Return of the monthly photography prompts

Pleased to introduce to you the return of the monthly photography prompts in 2015
On the first of each month we will post 5 photography prompts for that month. You can join in sharing your photos if you like or just use for your own creative process. Many of us will be doing a variety of challenges and may even have signed up to some of these as resolutions but that's not what this is about. They are there to prompt you to take photos you may not ordinarily take and to add interest and variety.

See you back on the first with January's prompts.

On the 12th Day of Christmas..

Well folks, we're nearly there and if you're anything like me you're in the midst of last minute panic preparations...wrapping, cooking, tidying and of course crafting...yes usually at this stage I am still making gifts manically. Some sewn gifts and some paper crafted especially calendars...ok so I'm not sharing my calendars with you (since they're not done yet!) but instead I'm sharing a Christmas canvas which could be a gift for someone. I made this about 10 days ago when the snow was falling outside (and I was full of cold). The papers are from this month's DT kit Simple Stories DIY Christmas and the canvas was inspired by one I saw when I visited Absolutely Everything in USA in October. I believe Tim Holtz now sells hessian or burlap covered frames - I made this one simply by gluing hessian onto a 6" canvas...

After I covered the canvas I applied red acrylic paint round the edges of the frame and then distressed by applying walnut stain distress ink. I then topped the edges of the frame with white acrylic paint and I stencilled on the 25 with the white paint. I die cut the white paper snowflakes at the bottom with a Memory Box die and glued them directly to the hessian.

I covered pieces of 'stampboard' with the Simple Stories papers and distressed them with a nail file before gluing to the canvas. I then added different items to each panel.

Three little wooden 'moose' I bought in USA...

A  die cut poinsettia (Spellbinders die) with a dymo tape title, Martha Stewart punched fronds...

A Tim Holtz bell & holly distressed with white paint...

A Martha Stewart punched snowflake...

 

And my favourite...a pair of ice skates cut with the Carta Bella die and with added laces and glittered blades...

 

 

I finished off with more punched snowflakes, holly leaves, Martha Stewart fronds, silver Rockabye Thickers and a cluster of miniature pine cones and berries.

 

 

I added bakers twine with silver bells to hang up the canvas...

Whatever today's blog finds you doing - I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

Jane xoxo

On the 11th day of Christmas

Hello, Happy Christmas - only 4 sleeps - the excitement is building in my house!  Here are a couple of Christmas pages, the same basic plan but with different papers, so you can see the slightly different look.  The first page is made with Teresa Collins' Tinsel and Company which has some beautiful foiled gold in it - I cut it into strips and added some snowflakes too.  The photo mount is Simple Stories Handmade Holiday- just to add bit more colour and then little Hobby House snowflakes.  The beautiful golden lace is by Websters.

So a lot brighter and lots of triangles - the papers are Simple Stories DIY Christmas and some Handmade Holiday, I added lots of embellishments around the photo from my Christmas box so they are a mix of manufacturers - and then the poinsettia by prima.

I want to wish you all a fantastic Christmas and New Year.

Katherine

On The 10th Day of Christmas

Welcome to the 10th Day of Christmas with the ATDML Design Team!

In my last post I wrote about my concerns about how productive I actually am when it comes to seasonal photos! I buy the stash, I take the photos but all to often the process stops there! Another of my bad habits is starting layouts and never finishing them, especially when it comes to scrapping at a crop.

Last year I taught a class at Ann's Christmas crop and I made a start on a snow layout (well actually I completed one and started a second) True to form I left the second half done because I knew I had some more embellishments at home which I wanted to add... Fast forward a FULL TWELVE MONTHS and that layout was still in my part finished pile!

So as part of my efforts to vanquish the Ghost of Christmas Past I dug it out, added some stickers, some bling and some pearls added some journaling and a bit more bling and finally it was done!

I used the lovely "Winter Wishes" collection from Echo Park - it may be a year old but it is still gorgeous :)

This was my last slot in the Christmas build up so I wanted to wish all our customers and blog readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Be sure to stop by the ATDML store for some bargains in the sales after Christmas!!!

On the 9th Day of Christmas ....

I give to you
Two Christmas layouts
One is using the fabulous Graphic 45 'Twas the Night Before Christmas collection

As always they have come up with a beautiful versatile selection of papers.

I love all the little cute elements like the little mouse and the rocking horse and the children creeping downstairs to peep. Lots of  lovely fussy cutting!  I taught this  at Ann's Enfield Christmas crop at the weekend

Secondly here is another Christmas layout using the very lovely Websters Pages All That Glitters papers.

The tree is cut out and layered on to the page with some other elements layered onto it, you can't see very well but there is quite a bit of glitter on it too on the snowflakes and trees.

Are we all feeling festive now and rushing around ?

Check in for another Christmas post on the 19th when the lovely Mel will be with you .

On the 8th Day of Christmas ..............................

I give you a Christmas present! (with apologies for the bad light photographs)

I taught a variation of this exploding box at Ann's Enfield crop on Saturday and this one was made as a 'prototype' to make sure it worked ok. 

I used the remaining bits and pieces of Websters Pages that Jill and Mel sent me to work with in December.  I cut all the elements out on my Silhouette (can you tell I love that little machine).

Once it was finished decided it needed something extra to make it special and so added the little Christmas tree complete with bling 'lights'.

If you have a Silhouette and would like the cutting files for the box I can email them to you along with a link to the files ( which you will have to buy for the store) for the tree and bow.

Denise will be back on the 17th with the 9th Day of Christmas - I can't wait!

NYNY - October & November

Well, I can't believe that we are almost finished with this project.  Only December to go and that will be the little book finished.

In October I decided to go solo on the train to Shropshire.  Until I got a car when Gracia was three months old, I used to train to Mum & Dad's with her and wasn't at all phased as I was used to commuting to London on the train before and during my pregnancy.   I have to confess that it is 21 years since I last got the train to Mum's and nearly 30 years since I visited her without either David or Gracia.  So a daunting prospect but it all went smoothly and I am feeling confident enough to have planned a train trip to Newcastle in the new year!

Since starting my new job in September I have learnt so many new things from installing  computers to operating the sound and lighting systems for shows/plays and concerts at the school.  But my most favourite thing so far is learning how to use the recording studio - the school has a professional level one and it is such a fantastic resource.  I love setting up the mikes etc for the students and then recording their pieces.  I especially love the look on their faces when I play back the stunning pieces they have played because most of them genuinely don't realise how good they are.  My next challenge (on Wednesday) is to record the Christmas Concert and then make CD's to sell - yet another skill I have to learn and I am loving it.

I will be back in January with my December page - see you then.