She loves it lots & lots

I started this after all the Christmas deeds were done. In the hope to get it to a friend by her birthday. Her birthday is today & I succeeded! I made it, into the post & it got delivered on her special day. Did I plan it?

AJ - Page 1

Inspired by Jessica Sprague's Inspiration Everywhere class - it was suggested to create a dedication page. This being my first art journal I figured it would be a good idea. My dedication is to what I want to achieve during this creative experience.

All in the details . . .

Tissue paper with watercolour painted over it. Used foam stamps with acrylic paint & stamped while the watercolour was still wet.

Crocheted a sun motif using a free pattern at Crochet Spot & attached it using hot glue gun.

I really like the rainbow. Stripes of watercolour paints which I then went over with Mod Podge Gloss-Lustre.

There are a few more activities in the Inspiration Everywhere class I want to complete. The sooner I get these done the better because there are a couple of other challenges I would like to participate in the new year.

Art Journal Every Day starts on the 30th December - this challenge encourages you to do something (at least 10 minutes) in your AJ Every Day. The first months sign up for January has started & so far there are 115 participants!!

A Year in the Life of an Art Journal - prompts are posted the 15th & 30th of every month. The first date for this in 2011 will be the 15th of January which is when I will start. Even if it is just once a month.

Some things I did around Christmas

I really enjoyed Christmas this year. For some reason it was more fun & exciting. Especially with this sign on my garage door for 2 weeks before Christmas . . . & I didn't peek.
It also could have been the numerous presents I received. Top 3 - 1. Raised Garden Bed (for vege patch) 2. Donkey Kong Country Returns Game (for Wii) 3. Recycled Licence Plate Book.

We had a small branch style Christmas Tree this year. I made a garland to go on it. I just crocheted as many chains as needed for the length I wanted & hot glue gunned small squares of paper at regular intervals.

At the base/vase of the tree I put some other glass bottles with decorations on them. I have collected a couple of these from my father who makes them for a living.

I liked how the tree turned out & I can't wait until next year so I can add more!

For a few presents this year I made some washers to go with some lovely handmade soap I bought from Inner Earth Soaps. With all the rush of Christmas I only managed to take one photo of a washer I made for a friend at work. It was really hard to part with but I have plenty of yarn left over to make some for myself.

Merry Christmas !

At 7am - Snapshot

Even though I have posted this rather late, I still took this photo at 7am for the challenge. In the mornings I get up earlier then usual now because I have a puppy. I used to get up with just enough time to get ready for work & out the door. One advantage is that it has actually given me more time to do things in the morning . . . really . . . who would have thought?!

So that morning I had time to blog.

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Inspiration Everywhere - Art Journal Cover

I have joined Jessica Sprague's Inspiration Everywhere FREE class. 10 days of Inspiration. This class was just too interesting to pass up, so close to Christmas with presents still to make & I take on this as well. I need this for me.

Most people who have joined the class seem to be flying through all the inspiring activities. I'm going at a snails pace. 5 days into it & I've only completed #1. Hopefully with the weekend coming up I will get a chance to do more.

Keeping/making/expressing/creating in an art journal is one of the projects in the class. I want my art journal to be more arty then scrapbooky. But I'm sure a lot of the scrapbook style will come through.

1st Dec, 1st Day of Summer & 1st . . ?

It was very rainy & gloomy on the 1st day of summer in Brisbane. My favourite season, the one thing I do actually like at this time of year. The heat, the itchy-ness to do something, anything! On this day I just felt sticky & damp. Thankfully the little treasure in my mailbox seemed unaffected by these miserable conditions, waiting . . .

. . . uncharacteristically I did check for mail when I pulled in from work. The first thing I saw on the envelope was 'CARD ONLY'.

Thanks to my talented friend Kate for this amazing card! Maybe there is something else to like about this time of year . . . Christmas.

At 4pm - Snapshot

I didn't work today, I had Friday & Monday off to make a 4 day weekend. It's my birthday! Well it's on Monday. Having the Friday off worked out great because my cousin Reece (who is like a brother to me) is visiting from up North with his two little boys. So I was visiting them of course. Taking photos of such gorgeous kids was a delight for me.

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At 9pm - Snapshot

Ahhh Friday night, the beginning of the weekend. I usually like to relax around this time & on this particular occasion I was enjoying a Midori Splice . . .

. . . while reading up on finishing techniques for crochet. I used my fresh knowledge to join together the squares for my crochet bag. 

Make Your Own Owl Calendar

I did.

You choose a picture for each month & then download your 2011 calendar. My Mum loves owls so I will definitely have to share with her & I just think it is too cute not to use.

Latest Crochet Project

Over the weekend I finished three crochet squares. Two were basic granny squares & the third a double crochet block (if that is even what it's called). These are going to be used to make a bag. I have left to make the strap which I can easily attach with buttons. Also the joining of the squares, which I have never done before & have no idea what to do. Time for research.

I think crochet bags are fantastic, however I am not extremely confident in making them. Lets just say I definitely don't have extensive knowledge when it comes to this hobby, I'm still learning. However by starting off with a simple bag I am hoping to (eventually) be able to make something like this:



Derek Bag by Che - available at Ravelry

At 10am - Snapshot

This is my third week participating in the Snapshots of Life challenge. At 10am on Friday I was at my desk at work . . .

I Y my big monitor at work (it's bigger then my one at home). On Fridays, once I get all my jobs done I can go. So at this time of day I'm usually stuck to my seat entering the stock count for the following week. I managed to get out at around 12:30 this Friday. And you would think that I would go home and do something useful with my time - instead I played with the dog and watched Eat Pray Love. (✿◠‿◠)

At 8:00am - Snapshot

I am driving along on a motorway with my camera seating on the dashboard. When 8am appears on the car clock I am on my way to work, doing 100ks.



Let the Race Begin

Even though I didn't win anything in the sweeps, it was a great day. I loved dressing up & wearing my lil' hat/fascinator.

It turned out better than I expected. A crochet white top hat, with lace sewn on under the rim for a girly effect. I used paper flowers from my scrapbook stash & matched them with my dress. The flowers were attached with jewel brads (also from scrap stash). Finishing touches were rick-rack ribbon & the butterfly.

A good Sunday

To begin - I received a fantastic free crochet pattern from anjibeane for participating in the naming of it. Now dubbed the Neck Candy Neckpiece, what a wonderful pattern!  How many colour combinations can I make & to go with what? Time to look through my wardrobe . . .



Neck Candy Neckpiece Pattern Available @ anjibeane Etsy Store

Next on the agenda - Make my little hat/fascinator, so I had to give the puppy a treat for him to leave me alone . . . then I could crochet. He has to be right near me, preferably touching me naaawwww Y my boy. (More on the fascinator later when it is all finished.)



Out & About – After some crocheting I ducked out with Mum to go opp/thrift shopping. Something which I have wanted to do for quite a while, yay! My most exciting find were two small wooden bowls at $1.50 each. Bargain. Not sure what to do with them yet . . . paint, sand & varnish . . . or even where to put them?

At 5:00pm - Snapshot

Something new has started over at eighteen25. At a scheduled time each Thursday (Friday in Oz), we each take a photo of what is happening in our lives.

For me, this is what was going on -

I was drawing/designing the Alice In Wonderland tattoo for my arm.

Cock your Hat, Angles are Attitudes - Frank Sinatra

It's Melbourne Cup next week so . . . what an excuse to have some yummy food, dress up and help get through another working week. We are expected to bring a plate of food and wear a hat or fascinator. FUN! Which means . . . I can MAKE myself a cute little hat.

Some Inspiration:

Etsy Store - Black Crochet Mad Hatter Hat

EveryoneIsMadHere

 

Flicker -  ¡¡¡Ohhhh!!!
Lu Muñoz

 

Flickr - Doll.
Lu Muñoz

I'm thinking a crochet top hat, very much like the mad hatters. Thanks to Renske's blog Fun and Fang for just that . . .

Crochet Pattern - Mad Hatters Hat

. . . with some sort of crochet flower and beautiful ribbon that is long enough to drape down with my hair.  The only other decision to make is if it will have netting, maybe lace - hhhhmmm. Time to get designing.

Granny Stripes Blanket . . . The Beginning.

I know that black & white are usually used as the neutral colour, but I'm drawn to tan, brown, beige. I find it more subtle, I just love it! I use these colours as a background in some of my scrapbooking as well. It's the colour I tend to reach for first.

I'm so happy with how the blanket is coming along, it's an enjoyment to make. With such a great & easy pattern the blanket is building up rather quickly & at times I find it hard to put down!

 

Some of my layouts using tan/brown/beige background.

New Book to add to My Collection

I picked up Lewis Carroll - Alice's Adventure in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass for $8.99. What a great bargin & I can't wait to read it. Just after I finish Stieg Larsson - The Girl Who Played with Fire.

Granny Stripes Tester

My Dad has been asking me to make a blanket for him for quite a while now. Part of the reason it has taken me so long to start is because I hadn't found a pattern I liked. This is a test run using the colours I have chosen for the blanket. I'm glad I picked the pattern up easily. Now time to start the real thing.

Granny Stripes Pattern over at Attic24

Cluck Clutch Complete

Looking at it now, there doesn't seem much too it. So understanding why it took so long to make is beyond me. It did feel like a big task.

I can't wait to show it off.

The Cluck Clutch pattern designed by the talented Brigitte at roman sock.

First Test Shot with My NEW CAMERA !

Yay, I can be snap happy again. My old camera just didn't have it anymore. I am still going through the manual. A lot more functions. But results are great . . . so far.