Scrapbooking with a Kit

Scrapbooking and crafting in general is one of the most relaxing things in the world for me. This academic year, school and work and the pressures of being a teacher in my first year of work meant that crafty endeavours were at an absolute minimum. Sad times. When the summer holidays rolled around, I was determined to get back to scrapbooking, where I can get lost in stories and patterns and photos for hours... But it was all a bit overwhelming when I hadn't crafted in so long. Luckily, it was Shimelle to the rescue, as she hosted a variety of challenges last Bank Holiday weekend aimed at using up kit supplies. So I created my own kit with the supplies I had at hand and decided on a few challenges that I would attempt using my kit only. Now, I am a slow scrapper... I look and change my mind and rearrange and layer and cluster and plan and journal... and that's all before I even start to stick things down! So limiting my supplies and having some challenges really helped to structure my scrapbooking.

Challenge #1: Scrapbooking in triplicate

This was an easy challenge for me to start with...three really is my magic number when it comes to scrapbooking. If I go through my albums, I come across countless layouts with three clusters of embellishment, further decorated by groups of three butterflies, wood veneers etc (as I've done here). This layout has a photo of my sister and I as flower girls at a few weddings when we were small - we felt like princesses! 

Challenge #2: Scrapbooking with three 3x4 cards

I know that 3x4 cards have become hugely popular with the advent of Project Life, but I love the idea of including these elements on a full 12x12 layout. These three cards were from a cut apart sheet, and I put them with photos from my cousin's wedding last September. The vintage car scheduled to bring the newly married couple to the reception broke down because the clever driver left his lights on for the whole ceremony! Definitely a moment for the scrapbook!

Challenge #3: Scrapbooking with your choice of a sketch

I'm not a big user of sketches, but anytime I do use one, I love the results and ask myself why I don't do it more often? Shimelle is the unchallenged queen of sketches (in my opinion anyway!), so I liked this challenge. I chose Shimelle's sketch number 10, entitled 'Busy Busy'. This layout records the quirky coolness of Le Centre Pompidou in Paris, where I visited with my friend last summer.

Challenge #4: Scrapbooking on the vertical

When I thought about scrapbooking with a dominant vertical line, I immediately thought of a journalling-heavy page (most of my layouts are journalling-heavy actually!). I had loads of space on this layout to describe a horrible short fringe I had cut in my hair in December 2011, and the MANY bad hair days that ensued! This is also a monochromatic aqua/turquoise layout...I can't get enough of that colour!

I'm back to scrapbooking with a vengeance! More layouts to share soon!

Sinéad xxx