Monday 31 October 2011

Not So Austen Month.

Since my birthday is in November and Pride and Prejudice is one of my favourite books I decided that in November I would read the collection of Jane Austen related books I have. Ones that are either based on Jane Austen’s novels, about her  or some way vaguely related to her. (I have quite a few that I’ve been collecting over the last few years and haven’t read).

 

 

Wish me luck.

 

Shanna.

Saturday 29 October 2011

Kits

I have lots of blogs on my Google Reader some that I read everyday, others that I read when I have time and others unfortunately when it gets to over 100 blog posts to read I simply mark all as read. (sorry). Recently I have seen more and more about the Counterfeit Kit Challenge. The idea is to rather than buy any of the monthly kit clubs that are out there to use one as inspiration and shop the supplies that you already own to create your own counterfeit kit.

I like this concept of using what you already have (and it seems most people have a large stash) to create.  The benefit of kits is that you have supplies all in one place and you have narrowed your options down.  I think sometimes it makes things easier when you don’t have to make a choice from ten rather than a hundred pieces of patterned paper.

As a digital scrapbooker the majority of things I buy come as kits, items all gather together for you. In the last year or so I’ve tended to just pick a kit (lately it’s just been from Echo Park before that it was Weeds and Wildflowers) and use only that to make a layout. In past years I was a member of Club Scrap’s Digital monthly kit club and I still get the monthly Scrapgirls kit (not that I use it often since I have been stuck in an Echo Park rut). 

 

However recently I have been thinking more and more about the idea of creating my own Counterfeit kit from the supplies I have.   I mean I still love the solid papers from the Club Scrap kits (before they changed kit format), I generally love the bright colours of the Echo Park paper, the whimsical feel of the Weeds and Wildflowers items (of which I have practically everything).   So rather than when I want to make a layout I have to search through all my thousands and thousands of items I have basically organised on ACDSee into categories I can pick.  I also think I should start using some of the thousand of word art items I have.

 

Maybe I just need some inspiration.

 

Shanna

Sunday 23 October 2011

Enchanted.

I was going through some of my older digital kits from Club Scrap Digital (I stopped subscribing after they changed the kit format, I liked the fact that you got a digital version of the main kit). I found a kit from one of their retreats called Enchanted (circa 2009). I found the ALSB instructions and made four of the 5 double page layouts which were perfect for some of my pictures from Disney (which I haven’t scrapped despite being back from holiday for over three months).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shanna

Saturday 22 October 2011

The Creative Aunt

When my sister called yesterday to see if I could make my nephew a newspaper hat, it didn’t take long.  But when I took it to him he wanted a proper pirate hat.  Give that I’m a digital scrapper I have very few actual supplies but I do have a pad of DCWV cardstock.

 

After Googling I found this website which gives a pattern and talks you through making a paper pirate hat.  Since I didn’t have any brown cardstock I used red and covered it in brown packaging paper and following the instructions I quickly made a pirate. I also made my niece one in pink.

 

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The kids loved them.

 

Shanna

Friday 21 October 2011

Happy 3rd Birthday

Happy 3rd Birthday to my niece Ashley.

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Love Aunty Shanna. xx

Saturday 15 October 2011

Three Musketeers

Today I went to see the new Three Musketeers film with my brother and sister. This is a rare situation even though we all live in the same street.

 

It’s a good film, a little more steampunk than other versions, it kind of reminded me of the Guy Richie Sherlock Holmes film. A modern twist on a classic.

Unfortunately the end was one of those films that is a set up for a sequel.

But over all. 4/5.

 

Shanna.

Monday 10 October 2011

10 on the Tenth

10 things I could dress up as for a Halloween (but won’t)

 

1. A Gothic Fairy

 

2. Catwoman

 

3. Corpse Bride

 

4. Red Riding Hood

Gothic Red Riding Hood Costume

 

5. Wicked Witch

THE WIZARD OF OZ - WICKED WITCH

 

6. Devil

 

DEVIL LADY COSTUME

 

7. Skeleton

 

8. Zombie

 

 

9. Vampire

 

10.  Pumpkin

 

Shanna

Sunday 2 October 2011

Fish Food

 

So yesterday my mum, sister and I went to the Creative Stitches and Hobbycraft fair in Cardiff.

We bought a few things and took part in a make and take.

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Afterwards we went shopping. In the arcade is a shop that provides fish pedicures. You basically put your feet in a tank of a special type of carpe and they eat all the dead skin from your feet.  I couldn’t bring myself to do it but I did have fun taking pictures and made this layout. (Apparently it feels like minor pins and needles and it definitely makes your feet look and feel better.) So inspired by the August 2 page sketch support sketch I made this layout using the Echo Park Splash collection.

 

 

Shanna xx

PS don’t you just love the sign.

Saturday 1 October 2011

Books I read in September

Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce

Sisters Red (Fairytale Retellings, #1)

 

Hex Hall Series by Rachel Hawkins

Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1)Demonglass (Hex Hall, #2)

 

Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels, #1)Magic Burns (Kate Daniels, #2)Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels, #3)Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels, #4)Magic Slays (Kate Daniels, #5)Curran  (Curran POV, #1)

 

Dark Heart Forever by Lee Monroe

Dark Heart Forever (Dark Heart Forever, #1)

Looking For Alaska by John Green

Looking for Alaska

 

Iron Fey series by Julie Kawaga

The Iron King (Iron Fey, #1)The Iron Daughter (Iron Fey, #2)Winter's Passage (Iron Fey, #1.5)The Iron Queen (Iron Fey, #3)

 

Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

Overprotected

 

The Boyfriend Thief by Shana Norris

The Boyfriend Thief

 

Night Huntress Series by Jeaniene Frost

Halfway to the Grave (Night Huntress, #1)One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress, #2)At Grave's End (Night Huntress, #3)Devil to Pay (Night Huntress, #3.5)Destined for an Early Grave (Night Huntress, #4)This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress, #5)One Grave at a Time (Night Huntress, #6)

 

Allie Beckstrom series by Devon Monk

Magic to the Bone (Allie Beckstrom, #1)Magic In the Blood (Allie Beckstrom, #2)Magic in the Shadows (Allie Beckstrom, #3)Magic on the Storm (Allie Beckstrom, #4)Magic at the Gate (Allie Beckstrom, #5)Magic on the Hunt (Allie Beckstrom, #6)

 

Shut Out by Kody Keplinger

Shut Out

 

Forget You by Jennifer Echols

Forget You

Heat Rises by  Richard Castle

Heat Rises (Nikki Heat, #3)

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

North of Beautiful

Epic Fail by Claire LaZebrik

Epic Fail

 

Glimmerglass by Jenna Black

Glimmerglass (Faeriewalker, #1)

Stray by Rachel Vincent (I'm currently reading the rest of this series)

Stray (Shifters, #1)

37 books this month. Not bad.  I’m 124 books into my read 200 books this year challenge. (since I didn’t really start until mid year that’s not bad going)

 

Shanna.