Decision made!

Yes I decided on a smaller project :-) In fact I decided to join in the challenge on the Object D'art challenge - this week - the book.




This is what I started with .....................................




And this is the end result ........................................ The paperback covers were reinforced with mountboard which I overlapped the actual cover size. They were then distressed & inked with distress inks & then stamped & embellished.




Spine view ............................................................. note I used some of the offcut paper from the inside to cover the spine & used distress inks.




And the inside. I hollowed it out & reinforced the edges with mountboard which I covered with inked paper from the cut out & again inked with distress inks.

Bigger Craft Project!

This is what has been keeping me busy :-)





From the bolts of material & lining to the Roman blinds that I've just finished for the living room. It has been quite a large project!

So now back to either carrying on & making blinds for the dining room or other crafting projects .................................. decisions, decisions!

Crafting pressie for Maddy

Brought this kit back from the USA - a min canvas with paints. I painted & used some of my new ribbon & some gems & flowers & brads from my stash. I also bought a mini easel to display it on.



Not the best pictures unfortunately....................... Didn't check them before taking the pressie to Maddy!

New Scrapbook Layout

Done to complement the layout of my Nan & myself (blogged Nov 08), this layout is my Maternal Grandparents & myself.




Again I used very simple hand journalling. I used one of my new stamps & white ink to subtly pattern the darker plainer paper.



Still wanting to add 'something' .............................. will live with it & decide at a later date what that 'something' is :-) Suggestions welcome :-)

Susan came to play.....

Susan came to play today - we had fun - once we managed to get into my craft room!

I used my new alcohol ink to do another tin. I used brown Stazon to stamp the images. Love the vibrant colour :-)






We also made the tag using emossing powders & inks. Then we decided to join in with the Crafts by Carolyn challenge Pocket full of Posies. I used the Swiss dots cuttlebug folder & some square brads along with some of my new ribbon.






We had a lovely time & will have more fun later :-)

A bit of a play ...................

I've managed to have a play with some of my new stash :-) I used the MS circle cutter & the MS branch punch. I also used my new sentiment stamp.









I cut the circle out of double sided paper & filled in the space with the circle cutout which I turned over, then stamped the image on the 'back' which is now on the front :-)

More stash

Just unpacked some more of my stash & found the camera - there seems to be a theme here! I seem to have brought back a few stamps :-) As well as a lot of gorgeous ribbon :-) Well it would have been rude not to!

Now I have to reorganise my craft room to fit everything in!

And of course have a play! :-)

Stash shopping

Managed a quick crafty shop in Michaels yesterday :-) The boys dropped MIL & I off & went off to play with expensive cars so we had a couple of hours to mooch round & a few bits fell into the trolley :-) Later a few more bits joined them from Walmart as we ended up in the Arts & Crafts section whilst the boys did the grocery shop :-)

Handmade presents

Well presents have now been opened so I won't spoil surprises and I can now show you some of the handmade presents I made for Xmas. This garden book was sent over to Melbourne Australia for my Mum. Sorry the colours are bleached out on the main pic. The book can be used in a few different ways, either to put in pics of your garden throughout the year or to record plantings month by month, a combination of the two or do whatever you like .......................................

I used my bind it all to bind the book & made the covers from mountboard which I then covered. The stamp I decoupaged & coloured with Whisper pens & chalks.

More Handmade presents

This was the variation garden book that my MIL was given - same as before but a different stamp used - this one was a lot more fiddly to cut out!!







This was Aunties book - simple stamp to use but cute to look at :-)





A post it note holder - did a couple of these but only took a photo of this one for some reason!