Xmas Hat

Hi everybody - nearly Christmas. Hope you are all organized, and able to enjoy the time of year, it all gets a bit hectic doesn't it, and we forget to get into the festive spirit.

















This is a layout from Christmas last year. I started the tradition of the 'Hat' in 2006 when DGD #1 was five months old.

That first year was easy to get the photo, just plonked the hat on her head and voila - beautiful photo (will post it later) she was too little to realise what was happening !!! - last year, not so easy. She did not like it and this layout shows some of the out takes.


I did eventually get a beautiful photograph ( will post it later), but I must have taken nigh on 200 photo's to get it. Thank goodness for digital cameras.


I'm sure you're all familiar with that.

As for this years photo - still working on it - she still does not like anything on her head. Does it ever get any easier with children???!!!

When my two were little, we weren't taking photographs like this and certainly not in the numbers we are taking today. I'm sure you all remember that.

I'm hoping DS in Scotland will take a similar photo of DGD #2. If he does I'll post it after Christmas.

Well, thanks for dropping in.

Love Jane

Purple Xmas

Thought I would try something different - a Christmas layout without any Christmas paper, and none traditional colours as well.
















So, I went with this gorgeous Creative Imaginations paper by Marah Johnson.
















The photos are of DGD #1 from Christmas 2007.

I've used JAC paper for the glitter effects. Cricut cartridge Joys of the Season for the embellishments star, bauble and photograph panel with star. Title is from Stone Script.


And I added feathers, just because they're not an obvious Christmas embellishment. Seems to work quite nicely - certainly different.




Did you notice.....I lost the dot for the 'i' .... again!!! LOL





Thanks for dropping in

Love Jane

Busy Busy

Hi everyone, been a very hectic few days down here in Oz.

I'll start with one of my Cricut Club layouts from last month using Basic Grey Wassail Collection.

Title and holly leaves cut from new Solutions cartridge - 'Christmas'. Bauble cut from 'Joys of the Season' and then through the Cuttlebug and inked.

Cut the bauble top in gold card and used a few!! red brads - again, photo to be added later.

Also lost the dot for the 'i' - as usual. Meant to go back and put a brad or bling or flower or something in its place, but forgot. Will add that at some point in the future. Pesky little things, the dots for the 'i's!!!

This is a photo of me with Lynette Carroll, a very talented lady from America, who is Australian, and one of the original Design Team members for K & Company.

She was in Perth with Michelle Hartjes from Print Blocks, our importer of all stuff American here in Australia (well most of the American stuff anyway) Especially ProvoCraft (Cricut stuff). Who are based over East in Brisbane.

Lynette and Michelle were here in Perth for a couple of days doing workshops. Yesterday (Monday) was Michelle and the magic of Cricut Design Studio and the Expressions and three wonderful projects - needless to say none of which we managed to finish. They manage to cram so much into the day that it's just not possible to manage it all, but boy is the stuff gorgeous. Will post the projects when I get them finished.

Highlight of yesterday was - I won a Cricut Jukebox - trumpets please!!!!!!

Cannot wait to play with this new toy. Report later.

Today (Tuesday) was Lynette's turn, with two projects using K & Company papers.

One was this beautifully presented box filled with the latest Amy Butler range and a journal which we altered dramatically - pictures to follow when project complete.

A sneak peak at what was in the box - it was terribly exciting and what gorgeous products.

A sneak of the other project by Lynette - a 12x12 layout using K & Company papers - 'Life's Journey' and 7 Gypsies papers and products.

Again, photo's when finished.

We also did a third project today with Michelle, a 12x12 layout using Making Memories new Greenhouse Paperie Collection.

You know the next line ha ha LOL.

Two absolutely fantastic days. Thank you very much ladies for your inspiration and taking the time to come to Perth, we kinda feel a bit left out sometimes - everything seems to happen in the Eastern states.

Special thanks to the Boss (Jenae) for sending me to the Cricut Workshop yesterday, much appreciated. I paid for today's myself, and worth every penny it was.

Finally, I attended my first Stampin' Up party (workshop), run by my good friend Lynn Eyre, a Design Team member here at Scrapbooks from the Heart.

She has recently become a Stampin' Up demonstrator, and had a workshop specially for us girls at SFTH.

We made this awesome card and envelope with a couple of the stamp sets - 'Baroque Motifs' and 'Sincere Salutations'.

Brown, blue and white card from Stampin' Up and Chocolate Chip and Bashful Blue inkpads. I think the effect is simple, yet elegant, and not a patterned piece of paper in sight. I love it, and needless to say, spent far too much in product to get my collection started.

I am the newest fan of Stampin' Up....

More to come.....

Love Jane xx

Xmas Countdown Canvas

Here we go - Christmas is on its way. This was my off-the-page project for November Cricut Club.



A 12x12 canvas painted with MM paint - Meadow.

Circular paper - Making Memories Fa La La Paper.

Paper for pointer (clock hand) - Basic Grey Wassail (love it, more later).

Santa's head from new Cricut Christmas Solutions Cartridge.

Numbers from Jasmine Cartridge. Where else could you get all those ones and twos - you'd need to buy quite a few packets of alphabets for this one. I do love my Cricut - cut as many as you need!!

Bling from Kaiser. Flowers by Prima (who else!!!) Buttons - Creative Imaginations.




The rub on is Creative Imaginations from a colourful book of rub ons I bought last year, and just plum ran out of time to use them.


We have all these great plans of the projects we are going to do for Christmas, but before you know it the Big Day is here, and then you can't be bothered. So all the stunning product you bought, with the best of intentions, gets boxed until next year.


And what do we do 'next year' - we buy more!!!!!



Anyway, the clock hand, that was my big problem. How to get it to revolve without actually spinning (know what I mean).

Took me quite a while to come up with this engineering breakthrough - a toothpick!!! LOL

A wee bit of grosgrain wrapped round the middle of the 'pick, then thread through the pointer, another piece of ribbon wrapped round 'pick - keeps pointer in place.


Push toothpick through canvas, as far as ribbon will allow, chop off top of toothpick, add daub of red paint to camoflage - voila.

Pointer revolves, without spinning, as it is raised above canvas by ribbon below pointer (clock hand).

Forgot to say that the clock hand is actually one of the crosses from Indie Art. I don't have a clock hand on any of my 23 cartridges, unbelievably, so had to improvise by cutting off the cross arms of both the original cut and the shadow cut.

What do you think - I would appreciate your comments on this one.

Thanks for dropping in - lots more Christmas stuff to come.

Love Jane xx

LOTS & LOTS of Photo's

Faith in my Darling Husband has been restored!! He's fixed it!!!

As you can see, I can now upload as many photo's as I want.

This is DGD #1 in her Hallowe'en costume - the perfect pictures for my Pumpkin Patch layout - isn't she adorable (brag brag haha)

And the little shoes were so cute.

Off we go 'Trick or Treating' - pointing out Granny's car on the way!

This is a photo from back in Scotland, very blustery. It actually wasn't raining at this point - very strange - but it was about to!!!

That's my home town in the background.

These next photo's are of the Carnegie Hero Fund Book. A very important mission for me while I was back home.

My Great Grandfather drowned back in 1916, attempting to save a man's life and lost his own. The other man survived.

Great Grandfather was honoured as a hero by the Carnegie Hero Fund, and his widow and four children received money from the fund until the youngest was 16.

In the first photo that's a bust of Andrew Carnegie behind me. He was at the time of the setting up of the fund, in 1908, the richest man in the world. He was born in Dunfermline Scotland and his family emigrated to America when he was young where he made his fortune in the American Steel Industry.

The Book is kept at his birthplace in the cottage where he was born in Dunfermline. There are 11 such Books of Hero's, throughout the world, in his name - what a legacy.

I was amazed at how elaborate The Book was - it's real gold and amethysts on the cover and all the calligraphy inside is hand painted.

Great Grandfather is in the first Book, there are now four volumes, however, they are not so elaborate now (sign of the times?) and the Fund is still going strong.

It was fascinating listening to the curator of the Museum telling me the story of the Fund and the Books and I felt honoured to be a part of it - my family will always be grateful for the help the Fund gave to my Great Grandmother and her children, my Grandfather was eight at the time when his father drowned - a proud and humbling moment for me.

Love the white gloves too - made it feel really important, as indeed it is.

Thanks for listening - back to normal next post.

Love Jane xx

One More Photo

Here are the two cards I made using the left over paper from the Genuine article layout last posted.

They whipped together in a few minutes, using some more Cricut cuts of course.

I've even used the oft thought 'enemy' of the scrapbooking cardmaker - the PEEL OFF!!!

I think they are a great standby, and when coloured to match your card with permanent markers, who would guess? Well, most of us actually, but I thought they finished off the cards OK. They have their place I suppose.

As you've probably worked out, DH was unable to solve my uploading problem. I'm going to have to pay someone to remove whatever it is that is interfering with my uploading from 'My Pictures' to my Blog.

I reckon it won't come under warranty because I put it in, whatever it is!!

I have lots of Christmas stuff to show you, but need to do more than one photo at a time. There is a computer chappie at the store where I bought my laptop, so I'll have to pay (!!!!!) him a visit in the next few days and get this sorted out before it drives me mad!!

Thanks for dropping by

Jane xx

Just One Photo

Same problem, can only upload one photo at a time, what a pain in the butt!!

This is a Cricut Club layout using Basic Grey papers and cuts from the Graphically Speaking cartridge - photo to be added later.

I also made two cards from the scraps of this layout, including using the positive word 'authentic' on one of them (waste not, want not), that's the negative on the layout.

However, beacuse this stupid thing won't let me upload more than one photo at a time, I will have to add them to my blog later, how irritating!*?**!#

DH is at the golf just now, but as soon as he gets home, he will fix it - I have absolute faith, I do, I do, I think, I hope. Watch this space........

Love Jane

Photo Problems

Have managed to upload one photo, DS, DDIL and DGD #2. Beautiful little family!!!

My problems seem to be arising when I try to upload a second photo.

It would appear to have something to do with the dial up connection I had when I was in Scotland - can't seem to get rid of it off of my laptop.

Will keep trying. Have loads of projects to show you all.

Love Jane xx

Still Here

Hi everyone, sorry for the lack of posts over the last month.

We made it back from Scotland safely, and day to day life has taken over again.

I'm having trouble uploading photo's at the moment, so can't post any projects at this time. Will have to look into it when I get time. So, all I can do is apologise, and hopefully get it sorted soon.

Thanks for all your lovely comments, especially about my lovely wee family.

By the way, did I mention that Grandbaby number three is on the way!!!!

Yep, DD is expecting her second baby in May next year - it's all go. Love it.

Thanks for dropping by.

Love Jane

Hallowe'en's Coming

Greetings from Scotland - still here - enjoying the weather - NOT!!!!! Reminds me why I don't live here anymore!


Spending loads of time with family, son goes back to sea on Friday, so seeing a lot of him and new granddaughter, poor DIL still feeling under the weather, getting used to less sleep and full time baby caring.

This latest Hallowe'en layout was from September Cricut Club, just the title on this one from Street Sign Solutions cartridge. I love the colours on this layout.

Love this new photo - my two children, and their two children - life is good.....

See you soon.

Love Jane

Two Granddaughters

My two darling Granddaughters - my heart is gushing.....

















Rebekah took great delight in pointing out baby Erin's bits - baby's nose, baby'e eyes, baby's mouth, baby's ears, etc. Too gorgeous for words...


We are having a great time here in Scotland, catching up with family and friends. Just spending time with my Dad....


Family research is going well. For those that remember my post about GGrandfather - the youth he lost his life for did survive, which meant his life was not in vain. I found the article in the local paper from 1916 - that was a thrilling moment. All the old papers are now on microfiche and there is a great resource here in Ayrshire where all the parish records, old papers, census reports, etc. are held, making looking up ancestral stuff a wee tad easier. Will be spending more time there over the next few weeks.


Now to Cricut stuff...
















This is one of the layouts from September Club - Pumpkin Patch.


DD had already decided that DGD #1 will be dressed as a pumpkin this Hallowe'en, so this layout was made with that in mind. DGD #1's photo will eventually be put on this layout.

Pumpkins are from Happily Ever After, the vines being cut off of the pumpkins to adorn the photo mat. The signpost is from the Camping Out Solutions cartridge. And I'll be a monkey's uncle if I can't remember who makes the papers I've used, not at home to check, oops.

















So, that's about it for now. It's still taking way to long to publish these posts, but at least I can do it.


Back with more photo's and Cricut stuff in a couple of days....

Love Jane

Kuala Lumpur

DD and DGD under the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur. We had a 15 hour stop over here, which was great for the wee one, because it meant both flights were overnight, where she slept right through.


We had her running around to burn up her energy and she had a ball.




















To get this photo, I'm lying on the ground!! These towers are just too tall to fit in a standard 6x4 portrait. They are very impressive. Just makes me wonder how tall the tower in Dubai will be when it's finished - it's already the tallest building in the world - and it isn't finished yet!
















Now to Cricut stuff. This was my Off The Page project at this month's club. The photographs aren't very good.

I remembered, about two hours before I left for the airport, that I would post these while I was away, so it was a very hurried job.

The photo's do not do the project any justice. I got my inspiration from various sites on the Net, but they had only decorated a slice. So, I decided to do the whole cake!!!

















I cut the slices from Tags, Bags, Boxes and More at 8" and it took nine slices to complete the cake on my cake stand.


I always set the girls a challenge at the club, and so this month I gave them all a slice of cake to decorate. I can't wait to see what they do with their slices. But, I'll have to wait for two months - no Cricut Club in October.


I will post the 12x12 layouts and cards over the next few days. So, don't miss them.

Thanks for dropping in

Love Jane

First Photo's

My first photo of DGD #2 - Erin.

She has a full head of hair, dark like her Granny. Mummy and Daddy are blonde, so she may change. But for now she's dark. Isn't she gorgeous. Have had lots of cuddles, and will be spending as much time with her as I can while I'm here.















This is DS with his daughter. DDIL wouldn't have her photo taken until she is feeling a bit better, can sympathise with that. So photo's of Mummy to follow.

And of course first photo's with Granny, see the resemblance? She is so tiny and perfect.

As you've probably realised, we arrived safely in Scotland, after a gruelling journey, via Kuala Lumpur and Amsterdam, more about that later. DGD #1 was great on the journey, she slept most of the way, as the flights were overnight. We spent 15 hours in Kuala Lumpur, went to visit the Petronas Towers, and had quite an adventure, photo's to follow.

I have gained internet access (obviously!!!), which doesn't involve my Dad's phone bill (thank goodness), but boy, is it slow, slow, slow. Took me nearly half an hour just to upload three photo's to my blog!!!!

Maybe I'm just too used to high speed broadband at home. But, I'm thankful I will be able to post while on holiday.

So, lots of photo's to come and also the projects from this months Cricut Club, which the girls have asked me to post while I'm away - no Cricut Club in October - Didn't realise I would be missed that much.

So, will be posting them over the next couple of weeks - stay tuned...

Thanks for dropping by

Love Jane

Last Post

Evening everybody,


This is my last post from Australia - we fly out for Scotland in approximately five hours.

I will be posting while I'm in Scotland, however, they might be a bit sporadic - bear with me.

Back to normal in about a month - urgent need of R&R.

Thanks for visiting.

'Talk' again soon

Love Jane

It's aGirl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a new Granddaughter - Erin Hannah Marshall - born at 1038pm UK time - 18th September.


Mother and baby doing well - Daddy on cloud nine.


Have been up most of the night (we're 7 hours ahead of UK) waiting for phone calls and updates, very difficult being so far away - just want to give my boy a big hug and snuggle his child - never mind will see them on Tuesday - so excited......


Just waiting for first photo's


Love Jane

Six Cards

1 sentiment, 1 sheet of paper - six cards.


I wondered how many cards I could stretch one sheet of paper to, and was amazed when I got six cards from it - I had thought maybe five at a stretch. Quite economical this card making stuff, when you want it to be - they aren't too fussy! LOL















I wish I could send these cards out to you all, but I don't know your snail mails, so if you visit, claim one for yourself - Thank you for continuing to visit and your lovely comments.

Sorry about the colour in the last photo, not natural light as you can tell, took these tonight as I wanted to get them on the blog, and as I have Cricut Club tomorrow, will be too busy, and Friday will be hectic - leave for Scotland on Sunday.....

I will leave with this note - second grandbaby will be born tomorrow. DS partner has pre-eclampsia - now as a nurse I know how very serious this can be - however, the doctors are happy that they have discovered it early and are not overly concerned at this stage, however, she has been kept in hospital as of today and will be induced tomorrow Thursday 18th (UK). I'm already in tomorrow in Australia - aren't time zones confusing sometimes....

DS is on his way home as we speak - he is in the (British) Royal Navy, serving in the Gulf. There was always the fear he wouldn't make it home in time for baby's birth - his paternity leave was due to start on Friday, getting him home on Saturday for baby's due date Sunday 21st - but baby's never arrive when they're supposed to...

So, thumbs up to the Royal Navy, they are flying him home in time. Doesn't your heart just burst with pride sometimes....

Thanks for dropping in

Love Jane

Edit to post - why does blogger sometimes let you seperate your paragraphs and other times it won't. I had spaces between my paragraphs when composing this post, yet when I publish it, it all scrunches up, making it very difficult to read - anyone know the answer???? a very confused Scossie xx

Vintage Mum

As you've probably guessed, I'm not doing much crafting just now, as I'm off to Scotland in a week and have so much to organize with my family research - need to know exactly what I'm looking for when I go to Edinburgh, where they keep the Scottish records.


You have to book your spot, and pay for it of course. So I don't want to spend that precious time just scrolling through records - I need to have my direction clearly focused...


Plus, Edinburgh is on the other side of Scotland from where I live, so my girlfriend and I are going to spend a couple of days there, so my time is precious.





















The other focus will be to spend some time at the cemeteries, looking up the old relatives. You can get lots of dates and stuff from old headstones...DH says I'm weird.


Quite appropriate for the time of year I thought. Good job he's not coming home with me.


DD, DGD and myself are going, the husbands have to stay in Australia due to work commitments. A month is too long for them to be off of work.

This is a layout of Mum, when she was about three, with her older brother. Photo taken in 1940.

There is some dry embossing on the brown c/s, though doesn't show very well in the photo.

I love the metal dragonflies - matched well with the patterned vellum I used for the journaling.

I'm thinking now, when I look at the layout on the screen, that I should have inked the flowers a wee bit. They look too 'clean' on the page. Nae mind, I like it.

Thanks for dropping by

Love Jane

Big Girl Bed

Just had to post these photo's of DGD - so adorable.


She is growing up way too fast. She is now out of the cot and into a 'Big Girl Bed'.


One of those cots that converts into a little child's bed, and boy was she excited.

And Granny got to read her a bedtime story.

Another precious moment in the life of a little girl.

I love being a Granny....

Love Jane