Just A Quickie

Yesterday was the first full day of crafting at our retreat. This morning we were woken up at 6.30am!!! And told that we are all leaving.  Quickly got dressed and grabbed some stuff.  And got a lift into Owaka (I think). Very nice firemen let us stay with them :) (The lovely cook grabbed some fruit etc).

Then we went over to the Community Center where they was coffees, teas and biscuits.  Very nice people.  Locals and tourists, and about 50 scrappy crafty ladies.  We learnt how to do the cute bows like on your undies too.

At 10am we were given the all clear and allowed back to camp.  Me, Mom and StepDad were making an altered vintage canvas type thing. Had just finished the wet painting bit when we were told once more that we are being evacuated!   Instead of waiting around Owaka, we just got a lift back to Dunedin airport where we waited for a few hours until our flight.

It felt SOOO good to be back on Wellington soil. Even if it was the airport runway tarmac.

Photographs and everything to come shorty.  Really need a good nights sleep.

I haven't shown you this yet. (I don't think I have).
I love having two windows in this room but the bright sun reflects off the silver keyboard and I can't see the screen of my computer.  And I can't really keep moving the laptop all the time so we got this great wonderful fabric.

I put a couple dull silver eyelets in the top and used string to hook it up to the screw of the blind.  (The rope for the blind is really difficult to open and close).  I'm not really tall enough to get the left side higher. 

It is lovely!  I can open it when I want to and close it when the sun is too bright.

Tonight is our flight back to Wellington.  We will get back home sometime this evening, and hopefully I'll have a lot of photographs to scrapbook and a lot of sales to get packaged up...

Craft Retreat

A WHOLE day of crafting down in Dunedin today.  I made these ATC's last week to trade with other crafters.  I tried to use up a lot of my old stash and try out new techniques.  I used stamps and pens on the simple ones and lots of staples and left over letters and brads and things on others.

On this Alice ATC (which stands for Artists Trading Cards) I used old papers and the speech bubble is about 9 months old.  I added glitter just before taking photographs of them so I am leaving it to dry. 

The random letters one is a great way to use the left over letters from alphabet sets.  You always end up with letters that would NEVER get used right?  I've had these letters for about 2 years.  They are vinyl stickers and since they were losing their stickiness I covered pretty much all of it with Diamond Glaze.  I love the shiny-ness.  The edges have been inked and there is some pearly bling.

 

This is my current favorite! She is a digital stamp from Sassy Studio Designs.  I colored her on the computer and printed her out.  I was going to use her on this card, but I am still getting used to my printer and only half of her came out.  I added some of the Super Fine glitter onto her big lovely lips (Angelina Jolie anyone?) and some simple green bling gemstones.  And I thought the flower looked good on this.

If I have any left over I am going to be including as freebies for any orders until they run out.  I really should make these more often.  They're fun and you can experiment with new things.

I'm Leaving On a Jet Plane

Okay, its a standard plane. Not a jet. But I am leaving for the weekend. Our eagerly awaited craft retreat is finally happening. We leave today (Friday) at 10am on a flight to Dunedin via ChristChurch and will be back in WellyWood on Sunday night.

But before the excitment gets too huge that I can't do anything I have to show off the clock I finished today.

It's a Beyond The Page Clock by KaiserCraft, and arrived via courier yesterday. I started working on this pretty much straight away.

I painted the edges dark blue and covered the front with KaiserCraft Loire Valley Paper. The clock has these teardrop shaped holes so I used the back of the Dahlia Paper, which I also used to cover the numbers (which came with the clock). 

My first idea was to put the buttons in the tear drop spaces, but I thought this would look good.  Simple basic buttons in red and blue.  (Re-starting my button addiction).

My Mom got some Super Fine Opal Glitter about 6 months ago and neither of us had used it.  I thought that glitter on the birds would look gorgeous.  We don't have a battery for it yet but I've tried it out and the hands don't hit the buttons.  Hopefully we can get some today then we can hang it up.

MATERIALS:
BTP Clock
1 sheet of Card Stock
1 1/2 sheets of Paper
Glitter
Buttons

Thursday Blog Ring

This weeks Blog Ring question is: "How we found/joined the EART team?"

 

I was a seller on another website for a while and made a lot of good friends (most I still 'speak' too).  We spoke all the time on a Ning Forum and when this went another forum was created.  And so the EARTTEAM was born.  I love this group of creative people, and can't think where I would be without them.

Go to Michelle's blog to continue the ring (http://michellescharmworld.blogspot.com)

Scrap Pages

I've been meaning to make a scrapbook page about my love of Starbucks coffee for ages! I wanted to use lots of things from Starbucks, so I took a holder, napkin and some straws.  The postcard with the coffee cup stains was from Starbucks maybe a year ago.  It lifts to reveal another photo of my Venti Iced Vanilla Soy Latte.

Close up of the off-the-cuff journalling.

Another secret lover of mine.  Red Bull and Vodka.  But specifically RUSSIAN vodka!  I had my first taste of this vodka in Russia (2004 vacation) when I was 20 years old.  I might add some bling to this layout. Or maybe some glitter.  We've had a pot of glitter for about 6 months and it still hasn't been opened.  Maybe some small glittered hearts?

Dogs Rock!

These note cards were made in a pet free home. Yes, my dream of owning a little pup of my own are not that much closer. One day....

Doggies Greeting Card Set $12.00

I made this pretty set last week and just listed it today because I've been thinking if I could improve them in any way.  I don't think I can.  The colors and designs are just perfect.

What do you think of my new blog design? Please let me know what you think.

Just A Quick Little Post

It may seem unimportant but could you help me pick a color for my new watch.  The style I will be getting are the first top eight.

The last one I had, which just broke yesterday was blue.
My cell phone is pink.
My iPod is black.
My everyday headphones are pink, the gym ones are silver.
My laptop is brown.

I am definitely NOT getting white, black or grey.  Too dull.  If you could please vote in the poll just over there ----> and help me with this.  I'll probably be getting this on Wednesday.

Sunday Morning

On Sunday 21st Feb, the whole family went to the Wellington Round The Bays 7km walk. It was a gorgeous sunny day with a nice bit of wind to cool you down. I finished the race in 1 hour 13 minutes and 11 seconds (official time). And I was the 5,193rd person to cross the finish line. Next year I want to do this in 1 hour or less.

We took some photographs once we were home again. And that's my nice new shirt I got on Friday. My arms are aching, but they were yesterday morning when I woke up and I think I might have some minor sunburn but no other injuries. Except for my watch!

I love my watch! I got in when we can to New Zealand on holiday in January. Then moved here in May. The strap has broken and it doesn't look like it can be fixed. So, I am on the hunt for another good watch.

My tiki pendant.

This is the cute little tiki that I made yesterday out of white, yellow and red polymer clay. I love the mottled effect!
I added my own twist with the bug eyes and very long tongue with a little curl at the end. I even added a little piece for the cord/ribbon to go through.
(If you follow me on Twitter, this is the brown ribbon I was looking for. Found it a couple hours later once Tiki had cooled down).
The Tiki is a very ancient symbol and is by far the least understood so there are a number of legends in relation to is meaning to the Maori people.

Some say the Tiki came from the stars and that he was the first man of the world. He is also often depicted with webbed feet which suggests a strong link to the creatures of the sea.

Tiki was respected as the teacher of all things and the wearer of this symbol is therefore seen to possess clarity of thought, loyalty, great inner knowledge and strength of character.

The tilted head symbolises thinking, the hand is strength, the mouth is communication, the heart is love and the loins are fertility.

The Tiki is regarded as a good luck charm when worn and also regarded as a fertility symbol.

Blog Ring

I'm back in the blog ring. This week's topic is: Selling OFFLINE.

Have you done it? Do you like it? Are you looking to try it this year? Anything at all you wouldl ike to share!

To family and friends yes, but to strangers no. I have thought about getting a stall at Craft Show's but its mainly the not knowing how well it would be and the cost. So many questions... Will I break even on fees? Would I make a profit? How many cards should I take? And probably many many more if I thought of them right now.

I'd like to have a stall at a craft show and have looked into costs etc. There are a few possibilities like the Dunkleys Craft Show and the more likely Frank Kitts Saturday Market. But I still need to think about all the questions.

Continue the ring here at Michelle's blog.

Handmade Cards

I know that half the world is waiting for Spring to come. I'm not all that eager since then New Zealand will be in Winter. But I love making these bright cheerful cards when it's rainy outside. Its the perfect time to spend all day crafting. I do have a small selection of Spring cards in my shop. And if you sign up for the Eclectic Artisans Newsletter you can get some great special offers.

Now, to make some Mothers Day's cards. (March in the UK, May for everyone else).

What I did in class

Welcome to my craft room. We've been here for about a month and this place is still a mess. I've just been busy crafting instead of tidying.

Yesterday I went to a scrapbook layout class in Petone. I didn't get to finish this at class, but I did finish it yesterday. This is it finished minus journalling. There is handmade paper, embossed scalloped paper, bling, heat embossing, hidden photographs and journaling, and foil stickers.
A close up of the left hand page. The photographs are of an Agatha Christie book that I finished reading yesterday. The white and black paper is the handmade one. That scalloped green block with the photograph lifts up to reveal another photo and the journalling. Under the green leaves is the swirl heat embossing. It was meant to be rub ons but they didn't have any left for me so I got these stickers and we stamped the corner and heat embossed in black for the shininess would match them and to add something in the corner.
Close up of the right hand page. I can never get the stickers in a straight line so I emphasized by making them wavy. I added another piece of the green scalloped paper and used the small black bling to help it stand out. That photograph can come out of there, but I only had some scrap cream card so it probably shouldn't.
Close up of the flap that lifts up.
Gorgeous handmade paper and beautiful ribbon.
The heat embossed swirls under the leaves.

I am in a crafting mood, and I have dozens of photographs from Christmas to scrap so I will probably be doing that all day. The sun has started to come out and it is getting hot. I will get a blog post up over the weekend... well, try to.

Scrapbook Layout Class

These are the photographs I will be using in class today. The kit is a neutral/green and these photographs are a blue/green so they should work.

The current Agatha Christie book that I am reading. I was thinking that she needs to come back to life. I am running out of books to read!

I am getting the 11:06 bus to town so I can have a short rest over a coffee with my mom before jumping on another bus to Petone. I should be back in town by 3:30pm but I have some things to do so probably won't be on the bus home until 4/4:30pm.

Which means practically a WHOLE day without a computer! I have an hour until I need to leave so I should start getting my crafty stuff together. Should I take photographs???? And believe it or not but it is raining!!! So wearing sneakers not jandels today.

Tomorrow will be busy too. Grocery shopping and gym!! Which will take up a lot of the day. Bus travel and walking etc.

I may have rambled on a little bit. My next post will have the layout I created at class.

This is from yesterday. I was busy organizing all my expired listings. Some have already found their friends are in bundles ready to be purchased.

I am tired! I really want to snuggle up with a nice blankie and read a good book. I am just not sleepy well. I wake up at 3am cold.

Tonight begins with Masterchef NZ, which is just fun to watch, and I hate food. Did you know that the Ross guy from Ready Steady was a kiwi?? And then, we have an hours wait until the next series of LOST begins!!!

I am going to have my pre-gym snack and another coffee to try and wake up. I have a date with a treadmill and bike/crosstrainer.

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If you don't see anything new in my shop for this week please don't worry.

I am organizing my inventory so I can relist the great handmade cards that, for some reason, didn't sell on Etsy. I am about half way through.

Just finding it difficult to keep at it.

The sun is shining and its beautifully warm... Yesterday we went to the library and got some more books to read. (Agatha Christie, Dean Koontz and Boris Pasternak).

I seem to be getting a little sleepy. Need to drink some more water as it's the heat that makes me want to curl up in a windless place (with sunlotion on) and just read and nap.

I was going to make some polymer clay pendants and try some buttons this afternoon. But I don't think I have enough time before everyone gets home.

I will try to post something a little more interesting tomorrow with, maybe, some photographs.

This is my latest listing at my shop. I loved making this card. The paper is just soooo gorgeous and has a lovely texture. The button is a shiny semi-clear one with a gorgeous florish rub on!
These are a set of four funky brightly colored BOY cards, I hope to have these in my shop soon.

Remember that if there is anything you would like reserved, just let me know.

I'm being lazy today. I started out good, getting a few cards made and even sold one but now my motivation has gone. It could be because my stomach has been acting weird today and I needed to swallow a bunch of pills to survive. I've tried doing other things but still can't get back into a crafting mood. It is very hot and sunny today. Which probably isn't helping since I'd love to be sunbathing outside. I just counted and I've made five cards today - so I could just rest for the rest of the day. Well, 90 minutes at least. It's gym day today and I can't wait to get sweating on a bike!

For some reason I just want to do nothing today. I'll go have a snack of rice crackers and try to make some more cards. Have some birthday things to do.

Newest Cards

A Stolen Kiss Valentines Day Card $4.80

Isn't this so cute? It's their first stolen kiss. Perfect for those lil uns stealing away from noisy parents. Or is this how your love was started? A great card to reminisce with.

Or maybe your love is transparent?

Clear Scalloped Valentines Day Card $6.00

This clear scalloped card lets your message be seen by all! So be careful with what you write.

Love Notes Valentines Day Card $6.50

And finally, this elegant Valentines day card with lots of space to write down all the reasons why you love...

TRUNK SHOW

There are going to be so many special offers
from a lot of great EARTsians tonight.

We will be in the Gallery Room.

My special offer is 20% discount.
And the first TWO people to purchase get a coupon for
Free Shipping on their next order.

Wanna see what everyone one else is offering??