I Made Something!

This li'l project started life as a submission for my BIA DT entry (which I eventually decided against applying for ... maybe next year - but I'm not good enough yet!) Unfortunately, it was one of those that got more complex as I went on ... until it was too fat to fit the binding wires!!!
A few more tweaks & it's now more or less completed - with big old binding rings instead!!
Anyway, this is how it all works: The covers are BIA Canvas Covers (10x10), sprayed with raspberry & metallic gold inks. Chipboard scrolls were laid in place while I positioned & stamped the birds n butterflies with dark brown fluid chalk ink (Clearsnap). The scrolls were inked dark brown & then painted with Antique Linen Crackle Paint (Ranger). The title was stamped onto a Journaling Card ... would you believe that the papers used throughout were Cosmo Cricket??? LOL - & in case you wanted details ... it's one of the older ranges 'Gretel' ... just the right amount of distressed & outdoorsy but pretty colours all at the same time - perfect I thought!
Moving on: The first page is for planning my planting etc. It is a plain piece of cardstock, covered with graph paper with a plain piece of acetate stitched to the top (it's actually a piece of OHP paper, left over from my teaching days!!) I'll use a wipe board marker to write on it, make a permanent copy when I'm happy with it & then wipe clean ready for next time - Am I a genius or what?? LOL
The reverse is decorated with Gretel papers & a gentle reminder spelled out with Just Your Type Vintage Cardstock Stickers (Cosmo Cricket) The divider pages are all ready to scrapbook with photos that I'll take throughout the year. The li'l tabs are offcuts from the 'planting cards' in the next photo. The abbreviated month names are stamped & I've handwritten the month on the edge of each tab so I can find stuff at a glance too. Obviously, I'll be using more Gretel papers for the scrapping elements - so maybe I'll use these pages to try out some design ideas too!
The 'to plant' pages started life as large index file cards. I laid Chipboard scrolls over the edge of each card before spraying with the raspberry ink (this works better with the less ornate 'chunky' ones. The title panels are computer generated, inked & stapled into place & a stamped image (inkadoo, I think) added to the corner.
The 'to do' list, showing from behind, was computer generated, inked & adhered to a C5 envelope (which is open at the top). I have reinforced the envelopes where the binding holes are as I'll be storing seeds in these - they could get quite full ... & maybe a li'l too heavy! It's easy to reinforce them: just cut a thin strip of scrap card (I used a ceral box), put double sided tape on both sides & stick into position inside the envelope before punching the binding holes.
In the last photograph, you can just see the A5 file pocket that sits behind the seed envelope - this will hold all my additional notes n stuff. The back cover has a simple pocket at the bottom (made from torn Gretel papers & a Strip Tease quote that reads: If Nothing Ever Changed, There Would Be No Butterflies) to hold this li'l notebook:
The back cover is made from the file card packaging & then covered with more Gretel papers ... the pages are cut from the offcuts of all the computer generated bits! Each one is hand stamped - what can I say? I like pretty stuff!
So much of this project is recycled or scrap. The cream papers are from my dissertation (published in 2000) - I found half a ream lurking at the back of a cupboard; the file cardswere 'inherited' from my dad when he moved abroad (about 3 years ago); the OHP sheet for the wipe clean planner I found in a pack of printer supplies kicking around for about 4 years; & the kraft envelopes are old office supplies from when I had the B&M store (closed almost a year ago) ... so go me for using up stash! LOL
The last couple pics are close ups ... just to show some of the detail that you might not see in the finished project.

Mini*Mania!!

I just found out about this new challenge blog, so I just had to try out for the DT! Anyway, to save clogging up Janelle's e-mail with far too many images, I've put together a couple of slideshows of the albums I submitted to her.
The first is called 'All Woman' & is all about the women in my life that inspire me. It is the one I did for C&T publishing using the new scallop album (a post about that tomorrow - but here's the pics), currently somewhere in the USA:


The second is the one I made for my MIL - a Bo Bunny My Word book, decorated with Luxe Designs Papers.


Hope you like them!

Day #19 - 40 Days Event

Nearly half way through the '40 Day' celebrations, which means it is exactly 3 weeks 'til I turn 40!!!! So today I've picked another li'l challenge that is close to my heart - recycling. I hate waste (a BIG bone of contention in our household!!) so there is nothing I like more than to use my crafty scraps & turn the packaging into something useful too! The pic to the right shows packaging from themed ribbon, a pack of brads & a li'l pack of embellies (forgot to photograph before I started altering! LOL) & the slideshow below shows them in action ... as part of two li'l accordian albums I put together for Auryn's teachers (he had his last day at Tiggywinkles Nursery today).
So today's challenge is to alter/recycle/repurpose something & either link it here or e-mail me if you don't have a blog & I'll pick a winner after July 27th to receive a bunch more alterable goodies! I might even get a pic up for you to see! LOL
And as I'm also the Guest Designer for the Arty Girlz ongoing Recycling Challenge ... don't forget to link your project there too - that's gotta be the easiest multi-challenge project ever! LOL

Reminder: The Way Of The Scrapbooker Starts Today!!

My new class starts over at MCC later today but it's not too late to join the fun! All the deets are here (scroll down to the 3rd class)! The classroom will open at 8pm (BST) - so long as you are paid up, you'll receive an e-mail with the classroom keycode - & that's about all there is to it!
This li'l album is part journal, part scrapbook - designed especially to go where you do & with refillable space for you to add notes, sketches etc on the move ... No kit to buy - you can use your own stash - but a full supply list is included for reference. You'll even get a full PDF of quotes, especially adapted by me, ready to print off at home. All that for $15 (so if you live in the UK, it's an absolute steal!!!)
Can't wait to see you all there!

Winged Things

This is the front cover of a li'l Maya Road mini book I've been working on. In fact, it's pretty much all Maya Road goodies. We're hoping to become a stockist over at the webstore - just awaiting confirmation on that one really.
I made it for the NSD/MR challenge over at 2 peas - the 2 winners will have theirs displayed at CHA - what a thrill! & there's $100 of MR goodies thrown in too ... so it's all good! LOL
In the meantime, if you'd like to see the rest of the Album ... it's over on my gallery, right here.

Halloween Gets Girly

It's little Megan's birthday on Wednesday (Halloween) but as she's not known for blog-hopping (cuz she's only a baby!) I can share the pics I took of her mini album. The envelopes are made using this template & theres a matching cardstock mat in each one. Papers are Daisy Ds plus some plain orange & lilac (DCWV I think). All were from my stash, which have been hanging around for AGES, The ribbons came free with a magazine & all the spooky little die cuts were made using Sizzix paddle punches & hot pink friendly felt. The rubber stamps are all from this collection by A Muse.
I've left the album half done so Megan's mum (our very own 'Little One') can finish it herself - so I'm popping a pack of co-ordinating goodies in the package. It also fits the GPP Street Team 'Get Gothic', which is all about Halloween - check it out here!

Spooky Two.

Here's a li'l sneaky peak at a page from the envelope accordian album I'm making for Megan's 2nd birthday on Halloween. She's a bit of a girly girl, so I've done the whole album in orange, lilac & hot pink - not overly traditional then! LOL.
I made the envelopes using this template. The moon is a 2" circle, punched inked with first orange & then edged with black. The bats are cut using a paddle punch from hot pink friendly felt, the brad buddy is from the HOTP Personal Shopper October 06 kit - I've attached it with foam tape & coloured black behind the mouth & the pumpkin tent stamp (bottom right) is this one by A Muse. I'll be able to show the whole thing next week but it's entered in a contest right now - so I don't think I'm allowed to share!
Megan's mum is a scrapper too, so I've not finished the embellishing & photomats but will be including a li'l kit of co-ordinating stash so that she can finish it off as she chooses.

Nothing To See Here!!

Woah! Five days since my last post and in that time I've not crafted, taken photos or anything remotely creative. I have been rather busy on t'internet - loading new yummies on the webshop, chatting on the forum, writing a bumper newsletter, applying for yet more DT places & helping (or possibly hindering!) the new DT settle in over on the shop blog. The design team (affectionately known as the Magnificent Seven) are promising a new project every single day, so you might want to add it to your faves - more inspiration to get the creative mojo moving!!
They also issue a great challenge every Saturday at 6pm and they want everyone to join in - so whether you're a scrapbooker, card maker, altered artist or another type of papercrafter altogether - there's something there for you. Find this week's challenge here
Today, I slept rediculously late (around 11.30 am) but redeemed myself by making this little mini book for this month's Members Club project. I've just got in these fabby jumbo playing cards - absolutely useless for playing cards but great for altering LOL. It's designed to tie up as a little book or hang as a display. You can decorate the back of each card as a mini layout and the pockets will hold decorated tags or extra photos etc. Still loving pink and black LOL!
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Thanks for stopping by!!

Mad For Mini Books

I just wanted to share a few images from the mini book I made today for my niece. She's just got her first car & is made about it, so I've added a few photos & decorated the rest of the pages for her to add more pics later (new seat covers for car, first driving lesson in car etc.) The album & stickers were free with Scrapbook Inspirations & the papers - which work sooo well with it, were free with Simply Cards & Papercraft (I think!). If you can't get copies, I have a few left - so e-mail me if you want one (actual postage applies).
All I've added are a few charms & some rub ons from my stash & some travel bits left over from the July Personal Shopper kit. I hope you like it!