I've been playing...

... with my new Bind-it-All! I can't believe how easy it is to use - it looks complicated, but it really isn't, and is well worth the money. I got mine for £44.99 from A1 Crafts and it's only £2 postage! Really good service too, it arrived in 2 days.







So, I started with a birthday calendar. I sorted out the pages - nice and easy, half A4 - and I have them now so I can either use them again or change the fonts etc. This took longer than actually putting it together. For the cover, I used a piece of cardstock covered with paper (can't remember where it came from) and used DCWV paper to cover the inside of the cover - the blue piece. The label on the front was done in a word processor program and cut out with a 3" scallop punch, then finished with a microbead sticker. The date pages were printed on plain white card, and the back page is just pink card. It's a bit thicker than normal cardstock, and I got it from The Paper Mill Shop in one of their mixed boxes. I used a 1/2" silver wire.

Now, I'm off to play with my new Sugar Nellie 'Lola' stamps, and see if I can't come up with something that uses both new toys!

Card Organiser

Here's a card organiser I've just finished. I started it a while ago but I've only just managed to get the date pieces done. I used American Crafts double sided 12x12 cardstock, with a pocket for two months worth of cards. The date pieces are just the month with space for you to write in names and dates - I was going to put in a little calendar but figured that it would probably be simpler doing it this way.

Lettering is stamped using See D's 'Dot to Dot' alphabet set in black StazOn. I got the ribbon from the Range, but not sure what make it is. Used a comb binder to do the spine, but only until I can get a Bind-it-All. I have so many ideas for things I want to try when I finally get one! Hopefully it won't be too long a wait.












Oh, and there's new Sugar Nellie stamps out tonight (26th) - a new designer with new characters. I've just ordered a couple... there's free postage at the moment, but not sure how long that's on for, go to Funky Kits for info.

Nothing new...

I've done no crafting today, but I've really got to get my butt into gear and get some stuff done. One of my neighbours is about to have twin boys and I wanted to get a bootie and box done (there's a picture of one I've already done in an earlier post) or do I do two, or a pair in one box? Hmmm, I'll have to think about that one!

I've been selling loads of my old craft stuff - you know those stamps you just have to have when you start out and then never use? Yeah, those... well I just sold a load on eBay, so now I'm on the lookout for some newbies. I've already found MFT and it's sooo much cheaper to get things shipped over.

So, no new stuff but here's a card I did for my brother's birthday last year. No stamping, but the cards on the front are real cards, and really tiny - just perfect for cards! The paper is DCWV, and the words are peel offs (another thing I over spent on at the beginning and now rarely use!)

I'm Back!

Wow... long time, no blog! I have done no crafting since before Christmas - not even thank-you cards (oops!). There's been 'stuff' going on but today is my dad's birthday so I had to come up with something. I've had this in mind for him since I saw these on SplitCoast, so thought I'd give it a go as I've never put photos on blocks before:




I think they turned out okay! The photos were developed in matt sepia, and the letters were stamped using the See-D's Plain Jane Alphabet. All the papers are DCWV.


The card:






Those numbers are wooden ones that I got for Cory to play around with and they're 8cm high so perfect for crafting with. I'm sure he won't mind me having a couple! The main paper is American Crafts and the blue is DCWV. The ribbon is also American Crafts and you can just about see some brads but I haven't a clue where they're from!


Well, I'm off to make some chocolate covered pretzels!

I Used My New Nellies!!

This is not only the first Christmas card I have made so far, but also the first time I have used my new Nellies (well, Luca!)

THESE STAMPS ARE FAB!!! I would love all of them, but it will have to be between now and New Year as I'm going on a major - and strict - stash diet (sob!). I've just got too much stuff and I keep buying more... particularly as I said a couple of months ago that I was going to lay off the card making and do more altered stuff. It was harder than I thought it would be, and I keep getting orders, so I started stamping more. The only thing I will buy early next year are some stamps from Gina K - her stamps are great! I'll call it an early Birthday pressie.

So, the card:



The colours are actually much nicer in 'real life' but I just couldn't get a decent picture. Luca was watercoloured - it's the first time I've stamped onto watercolour paper and I think it turned out well. I layered it up on DCWV papers and finished with some ribbon and a 'Merry Christmas' peel off (I haven't got any decent Christmas stamps)

Anyway, I'm off to play with Luca and Nellie!

More Christmas Decorations

I finally got round to finishing the blocks I started! I started off with a short word, just to see how I got on: JOY. I really enjoyed doing them, so will definitely do some more, including a set each for the boys with their names.


Here they are, the finished article:





I used 2" blocks from Opitec - bargain, £2.20 for 10! - and lightly sanded them, then painted them with ivory acrylic paint. I used papers from a Craft Creations scrapbook pack, and black versamark ink with See D's Ancient Alphabet stamps. Finally, I sanded the edges lightly to finish them off.

Getting nothing done...

... but a fun day had by all. Got up this morning to wind, rain and a generally murky day, and anyone with young kids knows that bad weather and little ones don't mix. So we decided to try an indoor play area that we haven't used before - Coral Cove in Devizes - and the boys really enjoyed themselves. Cory's been to similar places before and always has fun, but it was Jack's first time and he loved it! Now I argue that we should always go to this one, because under 5s have to be supervised at all times!!!!! I swear there were more adults than kids, and that they were having more fun!

Of course, according to Cory, at least, no trip out is complete without shopping... he could shop for his country, that boy! So we did the shopping, and then went to Avebury to look at the stones (and of course the gift shops!). Pity the weather was so crummy, but we'll go back again in the spring.