Hand Crafted Memories

A friend at work is getting married in May and they wanted to make their own wedding invitations. As they are not card makers I offered to help but it's easier (and quicker) to just do them. It means they can concentrate on other things. I'm really pleased with how they turned out, this is the first 32 that need posting just waiting for the inserts.

Here is the first stage of the book. Shimelle wasn't wrong when she said it would take a while, what did make it easier was using my xcut glass cutting mat. All the edges came off perfectly and I didn't have to sand them to make them neater. I still need to find the photos to go into it but I'm sure once I've filled in my prompt sheet ideas will come. I've been choosing the units to go into my craft room, and great news the ones I want are half price at B&Q at them moment, hooray for B&Q sales. This is the one I want with a beech worktop. The sale is only on until 5 th February, so I will have to put them in the garage until I empty the room. I also need to let the electrician do his bit first, I want a whole bank of extra sockets putting along the wall. I hate using extension cables so thought I might as well get some extra power put into the room when it's empty. This is turning into a mammoth job but will be well worth it when I've finished

Here are the supplies I've gathered for my online workshop,can you believe all this and I wasn't tempted to reach for my purse and buy some 'extra' bits at all. The alphabet stickers were from a class I attended at The Craft Box some time ago and have never used, the Noteworthy lables are leftovers from a workshop I did at Scrapaganza last year (Boo Hoo they aren't doing another one). The index cards (£1 for 100) I bought in Tesco last year, because I would find a use for them, and now I have. Finally I had to pick out the 12X12 papers and while I was looking through ny pile I came across these lovely 8X8's perfect as the book is 8X8. The papaers are a mix of Laura Ashley and Papermania vintage (I think). I've downloaded prompt two but still need to sit to fill it in and I have covered the pages of my book, I'm loving it already and especially because I haven't spent anymore money

Go here to see a free mini workshop that I'm going to have a go at. I have loads of stash and when I decide to do something like this I usually go out and buy some more. So here is my challenge to myself, I can do this as long as I use only stuff in my stash. The chipboard album in the supplies I'm replacing with the elegant square in the buff one from Craftwork Cards . I've had it for a little while waiting for the right project. This is perfect and such a bargain at £1.95! So my album is going to be 8 x 8. My next job is to go through my huge stash of 12 x 12 paper to find the five sheets I need. How am I going to pick only 5? Like most crafters I buy gorgeous papers and save them for the right time, when do I know it's the right time? I now have that much if I made a page a day I would have to live until I'm 150 to get through it all. No more this has to end now. This project calls for 5 papers so I'm officially beginning my therapy to wean myself off saving

I think it's time I sorted myself a scrap room cum office out. I do scrap booking and card making, sometimes it's in my kitchen and other times it's on top of a set of drawers in my spare bedroom. So I end up carting things up and down stairs, then of course I can't find what I want because I've taken it downstairs and now I'm working upstairs. AAAGGGH! Does that sound familiar? So it's time do get things organised. That is my key word this year organised, I didn't make any New Year resolutions because I never keep them. I always try to keep my promises, so I promised to get my life organised. I'm beginning by creating a craft room, watch this space for the after photos. Here are the before photos.

So here I am again, this time I'm having a go at uploading a photo. I'm really bad at taking pictures of things I make so I'll have to remember. This is one of the doodle bug houses that you decorate. After I'd attended a workshop at Craftwork Cards with Sue the card we made inspired me to go home and apply the same technique to the house, I love it and love the colours. I know it has no function but it makes me smile, so that's purpose enough.

Well here we go, I've created a blog. WHY? I'm not entirely sure yet but as a crafter how else do I show my creations other than carting them around in a box and forcing everybody to look at them. If I do that I tend to get the same reaction as anybody would that invites you round to look at their holiday photos. (You do it to appear polite but it's only the odd one or two that you wanted to see really). I hope to add to this on at least a monthly basis, that way I know I'll have something to say, I am in awe of the discipline of daily bloggers but thank heavens they are there, they have no idea how many lunch hours they have entertained and inspired me. Next on my list of blogging 'To Do's' is pick something from my box of creations to force you to look at, this might take a while so check back later.