Steampunk Spells Pocket Album

I've recently joined a Friday morning scrappers group, which is fairly informal and while most are creating pages for their albums,  not everyone is scrapping a page, especially me as I don't tend to scrap very often.

After viewing Graphic 45's blog a couple of weeks ago, I was really taken with the Bird Song Pocket Album that Arlene had put together using papers from the "Bird Song" collection.  It is so pretty and I watched her  how-to video with great interest before making one for myself using the "Steampunk Spells" collection.

I got started on this mini album last Friday, firstly creating the pages from black cardstock, then cutting the Steampunk Spells papers to fit each page.  I then realised that I wanted to go around the edge of each page with Distress Ink and of course, I didn't have any with me.  So since our two hours was almost finished, I packed my bits'n'pieces away and headed home.

This week having found myself with two extra days at home, as a couple of other things had been cancelled, I was able to continue with the pages and set about putting it all together.

For the closure I used some seam binding ribbon dyed with Dylusion inks to co-ordinate with the inside pages.  Seam binding ribbon takes dyes really well and it is wonderful being able to colour match.

Each page has three pockets - on the front, in the centre and on the back.  I've placed black mats into each pocket for photos to be added.  The front mat is double matted with some ivory cardstock for journalling.  Each of the centre mats has a tab top.

I picked up the 'winged key' at the Stitches & Craft Show I attended recently, simply because I liked it, and it has proven to be a perfect match for this album.

I'm sure I'll be making a few more of these mini albums as they would make beautiful gifts for Christmas.

As always, thanks for visiting and if you get the chance, pop over to Arlene's blog and have a look at her gorgeous book.

Happy crafting!

Elegance for a 70th

Brrrrr, it's been a bit of a brisk day today and our house is a cold hole in the winter.  Mind you I could put on the air-con, but I just can't justify it for one person, so I guess I'll just have to put up with being cold (silly me). 

Anyhow before I realised how cold (hungry too, 'cause it was lunchtime) I was, I was busy making a 70th birthday card for a friend's mum.   She said her mum likes 'autumn' colours and although this isn't strictly autumn, I hope she'll like the elegance of this card.

If you're a Graphic 45 fan, you'll recognise this paper from "A Ladies Diary", one of my favourites although the paper is getting much harder to find now. 

The card itself is made using 'A Ladies Diary' cut down to approximately A5 size (folded) (ie flat, it's A4).  The lady is then fussy cut twice and layered.  The flowers are also fussy cut and layered with some ivory ribbon added.

The inside has a piece of ivory cardstock on both sides, partly for stability but mostly for decoration and somewhere to write a message.

Since this card is an unusual size, a matching envelope had to be created too, from a full sheet cut down by an inch for the flap.  Hopefully this card will be hand delivered otherwise a large envelope will need to be purchased.

Purely by chance, last week I put together a little brag book using the same collection of papers and so I thought I would ask my friend if she would like to give this to her mum as well.  There's sure to be photos for a 70th birthday which could be added to the book, along with anecdotes from the day.

I'll be handing this over to my friend in the next day or two, fingers crossed she approves (otherwise I could be starting all over again, sigh).  Happy 70th Birthday!

Anyhow, I must away as the sun has gone down for the day, the furry feline is meowing for her dinner and I'd better do something about our dinner as well.  Home made vegetable soup with crusty bread, I think - mmmm yum!

Until next time, happy crafting!
 

The "Paper Doll" story continues ...

I can't believe a whole week has passed since I last posted the Paper Dolls.   I decided I would do a set for my September class at Pages 2 Scrap at Tuggerah, so yes, I'm still making them (well, another set of them anyway).  I'm certainly enjoying them, but they do take a bit of time with all the fussy cutting, and I'm also doing two sets of them - one for Pages 2 Scrap to display, the other to keep with the instruction sheet.  If I don't do this, by the time I do my class, it's very hard to replicate them because even though I take photos, it's the small details I miss - so I do two sets.

This is the finished set that will be delivered to Pages 2 Scrap later this week, same girls as before but with different outfits.  I now have another two dolls but haven't had time to play with them yet, but it won't be too long!

A work in progress at the end of my dining table, as you can see two of the girls are wearing different outfits and these will be the ones accompanying the instruction sheet which I still have to do, SIGH!

I think it's going to be a busy week, as I would also like to drop off my October samples as well.  For once though, I actually know what I want to do.  Now that would have to be a first for me (hee hee)!

So, I'm planning on heading up the coast on Thursday night with my BFF (as she will be in Sydney before going home) and on Friday we're heading further north to Newcastle to browse at the Stitches & Craft Show.  Then on Saturday morning my next class at Pages 2 Scrap is scheduled.  It's very handy having this shop only 5 minutes from my home away from home (BFF's house).  On Saturday afternoon, I'll hop on a train and have a relaxing trip home.

But now I must away, the sun is going down and the clothes need to come off the line.  It's been a beautiful winter's weekend here in Sydney, more like spring really!

Happy crafting!


 

"Paper Dolls"

Do you remember playing with 'paper dolls' as a child?  It was so much fun and brought back fond memories of playing with my collection of 'paper dolls' in my childhood.  They kept me entertained for many hours, dressing them in all the outfits that were included, and making up scenarios and stories about each of them.  Ah .......... memories !!!

Well, I finally got to play with my new Prima "Doll" stamps this week. They have been sitting on the table patiently waiting, never complaining while other things have gone on around them.

These are the three gorgeous girls I'm referring to, aren't they just so sweet!  Unfortunately I'm not sure if they have actual names or not, so I'll have to do a bit of research to identify them.

The first 'doll' is wearing an outfit from Kaisercraft 'Sweet Pea'  6 1/2" x 6 1/2" pad and to add just an extra touch, there are four tiny pearl buttons on her blouse.  The flowers come as a bunch and as they were white,  I coloured them with Distress Marker 'Spun Sugar'.

The second 'doll' is wearing a lovely flowing dress from Graphic 45  'Christmas Emporium',

The last 'doll'  is wearing a dress from Graphic 45 'A Ladies Diary' with just a touch of velvet lace at the waistband.  She is wearing a pearl necklace and matching earrings.

Each 'doll' has been stamped onto ivory cardstock with her arms, legs and head coloured with Distress Marker 'Antique Linen' and hair in different brown tones, before being fussy cut.  The background paper is from Graphic 45 'Secret Garden' and is matted onto Stampin' Up 'Soft Suede' cardstock. All the leaves and flowers are Dylusions and are coloured using Distress Markers before being fussy cut and popped onto dimensions. The ribbons are from my stash.   Each of the 'dolls' have also been popped up on dimensions.

Gosh, I didn't realise how many different brands have been used in the making of these tags - but they all go together so I guess it doesn't really matter does it?

I would love to hear your thoughts, so please feel free to leave a comment.

I have entered 'doll #1' in this weeks Stampotique challenge.

Happy crafting!

Vintage Voyage

Hey there, I'm back in the land of Blog - woohoo!  My apologies for not blogging lately but life just gets in the way sometimes.  First it was my sojourn at Kaisercraft in Geelong (and no, I still haven't finished those projects yet, eeeek), then the following week #1 son went on a 3 day hike with Boys Brigade, walking the Six Foot Track, which starts at Katoomba and finishes at Jenolan Caves.  "Mum, do you think you could pick some of us up?" he asked a few weeks earlier.  "OK" says me, but it's a bit of a lonely road out to the caves, so I asked my BFF along for the trip.  So we had a leisurely drive to the mountains on the Tuesday, enjoyed a yummy lunch at Leura, stayed at Katoomba overnight, peered through thick fog the next morning (view? I'm sure there should be a view here somewhere!) before heading off to Jenolan Caves.  Oh, and "change of plans, Mum, we're now finishing at the camp site BEFORE  the caves".  We (BFF & me) could only hope we were waiting at about the right place - no signs, no phone reception, no hikers?  But all was well in the end with the parents of one of the other hikers figuring out where they were, phew!

Weary, stiff, all in one piece & still smiling!

Anyhow, I have actually been doing a few bits 'n' pieces, so thought I'd show a card I made using the new Graphic 45 "Steampunk Spells" collection.  This is not my design but one I saw recently on the G45 blog and really liked, a card on a card.

It's rather hard to see in the photo, but I've fussy cut a second layer of flowers, her hat, necklace and the raven (or is it a crow?), as well as a third layer for the flower centres, and popped them up on dimensionals ('Vintage Voyage').   The hinges are from a pack of 'push outs' (sorry, don't know what else to call them).

This is inside the 'front' card, again with extra flowers fussy cut and popped up, as well as the flying clock.

For the inside of the main card, the inserts are cut from 'Witching Hour', the torn panel from 'Frightful Folly', another couple of fussy cut flowers ('Fanciful Floral') and the tag envelope is again a 'push out' which is then folded.  Attached to the ribbon is a 'black cat' tag.   On the right side, the bottle is stamped using Distress Markers rather than an ink pad, to get the blue and black.  The wings were leftovers from the lady.  The other envelope is also a 'push out' with a tag which slides out (hence the ribbon pull).

I really liked the way this card went together, hmmm ....... may make another one!

So, there you have it, I'm up-to-date again.   Hopefully I'll be back again sooner rather than later !!!

Happy crafting!

 

Molly's Garden

Last Thursday, I went along to the Dylusions Play Day at Alice in Paperland.  This is such a fun morning with everyone doing their own thing, so to speak, and to add to the creativeness,  five very creative young girls joined in (school holidays last week and this week).  I tell you, kids don't have any concerns about what should go with what, they just go with the flow and their creativeness could teach me a thing or two!

I chose a double page that I had used some dimensional paste through a stencil last time I played, so it was now well and truly dry.  I started by spraying a bit of yellow, orange and brown through a stencil (cell theory), not colours I usually use together, but with a few 'puddles' of black added, it was looking good.

Next a border was added with the dots coloured with red Dylusions, followed by a honeycomb stamp rolled here and there, and I added little dots of colour in some of the hexagonals.

The bats, cobweb and bushes (Dylusions - sorry, don't know the name) were stamped in jet black Archival, as was "Molly" (Stampotique) who was stamped onto some book paper and left uncoloured (so was his/her party hat).  It's a funny thing but I really can't decide whether Molly is a boy or girl monster - rather cute though in a sad sort of way!

At this point we had run out of time and were packing up, so the remainder of the pages were finished at home.  The spider (G45 Happy Hauntings) was added to the web, extra leaves and plants (SU) were added to the bushes and Molly was fussy cut and glued into place in the garden.  Molly's Garden is left over rubon letters from ages ago.  I think an interesting little verse or anecdote should be added to the left page, but until I find the right one, it will remain as you see it.  If you look hard on the left page, there are three owls sitting on a branch too (G45 Happy Hauntings) !

 I hope you've enjoyed a stroll around "Molly's Garden".  Do let me know what you think !

Happy crafting!

Coming Off a High !!

Coming off a high !!  You know what I mean - you've been doing something exciting and it comes to an end and unfortunately reality returns fairly quickly.  Well, that was me (and two friends) this week.

As you are probably aware, I work at Alice in Paperland, and Alice (yes she does indeed exist) offered three of us girls the opportunity to attend a Retailers Day at Kaisercraft in Geelong, Victoria.  It was actually two days of being privvy to the upcoming collections that will be arriving in stores over the next few months, five classes consisting of scrapbook pages, off the page and cards, hands-on trying out of new products, shopping in the huge warehouse, and the most delicious morning & afternoon teas, as well as lunch, a roast the first day and BBQ the second day- mmmm yum!

We (Jenni, Jackie and myself) headed off on Sunday morning for the airport, arriving in Geelong around 2.30pm where we picked up our hire car, a very nice new Corolla.  We then set off for Torquay where we were staying in a two bedroom apartment - very swish - at the Wyndham Resort across the road from the beach. 

We had a fabulous time away, great company (thanks Jenni & Jackie), and all the staff at Kaisercraft were just so welcoming and friendly, but all good things must come to an end, and so we headed back to Avalon airport and arrived back in Sydney around 10.15pm (it was a late flight and takes around 1hr 10mins).

I wish I could show you now (but I can't) so as and when the new collections are released, I'll post the photos of some of the gorgeous creations that we ooh'd & ah'd over, and made in our classes.

Happy crafting!