Monday 2 June 2014

Blog Hop with a difference....

Last week I was invited to join a Blog Hop Tour by Mary Anne  of UKScrappers fame :) It's a different sort of blog hop than you generally see and the idea is to answer a few questions and then pass the batton on to 3 more  friends for the following week so it spreads out as it goes week by week... So, here goes...


What am I working on?

I always seem to have a few different things on the go at once. This week I'm dividing my crafty time between my design team commitments for  the Scrapology challenge blog, which is a card and a layout every month (which I can't share!), my pocket album, which is a page a month, and making all kinds of papercrafty goodies to sell on my shelf at The Thrifty Thistle. (The Thrifty Thistle is a fabulous shop in Felixstowe where crafters, not just papercrafters, can rent a shelf to sell their handmade items). I'm making peg notice boards, pencil pots, gift boxes, peg magnets and lots more!




It's amazing what you can make with a baked bean tin and some scrapbook papers!

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Well I guess the obvious difference is that I choose to work in the American A4 size, 8.5 x11" and always in portrait. The majority of Scrapbookers work in 12x12, which I now find incredibly difficult.
I don't buy huge selections of ready made embellishments for my pages, although if some come in a kit, I'll happily use them!
Most of my pages have a 'home made' look to them, I don't use lots of fancy complicated techniques or tools, and I love to recycle found/saved trinkets,tags and momentos. Cutting and sticking is what I love....
I make the patterned paper work very hard for me, and nearly always let the photo dictate my colour combinations.
I love pretty patterns and my work has to be NEAT and coordinated.....  I'm hopeless with inky, splatty, art-journaly or ecclectic styles!





Why do I create what I do?

I'm like alot of other scrapbookers that I've met in person or through blog-land, who say they've always been crafty.  It wasn't till I discovered Scrapbooking in 2006, that I actually felt at home. I've always kept photo albums, and loved my sugar paper scrapbooks, but had never combined the two.
Scrapbooking for me is FUN, its what I love to do....well it beats housework every time:)
Of course, I'm preserving memories and satisfying my creative side at the same time with something I can KEEP.
My latest layout is always my most favourite, and I stick them high up on the wall in my craft room untill there's no room left and then they have to go in an album.
If my layout doesn't have much in the way of journaling on the front...then I always write all the details on the back for future reference.



How does your creating process work?

My starting point these days is more often than not a sketch. It really means that the hard work of designing the page is already done and I can concentrate on the fun stuff .
I rarely stick completely to the original and always try to do something a little different. I pick a photo, choose my colour combinations, and dig around in my stash till I'm happy.
If I'm honest, my finished layout doesn't end up how I imagine it in my head...it just evolves.

Sometimes I get stuck with a title if it's not obvious, and that's one of the really great things about attending a monthly crop. You can bounce ideas around with other like minded folk and not just your long-suffering family!!


So, that's all from me for now..

Next week it's the turn of  Sadie  and  Elaine. Click on the names to visit their blogs... and pop back on Monday 9th June.

Sadie is one of my Scrapbook buddies at the monthly Papermaze crop in Otley. She hasn't been posting lately on her blog but I get to see her work in real life!  She is a lovely, kind hearted , fun loving family person which shines through on every layout she creates :) She takes some fabulous photos, and clearly loves creating, on and off the page.

Elaine is a fabulously busy scrapbooker who I  know from UKS and blogland. She loves challenges, is never afraid to try something new and tackles some fairly scary looking sketches whilst managing to make it look easy! She so obviously loves scrapbooking; every post on her blog is like a mini tutorial, always full of hints and top tips so it's well worth a visit.

Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to pop back next week to see what Sadie and Elaine have to share.

Bye for now
Karen x



19 comments:

  1. Wow! That's some introduction! Thanks for inviting me. I'll try not to disappoint!
    Have fun all!

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  2. Awesome post and your answers to the questions are fun and give a little insight to the crafty Karen! Love how you display your pages, I have been toying with different ideas on how to display mine lately but I have not got a picture rail, so I need to come up with something else! TFS. xx

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  3. Anonymous2/6/14 15:13

    There is something about the 8.5x11 format that I just love, but it wasn't till I read this that I realized you NEVER do them landscape. Funny that. I have always admired your style and enjoyed reading the insight into your process. I love the sound of that shelf-at-the-shop. I'll have to check it out next time we are in the area. How cool. I love the sneaky peek of the notice board too. Looks useful and decorative. I'm so glad you were able to take part! I think we had a tricky time-frame, with the school hols :)

    Thanks again for agreeing to be one of my hop-ons - I'll be checking your links next week too.

    Cheers, m'dear
    Mary Anne

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  4. Lovely to read and learn more about you on here Karen.

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  5. The blog hop is a great idea and I love your pages.

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  6. Love your post and that pencil pot is adorable

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  7. Lovely layouts, especially the Beach Buddies one. Wish I lived closer to Felixstow, that shop sounds amazing!

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  8. I love your portrait layouts and the fact that they're on display around the wall.I love the pencil pot too-what a great idea!

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  9. Fab creations Karen & great post too.
    C xx

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  10. I'm really liking the A4 sized pages, can I ask where you get the albums from?

    I love the way youvhave displayed your LO's -really lovely work :)

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    Replies
    1. Hi Julie, Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments :)
      I buy the American Crafts "D" ring albums from www.papermaze.co.uk. In 8.5x11 portrait size, which come in some gorgeous colours.
      Karen x

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    2. Thanks Karen, space is limited in my little house so I think this is the way to go:)

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  11. These are lovely projects and it nice to read about your projects x

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  12. I love reading these posts and finding out about how we all "work"
    Great post :)

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  13. Hi Karen fab post!!! thanks for inviting me :) I've posted this morn xx love all your little projects that you do and really like how you display your layouts on your picture rail great idea xx

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  14. Hi Karen, thanks for leaving me a comment on my blog and also thanks for the feedback on my broken link. Fixed now :-)

    Your blog is lovely, I have never come across it before and have now bookmarked. The projects you have shown us are lovely and the rent a shelf idea is great!
    Jen

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  15. Great to know more about you.
    Love the way the Scrapology team are all saying 'top secret' :)

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  16. Hiya, lovely to get to know a little more about you.

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  17. Thanks for sharing your work and about your creative process. Lovely projects!

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