My morning journey

One of the questions I am most often asked is about inspiration. Sometimes just taking the time to notice what already surrounds us is enough to provide a spark. Every day on my way to the bus stop I have been taking my camera and keeping my eyes open for lovely little bits of creative encouragement.

 

If you'd like to follow along I will be posting more of these morning stroll photos on my facebook page. I am hoping this exercise becomes a good habit :)

Secret Garden Box

Over on the Graphic 45 blog today you'll find beautiful boxes. I'm pleased as punch this little creation is over there...

 Now it may look rather subtle on the outside but inside there's a surprise waiting to be discovered.

A sweet secret garden that blooms all year around and is always ready for daydreaming and wistful thinking.

AND because I think that you are awfully nice, here's a tutorial for you to make your own!

Do hop over to the blog to see more photos of this, and another beautiful project by the very talented (and terribly nice) Miranda Edney.

Supplies:

***RED BOX Video Materials***

Graphic 45
French Country 6x6 Patterns & Solids Pad

French Country Chipboard 1

Secret Garden > May Flowers

Secret Garden >Springtime

Olde Curiosity Shoppe - Butterfly Specifics

Ornate Metal Label Holder

May Arts Ribbon

Petaloo flowers

Sheet Moss

Reindeer moss

Buttons

Pebbles

***BLUE BOX Sample Materials***

Graphic 45
French Country 6x6 Patterns & Solids Pad

Secret Garden > Beautiful Blooms

Secret Garden >Springtime

Olde Curiosity Shoppe - Butterfly Specifics

Ornate Metal Label Holder

May Arts Ribbon

Paper flowers and leaves

Sheet Moss

Reindeer moss

Buttons

Pebbles

Tick Tock

My gran arrives today and the house smells like cilantro and wine jelly from the canning Mr. Pixie did last night. The kitchen is a mess. The floors need to be done. I've got about 4 hours to hussy this place up so it'll be a short sweet post today... a refurbished clock.

I've always loved the swooping shape of these mantle clocks. This one is made from some sort of hard plastic, not real wood, so I was able to pick it up for just a few dollars at Value Village. (P.S. Does anyone else think their prices are getting a little crazy?!)

Now, this project isn’t fussy and doesn’t have a load of details but the results are very pretty. I love how simple but elegant the finished piece is. I think it shows off the strength of the design of the Graphic 45 papers, that they can stand on their own, and it looks rather lovely sitting on my mantle. And even though this piece was created using the 12 Days of Christmas collection I don’t think anyone will bat an eye if it’s left out all year long.

Creating a similar project? The best hint I can give is to paint your item to match the base/undertone of the paper you are covering it with. Doing this helps to blend your seams and give a more polished look :)

Hop over to the Graphic 45 blog today for more great projects, including a darling Mother Goose clock by Clare Charvill!

Supplies:

Graphic 45 12 Days of Christmas

Pear Tree

Swans a Swimming

Junk shop clock

Ivory acrylic paint

Adhesive

A pretty cubby box and a word on stash

I completed another little cubby box the other day. It's white and pink and sort of frilly and girly, sentimental and rather sweet.

I've used the Graphic 45 Secret Garden collection and Staples, along with some very pretty May Arts Ribbon. There's also a number of items from my stash and I wanted to talk about that for a moment.

Oh stash! That collection of awesome objects that we covet, we treasure, we hoard. Those things that would be perfect for crafting, but we are terrified to actually use.

There's loads of pieces from my stash in this piece. Some of the buttons and other doodads have been in my collection for ages (like that fab old bottle and the pink enamel flower), other items are recent additions (the head at the top and the bottom filigree piece).

Now, I'm not saying that you should immediately use every little bit in your grand collection but I really want to encourage you to USE YOUR STASH. You have those little treasures because you saw potential in them... use them. Create beautiful things and use them! Utilizing those items celebrates the worth you saw in them.

 

Waiting for just the right project? Make things! Make LOADS of things and that 'just right' project will come along. When it does, USE YOUR STASH!

Don't be afraid of wrecking or ruining something. Never fear your supplies (unless of course they are highly toxic or pointy, then 'safety first!'). If you don't play and experiment you're missing out on making some wonderful discoveries.

What's the very worst that could happen? You completely obliterate something? You make something hideous? Even then, you will have learned and gained from your experience!

I love you. I think you are brilliant and I think your should USE YOUR STASH. I pinky swear, you'll go on to create grand things if you do.

xoxo

MATERIALS LIST:
Small wooden cubby ($store) 
Wooden spools
Vintage bottle
Small glass bottles
Faux pearls
Dried Lavender
Spanish Moss
Mini Bird Eggs
Thimble
Vintage buttons
Antique 3D Gold Crowns
Old Fashioned Rose
Misc bits and bobs (old earring, broken jewelry, metal)May Arts Ribbon
Graphic 45 Papers:
Secret Garden
• Beautiful Blooms
• Leafy Treetops 
• Pretty Primrose 
• Springtime
• Secret Garden 8x8 Pads
• Secret Garden 6x6 Patterns & Solids Pad
• Secret Garden Stickers
• Secret Garden Chipboard 1
• Secret Garden Chipboard 2
French Country
• French Country Chipboard 1
• French Country Chipboard 2
 Graphic 45 Staples:
• Ornate Metal Key Holes• Ornate Metal Keys
Acrylic craft paint
Glue, glue and more glue

Christmas on the brain

I've been thinking about Christmas for a while now.

I'll be doing a show in the gallery at Impresario Artisan Market for the month of December with sugar plum fairies, twinkly lights and all that good magical stuff. More details to come...

BUT what kicked off the whole 'Yule-brain' this year was my Graphic 45 CHA assignment to create a layout with 12 Days of Christmas.

It should be said here: I am not a scrapbooker. Those of you who are, well, you have my respect because it seems scrapbooking and knitting are my crafting kryptonite. :) Still onward I charged...

The 12 Days of Christmas collection is so lovely. It reminds me of British yuletide celebrations with plum puddings and paper crackers. I hope this layout reflects a quirky English Christmas complete with strange relatives, funny hats and handmade buntings. P.S. I don't think it would be possible for me to love Petaloo flowers any more. They are sooooo beautiful to work with.

 

Hop over to the Graphic 45 blog today to see more layouts by the always amazing Romy Veul and super talented Arlene Cuevas

Materials List:

12 Days of Christmas

Swans a Swimming

My True Love

Christmas Rose

Calling Birds

Holly and Ivy

Joyeux Noel

Graphic 45 Staples

Ornate Metal Label Holder

Ornate Metal Key Holes

Ornate Metal Keys

Petaloo Flowers

May Arts Ribbon

Silver jingle bells

Vintage photos

Wool
Red craft thread

Small metal brads

 

Four Days of Solitude

Today marks the day that I return to making proper messes and escape to the solitude of my studio for hours on end.

Today is the first day of school and the house is MINE! ALL MINE! once more.

Well, it's mine for the next four days because we have a special guest coming for a visit...

My granny! (AKA Nan Whit AKA The Queen) We're all a-twitter with excitement for her royal visit.

Last night I had the urge to create and was feeling sort of stuck so thought I'd get in some layout practice with this photo, which is one of my favourite snaps of her royal highness. Isn't she just the cutest?

To be honest, I've been struggling with 12" layouts but I think I've finally found my groove using 8". Here I've used mostly Graphic 45: A Secret Garden with a dash of other collections and vintage buttons for good measure. There is a complete supply list at the end of this post. 

 

Material List:
Graphic 45 Papers
A Secret Garden > Pretty Primrose
A Secret Garden > Posy Patch
Secret Garden Flowers
Secret Garden Chipboard 1
Secret Garden Chipboard 2
Place in Time 8x8 Paper Pads
Olde Curiosity Shoppe > Butterfly Specifics

Graphic 45 Staples
Stamped Metal Brads
Ornate Metal Keys

Vintage Buttons
Brass Brads
May Arts Ribbon

Late Summer Garden

First, I just wanted to say 'thanks' for all of the lovely and supportive things that people have said over the past few days. Rest assured that I am fine and dandy :) You're all the bees knees and I love and adore each and every one of you. xoxo

NOW... on to the garden.

Today it is quite wet outside. The air is thick with it. The mozzies are having a grand time buzzing about, flying in my face and attempting to nip me before I squash them. I'm not a big fan of mosquitoes but I do like cool, damp, end-of-summer days. They make the world seem clean again.

There are very few flowers out at the moment but our vegetable garden has exploded. I'm not entirely sure how some of the plants are remaining upright there are so many goodies hanging from them. Just look at all of the peppers on this little plant!

Our tomatoes are doing nicely too. We grow several types, some of them heirloom varieties, some of them just because they are fun. Each of them is so delicious that I do wonder if the tomatoes they sell at the grocery store are really tomatoes at all.

 

Besides tomatoes and peppers we also have eggplants, squash, melons, cabbage, carrots, chard, beets, cucumbers, brussel sprouts, beans, onions... LOTS of things! Anything that can be canned, frozen or otherwise kept will see us through the winter.

This year we are seeing fruit on our young fruit trees for the first time!

Our pears and plums are looking mighty fine. I hope the deer and other critters steer clear of them and that there'll be enough for a bit of baking. 

 

And I'll leave with this one last photo from today's walk through the garden...

I said there were few flowers blooming at the mo' but our small patch of lavender is showing off some sweet blossoms. The buzzy things are having a tremendous love affair them ;)

Here's to gardens and bees and sweet scented things.