Handmade book

Yesterday I cleaned and tidied my scrapping space, a mammoth feat as it was cluttered with unused products. You know how when you are in the middle of a project and then you have this great idea about using certain bits and pieces and then finding they don't really go and then go looking for more, seems the unused items have a way of multiplying lol. So now I am all set to start some new cool projects but first I just have to share this amazing book I made.

Two weeks ago on Saturday 9th Feb I was very lucky to attend a unique book class with a good friend as a birthday gift. The class was with the talented Natalie from Arability. We made books from scratch, yep we made the covers from bits of cardboard and binded them ourselves - such a rewarding feeling to hold in your hand your own personalised book :) Using lots of different techniques, material, old doilies, calico, old music sheet and patterned and plain cardstock we gesso'd glued, handstitched, machine stitched, distressed and also learnt how to do coptic binding! all the while having lots and lots of FUN! I love this book so much I have made a few mini ones and will share later!

 

 Want to see more of Natalie's amazing work, check out apieceofsky and if you happen to live in Perth you really need to do one of Nat's classes and I assure you she will have you inspired to go away and do so much more, I know I do!

Have a fab weekend and please don't forget to check back when I will share some more of these awesome little books :)

Happy crafting xx

Live well, laugh often, love much

Summer break is over and kids are now back for the start of the 2013 school year. Can't believe my baby girl is in year one and my princess is in year eight-first year of high school and my handsome boy is in year ten! wow time certain has flew by. Who can believe we are into February already and the first week of school completed. So far so good, Alyssa is at a brand newly built school and I must say it is awesome, great design and layout and the Principal and staff are just wonderful! After a week of getting lost going to classes I think Maddie has done well and now knows her time table and made a heap of new friends. Alex, well he's an old hand been at the school for a couple of years and is a very helpful supportive brother looking out for his sister. So its all go here, back to routines so maybe now I will have a little more time to do the things I love :)

Sharing with you Today is a layout of my princess, she is twelve (a tween) and hates having her photo taken lol (unless its a 'selfie' that all the kids are doing these days with their phones or ipods) I was lucky to snap this shot in October last year at the Perth Royal Show when she was having a short rest between rides in Side Show Alley.  Love how she is a unique individual and choses to have purple streak and dip dyed highlights, her favourite colour.

Delving back into my generous kit from Wild About Scrap I used some delicious papers and clear cut shapes from Little Yellow Bicycle range. All products are available through the Wild About Scrap store and if something happens to be 'out of stock' just drop Veronica or Bridget an email and I am sure they can help you out or suggest a substitute product.

Taking LYB Striped Piping I misted and splashed Tatered Angels glimmer mist Fully Purple and Pop Rocks until I got the desired result. Cut two 5cm strips of LYB Crimson Houndstooth, shaped the ends to look like bunting/flags and then inked edges with TH distress ink  Vintage photo (my all time favourite). Matted my 7in x 5in photo and centred it on the 12x12 sheet placing the strips to the right underneath. Took some scrap from my stash and using MS border punch, punched the edge, wet and scrunched it up and distress it then placed it under the left bottom conor of the photo. Wrapping some twine around a tin so I could get the circle shape I wanted, I placed this on the photo to highlight the focus my beautiful girl! I then placed a spray of Prima blossoms, adding extra Manor House leaves with some gauze (time to raid your first aid kit!) filling in gaps, popped dot two chipboard butterflies which had been painted first with white gesso then sprayed with glimmermist. Lastly I finished with a few scattered tiny buttons and beads and a rubon from Kaisercraft.

LYB - Acorn Hollow - Tall Trees/Striped Piping
LYB - Acorn Hollow - Toss & Tumble/Crimson Houndstooth
LYB - Acorn Hollow - Clear Cuts
Tattered Angel Glimmermist - Fully Purple & Pop Rocks
TH Distress Ink - Vintage Photo
Twine
Prima Blossom spray
Manor House leaves
WOW Chipboard Butterflies
Kaisercraft Rubons
Tiny buttons and beads
Gauze

Thanks for stopping by, hope where ever you may be you have a great weekend with either family or friends. I am going to do my best to stay cool as they are forecasting 38 and 42, so it's going to be HOT and humid, looks like it's a lazing by the pool kind of weekend :)

take care xx


 

Beautiful Centerpiece

Okay so it's not scrapping related but still craft :)

Just wanted to share what my wonderfully talented friend Sandra made me for my birthday! along with scrapbooking and craft I also love to crochet and knit but nothing this intricate and delicate. My friend makes lovely tiny little crochet flowers too and I have used them on my layouts and cards before but when having coffee with her recently she showed me a gorgeous table runner she was crocheting for a dear friend and I commented how I loved the design and pattern lol so she gave me the pattern book and told me to make it!

I was delighted when on my birthday she handed me a package and commented 'hope this inspires you' omg well it has, I LOVE it! so out have come my hooks and cotton and I am going to attempt something a little smaller to start with and hopefully one day I too will be this clever. Isn't it just beautiful!

 Off to enjoy this last day of holidays, kids go back to school on Monday so routines need to be put back into place!

Thanks for dropping by, have a great crafty weekend Xxx