Bind it all

Love this machine! And I get to demonstrate it next Saturday.
trying to make some nice samples, yesterday I made this mini album about my school experiences. The pages are just the Basic Grey Chipboard tags that fitted the old die cut shapes. Well, lets just say that the new Recess line from Basic Grey set the theme, and then found some nice rub ons (again from Basic Grey, how original of me! NOT)


The idea of incorporating the pencil was from my DH Omar, it is an Ikea one, you know the free ones! Also it has a function, it keeps some of the tags straight. Then I looked for other reasons into Basic Greys gallery and one of the Recess samples had pencils on! Nothing is original anymore, even if we come up with a novel idea, somebody else has or is thinking/doing the same.


Inside I used Journaling stamps, but I haven written anything yet.

Ally Pally

So it seems that I will be working Saturday at my favorite show again. And again I will be demonstrating at the Craft Co. stand (don't know which one just yet!).
So since I came back from holidays just over two weeks ago I have: demonstrated at two different events (three and one days), done samples for both, held two sessions of scrapping at my house, design three articles 9one of twelve cards, one of ten, and a qanda with photo of a project), met with my publishers about my next book... Did I mention that I am doing a second book? Oh, well yes I am doing one for Search Press.
I'll let you know more about later on, which knowing me will be in a while.

And, by the way, thank you for the lovely comments on the card from the previous post. To show you another option of decorating using this fold, here you have one using old Sissix dies and some hand drawn stitching which I did to teach at a class. Again outside and inside photos.

Thank you

For the concerned messages, for your friendship. I do appreciate all of you enormously.



(By the way the card is the one I sent Kim with the rest of the Coffee tins that I had left. It was done with Basic Grey paper, Stampin Up stamp and in the inside, same paper, Prima Got Daisies and stamp by Hero Arts.)

A RAK for Charity - Update

I may be tired about certain attitudes but I am also so excited and impress on the big response on the tins. I have none left and I started with over 30! And some friends just took one!Everyone was more than happy to contribute to Charity while getting something crafty.
That warms my heart. At least for today.

Tired

Yes, I am tired. Very tired, in more ways than one.
Of course I am physically tired after three days of demo at Creative Living (formerly known as Creative Pastimes) though that is the least of tiredness that I worry about. I enjoyed myself because I demoed the wonderful Cricut Expressions (the photo above it just the simplest project ever done with this machine), an amazing piece of craft equipment.
I am tired because between yesterday and today I have done the 12 cards for the Recipe Cards (Craftwork Cards) and another article for Quick Cards magazine (sorry, too tired to make a link).

I am tired, and that is what worries me, I am tired again because of the whole craft industry. Yes, I am tired again about that. It never seems to go away, it sticks and some time even stinks!
It is all the same backstabbing, bitchiness of the some of the people who participate in this as a business and some others as a hobby. They are just childlike. I have to say that this time around I am lucky that what I have what I have read-heard-seen is completely is not directed at me at all, but to some of my dear friends and other people I care about.
I know that this will be most likely always the case in this craft world and because of it I am not sure that I want to be a part of it anymore.

A RAK for Charity (part 2)

I have had a few responses about the RAK for charity. Yesterday, I raised my first tenner, not much, but it is an start!
I am going to keep doing RAKs for charity, I really feel great about doing this. However, after a quick chat with very sensible Kim, I have decided that I am going to change a little bit the way of doing it. Basically to keep a control of the money raised, it will work like this: whoever recibes the RAK will make a donation to what I call my Charity tin (cash, paypal or cheque). If I send it by post, then at least you need to donate the total amount of the posting plus the amount (even a 1pound) you would like to give, all will go straight to the tin and I will put your name in my contributors list. I do not expect to fund raise loads of money, just to convert some of my stash into something useful and charitable!
Also, after a friend suggested that I settled for a charity, I made a decision. After a little bit of research I have decided that the money fund raised will go to Marie Curie Cancer Care. I hope that everyone will be happy to contribute to this caring cause!

A RAK for Charity

I am not sure if this has been done before, but I thought that since I have sooo much craft stuff that I would send some to anyone who wants it. I really don't want anything in return for myself but it would great if the person who receives it gives the postage money to her choice of charity. This way we can all raise some money for charity.

So the first RAK (Random Act of Kindness) is this four coffee tins with lids in different sizes and shapes like the ones that you see on the right, on the left two finished ones that I use for my pens, brushes... so you have an idea of they can look once altered.
And, I must say that I have quite a few sets of those ones, so there is plenty for a few of you.
If you fancy to participate send me an email.

Look what I found!

Last Friday, while we were out in Toronto we went to the cinema to watch The Bourne Ultimatum -worth watching twice even- and while we were waiting we went to the next door shop, a bookshop. There I found a copy of my book -NorthAmerican cover- so I couldn't resist and asked Omar to take a photo.
I really do like this cover so much more than the Uk one, the red one that you can see on the right side of this page.

Back Home

Again. I am happy to be home. Although I am tired because we just arrived a couple of hours ago and it is very hard for me to sleep in the plane. However the coffee I took meant that I couldn't sleep in my bed either.
Oh well, I'll start sorting out the stash I bought in Canada which look like this:


And this is the only layout I did while I was in Toronto.


(Basic Grey Obscure collection, 7Gypsies Rub ons, Fontwerks Journalling card.)

He is back

And here there is another of my portaits. I am really enjoying taking them!

Stampin Up

I think the first time I heard of Stampin Up was on the marvelous first issues of Take Ten by Stampington Co. The superbr design of their images really caught my eye and I tried to get them . As many other keen stampers in the Uk, I was soon told that it was impossible for me to get them in Europe, that only you could get them through a qualified instructor in the US.
All right, a few months ago they anounced that they are expanding to the Uk, but can I wait? Of course not! While I am here in Canada I need to attend one Stampin Up event, so I contact Caroline Lebel, order some stuff and book myself into one class. I love it. Love the product love the style.
Here you have a photo of two of the stations:

I mean, isn't that neat? Of course in order to work this type of class where each station is set for making one card requires loads of space and not many attendees, otherwise it would be like a game of chairs.


Then Caroline's daughter, Serena, posed for the camera -my camera phone!- in front of the wall of samples.


And then there was this shelves with loads of samples some made by Caroline some made by other Stampin Up instructors.

So, in other words, I had a blast and can hardly wait until Stampin Up comes over to the UK.

Come back from camping, NOW!

I do miss my husband even though he is only gone for a few days. Oh, well I hope he is enjoying his time in the wilderness. Meanwhile, this photo will make me remember how photogenic he is.
(FYI, photo taken by me, Paula, with the Yashica SLR, with the okish lens, just before we got the fantastic lens.)

Abot shopping

Today I went out on my own and drove to yet another scrapbook store shop. Not a big deal, you may think, but it actually it is for me.
My mum in law's car has no air conditioning! and while the weather is gorgeous -sunny but mild temperatures- a navy blue car gets really hot inside.
No less important than temperatures is the fact that it was my first time driving in Canada (well, I drove five minutes with Omar, but it was very short and downtown) and that today I had to take the 401 highway. For those who live in the UK: think M25 times 2 at sometimes even 3. The 401 has at some points 16 lanes, 8 for each direction, can you imagine? Express, collectors, numerous exits in both sides of the highway, construction work...
How I got to Scrapalicous? Well I know: I had a map. The shop is fantastic, well worth my efforts to get there. And the best bit, there are two Michaels not far from it. I just went to one, which had been recently revamp, and bought some Martha Stewart goodies. The whole line looks fantastic although is a bit pricey and not very scrapbookey, if that makes sense.
I'll provably be playing with my crafting goodies for a while, because my husband is camping with his brother in Algonquin Park, a real camping with canoe and everything. (Pure heaven for them, pure hell for people like me.)