well it's nearly the witching hour again, so here is a topical LO to go with it from my daughter and son-in-law's halloween party last year.

bad blogger!

Ok I know, I have been a bad blogger of late, I could make a million excuses but I won't bore you with that!!

Instead let's just catch up on what I've been scrapping, the flowers on this LO were the stunning creation of Claire Horsham Bell from last months crop, loved this class! Hope you like my attempt at it!

August crop

almost that time of month again and the Exhall crop is fast approaching!

This month we have two gorgeous classes designed by Claire Horsham Bell, this is the first time Claire has designed for us but I'm sure all our lovely ladies will remember the fantastic demonstrations she did for us with the inks and mists! I am really looking forward to this class and to seeing everyone again!

As always, places are limited so if you want to join us let me or Claire know asap and we will try and fit you in, kits supplied by Sarah's cards.

Doods xx

Julys class, kits supplied by Sarah's cards.

Been busy scrapping again - loved this photo - it was just crying out to be scrapped! My son and granddaughter were all tuckered out, bless them!!

Got some more paper and bellies out to play with so watch this space...

No, I haven't edited this photo in photoshop - Dan went on a trip to the waxworks and this is one of the snaps he came back with.
Just used black cardstock and a doily as a mask and loads of glimmer mists!

Here's the latest layout I've been working on

You can find a step-by- step of how I did it over on the Millpond

here are the rest of the sneak peaks for you,
these are from Ifa's class (above) and Rebekahs class, both are seriously LUSH!!

Well it's been a busy few weeks, getting everything ready for the Exhall Summer Workshop, this month we have not one but THREE designers for you!!

The fabulous Rebekah Brumby, a fellow Indigo Mill designer

The incredibly talented Ifa Zainon

and last, but by no means least, one of my UKS team mates, Jemma Sharrock

It looks set to be a fabulous day, with me and Claire cooking lunch for everyone and raffle prizes up for grabs and an extra little treat for everyone. This months kits are supplied by Indigo Mill and they are STUNNING!!!!!!!

here are some sneaks of one of the classes...

back with more soon x

Here are the sneak peeks for this months crop! Claire will be teaching the classes this weekend and I have to say they are fab, fab, fab!!!

Kits supplied by Sarah's cards.

Hope to see you there!!

better late than never...........

I thought I would post up the LOs for the 'class that never was!'

February's crop had to be cancelled because of the snow, but as I had already done the layouts I thought I would share them on here.

Kit supplied by Sarah's cards.

Just a quick layout, had to get something on paper - been busy playing with techniques but have actually achieved very little (although my scraproom looks like a tornedo passed through!!) so it was nice to just sit and actually stick something down instead of throwing paint around!! Can't believe how many things have ended up in the bin this last fortnight!!

One of my favourite things to do when crafting is cutting up bits of paper - give me a pair of scissors and I'm in my element! I find it so theraputic - so when I found these Bloom & Grow papers from My Mind's Eye I couldn't wait to get chopping! So many little bits to hack away at!!

Remember I told you that Suznne Torr was teaching last month's crop for us? This is my Lo from the crop, really loved the glimmer misting and the clever use of frames and the bobble ribbon!

well with the crop at the weekend I wasn't able to take part much in the cybercrop over at UKS but I did buy the mystery kit - always think it's fun to get a surprise stash parcel!

This CC's kit was about the nicest I have ever had - such gorgeous papers and embellies!

Still got loads left to play with too - definitely a bonus

anyhoo, this is what I came up with

Sneak peeks

I can't believe it is nearly time for this month's crop again, the weeks have fair buzzed by.

This month we are so lucky to have the fabulous Suzanne Torr (fruitysuet from UKS) designing for us! and judging by the sneaks she has definitely come up trumps and done two stunning classes for us!

Places are limited and it's filling up fast so if you haven't booked a place and would like to please let me know as soon as possible - and Wednesday is the deadline if you want a kit!!

Sunday's crop was magic! In more ways than one!! As it was Steph's birthday we had to go all out to make it a special day for her and after wracking our brains for ideas we decided to get Doc to work off some of the millions he owes me by doing some magic for the birthday girl!!

He came up trumps (excuse the pun!) with loads of tricks!

Steph made some gorgeous cupcakes and Emma was a total star and made a wonderful curry for everyone - even me (the anti curry brigade!!) had some and thoroughly enjoyed it!! Wish I'd got the recipe off her though (hint hint Ems!!!)

Claire did a make and take for everyone using the fab new silkies range - if you haven't tried them yet then you really must - who'd have thought you could do so much with what looks like a bottle of nail varnish!!!

and last but by no means least we had the fabulous Coventry Ann teaching this months classes - which were absolutely GORGEOUS!!!!!

A huge thank you to everyone involved!

and some more sneeks for you, this is what I've been working on for Indigo Mills, if you want to see more just pop on over to the Millpond

after all the excitment of the birthday bash we've got the excitment of next weeks crop to look forward to!!

It looks set to be a special day as we will also be celebrating Steph's birthday and she'll not only be bringing along her wonderful shop but some of her famous cupcakes too!!

places are limited but there are a few left, so if you're up for a fun filled scrappy day then either contact myself or Claire to bag a place!!

and here are some sneek peeks of what's in store, this month's guest designer is Ann (Coventry Ann from UKS) and she has done us proud with two absolutely stunning classes with kits supplied by Sarah's cards!

and a few close ups

Thank you so much to Rebekah for organising such a fantastic birthday bash! Hope you have a brilliant birthday hun!
I am thrilled to be able to contribute to this great weekend, hope you all like it!

Home Sweet Home Supplies

Prima animal bash ‘animal babble’ paper (available from Indigo Mill, just click on the link for the papers)
Prima animal bash ‘birdie gossip’ paper
Sassafras Monstrosity ‘framed’ paper
White cardstock
White acrylic paint
Pale blue watercolour pencil
Black marker pen
Lollipop sticks (free with rub-ons , hope you’ve been hoarding them for a rainy day!)
Piece of cardboard roughly 7”x7”
5 small red brads, assorted coloured brads for flower centres

1. Make a fold in the white cardstock 5” from base
2. Cut enough lollipop sticks to 2.5” to make a picket fence (I used 13 but I was using larger than average lollipop sticks)
3. Paint these with watered down acrylic paint, set aside to dry
4. Cut a grass border from the animal babble pp leaving a half inch border, score along border and fold
5. Make the flower border in the same way but making this one taller as this will sit behind the first one
6. Using the black marker go around the edges of both borders
7. For the flower border cut elements from the flowers and attach using 3d foam pads
8. Attach these to the lower edge of your cardstock by gluing the folded edge only (this should sit behind the border not in front)
9. Using the blue watercolour pencil, add shading to the lollipop sticks, then edge with the black marker as before
10. To assemble your picket fence, cut out two strips of cardstock one 1” wide and one half an inch, score and fold the larger of the two strips. Attach each of the sticks to the folded cardstock – the base of the sticks in line with the fold (the cardstock should sit behind the fence) and leave a small gap in between each ‘strut’. I used glue dots to attach but any strong adhesive would work
11. Now attach the 2nd strip just above the first leaving a small gap
12. Attach to LO as before
13. Doodle ‘nails’ with a black pen
14. To make the tree, cut a circle from the remaining animal babble pp using the dotty side as the front of your tree, then from the reverse cut leaf shapes, attach a few red brads to tree for berries and then add your leaves using foam pads
15. Ink a loliipop stick using brown ink, cut off one shaped edge to give yourself a flat edge for the base of tree, then attach the tree foliage to the stick
16. To make the tree stand up use two strips of cardstock the same width as your tree trunk but an inch longer – glue these together leaving the bottom inch open, fold back these two pieces in opposite directions and attach these only to your LO leaving the upright to attach your tree to 17. To make your window frame, cut four squares from the layout on the right hand side (how big will depend on your chosen photo) the actual frame is just cut from plain cardstock and mounted onto lo using foam pads, attach your photo to reverse
18. To make the window box, cut a bush shape from remaining animal bash paper using the green spotty side, add prima flowers using brads, attach to LO as before under the window frame, doodle stems if desired
19. For the sign cut out one of the frames from the monstrosity ‘framed’ pp and remove the centre using a craft knife
20. Attach to white cardstock and write your title here. Add brads and a little string or thread for hanging (a foam pad behind the frame will help to hold it in position)
21. Cut out a bird, ladybird and mouse from the birdie gossip pp and attach bird to sign, mouse to grass border and ladybird to fence using foam pads
22. For the ‘eaves’ cut the fancy edging strip from the ‘framed’ pp leaving an inch border, fold along edge of strip then fold your border in half, attach to reverse of layout so that the fringed part overhangs the lo
23. Finally, to make a stand for your lo cut a triangle from the cardboard, fold one edge in about an inch and attach this to the layout from behind making sure the flat edge runs parallel to the folded part of layout so that when this is folded out the whole thing should stand freely, this should all fold flat enough for you to put into an album should you want to store it. I hope you have as much fun making this layout as I did!

well it's nearly time again for the next Exhall crop, the months just fly by don't they?

This month it's my turn to do the class and here are some sneak peeks for you! The kit has been supplied by Sarah's cards and I had great fun putting something together with all the scrummy stash!

We still have a few places left if anyone is interested in joining us!

this was my challenge to myself to use up the oldest stash I had - even the old HOTP stuff.....I really should use up more of the old stuff before I buy more but the temptation is soooo great, especially with so many fabulous ranges out at the minute! Still perhaps using some of my old stash up means I won't have to feel too guilty next time I shop!

This was a class taught by the very talented Tracie Hudson for our Exhall summer workshop, loved doing this and I thought the gorgeous Prima goodies suited the wedding photo of my stunning daughter-in-law perfectly!

a few more rescued layouts from my UKS gallery

this was a scraplift from an issue of For Keeps magazine.

and another..

Still UKS gallery culling!!

These were from my psychedelic phase!!

still on a mission to clear out my UKS gallery and put them on here - this was a little tin I did for my wonderful daughter-in-law, Steph, when my gorgeous granddaughter was in hospital after she was born prematurely

the poem reads:

I came a little early mum

I hope that that's ok?

but I couldn't wait to tell the world

''I'm here! Miss Gracie-Mae!"

and I couldn't wait to see you

and of course, my daddy too

and meet my two big brothers

there's such alot to do..

So I came a little early

which means I'm pretty small

but you sent some milk to help me grow

and look! I drank it all!

and the nurses they all tell me

I'm doing very well indeed

so I'll stay a while longer....

let you get the rest you need.

but I'll be home before you know it

and when I am I'm there to stay

so I'll sign off now,

with all my love

your princess, Gracie-Mae xxx

This was the first class I ever taught for the Exhall crop, seems like such a long time ago now!

I wanted to create a LO using no patterned paper at all, and I was reasonably pleased with the result.

well my new year,s resolution was to update my blog more regularly - not held to that one so far have I?

I've been having a cull of my UKS gallery and thought I'd pop some of them over here, I know they're old LOs but I wanted somewhere to keep them!