I create these wonderful books of all of the year's photos, and it instantly takes away the desperate **need** to scrapbook all of my photographs, and the guilt of feeling 'behind' on my scrapbooking and never being able to keep up with recording all of life's events as they happen. Do you know what I mean?
Many scrapbookers have that feeling, that you can take so many photos, how can you possibly get them down into a scrapbook album fast enough, and the truth of the matter is, you can't. But the great thing is, that I don't feel the 'need' to anymore!
Another very simple Diamond Wedding Anniversary card, with the same die-cut heart, an SU stamp sentiment layered onto a Stampin' Up oval and scalloped oval punched shape. Hopefully I'll be back with more once I've ticked some things off my to-do list! 
This was another of the personal cards - a 90th birthday for a gardening lover, so I used a digital free download (from Kate Hadfield I think it was - her link is on my blog).
I am an official convert to digital downloads - they are a life saver for last minute cards when you haven't got the materials you need at midnight and the shops are shut - voila, download a digi file! 
It was a friend's birthday recently and as we were heading over there to celebrate, I thought I'd make a personalised gift (or two!).
I used some See D's letter stamps to create a large label for the sweety jar, and combined it with some Blonde Moments patterned papers. I have so much patterned paper, I need to start using it up rather than fearing cutting into the ones I love the most incase I run out! I then covered the lid with some pre-printed spotty felt and tied it together with a pink ribbon. I took this idea from my creative friend Julie ;o)
I then also made some pretty chocolate cupcakes (using a piping bag to decorate), and finally got to try an idea I've been thinking of doing for ages. I purchased some *blank* cake boxes with the view to personalising each one for whatever occasion arose - and I love the outcome! I lined the box with pink tissue paper and carefully arranged the cupcakes in the box. 
I think cupcakes look so pretty when they have a choice of different toppings on them. 
And those were our birthday gifts for the day. I'm off to a crafting event today and am very excited!
I had a £25 voucher to spend in Artbase which i've had for ages, and I never quite seem to make it over. And since having a big craft clear out, I'm trying to get rid of my craft materials rather than accumulate, so it was a bad idea for me to visit Artbase! Look what happened...
However, I decided it was time to use the voucher as I needed to buy a few little pieces for the wedding invitations I am making. Much to my delight, I discovered a few of Paula's new stamps in there! I've loved looking at Paula's work using her new stamps, and it sounds like they might be in demand at the moment, so I was thrilled to be able to get some, especially as I could use voucher so I wasn't out of pocket. With so many lovely designs that Paula shows, I should be able to make some cards with these easily!
I was actually very good and bought a selection of card to add to my collection, some of Paula's stamps and some Papermania sparkly accessories. I nearly forgot what I went in for though, and had to go back in!
My other love is photography, and I think I've moved away from scrapbooking so much recently because I've started to create photobooks with my photos, which tell an entire story for me in one book, the same as scrapbooks do really. This is a recent photo from our holiday to Cornwall which I had printed onto a canvas, aren't the colours so vibrant? I can't wait to hang this somewhere.
There is much confusion over this stamp whenever I use it, some people thinking it's a flower pot, other's realising it's a present! I love this patterned paper and have wanted to use it for a long time, and also this 'A taste of India' ribbon. 
You can take inspiration for crafts from anywhere around you, if you look for it. Often when you don't look for it, it just pops up too. A few weeks ago we had a lovely week away in Cornwall, we chose the best week to go away in the UK as flights abroad were cancelled and we had simply stunning weather, gorgeous sunshine the whole week through.
We stayed in a fantastic apartment by the sea, in a bay which was the next along in St. Ives. If only you could guarantee such good weather, I'd holiday in the UK all the time. It was so beautiful.
St. Ives is famous for it's galleries and along with that, come some beautiful little craft and gift shops - just my kind of place! These photoographs do not do the handcrafted items justice, but I loved this shop. Full of beautifully decorated items, handcrafted, but of course the price tags were huge! It meant I did not buy anything, but the battle between what money you can afford so spend on a unique items vs how much time and energy it takes the creator continues. Make things for yourself - it's the only answer! (Unless you are lucky enough to have lots of money to spare of course).
I loved this wooden cabinet. Perhaps minus the seagulls on the top! We did have an episode (actually, two!) where we were attacked firstly for a cornish pasty, the seagull lost much to my amusement, then the second time for my ice cream - and as the seagull won, this was not nearly as funny!
Our apartment was gorgeous, with a lovely sea view. If you'd like the link for the accommodation, just let me know by comment on here or email. 
How pretty is St. Ives?
While we were enjoying a relaxing time at Center Parcs and I was teaching the girls a little cardmaking class, they were all confident enough to experiment with the stamps themselves after a little teaching, so I had some free time to make some cards myself.
I am making this design in silver for wedding invitations and as I discovered how simple these are to make while still looking elegant, I decided to have a go in all different colours and occasions.
They are made using Stampin' Up! word stamps and inks, plus the Stampin' Up! oval and scalloped oval punches. I've then added some Bazzill Bling card and some organza ribbon. Easy peasy! These could be adapted to pretty much any occasion and if you don't have a stamp to fit the shape, you can print your greetings onto paper from your computer - I'm doing exactly that for some graduation cards next...
One of these activities was a cardmaking session led by me, so I took the opportunity to use my Stampin' Up supplies and teach a card or two. They were all relatively new to cardmaking and were very excited by their creations by the end of the session. That's what we like to see!
Some were not even sure they could part with their creations, now that's dedication for you!
These are the finished articles which I have to say I was very impressed with, and think they are all lovely! I better not say which is my favourite as they might be checking my blog out later ;o)
We moved onto another activity of cupcake decorating which seems to be very fashionable at the moment. It was good fun and everyone had a turn at piping and decorating with pretty sprinkles and such like.
We managed to fit in a pampering session amongst all of this, as well as yummy food, a girly film and a few drinks so all in all, a very creative and fun weekend.
I played safe and only used some water with inks on the brown hair, otherwise using my new SU marker pens that I won (hoorah!) to colour the rest.
I've had a go at making some more cupcakes today, I went for coconut cherry flavours. Unfortunately the cakes completely flopped and didn't rise at all, no idea why as I followed the recipe, but I've iced and decorated a few on the off chance that they tasted ok... otherwise it's the bin for the rest! Off to have a cup of tea and a sampler right now...
I even managed to fit in making a few extra cards myself while the others were playing, so I'll share those another day. Very simple but classic designs to follow...
