Shabby Architectural Challenge no 19

This months challenge at Lets Get Shabby is to use the provided picture for inspiration and to be inspired by Arches, scallops and architecture.

I used these pictures that were taken in York last summer. We had been to the National Railway Museum and Ben was playing in the Castle grounds with a new train......it always amazes me that boys will play in any piece of dirt they can find!!

I used Pink Paislee House of Three Parisian Anthology papers from Happy Daze.

The main page is called Architectural arch and comes with a raised embossed background that you can alter to create any colour or texture that you want. I altered them with brown and blue Ranger distress inks to create the moody background.

The rambling flower is hand coloured and cut from Primas paintables.

As always the sponsors are super generous with their prizes and the entries are wide and varied, so get your thinking caps on and join in the fun!! After all what else are you going to do stuck indoors for the next few freeszing cold snow filled weeks!

Love and dirt

Ruth xxx

I said LOOK don't TOUCH!!

I am going to take your photo......

...so this is what he did!!

My DDA is sooooo far behind now I just don't know if I'll ever catch up.

I have still been taking photos like you do, at this time of the year, so if I don't get my DDA finished I am posting these for posterity!

Love Ruth xxx

Tis the Sweet Season for Birthday Wishes

I made Georgia a Giant Cupcake for her birthday and would you believe it, it's a perfect match for the Websters Pages Holiday Wishes papers!!!

Shock horror I have no idea how that happened. (It's a good job she can't read her mothers conniving mind!)

The dimensional cupcake is made from cardboard, felt padding, glitter glue and the Websters Pages ribbon.

The paper case effect is made by folding the ribbon, which is printed on a dense canvas type of material and can take quite a hammering. I reckon you could cut petals out of it on a die cutting machine (if you have one).

In the top left hand corner I used a small pom-pom to cover the letters that are on top of the cupcakes, as mine was something random like an "F"!!

I bought the whole set of 12x12's from Happy Daze.....next on the list a Gingerbread house..yup you guessed it..the kids have made one....I have no idea where they got that random idea from but I just happen to have the paper to match!!

Love and birthday wishes

Ruth xxx

The guessing is over!

I don't know whether I ought to dare bore you again with my "fear" of card making...think Gillian Mckeith in the jungle and you are getting close!!

This year I bit the bullet and made 2 for the Lets get Shabby Christmas giveaway.

The Shabby followers had such fun trying to guess who made which card.

Thanks to all who played along and hunted for the clues.

Love and letters to santa

Ruth xxx

Shabby Xmas Giveaway

It's back and biger than ever before.......yup...it's the "Lets get Shabby" Christmas giveaway!!

For your chance to win some handmade Christmas cards by some of the biggest names in scrapping simply take a peek at these 2 pictures and try to guess who made which ones!!

note: there is a mix of designers in each picture:

Unfortunately my cards are still winging their way to Australia...(they probably stopped off at Surfers Paradise on the way). I'll give you a clue if they do appear..mine are red and green..lol!

You can still play along by following the rules at

Lets get Shabby.

1) become a follower

2) find the clues on my Dt buddies blogs (see sidebar)

3) leave a comment on LGS

Good luck xxx

A Shabby Christmas Song: Challenge 18

This months challenge at Lets get Shabby is to create a Project using your favourite Christmas song/carol/hymn as inspiration and to include part of the words on your page, either as the titile or as journalling. It must be noticeable.

I found it really difficult to choose a favourite song as I think I just love them all.....I'm not really fussy and could happily hum along to anything from christmas carols to The Pogues.

Eventually I settled on one that focused on Father Christmas to evoke the spirit of the photo of Ben.

For a week my layout sat unfinished whilst I sorted out Georgias birthday party and cake.

Then finally I had a light bulb moment...my layout needed a Vintage tag to fill the empty space.

I used a brown tag and vintage victorian images from the dotcom gift shop, the enamelled bells are from Hobby House and the stamp is made by Papermania who once again have surprised me with their occassional touches of vintage brilliance.

I am loving their Silent Night range!

May I recommend this stamp package to all crafters. It is beautifully detailed, ideal for all cards and retails at £5.99...if it hasn't sold out that is. (I got mine from Pennells garden centre).

Anyway...back to business....click here to enter Challenge number 18, which has the most geneous prizes for all this month and above all keep on humming those tunes!

Love Ruth xxx

Ultimate glue Giveaway

Happy Daze are giving away a pot of "The Ultimate" glue to one lucky winner.

All you have to do is leave a comment on the Happy Daze Blog HERE

Entries are picked at random and close on Friday 27th.