Sunset at Zia...

Watched a little of the Serif Photo Projects set on Create and Craft this morning and was tempted to buy.  Silly me then realised that I already had some of the kits they were advertising!  While watching I spotted a fabulous frame to use with scenic photos.  I played around with it this afternoon and created this page.

The photo was taken in the village of Zia near Kos town.  A very popular place for sitting in a rooftop restaurants or bars watching the sunset. 

Challenges...

• Come and Get It Challenges - Anything but a card 

 Hmmmmmmmmm after a good nights sleep I decided to play around a little more so here comes version two!  So easy to change things in digital scrapping.

 Think version 2 will be the one that gets printed.  What do you think?

Eli again...

Another page showing focusing on Eli exploring the glitz on Laura's mobile phone.  It's the facing page to the one I created here.
Again created using Serif Craft Artist and waiting to be printed in 12" x 12" size at DSA Colour Labs.

Challenges...

• Our Creative Corner - Boys and their toys (hope scrapbook pages are allowed)
• Sketches in Thyme - the sketch used as a starting point
• Crafty Ann's - It's a man thing
• Ditzy Craftymess - Anything but a card

Off to work again shortly.  Have a great day everyone.  Hope the sun shines for you.

Such a cutie...

Yet more of Eli - well how can I resist scrapbooking photos of him?  It's just too hard. This time I've created a double page spread using the fab sketch at Sketches in Thyme.  Again both pages were created using Serif Craft Artist.  The digi kit I used was Poptastic.

Other challenges...

• Ladybug Crafts - Spots and Stripes focus
• Divas by Design - Anything Goes

 Happy Easter Sunday everyone.  Don't eat too many eggs!

Ann xxx

Here's comes the sun...

I think my problem with photos must have been because I had chosen to have everything EXTRA LARGE on my blog.  Having taken the last 30 posts pictures down to at least the normal setting I seem to be able to post pictures again.

Sigh, just need to go through the other hundreds of posts now changing them too!  Eeek!

Still couldn't upload the double page spread of this project though so sorry but you'll have to do a bit of eye jiggling to get the full effect of what they look like.

Yet again both pages are 12" x  12" and were created using Serif Craft Artist.

Challenges...

•  Scrap it with a song - Here Comes the Sun
• Sketches in thyme - the sketch

Have a good weekend everyone.

Ann xxx

For all those wondering if Eli has grown...

Yes and in the words of Auntie Laura he's a little hooligan!  Evidence...

one large living room covered with toys and what does he want to play with?  

Yep - Laura's phone!   Why do we buy all these fancy items for kiddies when all you need is something they are not supposed to touch like a phone or a remote control for the TV?

Goodies used...

• Serif Craft Artist plus digi kit 'Oh Boy' - 

Challenges...

• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Southern Girl's Challenge - Scrapbook layout with journalling
• Simon Says Stamp - Use your favourite tool - Craft Artist Software

If you happen to be passing by thank you for looking and please leave a comment or maybe click on one of the reaction buttons.

Love and hugs

Ann xxx

Here comes Eli...

Well I couldn't last any longer without a piccie of my little hero could I?  Using the sketch from Sketchy Thursdays as a starting point I created my page in Serif Craft Artist (yes that programme again!).  I've actually missed loads of parts of the sketch out as I wanted to keep the page really simple, but the basics are there.

The papers, materials, frame and embellishments were all created by my friend Ann Whitfield at Crafty Ann's Digi Shop - isn't she brilliant?  I love the ready trimmed frame - so cute!  The kit is a new one to the shop and has loads of stuff in it.  A really good buy methinks.

It worked perfectly in Craft Artist.  It's the first time I've used other digi kits rather than the ones by Daisytrail and I don't think there will be any stopping me now.  So easy to take the images into Craft Artist and use them in just the same way as Daisytrail ones.

Challenges...

• Crafty Ann's - Hot Stuff (Eli and the red vibrant paper)
• Anything Goes Challenge - anything goes
• Bearly Mine - Anything goes
• Ladybug Crafts Ink - New Stash (new digi kit)

Love and smiles

Ann xxx

Dancing the day away...

This the facing page to the one I did yesterday which is in the post below.  Again created in Serif Scrapbook Artist.  This time I used a sketch from Sketches in Thyme.  

I really liked this sketch for it's lovely clean lines and will be using it with real scrapbook papers and a holiday photo later today.
UPDATE...
Seeing as the page is finished it may as well be added to this post.

This project matches  a page I completed just before Christmas.  I wanted to keep it very clean and simple again so that the two would go together.
The strips were embossed using the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots folder and to add more texture and interest to the vertical lines I punched holes and threaded ribbon through.  Afterwards I added a little bling.  The title was printed on acetate and then attached.  As to the journalling - well I'm afraid my nerves just couldn't take touching the page with a pen and it really wouldn't have matched up anyway.  That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.
Guess that's two whole pages not featuring Eli - oh my goodness that is so strange.  He'll be featuring again soon you can be sure as I haven't done anything with the pics of him in his elf outfit yet and those are just so cute.

Have a wonderful day whatever you are doing.

Hugs Ann xxx

Still scrapping...

I'm still working my way through all the Christmas photos with a view to treating myself to having them printed in a photo book.  Today sees some cherished photos of Laura posing with Gran on our belated Christmas day celebrations.  Check out Laura's hat well it just had to be pink didn't it?

My layout came from the stunning sketch at Stuck on U Sketches and again I used Serif Craft Artist to create my digital page.

Additional Challenges...

• Pollycraft - Anything but a card
• CES Challenge Blog  - Anything goes

Have a fun week everyone.  I've actually got three whole days off - bliss!

Hugs Ann xxx

Our little Super Star...

Another page showing Eli in his snowman hat.  I'm trying to get all my Christmas pages done so that I can have them printed in a photo book.  There are some amazing offers at the moment and the one I had printed by Trueprint before Christmas came out so well.  One thing that gets me down with scrap booking is that you always need two pages on the same theme if you're going to put them in books and sometimes I only really need one for the photos I have.

Wonder if this gets to other people too!

Again it's a digitally created page using Serif Craft Artist - oh my I just love what you can do with that programme.  Thank goodness I bought some extra digi kits before I took the oath (see post below).

My page is also for the challenges at...

• Crafty Ann's Challenge - HOT - hmmm hot red and one hot guy when he grows up!
• Crafts and Me Challenges - anything goes
• Papertake Weekly - anything goes

Have a fabulous weekend everyone.  I'm working again.  Covered 49+ hours this week - no wonder my crafting time is suffering.  Hopefully I will have a few days next week to play big time.

Hugs to all.

Ann xxx

More Christmas Scrapping...

Just when Eli thought it couldn't get any worse I found this oh so cute hat with a snowman on the top.  I think when he grows up and sees these pics he will probably fall out big time with his Grannie Annie, but oh well I'll talk my way out of that when the time comes.

Again I've used Scrapbook Artist to digitally create my page.  I'm learning all the time though and so proud of myself as in this page I've actually created my own frame for the photo to snap into.  Cool eh?

The sketch I've used is a fab one by the team at Sketchy Thursdays.  Really enjoyed using this one.

My page is also for the challenges at...

• Craft Your Days Away Challenges - Snowmen

Have a great day.  I'm working all week so crafting time is going to be severely limited, but hopefully I'll be able to play a little.

Ann xxx

Wonderful Christmas...

Just popped in to say that I hope everyone has had a Christmas as wonderful as I have.  Didn't start celebrating till Boxing Day when we were all free from work, but it was worth the wait as it was just so special to have everyone together.

Took masses of photos of you know who!  Well he's just so much cuter than us groan ups and far more fun to scrap book.  To create my latest page I used Serif Craft Artist software and a sketch from Stuck on U Sketches.

My page is also for the challenge at Simon Says Challenge where the theme is Anything Goes!

Just in case I don't log in again before the New Year starts I'd like to wish everyone a very very Happy New Year.

Love and laughter.

Ann xxx

Happy Christmas to all...

Oh had such an awful few days after being struck down by one the nasty flu viruses going around at the moment.  I was even feeling too ill to go online - that is bad!  However, started to feel a bit brighter yesterday and made a start on scrapping some photos of Eli's last visit.  Not too convinced about the results, but I faffed around for ages with this page and this was the best it got.

Luckily while in bed suffering I managed to watch some Serif Craft Artist programmes on Create and Craft so I now know how to use shadows, scissors to create material frayed edges and how to do phrased a much faster and neater way so maybe there is a good side to being confined to bed.

I used the fab sketch at Creative Scrappers for my initial inspiration and incorporated the word 'WONDER' from the theme at the Bird is the Word Challenge blog.  I must admit that at first my interpretation of 'wonder' was meant to be the way Eli was completely mesmerised by the tree and baubles, but as I started journalling it sort of changed into a 'I wonder what I can get away with' thing.

Other challenges include...

• Anything Goes Challenge Biog - anything but a card
• Crafty Card Makers - use it three times (my photo frames and the embellishments on them are all used 3 times)

Think this may be my last posting before the big day, especially seeing as I haven't been able to get anything done for the last few days I need to catch up fast, so I would like to wish everyone visiting my blog a very happy Christmas and let's hope that the New Year brings better things for all of us.

Whoops just sneaked back to show page two of Eli exploring the Christmas tree.  This time I used a sketch from Sketches in Thyme as a basis for my design.  It was really fun to have the star as a matt to layer the photo on. 

Love and laughter and wishing everyone absolutely the best Christmas ever.

Ann xxx

Santa Baby!

Bought two Christmas CDs this year and both of them have that really earthy 'Santa Baby' song on them so I guess the title for this page comes from that.

Again it's Eli in his Santa outfit on Grannie Annie's knee and again using Serif Craft Artist to create a page to face the one I did yesterday.

I used this fab sketch from Sketchy Thursdays as a starting point.

My scrap page is also for the challenges at...

• I did it Creations Challenge Blog - Santa's getting ready.
• Paper Sundaes - anything Christmas

Wishing everyone a wonderful week.

Ann xxx

Ho Ho Ho!

Hands up all those first time Grandma's who can resist buying the gorgeous Christmas outfits there are in the shops for babies these days.  Hmmm, not a single hand in the air!  I certainly can't resist and have already bought a Santa suit and an elf outfit that are just too cute for words.  When Eli came for a few hours the other day the poor wee man just had to try this outfit on.  

I have a feeling that in years to come I may not get away with this sort of thing so I better make the most of it now.

I created my 12" x 12" page on Serif Craft Artist using a fantastic sketch from Stuck on U Sketches.

My page is also for the following challenges...

• Pollycraft - Christmas Fun
• 2 Sisters Challenge Blog - Christmas
• Crazy4Challenges - It's Santa

Hope you have all had a fantastic weekend.  I've been working, but I've now got 5 days off in a row.  Wow, how great is that?  Maybe I will finally be able to finish making and writing Christmas cards and wrapping presents.  Only 13 days to go - eeeeeeeeeeek - need to get organised.

Ann xxx

Eli and Gran Part Two...

Here's the facing page to the 'Cherish' page I created last week.  I used the sketch from Sketchy Thursdays, but left out the title due to lack of space and already having a title on the facing page.  I really love these two photos that give the impression of Eli and Gran having a long conversation.

Again I've used Craft Artist and tinted the photos in the back ground to match the papers on the page.

My page is also for the challenges at...

• Squiggles and Giggles - Anything but a card
• Inspire me Fridays - Anything goes

Ann xxx

Cherish...

Another page created on Serif Craft Artist.  I'm loving using this and the best part of all is that there's no tidying up.  Yeah no bits on the floor - no DST everywhere and no mounds of stamps, ink pads etc to put back in their homes.  There really is quite a lot of perks to digital scrap booking.

Most of the elements in this design were freebies from a very talented member, called Trulytango, on the Daisytrail Forum.  I love the large heart embellishment she created and I managed to create the smaller heart with matching stitching myself.  I also added a pearl embellishment to each heart to add both add detail and ensure they blended together.

My latest page is intended for the challenges at...

•  Lasting Memories Scrapbook Layouts - Cherish
• Squiggles and Giggles - Go Dotty
• Cooking it up with Katie - Anything but a card.

ooooooooooops almost forgot to say to create this page I used a fabulous sketch I found at Bo Bunny.  There are some amazing designs on there - truly inspirational and also full of real depth which you don't really get with digital.  Love all the samples they have using Scor buddy - do check the work out it's amazing.

Have a fun Saturday night everyone.

Ann xxx

Be afraid...be very afraid...

Someone is teething - eeeeeeeek!  Check out Eli with his special Halloween bib that Auntie Laura bought him.

Again I've used Serif Craft Artist and the sketch from Stuck On You Sketches. 

I feel happier about my interpretation of the layout this time.  I think using the same (or virtually the same) photo three times was far easier as I didn't have to worry about part of the photo being covered plus I think it adds impact to the main photo.
I've even completed the facing page using a sketch from Sketchy Thursdays. 

I was so pleased to see this sketch as it meant I could focus on my favourite photo and really have it large on my page.

I'm still loving using Craft Artist to create pages, but will be using the real stuff as soon as I have a bit more time.  I do think the Craft Artist software is helping me to learn more about scrapping though as it's so easy to move things around and change colours etc.  It's really good fun.

My pages are also perfect for the challenges at...

• 365 cards - Smile (checked the rules and scrapping is allowed and what better smile than a baby's)
• Hooked on Crafts Challenges - Halloween
• Pollycraft - Anything Goes
• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

Have a great day all and thank so much for the lovely comments about Eli.  I think he is super cute too, but then I am a little bit biased.

Ann xxx

More Playing...

Here's the facing page to yesterday's quick (not that quick as once you start playing with digital crafting it's all too easy to while away the hours) page about Eli.

Again created using Craft Artist and the digi kits available at Daisy Trail.  Both pages are 12" by 12".  I use DS Colour Labs to get them printed as they do an amazing job.

I'm entering my latest page into the following challenges...

• CD Sunday - cats and using a CD to create your project
• Come and Get it Challenges - Anything Goes
• Dream Valley Challenges - Anything Goes

Got a whole day off tomorrow - can't wait, but meanwhile I better go and have a shower ready to set off to work.  Have a good start to the week everyone.

Ann xxx

Playtime...

oh so long since I did any scrap booking and I have so many photos of Eli and holidays to catch up on.  Eeeeeeeek need more hours in the day methinks!  After getting home from work today I decided to chill out and use a sketch from one of my favourite blogs, Stuck on You Sketches to do a page about Eli playing on his jungle play mat.  I'm using the term 'playing' very loosely here as it's more a case of grap an animal and gum it into submission, but hey it's all good fun.

My page was created using Serif Craft Artist - ideal for those times when you're just too tired to get the real papers and embellishments out.  No tidying up to do just a case of closing down the computer and off to bed - brilliant.

Goodnight all.

Ann xxx 

The Future is Mine...

Well I've had another go at the sketch at Sassy Sketches...

 

 

I was determined to use that cloud idea and seeing as Eli was with me over the weekend I had chance to take some photos.  Annoyingly some have not worked due to using a setting on the camera that sounded good, but in reality produced fuzzy pics.  Not to worry the ones I took on the normal setting have worked fine. 

My whole page was created using Serif Craft Artist.  That programme is so much fun.  I find myself playing for hours with all the different effects.  The page is 12" by 12" and I will be saving it until I have done a few and then I will send it to be developed at  DS Colour Labs who were recommended on the Daisytrail forum.  I had my first pages printed there last week and the results were fantastic. Great service too with packaging that meant that the prints couldn't possibly get damaged in the post.

My page is also for the challenges at...

•  Incy Wincy Designs - anything but a card

Here's the facing page that's hot of the press.  Same programme of course and I've used some elements from the first page to tie the two together.
Hope you like them.

Have a fabulous evening everyone.

Ann xxx