31 July 2012

Kraft it Up July Challenge

I really liked the theme of the July challenge at Kraft it Up... "This month we want to see a layout that tells a story of something you want/wish to do in the future... Think bucketlists, lifelong wishes etc..."

I've used my little man Tyler's wish for the future... to become a train driver. He is OBSESSED with trains, like every little boy I suppose, but he has been mad for trains for three years now and I guess we thought he'd be into cars, lego, guns, other things by now... but nope! Just trains!


The other night I overheard him telling his little sister in a very serious voice that he couldn't play with her because he was very busy and had to go to work because there was passengers waiting. And it's starting to rub off on Holly - she likes to tell me 'Tyler likes trains' and asks if we can go on train rides. Ugh, enough already kids. I know more about trains than I have ever wanted to know!


For this layout I've used some vintage train tickets, washi tape and a heart bottlecap from A Little Somethin'. I misted the background with yellow chalkboard mist and red glimmermist (although it looks more orange in the photo). Do you know what I used to mask the background? Toilet paper! :)  I was originally planning on using a serviette to make a blotched, soft-focus kind of background but couldn't find one, so loo paper was the next best thing! Misting on it didn't work out too well though, but it did make a good mask.



27 July 2012

His & Hers Kaisercraft Clocks

About a year ago I made Holly this clock.


She was only 1 at the time, so she wasn't too fussed about it. But Tyler loved it and kept asking me to make him one. So, I have finally got around to it.


He and Holly are both right into robots at the moment, so I figured the Kaisercraft Technologic range would be great. To make Ty's clock a little less girly, I left off the scalloped edging from the roof, and flipped the fence part around so the robots weren't obscured by it. The base is painted in silver paint.


He loves it! So now we have his 'n' hers clocks, how sweet. :)


21 July 2012

Shabby clipboard project

I have been planning to do an altered clipboard for a while now, so when I saw little A5 sized ones at Officeworks recently (for 2 bucks, no less!), I thought I'd give it a go. I bought two and made this one for my friend Karyn's birthday.


I used a lot of torn book paper strips as the background, layering with PVA glue to seal them, then aged it a bit with some distress stain in Wild Honey. It looked a little plain, so I stamped some butterflies with Staz-On.


I've used a mix of vintage trims and and embellishments from D'Lish scraps, and the cream flower with silk leaves is one I made myself.


Now that I've 'practised' on Karyn's, I'm going to make mine pretty much the same!


Enjoy your weekend,


17 July 2012

My craft space...

One day, I'll have the whooooole office to myself... I've been daydreaming about turning it into a craft space, but am yet to convince my husband that he doesn't actually need half the room for his computer. 

This is my little corner at the moment - an overcrowded pinboard, some kids craft and my computer crammed on a hand-me-down Ikea table.


Yes, the walls really are that nasty shade of pink. 

So, a revamp is in order! In my mind at least. :)

So far, I have this gorgeous old suitcase from my stepdad, and a few small bits and pieces - a couple of vintage coathangers, paper RaineCloud bunting I made for use at markets, and a very old wooden box that once housed a microscope.


 And then there's my ever-expanding doily stash.


My mum is giving me her very special antique sewing table that she learnt to sew at as a girl. At the moment, it's a glossy sky blue, but I'm thinking a fresh coat of mustardy acid yellow might be in order.

I'll need some clever storage - I've been pinning plenty of awesome ideas on Pinterest - and to bring it all together, I'll need all of the following lovely things available on Etsy... I wish!


40% Off SALE Shabby Chic Pri...
$9.00

Cloud & Raindrop Metal Wind ...
$55.00

Vintage Leather Luggage Set ...
$800.00

Vintage Rose Embroidered Pin...
$6.50

tea and hope - A4 fine art p...
$24.00

Pretty Blue Tin with Red Ros...
$8.00

Vintage, Antique, Birdcage H...
$250.00

Boston Terrier Dog Stamp -ha...
$15.00

moss ribbon roll, rustic mos...
$9.95

Antique Toy Tool Chest by Co...
$108.95

This Is My Happy Place - 6&q...
$20.00

Industrial Light Mid Century...
$370.00

Chair Vintage Upcycled in Pi...
$369.95

industrial time card rack
$78.00

Upcycled Office Organizer Pe...
$75.00

Hold for L Salvaged 6 pane ...
$24.00



Have you done a craft room makeover? I'd love some inspiration, feel free to share in the comments below!

11 July 2012

My first DT projects for Pages 2 Scrap... Echo Park's 'For The Record'

Well I am very chuffed to announce that I am on the Design Team for Pages 2 Scrap, an awesome store in Tuggerah, just north of Sydney. So look forward to more posts using the lovely monthly kits I'll be receiving!

For my first projects, the ladies at Pages 2 Scrap sent me some papers from the lovely 'For The Record' collection from Echo Park. This collection really suits my style; it is a bit vintage, a bit girly, but not too frou-frou flowery. I particularly like this Fancy Floral paper - it reminds me of the dresses my Nan used to wear.


I put together two layouts and a card - the first layout using red cardstock to co-ordinate with the red and green scheme. I've used a small heart punch and silver Glimmermist to make a blown dandelion effect; I thought this would suit the photo of Holly looking like she is doing something cute and feminine but she is actually eating grass LOL.

I used some twine and the polka-dot print on the back of the Vintage Linen paper to make a banner, and added some BasicGrey rubons, little flower cabochons and a Kaisercraft waterlily card from the Hunt & Gather collection under the photo. My kit also included a sweet poppy stamp which I've stamped in white ink at the bottom of the page. I really like how bright and vibrant this layout has turned out, although I was a little heavy-handed with the Glimmermist and my paper has stayed a bit lumpy!


For my second layout, I used the Echo Park 'Fabric Store' paper with some more red cardstock as a base. I haven't done a layout with filmstrip-style photos for a while so I thought I'd try these couple of shots of Ty lining up his matchbox cars in a perfectly straight row in the middle of the kitchen floor. He's a bit OCD when it comes to putting things in lines!

I've used the Jenny Bowlin mini bingo card from my kit behind the photos and a vintage French flash card and milk bottle cap. The alphas are also from the For The Record collection. There's a little strip of red and white ribbon and a chipboard arrow which I've inked and added Dimensional Magic to, and a bit of blue Kaisercraft paint underneath it all, and that's about it!


I didn't want this piece of Fancy Floral paper to go to waste so I added it to a kraft card with a 1" punched circle and 'congrats' sticker from the Echo Park alpha sticker sheet. The ribbon effect is a happy accident; I realised once I started stapling that the staples held the ribbon down without actually piercing through it, so I could pull and adjust bits out to make a wave effect. 

 

I had lots of fun making these projects and am already looking forward to getting stuck in to my next kit!


08 July 2012

Me and my bro...

We don't see each other very often these days, but it seems we don't have to.


Every time we get together we act about as stupid as we did when we were young.


This pic was taken about 7 years ago - but nothing has changed!


This layout has hidden journalling in the little pull out tag above the cat button (how cute is it?). The checkered ribbon is actually a shoelace, and the taxi and bike stickers I have stolen from my son's craft cupboard  :)

I love that cloud sticker! It's from Sassafras Lass's Sweet Treats collection.

Hope you got some craft time this weekend!