Welcome to the 2015 Autumn Retreat

Hello, Hello Lovely People. 

This is the first, of I suspect many, blog posts from the ATDML Autumn Retreat 2015.

I taught first today and my class was three layouts using Simple Stories - We Are Family.    If you follow the link to the shop site you will see that this range has many more gorgeous items than I have used on my pages.  I feel a little spend coming on!

The aim of this class was to get the most out of 'Project Life' style cut-a-part papers and to demonstrate, with the second page, how a 'Project Life' style page can be achieved without actually using divided page protectors.

The first two are designed to go side by side in a album and I have used the same format as I use in my 'Month in Five' album - 1 large photo on the left and 4 smaller ones on the right.  Look at that gorgeous wood-grain cardstock!

The third page uses up most of the remains of the kit (Jill & Mel are so generous with their kit content - such good value for money, three layouts from one class) for a page that celebrates almost 30 years of marriage.

I can't wait to see what the other dt have made for their classes as, contrary to popular belief, we don't see any classes other than our own until they are revealed on the day!

Hope your day is as fantastic as I know mine will be - fabulous company, cutting and sticking and a plentiful supply of cupcakes - what more could you ask for?

vive la différence

It never ceases to amaze me how the DT all have such differing styles.  A testament to Jill and Mel's choice of designers I think! But I think if you gave us all the exact same kit we would all come up with something very different.

We have been designing with Bo Bunny this month and just look at what Katherine, Ann and I have made - I know that we have used different ranges but I think you will agree that we all have our own style and that our pages show the many different ways this range of papers can be used.

 Katherine has chosen bright orange card stock (something I find quite scary) and embellished her page with some muslin.

Ann has done lots of fussy cutting but kept it quite simple to showcase her beautiful photo.

And you won't be surprised that I have done lots of layering on my page.

If you are going to the retreat at the weekend you will be able to see how we have used this month's kit as we have agreed to bring along our pages for a little show and tell! 

Just another manic Monday

Many of you will start the week on half term, with the kids home from school or certainly less traffic on the roads! Here at ATDML we are all systems go preparing for the retreat this coming weekend.
Kits are being packed, instructions are being written and its just another manic Monday.

A few of the team having been posting some sneak peaks of their class projects over on Facebook, giving a tease of what is to come and here are a few of those.

This is a snap shot of the second layout of three that forms part of my Simple Stories Pumpkin Spice class. Just search for Pumpkin Spice in the store to find these papers.

Another of my classes is Echo Park The Story of Our Family and this is my share of what is to come from one of two layouts I will be teaching with these lovely papers and stickers.

I am almost too excited by these cork bows that Karen will be using in her Dear Lizzy Documentary class by American Crafts - how cute are they?

Katherine has also been tempting us with her Kaisercraft Time Machine sneak peak - this will be my first class of the weekend!

And be still my beating heart at the goldness on our Debs Summer Vibes page - papers by Simple Stories.

Mel is keeping us all in suspense on her classes so no sneak peaks from her as yet but I for one cannot wait for the weekend and this Monday can be as manic as it likes - we are just one day closer to a weekend full of inspiration. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled over the weekend as I am sure there will be many photos and plenty of inspiration being shared. 

Have a great week.

Bo Bunny Boardwalk and Provence

Sharing a layout created for the October gallery today using Bo Bunny papers which the design team were sent to work with this month.The background paper is from their Provence collection which can be found HERE in the store and I used the Porcelain paper.

I started by using my white distress stain to soften the background a little and swept it across the page and around the edges. I then assembled the strips of paper and card along the bottom from the Boardwalk collection HERE and again used stain and large bubblewrap to "paint" subtle marks onto the papers.

There are some lovely seaside and nautical elements that can be cut from the seaside paper in the Boardwalk collection and the white starfish were cut from the Bliss paper, along with the lighthouse and the journaling strips cut from the top card on that paper.

Adding in a few sequins, some twine, some white webbing and a few stickers from Kaisercraft's  Sandy toes paper and I have finally scrapped one of my favourite photographs of my daughter and I taken in 1998. I believe Mel is designing with this collection at the retreat next weekend and I am looking foward to seeing her work her magic with this papers too.

October Virtual Crop Class 3 with Mel

My class this month uses Glitz Designs Wild and Free, I just loved the colors and the paint drip effect paper!

In terms of style I have gone with quite a clean and simple graphic look and particularly enjoyed the clean look o LO 2.

Click here to download the free PDF instructions or this class.

I hope you have enjoyed another ATDML Virtual Crop, don't forget to visit the ATDML # Create facebook page to chat and share your creations and then join us again next month for 3 more classes :)

October Virtual Crop Class - with Denise

Hello everyone, it's lovely to be back doing a guest spot for the virtual crop. This month is a spooky time of year and I was sent some Graphic 45 loveliness in the form of 'An Eerie Tale' papers and stickers.
I decided to mix it up a bit and have come up with a layout and two little other projects.


First up is a layout. I decided I didn't want the pumpkins or spiders to feature in my layout but of course if you have 'halloween' type photos you could always change that.

If you don't have the kit - not to worry as you can adapt it for use with your own papers and any cardstock can be cut into squares and for the bases of the other projects.

It wouldn't be me without fussy cutting so there is a bit - mainly because I didn't want pumpkins on this particular layout so they were removed!

Second up is a little bookmark for a change - perfect for those Harry Potter or scary books this time of year

Lastly I made a card using the other elements left in the kit. You could add the wording 'Wishing You' and 'A' on the two little tags and either 'Birthday' or 'Anniversary' after the word 'Magical' on the big tag if you wish.

You can find the free PDF instructions here and don't forget we would love to see your creations in our Facebook gallery or Instagram using #atdml if you would like to share them.

Pop back at 2pm when  Mel will be bringing you her class.

October Virtual Crop with Karen

Hello, hello lovely ladies (and gents) welcome to the ATDML virtual crop.

This month I worked with papers from the Simple Stories Homespun range and decided to make a layout and a 6in x 12 in midi album.

Although my layout uses the wood effect paper and the 3 in x 4in cut-a-part sheet and features three sparkly arrows, if you don't have the kit you can make the layout using almost any papers. It was a quick and simple layout to make and, as always, features my lovely family but it would work equally with other subjects in the photos, it could have slippers, a cup of coffee and a book for example.

I also made a book, which again features my family, but as above, it can be used for any subject.  I wanted to utalise the different sized sections on the papers and used a pizza box to make the covers.

The instructions for the projects above can be found here, a Facebook gallery to upload your finished projects is here and you can also share your projects on Instagram using #ATDML.

Hope you enjoy making these projects and the lovely Denise is doing a guest DT spot at 12:00 so pop back then to see what magic she has been working.