New Year, New Album.

This year, my Studio Calico Album will be done 8"x8" as I find it a great workable size. Kicking off with the January kit, Whodunit, I have created a page which covers my plans for the year ahead. I am making a minibook about all the books I read, I have quite a large pile of books to plough through. I also have a very large pile of DVD's to enjoy. I hope to listen to more music and I will be travelling this year with my sister, destination unknown right now, but we are looking into two places we fancy, Copenhagen & Florence.

All in all, it look set to be a pretty exciting time & as my title suggests, I'm Looking Ahead!

Materials List;

January 2010 kit; Whodunit.

Paper;- Basic Grey Origins,Paraffin. Studio Calico, Emporium (Circles down side)

Diecut Stickers;-20% Extra Flashy, Studio Calico (tp journal block & side bracket shape & words)

Bottom journal block & stars, Studio Calico Stamp set.

Title; October Afternoon Mini Market Alphas Teal & Black.

American Crafts Chipboard Thickers, Nutmeg.

Black cardstock & staples.

Apologies to my friends, I will get round all the blogs at some stage this weekend.

The train I travel on for my daily commute almost crashed on Monday evening after an idiot decided he wouldn't wait. The barriers only block half the road so he zig zagged round them straight into the path of our train. We narrowly missed him, but it was quite a shock to the system & made me realise that I have to spend more time doing what I want to do & get organised so that the time spent doing what I have to do is cut down.

We only get one life & I plan to fill mine with good stuff!

Penny's Birthday

Another forum birthday a week ago. This time Penny was the birthday girl.

I used a strip of my all time favourite paper by Making Memories, some fabby Sassafrass Lass border stamps & a Paperbag Studio image. I made my February calendar page similar, but in shades of pink & when I actually get time to sit & take the pictures off my camera I will blog it.

Right now I'm far too busy running around getting things sorted out. I am spending a lot of time reading, especially while I'm on the train every evening which, if you know from the other year I made a promise to myself to do. One of this year's projects will be to make a minibook of the books I read & how I feel about them. But I had better crack on as I have read two titles already this month.

I had also better get moving as I have two more birthday's next week!

Carol's Birthday Card

Well it has been a very difficult week for me trying to get the 32 miles to work everyday & then back again by train with nothing but snow. My days have been very long & cold! I am thrilled its the weekend & now all my chores are done for the day I treated myself to a few hours in front of the telly trying to catch up all I have missed. And of course to recharge my batteries as I am expecting next week to be pretty much more of the same. But at least I can get to work, my sister Tracy has been snowed in her lovely farmhouse since Christmas Day and is beginning to suffer cabin fever!

We had another birthday on the Chrysalis forum last week. I made this for Carol. Scraps of paper from my Studio Calico kits come in hand for cards. Stamp is Serena #2 by Stampsmith.

Birthday card for Deb

I made this card for Deb, one of my Chrysalis forum friends. It was her birthday in December. The front panel is actually cut away & the stripes are the inside of the card. The photo was done in a hurry & so it doesn't show clearly.

The papers are My Mind's Eye, Wild Asparagus. Image (& stamps)from Crafty Individuals (image from the People & Places book 1.) Flower from Studio Calico kit. Metal leaves given to me by my scrapbook friend, Rachel, unknown source. Small brown brad, Papermania. Lace from a market stall, inked with Antique Linen distress ink.

I thought at first it looked too old fashioned, but I loved the Victorian feel to it & the colours of the papers. I inked with Antique Linen distress to age the edges.

Happy Birthday, Martin & Happy 2010!

Today, New Year's Day is my brother in law, Martin's birthday. I'm blogging his card despite the fact that royal mail couldn't get it to him on time despite posting on Tuesday!!! The photo is Martin on his trail bike.

Have a great day!!

Happy New Year to everyone, hope this year brings all your heart desires and lots of creative opportunities. Here is my final page for the Year of Studio Calico 2009 album.

Materials list; December kit 2009- Orchestra.

Jenni Bowlin calendar page from the Dec 08 kit.

Paper; SC Baldwin. BG Eskimo Kisses-Caroling.

Prima screen printed canvas.

SC buttons.

SC stamp-cuckoo clock

Alphas- BG Eskimo kisses.

Ink- Rangers archival.

I had a fabulous time making this album & have plans to make a 2010 album beginning in two weeks when the first kit of the year arrives. I might be doing a larger format this year as this 6in format was hard to do some months.