Tidy desk - tidy mind?

So after my last post, my poor desk/study looked very much in disarray. Large amounts of paper, card, glue sticks, die cuts, stickers, scissors and off cuts to name but a few made up the disorganised mess I'd created. There were boxes of all kinds of papery paraphernalia as well as rubber stamps and stamp pads, paper clips, string, washi tape and loads more besides.

It didn't help the fact that I'm working on another journal 

alongside my kitchen one

It needed tidying that's for sure. But where did I begin. I walked in and then did a turn around several times. It was daunting, trying to find the right place for so many bits of journal stuff bearing in mind I'll want to get it all out again in the next few days.

Today was the turning point

It had to be done

Mind you this is only one corner - you don't need to see the rest!!!

Back soon. P x

Book making

I've been making notebooks, journals, scrapbooks and mini photo albums for a few years now, loving the diversity of the many designs, layouts and size. I'm a collectaholic, (is there such a word? my automatic spellcheck doesn't seem to think there is) and I'm always on the look out for bits of ephemera and memorbillia, cuttings from magazines, sheet music, script, quotations and so much more besides. You name it, I keep it.

Now some might scorn at what I'm about to say but I actually check out charity shops for old books which are long past their use by date and about to go into the great bookshop in the sky. Why you ask? Well I've been learning all about the craft of Altered Books or Book Reinvention. Basically ripping the pages out of a hard back book (the pages can be saved for later use eg making book page sculptures or Christmas decorations - more about that another time). Anyway once the pages are out and the spine is intact then you have a solid cover for turning into your own journal, notebook or whatever.

Just punch some holes in the cover and correspondingly your own paper and there you have it. The titles of some books are often very apt for the kind of book I'm making. For instance "In and out of London" ideal for recording my trips into town. "Looking back at the past" great for my family history and so it goes on. Never a dull moment!

I love paper in any shape or form and have enjoyed using various techniques on many types - sketchbook paper, handmade, lined, squared and even wallpaper lining paper. Stamping, painting, drawing, writing, torn edges, there's so much scope for creating your own personalised work of art.

So, here is one of my recent makes - a scrappy, shabby kind of book which I can add to whenever and wherever I want. Memories of anything or everything, recent or not so recent.

I sprayed my cover with a few different water colours and then decided on a name - couldn't be anything else could it? 

I'm very much looking forward to filling it now that 

I've prepped all my pages

And because it's an anytime kind of scrappy book I can start my recollections wherever I want to and a perfect place for my eclectic musings, sketches, poems and favourite quotations.

As well as the occasional photos

Enjoy the rest of the week and I'll be back soon.

Bye for now x

Advent

As a rule I don't put any decs out or tree up until at least the first weekend in December, a little later if I can get away with it. However as it's the 1st today and I made this lovely Advent Calendar at my blogging friend Sandie's workshop last month, I really needed to put it on show today in my dining room. So here's a little sneak preview.

Each little house is individually cut

and decorated in whichever way we wished

it's all joined together at the back with ribbon

It was such good fun and we let our imagination run away with us

So - as this is the start of Advent and the Christmas Spirit
has crept up on me

maybe I will get those decs out after all!

I dare anyone to touch it - let alone breathe on it - as I had a tad trouble
keeping it upright on my polished sideboard

Have a great week everyone. See you soon.

Crafty or what?

Thank you so much for your recent comments and good luck wishes which really were a confidence booster. This is what I love about blogging - so many new friends who are always there for you no matter what.

A small diversion this afternoon - a trip to the supermarket and before you say "oh no not again" yes I did indeed buy another magazine. A little bit of light reading is what I need right now and this certainly fits the bill.

A lovely new Craft magazine from Prima called Spring Makes

and it's packed full of lovely ideas of things to make for the home

I love this trug adorned with hearts and ribbons which I'm definitely going to do for my sewing/crafting room

and these painted cans are gorgeous 

I like this novel pin cushion storage jar too and so easy to make

Finally, if anyone saw my soon to be started crochet project the Camellia blanket that I told you about recently well the pattern is also in the magazine.

A good all round magazine which I intend reading from cover to cover.

*********

I'll leave you with a few photos of our regular crafty garden visitors - 

all on a look out for food

 Mr and Mrs Squirrel

just checking that no-one's looking

Yes!

Then there's the ever so sly Mr Fox - crafty but so cute with it. 

One of two that visit our garden regularly during the day and a joy to watch

Have a great weekend and I'll catch up with you all soon

Food shopping - love it or hate it?

....I hate it with a vengeance. It's one of those jobs that has to be done with a means to an end. After all if it didn't get done then we'd all starve - well probably not but you get my drift.

Apart from driving to the store, going round endless busy aisles choosing what I want, queueing at the busy checkout, pushing the loaded trolley to the car,  filling the boot then emptying it again when I get home I just find this burdensome chore one that I could well do without. Then you have to unpack and put away!

Anyway today was no exception until I reached the magazine racks. Well I couldn't resist this new Cake Decorating magazine. Not that I want to buy it regularly as I think it's a bit of a con to get you to buy it as it goes up next time to £2.99 but it was giving away some useful items - a pretty cardboard cake stand, two butterfly cutters, some edible glitter plus of course the magazine itself, all for 99p which I thought was a bargain. (My husband always says I'm an advertiser's dream - and he's probably right but hey ho)

And then I came across this Crafts Beautiful magazine which I've not seen before and to be honest not something I would normally buy- preferring Mollie Makes and Homemaker magazine etc.

Anyway they were giving away some useful items - two reels of coloured twisted twine, toppers for card making (which I don't do but will come in handy)

and also a book of beautiful printed papers, which I definitely will use.

Isn't it silly how a couple of magazines - totalling today at £5.99 can lift the spirits? I came home a lot happier than I went out - and now it's time to put the kettle on methinks. What cheers your day up?

Welcome to my new followers Mary and Clicky Needles - lovely to have you on board and look forward to seeing you again.

The Christmas gift

Not long to go now. I really love the build-up to Christmas which normally starts around 1st December with all the preparations, shopping, wrapping, let alone the school Nativities and Carol concerts to attend as well as a bit of socialising thrown in for good measure!. Do you like these candle glasses that I covered with manuscript paper?  I found them here and am really pleased that such a simple idea could look so effective. They look really pretty sitting on my piano.   The jar I filled with some Christmassy bits and holly etc and was quite pleased with the effect.

I had fun with this cloche too - I couldn't resist these lovely Nativity pieces when I spotted them.  You might remember my Jubilee/Olympic themed cloche that I put together during the summer which you can see here 

I got this idea for gift toppers from a magazine a few weeks ago. The gift tags I made using stiff card that I photo-copied some paper onto and then cut with a craft punch. Such a simple idea but very effective.

These little chappies go back to when the children were toddlers and they've stood on the fireplace ever since. I could never bring myself to light them.

The tree is up, the decs are done the pressies wrapped and under the tree.

 

There is one Christmas gift however that comes out year after year which hangs in pride of place on my tree. It's only tiny and was given to me by my late mum about ten years ago. I keep it permanently in my bedside drawer and bring it out at Christmas.

 

It's just a small red box, tied up with ribbon and on the back of the gift card it  reads:

 

 

"This is a very special gift

that you can never see,

The reason it's so special is

it's just for you from me.

Whenever you are feeling lonely

or even feeling blue,

You only have to hold this gift

and know I think of you.

You never should unwrap it

please leave the ribbon tied

Hold the box close to your heart

It's filled with love inside"

 

Mum's been gone these past six years now but special Christmas gift lives on.

 

 

 Enjoy your week

 

 

Faith Hope and Charity Jubilee Swap

I have just completed the Jubilee swap that Lakota organised a few weeks ago. I'm absolutely delighted with my parcel of goodies just received from my swap partner Dawn at Life on the East Coast. It was like Christmas all over again wth me oohing and aahing at all the lovely gifts inside. The rules were at least one item had to be thrifted/second-hand, at least one item should be handmade and at least one item to fit the Jubilee theme. Here are my box of goodies from Dawn.

which included of a pair of Jubilee socks,  jam pot covers, a notebook, pack of notecards, a bag of ribbons and thread, a pack of rhubarb and custard sweets, a tote bag, an Observers book of Garden Flowers and some crocheted bunting which is currently hanging on my fireplace - I love it.

My gifts to Dawn were

A book, a fat quarter of union flag fabric, Cath Kidston Body Cream, tin of buttons, some ribbons, a hanging heart, some gift tags, bun cases and a drawstring bag made with Cath Kidston fabric.

Thank you so much Dawn for being my swap partner and for my lovely parcel
and also to Lakota for organising this.

Patricia x