pretty paper. true stories. {and scrapbooking classes with cupcakes.}

Not sure it can get much simpler than this starting point! 12×12 for the background, 4×12 for a border piece then add a mat behind that and use a border punch on one side, plus a length of ribbon along that punched border!

But now… where do you take it from here? Make something and let us see!

Back later – feeling better but now off for some birthday fun!

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This weekend, one commenter will win this ever so crafty set of chalkboard tags and pretty thank you card from Katespapergoods

Kate’s etsy store is full of stationery, greetings cards and pretty tags all of which she has hand painted. “My long time love for stationery and paper led me to open my little etsy shop. Although I studied Interior Design, I realized that I was also really passionate about painting and illustration. I enjoy all things paper and am happiest when I’m painting. I think hand-written notes are truly the best!”

You can read more about kate on her blog or follow her on twitter.

To enter, just leave a comment on this post describing the last thing you drew on a chalkboard!

Entries close at midnight Sunday UK time and the winner will be posted Monday evening, so be sure to check back to see if it’s your lucky day!

Good luck!

xlovesx

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I’m running a little behind on this week’s sketch between some deadlines and a bit of not being so well – so just wanted to post a little something until I can finish the video for this week! So how about a bit of double-page fun? I find it hard to believe there was a time when all of my layouts were double-pagers, but it’s really true! Then I transitioned to pretty much all singles for assignments and now I’m happy with a mix of both. This page is one 8×10 and two 4×6 photos, and some journaling about how I met The Boy in a record store and more specifically how he had a song stuck in his head on our first date but he didn’t know who sang it or what it was called and he actually had the words all wrong, but I still managed to identify it in a few notes and apparently this was a pretty good party trick!

I’ll be back with the sketch as soon as I can. In the mean time, there’s a little more time to submit your page for last week!

xlovesx

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Apparently I decided this album needed a little something. Or it was cold. So I stitched it a quilt from fabric paper. I’m sure that makes total and complete sense, right?

I love log cabin quilt designs because they are so quick and simple and just a little bit mathematical, getting the pieces lined up so it all looks at once random and orderly. Plus I keep meaning to use this slightly older stack of Dear Lizzy fabric paper, so this seemed like the answer. I cut all the fabric paper into two-inch strips then pieced it together on a sheet of kraft cardstock, and when the square was complete, I machine stitched it in that spiral-box until my eyes were crossed! The edges seemed too harsh on the album, so I cheated and added a bit of crocheted trim around the edges, then fancied up a tag for the title. It’s all stuck to the front of a 12×12 American Crafts album with copious amounts of double-sided tape.

I’m guessing the tag will eventually be worse for wear, but the quilt is flat so it should be fine, provided I don’t do something stupid like pour my coffee all over it. (You laugh, but I did that to myself today so it seems entirely possible.)

There’s a quilter’s step-by-step for the log cabin design here, if you fancy giving it a go!

I hope you’re having a lovely week so far. What is everyone working on?

xlovesx

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Congratulations to Cindy K, who wins the Digital angel stamps from Little Musings.

Cindy, please email me (shimelle at gmail dot com) to claim your prize.

There’s a new giveaway every Friday night, so check back next week for another chance to win just by leaving a comment.

Have a great week!

xlovesx

From this starting point to this final page. I stayed with even more from Nightfall (including those blackboard label stickers that are just beyond cool) and added a bit more of the blue paint. It’s Speckled Egg, which is one of the new colours in the Jenni Bowlin collection of paints and inks for Ranger. (It hasn’t arrived at Two Peas yet but I would think it would be there soon.)

I’m not sure why this photo really said autumn to me since it was taken indoors, but it was an autumn day and we’re wearing what is very much our autumn uniform, so perhaps that is it. I’m not sure if you can make it out from the photo so small, but this silly self-portrait is in a hall of mirrors so it’s a bit like we’re on repeat ad infinitum! A big group of school kids had just stepped out and for about thirty seconds we were the only people in the mirror so we grabbed a shot quickly before the next group came in the door.

_{Top row, L to R: one, two and three. Bottom row, L to R: four, five and six. Click the corresponding link to see the page in more detail.}

Thirty-five pages posted so far for last week’s starting point and they are all so very different! Anywhere from one to four photographs, some have lots of writing and others just a little. These six are just a few of my favourites. See all the pages here.

Find more Scrapbook Starting Points here or follow the board on Pinterest here.

Happy scrapping!
xlovesx

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Happy Saturday! Here’s a new starting point for a scrapbook page. I threw in a layer of paint this week, but obviously you can leave that out if you prefer. But if you have plenty of paint and you’re not using it, consider this a kick to give it a try!

This week I’ve started my page with the Nightfall collection and I’m thinking of something autumnal, despite the sudden burst of summer weather we’ve had in London this week. (Definitely not complaining – it has been lovely to leave my jacket on the coat rack for a few more days!) What colours and themes are speaking you you lately?

You can definitely put your scraps to use, and perhaps show off one full sheet of patterned paper you particularly like. If you like to follow measurements, this starting point uses papers cut to 11.5×11.5, 2.5×9.5, 3×5, .5×8.5, .25×3 (all in inches). Or you can estimate and use what seems to work.

I’m curious to see if you add lots of photos to the empty space of focus on one or two photos right in the middle of the page. If you create a page this week, please link it up below and share it with everyone!

Tomorrow I’ll be back with my finished page from this Starting Point plus some favourites from last week’s challenge. There is still time today to add your layout there.

Have a beautiful weekend! Oh, and don’t miss this weekend’s giveaway either!

_{Scrapbook Starting Points is a weekly challenge. Click here for more Starting Points inspiration.}

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This weekend, one commenter will win a set of Digital Angel Stamps from Little Musings. These printable delights are just right for Journal your Christmas and could make beautiful page numbers for your December album. Little Musings angels recently graced the cover of Simply Cards & Papercrafts magazine.

Little Musings is the adorable online store from the lovely SJ Dowsett, selling both clear and digital stamps. SJ offers snippets of life and scrapping on her blog. SJ also creates hand-drawn logos and branding for crafters and other small businesses looking for a unique look. (Plus she is extra superduper cool for drawing this portrait of me which I think is quite magical!)

These angel stamps are perfect for Chrstmas cards, so to enter, just leave a comment on this post telling us who is first on your Christmas card list this year.

Entries close at midnight Sunday UK time and the winner will be posted Monday evening, so be sure to check back to see if it’s your lucky day!

Good luck!

xlovesx

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