Dolly's Dreamings

It's YUK out there

Horrid weather today. The sort of weather to stay snugged in and watch TV in bed and read magazines and scrap. I LOVE weather like this LOL

We were awake early but lounged around and climbed back into bed for breakfast and Casualty recorded last night.

Finally got to see Kira's face and am so upset as she has two new big scabs - so we are not out of the woods yet. The new toys I bought yesterday were not the success I hoped. they were Willow toys and quite expensive and the two hessian mice were so badly made Fiki destroyed one in ten minutes flat and it can no longer be used. My friend Helen bought them for her gorgeous Bengal boy Kendall and his have had to go back too.

The page here was made an age ago and will probably surprise some of you. Not the mild mannered, aged Karen you expect eh! I made it for the Collectively Yours dare on chipboard and it is the other me! The me that loves driving a convertible and whose fave album of all time is Bat Out of Hell full blast driving along in the summer. I'm a real rock chick at heart. I cut my teeth on the likes of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath etc and married my long haired rocker who, as you would expect, had been in a band.

See - you didn't know that did you! I used the gorgeous Creative Imaginations papers and then enamelled, in black and red so it looks like laquer, a load of chipboard to throw on there with the pictures and papers. I printed the picture on canvas paper. It is a different page for me but I love it and it is an important part of me to record for my Book of Me. The tag under the picture pulls out and has a whole load of journalling on.

OK - you have had the main event - now comes the adverts .... well advert really. Lifted from Heather's blog (thanks hun .... you made it so simple to promote something we both believe in)

We’re now taking payments for the December classes via bank transfers/cheques. For details please send an email to accounts.designcollective@googlemail.com

All payments need to clear before 3rd December, in time for the first class mailing. Therefore, please ensure that cheques reach us by 23rd November at the latest and that bank transfers are sent by 23rd November.

As always, all current subscribers are able to make a payment for the December subscription via the Paypal facility on the forum (in your User CP, under Paid Subscriptions). Payment can be made any time up until 11pm on 2nd December.

Payments Via paypal for NEW subscribers will open on 30th November until 11pm on 2nd December.

–^^– Gift subscriptions have been opened up to all registered members, not just current subscribers, to enable members to purchase the perfect gift for a fellow scrapbooker and crafter. Its so hard to buy the right thing for our crafty friends, we are always so keen to buy our favourite bits of stash as soon as they hit the craft shops. A subscription to vast array of inspirational ideas has to be the perfect gift. We all get a ‘block’ from time to time and this is a perfect way to kick those blocks aside too. –^^–

To register its as simple as visiting http://www.forums.designcollectiveclasses.co.uk

And don't forget that we are running an incredible bonus in the lead up to Christmas. In addition to the 12 classes there is also a bumper extra each week with great ideas for things to make for Christmas. The two small glimpses here are just little sneaks of things coming up in that.

Banana Frog stamps

I have many addictions, but one of my most severe is, perhaps, my addiction to clear stamps and especially to Banana Frog stamps.

I was never much into stamping in the past. Oh yes, I have boxes of wooden stamps, no less than 8 sets of foam alphabet stamps, countless cat stamps (of course) but stamping didn't rock my boat. The reason - I actually wasn't very good at it. Being precise is not my strength and things never lined up as I wanted them to. Then I dscovered clear stamps and even I couldn't mess that up too much.

I love them. I love that they are easy to store (especially the Banana Frog ones as they have the cute little holders for the files with all the tabs showing - too pretty for words) they are easy to use and they are EASY to clean. There are still a couple of BF sets I haven't got (not many and my birthday is coming real soon and Nij has a list!) and I have recently, thanks to Linda, bought a whole loads of Autumn Leaves and Maya Road sets to add to my collection. Am loving thos Autumn leaves stamps. (There's two sets of those I don't have as well Nigel .... in case you are reading this)

The page here was completed for the Design Collective as part of a challenge we issued to people to show us what they could do with clear stamps. Bev from BF kindly donated the prizes of a set of stamps and it was a fun challenge. (Check out the Design Collective blog.... whilst you are doing your subscription!)  The page is of Tyneham in the Purbecks. This incredible village was taken over by the army during World War 2. They were only ever going to borrow the village for training and the villagers were told that, one day, they could return. The poignant notice left by the villagers on the church door when they left asked the army to take care of their village. Sadly they never returned. The village was desolate and derelict, apart from the church and the school house, but has now been opened as an incredible museum. It is wonderful to wander round and see what it was like alongside the remains of houses with no windows but fireplaces etc. I recommend a visit to you if you are in the area.

Today - despite Nij telling me I was to have a day in bed as I have been quite poorly - I have completed a page I can't share (can I ever!!!!) and sorted out all the home filing that has been waiting for ages. The shredder is full (and I appear to have broken it - so Nij ... if your are reading sweetie I have bust it again!) and half-heartedly flicked round with a duster. Trouble is I confess he may well have been right and so I am going for a wee rest now.

Blinkin' Cold

It's a little bit nippy to say the least down here on the English coast where the sun - apparently - always shines. I have put the heating back on!

I haven't had a chance to scrap new things that I can show you yet - so am amaking do with a tempting sneak peek from the Design Collective.

I am not going to post the whole page but this is a snippet from my class last month. The classes provided by the collective are awesomely fab. There is such an incredible variety and they are being so well received. I am loving doing some of them myself..... just need more time.

The Design Collective is also providing great challenges with some fab prizes. You need to check out the DC blog and see what is going on - there are too many good things to miss.

I want to share an e mail that came today from my cousin Lynne in Georgia. It made me giggle and you Mom's will appreciate it.

,We had this great 10 year old cat named Jack who just recently died. Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and sit on him and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and nap all day long on this mat in our bathroom.
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Well we have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years old, 3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli really loves chapstick. LOVES it. He kept asking to use my chapstick and then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the bathroom I keep my chapstick and how he could use it whenever he wanted to but heneeded to put it right back in the drawer when he was done.
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Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around and try to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying on. My two boys a re fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my make-up.
Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is motherhood.
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We finally have the older one and and the baby loaded in the car and am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally round the corner to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He was applying my chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . . rear end. Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped." Now if you have a cat, you know that he is right--their little butts do look pretty chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind.
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And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the  hundredth.
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And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've been using your chapstick on the cat's butt

I loved that one!

Challenges and Classes

Yesterday morning my mojo left town. It walked off over the heath, little rucksack on its back, heading away for a break. It does this from time to time and I am always sad to see it go off for a little R and R, but it generally comes back when it has rested up a little! So as my mojo was missing I was BORED!  Never a good thing for me to be really. Keyboard in one hand, credit card in the other .... it's a deadly mix. But Oh what fun I had. I haven't bought scrapping supplies for a while and now I will have several pizza boxes winging their way to me.

As I was bored Anso came to my rescue and set me a challenge, which I didn't quite fulfill but almost did. It is only a very quick digi page that I made whilst watching Escape to the Country (I LURVE that programme - but then I love any programme on houses, DIY, makeovers etc) They are pictures from our trip last week to Marwell of that gorgeous gorgeous snow leopard. I called it Spirit as that is what David Attenborough called them on Planet Earth. They are so rarely seen by anyone in the wild that he said they truly were the spirits of the forest. The embellies are all from the same kit which I promise I will add in later. It is stored on the lap top and I am on the main computer at the moment. But it is a gorgeous kit.

The alphabet is - surprise surprise - Atomic Cupcake LOL

I then did my first Design Collective class. The first mailing went out yesterday and the classes were gorgeous and very well recieved. Apart from just one person who was less than satisfied - and lets face it no-one ever pleases everyone - the response was an overwhelming WOW. The people who had subbed for the first month - and there were so so so many - were delighted and the work has already started to be shown not only on our own boards but on others too.

I couldn't resist tackling Kirsty's class (above) yesterday afternoon, adapting is for a different format for my travel journal. It was a great class and I was delighted with the results.

Shimelle's class started yesterday and was an exellent focus for a first prompt, all about nostalgia. Shimelle suggested, and I happen to think she has it spot on, as she has so many things spot on, that there is such a thing as a nostalgia gene, and it is one I think I have in doble helpings. Clearly both of my parents provided it in the DNA mix! I love looking back and, if I say so myself, have an uncanny memory for things from years ago; tiny little inconsequential details. I am going to love this class and love the reflective element of it all and can't wait to get started. 

The Design Collective

We are proud to announce

THE DESIGN COLLECTIVE

Fresh, fabulous, inspiring

Introducing a new and exciting concept in scrapbook design inspiration.

Our team of designers are renowned for their diverse and creative approaches to scrapbooking and altered art projects. Their wealth of creative experience in designing new and innovative pages and projects is already being tapped into by leading magazines, retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers in the scrapbooking industry. They now come together to bring you a whole range of fresh, fabulous and inspiring ideas for your scrapbooks and other memory art projects.

The team comprises: Fiona Beckman, Clare Brown, Jane Dean, Amber Harrop-Johnston, Debbie Jewell, Karen Leahy, Elaine Loughlin, Jennie Leon, Ali McGovern, Karen Miller, Debbie Nicholas, Katie Shanahan-Jones, Suzanne Torr and Kirsty Wiseman.

Classes will be issued four times during each calendar month on the 3rd, 11th, 19th and 26th. By subscribing to The Design Collective, on each of these dates you will receive:

 one major class project;
 two additional inspiring projects (taking a variety of formats such as challenges, new ways to use something, themed pages and so on);
 a range of tips and ideas from the design team.

A newsletter will sent direct to your email box with the relevant classes in the form of attached pdf files. Classes will focus on different design elements and techniques and will cover a whole range of projects from layouts to mini books to gifts and altered items. You can choose to print out the classes or save to disk; whichever format you choose, over a period of time you will be creating your very own Design Collection to use over and over again to create beautiful and meaningful pages and projects.

In addition to issuing project pdf files, we will be hosting a blog to keep up to date with all the latest news and a community forum for subscriber chat, help from the design team and a gallery so that you can share your work with us. And we will also host two cyber crops over the course of the year for even more fun, challenges and inspiration!

For just £10 a month (and NO! that is not a typing mistake!) you will be getting four major project classes, eight further classes and a wealth of knowledge and tips from the design team. That works out at under 85p per class! Plus, there will be no having to buy expensive class kits as we will be positively encouraging you to use up that stash mountain in the corner of your room! You choose what supplies you want to use, to match your own photos and themes, you get to stay in your pj’s and scrap in the comfort of your own home, whilst having the class designers to call upon for help and other subscribers to talk to in the community forum. And think of the money saved on petrol!

We will also be incorporating a Loyalty Scheme which will reward subscribers with additional benefits on the completion of a six and twelve month continued subscription with us. Subscriptions will be taken on a monthly basis, paypal is preferred but we will also accept bank transfer. This way you don’t need to pay out a lump sum up front, just the monthly subscription charge of £10.*

We will be taking registration bookings from Monday, 12th March. To make sure you don’t miss out on any important updates and registration details, please register your interest** by emailing to subscriptions.designcollective@gmail.com
and keep checking for more information on the team blog http://designcollective.typepad.com.

Notes:

* Subscriptions will be due on the 2nd of each calendar month to ensure you continue to receive the classes without interruption.

** Registering your interest at this stage is not a final commitment.