GO TEAM GB!!!!!

Hello!

 I'm here today with my interpretation

of the current sketch over at

Sketchabilities.

Another London layout,

this time the countdown to the

 London Olympics.

When we were in London, in May,

there was still 80 days to go!

Well, it's here now

- Go Team GB!

The Sketch....

Papers are Papermania

"Portobello Road"

This huge countdown sign was in

 Trafalgar Square, under the watchful eye

 of Lord Nelson (pictures of him later!)

Flowers and ribbon from stash.

Martha Stewart "Double Loops" punch

Union flag ribbon by Papermania

Leaves from a die by Sizzix

Photo of the Olympic Rings

hanging in St Pancreas Street Station

- very powerful sight.

Daughter and I made a special trip

 to this station, because it is so old

and maintained so beautifully,

the rings were an added bonus....

And, of course, the Rings hanging

from Tower Bridge,

which I think is going to be a

common sight around the world

over the next two weeks....

A wee Martha Stewart "Lace Scallop Heart"

tucked in

and Bazzill red and white cardstock

Another layout completed for the

 London album

Thanks for coming by

Hugs

Westminster Abbey - SOUS DT Reveal

Here today with the Sketch Reveal

over at

Stuck On U Sketches....

And, oh my was this sketch perfect

for these photo's....

Because this layout has a wee secret.

It also has way too much

 white space me thinks....

The wonderful sketch from oor Nanne....

The papers are of course
 Portobello Road Collection from Papermania.
 If you couldn't get your hands on this collection,
it's probably because I bought it all,
well, that's what it seems like.
Still got loads to go.... LOL

The ribbons are also from the collection

The title is computer generated
and die cut from
 Spellbinders "Ribbon Banners"

The small photo is matted on a 
Spellbinders "Fleur De Lis Square"

The flowers are a Prima vine,
 which I have chopped into pieces and
 used on both sides of the layout

Martha Stewart PATP "Vintage Floral"

The wee note paper stamp is by Imaginisce

And, the wee secret is..............

A mini album hidden behind
the blue crown paper.....

Westminster Abbey is sooooooo
steeped in history, you can feel it
 as soon as you walk through those
famous doors below the West Towers....

There was no way a single page
layout, even a double page,
could do the Abbey any justice.
So, a wee album for some extra photo's....

I did not take some of these photo's,
particularly the one on the front
of the mini album. It is a painting from
 the 1700s, but it captured the history
 to me, considering most of the Abbey
we see today was built  in 1245....

Below is the story of the
Stone of Scone
(pronounced Scooon, as in spoon)
from Scotland, on which all British
monarchs are crowned.
I don't know if you will be able to read
the wee bit journaling I have added,
 if not Google It! A fascinating story. 
The Stone now resides in Edinburgh Castle,
 Scotland after a long (centuries) visit to England

I was also fascinated to discover
that the monuments above the West Door
(where Katherine and William entered
and left the Abbey at their
wedding last year),
are all from the 20th century.
It just shows that we never really see
what we are looking at!

I assumed they had always been there.
Wrong!

They were unveiled in 1996,
 prior to that the niches were empty....

The final photo,

on the back of the wee album,

is from the north entrance to the Abbey.

Not such a familiar view,

but, my goodness, how ornate is that....

So, there we have it,

Westminster Abbey

Now you need to hop on over to

 Stuck On U Sketches,

drool at the wonderful creations

from the rest of the team,

and then have a go at the sketch yourself.

You have two weeks to enter,

and we will come visit your blog

Looking forward to seeing you there...

Til next time

Hugs

First Card Sketch Reveal at SOUS

It's finally here - our first card sketch reveal at

Stuck On U Sketches....

With the first sketch from our leader

Sandi Clarkson

I had fun with this project,

no photo's to worry about,

 just a wee 6 x 4.5inch blank canvas (card)

The papers I have used,

on a plain white card,

are from the DCWV Luxury Stack

The pearl flourish is by Hobby House

The mini roses are also Hobby House

The beautiful vintage image

is a Marianne design "Postcard"

I have used Nestabilities

 Beaded Ovals and

Classic Ovals small

and the wee bit of lace is from my stash....

That was fun.

Now, for more inspiration from this

card sketch, head over to

Stuck On U Sketches

and see what my fellow DT girls

 have created, pure eye candy.....

Then have a go at the sketch yourself,

you have two weeks to create,

link it up, and we will all call by

 and leave you some love....

See you at

 Stuck On U Sketches

 Card Sketch Reveal....

Til Friday....

Hugs

Cards at SOUS

Hello fellow bloggers, scrappers

 and cardmakers...

I'm posting today with some

fab happenings over at

 Stuck On U Sketches

As you know I am on the

 layout sketch team over there,

 and there is also a die-cut team,

 and now, wait for it,

yes 

there is now a card sketch team

And I am on that team....

Jane Stirling - from the Sketch Team

Tracey Kelley - from the Die-cut Team

Alissa Wells

Becky Litz

Erica Ortiz

Leslie Foley

Nancie Quah

Vivian Lake

Our first reveal is this

Wednesday - 18th July

I am predominently a Scrapbooker,

 but I do like to dabble with cards,

and to have a great sketch to

 work with is a great starting point.

The sketches are all

designed by our great leaders:

 Sandi, Nanne and Leah,

and it's going to be a fun ride....

So, make sure you join us on

 Wednesday for our first reveal,

 and you will have the usual

 two weeks to join in - can't wait....

In the mean time,

 talking about cards,

 what am I doing in Scotland

now that I have no scrappy shops,

 classes, or scrapping friends

to play with (violins playing....)

I have joined a crafty group

 of ladies on a Monday morning

 at our local community centre.

They are a great bunch of girls,

but there is only one problem.....

Yes, they are all card makers!!!!

But, it's as close as I'm

 gonna get to scrapping

 here in Ayrshire

At least we talk the same

language - distressing, inking,

 layering, etc. etc.

And use the same products,

 to a certain degree.

They have never heard of

Graphic 45, Zva Creative,

Pink Paislee, to name a few.

However, Nestabilities

and Martha Stewart punches

are high on the tools list,

thank goodness.

Here's a couple of cards

I have made recently at the

Crafty Group, we are currently

on the summer break

- summer, what summer.

I forgot how much it rains

in Scotland, folk are saying this

 years weather is really bad,

not usually THIS wet....

Great for the ducks....

They use a lot of peel offs

on their cards here in the UK,

so, can't beat them, join them....

Looking forward to seeing you

 on Wednesday for our first

card reveal at

 Stuck On U Sketches

Til then

Hugs

SOUS DT Reveal

Sorry I've been missing for a couple

of weeks, but I have been crafting.

I brought so many unfinished projects

 home with me from Australia,

 that I must get finished.

So have been doing that.

Anyway, today is reveal day

for the Sketch Team over at

Stuck On U Sketches.

This is my interpretation of the fantastic sketch

 by our very own Nanne....

The sketch....

Continuing with my London photo's,

using the great Portobello Road Collection

 from Papermania...

The title block is

 'Fleur De Lis Rectangles" Nestabilities...

The leaves are a Sizzix die....

The flowers are die cut from

 Tim Holtz 'Tattered Florals'

The wee clock face is from the

 7 gypsies stamp set 'Venice'

The raffia flowers are 'Daisies by Sandie'

The wee roses are Kaiser....

Another clock face and Motto Bello

from the 7 gypsies stamp set 'Venice'

The photo's are daughter and I

at the Italian Gardens,

a beautiful setting within

Kensington Gardens.

The Gardens were a gift from

 Prince Albert to his beloved wife,

Queen Victoria....

The monuments, fountains and

carved stonework is beautiful,

 shame about the weather....

Still lots of London photo's to go.

I'm loving the challenge of

designing all these layouts

using the same paper collection.

My London album is filling fast.

Using sketches is a great way of

getting your mojo started....

So, why not come on over to

 Stuck On U Sketches,

 and use the sketch to get your mojo going...

The inspiration from my fellow

DT girls is certainly worth the visit...

We would love you to join in....

See you there....

Hugs