New purchase and Creativation 2019

L-R: Timekeeper, Noted, Atomic Elements

and Retro Repeat.

Being the craft junkie that I am, I hung on every video taken at the Creativation 2019 show in Phoenix, Arizona last week. For those not in the know, Creativation is the trade show for the crafting industry in the USA. Absolutely amazing showcase and extremely drool-worthy.

I think every manufacturer was represented and it was truly interesting to see the new products. Tim Holtz featured heavily as he is represented by Ranger, Sizzix, Idea-ology and Stampers Anonymous. Tim has a cult following and with good reason. Each season, he unveils new products that work well across the products released. I'm not immune to his charms and have a lot of his products in my stash.

This little pack of goodies arrived last week and I am so happy with them.

Clocks have been a constant theme in my craft work (not sure why) and here it is again. I've already incorporated it into a belated new year art journal page that's unfinished (shown below). Need to add some more to it.

The Noted die is perfect for journalling and photo albums.

The Fifties retro vibe of Atomic Elements and Retro Repeat are something of an experiment. I'm thinking I could use clear plastic as a medium for the Atomic Elements and maybe shrink them in an oven after I've coloured them. A brooch could be the object here - something different anyway.

The Retro Repeat die is very interesting as you can line it up to create a continuing pattern. This seems to follow on from the stencils Tim Holtz released a while back.

Must away - crafting to do.

What to do on a stinking hot day!

Sydney, Australia, has been having some very hot weather. Not really so unusual for us but it's been the warm nights that have been getting most of us.

Luckily I live within about a kilometre from the coast and we've been enjoying a sea breeze which has helped to keep the temperatures within a habitable range (barely).

My younger daughter had a business trip to St Marys which is a far western suburb of Sydney on Friday of last week and there it was 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit) and the premises she visited were not air conditioned! No wonder she told me she thought she had melted!

Anyway, what to do in this stinking weather - well, I made a skirt I had been planning for quite a while and a couple of pages in my art journal. Anything to stay indoors!

I bought some printed linen from The Fabric Store a couple of years ago and had enough left over

from a summer dress project to make a pencil skirt. I used New Look 6541 view A which I've had in

my stash for donkey's years. It went together really easily and goes well with an elbow length sleeved blouse I bought. Looking forward to wearing it when the weather cools down a bit.

The art journal:

Sporadically over the past year I've been playing around in my art journal in between making cards and photo albums, sewing, knitting, etc (as you do). Over a couple of days between household chores and some family history research I did this:

Quite pleased with this spread and it sums up how I feel about craft.

When I finish this journal I'll start one that doesn't have a spiral binding because it drives me crazy.

I am quite the Tim Holtz addict, you will see, when I tell you what I used. Tim Holtz Idea-ology Collage Paper Floral, Distress Collage Medium matte to glue it down and then seal it; Tim Holtz mini layering stencil with clock faces, Tim Holtz blueprint mini stamps, a camera stamp from my stash (courtesy of my elder Daughter).

I also added cut-out words from magazines to make the words on the pages.

Everything was adhered to the page with generous amounts of the Collage Medium. The stamped images were outlined using a black pen and the page edges were darkened with walnut stain Distress Ink (Tim Holtz, of course).

I think the longest part of the process was allowing everything to dry. I don't like using a heat tool especially on a stinking hot day.

Love those Tim Holtz Blueprint stamps

Happy New Year!

Wow! 2018 went really quickly for me but I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

Last time I posted I showed you a cute little welcome to twins card I made. This time I'm showing you a birthday card I made for my son-in-law who is unashamedly nerdy. He has a PhD in Analytical Chemistry so I'm justified in describing him like that I think.

Anyway, I bought a stamp set called Get Down to Business from My Favorite Things that I thought would be perfect for the job.

 The set includes 14 images and 7 sentiments so I had a lot to choose from. I stamped the images in brown Versa Mark ink and then coloured the images and background using watercolours (from memory Winsor & Newton). Unfortunately, this set has been retired.

I cut a red circle from Stampin Up cardstock using a stitched circle die from Simon Says Stamps.

I'm pleased to report he loved it. It was worth the time I spent on it.

This is the time of year when it is hot, humid and you feel like all your clothes are worn out from all the washing and ironing they've received. I usually am looking for something new to wear. Generally I make my own summer clothes but I've been so busy I haven't had time to make any.

Hopefully, in the coming week I will be finding some time to do just that and if I can I will show you what I've made.

Toodle-loo and a very Happy New Year to you!