DREAM Bedroom at Debenhams

Well it's been 2 1/2 years since I last made an entry on my blog! To be honest I'm amazed I remember the password! So, what has made me blog again? Well believe it or not the answer is DEBENHAMS Sounds random right? I can assure you its not! There I was browsing the internet, I was actually looking for some yellow bedding, which is believe it or not, quite tough to find, when I happened across this LOVE CHIC LIVING competition, to win £500 to spend at Debenhams. So, I started looking through their bedroom bits, plus a few other things!! And I discovered that maybe I don't want a lemon bedroom, I want a purple bedroom! The competition asks you design a mood board depicting your dream bedroom, up to the value of £5000 and have I had fun doing it! A girl can dream right? Coming in at £1959.99 it is a dream, my dream, but the £500 Debenhams vouchers would definitely go towards it. And yep, I am shocked, when given £5000 to spend, I don't quite make it to £2000, what is wrong with me?? And based on my dream, here is what I have chosen;

- ABIGAIL AHERN - Designer purple flocked oval mirror £120.00 I absolutely love this the colour, the texture and the style, this would be on my must have list, and one of the items I would use the £500 voucher for if I was lucky enough to win! - DEBENHAMS - Champagne & cream'Euston' high gloss four door mirror wardrobe Was £1100.00 Now £792.00 28% Off I really like this, but in all honesty it would be to big for my bedroom, but it's a dream right? So, yep this is on my dream wish list! - DEBENHAMS Champagne & cream 'Euston' high gloss six drawer chest Was £625.00 Now £450.00 28% Off Now drawers is something I am seriously lacking in my bedroom, so these would definitely would be on my wish list, and they're in the sale, who doesn't love a sale? - Star by JULIEN MACDONALD - Ivory 'Quill' bed linen It's 20% Off so £58.40 for my kingsize bed! It has silver embriodered sequin scrolled boarders on a lucious white base, what's not to love? This looks rich yet not overpowering, think it's subtle and dreamlike in its design. - PLUM STRIA Wallpaper £12.80 a roll. I'd need a couple of these for a feature wall (and someone who can hang wallpaper <_< !) but this is a must to bring the room together. - LITECRAFT - Vortex Polished Chrome Glass Ceiling Light In the Sale again at £56.80! This is absolutely beautiful, I'm in raptures over this, I love the design, how each spiralled arm is so delicate, not big and chunky like others of similar design, I NEED THIS!! This has to go on my shopping list, if I win! - DEBENHAMS - White Swirl Bed Frame - £342.00 for a kingsize. Now, this is interesting, it's not something I would normally go for, I'm normally more of a divan type of girl, but the curves of the frame just make me want this, it's nice to see a bed without the hard, straight edges you would normally see. In an ideal world I would like this bed, but in reality my boring old divan is absolutely fine so I probably wouldn't buy it, but in my dream bedroom it's the centre piece! - DEBENHAMS - Natural butterfly embroidered cushion £17.60 - DEBENHAMS - Natural textured front taffeta cushion £17.60 - J by JASPER CONRAN - Plum 'Heaven' tiered pleat front cushion £24.00 - DEBENHAMS - Natural embroidered heart cushion £17.60 I could have picked out cushions all day long, there are over 200 to choose from, but I decided that four was probably enough to make the bed look all squashy(technical term) and inviting. In my opinion, you can't have a lovely looking bed, not matter how beautiful the bedding without some nice cushions to finish the look off! - GRAHAM & BROWN - Printed canvas X ray rose wall art £15.99 This is stunning, Whatever happens in this competition, I will be buying this, the rose has an almost ethereal quality, very dreamlike and perfect for my bedroom, real or wished for, so I'll be going shopping in Debenhams next week! And being monochrome, it will go with any colour scheme. MINE! - ROCHA. JOHN ROCHA - Silver small Scratch Vase - £14.40 Size wise I prefer the larger vase but this one I think is a nicer shape and I would definitely make room for this in my bedroom, another item added to my wish list. ROCHA. JOHN ROCHA - Designer set of three bronze votive candles on a tray £20.80 I just think these look nice alongside the John Rocha Silver Scratch Vase. It would almost rude not to buy these, I love the simple, flowing shape of these. So there it is, I have spent several happy hours planning, designing, pricing up and generally window shopping! I have thoroughly enjoyed myself AND I have started using my blog again! BONUS! So thankyou, LOVE CHIC LIVING and DEBENHAMS for a nice Sunday afternoon. I probably should have done my laundry but hey, that will still be there tomorrow, maybe I should have added a linen basket to my mood board!!!! Next week I'm off to buy the X-Ray rose picture, I NEED IT!

UNDER REFURBISHMENT!!!!

Be back soon!!!!

It's official!!

I have decided that beyond any shadow of a doubt... I AM A CRAP BLOGGER!!! I could never keep a diary and I can't keep my blog updated regularly either!!! BUT I am keeping my blog, cos as much as I don't post as often as I would like I do love it and so back to business!














So here are a couple of my LO's that I have done reasonably recently (well since my last post anyway)!!!!! Both of them were for the CTYD DT and I have thoroughly enjoyed myself doing them!
I am in the middle of two weeks off work but what with everything going on at the moment I have barely had a minute to sit down, let alone get my stash out and play but I am working on it, and I am hoping to get some bits done today, after I have cleaned the kitchen cupboards! Nice! (Oh God I wish blogger had smilies)!!

Silly Pictures!

Over on CTYD is another challenge...

"For most of us, a big part of our crafting is scrapbooking ... & that means photos. So, for today's 40 Day event we want to see your silliest photos. We all have them, so from the mildly amusing to the downright daft"
Get your entries in by Midnight BST on August 8th & the DT will pick their fave to win a scrappy RAK from us!
Well technically I can't enter but I can still play!!
So here is one from my very large dodgy pics collection...

SPOT THE SEALION!!! Dammit I missed it!









"NOW WHERE DID I LEAVE MY NUTS?"
And one the funniest pics I have seen! I cannot take the credit for this, found it on the internet a long time ago, but everytime I look at it, it makes me laugh!!

Day 22 - 40 Days Events

Another offering for the more recent 40 day celebration challenges!!
"Today's challenge is for you to do the same: use your scraps & show me your scrappy projects - & as I love the odd multi-challenge attempt, feel free to combine this with as many other challenges as you like"
This one closes midnight BST 28th July (next Monday).

Check out the CTYD blog as well, as there is one up there I have arranged plus NON-celebrity squares! LOL!

Stars & Stripes

One of the challenges for the Guv's 40th Birthday Bash was to create something with star and/or stripes. Well me being me, I left it to the last minute (you still have 3 1/2 hours left to enter)!

And here is mine, a digi LO featuring a pic of DH back in the 60's when he used to engrave the FA Cup! There is a rather good story that goes with it but I'm saving that for a paper LO! I used the Shabby Princess Moody Blues digi kit, plus some random stars and staples!

And the winner is.......

according to the random number generator.....
RIBENARUBY

Not you? Head on over to Crop Til You Drop because.....
THE WEBSHOP HAS A PROMOTION ON FOR '40 DAYS' AS OF JULY 1ST, THE 40TH ORDER RECEIVED WILL BE FREE (THEY WILL BE REFUNDED) & UNTIL MIDNIGHT ON MONDAY (JULY 7TH) EVERY ORDER WILL RECEIVE A FREE GIFT. UK ONLY & YOU GUYS CAN TAKE PART IN THIS ONE IF YOU'D LIKE.

And don't forget to check out Beverley's Blog for a new challenge and chance to win everyday!

The Top 40 Tips!!! (minus 14)

Firstly, apologies for my absence, I will do the list of tips in a mo, and then I'll figure out the random number generator later to pick a winner! Sound okay?
Secondly, we didn't make 40! :( So this is the top 40 minus 14!! Although if anyone else wants to add anymore, feel free I will add them to the list but you would have missed the chance for the draw! Sorry!

1)When trying cut a photo into a circle, pop a blob of blu-tac on the back, and use it to pop the point of a compass in, you get a perfect circle and no marks on the photo. (Mine)

2)When writing on the back of your photo, write the notes where the subject is. This is to avoid any accidental loss of info when you cut the photo up. (BunnyB)
3)Use wallpaper! You can get free samples from DIY shops, and some of the patterns are absulutely gorgeous! They are great for covering minibooks, ATCs and even layouts!(Jo)

4)I scrap all my layouts using sketches and have my photos printed only after I've decided on the sketch for that layout... do all my cropping before printing... saves time on cropping and money on photo costs. (Cathy)

5)Keep all your scraps seperated by color either in folders or big zippy-type bags. That way ,if you're looking for a particular color, you don't have to rummage through every single piece of scrap. Simply pull out the color you are looking for. (Deanne)

6)Ok, i have to admit that i have been known once or twice to accidently layer up pretty papers slightly wonky :( so my tip is to stick dst to my jeans before i put it on my project. That way i can carefully peel it back if it is not inplace first time. (dont do this if you got a wooly jumper on lol!!!!) (Zoe)

7)If you use a glue stick i find if you breathe over the area (it not yuk honest - it being creative lol) then it warm the glue a bit so you can remove it and restick if necessary. (Zoe)

8)Turn post it notes upside down to hold chipboard letters while you colour/emboss them...it stops them flying all over the room and ending up on the floor!! :) (Alix)

9)Wipe down your craft mat/working area on a regular basis as it picks up an astonishing amount of dirt/glue etc over time that spoils nearly completed crafting!(curlywhiskersandtwitchingnoses)

10)Buy a piece of cork and cut a piece slightly smaller than your metal ruler. Stick it to the back of your metal ruler with double sided tape and voila! Next time you cut anything with craft knife and metal ruler, the ruler will not slip! :) (Bibi)

11)How about using a curling iron to straighten out your ribbon? When I have a lovely ribbon I would like to add to a project and it has a gret big ole crease in it, or it is too wrinkly for the project I just use my curling iron to iron it flat. Just open the iron, and slide the ribbon over. Easy peasy, fast, and works like a charm! No big iron needed. :) (Pamala)

12)When working with alpha stickers use a clear plastic quilters ruler. Align the bottom tips of your stickers at the top edge of the ruler. Now, to get them on your paper use one finger to press the tops of the stickers on the paper and slip them off the ruler. Perfect placement every time! :D (Shirley)

13)Keep it simple. so(card, scrapbook page etc) before going to a friends or a crop make page/card kits and put into plastic sleeves with the picture so you don't have to spend your time searching for things that coordinate, so you can enjoy making and chatting instead. :)(Scrapaddict)

14)In an effort to save money I love to search through dollar stores. They tend to have ribbons, colored pencils, markers, stickers, papers, and everything else a scrapper could possibly need- for the amazing bargain of $1.00! (Annie217)

15)Using all of the plastic pakaging that our supplies come in, plus many other items too (for instance my Big Kick, the packaging from the memory card for my camera, etc.) Use it to create your own ghost shapes!!!! I cut out a big flower shap--ran it through an embossing folder and painted it with acrylics! Voila--I had a ghost shape in the shape I wanted and the colors I needed for the page! I have soo much of that plastic aroung I can't wait to make more shapes! Plus, it helps reduce waste--can it get any better? (KimR)

16)Instead of tossing those clear packaging pieces away, cut them up into shapes... doodle on them and you have a cheap and unique embellishment! (Lois aka Katesmum)

17)Start from the outside edge of the paper and measure down 7". Cut toward the center of the paper 5". Now finish cutting the 5x7 mat back to the edge of the paper. From the same outside edge that you started with cut 5"x7" mat going the other direction. Keep going around the outside of the paper cutting 5"x7" then 7"x5" and when you finish there will be a little square of paper left from the center. (Ginny)

18)Something new that I've gotten into is tearing the edges of photos- you know, just like tearing the edges of papers. Looks great and always unique since the tear will never be the same twice :)Just be careful with the tearing, and don't do it on a photo you really love unless you have a backup version...heehee. (Vcolbourne)

19)To make the most out of my letter stickers, especially the ones that are cut out to the exact shape of the letter, i keep the backing and reuse it in future layouts. also, i am not sure if this is a "safe" tip a.k.a. acid-free but i get these really cheap foam letters in a local store but they're not in the colors i like so what i do is i paint them with nail polish. there are lots of metallic nail polish that look good on the foam letters. (jeanie nieva)

20)when doing anything to do with scrapbookin or cards, dont over crowd the item.... less is more!!! (ruthieb)

21)I like having my ribbons sorted by color. I find I use them more!(carla)

22)One of my most useful tips is to use an old catalog or phone book when you are gluing or painting. When the page gets messy, tear it off and have a clean surface to work on. (Swedie)

23)The plastic covering used for junk mail and catalogues is useful for gluing or for paper mache if you want to keep you work mat free of mess. (ribenaruby)

24)Whenever you need a quick center for a flower on your scrapbook page or card, just drop a lump of hot glue (about the size of a dime) onto some freezer paper. While it's still sticky, sprinkle it with some glitter or add micro beads or rhinestones or sequins to it. After it cools, lift it from the freezer paper and voila! You have a cheap and easy BLING flower center you can adhere with a glue dot...hehehehe...or even another small dot of hot glue! (Colette Bate)

25)My most time-saving tip is organization. I have all my paper, even the scraps, filed by color or type of pattern (stripes, flowers, dots, etc.). Then when I want a striped paper, I just go through that file folder. (sammie)

26)My tip for scrapbooking would be to make sure your photos are backed up. I upload mine to Walgreens.com that way if I need copies, I can just go ahead and print them right from the website. (Heather)

TOP 40 TIPS (-39)! LOL!

Okay as my challenge for Beverley's 40 day celebration, I want you all to post a comment here with your TOP TIPS for scrapbooking, cardmaking, whatever! Anything that you've done in the past that you consider to be a brainwave, labour saving or just a little bit of useful advice. The idea is that I then add them in here as a post and hopefully we will have the TOP 40 TIPS.

And as it's a birthday bash, there has to be a pressie on offer so everyone who posts a comment is in with the chance of some scrummy stash, there's 12x12 patterned paper, die-cuts, chipboard, blossoms, card blanks and A5ish size patterned paper.I will use the random generator to pick one person and the kit will be on it's way to you!

You have until 5th July at 2pm GMT to enter.

So, I'll start the tips off.....

When trying cut a photo into a circle, pop a blob of blu-tac on the back, and use it to pop the point of a compass in, you get a perfect circle and no marks on the photo.

40 DAYS OF FUN & FREEBIES!

Full details & kick-off of the event will be posted over on Beverley's Blog anytime now!

Check out all these blogs as well for events coming up in the next 40 days.
Alix Cox
Beverley Todd
Brigitte Grant
Colette Bate
Croppinsville USA
Crop 'Til You Drop DT
Crop 'Til You Drop SHOP
Elliemook
Jay670120
Pam Sandy
Shirley Pando
Sisterhood Of Scrap

Crocs!

I love these Crocs, they're not real but my God are they comfy! Better than the authentic ones I reckon. And when I saw the little Care Bear Jibbitz I had to have them, I used to LOVE my Care Bears and I know they are tucked away in my Dad's garage somewhere!
And I have to say this.....I know something secret!!! Sssshhhh! Can't say too much yet but if you love reading blogs and competitions and freebies keep your eyes peeled because there's something about to happen over at CTYD, so keep looking it should be going up tomorrow!!!

Chipboard Projects

A LO using Samantha Walker Day By Day papers, I used the Black Leaf and the Quadrant, plus one of the stickers from the Tags & Accents Sheet. The chipboard butterflies came from the Bare Element Dimension - Wings set, these are fab, you get three sheets of die cut shapes, in this case butterflies and they are so lovely!! I used two of the smaller butterflies and inked them all over and cut some scraps of the Quadrant paper to fit.

Second is a card, the papers and ribbon came from one the HOTP card makers kits, The chipboard heart I coloured with a black pen and glued on, I filled the inside of the heart with glue and a heavy sprinkling of glamour dust.



Third is another card, once again the papers and ribbon are from one of the HOTP card makers kits. The chipboard is actually from We R Memory Keepers Promenade collection, I have used most of the papers but I still had some chipboard tags left, so I painted the centre of the flower with acrylic paint to match my card and stuck the Happy Birthday on top!

Gotta Love These Papers!

I absolutely adore the Bo Bunny - Teen Chic paper range, it's really, bright, really girly and really fun to work with and the stickers are fab.






I've been working on other projects with the papers including the sweetie tin below and a decorated matchbox to follow and these cards were made with some of the leftovers.

I have one thing to say...

BL@@DY HELL it worked!!!!! LOL!

CHARMING!

First is a card I made using a HOTP Personal Shopper Cardmaking Kit, I die cut the title, I punched a circle out and I added an eyelet just above it, then I hung from it a lovely, cute ladybird charm.




Second I used an entire pack of Romantic Heart charms and using a pair of pliers I hung them from an old piece of chain I had knocking around, I added a clasp and voila! One charm bracelet!

Testing!!!! LOL!

Okay, third pic as promised, I really hope this scheduled posting works, could make things a lot easier for me, maybe I won't forget to blog so much!!!
A pic of a lizard I took in a reptile place, quite a handsome chap really but I was really happy with how clear the picture was!
Not going to rabbit on here, incase this doesn't work!

Holiday Snaps

Just thought I'd share some of my favourite holiday snaps from when DH and I went away to Norfolk for a week last month! I took loads and I do have one particular favourite, stunning shot, but right now I am hanging on to that as I have plans for that photo! In my opinion it's the best photo I have ever taken and is definately worthy of something more than my blog!! First picture was up at Blakeney Point, while we waiting for the tide to come in so we could go out in a boat to see the seals!



Second picture is one of my favourites from the 40 or so pics I snapped of the seals they are TOO cute! This chap was a particularly large one, shame we missed the pups though, I think we were a little early for them, now that would have been cute!
Third picture is in a scheduled post which I am now about to try and master! Wish me luck, I will see if I can get it to work!

Time to craft!

I always fancied doing an altered clock and finally got my butt into gear and went out and bought a clock! I love it, I used papers from my DT kit, they are Mod Design Whirligig, I love them and I love the clock as well!! I have given up asking DH to hang it on the wall for me though so I'm going to get the hammer out tomorrow and do it myself!! He moans at me for nagging but is it any wonder really!?


I also have made recently an altered sweetie tin using Bo Bunny - Teen Chic, which I am also very happy with and had great fun doing, I want more sweetie tins now though so there's a good excuse to buy sweets!!

Also I have just set a challenge on the CTYD blog so pop on over and check it out!

TOOT TOOT!!!!! I am so chuffed!

Remember the fire photo? (Next post down)!!



Well here it is on the FRONT PAGE of the local paper!! How cool is that!? My first published picture!! And God did it look good when I walked in the supermarket and there was a whole rack of them, all lined up with my piccy on the front!!