Hello December!

I really don't know where November went . . . disappeared in a flash! And now it's December and the weather has suddenly turned colder, which means that I can wear my super toastie ugg-style boots :D

And it also means Christmas shopping and looking forward to a whole week off work for Christmas, I'm so excited!  If you've ever worked a series of 12hr shifts over the christmas holiday you'll know exactly what I mean.

Here are a few Christmassy freebies I've spotted around the web (click image to link to site)

 

 I have lots of ideas for these freebies . . . now just need the time to play.

Back soon, Happy December :D

Scrapping with spots . . .

I love spots and stripes, i think it has something to do with being able to get more colours in one small space :)

Here's a digital Christmas card I made with a kit from Ziggle Scraps:

And I'm in the mood for a freebie today so you can download the template for the bubble tree HERE

And for some more spottiness, check out Shimelle's post on using polka dots on layouts.

Happy Weekend!

Creative Circle Blog Party!

Welcome to the photography stop on the creative circle.

How many photos are sitting on your hard drive right now? a few huindred . . .  maybe more?  and that's after you've deleted the ones you don't really like?  Me too. I have lots of photos that i really love and want to keep. Photos that don't fit a theme. Photos that don't really have a story worthy of a whole scrapbook page.

And how may of you have a blank bit of wall that could really do with some cheering up? Or maybe the side of your fridge or cupboard?

Here's a little photo project that might just fill the gap and is really quick to make.  You don't need photos on a particular theme. You don't  need photos with a special story. And you don't need photos with matching colours.  In fact, the more random the selection the better!

The inspiration for this project came from this project by Elsie Flannigan

which was inspired by this project by Tara Whitney

 
These versions use larger prints and square frames, here I've simplified a bit to make it do-able with a home printer and laminator :D

Here's how:

• Select enough photos to create a grid - maybe 3x3 or 3x4, mines 3x2 because the space i want to fill is  long and narrow

• Open each photo in a photo-editing program and crop into a square. Do this until all your photos are squares of the same size (mine are 8 inches square, you'll see why later!)

• Add a new layer to your first photo and use this layer to create a soft-edged black frame around the edge.  There are lots of ways to do this - you could use a large soft-edge brush to draw your frame freehand (it's best if it's a little uneven) or you could cheat and download my ready-made png frame 

• Copy that layer onto your remaining photos until they all have a lovely soft black edge.

• Now you're ready to print (i chose 8 inches square so that i could print using a standard printer)

• After printing, I laminated my photos with gloss laminating pockets. This is partly to add some thickness and make the photos more rigid, and also so that the photos can be cleaned without damaging the print.  If you don't want to do this or you don't have a laminator, just skip this step!

• And finally . . . .drumroll please . . . . stick your photos up on the wall in a grid:

Voila! Your own custom wall art that you can change whenever you fancy ♥

If you love this project, please leave a comment with a link so i can see your version . . . . .

Now go to http://www.fionasflotsam.blogspot.com/ for the next little bit of crafty blog-hopping loveliness or go to http://gallorganico.blogspot.com/  to see all the links for the blog party and to enter a great giveaway!

Happy Weekends
Gem :)

Best Shot Monday

Came across Best Shot Monday here, and here's my offering for today. It was taken yesterday in the park, the dog (not mine) was super-friendly and was really showing off for the camera. I love how the light is falling and how the leaves make it all autumnal.

Happy Mondays :)

Fontalicious Friday!

I am a self-confessed font-a-holic.  I cannot resist downloading new fonts.  I have so many i often forget I've got a font and end up downloading it again.

So I thought I would share just a few of my favourite journalling fonts - plain enough to be readable without straining your eyes, but a bit more interesting than plain old arial:  (just click on the name of the font to go to the download site - they're all freebies)

So . . . .help me find some more to add to the collection . . .  what are your favourite journalling fonts?

Back soon :)

just for fun . . .

and finally . . .

. . . a layout

trying to get to grips with photographing layouts . . . . can never seem to get them straight. This one was close but still had to straighten up a bit in picasa before uploading.  I also tried photographing with a little bit of background too, not sure it quite works - what do you think?

and also . . .  not really happy with the pink on this layout - it's not the same kind of pink in real life, pink always seems to come out looking funny whether i scan or photograph . . . anyone know why? maybe just one of life's little mysteries . . . . off to experiment some more, TFL!