Only one more sleep

Today I'm very excited, Deb and I are going to the Artsycrafts weekend that Lin from LB Crafts and Leandra from Paperartsy organize. After a late thought, Deb and I we are now going for two nights, a whole weekend of crafting. We are still completely in the dark over what our project are going to be, and that just adds to the excitement.

Earlier this week I met up with Deb and Lib and had a lazy day (not crafting) and a lovely lunch cooked by Deb. In the afternoon I raided Debs craft room to create the anniversary card for my parents. I have taken a photo and will add it later today.

I included an antique ruby red chandelier luster I had recently bought as we couldn't afford a real ruby!

After the weekend I'll post the projects that we complete at Artsycrafts. I'm little nervous I'm a newbie to altered art, hope they are gentle with us!

Thanks for popping by

hugs

Rach x

Its been a while

I know its been a while, I've been so busy with work. We have also had the drive done which has taken up several days.
On the crafting side of things I have done a little, since my last post I've been to our regular Saturday crop at Bromsgrove. Deb did a class using a lovely new paper collection from Stampin up. Deb has persuaded us to do a free mini book class from Crafty Templates, now, me and mini books don't normally mix as I never finish them, but this one I'm determined to finish. So far I have really enjoyed it. I needed 7 fave photos, the only subject I have 7 photos of is my cat so that's what it had to be. I have been planning on a red and black layout for years and never got around to it so I've used all the bits I bought for that in the mini book. The class was amazing even though I did it well behind time and haven't finished it yet. But I will find/make the time.
We made paperclip embellishments they are so addictive I can see me using them to adorn photos on layouts.

Did you spot the crepe rose, its the first one I've made, It's not perfect but i think I shall be making more of these too.

I have my parents Ruby wedding anniversary card to make this weekend so I'll share that soon.

Thanks for popping by

Hugs Rach x

The Shabby Tea Room - Pearls and Pastels

As part of winning week 24 at The Shabby Tea Room I was asked to be guest designer!

This weeks challenge is Pearls and Pastels inspired by this gorgeous photo

I created a card, it's probably a bit more shabby than Pastel. I'm excited to see what everyone creates so why not join in the fun at the Tea Room.

Thanks for looking

Rach x

Been a busy bee

I've been a busy bee this week. This week I ordered some new Tim Holtz bits just the Facets and the pearl bits that I liked. I also ordered a few different pieces for altered projects. I bought some torso's and angels wings and when the arrived on Friday I was straight in my craft room to pretty up the torso. I used Claudine's Multi Matte medium to glue small pieces of MME paper and text paper onto the torso. I added ink, rub ons and ribbons. I added one of Tim's new pearl things and an old key I bought. I've called it ' Key to my heart'

At 6.30 on Saturday morning with a hangover following too much homemade wine I decided I wanted to go to Alexandra Palace to the Big stamp and scrapbook show. Wayne very kindly took me and we had a great day. I had spent out with in two hours so came away and I sat outside and had a lovely picnic with Wayne. I really enjoyed the show and got some lovely bits.

I have been looking at the new Crate Paper Restoration for weeks, it was there at the show and it was so beautiful in real life so I had to have it, that and some Bingo counters and Maya Buttons are my favourite purchases.

Next week I'm guest designer for the The Shabby Tea Room so pop over and have a look at what I've created for their latest challenge.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs
Rach

Time to get Creative

Last Thursday was our Bromsgrove crop, it was a busy one which involved Lib getting two huge cakes one Carrot and one Victoria Sponge. It was worth going for a slice of cake. After a big sugar rush and a gossip I created this page using Prima Paintables. I really enjoyed it it was lke being a kid again doing colouring, I water coloured with Holtzy Distress inks and Deb kindly lent me her Promarkers. Its another one of those pages I didn't want to be stingy with the flowers. I've just got to shoe horn it into an album now!

Also last week I got my Tim Holtz Rosette Die, I've had a stinking cold the past 4 days so I haven't had time to play but I had to cut one out to see what I thought. I love it.

I've added a scallop circle under and a button on the top.

As part of my prize for winning at The Shabby Tea Room I've been asked to be a guest designer at The Shabby Tea Room, so I must get creative this week.

That's all for now.

Hugs

Rae

Thanks Paperartsy and LB Crafts

Well unless you've been underground for a week you should have heard that Tim Holtz is coming to the UK next year to teach a class. This is amazing so a big thank you to Paperartsy and LB Crafts for arranging this once in a lifetime class. Tim will be teaching for 4 hours followed by two hours of class by the talented Leandra and Lin. It was a little stressful getting the tickets with highs, lows, tears and squeals (The squeels were Deb) I just can't wait.

At one point it looked like we weren't getting any tickets so I booked myself and Deb onto one of Lins LB Crafts classes in November, and now I'm doing both that and Tim Holtz! I'm really looking forward to that one as it's using UTEE which I've never used before.

I don't have much to report on the crafting front really, busy back at work. I've got a few cards to make so I will share those with you soon.

I've got my Bromsgrove crop tomorrow night come and join us if your local, I'm planning on doing a Prima Paintables page.

Thank you for all of the lovely messages and comments I received following my last post. I really do have the best friends ever.

Hugs
Rach

Can a girl ever have too much Prima?

Surely the answer has to be no. Last week the new Prima ideas book arrived and what an inspiration it is. How do they create such beautiful layouts with so many flowers. Its just OTT gorgeous. So today i decided to stop being stingy with the flowers i have and use some rather than admiring them in their yummy packaging. Here is my creation, i love the combination of pink and pale teal blue. I've used so many manufacturers on this one, including, Prima, K and co, Making Memories, Girls Paperie, Collection Elements, Pink Paisley and Tattered Angels. Sorry about the bad light in the photos.

There is something I was unsure whether to share on the web but what happen to us this year has defined who I am. Tragically we lost our baby boy in April and this has made me realise how important it is to enjoy what we have, never take anything for granted and live for the moment. It also reinforces my belief in capturing memories and preserving them in scrapbooking, Since we lost our little boy in April I've taken a special liking of a beautiful rose in the garden just outside our patio. I call it Bailey's rose and when the weather was better I took some photos. I've created this layout using the close up photo.

Ive started an album for Bailey but the journaling and photos are too personal to share except this one that Ive called 'Waiting for you' it is the only photo i have on myself pregnant.

We were meant to have so many memories to share and scrap but it wasn't meant to be, so make sure you capture every moment and scrap it.


Take care x

So Much To Share ( beware a long post!)

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post. Last Saturday was  our mini cropaganzer at Bromsgrove, Lib organized a fab day with Morag Cutts teaching us three classes. It was undoubtedly the best crop ever, I really enjoyed myself, the classes were fab and Skrapz came so I did a little bit of retail therapy. I'm in love with the new Tattered Angels Chalkboard Glimmer mists. Thanks to Lib and Morag for all your effort in organizing the day. Here are the layouts that Morag did with us ...

At the moment I seem to be doing quiet monochromatic layouts, here is a layout of Grey and Black. The photo is of my Bengal cat Monty, what a little poser! I've had a new second hand bridge camera off my friend Deb so Monty was much obliging when I was playing with the settings. I made the rose from metal sheet and embossed it and sanded away the top layer.

Here is another layout called 'window to my soul' I completed at our crop using beige and black, The photo again is another tester for the new camera. I just love the Tim Holtz tissue tape.

As part of winning week 24 at the The Shabby Tea Room I get to be a guest designer for week 29, how cool is that? So be sure to keep an eye out. Last week was just hetic with new windows , going back to work and the cropaganza so I missed entered the Shabby Tea Room challenge, It was to produce a layout with old and new, So I used my new My Minds Eye papers and teamed it with old buckles and buttons I had recently bought. Do you think it looks a little too grungy?

 
Well I'm back at work and to say it feels like I've never been away is an understatement, I'm enjoying it more this week but it's like taking the clock back 18 months as if nothing had happened in between. I am hoping this is a turning point for Wayne and I and things will look more positive now.
 
Best dash, I've just got a spare half hour to look through the new Prima ideas book. Its gorgeous.
 
Thanks for popping by

Just a quick one

Its just a quick one today as I've been out shopping with Deb, she has bought some delicious stuff for her craft room. Boy can she shop. I've just got back and I thought I'd let you know that there are still spaces left for the Bromsgrove crop on Saturday. Its our special crop where Morag will be teaching three lovely classes. The sneaks are on her blog, they all look fab, if you fancy joining us please contact Libby to book a space.
Deb has finally been convinced into coming to the Artsycraft event at Warrington at the end of October, so that's great news. Catch up more soon.

A big thank you

I can't believe I'm this weeks winner of The Shabby Tea Rooms challenge called 'a little bit of metal'. A big thank you for making me winner and a thank you for all of your lovely comments, they are really appreciated. I've won three digi images from some odd girl, so a big thank you to Kirsty. I'll definitely be popping over to the Tea room this week to have a go at their latest challenge called Old meets new.

Its Bank Holiday here and finally the weather has improved, the sun is shinning and it's almost ice cream weather. The house has been a mess this week as we've had new windows fitted so I had to tidy my craft room and thought it would be an ideal time to take a picture, so here is my space.

Its small and needs a lick of paint but it does the trick.

This week I've been to a local antique centre in Bridgnorth and bought some small trinkets to fill my newly acquired printers tray. I just need to get it all decorated pretty.

One thing I knew I needed from CHA 2010 is the new MME ranges and that's Lisa's fault, check out her blog here, Lisa's blog. She posted sneaks of them a couple of months ago so I was pleased when I could place this order:

I love the stamps and the papers are beautifully glittered.

I'm returning to work this week after a difficult time off, I'm sure as soon as I get back there I'll want to be back in the craft room. I'll show you what I create with this pile of goodies from MME soon.

Once again thank you for your lovely comments.

 Rae x

A little bit of metal

In the past week I've completed two projects using metal sheet. I am loving the colours of aluminium sheet from Ten second studio. During a trip to LB crafts in Olney I picked up this very cute bird house, I just had to have it, and I knew Deb would need one too. Once finished I thought this is ideal for The shabby Tea Room challenge number 24 which is called 'a little bit of metal' which requires you to use metal on a layout or project. So here it is;

I have used a sheet of paper by Webster's to cover the wooden box. I put the metal sheets through my die cut machine using a bingo card embossing folder and sanded the top of the metal so the higher parts of the image were revealed by removing the colour. I finished the house off with a metal bird I picked up from a gift shop in Stratford and added some pearls and paper flowers. Is just so cute I just need to find somewhere to keep it.

The second project I have completed is a metal dress makers dummy, using a new mould from Ten second Studios I created the dressmakers dummy in aluminium metal sheet, I aged it slightly by adding and removing some black acyclic paint. The angel wings are by Collection elements, I've covered some in Tim Holtz tissue tape and some are painted and stamped with Tim Holtz stamps. Its fitted on to some Prima Flights of Fancy paper and then into its frame.

Finally the weather is improving here and the sun is out it almost feels like spring

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your day.

After much pressure

After much pressure I've finally given in and made a blog of my own. Welcome to Creative Hope. My name is Rachael, I've been scrapping for nearly five years after a friend introduced me to it. Since then I've been hooked on producing 12x12 layouts and altered art projects. Oh and buying stash!

I attend a crop at Bromsgrove twice a month so if your local and feel like coming please get in touch, we are a friendly group who generally eat more cake and chat more than we create.

I have a small room in my house which is filled with beautiful stash. I'm sure their will be some room in there for some new CHA releases. I would say I have two styles I like following, vintage/shabby and grunge/retro.

My favourite manufactures are My minds eye, Prima and who could forget Tim Holtz. I neeeeeed everything Holtzy including those new configurations that I'm eagerly awaiting.

I've recently started using some metal on my projects after a trip down to LB Crafts in Olney. Its a lovely shop filled with great samples and great manufacturer's in a picturesque little town. Its my favourite place to go for stash. I've booked my self onto the Artsycraft retreat in October so Lin Brown and Leandra from Paperartsy can show me how they work their magic. I can't wait to see what they have in store.

Thanks for popping by.