PINK SATURDAY - ON THE FIRST WEEK OF CHRISTMAS...

My article for Craft Stamper magazine - read about it here

It's officially the First Week of Christmas in our household - both Peter (my long-suffering husband) and I adore Christmas! I intend having the tree up and decorated on the 1st December, and will be shopping for tinsel and lights even as we speak...

Vintage Robins - copyright Susie Jefferson

So my first gift to you is this brand new Christmassy background, header and email button set, so get you in the mood. 

This background will fit any 3-col blog and also a wider 2-col one, plus the new Designer Templates (see my post as to which will fit the best). Just copy all the code below exactly as you see it, and pop it into an html widget right on your blog. 

<style type="text/css">
body {background-image: url("http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/8227bc5b.jpg"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; }
</style>
<div id="tag" style="position:absolute; left:0px; top:50px; z-index:50; width:150px; height:30px;">
<a href="http://1stfloorflatblogology.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">
<img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/9061ddc2.png"/>
</a></div>

WordPress user? Yes, you can use this one as well! Go to Appearance, Background, then Upload Image. For Position, click 'center', for Repeat just click 'no repeat' and for Attachment click 'fixed' and it'll fit most freebie WordPress blogs. Ditto the header and email button - jut add the code as normal.

HEADER

Vintage Robins header - copyright Susie Jefferson

Copy the code below and enter into your Header box, either behind the title if you want to use Blogger's default header and descriptions, or copy to your computer and add your own customised header using your favourite graphics programme.

http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/cd568a11.png

EMAIL BUTTON

The email button is also a png image (so it will show with a clear background).

Email button - copyright Susie Jefferson

Just copy the code and paste into an html widget box in your sidebar. Put your own email address where the code says email me and make sure there aren't any spaces between the : and the " or it won't work.

<a href="mailto:emailme"><img border="0" src="http://i659.photobucket.com/albums/uu313/1stFloorFlatComputery/d422aac7.png"/></a>

We're now winging our way to Christmas! Only a couple more weeks! Where did the time go? Last time I turned round, I swear it was only July... mind you, I've been polaxed by flu (in spite of having an injection against it 3 weeks ago - obviously what's going around isn't what they were inoculating against) and still feeling very weak and wimpish.

However, I'm getting somewhat into the holiday spirit, having finally finished a marathon scrapbooking commission - so am having a massive tidy-up, clearing the decks ready for Christmas proper. Tree, lights, camera, action!

This year, I'm determined to take some decent photos of the decorations - I'm tired of looking at everyone else's wonderful photographs and then seeing my pitiful attempts. I have a great new camera (12 mg or whatever) and still can't work out how to use it - I just leave it on automatic yet closeups still end up totally blurry. Ah well...



Finally, please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound to see all the other wonderful Pink Saturday posts!

PINK SATURDAY - BRAG TIME

Poised, ready to rock!

It's been a miserable week due to ill health (more below) so I was totally delighted to get an email yesterday telling me my videos are up!





Collage:
A Guide To Vintage Scrapbooking


Blade Rubber Stamps asked me to do some scrapbooking videos for them, and the first few are now on VideoJug if anyone wants to take a look. Here's just one of them.

Definitely ready, camera turned on....

They're very short sound bites, nothing in-depth, and will probably have you rolling around on the floor, laughing your socks off.

Still waiting...

However, it's my first time in front of a camera so please make allowances. I will put them all on the blog as soon as I get the DVD from the company, without the adverts (sorry about the ads!). Here's the link for the Blade Rubber Blog, which I write (because I can, and because I'm addicted to blogging, lol).

Hope I'm making sense here

A 'baby' layout (Dierdre's baby is now a grown-up teenager and ready to lynch her mother for giving me the photos to use)

Dying for a coffee...

Wow! The coffee's finally arrived... we're also hoping for biscuits...

Here are some of the scrapbook pages demonstrated in the shoot:

MADE TO MEASURE - full view

Closeup of lettering

View showing some of the dimension - and the snap fasteners and safety pins

Closeup of lettering, showing the dimension. I used ink pads to colour the chipboard letters, then covered with Diamond Glaze and threw on some glitter to finish

 The 'baby' page:

Full page view of DINNER TIME featuring Dierdre's daughter Charlie

Closuep of the 3 dangly medallions - I used a circle cutter for these

Another closeup, showing these swing around freely (much fun!)

Another detail view, showing the chipboard lettering - painted white, then Snow glitter on top

And now for another vintage piece:

Vintage Chic - the full piece

Two layers of flowers + foam butterflies (glittered) to add dimension

Closeup

Another closeup, showing dimensionof chipboard letters (painted lime green, then glittered)

Finally, just one more piece (I should think you've had enough by now)

GUARDIAN ANGELS - closeup of ribbon, brads, photo corners

Closeup of lettering (stickers! See, you can find some nice ones)

GUARDIAN ANGELS - the full piece

Another closeup, showing the different papers  & layers

I'll load the rest during the week, once I've finished photographing them. I have to say the shoot was pretty nerve-wracking at first but went pretty smoothly. And yes, I'd do it again. Quite an experience!

And now I have to send BIG apologies to everyone who visited me last week - because I didn't visit back. In fact, I didn't visit anyone! So much for the big anniversary dinner: I woke up Saturday morning feeling fine, and by early evening was in bed... for the duration. Flu. Bad, nasty flu - we've both had it and have been housebound the entire week. I finally staggered out the house today to the nearest chemist for more Paracetamol, tissues and cough syrup. Isn't it always the way? The best laid plans etc...



Finally, please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound to see all the other wonderful Pink Saturday posts!

PINK SATURDAY - HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!

Copyright RegularJane

It's a very happy Pink Saturday post this week - my (our) 12th wedding anniversary! Yes, we got married (after 5 years together) on Friday 13th November, 1998!

Here's my two favourite pictures from the day - as it was November, and 2nd time round for both of us, I didn't want a white meringue. I thought cream, Winter White... nope, they weren't doing it that year.

Signing the Register

 So I'm in dark navy/gunmetal devore with a slight lurex thread over heavyweight dark navy matt satin crepe camisole and wide-leg trousers, very high heels in black suede, quilted gunmetal satin Japanese-style jacket. With a diamante tiara.

Posing for pix

Peter's in a very beautifully cut Jaeger suit, a silk & woven brocade waistcoat to match my outfit,  and black brogues with a silk tie. It was a wonderful day! We got married at Ealing Registry Office, which is a wonderful building, very Gothic with tons of crenellations etc - loved every second.

Copyright-free pic from Tack-o-Rama

So it's cheers from the both of us to all of you, with love....



Finally, please visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound to see all the other wonderful Pink Saturday posts!

NEW DIGITAL TOY!

I love gadgetry - especially when it's free! Take a look at Shape Collage....






This web toy lets you do fantastic collages with a load of images automatically (you can also use text, dingbats etc plus the usual rectangle, oval etc) and looks to be a load of fun. Take a look at the final cat cutout - with around 120 images of cats within the shape.

Enjoy!