New Year 2013

Well we made it through the end of the world, christmas and now new year, so I guess I ought to make those resolutions now!

May this year be a year of reflection and action towards conservation and preservation... we escaped it this time, but we are responsible for the state of the planet.. so I shall keep up my recycling and add a few extra good deeds if I can...

I promise to be more sociable-I've hidden in my house all year and it's probably not doing me any good...

I will complete all the projects I begin this year! and I will do tutorials for more of them too...

I will lose some weight, quite a bit if possible, the more the better for my health...

I will start making xmas stock in July because October is just too late!

Have I missed anything?  Oh yes, I'll be grateful every morning that I wake up breathing, and my family are happy and safe... and that my camera still works!

Here's hoping that your 2013 is what you would wish for, be happy, have fun... and create, create, create!

PS, I'm having a New Year Etsy sale, so type in NEWYEARSALE2013 for a 15% discount across the shop! Enjoy!

Anyone remember the old party games?

Best be quick- It's the last day to sign up for the December Fabric Postcard swap on Stitchin Fingers, the theme this month is "Toys". I wanted to do something special so I planned to do a chess set that folded into the postcard size... but then realised that the squares would be TINY! 

So I racked my brains a bit and remembered a game we used to play at parties... great fun running around with a blindfold, and to get to stick pins in the wall, my word, such wickedness!

So this is my tiny, portable version of an game- Pin the tail on the donkey.

Here's the outside, there was  little point making it just 1 postcard size, I doubled it so you get a bit more to play with, well, my swap partner will...

And here's the cute little donkey. His tail is secured onto a piece of velcro, which sticks nicely to felt. Hours of fun, eh! Well, maybe not, but it was fun to make and I hope it inspires a few more portable games to be created. I've just heard, my swap partner is in Oz, I know there is still a memory of alot of our old traditions so maybe my partner will be familiar?

Here's a link to download andd print your own donkey... printable_pin_the_tail_on_the_donkey

Halloween creative spree..

Halloween/ Samhain is just around the corner... and I've been making and creating lots of spooky themed bits and bobs for a few swaps on milliande. First there's our Halloween ATC swap, for which I did some textured webby cards with cute googly eyes...

I'd been working in a Pass and Paint journal on Willowing in a similar way so thought I'd make them together.. always easier when certain materials are out and ready...

The web is piped modelling paste, the spider is wound wool on ribbon- hopefully it'll create a bit of fun! The heart is stamped and painted clay.

The 3rd set is a Halloween House swap on Milli's, my first go at this format... great fun with collaged papers, sequins and stamped clay.

They've all gone out so hopefully they'll be where they should be by now- or very close.

Dreamy dreamcatching...

I did want to get some more sewing done this week, but as Xmas is looming and I want to be prepared, and the call of beads was getting too great, I decided to get busy with some of my dreamcatchers... Over the years I've made them in all sizes; for car mirrors, wedding decoration/presents, window decs, anniversary pressies and  decorations... but this year I thought I'd expand my Christmas collection a bit. I've got a fair selection of charms that I've not used yet... so that's what I'm using...

Wiccan; sun with opal, goldstone and beads

General; heart, jade,coral and beads

Wiccan; pentacle, amethyst and beads

Xmas; flake, tourminated quartz

Xmas; deer, amber and beads

I've listed a few on my shop on Etsy, already packaged up, but I also make commissions using requested gemstones, colours and charms, whatever your needs, just email to chat about it- no obligation!

Book of Days journal

Well, I simply had to do it, saw it and couldn't resist!!

I came across the Book Of Days 2012 project and thought it would be good for me too, with Milliande's Seed journal project exploring my potential and attitudes, this will go some way to consolidating my self-analysis and healing processes. So looking forward to it this year, it's something I keep putting off.

Now I'm making books on a regular basis I decided to use one of my already made signature sets and just make the covers...

So here's the finished (maybe) journal and opening pages. The covers are mixed media (rather than my usual textile/embroidered ones) because I wanted to really build up the layers and interest in a different way for a change.

Covers, collaged papers, netting,wool,perspex,inks, leaves and beads

Title page and envelope, alcohol inks, pastels,stamps,embossed letters,charms,silks,sharpies

The back page has an envelope too, for things I want to forget/throw out/release from 2011. Now I just need to go through the videos and catch up a bit on prompts.
It's a free project, so pop over and have a look, it promises to be great fun, judging by the comments of those who started on day 1!!

I've added the process in the how-to's- books section in case anyone fancies trying one for themselves.
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