follow me on an adventure.........

Hello Dear Reader,

Today is the start of a new era, i am leaving blogger and setting up camp on wordpress.

The reason for this is that Google have decided to change their settings so that you can no longer post to your blogs from publishing software like windows live writer and as blogger's own posting feature are at best clunky and at worst downright unworkable this was not going to work for me so it was a choice of move or give up blogging all together.  As i enjoy the crafty blogging community and taking part in WOYWW so much then moving was my only option.

I have chosen not to export my blog and delete it so this one will stay here and before Google changed things i had scheduled posts so these will still post as normal but they will also be posting on my  wordpress blog when they run out here that will be it here.

I actually like wordpress now that i am over there, when i orginally started blogging i tried both platforms and stuck with blogger because you could find so many cute templates for it.

So i do hope that you will join me on my new blog you can find it at

craftroomdiary.wordpress.com

I would just like to say thank you all for your support of my blog and all the comments i truly love reading them all and i thank you for taking the time.

ttfn

Charlie x

Do you Gut?

Morning Dear Reader, i hope that this finds you well? Now as to the post title….do you Gut?

Well do you? Do you know what it is to ‘gut’?  Let me explain, i like really layered scrapbook pages but i don’t want to commit that many patterned papers to one layout - i would be bankrupt and not able to keep up my crafty habit! So what i quickly learnt to do was to cut away any paper that would be hidden below a picture or another layer.  For example if you was to do a 12x12 layout with a 9x9 layer, i would cut a square from the middle of the base paper that is 8x8 inches so that there is room to glue the next layer on top and the 8x8 square you can now use for other projects! I hope that that makes sense i have taken some pictures for you to show the stages below.

That’s it from me today i hope that that was useful to you, until next time

Ttfn

Charlie.xx

Happy Wednesday Readers!

And Happy 6th WOYWW? Anniversary Deskers!
Thank you so much to our lovely leader Julia without whom we would not be here.

I hope that you are all well, its been lovely and sunny here and with the Bank Holiday Mr.C has been out in his garden making a racket mowing and trimming :) Neighbours must love him! lol

I haven’t finished my layout from last week yet, i was tired one evening and managed to trim some of the photos a bit too small so they have to be printed again and the mojo disappeared. So i have popped that to one side for now, and here is my desk at 7.30 pm Tuesday night.

 

Not much going on, a bit of decoupage on some MDF that i have had for so long! I love to do this sort of thing; it can be so therapeutic you don't need to think you can just do which is just what you need sometimes { o the papers are from a range that that irritating patronising woman off channel 4 has plonked her name on}

This morning i found a perfect tool/pen caddy in the summer living section at Sainsbury's it was with the picnic bits but i had to have it cos it was perfect for my room 

The little wire basket was also new today off of our local market for £4 – Bargain!

But i love my caddy ….going to get another lol! Pretty good match i thought for my raskog cart

Love this bright teal its such a happy colour 

O btw someone asked what a pocket letter was last week; its a different way of sending a pen letter you to it in a 9 pocket trading card protector, you put a letter in one of the pockets and then fill the others with paper, some of your art and maybe a few little goodies and send it along.
You can find out more here; http://www.pocketletterpals.com/

That's it from me today, Until next time

Ttfn

Charlie.x

Spring Florals

Morning Dear Reader, its Bank Holiday in the UK which invariably means that there will be rain at some point today, but that does mean that my hubby has the day off so that is always a bonus!
Today i am sharing a scrapbook page to counteract the expected rain it is a happy and bright spring floral paper that i couldn’t wait to use as it is so pretty.

{scrapbook papers from Hey Little Magpie –JillyBean Saffron i think}
Lots of layers on this one, the circle was cut from one of the papers and used the lines printed to cut the circle and then to write words that described the person in the photo along them. I like to do twirly doodles on my pages round the edges as it gives it a little finishing touch, i also added glimmer paper to this layout.  This layout has a matching project life style page that i will share with you another day.

Bright Birthday

Morning Dear Reader, i hope that you are well, today i am sharing a card with you that with a few changes could be used for many people and occasions.

{stamps and papers are Lawn Fawn i got mine at Sprinkle Twinkle}

This card is a great way to use up scraps its 1inch strips popped on a square base with a flag sentiment, by changing the papers or the sentiment you could make a batch up very quickly and always have some to hand i tend to do the back grounds and just add the sentiments as i need the cards this one i added using a stapler. I am trying to use up scraps of patterned paper as i go instead of tossing them in a box to gather dust as i invariably forget about them so when i tidy up i try to use up the scraps on a project straight way.

That’s it from me today, until next time

Ttfn

Charlie. xx

WOYWW May 19th 2015

Morning Dear Readers, sorry i missed Monday it was our anniversary and we took a day of doing nothing at all and that meant no computer too.  It was lovely to take the time to do nothing at all we watched TV and films and ate our favourite foods and that was it until it was time to collect the children from school, bliss.

But back to today and it is Wednesday so that means its time for the world wise snoop around the crafty world, now i took my picture on Tuesday morning because i am feeling a little under the weather today so have given up on this layout for now for fear of spoiling it i shall come back to it when my headache has gone, I'm sure the stormy weather is to blame and once that passes all will be right again. I love having a craft room now meaning that i can just leave works in progress and close the door on them until i can come back to them.

So this is an arms stretched up in air picture whilst sat on my chair.

From this side <--- i have my new love my Webster’s craft mate folio with all my journaling pens and other essentials {tea bags, post its } under that is the paper pad I'm using for this layout its a craftwork cards one themed for London.  some embellishments that go with the theme, my phone a note from Mr.C which he leaves for the days he starts work before we’re up.  My trimmer with a picture for this layout of one of my daughters with a Shaun the sheep from the trail in London atm – i am scrapping pictures taken this past Saturday, get me for being on the ball! Ha! i could let you think that it was me being organised where as actually it was because i went to an all day crop event on Sunday and i couldn't decide what pictures to take so when my daughter came back from her trip to London with a camera full that was my decision made

Next to my trimmer just peaking into shot are two dry wipe magnet boards that i just got from Smiths {BOGOF} waiting to go up on the side of my stamp book cases for my to do lists etc.  Then in the middle i have my layout done project life style but with normal scrapbook papers that i cut to fit. I like making cards for my project life style layouts i can co-ordinate them if i want to do a matching tradition layout and also they can be a bit more personal to us and our albums.

On the window sill is my clock, my little ramekins of bits in progress usually bits i have stamped, coloured and die cut that are waiting their next step, a box with some bits and pieces that i am putting aside for some RAKs, my crystal effects{use this A lot!} a little brass bell – surprising how quickly the children respond to a bell ringing than you shouting their names! My heart shaped little pot of essentials – coco butter, lip balm, cuticle balm, hair brush etc., and my little house.

At the moment i am in the process of saving up some bits and pieces so that i can join in with pocket letters, i really like receiving snail mail and i am hoping that this may develop into pen pals with some people and ‘meeting’ new people if anyone would like to swap a pocket letter with me then do get in touch

That’s it from me today until next time

Ttfn

Charlie xx

Dragon Dreams……

Morning Dear Reader, just a quick post from me today as Mr.C is redecorating our bedroom and i shall be making sure that he doesn’t throw away any thing he shouldn’t Men don’t seem to have the same understanding of some things as we do.  He’s always saying 6 pairs of brown boots you’ve only got 2 feet!!

Now i am not entirely happy with this one, i like the background i made it using something i remember doing at primary school with washing up liquid paint and a straw! I like the dragon but i don’t like the sentiment flag ah well the little girl who received it; liked it but sometimes you just can’t help being a bit fussy with yourself

That’s it from me today, until next time;

Ttfn

Charlie.xx

WOYWW? May 13th

Hello Dear Reader and fellow Deskers, i hope that you are well? Its been lovely having some sunshine at the mo; so nice for it to be so light and bright.

I took a few different shots of my desk throughout Tuesday; cos i kept thinking right snap a picture just in case i forgot later but then i forgot that i had taken the ‘just in case i forgot photo’ and took another i did this twice!!  Not enough chocolate that's my excuse and I'm making sure i rectify that now! lol!

So this is my desk through the day – lol!  I spent yesterday doing some scrapping in the project life style but instead of using the pre-brought cards i made my own out of scrapbook papers, you should see the state of the floor! Littered with the cut outs from swallow-tailing banners.

I had lots of scrap bits left over so in an attempt not to hoard them i decided to make some extra 3x4 cards out of them.

I think i shall try and make a habit of it as it was a great scraps buster and i have something usable at the end of it.

That’s it from me today, until next time

Ttfn

Charlie.xx 

Baked with love

Happy Monday Dear Reader! I dislike Mondays cos i just get used to having my hubby home and spending time with him then he has to go back to work but unless we win the lottery that will continue, i best turn it into a positive…..i can craft in peace

The card that i am sharing today was made using my favourite stamp set

{stamp set and dies Lawn Fawn, watercolours}

This is using Lawn Fawn’s Baked with Love stamp set, this set has a cute stand mixer that looks just like my Kitchen Aid mixer that i love love so i had to have this set when i saw it on the CHA release earlier in the year.

I water coloured the images, i coloured the eggs blue as my favourite eggs to eat have blue shells and they always look so pretty in the ceramic egg box we have on the side.

That's it from me today

Until next time

Ttfn

Charlie.x

Whale you be mine? {part two}

Hello Dear Reader; i hope this post finds you well?  Today i am sharing with you the stepped up version of the whale card that i shared here

This version has a few layers so perfect for when you have a little more time.

{stamp sets and dies Lawn Fawn}

I used the stitched hills dies to make a variety of waves in two different shades of blue cardstock then i die cut the layers with the stitched circle dies.
The whales were coloured with Spectrum Noir pencils and blended with fluid and stumps.  I glossed them up with glossy accents and the water spout bits from their blow holes i used iridescent stickles on.  I use a lot of glossy accents i like the enamel type look that it gives, i have been asked a few times now how long it takes to dry, well the truth is i don’t actually know as it is always the last thing i do on a project before i leave my desk and its always dry by the following morning lol.  When i used to gloss as i go i always seemed to end up with a finger in it or my elbow in it and just basically made a mess, so now i save them up till just before i am finished and gloss in one go.

That’s it from me today, I hope you like the card.

Until next time

Ttfn

Charlie.x

WOYWW? May 6th 2015

Hello Dear Readers and fellow Deskers; i hope that you are all well today and that the wind of yesterday didn’t effect you too badly.  The poor trees out the front of our house were bent nearly double at some points yesterday, t’was a tad windy!
Thank you for all your well wishes last week i am starting to feel better thank you and Wednesday morning after the school run whilst i was desk hopping i received a lovely parcel from Hey Little Magpie to cheer me up what could be better than lots of lovely scrapbook goodies? And….I've even used some of the papers already and made 4 layouts!! Unheard of! Usually i just buy the paper then i think I'll save that for such and such and it never gets used!

{What a lovely happy mess!}
So here is my desk as of 9pm Tuesday Night


So from the door, my to do list with all the jobs ticked off {so satisfying!} the layouts made this weekend, stapler, a few quick notecards on the window sill and a couple of Project Life card kits waiting to be put away. On the other side of the cutting mat is a layout that i want to make but the papers just aren't working for me at the moment. 
I took some advice from the head Desker Julia and i ‘kitted’ my new papers into page kits simply by popping the papers that work well together into bags and it seems to be working as i am using them.  I  got a couple of grab bags of 12x12 papers from Hey Little Magpie {£3.50 for 20} and out of 2 bags there was one paper i didn’t like either side of.  Great brands too Amy Tangerine, Studio Calico, Heidi Swapp to name but a few.

Well that’s it from me today, until next time
Ttfn
Charlie.xx

Swallowtail Scrapbook page

Morning Dear Reader, can you believe we are in May already this year is flying by!  With it being warmer the children are playing out more in the garden and they look so cute with their noses kissed by the sun and a smattering of freckles

Today i am sharing a scrapbook layout with you that was made from a class kit that i got from my friend a SU demo Sue.

As it has a vintage vibe i used a picture of me as a baby on the layout, it was nice to do a little traditional scrapping, i do tend to project life style scrap these days but i also still love 12x12 so my albums have a mix of both.

That’s it from me today; i hope that you liked my layout

Until next time

Ttfn

Charlie.xx

Baby Book……{Part Two}

Good Morning Dear Reader; today i am sharing the other pages from the baby project life book.

I hope you like the baby book; now to wait for the baby to arrive so she can start filling it up with pictures of the lovely little one.  I am looking forward to meeting the new baby and having cuddles safe in the knowledge that its not me doing night feeds and when they cry i can hand them back! lol :)

Well that’s it from me today

Until Next time

Ttfn

Charlie.x