and February mood boards yet you can find them by clicking on the underlined hyperlink. These are a great way of kick starting your creative process and it is really interesting to see the variety of layouts inspired by the same board.

If you do take part this month in our March Mood Board challenge why not share your pages in our Facebook group Mood Board gallery adding the month and your name so we can give credit where due and share our favourites ahead of next month's virtual crop.

See you back here tomorrow at 10am for your first Virtual crop class for March 2018.

March Scraplift Challenge

Hello, I'm here with this months scraplift challenge.  I have chosen this layout by Ann .

I used the Wandering Ivy range from Kaisercraft for my layout. 

I started by writing my journaling in a semi circle, with my Silhouette and then cut out the circle of print paper, also with my Silhouette.  I then added my photo and arranged two clusters of pieces from a packet of coordinating Collectables.

Finally I cut my title from black card and used a few pearls for added interest

I hope you join in our Scraplift Challenge - all you need to do is to choose a page from the February 2018 gallery, which can be found on the ATDML shop site, on the right under Information.  If you make a layout please share it on our Facebook page.

Mixing & Matching

Hello, I am back again with a layout I have been working on using up all sorts of bits of stash I have lying around!

Sometimes it is great to get out a collection pack and know that everything within it goes with everything else, there is a little less thinking that neds to be done and it can make putting together a page a little quicker. Sometimes however it is lovely to put together bits from different collections and make something that in all likelihood no one else has made already!

For this page I can't honestly remember what lines each items came from. I know there is some Websters Pages Hall Pass in there, some Simple Stories (24/7 and sn@p), some Studio Calico embellishments  and I have a sneaking suspicion that the  zig zag border sticker came from a My Minds Eye Collection.

Next time you pull together a motley assortment of stash into a layout you love don't forget to come over and share it with us on the ATDML # Create Facebook Page.

Journaling Prompts - March

Welcome to this month's Journaling Prompts where once again we are hoping to inspire you to look at your journaling, titles and page themes a little differently.

This month the prompt is:

Record someone else's perspective; ask a friend or family member to hand write their memories linked to a photo you are scrapping.

As always I have included some of my own examples and would love to see your take on this - don't forget to upload them to the Journaling Prompts gallery over on the ATDML # Create Facebook page.

This layout was done for a class I taught at the Autumn 2016 ATDML retreat and features a group photo. Rather than just journal my memories I created 6 journaling blocks and a space for them in the design then I asked all the people in the photo to write their memories. (Photo of layout was taken before the last two people added their journaling)

When scrapbooking this photo of our wonderful dog Merlin I asked my Mum to journal her memories of him.

And Mum's lovely handwriting features again here. This time the photo is of my childhood, I have many happy memories of days spent on the beaches of the Isle of Wight but wanted to add variety to my album and include her thoughts.

Kaisercraft Miss Betty papers

New in the shop last month were the Kaisercraft paper collection Miss Betty.
It includes some lovely papers which need very little adding to them to make quick and easy papers and I have shown you a couple below which I had shared in the February DT Gallery.

This paper called Needlework looks like scraps of different papers have been added to some of the edges. I continued this theme on my Brothers page below layering other scraps of papers around the other edges to make a frame. The final page looks like lots more pieces were cut out and layered than was actually the case!

Again this paper called Tapestry made for a quick page in the album too, scrapping photos of our pop up Magnum ice-cream shop trip

I cut a 2" strip from the right hand side of the page and turned it over and attached it to the left hand side (using another strip of paper to adhere at the back) and a added a piece of teal ruler from another paper called Patterns to place along the join). I didn't want to see the pink flowers that were pre-printed on the left so covered with a small piece of grid paper (from the Documented collection). 

More journaling is contained on the tags which pull out from the top of the lefthand photo.

See more of this lovely collection HERE in the shop.

February Gallery Favourites

Hello, hello lovlies.  Have you been over to look at the lusciousness that is the February Gallery? We were given some beautiful Kaisercraft ranges to work with and you won't be disappointed with what we have come up with.

First up is my favourite from Ann documenting her recent trip to New York.

I love the Selfie photo, the journaling around the circle  and the clusters of elements.

Next up is Katherine's gorgeous  Sun and Sand.

This showcases Katherine's style perfectly - white paint, torn paper and lots and lots of texture.

Finally, my favourite from my layouts has to be - On Top Of The World

I like the stitching, the clusters but most of all my happy girlie on top of the world.