Just Play

I wish I could be more productive every day.  I wanted to make lots of cards today and get lots of photographing and tidying done too.  Nothing ever works out the way its planned does it?  I guess I've tidied up quite a bit today.  And I got some new papers out to play with. I just can't think of what to do with them. I'm not finding these DSP's (Urban Garden from Stampin Up) the most motivational/inspiration-able.

Maybe I just need to play and not have a finished idea in mind.

Antarctica Layout

I usually don't spend this much time working on a scrapbook layout.  This one has taken about 2 weeks from first thinking of the sketch to getting the journalling done.

I was having a nighmare over the large 5x7 photograph.  I don't have any of the three of us, then I thought that the main photograph doesn't have to contain a person. These plastic penguins were near the start of the center.  And smaller photographs just to show case the day. 

Did you know that you can't print in white ink? I didn't either.  I printed out the little in light blue onto this blue card and it looked really good yesterday - but it seemed to fade... I traced around the outside of the letters in white pen so you can actually read it.  Every single piece of card has been inked in either white ink or baby blue chalk.

I cut out lots of snowflakes with the Cuttlebug and a die.  Originally I was going to have acetate snowflakes too.  (Ghost shapes) but the die cut didn't cut all the way through the acetate and it was taking ages to cut along the lines.  Plus the shape is quite intricate- I will keep this idea for another layout. 

I rubbed the baby blue chalk/ink over a snowflake shape to give this stencil - I even used this snowflake on the page! Look at the middle at the top.  And I used the negative die cut to add a chalk/ink snowflake on the corner of the journalling block.

There is just one thing I am still not sure about right now. There is quite a lot of red in the photographs - should I add some (three) mini red brads to the center of the snowflakes, or add a grouping of little red brads? ( I have an idea where they could go - but I'm not sure if it would help the design).

Five Minute Survey

Hi Everyone, as none of you know (we have been keeping this hush hush) Me and my Mom are dreaming of opening our own little craft/handmade items shop.  Along with teaching classes to kids and grown ups we were thinking of hosting craft retreats.  This won't be until 2013 at the earliest but could you help us out?  You don't even have to be interested in paper crafting.  Just by taking five minutes to complete this survey. 


Thank You
Click here to take survey

Calmed Down Now

Whenever I remember to take some photographs of this card it is always too late. Bad light. So these are the best I can get right now.  The digi stamp is from (I think) Karen's Doodles and I colored it in with my Copic Markers.The ribbon was originally blue - I just colored it with a Copic Marker (not the best way to use these markers) to make it yellow/green.  All the edges have been inked.  This is such a different card from my usual style.

Close up of the kitty cat. What do you think of my shading??

What is it about coloring that can calm you down? I love these gothic girl digis from Tiddly Inks. I'm not 100% sure about the hair but I like it.  I used my fluorescent pink Copic Marker to add some highlights.

This one I plan on using on a scrapbook page.  In ChristChurch, we went to a Red and Black themed fancy dress party.  I was going to wear a red mini skirt and I was going to have my hair in pigtails like this but it was too cold. 

We went as Devils.  I know, I know. We don't really need costumes at all.

I swear I was going to put a great blog post up this week.  I miss blogging. I miss getting comments too.. lately I've just had this feeling that I am always forgetting something - I just don't know what.  And today when I was going to create this scrapbook layout I can't find the elements that I was working on last week.  I have a missing A and some snowflakes somewhere.  Just can't find them and it is giving me a headache. I've looked in all the likely places.

Would someone like to come round and clean for me?

I'm not sure that a fifth coffee would help me right now. It would either make me super hyper and gittery or I'll fall asleep.  If I can find some energy I will take some photographs of the card that I made for my step aunt.

WOW!

This Elegant Thank You Handmade Card has had quite a week.

First it was in a treasury that made it to the front page at Etsy.

Then it went into another treasury!

Join me tonight as I host a SUMMER TRUNK show! 

8pm Central time:http://www.etsy.com/virtual_lab.php?room_id=moon

Get an AWESOME discount code for my shop and many others to use today!!! 

Hope to see you there!!! 

This is a show put on by the Eclectic Artisans Street Team!

We're famous!

The last time we were at the Frank Kitts Underground Market, we were interviewed! Yikes! And here is our feature. I've been checking the weekly Cooks Strait News for us and finally here we are!

We will be at the market again this Saturday if you would like to stop by and say hello.

In ChristChurch...

I'm going to meet my Mom and Stepdad in ChristChurch tomorrow. They are there on a conference thing and on Friday night there is a fancy dress party in the theme black and red.

I'm still not sure about this... But I love my horns! I had some black sequin horns years ago and I was so sad when they broke.  We are going as a family of Devils.  I am the Trainee - so no fork or anything fun and sharp to play with. And I am either wearing my kick-ass boots or my black converse.

You want to see my tail don't you??

I'll let you know how it goes, and of course I'll be taking lots of photographs.

How To Make A Devil Badge

I was going to make a "trainee" devil badge for myself, but once I'd told my Mom and showed her the Sassy Studio digi she wanted one.  First up, print out your image. 

The devil cameo I used is already in a circle, so I just used the circle diecut closest to that size.  Then I cut out a larger circle from red card and since I had no black card, a larger scalloped circle.

The theme for the fancy dress party where this badge will be used is black and red. 

I inked the edges of everything! and rubbed some red metallic rub on stuff over the black.

I then stuck a saftely pin onto the back of the large scallop.  (I added my business stamp in case they get lost - you never know who will pick it up and go have a look at my shop).

Once all the layers are stuck together, this is what the badge will look like.  The size of the digi is about 3 inches.  I think the whole size is 4.5 inches.

It's raining right now, on the Queen's birthday.
We stayed home all day.  I dyed my Mom's hair a Very nice shade of .... Will post some pictures tomorrow. I think it looks lovely!
I finished the book I was reading (PJ Tracy's Snow Blind).

Tomorrow will be to work as normal.  I NEED to make some great cards and I need to craft!  The new copic markers and Neenah card I ordered from America has been posted so I will be obsessively checking the tracking number!!!!  I might go into town tomorrow to change some jeans.  I got some lovely new slouchy ones on Friday but they're too big.

On Wednesday Mom and P are going to ChristChurch for the annual conference (last years was in Hamilton) and I get to join them on Friday for a day.  We are going to Antarctica on Friday afternoon, a fancy dress party on Friday night and coming home on Saturday.

The 12 Month Challenge

This seems like an interesting challenge.  Can try out new ideas and crafts too. (Handmade paper, pieces of jewelry, illustrations, clothing – whatever you like, so long as the month’s theme is tied in some how).

Follow this link to join in.

Have you ever wondered about my favorite items are from Etsy?



I added some stamps today - I would love to have a bird stamp or punch.... need to wait a while until I can buy anything new...

I made these four cards today. First was this beautiful Birthday card.

This is a teeny tiny 4 inch square easel card with lots of dimension.  The green flower was hand cut from a 12x12 sheet of patterned paper.

I'm tempted to add glitter to the flower outlines on this card.  I love the simplicity! And the blues are just pure beautiful.  I might add some glitter.... super fine glitter that can get messy....

This Happy Birthday is one of my favorites.  I colored in the little girl with my copic markers. I hadn't planned on using her on this card.  I was trying to find some flowers instead - but they seem to have disappeared (or maybe I've used them all) and I found this little stamp between some other papers.