Web down

Our connection was down most of Sunday and into early Monday so no post, shame I was doing so well with daily posts.

 

Still I got some crafting done. I made all the gift tags for the prezzies and today I made some more for MIL to use. I also wrapped all our gifts and the table gifts we have as well. Then we finished the decs so now for some pictures.

 

First our tree, much the same as last year, 

no new ornaments either. Reminder to self to try and find some this year.

 

I made the tree surround some years ago but it always makes me smile, here is a close up of some of the snowflakes.

 

I can’t remember how long it took to make but it was fun.

 

 

Then there is my favourite candle, it was a gift from my cousin who is no longer with us so it is extra special, apart from being beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also spent some time making a Christmas card for Chris, it is mainly stamped with just a few peel offs. It is not difficult to make, just leave me a comment if you want to know how and I will explain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been looking for ideas for his birthday today, I want something that is a bit unusual and masculine at the same time – any ideas would be great.

Deck the halls

yes we have decorated the house so my craft efforts today are all tied up with that. I have put out the little boxes I made 2 years ago and the snowflakes are waiting for me to decide where they are going,and how. I haven’t taken any pics yet but will do so tomorrow and post them.

Sketch time

After a hectic morning in London, working, and a nice afternoon at the cinema watching New Moon, i am trying to get some sketches done for a couple of LOs and 2 cards I have to do for family.

 

I can do both those in front of the TV which is where I plan to be for the evening.

Look what I am making today

I got this a couple of weeks ago to make a container for table gifts. I have made the boxes for the gifts, all little novelties like you would get in crackers. I think it will make a change from the usual silly jokes and hats that tear as soon as you put them on.

 

http://www.kandcompany.com/shop/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=0&idproduct=5931

 

I am also still trying to decide what to do for my Christmas Journal this year. I will be following Shimelle’s journal Your Christmas with additions from Jessica Sprague but I keep changing my mind on the colour scheme. I will sit and play with that while I watch the TV tonight, maybe get some inspiration from all the Christmas ads on now.

 

Finally Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends in the US, have a wonderful day and enjoy whatever special meal you have.

A no craft day

Yes for the first time in ages I will not be doing any crafting at all today. I have been really busy at work all day and we are going out tonight to visit a friend that we haven’t seen for several years.

 

It feels quite strange not to be able to add anything at all here. Hopefully things will improve tomorrow. In the meantime I will post a link to a project I want to do

 

http://dollysdreamings.typepad.com/dollys_dreamings/2009/11/free-class-and-announcing-new-project-.html

 

I have just the tin to use and plan on something for DD

I am really tired

I have had both grandsons here today and they have worn me out. I did manage to get some photos though.

 

This one of both of them , I just love the

hand on the knee look!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   This beauty of Gary has to be my favourite and

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this one of Connor.

 

This means I have all the photos I need for a little project for MIL for Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also got my delivery of Bazzill today, now I have no excuses at all.

A digi day

I have decided that I need to collect all my digi stuff together and sort it in so I can find stuff when I want it. This all came about because I wanted  to get some templates done for Journal Your Christmas which I am doing for the second time. Last year I did all digi but this year I want to do a hybrid journal. I knew I had some seasonal embellishments tucked away somewhere but with access 2 PCs and a laptop I had trouble tracking them down. So armed with by external drive I got them all in one place. I was quite surprised at the amount I had too, something for every occasion and, with the aid of colourising in Photoshop I probably have all I want for now. Not that I will stop looking and downloading.

 

I am going to spend the evening trying to sort a bit more and then get those templates doen.

A birdhouse and some monograms

I made my first wishing house from a project I got from here, all in Basic Grey and, thought it needs some refinement I am quite pleased with it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also made some monogram tags for Christmas presents. BG again I am afraid!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More work to be done on the snowflakes later if the electricity stays on so I have enough light. It has been really stormy and thinks keep flickering!

Finally I have been crafting

I got to spend all morning and most of the afternoon sorting out my space and it is now useable at least.

 

I forgot to take a proper before pic so took this which just shows the space I had

as you can see I had to move the keyboard to use it. Now I have this

and have room for my printer, Craft robo, embossing machine and my photo printer which has been hidden in a cupboard for ages.

 

I still have more organising to do, the area to the left of me is cube storage and has all my paper and cardstock, books, tools and things. This will have to wait till I get my new unit for my inks and powders.

 

it is quite possible that other things will move as well but, right now, it is working well. I have spent a couple of hours on a project which I will possibly finish tomorrow and it was so much easier to work.

Craft – what craft

I have had a long and difficult day, don’t even really want to talk about it it has been that bad. Now all I want to do is try and relax and watch the big annual fund raiser on the TV, Children in Need. I might even be talked into having a drink or 2 at the same time.

 

My crafting effort for today will be thinking about what I can get done tomorrow.

Questions

Shimelle’s class has suggested Please & Thank you for today so I have a question as the Please bit.

 

I am looking for storage for my tiny bits, eyelets, grommets, beadlets, buttons,etc currently I have them in a small case with dividers but the case is so big it is tucked away and I forget I have them so they stay where they are. Any suggestions for some thing a bit more visible.

 

For my Thank you I have to say a big Thanks to everyone who has viewed my blog and in particular everyone who has left comments. you have no idea how warm it has made me feel.

 

For my crafting today, again I can’t show you as it will spoil the surprise (how many times am I reading that right now!) but I will be making a Digi Christmas card which I will be sending out early in December.

Taking shape

My craft room that is. Before today I had a smallish desk with screen, Bamboo tablet, keyboard, craft mat and various other things on the top. Then I had a variety of other cupboards and things which had my Craft Robo and printer on.  Now I have 2 desks, side by side so everything is on the one level and, once I get it all sorted out it will be so much better. I will take pics when it is done.

 

I am really tired at the moment, we have had to put all the furniture back where it belongs, rehang all the curtains and clean top to bottom, and there will be more tomorrow as they didn’t quite finish today.

 

I have some more snowflakes to make this evening, I really want to get them done so I can get pics of them completed and maybe even hung a bit early (DH willing!)

 

Off to have a soak in the bath to ease my aches.

Page Prompts

I am following Jessica Sprague’s Holidays in Hand and today I have printed off the daily prompts and I am going to work on those later.

 

With one for each day it will take me all evening just to sort through them and decide on the things I know I will be doing then maybe planning some more.

 

Just a short entry today as I already posted the pictures and I have a hidden section with my scrapbooking ideas on, as suggested by Shimelle.

More of the heritage

I spent some time with PSP last night just tidying these up a bit,. They are all of my Gran at various stages of her life.

 

  There is a date on the reverse of this which puts her at 7 months old.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sadly there is nothing on this, or the next one, so I have had to guess. I think she is about 4/5 here but open to suggestions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally this, probably a teenage picture.

Old photos

What I have achieved today is to print off a copy of a very old, hand tinted photograph.

It had to be taken around 1900 and is of my Great Uncle who sadly died about 6 months after the photo was taken. I have some more of my Gran at various ages as well and I want to create some LOs with them to try and tell the story as I know it. There is only one of her children still alive, my Aunt, and I have got some answers from her so I will be creating some journaling later this evening to go with them.

I did scrap..

but the batteries in my camera are flat so no photos today. I used a couple of sketches from the UKS cybercrop and, as usual, made them my own – well that is what sketches are for isn’t it?

 

I won’t be able to get to my stash till next weekend now, we are having new windows installed Tuesday and Wednesday so I have had to move everything out of the way. As my desk is right by the window that has had to be moved so I have nowhere to work. I will be taking the opportunity to straighten things out when I get back up there and I am adding more work surface at the same time.

 

There has also been a change in my Christmas prezzie from DH. He was going to get me UTEE, I will have to get that myself now as he is going to get me some gorgeous storage units from www.craftracks.co.uk not sure which ones yet but I have given him a few options for the most useful to me. Unfortunately this means I will have to reorganize again after Christmas but i think it will be worth it and I will post pics when it is all done.

 

So back to laptop crafting for the week.

 

While I am here a big thank you to everyone who has read my blog and particularly those who have left comments. It is so nice to get them.

Finally…

I got to do some hands on crafting, in my craft room. The stuff I have been dong in the last week or so has all been on my lap, on front of the TV.

 

I made the rest of the Christmas cards but I can’t put the stash away yet as I am planning a Christmas Journal in paper this year (did a digi one last year). I can’t put the cards on here as people read this who may be getting one.

 

I also did a couple of LOs, one isn’t finished yet but this one is. Some

more of the birdlife from Florida earlier this year. I have stuck the bottom strip down now, in fact it didn’t show till I took the photo. It matches another I did, this is the right hand page.

 

I also got my embossing folders delivered today – need to play with those tomorrow.

Snowflakes everywhere

yes I have started making the snowflakes in the K&Company kit. I have spent some time punching out the die cuts and trying to work out which go together. It’s good fun with the dimensional ones, the 3d ones are obvious but I think I can get creative with the others. I will post pics when i get them assembled but it may be a while.

 

I have a crafty weekend planned so, with luck, I will finally get some photos posted of what I get done.

Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling

What a lovely list that is and I really haven’t had to think about today’s blogging prompt, it all fell into place easily.

 

I am seeing the pile on my desk shrinking and I complete the weeks work, and I finished it early which means I get tomorrow afternoon off.

 

What am I hearing – just the radio, I can’t be bothered with anything else. I have Gold on and they are playing some lovely 60’s and 70’s stuff.

 

I am smelling the bolognese sauce I made for tea, and it does smell good.

 

I am tasting nothing. I have been good and not had anything to eat since lunchtime and I have only drunk water, I feel quite virtuous.

 

What am I feeling, I am feeling pleased with myself as I have managed every prompt so far.

 

Now to the crafty bit, I sat down and sorted through my Christmas cards and decided which theme I am going to use for the 12 I still have to make. Now all I have to do is do some sketches to follow.

 

Happy blogging everyone.

My idea of fun in the internet

Today’s prompt in the blogging for Scrapbookers is about fun on the internet. Sadly I don’t use the web for fun (I get that elsewhere) so I tried to think about the things I do when I have nothing specific to do on the web.

 

Basically I just surf, the fun is in the journey. For instance I will start with a blog that I have subscribed to and maybe check out the links there and click on one of those, then the next one and so on.

 

Here is a trail that I followed earlier, I started at Banana Frog, love their stamps. Next I went to Audrey Tan's blog. There I found this a total surprise and one that I have added to my Google Reader subscriptions.

 

I spent ages there so that is where the trail ended.

 

Off to take another journey and see where it leads me.

Snowflakes…

…arrived today. No not the real ones but the Swell Noel kit from K & Company, so you can guess what I will be playing with tonight. I would have been scrapping but I can’t get to my desk as my ‘space’ is being worked on so it is more streamlined, well that is the theory anyway.

 

In case you haven’t seen them

this is the kit and we are going to hang them through the conservatory where all decs will be blue and silver.

 

I will try and post some pics when I have finished them but don’t be surprised if I forget!

 

Oh and thanks to everyone for all the lovely comments I have received.

Goals!

Shimelle has come up trumps again as I haven’t done anything crafty today, too busy at work.I still have time but I doubt there will be any constructive work done as our little grandson arrives soon and is stopping overnight while his Mum and Dad go out for the evening.

 

So thanks to Shimelle I have something to post about in GOALS.

 

My one goal at the moment is to learn how to do more with my lovely meltpot.

 

  I have had it for a while and only used it once or twice. So I have added some things to my Christmas wish list like UTEE flex and some different colours of UTEE and some tools and some Cosmic Shimmer UTEC (I think that is what it is called). Roll on Boxing Day  so I can reach a goal.

 

I think I may revisit this topic occasionally and also use it on my other blog when I have nothing else to talk about – that doesn’t happen often either.

Noel!

I got the Christmas 12 x 12 project completed, not sure if it will stand on the cube storage or hang on the wall yet but I am pleased with it.

 

It will go with the Winter House I made a couple of years ago and the tree I have made this year.

 

I also made a birthday card but DH has signed and sealed it before I got the chance to take a photo. Shame as I used a new embossing folder on cordinations stack then sanded it down, worked a treat. I have some more birthday cards to make soon and I will use the same technique and hopefully get to take pics!

Weekend bits

I didn't have time for any actual craft on Saturday, we were busy getting ready for a get together with friends and neighbours. I did manage to pick up a pot of acrylic paint to use on the 12x12 canvas I am getting ready for a Christmas project so not a day when absolutely nothing crafty happened, just a bit lean.

Day 6 and it’s photos

OK so I took these a while ago but they are among my favourites of our youngest grandson Connor. I think the title says it all …

A Craft day ?

Today has mainly been spent doing ‘house’ craft as in cleaning up after our new boiler was fitted yesterday, what a mess they left us.

 

Never mind it has given me thinking time to plan some stuff and, while we were getting the supplies in for the cleaning I found a really cheap diary for next year. i always keep a diary by me when I am watching the TV. I use it to made sketches, jot down notes and ideas and it is a constant source of inspiration for those times when my own has left me for a while. I also use it for when I watch craft shows on TV (Shopping channels do sometimes have some great ideas).

 

Anyway the one I have got for 2010 is a day to a page and not a week to view which will give me more space to use. I might even have a go at altering the cover.

 

I also got a blank calendar kit for the desk, one of those that has it’s own stand and the pages flip over the top for each month. Another project to add to the list.

5 favourite things

So todays prompt is to list some fav things so mine has to be craft supplies.

 

Top of the list is Basic Grey, I could have made it all five in all honesty but that would not be so clever would it? I love all the ranges and use them regularly in scrapbooking and cards as well.

I have just found Eskimo Kisses which is really gorgeous, I think this  is the most delightful. I think I might have to find this

and buy some.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Second on my list is Ranger’s Distress Inks. This is near the top at the moment as I am using new techniques with them and I got the Fire Brick and this blue one today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next comes my Craft Robo, the best thing since sliced bread. Any true type font can be cut, also shapes and dingbats. I love designing swirls and hunting down new fonts that will cut well.

 

Fourth on the list is gilding flakes, I have used them quite a bit for this years Christmas cards, no pics yet as I don’t want the cards on show too soon.

 

Finally comes stencils, the ones you can use for dry embossing. I make a few cards using these and they can be quite classy, well I think so anyway! I want to try them out on scrapbooking LOs next.

 

There are so many other things I like and I am not even sure this list will be the same tomorrow.So maybe I will try and do it again sometime, see if it changes.

Day 2 – an important event

‘I have had to adapt this a bit as the prompt was for ‘a significant day in your life’ obviously this doesn’t fit this blog so I had to do some searching in my mind to find an even that suited.

 

Picture me, someone who has made cards for a few years and also loves to travel. The travel led to piles of photos being put into albums with SITCKY STUFF (( know better now!). There was a show on a shopping channel which showcased a scrapbook album with some stickers. I placed the order and waited for it to arrive. Arrival day is the day I have chosen to record here.

 

Ding dong on the door bell and the courier was there with my parcel. I had to wait a bit to open it as I had some work to complete but soon enough I was spreading the contents on the table. This is where I start to cringe as the album is nothing like the ones I use now, no page protectors just leaves of tissue to keep the pages from sticking to each other. There was also no paper or card. Simply chipboard pages. I religiously laid out the stickers and the photos from a recent trip but somehow I wasn’t happy with just that so I got some of my background papers from my supplies and added those. I still have that album and often look at it and think I ought to strip the photos out and do it all again but I never do, and probably won’t.

 

So my first day of scrapping which led to me going to a crop and then I really found out what it was all about.

Intentions….

Today is the start of the course and I need to get down what I want to achieve from the next 3 weeks.

 

Firstly I want to improve my blogging skills, I want to be able to write better text, include more photos than I have in my other blogs and learn some new bits and bobs that I can add like photo albums etc.

 

Secondly I want to record the crafting I do, from making something to receiving new supplies and even watching an interesting show on TV. I am also hoping this will help with inspiration when it has run dry.

 

Finally this will NOT be a record of my day to day life, that belongs elsewhere.

 

On to today’s entry.

 

I received my Distress Stickles today , there is quite a selection of colours, not sure if I have all those in the picture and they have disappeared up to the attic now so I can’t check. Hopefully I will be able to play with them soon.

 

 

 

I also watched a show on Ideal World with metal embossing and alcohol inks, some really great ideas and strangely some memories of my Grandad who used to do metal embossing a lot. Now I have some metal, some basic embossing tools and the inks so another project to add to the to do list.

 

For future reference the metal embossing range is from Walnut Hollow though there are other makers as well.