Monday, April 23, 2012

Pins of Day Week 2

Hello Blog World,

Firstly I have to say sorry, I accidently deleted my first Pins of the week…(what a silly girl I am)  so to recap if you missed it
I don’t know what I did but the original post is gone!! So check them out before seeing the gorgeous crafts and recipes that have captured my attention this week.


Saturday – Making Wooden Owls by One Project Closer

                                              Source: oneprojectcloser.com via Michelle on Pinterest




                                 Source: heathersfrenchpress.blogspot.com.au via Michelle on Pinterest




                                                 Source: marthastewart.com via Michelle on Pinterest



Tuesday – Make a Zig Zag Quilt by Bee Square Blog
 
                                          Source: beesquarefabrics.blogspot.com.au via Michelle on Pinterest

My next project maybe???

Wednesday – Slow Cooker Parmesan Tomato Basil Soup by Baking with Blondie


                                           Source: bakingwithblondie.blogspot.com.au via Michelle on Pinterest




Thursday – Neapolitan Cup Cakes by Lady Behind the Curtain


                                             Source: ladybehindthecurtain.com via Michelle on Pinterest
  



Friday – Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken by Baking with Blondie



                                         Source: bakingwithblondie.blogspot.com.au via Michelle on Pinterest



There you go another week of wonderful pins.   It astounds me the amazing talent that’s out there.  What have you been pinning this week?

I’ll be back next week with 7 more fantastic ideas and/or recipes.

Until then Happy Crafting

42BD3B7A067E1982B5D475547CB5DF09_thu





Saturday, April 21, 2012

Patty the Cow

Hello Blog World,

I mentioned recently I went the recent Quilters and Craft Fair, well one thing I purchased when I was there was this gorgeous material…

red floral fabric

And the cutest little stuffed toy pattern from Funky Friends Factory

Cow-Patty

Isn’t she a darling??  Well guess what happens when you put them together?

You get Patty the Cow

patty the cow 01

She was a lot harder than I thought, a lot harder than Mrs.Perkins but after unpicking and realigning and some hand sewing here and there she finally came together.  I think she looks great, but I know there are a few imperfections but she is still the cutest!!

She thinks so too and is now found sitting in random spots throughout my house.

patty the cow 02

Just chilling on the laptop…

If you think she is cute, wait to you see what I did with the left-over fabric!!  More on that later.

Until then Happy Crafting

42BD3B7A067E1982B5D475547CB5DF09





Thursday, April 19, 2012

An Eye Study

Hello Blog World,

Just  a quick post today to show you more of my sketchbook.  Nothing too exciting but something I wish to share.

I have mainly focused on animals in my past drawings but I would really love to do portraits, people are very hard though, well for me they are.

So let’s break it down bit by bit, and my first bit is an eye… just one.


eye study

I’m quite pleased with this, especially the folds on the left hand side of the eye.  This was just roughly done in 2b pencil and only took about 15 minutes. But there will be more to come, practice makes perfect as they say.

I hope you’ve enjoyed another peek into the drawing side of my life, let me know what think.

Until then Happy Crafting

42BD3B7A067E1982B5D475547CB5DF09





Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Goals for 2012 ~ An Update

Hello Blog World,

Finally finishing my quilt the other day and ticking it off my goals for 2012 made me realise I should really go back and have a look at them and see if I am on track 4 months later.  So here goes nothing…  Be prepared for a lot incoherent rambling.

Goal 1 was to craft more.
black and white quilt 01 create canvas 003
Greetings Card fuzzy monster cushion 01
And more specifically complete the following projects
  • Finish my quilt
  • Gallery Wall for Kitchen –I have the quilt made and bought some frames and have ideas in my mind, does that count??
  • Bathroom Organisers
  • Finish my Cross-Stitch
  • Make a handbag
  • Finish my Elephant Drawing and complete 2 other drawings
  • Continue to learn crochet and complete and hat for Tiana
  • Make a skirt
  • Make my clown doll
  • Make at least 2 things for my niece’s school raffle
  • Make Cards for every birthday and anniversary this year (no buying last minute cards) So Far so good on this but there is still 8 months to go…
  • Redo my Kitchen table table and find chairs to suit it
  • Redo my book shelf
  • Make a meal organiser
Not looking too good so far, but still have 8 months to go.

Goal 2 was Organise and Declutter
  • My Bathroom
  • Kitchen Pantry  Half way there, it is all organised and decluttered, just need to get my vinyl chalkboard labels and jars I want
  • My Craft Room
  • My Bedroom
  • Utilising a daily planner as to not forget about things
  • Meal OrganisingI haven’t made a meal organiser as such but I have been sitting down and doing up a weekly meal plan and shopping accordingly.
Not too bad there…



Goal 3 was A Healthier Life.


Source: tumblr.com via Adrienne on Pinterest


Specific goals included

  • Exercising at least 2-3 times a week
  • Minimal junk food ( I am only human and know I have weaknesses, but limit my self to only one or two times a week)
  • Drinking at least 2 litres of water a day
  • Cooking with fresh ingredients
  • Planning meals ahead of time
So this is really going well on paper…except the exercise.  I am eating really healthy except for the occasional treat and drinking lots of water, and I have actually lost 8kg.  It’s not much in the big scheme of things but I am getting there.

Goal 4 was Grow my Blog and make some Friends



button

I am pretty happy how this is going, I am posting consistently and slowly building followers.  At the end of the day this is just a hobby, it’s my way of expressing myself, I don’t plan to make money from this space nor do I have the time or knowledge for it.  I am just having fun I work full time so I just put in what I can when I can.


Goal 5 was to Spend more time with my family


                                                                 Source: framedart.com via Lisa on Pinterest



I still feel like we’re going through the motions a bit, but we’ve had some great athletic carnivals this year so far, lovely lunches and breakfasts on Sunday and some game playing and jewellery making with my daughter.  So with the time we have I think we’re doing alright.

There you go, my goals in review.   It was a bit of ramble as you have all probably come to expect from me at times.  Did anyone else make goals, plans or resolutions this year?  Have you stuck to them?  If anyone has ideas, tips or tricks to help me stay on track please let me know.  I will be all ears and I promise I wont babble on too much.

Until then Happy Crafting.

42BD3B7A067E1982B5D475547CB5DF09







Saturday, April 14, 2012

Black and White Quilt Reveal

Hello Blog World

So after months and months of talking about it, I finally have the reveal for you!!

Remember this sneak peak way back in January…

quilt sneak peek 01

Well I am happy to say that it’s finally finished!!! Weeks and weeks of hand appliqueing, losing a panel because my dog got hold of it and thought it would be nice to play with in the backyard (thankfully it wasn't ruined, only a bit dirty, nothing a good hand wash couldn't fix), and miscutting my original fabric and having to rush off to buy more before the fabric shop shut was well worth it.  I am very happy with the way that this quilt has turned out!


black and white quilt 01

Black and white my favourite combo!! I bought this in a kit many many moons ago, I can’t even remember who it’s by.  But as I said I am absolutely delighted in the way it has turned out.  It’s going up on the wall and will be a major focus of my gallery wall when I get around to completing it.

Finishing this quilt and doing a gallery wall was part of my goals for this year, so I am glad to have one ticked off…woohoo!!!  It’s just over 4 months since I declared my goals to the world so I might do a quick update later this week to let everyone know how I’m going.  What do you guys think?

Anyways thanks for your patience with this reveal it took a lot longer than anticipated to complete due to not actually doing any work on it for a long while, but it’s finally done and as I mentioned before I am ecstatic with the finished project. (sorry I ramble when I am excited).  This is my third quilt ever and I really love making them, I will have to start planning my next one I think.

Until then Happy Crafting

42BD3B7A067E1982B5D475547CB5DF09






Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Hello…

Hello Blog World,

Told you there would be more cards this week.  It is one of my main passions and now I am involved with love letters I now have an even bigger excuse to make more.

Today I am showing you a card I made using this image from Daring Card Makers


9781324160706004_MgNq9Wcn_c

Just look at those colours all propped together, how can you not be inspired!

So with that in mind this is what I came up with.

hello card

I worked with what I had, I know my colours are a bit different but I loved the colours in the inspirational photo all lined up together so much that I wanted my card to reflect the same.  Hence the multi-coloured picket fence.

hello card 2

Mmmm sorbet! This is just lots of old scrappy bits of cardstock, some bakers twine, rub ons that have been in my stash for ever and making memories die cuts.  Oh and some kindy glitz to bling up the butterflies a bit.

So this week will be the reveal of my quilt I am really looking forward to showing you all that and don’t forget to check out my pins of the day on twitter.

Until then Happy Crafting
42BD3B7A067E1982B5D475547CB5DF09





I Party Here
Entering this card into the following challenges
Daring Card Makers
The Pink Elephant TPE143 – Flowers
Papertake Weekly – Anything Goes

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Love Letters Random Cards of Kindness

Hello Blog World.

Easter is over for another year I hope everyone had a safe and happy one.

Today I am here to show you another card, you will probably see a lot more in the coming weeks as I need to build to my stash up again and I have also just joined up to Love Letters: Random Cards of Kindness Inc.  This is a wonderful organisation who give cards to children in hospitals throughout the U.S.  I would love to do something here but I am yet to find anything so if anyone knows of anything similar in Australia please let me know.

Also if you are a card maker and have an overabundance of cards think about donating.

Anyway on to the card…
I took this week’s Clean and Simple Sketch FTL185 and colours from CR84FN Colour Challenge

FTL185 CR84FN51 Graphic

And came up with this.

best wishes card 001

It is very clean and simple, but I like it.  I made the flowers myself by cutting out paper in a flower shape, crinkling and layering, then popped a brad in the middle to hold it all together.  I also added a touch of bling to the edges because when in doubt add glitter.

I have also used my liquid pearls to highlight the centre of each little flower on the blue paper and believe it or not the background paper is more of a peach than a pink, it’s just my stupid photography skills did not pick that up.

best wishes card 002

Exciting things this week, you will see as I said earlier more cards from me as well as the quilt reveal! 

Also if you’re on twitter look me up as I have been tweeting a random pin of the day, you never know what you might find.

Until then Happy Crafting

42BD3B7A067E1982B5D475547CB5DF09









Entering into the following challenges.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Greetings Card

Hello Blog World,

Easter is right around the corner, is everyone ready??

Just a quick post today to show you a new card.  The mood struck so I took advantage of it and came up with this.

Greetings Card

I find it very bright and cheery and I had lots of fun cutting out the petals and distressing them.  This is one for my stash, but I may just send it down to my friend in Melbourne just because I miss her!

All supplies were from my extensive stash and include but are not limited to heidi grace paper, making memories brads, and generic cardstock and paper flowers.

Because of it’s cheery theme I have decided to enter in the following challenges.

Creative Card Crew –Spring
The Ribbon Carousel – Spring is in the air
Papertake Weekly – Anything Goes

And yes I know it’s not spring here in Australia, it is technically our Autumn but I am in sunny Queensland and it is going to be 30 degrees Celcius ( about 86 F) so it’s still quite warm here.

The long weekend is here, I am very excited, lots of housework to do, a BBQ and hopefully lots of crafting.  I am still binding my quilt, but I am only doing a little bit every night (I am very slow at hand binding).  Hopefully I can get this done by the end of the long weekend.

Until then Happy Crafting

42BD3B7A067E1982B5D475547CB5DF09






Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Digital Scrapbooking–Heide Museum of Modern Art

Hello Blog World,

Exciting news, I am nearly finished my quilt, I just have the binding to go.  So stay tuned for the reveal!

But today I am here for just a quick post to show you a scrapbook page I have been working on, but not a traditional scrap page, a digital layout. 

I love traditional scrapping but sometimes I really don’t mind having a fiddle with my paint shop pro and creating something on the digital level.  I have so many photo’s and there is only so much you can do with them, so I like to do digi’s every now and then and they look great as wallpapers and also on my screensaver.  The digi below is for a proper hardcover book I am going to get printed as a gift.  Just need lots more pages first!

melbourne trip 004

This is of my visit to Melbourne and when my friends and I visited a local art museum.  I love this layout because for me it tells the story of the day, which is really what scrapbooking is about isn’t it?  Telling stories and preserving memories.

Just look at those cows, ain’t they a hoot?

melbourne trip 004

Anyway, this is page 1 of as I said hopefully a beautifully bound hard cover album, that I want to complete this year as a gift, I will keep you all updated on the progress.

Now off to bind…

Until then Happy Crafting

42BD3B7A067E1982B5D475547CB5DF09






Thursday, March 29, 2012

Magnetic Photo Peg

Hello Blog World,

First a bit of a brag about my family life, little Athletics is over for another season and congratulations to my daughter for making the state championships, she didn’t make the state team but she is still a champion in my eye making it that far.  On another note she has made the state team for FUTSAL (Indoor Soccer for people not in the know).  I wish I knew where she got her athleticism from!

athletics001

Now on to why we are really here, the crafts!!

With all the sporting events and work and drawing classes, there has not been too much time for crafting.  I am still working on my hutch and I am hoping to have that finished on the Easter break, I have also started sewing my quilt together and hope to have that finished this weekend.

What I did manage to sneak in on the weekend before I started piecing my quilt together was a small project I have been wanting to complete.

My magnetic photo peg! You may remember these photo pegs I made for my sister in law’s first market stall last year.


peg all

Well I really loved these and I had one left over that I kept for myself.  So it’s been sitting there all naked for the last 4 months, just waiting to be made into something beautiful.

magnetised photo peg 01

So since I had all my quilt bits out and they are blacks and whites, I thought why not work with the same theme?  Grabbed my paper scraps out, found the perfect paper.  Then had some scraps from my quilt and made my ruffle flower I love so much and hot glued her on.

Ta-da…fully clothed and magnetised photo/document peg!

magnetised photo peg 03

You can’t really tell, but the pattern on the black paper is silver, so it has just the right amount of bling for me.

magnetised photo peg 02

And I absolutely adore these flowers made out of fabric scraps, I just can’t stop making them.  This time I popped a big plain black brad in the middle.

magnetised photo peg 05

Nice side shot, see magnets hot glued to the back.  I also painted the sides black to give a bit of a uniformed look I guess, but not the inside. My daughter Tiana said I should’ve painted that bit too.  What do you guys think?

magnetised photo peg 04

And here it is in use, cute and practical. Just what every girl needs.  All in all I am very happy with how it turned out.  Simple, cute and practical!

On a side note we had a craft fair last weekend, and I dragged hubby along, I did get some goodies, but have forgotten to take photos, maybe later.  But one thing I didn’t forget to take a photo of is my new mug, exclusively reserved for when I am crafting.

craft mug

Isn’t she a beauty?? I just couldn’t pass her up when I saw it!

I will be using her a lot this weekend, I have a lot of sewing planned and an announcement on a new card making venture I have just gotten involved with, but more on that later.

Until then Happy Crafting

42BD3B7A067E1982B5D475547CB5DF09