Ok, as promised, here are my top 5 scrapping goals for 2010…
1. Finish the “book of me”. Whilst I’ve made an ok start last year, this year it will be completed and I plan to make the remaining pages a lot more personal than the previous ones. The idea is that in years to come Caitlin can read through it and get a real idea of the person I am at this time in my life.
2. Focus more on being published than previous years. In the past I have been published however I have not been consistently submitting, so, this year, I’m making like Michael Jordon and submitting, submitting, submitting and hopefully that’ll see me score!
3. Submit to at least one challenge gallery every month – they are fun and they make me a better scrapper. I really am enjoying the challenge they bring. I also love the inspiration others give me in their interpretation of the layouts!!
4. Use up my stash! Use at least one older piece of my stash on every layout – a blend of old and new is the way to go to use up my stuff whilst keeping my layouts fresh.
5. Give Scrapbooking Masters a good go this year, last year I made a feeble attempt and to be honest got a feeble result…. 2008 I made top 50! This year, I’m pulling out all the stops and going for it, least if I fail, I know I’ve given it all.

Well, quite a lot of progress has been made this last week, mainly background “stuff” but I now have a net book fully set up with all of my scrapping software (amongst other things). I’ve also recently joined a scrapping challenge site called stucksketches which has a fortnightly challenge layout. These are great as they force you to explore different layouts that you may not normally try. I’ve been doing them for a while at Annas Craft Cupboard and this year (as part of my scrap resolutions which I’ll list later), I thought I’d spread my wings a little and try a couple more. Below is my latest work, a take on the current challenge at stucksketches.

I blame my scrap addiction on my MOTHER who introduced me to the craft at an exhibition around 4 years ago. Little did she know how big an impact her innocent comments like, “You’d be great at THAT love” and “Just think of all the lovely albums you could make”…would be. It’s little wonder I stopped buying shoes with the “left over” shopping money and now invest in all sorts of ribbon, flowers and buttons, especially buttons!!
I know it’s cliché but my inspiration truly comes from my life and family. Isn’t that what scrapping is really about??? I also love drawing on everyday things such as designs on my daughter’s clothes, patterned papers and anything out of my sewing kit. I LOVE buttons and ribbon, sewing and fabric. It’s also amazing the layout ideas you can borrow from your “junk mail” and women’s magazines.

I would describe my style as girly, fun and bright. Just because it’s girly doesn’t mean it has to be pale pink and white – although there is nothing wrong with that sometimes!! I love flowers, fabric, bling, ribbons and anything feminine. I love distressing chipboard and layering anything.

I’m really quite addicted to this craft and don’t really need too big an excuse to sit up until midnight in my craft space..
…..ohh the possibilities!!!

I also created this beyond the page album in 2008 and was lucky enough to have it published in Scrapbooking Memories magazine…

Thought the beginning was the best place to start so here is an older layout staring my beautiful little Caitlin. I created this in 2008 and still love it.