A sunshine break

Hi I'm back from a break in the sunshine. But before the relaxing on a beach and reaching for a cocktail I had to endure the long haul flight. I used to look forward to plane travel but now I seem to dread it. To make the flight a little bit more bearable I stocked up on magazines, one was Country Living and it had a wonderful article featuring Merchant and Mills. They are a UK based company and as well as selling haberdashery and notions sell dress patterns too. I couldn't wait to order a pattern and today it arrived.

Even the packaging is cool. I'm so going to enjoy choosing some fabric for my dress but do I have sleeves or not? Decisions, decisions..........

Holiday Heaven

To those of you who are scrappers it will come as no surprise that while on holiday I snapped up this iron-on patch with a view to using it on a future layout. While out shopping in St. Johns I spied it in a shop window and thought it would make a brilliant ready made title. It's such a lovely blue too, a machine embroidered 'ANTIGUA'
....and here is the layout that I used it on. I started with the idea of making the layout really simple but I couldn't help myself adding bits here and there. I salute anyone who can scrap simple. I admire Alexa's scrapping style and if only she would start a blog I would be able to link to her to show you. However she has been contributing to 'Simple Things' over at It's a Creative World so you can go and take a look and be inspired by all the 'Simple' projects that have been going on.

For my layout I used cream cardstock and the paper is by Bo Bunny, Persuasion My Sweet from the Gift of Love line. I just love the colours. I was going to leave the space to the left of the photo blank but this where I couldn't help myself. First I added just the few lines of journaling, then I found the lobster block from Cosmo Cricket's Snorkel Elements and couldn't resist adding that too. I then remembered the Bliss ticket by Tim Holtz so on that went. Then I thought that the journaling should be backed by something but wasn't quite sure what - out came the corrugated card which I painted white. Lastly it just needed a little something so I punched some tiny blossoms.........and that was it.
So you see sort of simple or my version of it but isn't scrapping all about developing your own style whatever that might be?

My nearest and dearest have got used to me picking up odd things that I just know are going to come in handy for that creative moment. What crafty finds have you made?