Introducing......the "Lets Get Shabby" New Year Challenge!!

...................POSTCARDS FROM CLEETHORPES.........................

I printed my photos onto canvas and distressed the edges. Used some tiny pegs and some string that came wrapped around a parcel and stapled my washing line onto the layered papers.
This beautiful vintage lace was in my packet from Rachel Tucker, it kind of reminded me of netting and star-fish!!

....... one of that collection of strange card charms that I have but never use!! I mean where else would you use that gaudy yellow and mint green deckchair, but on a layout of course?

I played on Websters Pages titles for their paper range and as I bought this vintage Postcard in Cleethorpes (which is one of those old fashioned sea-side towns that used to be heaving in its hey-day)...and Ben is actually on Cleethorpes beach I couldn't think of a better title!! Not exactly Postcards from Paris huh?

I know it's not quite the New Year yet but you will need to start thinking about it soon as it is a real challenge this time around......especially for us Northern Hemisphere crafters who are slap bang in the middle of winter and I for one don't have any photographs of me looking lithesome on Cleethorpes beach last summer...... or the summer before...or the summer before that!!

This is your picture for Inspiration and over at Shabby there are plenty of other inspiring examples from my DT buddies.......so pop on over and start thinking....Lets get Shabby Summer Style!!

Love and seashells

Ruth xxx

In the mood for baking?

Today was baking day in our house. I marzipan(ed) the cake and made some Rocky Road with Georgia....we were having a Nigella moment after watching her the other night!!
Georgia didn't fancy amaretto biscuits but I did as I had seen some in a cute tin the other day but sadly didn't buy them:(...next stop Wilkinsons!) So we made the old fashioned Aussie recipe...I'm sure it tastes nice but I really feel like being sick after all that bowl licking so I'll probaly get my tastebuds back to normal tomorrow and have another wee sample then!!




Anyway found this site through UKS it's called Bakerella...I have heard of it before but never visited today...she is to baking what Lilibean Paperie is to crafting...a godess!!


Love and over-indulgence already
RUTH XXX

A free christmas present from a cool blog!!

Look at this wonderful free christmas present down load HERE Isn't it just gorgeous?

love Ruth xxx

Scrumptious Tussie Mussies

I have seen some stunning Tussie Mussies on the web recently, particularly over at Inspire Me during their 12 Days of Christmas season and a lovely and hilarious story on Pollys blog over here.

So I finally got around to making my own and you can see them HERE at Bubbly Scrumptious




Enjoy the Snow......you lucky things if you have some......we have glorious sunshine and for once I haven't got anything made that needs to be rushed outside and photographed:(

Don't forget it's nearly deadline day for Lets get Shabby..have you finished your Shabby Christmas project yet?

Love and sunshine

Ruth xxx

Day 14

I think I would be better at doing an on-line bloggy version of the December Daily Journal as I still haven't done Day 1!!
I have kept up with alot of photos though, even if they are mainly of my baking for school, brownies and the freezer! My kitchen lights are washing my photos out a bit but everywhere else is too dark at the moment....bring on the snow I say!!



Today I came back from the Drs (still off work due to whiplash) and had this lovely parcel waiting for me......I won it on a giveaway on RT-Scraps blog. Lucky Me!!
So I sat down with a cup of coffee and admired Rachels beautiful wrapping skills. Oh the girly deliciousness of it all sent me into a frenzy...I have denied my feminine side for too many years and now it's unleashed there is no going back!!
After admiring the delicate vintage lace and little antique linen wreath, I left the vintage christmas bell one unopened and tucked it away under the tree to save for Christmas Day.

Thanks Rachel you made my day!! Please visit her blog as she has the most exquisite advent calendar on it you will ever see!!

Love Ruth xxxx

2 weeks on Friday till the big day.....

Fridays Bubbly Scrumptious project was with the new Websters Pages kit......it's a delightful mix of their latest papers some old favourites and some new scrummies...I'm just praying for snow soon so I can use those Winters Wings papers!!




Anyway as I have a new kitchen clock, I re-cycled the old one - it's made from heavy stone/slate and I painted it with blackboard paint, then covered it with layers of hand cut pictures from the kit.




This tree is beautifully designed and I have seen it used on such a variety of projects...even my colleague at BS used the same papers this week! It's not quite finished as I can't find my Diamond Stickles anywhere but when I do the rest of it will be blingy too!

Out of all of my advent calendars...and there are quite a few!! This is the one that Georgia looks forward to changing the most!! Ben just wants to eat the chalk!!

Love and missing stickles

Ruth xxx

Kodak Colour Bride

This a very rare and precious colour photo of my parents wedding.
As a child I looked through Mums beautifully presented wedding photos...each in it's own folder but they were always in black & white. It wasn't until their Silver Wedding Anniversary that I finally saw a colour photo when my Auntie Pam made a replica of Mums bouquet for the top of the cake.

I must have inherited this picture from Grannies house and found it the other day just as I was browsing for some inspiration to use on my Websters Pages papers.

These papers are so pretty that they need to be cherished and pampered and spoilt. I've said it before it's not always that easy working with an image on the page but don't be afraid of it and don't treat it like it's some floating object...I tried to incorporate the bodice theme into the rest of the layout and match the pewter colour with the butterfly etc. (stunning butterfly from Wendy Kwok scrapbooker extraordinaire)

My own little replica of Mums bouquet......I am tempted to make a blue horseshoe ornament for their next big wedding anniversary!!
My own little version of a dressmakers dummy covered in wired flowers and tulle,
The finished layout....gosh it's a great feeling to make something for me for a change!!

ps: shhhh don't tell anyone but I have got my hands on a stunning Websters Pages kit available in the UK right now!!

See you tomorrow for more...or you could pop over to Bubbly Funk and let you fingers follow your heart!

Love and technicolour photos

Ruth xxx

An altered advice book

I found this cool book in the local library it's written by 2 agony aunts and is packed full of advice about BOYS!!
Perfect for my 14 year old niece I thought, so I grabbed it and stashed it away. Well it was her birthday the other day and I hadn't made her a card but I also hadn't forgotten my plans to alter this book for her....my original intention was to hollow it out but then I thought of all the good advice she might lose so I have simply re-covered it.

The Back:
7 Gypsies tape on the binding edge...thanks Carol xxx

Surely every 14 year old girl needs a funny book like this!! I remember loving the agony aunt columns in mags at that age the english ones were so candid and truthful....shock horror!!...... Still they taught me everything I know...is that good? Probably not!!

She may not understand why I did it but hopefully in years to come she will look back and see the humor and good intentions meant behind it.

PS: If you want to see the awesome guitar mini book that Helena made for Georgias birthday click (HERE). It's genius, original and perfect for a seven year old wanna be rock star!!

Kirstys' Homemade Christmas are you a follower?

I have just spend an hour on front of the goggle box forgetting about lifes woes ( and back ache) and blissfully watching Kirstys Homemade Christmas.......the best thing is it's on tomorrow night as well so I might just get those christmas cards written at the same time!!

Did you see the cake she decorated? I thought I'd recommend these cutters for the tree. Designed by Anthea Turner of all people!! But beautifully packaged in a pale blue tin..yum yum and complete with 5 different sized stars and all for 5 squid from Matalan!!

A worthwile investment I thought and so did the school fate when we made lots of gingerbread stars. The photo is for my December Daily Diary which I still haven't started......I think December will start for me when my back-pain goes and I can stand up long enough to craft!!


Love and cookie cutters

Ruth xxx

Some layouts at last!!

It's all about the 12x12 layouts at Bubbly Funk today!!

I love this kit...three completely different styles of layouts from one kit and those adorable little Maya Road chipboard letters are divine......I love the Tando Creative Ltd Chipboard ornament shape and I don't need to tell you that the Prima felt vine is lovely even if I did think it a little plain and in need of blinging up a bit!!

I have been making pretty flowers too..........

To see more details simply click on the photos or to read how I made these flowers and layouts please visit us over at Bubbly Scrumptious......

Love and layouts

Ruth xxx

Getting it all out of the way before Christmas

We will not be sick in our house at Christmas this year!! Nope-No Way!!


...because we are all poorly now....Ben had a yucky virus that caused mouth ulcers and passed it onto his sister......Ben got better....only to get bronchitis......I am still recovering from the White Van Man shunting the back of our car last Friday and hurting my neck and back and all of this has had an effect on my mojo. I just can't stand in my kitchen and scrap all day like I normally do:(

I can see my goodies all sitting there waiting to be played with......the clock that I have painted with blackboard chalk is dying to be made into an advent calendar, I have unfinished projects, layouts and cards and my daily diary is being neglected as I type.



Fortunately I had already nearly finished my Bubbly Funk projects for tomorrow before we went away so I just have to type them up before I get too stiff sitting in this chair.



Anyway every cloud has a silver lining.....like I said at least we won't be ill at Christmas......so that will give my DH just enough time to shop for these:

1 Pair of Purple UGG boots..hint..hint!!

Love and lust

Ruth xxx

Altered Cards using recycled covers

My Bubbly Funk projects this week are recycled cards...not last years christmas cards but recycled covers!!

I am sorry Spice Girls but you had to go in order for me to get the CD case!! (My photos are in the wrong order but I can't copy and paste and the moment so here is the inside first..sorry for the poor colour quality..again!!)

The outside of the case is covered with the most beautiful Fancy Pants shaped glittered acetate sheet from the Bubbly Funk shop. This can be purchased as an add-on to the kit.

It's kind of hard to show but in real life it's translucent and packed with depth and texture and bling. A great way to make an alternative card for your alter(ers) out there!

I made some little Organza petals with a new technique that I will share on a layout next week.

This chunky card uses a recyled notebook cover but you could just as easily make it with a bind-it-all.

A little stamping to make the snowflakes and the saying and a few layers, plus a couple of the ATC sized cards from the kit and that's it. Not a lot of work for another effective textured card.

I still feel like a cheat when I call them cards though....maybe it's because I still don't have a clue about sizes and envelopes and try my hardest to avoid those regimented rules..lol!!

Love and Spice Girls Re-cycled!!

Ruth xxx

Lets get Shabby Challenge 6 "Shabby Christmas"

Yay I finally get to share her with you........today the new challenge is up at Shabby!! It really is a Shabby Christmas over there.....I get the feeling there will be lots of fabulous entries this month, especially once you see the sponsored prize!!

My naked Tree...yuck!! I simply painted it with two coats of household magnolia wall paint!!

The star is from a Cake decorating shop and goes on the top of one of those piles of fancy fairy cakes or muffins. I just snapped the metal stalk off it.

I'm pleased I picked up these Making Memories Poinsettia flowers when I did because they really are very Christmassy. I wasn't sure if I liked them at first but now I do.

The patterned papers are from Bo-Bunny and the girl was very carefully cut out by hand to make sure the drawers still opened.

I didn't bother replacing the drawer numbers as I did all that last year and I really wanted to keep clean simple lines on this Advent Calendar.

I love the Norwegian saying God Jul and always think how fabulous it looks on their beautiful stamps on Christmas Cards. It is an all encompassing saying for the whole season (I think, please correct me if I am wrong) I did a little research into it on line and decided that seeing as I am a Viking then I'm sure they wouldn't mind me using it, apparently we all used it once apon a time!!

All finished and sitting on my mantle piece...waiting for me to get the rest of the trimmings out!!

So it's simple...it's that easy...just make whateever you want and leave a link and a comment on the Lets get Shabby blog and thats it you have entered!!

God Jul

Ruth xxx

A Bubbly Bauble

I used one of my round canvases to make this bauble for Bubbly Scrumptious this week. I am still in love with my new Fancy Pants kit from Bubbly Funk......it feels new to me because I am running a week behind so I have loads of stash leftover still!!

There is a sheet of ATC type sized cards in the Fancy pants kit and I simply mounted one of them onto cereal box cardboard and placed it in the middle.

My eclectic collection of christmas flowers came in handy for decorationg it and voila one wallhanging/display thingy ...done.

Yet again the dull rainy days have interfered with my photos.....does anyone actually use a light box and get decent results I'd love to know?

Love and trimmings

Ruth xxx

I am introducing a Christmas wish list to my blog: a girl can dream can't she! (plus I know Mark secretly reads it!!)

Laura Ashley gifts HERE...hint...hint...

Patience is a virtue

I bought this dated 3D frame clock from a charity shop with the exact intention of using these Websters Pages Papers to put inside it and turn it into a cute/kitch 1950's clock.

The only problem was I didn't have the papers and had no way of getting them....so I bid my time and waited....and waited......and finally YIPEE....Tillys has the whole range in..SCREAM!!!!


Now I can hang out at Websters.ning again Yay!! The ladies are so talented over there.

(Mind you the beautiful Christmas papers will probably arrive in the UK next Summer!!) So I will still be a season behind" Oh well" like I said...Patience is a virtue!!


I was busting to get my clock made especially as my kitchen is nearly finished and I know it will look perfect. It is going to be my inspiraion for my new colour theme. Red, white and touches of pale blue and pink......think Kath Kidston meets American/Swiss country cottage! OK in my mind it looks like that in reality it needs tiling and painting and new blinds still!

I have entered the clock in the November Challenge on Inspire Me so pop on over and check out the rest of the creations in the Websters Pages gallery it really is a breath taking place to be.



Love and virtues
Ruth xxx

Bubbly Magic with Fancy Pants.

These papers by Fancy Pants are called Christmas Magic and it's such an apt name. They have certainly put the sparkle back into my Christmas mojo!!



Today over at Bubbly Scrumptious I have a small tutorial on how to make these ribbon flowers......not that you need showing really because they are soooooooo easy!! Can you see the lush velvet Prima leaves that come in the kit......plan on seeing more of those in my projects I love them!! Can't wait to contrast them with some red velvet flowers I bought......mm..mmm. The lush flower on the bottom of this one is by Prima too........see...you have to buy this kit!

The secret to these has to be the torn out journaling cards across the middle they are so varied and detailed and are a definite must from the Bubbly Funk shop!

I love altered Bingo Boards especially as they only cost £1.00 each to buy and are so well constructed. I think I might keep all my Christmas receipts on mine just incase anything breaks down or needs returning. I love how versatile the top one is with its calendar and the clip and they even come with a hanging hole ready to hang........do I need to say it?

These would make a great handmade gift!!lol!!

Love and snowflakes
Ruth x