I'm Back... Back Again... Again!

So... Hello!
(waving frantically)
Hello?
(taps the screen - knock knock knock!) Anyone out there?
(sigh!)
Probably not.
It's been about a year since I pounded at the keys and flung words at this page. I'm so, so sorry. I really don't know what happened. Where has the year gone??? For anyone still around...

Hello Scribblers!

I've missed you! I know, I know. I've said all this before. If we were in a relationship, you would have broken up with me already. I deserve it. But here I am, back again, saying I'm going to try better, and I will. (Even though I haven't even brought flowers!)

My aim is to get my blogging game together, and post various wonderments and thoughts upon this here space. I hope you'll have enough faith to stick around and give it a go, and if I prove my blogger badge again, you'll let your buddies know too.

If you want to see what I dabbled at in the past year, you might want to take a long look on Instagram and Twitter to see my past postings there - @TheCraftyScribe (original, ain't I? 😜) ((I also tried Snapchat, but I'm not keen. I've posted a couple of Instagram Stories. Still unsure. What do you think? Is it worth it?))

As well as photos of 42 (see intro on photo), on Instagram, I often write mini-reviews of 'stuff', but I think most people skip over the verbals to lay their orbital seeing vessels on the filtered-to-the-hilters pics. So I'd like to expand those reviews, plonk 'em here to tell you what I really, really think.

Plus there's other reviewing thoughts which often don't have a pretty still life to post on the Instas, such as thoughts on websites, stores, courses, history, clouds* and all forms of writing, which would fit perfectly within the lovely lines for posting right here.

I'm sure that many of you will be entering your mind palaces and bringing out great literary - as yet undiscovered - works of art for NaNoWriMo - the fabulous (Inter)National Novel Writing Month, and creating your first drafts of 50,000 words in 30 days. I'm sorta, maybe, ya'know, considering, thinking about, taking part again this year. Although, as of yet, I'm totally unprepared, and haven't even thought of what to do. It would be 100% flying-by-the-seat-of-my-knickers! If I do, I want you to keep me honest, and I'll write a daily progress and pre-November planning (if there is any) article here. If that's something you'd like to read about, please let me know.

Talking of planning, I'm also going to write a little about various planning techniques I've used in the past, and how I'm tackling it all now, along with favourite products and stationery. Think about it as more, 'How I Do It' rather that teaching you how to do it. Maybe, you might see a tip or one, but I think there's some great organisational peeps out there (including YOU! Yes, You. I can see you. 👁👁) that it might be a case of teaching granny to suck eggs 👵🏻😙🐣 or planneraddicts to stick stickers, might be a better phrase here!

I'll bring out some of my old journals and scrapbooks, along with showing you my present style, but I think much of the last paragraph applies here, too. Same goes for photography.

I'd like to get a little more personal with you, if that clicks your pen top. I'll show you stuff I normally post on Instagram (cats, travel, handbags and accessories, fashion and beauty) but in more detail, along with other aspects of my life that I don't show on Instagram. Such as my home including my favourite place to sit and write, recent home renovations, where I do my make-up, my wardrobe and study. Then there's mindfulness and spirituality, favourite television, movies, theatre and music. I'll delve even deeper and explain to you some of the more difficult life experiences I've been through, and the health issue I deal with every day.

If I can sort it out, I'd like to post a couple of quizzes to answer some questions about the look of my site, and also the frequency of posts you'd like. I'll shout out on Twitter and Instagram, once I've created them.

So what do you think? Does it sound like your mug of Rosie Lee**?

If so, please meet me back here... and also, let me know what you'd like me to write about. I love getting your feedback. Looking forward to seeing this blog active again, and in the words of Oscar Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest' -

"This suspense is terrible. I hope it will last!"

Happy Scribing!

(and I've remembered the flowers!)

* I don't necessarily have much to review about clouds, except I love all the different types - except the heavy grey one which covers the sky and causes rain, I don't like that one.
I also love to play the game where you find different shapes of faces, animals and objects in the white fluffy clouds. Next time you get the chance go out side, lie down and look for the shapes. Take a photo and post it to Instagram with #TheCraftyScribeClouds and link me in. If you do, I promise to follow you on your social media (if, you want me to! 😉)

**Rosie Lee - TEA! ☕️ (That's London Cockney Rhyming Slang, that is! 😃👍)

I'm back... again!

Dear Scribblers

I'm hanging my head in shame, and putting out my wrists to slap. It's been a long, long time, since I wrote on this site, but I assure you. I've still been around. 

I have sort of defected to Instagram! Yes, I know it's a site for photos, but I've been using it more than than. I've also been putting up mini-blog posts on journalling, scrapbooking, creativity, beauty, fashion, sci-fi and lifestyle. The whole 42! 

You can find me on Instagram as: @TheCraftyScribe 

I think I found it easier to show a larger proportion of my personality there, than I had here. However, if you would indulge me, I'd like to continue as I have done on Instagram, but take some of those posts and expand on them here, for any of those who'd like to know more. 

I'm still TheCraftyScribe, and I hope you are still my scribblers, as most of the posts will still be on writing, journalling and general musings, but with a little extra content sprinkled in. 

Talking of Instagram, my next post will be all about a company I've featured a lot there. 

I hope you'll join me on this new adventure together. 

Happy Scribing!

Popular Pens for Particular Purpose - 4 of 4 Useful Others, Fond Memories, Colour and Beyond!

Dear Scribblers

Welcome to the last day of Popular Pens for Particular Purpose (Plus Personal, Peculiar and Playful Picks ) focusing on my favourite pens and their uses.

1. My Old Favourites and Regularly Used

2. My Smythson Pens

3. Hidden in my Pencil Case - the Expected and Digital Unexpected

4. Useful Others, Fond Memories, Colour and Beyond!

Other pens I reach for are my coloured gel pens and felt tip style.

The ones shown here are: Crayola Super Fine Pro writing pens in blue, green and red, and Crayola Pro 0.7 liquid ink rollers in red and blue. Along with Bic Z4 0.7 gel pens in blue and purple. These are the ones I tend to reach for to add definition to a note, list or diary entry in my Filofax or journal, or to add detail or write on a card, scrapbook or smashbook page. I most often write in black, and add detail in colour. The pens are lying on a fabulous find from Asda. A cream lined page notebook and slotted concertina file in this great vintage seaside print. Details on the back say they are made by www.dggl-products.com A stylish bargain (less than £3 each) from a supermarket! 

Here's another new notebook: 

This time from one of my favourite stores already mentioned in this post - TK Maxx. On the front it reads: Passport - New York City, and my goodness, it really feels like an old passport! Same size, weight and even the cover has that rippled strong texture to it. If you ever owned a British passport before they changed them to the EU burgundy sort, you'll know exactly what I mean! This is so cute! The pages are a pale pink and lightly printed with the Statue of Liberty, and the first two pages are printed like a real passport for you to add a photo and your details. All for £3! It's a great journal, especially for travelling. We have a number of trips organised, and already been on, this year, but I've already started a book for that (which I'll post here, if you would like to see it.) However, we may also be going to New York at the end of the year - fingers crossed - if we do, this will be perfect! If not, I'll keep it for our journeys next year. 

So back to our main topic, the all-important pens on top! These are the personal, peculiar and playful picks, I mentioned, in the title. Sometimes a pen comes your way that writes so well and it's free - well, sort of. It often has a room attached! I've found some great pens on our travels in hotel rooms. The ones lying around the notebook cover all came from hotels, and they all write really well. Not all freebie pens are good quality, but these are, and I gladly use them as every day pens that lie in apt places around the house, car or handbags. I never look a gift pen in the nib, but they are always worth a click and scribble to find out. One of my best flowing ball points came from a hotel and I use it to write every thing from lists to story first drafts. It's the one lying on the book, now I just need an excuse, plus a humongous pile of pennies to get back to Hawaii! 

The top picture of the two smaller photos shows those writing instruments which have meaning to me, and even though they are cheap and cheerful, I'll never throw them away. The two smiley pens were free from a company stand at the first screenwriting convention I went to in Los Angeles, and the camera pen was bought, on the same trip, from a shop opposite the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood Boulevard (where the Oscars are held.) The dragon pencil is Figment from the Journey into Imagination ride at Epcot, Florida - bought over 18 years ago. There's another pen in the main title above which is another cute choice - 'I Love Amsterdam' with a plastic red heart dangle bought from Schiphol airport. Very silly, but we were there for my hubby's birthday and it was a brilliant time. When I see this fun pen, I'll remember the fab times we had. 

The lower picture shows my other loves - Sci-fi and fantasy! There's a Doctor Who pen I received free with a magazine a number of years ago, along with my ninth doctor Sonic screwdriver, as well as being a working pen, it makes all the right noises and lights up blue - which when you use the UV tip to write secret messages - the light allows you to read them. It's magic! 

Talking of magic, in the main picture, you'll also see a little white owl by the name of Hedwig! It's my Harry Potter pen. Hedwig covers the nib, and when you write he sits on the other end watching as you scribe your Owl Post letters. There's also a switch which turns the nib into a torch so you can continue to write in the dark! Lumos! 

I found another light up pen, my red glowing Star Trek: The Next Generation pen bought at the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton, Las Vegas. Unfortunately the attraction containing memorabilia museum, behind the scenes sets, Klingon and Borg simulation rides and Quarks bar no longer exists, but I have my pen! (Although there is Star Trek: The Experience. More can be found here:  or via this OS app: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/star-trek-the-exhibition/id663233661?mt=8

I may be grown up, but it doesn't mean I'm a Grown-Up! ;-)

I have further pens and pencils in my collection which are important and I use regularly in crafting, such as: charcoal drawing pencils, a variety of Sakura gelly roll pens, Whispers Strokes and Permanents coloured double ended felt tips, and various coloured drawing and watercolour pencils. 

I'm sure many crafters and writers have a love of pens, and have their favourites. I've shown you some of mine here, and I'd love to hear about yours. Please leave your comments below, especially if you have any recommendations. 

I've been writing in black for such a long while I've been thinking of choosing a different colour. Does anyone have a signature colour in which they write. It would be great to see if we can make a rainbow of writers. I wonder what colour I'll chose? Mmmmm... can you buy ink cartridges the colour of Chanel Vamp nail polish? That's the shade of deoxygenated blood, apparently!

I hope you've enjoyed this delve into my pencil case and more. I have other cases, along with other pens, this was a tickle along my favourites. Once I've reorganised my Filofax and Chanel case, I'll post the changes. 

So what's next? Maybe a review of my recent writing course, along with an in depth look at my latest technology and the accessories I use with them. I'll always post a picture on Instagram, and a Twitter comment, letting you know when there's new content. 

If there is anything you'd like to see, please let me know. 

Happy Scribing!

Important Notes

1. Please note that I am not connected to any company mentioned in this post. I do not receive any products, funding or gifting from these businesses. All products shown have been bought by me, or gifts from family or friends. I mention the items because I like them or have my own private opinion about them. It's just little old me talking about ma stuff! ;-)

2. If you would like to see more of anything in this series, please write a comment below, or 'like' and leave a comment by my 'Popular Pens' Instagram photo, letting me know what you would like me to post photos and write about. 

3. If you like what you read, don't forget to bookmark this site, and please share it with your friends. 

4. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram - @TheCraftyScribe which I update regularly with all things crafty, scribbling, beauty, fashion, the cats, sci-fi, fantasy, and the ephemera of 42*................... *42 = Life, The Universe and Everything!

Notable Notebooks Part 5 of 5 - Used, Loved, Never to be Thrown away. A dip into an old journal.

Dear Scribblers

It's the last day of the series, 'Notable Notebooks' (Five of Five): Welcome!

 These are the previous posts, along with today:

1: My Ultimate Quality Favourites 

2: The Organiser

3: My Newest Arrivals

4: When a Notebook isn't a Notebook

5: Used, Loved, Never to be Thrown away

Please read the important note at the bottom of the page. 

All the other books I've shown you are either in use, as we speak, or waiting for the pen to caress their pages. On this last day, I wanted to include something special to me. It's the first notebook I used as an adult returning to writing and creative endeavours. 

I began writing in it about twelve years ago, and it took me a couple of years to fill. It's just a standard hard cover journal. It originally had a lockable flat clasp (I love books with locks, must be my secret Scorpio nature!) but I've reused the fastening on another book, (make do and mend!) However the book is still dear to me. It's full of ideas, and poems, scrapbook layout designs, doodles by the dozen, dream descriptions and the odd thought process, although it's not a journal or diary, it's much more free flowing than that, and I wonder if it's because its pages are unlined, which gave me unrestricted access from mind to page. 

There's drawings of a silly idea for a witch's cat cartoon, there's stirrings of story ideas, some I've used, some still available to me. Ideas for non-fiction books, along with lists of book titles. There's even the first rough sketch of what would eventually be my tattoo! 

However, my favourite note in there is a list I made of what I want to achieve/do/enjoy in my life. Some of them were, what I considered to be, pipe dreams. I'm overwhelmed when I now read it to see the number of things ticked off, including: living by the sea, owning a classic 2.55 Chanel handbag, travelling to Hawaii, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, having a long and happy marriage, meeting Joss Whedon, and putting my hands in the prints of Marilyn Monroe's, and the feet of Gene Kelly's prints at Grauman's (Mann's/TCL) Chinese Theatre, LA.  There's other things I've achieved, and many more that I still want to do, plus new ideas I want to add. Time to write a new list! 

As you fill up your notebooks, remember to dip back onto your old favourites. Never throw them away as you never know what gem you might find. My sunny first book lives on a shelf by my desk, along with a few of my other filled favourites, ready to delve into and give a sprinkle of pre-made inspiration when the blank bland brain needs some seasoning to get things stirring. 

I hope you've enjoyed this series of 'Notable Notebooks.' As an extra post, I will soon blog about the pens I use to write in these books. It may surprise you, as I have a digital pen to tell you all about. 

To finish, here's a nostalgic blog moment, here's something I used to add to the end of my posts...

Project of the Day!

Take your present ideas notebook, or grab yourself a brand new book, but it must be handwritten, and you must be able to retrieve what you've written in the future. 

On your next/first page, write the heading, "My Wish List: 100 Things I Want Achieve in My Life."

And get writing. 100 different goals, from the small and easily achievable, to those things you consider to be beyond your dreams. Just let it flow! Don't censor yourself. If it comes to mind. Write it down. I've even got "travel into space" on mine. Go for it. Continue until you have all 100. Then turn the page, and get on with writing, creating, living your life. Let the list go. Then see what happens. You never know until you try! :-)

Happy Scribing!

Important Notes

1. Please note that I am not connected to any company mentioned in this post. I do not receive any products, funding or gifting from these businesses. All products shown have been bought by me, or gifts from family or friends. I mention the items because I like them or have my own private opinion about them. It's just little old me talking about ma stuff! ;-)

2. If you would like to see more of anything in this series including more of my filled journals, or even the story behind my tattoo, please write a comment below, or 'like' and leave a comment by my Notable Notebooks Instagram photo, letting me know what you would like me to post photos and write about. 

3. If you like what you read, don't forget to bookmark this site, and please share it with your friends. 

4. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram - @TheCraftyScribe which I update regularly with all things crafty, scribbling, beauty, fashion, the cats, sci-fi, fantasy, and the ephemera of 42*................... *42 = Life, The Universe and Everything!

Notable Notebooks Part 4 of 5 - When a Notebook isn't a Notebook (Brought to you by The Rosetta Stone, and guest appearance by Crystal Skull!)

Dear Scribblers

Welcome to the penultimate day of 'Notable Notebooks' (Four of Five):

A five day series:

1: My Ultimate Quality Favourites 

2: The Organiser

3: My Newest Arrivals

4: When a Notebook isn't a Notebook

5: Used, Loved, Never to be Thrown away

Please read the important note at the bottom of the page. 

The next two are slightly different from the normal notebooks that I've discussed in parts one to three. Please take a look if you haven't read them yet. 

Whenever I go to museums, art galleries, stately homes and such like, I always like to pick a useful souvenir, and as you probably worked out, that's usually a notebook and pen. Last year, we went to the Pompeii and Herculaneum exhibition at the British Museum, which was fantastic. Afterwards, as I perused the many gift kiosks, I was overwhelmed by the pen selection, but there wasn't a single notebook in celebration of the exhibition. I was so disappointed. So I hunted further, I found a few standard books from the 'Paperblanks' company, but I could buy those anywhere. I wanted something connected to the museum. At last, I found this - http://www.britishmuseumshoponline.org/invt/cmcs38200/?ref=searchzone

The Rosetta Stone plain paper notebook. It has a press-stud fastening on the smooth well-made material-wrapped cover with the stone's script printed all over the front and back. The bonus feature of this book is that once the pages are full, the bound sheets can slip out of the cover and be replaced. I may find a lined pad to use inside, although as you'll see tomorrow, I sometimes enjoy the freedom of a blank page!

Whenever we go to the British Museum, I have to wander the Ancient Egyptian room to soak in the atmosphere and energy, and spend a few minutes in front of a certain display, as I love the history of language and the Rosetta Stone. If you've never heard of it, I urge you to Go-Go-Google it, after you've finished here of, of course! (There's also a must need to go visit the Crystal Skull... but that's another story!)

Side note 1: I wish the British Museum offered more notebooks, for an academic institute, you would think it was a 'no-brainer!' Do they think people no longer write? Good job someone wrote in three languages, otherwise the Rosetta Stone would not exist!

Side note 2: Whatever happened to stickers? Up until a few years back, whenever you went into a museum/gallery (etc) gift shop, you would be able to buy a sticker with the name/logo of the place. Sometimes they would say things like "I've been to ___ insert place name here____" Great for scrapbooking! Nowadays - nothing! I even ask, only to have shop assistant blank faces staring back at me. Does anyone else miss these? Just a meandering thought!

The other book isn't really a book. It's a file of to-do list sheets and post-it notes, which was picked up at a bargain price from the forever-giving TK Maxx. I love the home section, and the handbags, and the skincare, and the...

Off the ramble, back on the topic. I love the quotes and the very crafting on-trend look. It's designed by a US company called Pela Studio for http://www.tricoastaldesign.com/ 

I never realised how incredibly useful this was going to turn out to be. I keep it with me, adding to-dos as I go, crossing stuff off as completed. Then adding the still-to-do sheets to my Filofax. The smallest post-its are used to add notes to my diary section, as needed. To be honest, I've been using this more than my Filofax inserted pages. I almost feel that this, along with my diary, would be enough, but I do need more space for expanding writing ideas. This is where the lined pages in the organiser works, or you could just use a separate notebook for that. As I said, I'm changing my own process as I go along. You've got to keep it easy and quick, otherwise you spend all your time organising rather on the job at hand. At the moment, this book does that for most tasks, and it's lasting ages too. I haven't run out of any section yet. (Disclosure: I took the photo not long after I bought it, and it's had a couple of months use since.)

Please pop along tomorrow to read part five, the last instalment, of 'Notable Notebooks' - Used, Loved, Never to be Thrown away. 

Happy Scribing!

Important Notes

1. Please note that I am not connected to any company mentioned in this post. I do not receive any products, funding or gifting from these businesses. All products shown have been bought by me, or gifts from family or friends. I mention the items because I like them or have my own private opinion about them. It's just little old me talking about ma stuff! ;-)

2. If you would like to see more of anything in this series, I'll even tell you about the Crystal Skull experience, or if you have a story about museum stickers, please write a comment below, or 'like' and leave a comment by my Notable Notebooks Instagram photo, letting me know what you would like me to post photos and write about. 

3. If you like what you read, don't forget to bookmark this site, and please share it with your friends. 

4. You can also follow me on Twitter and Instagram - @TheCraftyScribe which I update regularly with all things crafty, scribbling, beauty, fashion, the cats, sci-fi, fantasy, and the ephemera of 42*................... *42 = Life, The Universe and Everything!

I've got a New Pencil Case! Now, What do I Fill it with?

Dear Scribblers

My hubby surprised me yesterday, after he paid a sneaky visit to Bicester Village! 

He bought me a new pencil case to match the great typewriter iPad sleeve I found in TK Maxx last week. 

It's perfect! Now, what to put in it? Just pen and pencils? It would make a great make up bag too. Even an useful bag for those electrical bits and pieces you might need, such as: earphones, iPhone, iPad, computer plugs, sd cards and USB sticks. It's a decent size at 14x22x5cm (5.5x9x2in) approx. Made of durable black cotton on the outside and vibrant red inside. 

I've decided I'm going to use it for all the essentials I want with me at all times. It'll probably be a mix of the items above, along with stationery stuff I need for my scrapbooking, journalling and Filofax, like favourite washi tapes, date stamps and post-it pads. Once I've filled it I'll post a picture with details. 

What uses do you use pencil cases for? Do you have a favourite? I'll love to hear from you. 

You'll notice in the photo, he also bought me a gorgeous necklace with a cool lipstick (quite Estée Lauder shaped) and silver lips. It's gorgeous on, very comfortable and lies just below the collar bone. They were get well presents, I feel very loved and blessed. 

Happy Scribing!

By the way, I start a new course on Monday. I'll tell you about it in my next post!

Ever Thought I Want An Eyeshadow The Same Colour As Tim Holtz Distress Stain? Brushed Corduroy, anyone?

Dear Scribblers

Have you ever looked at your photos as you've scrapped, and thought you loved an eyeshadow, blush or lipstick someone is wearing?

Want an eyeshadow to match the colour of this year's Pantone Colour of Radiant Orchid 18-3224? 

Are you a bride-to-be who want to wear the exact same shade of lipstick your mum wore at her wedding? 

Love my wacky idea of creating make-up in the same colour as your favourite ink pad, paint or stain?

You can do all that with this company:

http://www.discontinuedlipstick.com/

Wow! it's probably already a beauty bloggers' secret, but I've only just found out about Three Custom Colours personalised cosmetic service, which seems very affordable and trés chic too! They have a ready-to-wear line with international shipping, as well. If you've ever used them, I'd love to hear your review in the comments.  

Happy Scribing!

The Crafty Scribe Communiqué - CHA & ScrapTime iBooks Recommendation

Communiqué... News Flash... Communiqué

Dear Scribblers

Did you, like me, miss out on going to CHA last month? I'm not one of the lucky ones who has ever been, even though I would love to, but at least we get to see lots of photos from all the wonderful bloggers who attend, right?

How about going one better and seeing video? Check out Christine Urias and her crafty fact-packed video podcasts, Scrap Time. Not only has she uploaded a ton of inspiration from CHA Summer 2012, she also posts regularly to show products and techniques.

Christine has now expanded into the world of iBooks, creating crafting books on a number of subjects, including this one! CHA Summer 2012

Not only is it a full colour book jammed full of fabulous photos, its also includes lots of videos for you to watch... and it's FREE!

I enjoy watching all of Christine's videos and I've learnt so much from her, I promise you, it's worth a look.

Happy Scribing!

Just A Note:

As always, these posts are my own views.

I do not get paid or reimbursed, in any form, from any supplier mentioned.

I write about 'em, because I like 'em! ;-)

Communiqué Ends... Communiqué Ends...

Lessons Learnt - The End. Holiday Scrapbooking coming next.

Dear Scribblers

So that's it! The end of my meander through some of my layouts from last year's Learn Something New Everyday course. I hope it was better late than never, and would to hear love your feed back.

I really enjoyed completing all 30 days, it was the third year and each time it's been totally different. Art journalling in this form was a new experience for me. I'm usually one or more photo a layout type of a person, and this book only contains 7 pages with photos, all the rest are drawings, magazine cut-outs, photos from other sources or mainly writing. It was very freeing to try, and it gave me the urge to attempt some form of art journal every day this year... but that's for another blog post!

I'll be joining LSNED again this September, and I have ideas already for it. I think I'll be returning to my photos every day, as I do miss the photography, probably using my Polaroid PoGo printer 2x3 sizes, that reminds me, I need to order some paper packs! I was searching through my stash recently and found that I have an abundance of tags, all different sizes and colours, which makes me think that I might be making a tag mini-book this year.

So what's next for The Crafty Scribe blog? As I've already hinted above, I will be showing you in depth the project I've been working on for the whole of 2012 in a little while, but before then I will be running a completely new series.

What I did on my Summer Holidays...

Did you find that every year, when you returned back to school after the bliss of six weeks freedom, the first essay the teacher asked you to write was that! What I did on my Summer Holidays.

What I would like to show you is what I've done on my summer holidays in the past. Well, more like, how I've scrapbooked my summer holidays, and some winter ones too. The different pages I've made, how my style has changed and the how I seem to have changed from 12x12 pages to mini-books and digital. I wonder if you look back at your past scrapping, how has your style and design changed? Come along with me as we journey through our past vacations.

Beginning soon!

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 16 - Shhhh! Can I tell you a secret? A Magical Secret.

Dear Scribblers

Here's the final layout I'm showing you from my journey through September 2011 on Shimelle Laine's Learn Something New Everyday course.

I think it's probably my most art journal-y layout of the lot. What do you think?

The wording reads, "Sssshh! Live A Life Less Ordinary. I believe in Magic, Fairies, Spirits, Enchanting Dreams, Dragons, Spooky Ghosts, Angels and all things Fantasy."

I began by painting the background quite thickly in acrylic paint and, once it was dry, painting over the whole thing with Glitz It Sparkles glitter glue, writing in the glittery word MAGIC at the same time.

I used a lot of pieces from magazines, the lips, the main title, the black wings, and the roses, even the girl came from a Vivienne Westwood advert! Although the wings were added separately, her wings was a butterfly from a clothes label cut in half, the full butterfly can be seen in the top left hand corner.

There's another fabric butterfly label used linking the Creative Imaginations Narratives by Karen Russell Journaler's Notebook journalling sheet to the top most rose. I then scattered various stickers throughout the layout including a princess chipboard, 'fantasy' word, and word rub-ons from DCWV's Once Upon A Time range, and a dear little witchy cat from Daisy and Dandelion's Pumpkin and Aubergine Halloween range. I then added more glitter glue and highlights with Sakura's gelly roll stardust pens. It's all about the sparkle.

I wanted it to be a fun page, so I hope the whimsical nature comes across.

This may be the last page, but please come back tomorrow for my closing thoughts on LSNED.

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 15 - The Chicks Do The Hen Party!

Dear Scribblers

One of those modern day rites of passage is celebrated in this LSNED 2011 page.

The Hen Party!

My sister-in-law married the boy of her dreams last October, which meant there was much fun to be had at her hen party a fortnight before.

I began with the photos, taking a selection of my favourites and printing them out using my tiny Polaroid PoGo printer, which is fantastic as the 2 x 3 inch sheets are sticky-backed. Great for scrapbooking. 

As the photos were quite dark as they were taken in a restaurant/nightclub, I decided to make the background colourful, taking the colours from the waitresses psychedelic Pucci-inspired dresses (as can be seen in the photo third from the bottom). 

I used a glittering balloon theme, as balloons and glitter balls were shown in the photos. Of course, birds needed to be added. We were 'chicks' out on a hen do after all!

Draw the balloon background free-hand, using Whispers Strokes pens, and Sakura Gelly Roll glitter and neon pens. Before I stuck each photo down, I drew around it with an orange neon pen to make them stand out from the background a little more.

The die-cut birds and 'A little bird told me' label came from a free kit from Cardmaking and Papercraft magazine. The title journalling card came from Creative Imaginations Journaler's Notebook - the Narratives by Karen Russell Collection. WeRMemoryKeepers Promenade Foil Glitter and Flock Adhesive rub-on kit provided the green glittery 'Birds of A Feather' transfer. 

Unfortunately I can't remember where the lovely glitter balloons and celebrate banner came from, but it was all from one sheet. If anyone remembers, please let me know.

The finishing touch was the big Hen Party button we all wore on the evening, and a good time was had by all the chicks, especially the Hen herself, Julie, as can be seen in the photo second from the bottom. She's loving married life, and coming round to her first wedding anniversary in October. Time does flies, especially for the birds!

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 14 - A bouquet for Shimelle Laine and LSNED, such a variety and so fragrant!

Dear Scribblers

The wonderful thing about Shimelle and her LSNED course, is that she gives you daily prompts and ideas for your own pages, but you aren't restricted by her recommendations. In fact, she encourages you to do your own thing, be it mini-books, with photos, no photos, add-the-photos-later photos, old stash, bought especially stash, art journalling, diary writing, drawing, digital or good-old-straight-forward-honest-to -goodness scrapbooking!

I think this day, was probably one where I went off on my own tangent.

Whenever I go to a department store, I make a beeline to the fragrance department, just like the old yellow and black striped garbed bumble to the flower. I flit from bottle to bottle, taking the cards and using the testers, trying out new concoctions and old favourites. 

I miss Sephora for their rows a-plenty of scent after scent. Alas, they no longer have stores in the UK. Please come back, Sephora. We miss you! On a positive note, Debenhams is especially good for this, with their open shelves, plenty of testers and cards, with helpful assistants there when you need them, not on your shoulder forcing their opinion onto you. Don't you hate that? However, I love perfumes! I'm not alone in the quest, as my husband adores the aftershaves. So between us, we gather a number of the tester cards.

I wonder if you have noticed, how fantastic these cards are. The plain old thin 'science litmus paper' style cards still exist, but they are being taken over by these quirky designs and logos emblazon the different shapes. Of course, any I especially like find a home in my crafty stash. 

Go take a look in your local department store, you'll be amazed at the variety - from heart, circle and apple shapes. To flowers, bows, bottles and Agent Provocateur legs! I've even found tester ribbons in shiny satin and bright yellow grosgrain. 

I think it's time, I took another amble through the aromatic glass vessels once more.

The title of the page reads, "When it comes to SCENTS, I lose all SENSIBILITY!" I printed this out using my Brother P-Touch 65 digital tape printer. (The PT90 is probably the nearest available one to my PT65.)

As you can probably guess, this was a very cheap layout to make. The whole background is made up of perfume tester cards, including some magazine advertisement tester labels.

I found the very funny cartoon comic strip called Arctic Circle by Alex Hallatt distributed by King Features Syndicate on-line, and printed it out for use on this layout only. I took a comic-style font to change the characters name to Paula. So once they've walked around the store and tried on all the fragrances, the penguin says, "You have got to learn to say 'No', Paula!" How apt!

Project of the Day: Here's a revived project of the day for you. Take a trip to your local perfume counters and see the variety of cards available, maybe collect a few and see if you can use them in a layout. It need not be about perfumes. Incorporate them as an extra layer. See how creative you can be. 

Is there anything else ephemera wise you collect? I'd love to hear about your unusual stash and how you've used it.

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 13 - Holiday! Celebrate!... Plus a hint to the next set of projects

Dear Scribblers

Are you thinking about holidays? I was when I completed this layout for last year's LSNED with Shimelle Laine.

The title reads, "I'd love to go on holiday but remember... I'm so glad I've had these holidays."

I was feeling down in the dumps that I wasn't high in the clouds flying off to some exotic location for a week or two of sun, sea and... the rest and relaxation! So I wanted to create a page celebrating the times I have enjoyed on foreign shores.

It began with the yellow tag, which is a real airlines cabin crew baggage tag. From there I covered the layout with a K&Company 12x12 atlas paper from an old line, and added various travel themed items I had in stock, including: Creative Imaginations - Marah Johnson epoxy stickers, Hot Off The Press Attachments collection - Travel range - ribbons, frames, vinyl tags, and K&Company's Sea Glass range - letter stickers, chipboard, and 6x4 card stock. Along with various holiday ephemera I still had in my stash. I quite like the haphazard 'thrown on' look to the page.

Pleased to say we are flying off again this year, and I'm looking forward plunging in on new pages of memories once I'm home.

Important Note: I'm going to be showing you some of my older holiday projects that I've completed over the years in a brand new series coming next on The Crafty Scribe. Please keep checking back for more information, and the last few pages left in LSNED.

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 12 - Cat Rule number 136 - Always hog the last ray of sunshine. Whatever the weather.

Dear Scribblers

The sun has been shining in clear blue skies here in the south of the UK. Don't you notice what a difference it makes when the weather is good? Everyone is happy, and there's a buzz of excitement in the air. I think it's also due to the fact the Olympics officially begin tomorrow. How exciting!

As it's all about the weather, I've chosen to show you this layout from LSNED 2011.

It's all about how the cats can always find the last bit of sunshine in the garden or the house.

The printed title reads: "Deep Summer Is When Laziness Finds Respectability (Sam Keen) - Turns To -  It Was One Of Those Perfect English Autumnal Days Which Occur More Frequently In Memory Than In Life. (PD James)"

The quote within the circle tree is by Lesley Anne Ivory from 'Cats in the Sun' - "At the end of the day when the sun is setting, cats may be seem making the most of the last little corners still in sunshine, until the shadows lengthen and the sun slopes round the other side of the world to awaken all the cats there."

To make the layout, I painted the background in watercolours to look like a cartoon-style sky and gently sloping hill. All the papers and the main title came from two separate kits that came free with Scrapbook Magazine - "Summer scrap kit" and "The Autumn Wishes" collections. I cut out pieces to make the title, sun set, trees, top and bottom borders and arrows to bring focus to the title. The alpha and number tiles for the date also came from the kit.

I printed out a number of suitable photos of my cats, Draco and Merlin, to the sizes I wanted, and cut around them so they appeared more embedded into the scene.

This is another one of my pages where I felt I was getting the knack of art journalling rather than straight on scrapbooking. Plus the layout cost pennies, just a lick of watercolour paint, free papers and both photos printed at home on a single A4 photo quality sheet. Thrifty!

Enjoy your day. Whatever the weather!

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 11 - You sip your cappuccino, and I sip my Fortnum and Masons Royal Blend.

Dear Scribblers

Onto the second half of my pages from last year's LSNED:

This layout focuses on my husband's love of cappuccinos and my devotion to tea. Using as the title, the first line from Hazel O'Connor's song 'Will You':

You drink your coffee and I sip my tea.

I used an oriental inspired scrapbooking kit I bought from QVC many years ago, sorry I don't know the name of the manufacturer. Then I made a coffee cup using real coffee shop sleeves, and added the tags and individual bag sachets for the tea.

My hubby and I have a lot of things in common, but I think it's our differences that make life interesting, don't you?

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 10 - Be like Doctor Who, become a Time Lord. Find out what Stephen R Covey says about this.

Dear Scribblers

Here's a positive LSNED layout to start off your week.

I actually completed this page on a Friday. On a Friday afternoon, I always think about what I have achieved during the week, and what I plan to do the following week. When I read this quote, I thought how important it is.

"The key is in not spending time, but in investing it." - Stephen R Covey

I know how quickly I can lose hours by watching television, or browsing the internet. You know how it is, you check your emails, which leads you to a website, which leads you to another site, which you post on Twitter and Facebook, then you notice a link to YouTube, then another and another, and... How much time? 3pm? 3pm! I went onto the computer at 12pm, only to check a couple of emails.

You can lose days like this. I know I have! So to Live with Intention, and to invest in your time wisely. Brings it all back into focus, don't you think?

The page details: 12x12 Live with Intention page from Creative Imaginations - Marah Johnson (Words around bottom and large keys printed on the sheet), Medium cardboard keys and flowers from DCWV Once Upon a Time - Princess shapes, other keys and small paper clocks cut from The Crafthouse Press ATC collection, tassels and brads from Trimcraft Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen Venaissance collection, Two clock stickers with words from Sticker Studio Retroactive Timeless range, and letter tiles from stash.

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 9 - Getting to grips with art journalling... It's Easy Like Sunday Morning.

Dear Scribblers

I hope you are having a fabulous weekend. Enjoy your days whatever you are doing.

Now, talking about the weekend, here's one I made for a Sunday for LSNED

The title reads, "Life made fabulous. Easy like Sunday morning, followed by thunder bolt and lightning, very, very frightening!"

I remember this day, it began beautiful and sunny, and ended up dark and brooding culminating in a massive storm.

I tried to get the page to reflect this. As Sundays in our home always begins with a trawl through the papers and supplements, I decided to use newspapers as the theme.

The background is ripped up pieces of proper newspapers and stuck down with wet glue, much in the same way as you make paper-maiche, although just a thin layer to cover the pages. I then painted over the whole think with watercolours, leading to dark colours on the end to represent the storm.

I used words out of the newspaper to make my title, apart from the last section which was tiled paper letters I had in my stash, and the pictures and cartoon (including the row of flowers along the bottom) all came from the papers too. In fact, the relaxed girl was actually made up of three separate pictures  (legs body head) stuck to make one image, take about being Dr. Craftenstein!!!

I think this was one of the first pages I made where I actually thought I was getting to grips with the difference between scrapbooking and art journalling. What do you think? Although it's great to be part of Shimelle's LSNED course in September as anything goes.

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 8 - My Life in Books

Dear Scribblers

After yesterday's break, we are back on track, and here's my next layout from last September's LSNED.

As you can see this was all about my love of books, and the books that shaped my life. I think you could probably tell a lot about me from reading the covers. A tom-boy as a child, into the dramatic arts. love of sci-fi, gothic, magic, fantasy and positive thinking, keen on the odd block-buster or two, a nod towards the classics and history, but with a very silly streak. Mmmm! Sort of sums me up.

Have you ever made a list of your favourite books at different ages? What have you found out about yourself? Have a go!

The layout itself is very simple. I thought I would let the covers do the talking. I made a table in my word processing document and dropped each jpg into a slot, so I could keep them sized the same, which I then printed out on A4 photo quality sheets. The background is K&Company 12x12 paper I've had in my stash for about 8 years!

Happy Scribing!

Just a note: Any companies or products I mention are items I've bought myself. I am not attached to any other crafting, scrapbooking or art website or company. I mention them because I use them or like them!

Lessons Learnt - 7 - Don't be 'A' Negative... Be Positive!

Dear Scribblers

I don't know whether you've noticed that my pages and my outlook couldn't be described as girlie! If anything, I would say I'm more down with a sci-fi-goth-chic-geek-rock-chick vibe, although I don't know how others would describe me!

Like I said, I'm not into girlie, especially pink, so you can imagine what a surprise I had when I'd finished this LSNED page! I didn't even know I had this much pink in my card stock.

I started with a purple/blue watercolour base for the page, and layered on the artist trading card sized printed papers (from the Artist Trading Collection by The Crafthouse Press who also made the ones on the Oscar Pistorius page.) 

The title, Don't Focus on The Negative - Be Positive, was created on the computer, as was some of the other words. The rest came from many companies including: K and Company, Bo Bunny and Cosmo Cricket, which reads, " Remember to love, delight, explore, wonder, let your imagination run wild, laugh, believe, smile, hope, play, have fun, be genuine and kind each day."

The birds came from a free collection from a magazine, and I made my own version of the girl I'd seen as a template in a magazine. I think it may have been from 'You Can Craft'. If anyone recognises the artist or knows in which magazine it was featured, please let me know as I would love to credit them for their design.

Happy Scribing!

Lessons Learnt - 6 - Friendship Bracelets... To show or not to show bad layouts

Dear Scribblers

I wanted to share this LSNED page with you, because I'm not happy with it. Sometimes it's worth showing the mistakes as well as the favourites.

The story of the page is to explain how I learnt to make macrame and friendship bracelets by watching You Tube clips (which can be found here).

I used ribbons to give the impression of bracelets laid out, added two photos, a piece of a test bracelet I made and printed out the title and sub-title.

If I was to do it again now, I know I would have painted the plain book pages to help them blend, reduced the amount of ribbon, and put the words on one page and the photos on the other. I think I would have also handwritten the titles instead of printing. Actually, I might have covered the photo page with ribbon, and used a thin strip only on the title page.  Something like this:

What do you think?

Happy Scribing!