more cropping goodness
I kept busy for the remaineder of the weekend. Here is a quick look at the goodies I made…
Thanks Little Scrapbooking Shop Design Team for great challenges and all the ladies over there for a great croppy weekend.
gotta love craft
Well, I’ve been super slack with blogging lately. Just too much on and not enough time to spend around here. I’ve been over at the Little Scrapbooking Shop’s November Cyber Crop. There are some seriously cool things over there. So far I’ve made this snazzy lil’ xmas display (the challenge instructions are here)…
I used some wooden canvas things by Kaisercraft and most of the stuff is from their Christmas Spirit range, plus some rhinestones and paper flowers, also used one of Sandie's Handmade Daisies vinyl Thickers, Carolee Creations tiny letters and a hat pin from a bulk pack by Birch.
I also got cracking on this exceptionally cool challenge using a ring pull can. Basically, you can fill it up with stuff (I put in Lindt chocolates) and with the clever trick shared on the challenge page, you can still use the ring pull. I’m making chocolate filled ones for my parent helpers and going to buy amusing t-shirts for my step bro and sis and make cans for their xmas present with the shirt inside. Definitely very, very cool.
This can opens with the ring pull to reveal the goodies you stashed inside. I used Basic Grey June Bug papers and button, random ribbon and paper flowers and Carolee Creations Tiny Letters.
I’m about to get cracking on some calendars (for Tara’s challenge) and some photo frames (just for pressies).
Earlier in the week, I did Mel’s Blindfold Scrap, also at the Little Scrapbooking Shop. This is how my page turned out…
I used papers and brads from Kaisercraft's Esther's Guestlist range and some of their paper flowers and bling, some random ribbons and a random heart hat pin, Thickers and random journal block stamp (just didn't ink the bit of the stamp with lines on for the one behind the flower).
Hopefully I’ll be able to add another post before the weekend with other cool stuff I’ve made!
cool things to make
In some random browsing, I came across some really gorgeous scrap magnets, as pictured below. They are really gorgeous. When I go to town next I’m definitely going to buy some magnets and make some. You can read a great tutorial on how to make them at the SEI Lifestyle blog.
Scrapped magnets over at SEI Lifestyle
I also stumbled across some very cool printable/cut out and make things over at Cannon’s Creative Park website. I think they’d make great fun activities at the end of term for some of my students. There are a lot of really cool things in the scrapbooking and art sections too.
One of many print and cut outs from Cannon's Creative Park
holidays, scrapping and stuff
Very excited at the moment, we have decided to go to the UK for Christmas! We have our flights booked and I’m currently busy in some of my spare time planning things. Hopefully we’ll be able to go snowboarding in the New Year in France or Switzerland. Can’t wait! I hope Mr Petit loves it as much as I love England and Europe.
I have been doing A LOT of scrapbooking at the moment, have really been neglecting my sewing and shops on etsy and made it but I’m just loving scraping presently. I’ve been doing the Little Scrap Booking Shop’s 52 Pick Up challenges which are really really great.
On school holidays at the moment too, although still have plenty of school stuff to do. Went to school today to work on my Level 3 Teacher application with a couple of other teachers who are doing it. Such a lot of messing around but I guess long term it will be worth it! Still plenty of planning for next term left to do too. Arrrggghh…hope I fit in some more scrapping time!
creative spaces
I used to think I had quite a bit of scrapbooking stuff, but I have recently seen some fellow serious scrappers’ hangouts and I have realised I have pretty much nothing by comparision. So, shouldn’t feel too bad next time I click and buy something hey? Here’s some piccies of my work area. It’s in a wierd alcove in our tiny lounge (can’t wait til we get to move into a house – hopefully it will be ready soon!). I like being here because I can still listen to/watch tv, talk to Mr Petit, be near the fire and be near the kitchen (for cooking stuff and for coffee!). I included a pic of my computer desk too cos lots of craft stuff uses it. I also have a lot of fabric and sewing stuff in the spare room, but I only get that out when I’m having a sewing frenzy because it just takes up too much space!
My crafty corner
My workspace - so good to have a proper desk, until a little while ago I was still using a wobbly camping table
Box-a-ribbons (I bought a $10 bag of pieces at the local scrap shop this weekend as I was sick of not having much choice)
paper flowers, buttons, inks, stamps, other 'stuff'
pens, tools, glues, rhinestones, some brads, chipboard, random stuff
my sewing machine, the bin, bag of chipboard lettered, bag of acyrlic paint, camera cables, sewing box
scrap-a-licious weekend
Well, what a busy weekend. I’ve been doing The Little Scrapbooking Shop’s monthly cyberscrap. Certainly been challenging and fun. These are my accomplishments…
card challenge - make a card with ribbon backgrou, 3 hand drawn accents and follow the sketch provided
Layout challenge - follow the supplied layout sketch and include some 'crapola' from the subject/s life that means something to them/the topic
This was a 'how to' challenge - we were given a tutorial on how to design your own bling accents and make them. This is my effort.
This layout had to use at least 4 colours of the rainbow, a mosaic feature and the phrase 'always look on the bright side of life'
The hardest page - we had to scrap an photo of our feet and include journaling. we also had to get some design inspiration from a photo montage from monty python
So have I had time to do anything else this weekend? Well on Friday afternoon we had a couple of beers at the pub and I played my first game of darts, which I was not very good at but had fun anyway. We also went over to Collie to Woolworths, which was pretty boring but the drive over there and back was nice, the rain has made everything sooooo green it almost hurts the eyes!
meat, felt, scrap
Well, I got motivated a did one scrapbooking page – not posting it as it was about a work accident Mr Petit had and the title has swearing in it. But I like how it looks, and no surprises that I incorporated some doodling! Some craft I can show you is two felt badges I made this morning as demos for a kids’ workshop I’m doing at our local telecentre on the school holidays. Cute I reckon.
Felt Owl
Felt brooch circle thing
I’ve been busy making a stew in my slow cooker. It’s about 8 degrees outside and I reckon it will be a perfect night for a slow-cooked masterpiece. It’s bubbling away at this moment and it smells soooo yummy. I suggest that you get a slow cooker if you don’t have one because they are cheap to buy, are great for cooking cheap cuts of meat and you can put stuff in it before you head to work and when you get home at night, dinner is cooked. This is how I made this stew. The quanities make about 4 serves.
Check your vegie crisper for vegies (especially those who are on the way out). Roughly chop and chuck into the bottom of your slow cooker. If using any frozen vegies, leave them to defrost before you start cooking. I've used carrot, celery, mushroom, cauliflower and whole pickling onions. I like to put in about 4 cups of vegies, the more the tastier though, just guess how much to chuck in.
Spread diced beef (cheap cut is fine) and roughly chopped bacon on top of the vegies - I used about 1/2 a kilo of diced beef and 2 short cut rashers of bacon
Secret weapon - chilli. These are from my garden, the bonnet one is mild and the poker is medium. Cut the stems out and I get rid of about half the seeds (keep some for some boom) and slice the chilli finely.
Flavours - a few bay leaves (remove before serving, the chopped chilli, teaspoon of peppercorns (i use the variagated colour type), teaspoon of paprika and 1 tablespoon of vegie stock powder.
Sprinkle your flavours evenly over the ingredients already in the slow cooker.
Add a good 1 and 1/2 glasses of red wine (any old stuff will do, even that bottle you stuck in the fridge and meant to get around to drinking) and the same quantity of water.
Stick on the lid and set on low for about 7-8 hours or high for about 4 hours. This is how it looks after about 2 hours of cooking, it will eventually go brown and the meat will be melt in your mouth. If you are home, you can give it a stir every so often. If you need to thicken it up at the end, cook with the lid off for about 1/2 an hour, or if you are in a hour, mix a teaspoon of cornflour with a little water to make a smooth paste and add to pot and stir until thickens slightly. Serve with crusty bread.
cold and busy
I have been so busy over the past month or so with work, I can’t get over it. Too much to do and just not enough time to do it. We’ve been to Perth a few times too, at least that has meant I’ve had plenty of time as a passenger to do some knitting – finished lovely brownish scarf pictured and started on a pistachio tone scarf. Both scarves are rib, but I’m using smaller needles for the green scarf and doing K1, P1 rather than K2, P2 in the brown scarf which has made it quite bulky and stretchy. Live and learn anyway. Loving knitting, I know scarves are hardly tricky but they really jazz an outfit and are easy to make. Good tasks for driving anyway.
my lovely new scarf, nice knitting don't you think?
I’m learning just how cold it gets here – and caught my first cold of the year, not liking THAT too much. I’m afraid between work, being sick and family things I have really been neglecting my shop, hopefully the world will settle down in a few weeks and I can get back to it. Finger’s cross anyway.
SALE, SALE, SALE
If you head to my etsy shop, Petit Palais, you will find free postage for the next 7 days to all Australian locations – get started on your Christmas shopping!
