The Scrappiest Sketch Challenge

Late as usual, I've just finished a layout using the sketch from The Scrappiest challenge blog.

Karen sent me some photos this week of her at work in the HD Studio at University, so I've based this page around a couple of them. I've used Prima flowers, scraps of card, and  punches to make embellishments. Also, I got out a variety of stamps I haven't used for ages and stamped on vellum tags and the offcuts of card. I think it's a good exercise to revisit old stash, otherwise I forget what I have... and dare I say it in present company...... it's a waste of money not to use what I already have rather than buy more. There! I said it!

Finally, I doodled around the edges of the page. Funny how I'm starting to add doodling to many craft projects these days. It's another layout out of my comfort zone, but I enjoyed the challenge.
Speaking of using old stash in new ways (as I'm sure you've not forgotten I was just doing) I've spotted a new class on Shimelle's Blog that might be worth a look as it aims to help everyone do just that!

Outside My Comfort Zone

It's funny sometimes that you're stuck for an idea, then inspiration hits you from an unexpected place!

I've been thinking about doing a layout called 'crafting too much', and sort of had the journaling I wanted to say ready.. but I didn't have a photo to use on the page and was therefore stuck about where to start.

Enter the T-shirt I'm wearing today. I like the applique flower detail (which is why I bought it in the first place) and I suddenly realised that the flowers are cut from a piece of striped material, very similar to a sheet of paper I have in my stash from Hot Off The Press .

Now I knew I wanted to use striped flowers on my page, and I just had to use up a sheet of white cardstock (from my American Crafts box of 60!) and I'm in a blue and brown phase at the moment. Things were starting to come together. I chose some bird stamps from Graphicus and a small flower from The Stamp Man and got to work.

Here is the resulting scrapbook page. I agonised over whether or not to put it up here for the reasons below, and I'm not sure the journaling is clear in the photo. Click on the image to make it larger.

This layout is way outside of my comfort zone!  It is actually a First!

I have never put together a page without a photo. I have never used white for the main page. I dislike my own handwriting, featuring it as little as possible, and this is the most handwritten journaling I have ever done. I just don't 'do' doodling on pages (too modern). I rarely stamp onto patterned paper..... I could go on about how difficult this layout was for me to make. But I won't.

I'll put it down to experience and file it in my 'Things We Do' scrapbook.

I hope you noticed that all the branches on the tree are not full. 

Obviously, I'm still not crafting enough!