Facebook Challenge

I set a little challenge over on Facebook the other day, in honour of my 23rd Wedding Anniversary - but I think I'll extend it to something a little more, and also have it continue it through the month of August.

So the challenge will be to scrap a layout or project, along the lines of  "Then & Now"  - so it could be something like you on your wedding day and how you are now? or maybe you had long hair and have since cut it all - even baby photos :)  It's up to you.  But do share your links on here and over on facebook.  I will be giving a little prize at the end of the month - I'm hoping a couple of you will join in, so I can then give random generator a little play to find a winner LOL.  Anyway, the prize will be something from all the lovely brand new goodies that will be coming to the store soon :)

I've still to figure of how to leave a badge etc on here for finding Gotta Craft on Facebook - but give me time, I'll get there.

Anyway, I'll leave you with a layout using July's kit with Cosmo Crickets, Odds & Ends -oh yes, its hubby and I on are wedding day LOL. 

Facebook ... here we come

Having spent a great deal of yesterday afternoon and this morning - I think we're getting somewhere! ... and that somewhere is Facebook.

It's early days, but the plan (I hope) will be to have a couple of challenges and giveaways. I'll also keep it updated with news on what's coming to the store.  So if you have an account, do come over and say hello, search for Gotta Craft and "like" me lol.

I've also spent this afternoon playing with Twitter ....  there really is no stopping me.  And again, if you have a Twitter account you can find me over there .. only this time, it's one word Gottacraft

Seems strange to have a blog post with no photo ... so just for you :) ... here is a picture of the box of goodies that I'm uploading over the next few days - not all brand new products, but some odds and ends that were in old kits etc ... and also I'm going to be doing a little bit of re-arranging of the categories, hopefully you'll find things quicker - I'd love your comments :)

It's Just Scraps: Patchworked Papers

So I came home from holiday and I looked at the lovely bits left over from this month's kit and I thought I just had to do another page.

I gathered up the scraps and decided to make a patchwork effect to emphasize the country feel of my photo, with crumpled up edges and some machine stitching. Here it is:

While it was coming together, this is what I thought:

- the distressed edges disguise the wonky edges from the left over scraps

- this kit mixes well with Crate Paper's Emma's Shoppe. That's where my buttons came from

- to add to the scraps I placed some pages from an old dictionary. Any kind of ephemera can bulk out a page if you are running low on the patterned paper you want to use

- I cut my title from the very middle of the cardstock before sticking the rest down

But most of all I thought - doesn't Sandra put together a pretty kit! This one might be my new favourite.

Customer Creations

I've been getting myself back into the world of blogging this week, and slowly catching up with all the creative and talented people out there.  So a happy smile came over me, when I clicked into read some posts and came across you talented lot, and what you've been doing with this month's kit.

First up with have the lovely Michelle with her blog ... Scraps of Me, do visit her, the woman never stops crafting :)

Next is Jo, and her blog Buckingham's Palace... I've showcased many a layout from Jo before - she always manages to find the perfect photo to go with the kits at the crops :) and she's used all the goodies from July's kit in her entry for UKS's House challenge this month.

And lastly (for now) is Suzy, over at Sea, Glass & Sand - who although hasn't shown what she's created yet with July's kit, has done a lovely layout with the Lilly Bee one :)

I'm leaving you with a layout sent from Michelle using last months kit. Thanks guys :)

Although July's kit with its gorgeous Odds & Ends papers has sold out, you can still buy some of them as individuals, HERE.

Right, Sian will be along in a day or so with more of her amazing work :) and I'll be sharing soon with you some of the new goodies that are coming to Gotta Craft.

If you have any projects on your blog you'd like to share - please drop me an email and I'll happily do that in future posts.

Have a fun weekend ... and here's to us all seeing the sunshine. 

Cards and Tags

July's kit is so full of beautiful double sided papers that I decided the best way to show off both sides was to use little bits in a few smaller projects. So I made a set of tags:

Ribbons from my stash, but the twine is from the kit

and this card:

and then this one:

Brown button, leaves and twine all from the kit

And I still have plenty left over for more..

Odds & Ends - July's Kit

Have you ever not wanted to go on holiday? No, neither had I. Until Sandra sent me the July kit and I realised I wasn't going to be able to fit in all the things I wanted to make! It's Cosmo Cricket's Odds & Ends, and it's absolutely beautiful.

It's a kit for cutting into right away, so that's what I did:

with this page about some retro kitchen accessories from a recent shopping trip. The little paper dolls are cut from one of the sheets of paper. I cut the big doiley shape and the red numbers with my Slice and the lovely cream alphas come with the kit. My favourite piece? I think it's that blue dotted paper, but that could change, I'm not finished yet. In the shop here

I'm just butting into Sian's lovely post, to say that July's kit will be going on sale on Saturday 16th.  And to say a HUGE thank you for everyone's kind words, and cards - it's really meant a great deal to me and my family.