My (tidy) space

I thought I'd give you a (very selective) tour of my creative space. Well, a girl's got to have SOME secrets, no?  These photos were taken after a MAJOR clean up, precipitated by Philippa and Nic visiting and finding it in a frightful state. I wrote about it here.

Ok, here goes (I can't tell you how nervous I am!).  First up, here's the shelving unit I almost bought from Ikea:

I say almost bought from Ikea, because turns out I picked it up from eBay at a bit of a discount. Now there's a little adventure I never want to relive!  That's a story for another day LOL.  The shelves hold just about everything I use regularly (I'm an out of sight, out of mind girl, so if I can't see it, chances are it won't be used).

And here's how I store my ribbon:

These are metre lengths (or longer), kept in their colour groups with a big bulldog clip.  The clips then hang on these hooks that are attached to a key shaped thing. Very handy!

And this is my very hard working Clip-it-up.

It holds my stickers and rub ons and a few other odds and ends.  It's got so much on it, I think it's got a hernia.

This is my desk (this is as tidy as it gets):

This is the desk I picked up at a second hand office furniture sale using a very unusual technique.  I call it 'Reverse Bargaining' and it occurs when there is an imbalance of intelligence between vendor and purchaser.  Here's how the conversation went:
Me (acting nonchalant): How much for the desk?
Him: What would you pay for it?
Me (sucking my teeth and almost squinting): No more than a couple of hundred.
Him: How about you have it for $100.
Me: okey dokey.

Sewing machine and Cuttlebug must be out where I can use them - no point having them in a box now is there?  I'm lazy, and I'd never get them out. Also out in plain view is everything else I use all the time - paintbrushes, mini stereo system, cardstock, etc.  Under the table lives boxes, bubble wrap and all sorts of other packaging material. Shut up - I know it looks disgraceful, but it's handy.

This would have to be the thing that brings me the most joy at the moment - my Copics collection (ever-growing collection!), standing up inside a gift from the uber talented Rachael Merrick. Isn't it pretty?

And here is one addiction almost contained - my mini 6x6 pad collection:

Not too bad, is it?  I head here first when I'm making a card, then I go to my A5 cardstock on the desk:

Well, that's it for now.  I've got more storage to show you, but I'll save that for another day.

Thanks for looking!

It was Kerry's birthday...

...last Wednesday.  Just in case you're the last person on earth that didn't know.  It's in my diary from last year, and on our birthday list for our ATC group, and we all got email reminders about it last week and the week before.  And just in case I managed to miss all of that, she told me a few times over the weekend too.  I'd have to be trying really hard to forget!

Anyway, here's the card I made her:

I used papers from my new October Afternoon Thrift shop 8x8 pad, stamps from my new Darkroom Door set I won at the Little Bits camp on the weekend, new chipboard from Collections, and a few other odds and ends.  The happy birthday stamp is from Savvy Stamps.

Thanks for looking!

Geisha in Copics

This is a new image from Sparkle n Sprinkle stamps available at Little Bits through Alison Ellis Design.

I've coloured her with Copics, then mounted her on some of the new Eastern Elements papers.

How considerate of Alison to release this range in time for my Oriental 5 Quick Cards class at Little Bits next Monday LOL.

Say it with.......

...ribbon.

Ribbon is one of my favourite things to use on a card.  I've used it on this card to soften the border between the card and the patterned paper:

I have used this ribbon, together with bling and flowers from this kit, and the sentiment is from this set. The paper is DCWV, and I've adjusted the lighting when I took the pic so that it would show up.

If you'd like to play along, pop over to the AnnaBelle Stamps blog and add your name to the list so we can swing past and leave you some love.

And don't forget - we have our Bling Challenge happening, so if you'd like to win a gorgeous set of stamps, be sure to get your card in before Friday of next week.  Details are here.

Copic Candy

Zoe is giving away an awesome collection of goodies on her blog, including a set of Copics:

 You've got to be in it to win it!

SIA competition entry 2

Here's the layout part of my competition entry for SIA:

I used the Love Flourish from Twiddleybitz for the waves, and some of the papers from my March A la Tarte kit from Lime Tart. The journal block stamps are from Banana Frog.

Thanks for looking!

SIA competition entry 1

There was a competition running at SIA, and we had to make a card and layout from the sketches provided.  Here's the card:

I used Twiddleybitz chipboard (Whimsy Bird Friends and Basic Square bags), Basic Grey Kioshi papers, and  a Melissa Frances rub on. The chipboard was coloured with Copic markers.  Here's a close up:

Stay tuned for the layout part of my competition entry.

Collections class at SIA

This is the amazing project we completed at SIA in the Collections class run by Julie Van Oosten:

We used a bunch of delicious new product - as always, Julie's classes are jam packed with product and wonderful instructions.

Isn't it gorgeous?

SIA projects Part 3

Here's another project for the Twiddleybits stand at SIA.  I have used a Shadow Wave Box:

I painted the frame of the box with some modeling paste, and stamped a scrolly stamp into it in parts.  The whole thing was then painted in acrylic paint.

I used some Colour Sprays on the word Timeless and the name plate scroll behind it.  I have also added pieces of a swirl scroll through the flowers, and a couple of doves.

The flowers add a sort of vintage/shabby feel to the piece.  This was a lot of fun to make!

SIA projects Part 2

Here's another project for the Twiddleybitz stand at SIA.

This time it's a Fantasy Shadow Box.  I took the opportunity to bring on the bling:

Black, white, silver and turquoise - yummmmm.

I used a piece from the new Nero range - the black Wrought Iron Mantle piece, and a couple of Fleur de Lys.

The Love word is glittered with fine silver glitter.  The crystals are from a lighting shop (they are for chandeliers). Stamp is by Stampington.

Thanks for stopping by!

AnnaBelle Stamps bling sketch #22

Here's the sketch:

and here's my card:

I used an image from the set Elephant Valentine, coloured with Copics, on Basic Grey Kioshi papers.  Here's a close up:

If you decide to play along, you'll be in the running for the Helen's Party set of stamps:

That set would look awesome coloured with Copics ;)

You'll find more details on how to enter on the AnnaBelle Stamps blog.  I hope you'll play along!

SIA projects Part 1

This is the first project I completed for the Twiddleybitz stand at SIA.

It's a Small Shadow Box:

I have used some Fine Fern Leaves, and some Winged Things Tweenybitz.

The woodgrain effect was achieved with a Cuttlebug embossing folder (Forest Branches), then a few layers of acrylic paint, then a little ink sponged on top.

Thanks for looking, and stay tuned for my other projects for SIA.

AnnaBelle Stamps bling sketch #21

Here I am in the nick of time to tell you about AnnaBelle Stamps current sketch challenge.  You have until this Friday (21st May) to enter this challenge using this sketch:

Here's my card:

using Delish High Tea papers and Peach Sprinkles. The stamps are from the Flowers with Love set.  The image is coloured with Copics (of course).

The prize this time is the Floral Stems set, so what are you waiting for?

SIA

I was fortunate enough to go to SIA in Sydney again this year.  Thanks to the very wonderful Sherry Mendoza, who offered me a bed for the night, I was able to stay the night in Sydney and attend the show on both days.

The highlight for me was catching up with people I already know, as well as meeting a new bunch of friends.  Here I am with Sherry and Beck (who is a fellow Twiddleybitz DT member):

I also caught up with the rest of the Twiddleybitz gang at the amazing stand, including meeting Tiff and Jo for the first time.  I am genuinely left in awe of the talent of our design team.  Here's the stand:

Isn't it pretty?  That's how Nicole and Andrew displayed the products, and on the wall you can't see in the photo were the design team samples.  Here's a picture of the Floating Frames:

and here's one in particular I was blown away by.  It's Beck's:

Isn't it awesome?  Sorry about the weird angle - it was up really high on the wall.

After the show finished on the Tuesday, I enjoyed a wonderful dinner with Nicole, Andrew, Tiff and  Beck.  I somehow neglected to get the camera out to mark this occasion.  It was a marvelous meal, surpassed only by the fabulous company.  Thank you Nic and Andy for a wonderful evening.

All of the stands looked amazing, but one of my favourites was the Darkroom Door stand.  You can see better pictures than I could ever take here on Rachel's blog.  I love how Rachel and Stewart display their products and samples.  It's all so inspiring!

I managed to get to three classes while I was at SIA, including one with the fabulous Sarah Gladman:

I also did a class with Julie Van Oosten from Collections using some of the latest products.  It was an awesome class, I'll post what we made very soon (when I take a nice photo of it). The Collections stand was absolutely breathtaking.  You can see for yourself what it looked like - Julie has posted a video on her blog, it's just like you were there LOL. The make and take at the Collections stand was run by Audrey Underwood - what a gorgeous, talented lady she is!  Here we are:

The other class I did was with Wendy Senger, the lady behind Tattered Angels.  We did all sorts of things with Glimmermist - I love my sample book!

All too soon it was time to come home. I wish I could have stayed and seen more.  I just know there are things that I missed LOL.  Oh well, there's always next year!

It's official - I'm certified!

Copic marker certified, that is.  I am now a Certified Copic Designer, thanks to Lesley of Little Bits who sent me along to learn all I could.  We'll be holding regular Copic related classes at Little Bits, so if you're local to Keysborough in Victoria, give the shop a call to book yourself in. Contact details and a class schedule can be found on the website.

The class itself was led by Marianne Walker and Lori Craig, two very talented artists. I know more than I ever thought I would about Copics, and the class just confirmed what I've believed for a long time....these little markers are awesome!

It was a fun weekend, with Philippa and Nic from the Lime Tart team flying into Melbourne and staying at my place.  On Friday night we met up with Rachael  - another Lime Tart who happened to be in Melbourne on the same night (what a coincidence!).  Here's a pic of the four of us:

From left to right - Rachael, me, Philippa and Nic.  The only one missing was Julie, who lives all the way over the other side of the country in Perth :( We missed you Julie!

Nic has written up a brilliant report of the day at Zest blog.  This is her first post for Marker Monday, which will be a regular feature over at Lime Tart.   Pop in every Monday to learn a little something about our favourite new toys.

At the class I also got to meet Andrea from AnnaBelle Stamps in person, so I can now put a face to a name :)


Thanks for reading, and you can look forward to seeing quite a few Copic projects on here in the near future.

Say it in white

This is the current challenge on the AnnaBelle Stamps blog. 

I've made a few all-white cards in the past - I love them!  It's a create opportunity to concentrate on texture and form without being distracted by colour (which I find very distracting!).

Here's my card:

The texture is from a Cuttlebug folder, the stamps are from the Flowers with Love set, and the little white flowers (which look a bit cream against the stark white cardstock) are from the Petal White Pack.  I added some little white pearl hearts to the centres.  The ink I used is StazOn Stone Grey - my absolute favourite ink.

Thanks for looking, and I'll be back with more updates soon.

Emerging.....

...from the fog that has enveloped me for the past few weeks.

I think it started around the time my good friend at work passed away.  I thought I was handling it ok, but to be honest, I just wasn't enjoying the creative process for a while there, and I guess that must be my grief expressing itself.  I had a heap of deadlines, so I battled through those projects, but then didn't have the energy to tidy up after myself.  It got to a point where I couldn't even enter my studio - the physical obstacles were insurmountable.

Well, this week I did some tidying, and guess what returned?  My creative energy! I have sooooo much blogging to catch up on, I think I'll start from today and work my way back.

Thanks for sticking with me while I took some time out - I appreciate everyone who emailed to check on me :)