Friday, May 3, 2013

Mists and Masks = New Sneakers!!!


OMG - was it really the first day of the year when I last blogged????  Where has the time gone??????  It is now the 5th month and there is just no excuse for my 'slacko ways'. I said I was working on the theme of this year being 'simplify' but that kinda takes it to a whole new level. Well at least I can say that I have been busy with lots of things - so I have lots to update - so you just might get sick of my blog updates over the next months!!!

So let's start with our latest crafting experiment......

Every school holidays my Darling Daughter (DD =10 years of age) and I have a 'crafting day'.  Well sadly I worked for most of this last holiday period and well that meant we didn't get our 'crafting time' in until last Sunday - when we spent a lovely day with our friends Cassie and Jeana (hi girls xx).

I asked DD to through my Pinterest Boards and look for some crafting inspiration and this is what she fell in love with......


 
These gorgeous sneakers were featured on Carolyn Dube's blog - A Colorful Journey
 
Having just done a class with the gorgeous Dina Wakley, I had all my mists and masks out on the table and DD was sure we could use these to make our version of 
 
Rainbow Sneakers
 
 
Drum roll please ....... here is our version.......
 
 

 We started with a pair of cheap white canvas sneakers from Kmart - yep a whole $3.50 for DDs size.  Then we played with our mists and masks - we used both Mr Huey's and Dylusions and a variety of Crafters Workshop, Studio Calico and Christy Tomlinson masks - lighter colours first and then built up to our brighter ones (Dylusions).....
 
We finished with cutting out the tongues, 'scuffing' up the eyelet area and adding some rough hand stitching - all this directed by DD to add that 'cool' factor....
 
A few touch-ups with Kindy Glitz and a cute embellishment and we were nearly there!
 
Last but not least some 'writing' .... for this we 'cheated' and stamped some lovely Donna Downey words on the shoes with Stazon Stamping Ink and went over this with a trusty Sharpie pen.
 
Now while these shoes won't be suitable to be scrubbed and cleaned - we did make sure our lovely 'art work' would stay in place by finishing off with a spray of  artist's fixitive and we were all done!!!
 

 







Now we are off to play with another pair and different colour combinations ....
because after-all a girl can never have tooo many shoes!!!

Be back soon!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

For the Love of Pinterest





I am a Pinterest addict .... there I have said it!!!

If you haven't found the world of Pinterest then it is time you did!

Here is a link to this fabulous site:  http://pinterest.com/ 
but beware it should come with a 'warning label' because it is very addictive!!!!

I love finding lots of inspiration on Pinterest and this year I am aiming to do some of the projects I have 'pinned'.... so to get started I thought I would start with a project I have done with my Darling Daughter (DD = miss 10 year old).



I had my first go at this idea last year as 'mum day gifties' and they were a real hit. 

There are lots of ideas on Pinterest but the original one I saw sadly (refer to picture on the right) no longer seems to link to a blog entry - but this was the inspiration.

I then 'stumbled' across another great one (see picture below) earlier this week and decided that I would again go 'down this path' and do a project with my DD .... getting us ready for new year and being more organised (http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/rosette-memo-board-tutorial)





So with some inspiration .....it was off to my 'stash' to find:

- a couple of frames (we have lots of these hanging around hehehehe)

- some alphabet stickers (yep we have lots of these also)

- white cardstock

and we were set.........






Here's our efforts for both our own use and a 'special giftie' for a friend.....

Our {don't forget} frame is a groovy hot pink number that is nice and large (a great find at the Reject Shop) this will be used to write up those things I am always saying to DD by prefacing - 'don't let me forget to.....'


Our second frame is a rework of our original 'I Love You Because' frame - these are so lovely to use and we are always updating ours - I love getting a message in my DD's handwriting telling me why she loves me.  We hope our gorgeous Shianne loves her new frame we have done for her and Ryan....


The one thing I found hard to source was a 'pen' and this was easily solved when I found some mini write on calendars at our local 'cheapie shop' for $1.50. I purchased these (all they had on the shelf) and use the pens (they are even come with an eraser on the end) for these projects and the calendars for another - so a niftie purchase that solved one challenge and gave me another project to play with....

These are a great idea for Mum's Day Stall at School and if you keep an eye out for some cheap frames (or repurpose some you have laying around), get to the 'cheapie shops' now for the 'pen' idea (as these type of write on calendars are always around at the start of the year) and 'raid' your stash then you are all ready to go!!! 

Hope you have enjoyed!!!

Storing My Supplies



Well it's a new year and I think the word that sums up how I am approaching my life this year is 'Simplify'. This has come about because I am determined to:

  • Not overthink things (can't say everything ... that might be just a bit too much for me)
  • Declutter not only my home but my life in general
  • Be more spontaneous and not try to plan things down to the 'enth' degree
  • Make more time for the 'simple' things in life (look after the small stuff and well....)

 Every January holidays I always start with a big clean out in our house and this year is a bit bigger than normal as I am finally starting to go through all my mum's things (she passed away in late 2010) as I found this a bit overwhelming, especially last year while I was battling the Big C.....so it is time to set up my new 'sewing space' and go through the boxes of fabric (yes about 12 tea chests full) and then get the Sewing Circle started so I can share my love of sewing with my local 'gal pals' (and you tooo Brucie xx).

For all us 'Crafters' it is an ongoing challenge to get the 'storage/workspace' just right and I thought as I start to get my 'stash' sorted and 're-stored' in our house I would share my 'journey'.

We have a beautiful 'formal' lounge space in our home and, as this used to be to be my mum's TV room it has taken me a while to re-adjust to 'living' in this space.  So to break down this 'barrier' we both had (me and 10 yr old DD) I decided to move one of my favourite furniture pieces into the space, add some of my favourite 'art work' and setup the Wii (we needed a dance floor) .... we now use this so much more (dancing and singing - much to my neighbours regret) and it has also proved to be a lovely way to store a lot of my 'stash'.....


I purchased this gorgeous cabinet off eBay a few years ago - a guy had it made to house his record and CD collection - all handmade (every drawer is dovetail joined). When I spied it up for auction I knew immediately those cubby holes would be perfect for my paper storage and all those drawers would be great for all my 'scrapping supplies'. I have to say it was a 'steal' ... the guy told me he paid over $900 to have it made and well the luck of eBay and some nifty bidding and it was mine for $36.56 - yep a bargain!!!

After moving this into our 'formal' lounge space I decided that it needed to look a bit tidier and the paper storage was moved elsewhere (that's another story) and I started adding some lovely boxes, baskets and suitcases (thanks to the lovely Miss Lisa who found these lovelies). 

There is so much of my 'stash' hidden away (but easily accessible) and it still looks lovely as a 'statement piece' in our house.  I am always 'tweeking' the art and 'lovelies' on display but for now I am happy that this compliments the beautiful Kelly Rae Roberts art that I so love, my love of 'dressforms' and as you might see down in the right hand corner - some new pieces I am yet to position on our walls (my gorgeous metal flower - thank you Peta xx) and a fabulous big lantern I got for this Christmas and still want to find the right spot for....

Now .... I am off to put together the new (large) Expedite bookcase from Ikea that is still sitting in my garage and get it moved into my 'new look' studio space. I am working on a colour palette of red, white and teal (all because I fell in love with a great red chair and a fabulous white desk).... but this is a work in progress.... just need to remember - keep it simple!!!!


Monday, December 31, 2012

What's On My Craft Table

As I clear up my craft table (aka dining table) I thought I would share the final Christmas 'gifties' I made up for my mum-in-law (MIL) and also a little something for myself.



I finished yet another version of my digital "poppy calendar"
(checkout the Tutorial Tab above) but this time I used a really lovely timber 'shadow box' frame I picked up at good old 'GoLo'... wanted to make this a bit more vintage for my "MIL" as she loves this style (love me a wooden dressform, canvas diecuts and re-purposed doily)!






I wanted to show you how I also use these frames as a photo display when the calendar is no longer in use - although I have to say my family and friends always look forward to their 'new year' version each year and very few photos end up displayed on their treasured frames.



Here's a close-up of the lovely 'cluster' I created for this project.  I love being able to pull items from my 'stash' and use bits and pieces that validate my keeping things for what seems like forever!!!

 
 
 
While I had my 'stash' all around me, I decided to add something extra to a lovely journal my friends Di and Susie gave me for my birthday... this is going to my personal journal for 2013.  I like to keep one beside my bed and before I go to sleep each night I document what good things have happened in my day ... my darling Mum used to do this and, now that she has passed I love being able to read her journal entries ... a beautiful reminder and it makes it feel like she is close (which I know she is).
 
 
 
 
 
So 2013 has arrived and like many of you I have so many plans for the year.  One of these is to use more of my 'stash' to not only document our life through my scrapbooking, but to make some more lovely handmade 'gifties' for my family and friends - yes a year of  Handmade is big part of my 2013 goals!
 
Now I am off to the sewing machine to get some new projects underway - can't wait to show you something special I am working of for a very dear friend .....
 
Be back soon!!!!!
 

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Digital Calendar Tutorial


For the past few years I have been making a 'handmade' hybrid calendar for my 'bestie'. 

I had always used a lovely digital calendar kit from Designer Digitals by the lovely Andrea Victoria - (will upload some pictures of previous years under the Portfolio Tab above when I locate them) but sadly this year this was not available - so it was off to my favourite place for all things 'handmade' - Etsy!!! 
and I was so excited to find some fabulous calendars and I went wild buying kits!!!


Please 'pop' on over to the Tutorial Tab above and check out the the lovely kits I purchased, including the list of the sellers from Etsy and, a tutorial on how I put my beautiful 'handmade' gifts together for some very special people in my life.

Here are some 'sneakies' of the finished 'gifties' (Carmel and Dianne please shut your eyes!!).






I hope I have inspired you to take on a hybrid project!

'Owl' Advent Calendar

This year I decided to let my DD (10 year old) make her own Advent Calendar - well it really was more of a 'count down' calendar.  I wanted it to be simple and a fun activity she could get involved in and this is what we came up with.




This fun kit was purchased from Etsy


Pop on over to the Tutorial Tab above and check out what my DD and I did with this gorgeous and very cute kit.

Here's some pictures of our finished calendar  -  we hope it inspires you for next Christmas!!!








Thursday, December 13, 2012

A New Journey


Welcome to my new blog space
Getting Your Craft On!

 
While this is my brand new blogging space and, the start of my ‘solo’ journey, it is tinged with sadness as I say goodbye to Embellees and the team of Lisa and Lizzie.
 
I am very excited that the lovely Lisa will be under her new banner of Scrapart With Lisa and, I look forward to being a participant at her Workshops.

As many of you know, 2012 has been a ‘tough’ year with my health and, this highlighted what I knew needed to be some changes in my life.

For me, the journey under this new banner is about working toward some new ventures – some sooner rather than later ….. but for now…. I look forward to hosting activities I hope you will join in: 

·         The Sewing Circle
·         Raid your Scrap’ Market Days
·         Scrap-Hunters Road Trips
·         Mimicking the Masters

Over the next month (after this Silly Season) the finishing touches will be added this new Blog ….. but, for now don’t forget to look for my new Facebook Page to also join in the journey.