simple journalling to get back in the flow...

when i've been away from crafting for a little while and need to get back in the zone...i find it can be really helpful to keep as simple as possible...limiting my time, my supplies and the scope for getting creatively lost.  this journal page is such a page, i gave myself 10 minutes, 3 brush pens and a squirt of ink!  its not an awe~inspiring page in terms of technique or perhaps even in terms of what it attempts to say...but i got my thoughts down and got on with creating something...and although its simple...i really like it! :0)

is this a tactic you try when you've been away from your desk for a while?  i'd love to hear any ideas you have to kick start yourself again...there seems to be a huge amount of talk on this subject atm...but more on that next time!

30 minute Thursdays!

Welcome back to the 30 minute Thursday spot...where i share something i've created in...well...you can guess how long i give myself, right? ;) i encourage you to join in too and leave me a link in the comments to your 30 minute projects too :)

This week i got to thinking about how daunting a brand new journal can be...how intimidating some people find all those pristine blank pages...so i thought i'd share my way to deal with *first page fear*...i tend to make the first page a sort of mission statement for the journal...a promise and a challenge to myself about what i want to create within the journal...and that is exactly what i've done here...

the fear is dealt with also by restricting the materials i can use...in this case only what is out on my desk...and it all has to be done and dusted in less time than it takes to make dinner :)

i'd love to see if this strategy works for you...to help you get started...because once the first page is done...its so exciting to fill all the other pages and doesn't seem so oddly scary...another theory i have...is that all journal pages do not have to be beautiful!! this might seem a bit radical...but i don't want to censor the pages that don't quite hang together...or don't quite work out...there is something to be learned from these pages...often more than the ones where you've stayed in your comfort zone and made *a pretty picture*...am i right here?


Apologies for the properly poor quality of today's photo...i opted to scan my page...i won't be doing that again unless its raining...{which is a shame because its a lot less effort than dragging myself, my camera and my crafty delights downstairs into the garden and back again...but hey ho!}

ok, happy journalling...do share your mission statement pages...and see you soon!

ps the journalling on this page reads:

*which way now?*
it may not be an easy journey and it will not always be a pretty path we follow...but this journal and i will travel through techniques and ideas together...hopefully arriving at a destination where i feel i've found *my style*...but then again...we'll probably just have found our flow!

metal mania...

this week's challenge over on the simon says stamp and show blog is to use metal...and i had to play along with that theme, right?

i've used 10 seconds studio metal and embossed it by hand, and with folders, i've inked it, stamped it, cut it out, glittered it...accented it with glossy accents and sanded it! i've also used metal tags, metallic glitter and metallic paint...as well as a couple of staples...so i think i've got the metal thing covered... ;)


one of the things i love about metal work is how versatile it is and how much dimension you can get into even a basically flat project...




i was particularly chuffed with how this rose turned out...its cut in metal and alcohol inked, then covered in distress stickles so its all sparkly...very vintage looking :)

ooooh....and i haven't shown you the whole thing...so...can you tell what it is yet??? lol

its a new doorhanger for my craftroom!

a little bit of cyber cropping...

i've not been up to much scrapping for the longest while now...so i thought i'd have a go at a couple of the classes in this weekend's Christmas scrappy cyber crop over on UKS....

this first class was by Angie:


...who could resist this super cute photo????



...or the chance of a political pun?

...not to mention the chance to use my new Martha Stewart border punch...it looks so pretty triple embossed :0)

This second class was by Linda...



...a good way to use up some of those mismatched letter stickers i have lurking around...and yes...i am truly cross~eyed in this photo!!! lol

if you fancy having a go at these...or any of the other classes or challenges on offer...pop over here!

whatever makes you happy...

...who can resist a theme like that??? this is the challenge over at the Simon Says Stamp and Show blog this week...check out all the deets here. My entry certainly fulfils this brief:

things that make me happy include:

handmade gifts *tick*, items that are both pretty and purposeful *tick*, using up those odd scraps of ribbon *tick*...

...stamps by Tim *tick*, painty backgrounds *tick*, glitter and bling *tick*...and flowers *tick*...

...a finished item that gets an "oooooooooh" when i show it to someone {usually whoever happens to pass by at the wrong moment!!} *tick*

so there you have it...my entry for the whatever makes me happy challenge...and a happy me!

wowyww...and winners!

hi there Wednesday folk...thanks for dropping by to see what is indeed on my workdesk today...and the answer is this...we've been drawing the winners for the sketch i posted two weeks ago...so without further ado...the winners are:

becky!

christina!

terri~ann!

if you lovely ladies could leave me your addresses as a pm to agirlcalledbob over on UKScrappers...i'll have your page kits on the way to you in the morning!

thanks so much to everyone who had a go...i loved seeing all your LO's...and i really enjoyed having you play with me! :0)

as for what else has been going on here over the last few days...well you may have noticed i've totally fallen in love with the embossed metal patchwork i've been doing...and here is another one...this time a letter A for my craftroom:

clearly, i've done it in the colours i love, and it matches the decor i've got going on in here...and i have to say i really rather like this one!! ;0)

i've covered it all round, which took a little bit of fiddling, but was well worth it...and in case you can't see...here is a close~up to show you just how shiny and pearlescent the peacock coloured metal is:

if you haven't seen it yet...i've done a step~by~step tutorial to creating this look a couple of posts back...

right...off you go on your rounds of all the woyww'ers...and don't forget to stop by Julia and leave her some love for starting this whole thing off...i just might see you there! :0)

Sketch challenge update & patchwork metal tutorial

hi all,

i've decided to leave the challenge open for another week...just in case there are any stragglers out there that haven't quite finished...the current LO's are gorgeous...just click on mr. linky to add your LO and to see the others :0) you've got to be in it, to win it, right?

**********************************************************************************

and as i've been asked quite a few times now, i've done a simple tutorial for my patchwork~metal technique

...hope you like it!

you will need:

an item to cover {mine is a mini~album which i've disassembled}

scraps of Ten Seconds Studio metal {or similar weight metal sheet}

scraps of grossgrain ribbon, ric~rac, trim in your chosen colours

embossing folders & big shot {or similar machine}

Humungo double sided super strong adhesive, and double sided tape {other makes are available...and i'm beginning to sound a little like i'm on the craft tv now!!}

glossy accents

nail file

alcohol ink & applicator

Step 1.

cut your metal scraps into suitable sized pieces for the item you are covering {the ones i used are 2 inches square} and emboss with the folders in a variety of patterns:

Step 2.

cover the front of your item completely with the Humungo tape, remove the red covering and begin applying your patchwork squares to the most awkward part of the shape first, making sure to alternate your patterns:

Step 3.

continue covering the shape until the whole thing is covered, folding 1/2 inch of metal over to the back {and through any holes} and trimming the corners as you would if you were covering the book with paper {cutting a triangle off at each corner to prevent bulkiness}:

Step 4.

use an old nail file or a sanding block to remover some of the coloured coating to the metal:

Step 5.

apply a few drops of alcohol ink directly onto the metal, and dab all over to spread the colour evenly with the applicator tool, then leave to dry:

Step 6.

apply a line of strong double sided tape over the join between each square of metal, with a dab of glossy accents at each end and stick down your ribbon scraps, folding the excess over to the back:

Step 7.

my cover had a window, so i've added a piece of acetate scrap and a photo to the middle by simply taping them in place on the back:

Step 8.

cover up all the messiness on the back of the cover with a co~ordinating piece of patterned cardstock and if you need one, re~make the hole!

Step 9.

reassemble the book...and its you're all done :0)

i hope all that makes sense to you...if you have any questions do leave them in the comments box and i'll do my best to answer them :0)

link your layouts here!

anyone...everyone...all of you who decide to play along with me this week...please add your LO links here!

please link directly to the LO, not just your blog, thankyou!
:0)

come play with me...i'll give prizes!! :0)

this weekend i was due to run a class at our local crop...and i wasn't well so i wasn't able to go...bummer for me...but the good ladies of the crop carried on regardless and did the class without me!!

the sad thing is that i didn't get to see all the different interpretations of my sketch...so i thought i'd open it up to you guys...and anyone who fancies having a go and leaves me a link to their LO will go in a hat to win a page kit {i can't tell you how much i love making up page kits...its crazy!!}...i have no idea how many of you, or indeed if any of you will join in...so i'll make up 3 kits for 3 randomly drawn winners...go on...you just might win...and you'll certainly make me happy!!

you have just one week to do this...so make sure you play along and check back next tuesday for the *results* lol

unlike most sketch sites...i'm not going to show you my LO just yet...i'll give you a few days to think of your own ideas...but let it be said that a few people reportedly had palpitations at the number of brads i used to create it!!

ok, get busy with the pp's...with the brads...with whatever you love to scrap with...and check back as i'll try to add a whizzy linky thing in the morning!! *wish me luck with that*

eeeeep...i'm a bit nervous no~one will play...so do join me...if only to stop me looking like a proper saddo!!! ;0)

things with wings...

that is the current challenge over at the Stampotique Designers Challenge blog...and the first of the delicious challenges from the Simon Says Stamp & Show blog...so in true thrifty crafters' style...i've got myself a bargain...2 challenges for the stamping of 1!! ;0)

i decided to break out some of my favourite Tim stamps...and combine them with these lovely butterflies by Inkadinkado...i don't often do butterflies...his Nibs is not a fan...but i really like these ones...so he'll just have to lump it! lol

actually, its totally for me this project...its a CD sleeve for all my favourite *empowering* songs...things that make me happy, set me free, chill me out...and let my spirit fly...

i hope the close up will show you that i've distress inked, stamped, over stamped and stamped some more to create depth of field {see what i've done there...it being like a *field* an all...muahaahah}...i've also added detail with both Sakura Glaze and Souffle pens and then finally applied Rock Candy Distress Paint over the whole thing to seal it and create a gorgeous crackle effect.

as with all good crafters...i have my share of disasters too...and you see the crumbs on the bird table here..? that is the FIL's Birthday carrot cake...a total disaster...not even the birds are eating it...maybe they don't like vegetables, either?? hey ho...at least he knew i'd made the effort...but if anyone out there has a good recipe for carrot cake to share...please let me know!!

Stampotique Designers Challenge...

here is my card for this fortnight's Stampotique Designers Challenge...this one is based on a sketch...check out all the details...and other challenge entries here.


usually i like to colour the girls in, in all sorts of exotic colours...but this time i was feeling a bit sad and wistful...so i kept the whole colour~scheme in shades of brown to match my mood!
if you blend your distress inks all around the face you can create a fun vingnette effect...which really draws your eye into the face and the feeling...and i can't resist giving her glass eyes...this time with sepia accents!

the rest of the card is simply finished off with one of Sir Tim's tattered floral flowers, with a suede flower and an orange gem brad to hold it into place and highlighted with a lovely scrap of lace and a couple of buttons.

its not rocket science, i haven't reinvented the wheel...but i kinda like it :0)

check this out...

...can't stop...i'm having a monster migraine today and need to get back into the dark asap...but i thought you might like to see some things i was challenged to alter for Bee Crafty...and maybe have a go yourself! all the products i've used are available in their store or online :0)

check them out here! and while you're there...take note that they now have 2 shops!!! *whooo hooooo*

what does summer mean to you?

...that is the theme over at the SDC blog this week...check out the details and play along yourself here...this is my creation, which explains what summer means to *me*

i love filling my garden with flowers...and have a serious case of *hanging baskets galore!* its probably over the top for most people...but it makes me happy...and his Nibs likes it ;0)

i love to mix and match the colours...i love a good clash...it all means sunny weather...generally feeling a bit weller...and of course an excuse for ice~cream or Pimms! lol

goth girl goes girly...

for this week's challenge over on the Stampotique Designers' Challenge blog {try saying that quickly with a mouthful of marshmallows}...the theme is girly cards...and here is my attempt to make the gorgeous goth girl *girly*...did i suceed?
follow this link HERE to see what everyone else has done...and to join in too!

as you can see from the glare in the photo it is super sunny here...so my head and i are off to find a little darkness...happy today!

still playing...

a couple more LO's inspired by shimelle's blog party...the first one is a scraplift of a LO she'd done...and the second is my response to the prompt to *scrap something about your neighbourhood* ;0)

right...time for a quick nap...then i just might play a little more!!

happy sunny days all round? *hopes so*

are you playing with shimelle...and me?

so i've been playing over at Shimelle's place...and shimelle being who she is...{and we wouldn't want her any other way}...her first blog party prompt was to make some kind of cupcake related project:

i made this little jewellery box out of felt {from a kit that Jaki gave me for my Birthday...hope you like how i've done it, hon?}...cute as...well...a big pink cupcake!! ;0)

next i've taken up her scraplift and use woodgrain challenge...and i've made this LO: i did scraplift her LO...quite closely for me! and i've used woodgrain sticker letters, woodgrain printed ribbon...and a photo of some wood!!

next up was a challenge to make some bunting...on a card...on a LO...or on the wall...and as you can see...i've gone for the *above the bed* option!

its a very simple affair...the embroidery thread and the mini~pegs are from this month's Scrapagogo kit...and the golden paper hearts are from a string we were given wrapped around a Wedding present...i've simply cut them apart to use them here :0)

not sure which challenge i'll tackle next...but i'm off for a little nap before i even think about it!

hope you're crafting happily or enjoying the sunshine...

are you playing?

if you want a bit of weekend crafting fun...join me at Shimelle's online party...here!

spaghetti hoop~la!!

a huge thanks to the wonderful Ruth who directed this month's crop class...a real *back to basics* class where we were encouraged to use only cardstock and doodling for our *cheap as chips* layouts...
in my usual way...i *adapted* this slightly...and included some foam letter stickers...although i did doodle on them...so its not really cheating, is it? ;0) i also added some dew drops that i was given for Christmas to add a subtle dimension to my border...and a few buttons...which meant i had to have thread...because i do sooooooooo hate a button when its not sewn on!!!

its a simple LO, which didn't take long to do...and cost me pennies...so i'm rather pleased with it, all in all! Of course it doesn't hurt that my cousin is sooooo gorgeous!!

as i'm not sure if you can tell...but i decided to raise alternate petals, on my doodled flower, on
foam dots and glue the others down flat...this adds a dimensional touch that i really like...and is much more interesting than having the whole thing either up...or down...

as for the spaghetti hoop~la...if you look closely you can see spots on the right hand side photo...where i set it aside to photograph after i had had my lunch...his Nibs proceeded to throw the unwashed tin just exactly where my LO was...he is now in the dog~house...no more spaghetti for him!! ;0) on the plus side...now its dry it doesn't even show...but does anyone know if spaghetti hoops are acid~free? lol