Spring Has Sprung...

There`s nothing like the first sight of cherry blossoms to let you know that Spring is around the corner...(as well as a drippy nose, if you happen to suffer from hay fever LOL)

& here is a photo of my CLEAN craft table...it didn`t last long, but I thought I would put it here so I can remind myself of what it can look like when I actually put things away :)

I`ve tried to take part in SBT50 CC this month, & I know I`m a little late, but I`ve managed to do 2 of the challenges (4 if you count the 2 cards we had to make with the left-overs from the LOs)

I started with challenge #3, where at least a third of the LO had to be "white space". So here`s my entry (& I`ve used the beautiful SR pp which was included in the card kit I won last month at SBT50, thanks Victoria)

I think this is the first LO I`ve done with so much blank space... We also had to make a card using our left-over scraps:

I didn`t really have any left-over scraps except for the SR pp & the bit of yellow wc paper, but I did dig into my scrap stash for the cream & blue cs, so I guess that still counts :)

I also did challenge #4, which was a LO about yourself, using a photo of you & using 5 words to describe you! Scary stuff LOL, but as I usually scrap about DD & DH I thought this would make a nice change for the scrapbooks. I asked DD for help as I felt a little silly coming up with the 5 words myself, but then I realised it would be more fun to do the LO from not only my own perspective, but DDs & DHs as well. So here is the finished LO:

As for the card using up scraps from this LO, I used the DCWV pp as the background, & added the cream cs, & the red cs (which was the scrap I tried out my stitching on!) The sentiment stamp is from a Hero Arts clear stamp set, the flower was a punchie, with another bit of DCWV pp, and a brad thrown in for good measure. I don`t know if I`ll have a chance to attempt any more challenges, but we have until midnight Aug 28 to upload to the gallery...so here`s hoping :)

On another note, I`ve just finished my ATCs for the DARKROOM DOOR Wilderness swap in the DRD blog. I won`t show the ATCs just yet, but I wanted to try something new...so I`ll share that:

GM plus sand paper = a pretty nifty background :)

& just in case you have the time, DRD & GODELIEVE are giving away some rubber stamps...go check it out HERE

& there`s still some time left to enter this month`s music themed challenge over at INKURABLE STAMPERS, lots of crafty goodies up for grabs :)

As always, thank you for visiting my blog, I hope it inspires you to do something creative & fun...

A Slide Mailer

As promised, here`s my entry to this month`s MUSIC theme over at INKURABLE STAMPERS, using my favourite colour combination of purple & orange (with a few other colours thrown in for good measure!)







I`d never worked with a slide mailer b4 (I received this one as part of a prize pack from Crafty Individuals & INKURABLE STAMPERS), so I had to do a bit of research, & nowhere did I find any actual instructions on how to use the glass! The only tip I`ll give is to use a little window cleaner to make sure there are no finger marks on the glass surface b4 you start work on your project, & I also edged my slides with Stazon ink.
I started by painting the mailer with black acrylic paint, adding some old torn pieces of sheet music (which I found during my clean-up LOL) & when it was all dry, I painted it again with a specialty glaze paint ( Amethyst by MM)
I then edged it with Vivid ink, & added the beautiful sheer ribbons in purple, hot pink & orange (part of my prize from TARISOTA, thanks Tamar, & INKURABLE STAMPERS)
For the actual slides, I stamped the images from one of the DARKROOM DOOR stamp sets (Little Dreams) using Stazon ink (jet black) onto card which I had painted using Twinkling H2Os (in Ginger Peach), then covered the image with some DM, spreading it evenly with my finger & pressed the glass slide on top, & allowed it to dry overnight, trimming the card with a craft knife. (BTW, I think Lyn is onto something! I`ve never cut myself crafting! I just don`t belong in the kitchen, LOL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
I then added some DS tape to the back of the slides, & pressed them into place.
The sentiment is also from the same set of stamps, stamped onto painted card using black Versafine ink & covered with clear EP, stuck onto an inked COLLECTIONS tag (from The Stamping Queen), & attached using some chocolate-coloured cord from a TARISOTA pack :) The butterflies are from a NON SEQUITUR plate (House of Belonging)
I also have another couple of things to share, a card I made for DH`s b`day, as well as his present..

.

I just had to use "Head", an image by STAMPOTIQUE, & added lots of different fabrics for texture(there`s some felt in the b`ground, some linen, felt & hand-sewn beads for the heart & a strip of machine sewn cs) complete with a chipboard crown covered with pewter EP. And the album? It`s full of bits & pieces too, but it`s too personal to bore you all with it LOL. The main thing is that he loved it... :)
And just one more photo b4 I go & make a start on the new DRD Wilderness ATC swap... I never truly realised just how useful my thumb is LOL!!!!


TTFN...& don`t forget to do something creative : )

Are You a Hoarder?

OK, hands up if you are a hoarder! I think crafting & hoarding go hand in hand...we are the original recyclers, reusers, repurposers (is that even an actual word?) I`ve just had 2 weeks of procastinating, shuffling "stuff" from one side of the room to the other, trying to find a proper home for things so I don`t have to get rid of stuff that I know I will use (eventually LOL) & I`m happy to say, I`m winning the war... & I think I just have to remind myself that I can`t "keep" all the cardboard, I CAN put some in the RECYCLING bin, & NOT feel guilty about it, I don`t have to KEEP everything for a rainy day, or "just in case"

Anyway, on with the show & tell.

Firstly, I was awarded the "Idyll Hours Award" by LEESA (thank you LEESA) & as I read the title of the award, I was thinking that maybe it should have been "Idle" award, as I haven`t been posting much lately LOL. So now I have to share 10 reasons why I love to blog:

1. It beats housework ; )

2. Great way to share my creative attempts

3. It`s just fun to think that my blog can be viewed by people from anywhere in the world (Hi CUCHY & MAEVAN LOL)

4. I can have a whinge & there`s nothing anyone can do about it.

5. It`s a fun way to make & keep connections with cyber-friends (& real ones as well)

6. When I find something interesting online, I can let others know about it

7. It makes me feel as though I`m keeping up with technology ; )

8. It`s an easy way to keep a visual record of my varied crafts.

9. I can share as much, or as little as I want.

10. It`s just plain fun :)

So there you go, & now, if you`re reading this, consider yourself tagged LOL

Now, just in case you thought I was kidding about tidying my scrapping area...
This is why I haven`t been able to scrap!!!!!!!!

But I was able to do these for the July SBT50 CC:

The Christmas card was for a card blind challenge, which I was lucky enough to win (thanks Victoria & SBT50)

I was also kept busy making this for a little friend...It`s the first time I`ve made an apron, & I`m so happy with the way it turned out, I may just do another one for DD & one for me as well :)

I was going to share my entry for this month`s MUSIC theme over at INKURABLE STAMPERS, (& if you happen to be an ELVIS fan, you have to check out Sarah`s great samples) but I had a bit of a boo boo with my butchers`knife while preparing dinner, & ended up needing 4 stitches on my left thumb...I was very tempted to take photos, but DH didn`t want me to bleed out LOL so he took me to the Doctor`s to get stitched up (will share it as soon as I take a photo, my entry, that is, NOT the stitches LOL)

That`s all for now folks...I shall be back :)