Spring Clean - but it's Autumn!

                    Hello and thanks for dropping by. Love it when you say hi, too!

I have not had a lot of crafting time this week as the business side of Time To Create cannot wait.

I did however, give myself small "stand and stretch and reach for the craft" breaks.

As I had a desire to tidy the stash up I used bits and pieces from either the scrap paper or the embellishment box for each card . Even bits of packaging were fair inclusions!

These cards all follow on from some exploring I was doing a few weeks ago.

I used 

Pieces of cork

Unity Stamps

Pan Pastels

Base papers left over from classes

Time To Create Handmade embellishments

Bit and Bobs from the "Littles Shelf"

The Littles Shelf by the way was a purpose built gift from my Dad.

It is one spice bottle deep and sits neatly on the end of the desk.

Each of the cards has background created by stamping cork and then colouring with Pan Pastel.

A tip though - these must be sealed with a fixative.

This one features another product re-purposed and that is nail polish.

Gives a lush sheen on almost any surface.

I love the sentiment on this last one.

Indeed, we have had our own small family miracle.

Our newborn nephew Kobe, who was struck by a life threatening Golden Staph infection has been able to go home this week. He is slowly on the mend and it is such a wonderful blessing.

Enjoy your weekend.

I have given myself permission to have a little time out. (hard boss I am)

A new book and a little glorious Autumn sun is on the agenda.

Julie

Challenges Entered

Shopping our Stash - Scraps I have in abundance

Craft-room Challenge - Stamp you own Background Paper ( my favourite thing to do)

Unity Friends with Flair - I missed you last week :(

Simply Create Too - Saying hello for the first time!

Yes Ali,... which way is up?

Hello I am so glad you came by! Welcome
Just like The Queen in  Alice In Wonderland,  “Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” I often wake with slightly wacky, craft ideas bouncing about.

Over at ARTastic Challenge Blog this month the inspiration piece is amazing! Michael Duncan has created "Tea Time 2012" using 35 handcut Stencils.

Do you like to use stencils and masks? 

I do.

However I had a problem.

My stencil collection had grown exponentially - after an amazing find recently.

Well stencils need to be kept fairly flat don't they?

The small and the large were getting all mixed up and they can snag so easily.

So you SEE as I was channelling Alice, after a particularly vivid dream, I created a stencil folder.

Not just any old one though.

This is one of my desk protectors - sturdy and rugged and covered in masked. stencilled and stamped images. The result of many happy experiments!

The small stencils now have have their own storage.

The folder is rugged - just like some of my well loved stencils!

I really like that it is sideways.

After all LIFE is full of  many different angles, isn't it?

Now I can't wait to SEE what you can create.

Stencils and masks - fun, fun, fun.

 Julie

 who truly believes that: 
                            "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time." Thomas Merton

Challenges

I am slipping this over to Sunday Stamper - my Stencil Folder has a multitude of products and marks.

Each a perfect resist for the next layer. Some parts of my folder are indeed, now waterproof!