Expanding Blog Hop

I am so pleased to be invited by Elaine from UK Scrappers to take part in the expanding blog hop. The blog hop involves answering 4 questions, then introducing you to other blogs that I find inspiring. It sounds like such a great way to find others and see what they are doing. You can see Elaine's blog and her answers here.

Here are my answers to these questions:

1. What am I working on at present?
At present I am working on a few different layouts, but the most urgent ones I need to finish are using the July Scrapaholix kit. Each month I put together a  kit and an optional add on kit for my Scrapaholix clubs that are all around the UK. The July one features papers from Pebbles' Garden Party range - lovely pinks and turquoises in this kit! Also included in this kit is one of the new Teresa Collins Basically Essential templates - we will be looking at different ways you can use templates.
Here is a picture of the lovely July kit:

and the add on kit:

The thing I love most about Scrapaholix is that you get to try new products and learn new techniques that you perhaps wouldn't otherwise push yourself to do. It's definitely a great way of expanding your crafting skills. Incidentally I am always looking for new Scrapaholix clubs to be started up, so if you fancy running your own Scrapaholix club, please get in touch (sales@scrapaholix.com) and I will send you more information!

2. How does my work differ from any other of it's genre?
The obvious answer to this question is: well, it is mine, featuring my photos! But seriously, I don't think I have any particular set style, as I am always trying out new ways of scrapbooking, new techniques and looking at different styles. I think I would get a bit bored if I kept doing the same style on layout after layout, so some of my layouts have clean and simple lines, others are a more messy, grungy style, and occasionally I get to do a real girly layout (difficult as I only have a son!) One thing I do consistently keep to, though, is I don't like my layouts to be overly busy as I think this detracts from the photo.

3. Why do I write/create what I do?
I think scrapbooking is such a lovely way to display photos, it has so much meaning behind it and is so much more than just photos in an album (or in a box!) How often do you hear of photo albums that no one knows who the people in it are or any information about them? It is such a shame that this family heritage just gets forgotten about, and I truly don't know why everyone doesn't make an effort to do scrapbooking! I create my albums with care and put so much love into them, they will one day be (hopefully) treasured by my family!
Not only that but it is a fabulous creative outlet for me, and I gain so much pleasure from looking through my albums now, and it helps me to remember all the little details of our lives which may otherwise have been forgotten in our busy lives.

4. How does my writing/creating process work?

I'm very much a go with the flow worker, I just get ideas popping into my head as I am working and that is how my layouts usually get done. Sometimes I use a sketch to get me started, however these seldom turn out anything like the original sketch, which is fine as I use them just as an inspiration starting point.
When I am scrapping I sometimes find it helpful to work on several layouts at once, then I can keep shuffling them around and adding bits here and there as the ideas come. Usually I leave them and keep going back to check I still like the design before I stick things down.
I must add that my creative process does vary from layout to layout, just depends on how the ideas are coming and how I'm feeling!

Well that's me done, now I will introduce you to some of my suppliers blogs that I adore and get so much inspiration from. Technically I think I'm supposed to introduce you to individual people, but as I am so new to blogging, I don't yet really follow any one person's blog, although there are a few I look at from time to time!

Firstly, here is the blog of the totally awesome Dusty Attic. At The Mad Scrapper I have one of the largest supplies of Dusty Attic chipboard in the UK, I am so addicted to their product as it is so well made and the designs are gorgeous. Truly I don't know when to stop when I am placing an order with them;-) When I look at their blog, I get so many ideas, and there is such a wealth of talented work on there.

Secondly, another Australian company that I stock and adore is Green Tara (I think I am the only one in the UK who stocks their products, but I may be mistaken). Their products are mainly focused on gorgeous paper and fabric flowers, but they also sell divine trims and decorative sprays. Their blog (which you can see here), is also another source of incredible inspiration. Again the work that is shown is so beautiful, and it makes me want to stock bigger and bigger ranges of their products. Their lovely flowers and trims often feature in the Aussie scrapbooking mags - Australian Scrapbooking Memories and Scrapbook Creations, and occasionally you will see them in some of the British magazines too.

Finally, here is the blog of Maja Design, a Swedish company that produces the most beautiful romantic and vintage papers, that really are too lovely to cut up!! This company is growing and getting better known all the time. The layouts on their blog often feature Dusty Attic products too, as the two seem to go hand in hand. Yes their papers are expensive, but you get what you pay for in this life, and they are so unique and of such a lovely quality they are definitely worth it, especially if you have a special project in mind.

Well that's it for now, I hope you can find enjoyment and lots of inspiration from today's post. Until next time,
Happy Scrapping!