So much to make......

Hello All!!
Have just had a couple of days off from work. Supposed to recharge the batteries I suppose, but I find it difficult to sit and do nothing. Especially when I have so much craft stuff sitting there waiting to be made.

Being such a freak about organisation, I got it into my head that I needed to do a full inventory of all the things I currently have in my stash just waiting to be made.

It was quite scary really - boxes, candles, mirror frames, coasters, bookmarks, notepads, wall hangings, fridge magnets, keyrings - a total of over 200 items!!! I have a problem just buying a couple of anything. If I see it and I think it can be turned into something good, I generally buy a minimum of 6 - depending on the price of course!!! On top of that there's also over 200 cards ready and waiting to be made up!! And that doesn't even go near all the card, paper, paint, glitter, ink, gilding flakes...... etc etc that I have lying around!!

Not content with all of that, I have also decided to make up some samples. With my comissioned cards, I have decided to add a couple more options into the mix. I have always just offered an envelope or a decorated, two piece box. I am now intending to have two options in between. Both are "enveloboxes" (made with the Crafter's Companion Envelobox Board). Enveloboxes are basically 3D envelopes. I intend to have a plain option or a decorated option. It won't be as highly decorated as a two piece box, so will be cheaper. So I have started making up some samples of cards, enveloboxes, and boxes for all the sizes of cards I do for commissions - just a little job then!!! As if I don't have enough else to be getting on with.

I have a commission I am working on at the moment - and am experimenting with something new for me - embossing paste!! Watch this space and I'll let you know how I get on.

The picture at the top is of a Sheena Douglass inspired Paint Fusion set I made for my best friend. All the items were crackled using Wilkinson tester pot "Leaves in Fall", PVA glue, and Wilkinson tester pot "Magnolia". The butterflies were stamped using the exclusive stamp set, and painted using Eco Green Paints - Bronze and Raspberry. The flowers are from the Berries stamp set painted in Eco Green White and Tomato, with Sunflower and Mulch for the centres. And the foliage is also from the Berries set, painted in Pebeo Forest Green and Antique Green. The distressed look was achieved using Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Brushed Corduroy, and the edges of the canvas, mountboard and bookmark were embossed with Copper embossing powder.

The Friendship stamp was from Sheena's set, and the name was stamped using individual alphabet stamps - both embossed in Copper.

The mountboard with the name on, was put onto a card - I just forgot to take a photo of it after I'd made it!!!

Well, am going to sign off here. Have more Paint Fusion items to share - but won't bore you all in one go!!!

Cxxxx

Busy, busy, busy!!!!

Hello all out there in blog land!!!

Ok - so it's been nearly a month since I last blogged. Yet again, I have been working long hours recently!! In a completely wierd way, I'm looking forward to being made redundant because I will suddenly have all this time on my hands. I will obviously have to get some supply teaching to bring in the pennies, but I will be able to decide when I want to work, and when I don't. And this will give me more time to focus on all my crafting.

I've also been working on a load of new cards to add onto the website!! Sorry they're not on there yet. Held a "Card Party" on Friday, and was waiting to see what sold before adding them all to the website. There will be new sections for Male Themed cards and Children's cards, along with cards being added to many of the other sections. I'm still intending to add a Clearance section - it went down very well at the party - and I managed to move a lot of old stock to make room for lots more new stuff.

Here are a few tasters of the kind of cards that will be on there soon!!

Nitwits - In The Meadow and Kanban Playmates

Kanban - Free as a Bird, Fizzy Moon and Hunkydory - Butterfly Dreams

I've also been busy Fusioneering!! Am loving Sheena Douglass' Paint Fusion style - and have seemingly been painting anything that doesn't move and has a suitable surface.

After the success of the Poppy and Wild Rose sets with their respective recipients, I created a Bramble set for my husband's recent birthday, with a card, recycled box (it contained the perfume he gave me for Christmas!! - I did fill it with lots of toffees!!) and bookmark!!

I've also painted some other bookmarks, wooden boxes and canvases. The bookmarks are pre-cut mountboard that I bought when I was at the workshop with Sheena Douglass in April (ooh and have now booked onto the next one in September - can't wait!!!). The wooden boxes have magnetic closures - picked up at a very reasonable price!! And the 8x8 canvases were also picked up in a sale.

I have so much more I want to do - more candles, mirror frames and coasters. And a few other ideas besides - you'll just have to wait and see!! At the moment I just don't have the time!! So roll on August!!!

Cxxx

PS - Earlier today, I emailed photos of my Paint Fusion items into Create and Craft, as Sheena has been doing shows today!! I was chuffed to bits that they showed all the photos on the 3pm show - two of the sets I haven't put on here as they are presents for friends, there was also the daisy anniversary card for my parents, and the rest was the berry stuff for my other half - as shown above!!