Blog giveaway

Just the quickest of posts to say pop over to Linda's blog and you can enter a give away to win Tim Holtz goodies - and see her beatuiful art work too of course.

I'll be back over the long weekend with 365 journal updates - 2010 is nearly finished (well the journalling bit anyway) and I'm already thinking about a 2011 format.

Sometimes real life gets in the way

I've been falling further and further behind on crafty things of late. Pressure of the day job has been increased by the bad weather multiplying my normal hour each way journey and by long term and unexpected serious illnesses in the family detracting from time and inclination to create pretty things. As a result I don't have much to share just now.

I've been working on a 12 days of Christmas swap where all the participants make 12 of the same gift, send them to the coordinator who packages them up with one of each item to a parcel and sends each player a set back. We open these one each day in the run up to Christmas and because we don't know what each of us in opening it is a secret what we have made until everyone has opened all their parcels. You'll need to come back after Christmas day to see what I've been up to.

I have just about kept going with my 365 day journal challenge.

My completed pages for October and November are here - not wonky in real life just in the super quick snap shots:

And my December page ready to start (well nearly) is here:

If you'd like to keep a journal like this next year check out the wonderful Kate Crane's article in the new issue of Craft Stamper magazine for step by step instructions and inspiration.

Missing in action

I've been getting more and more behind somehow. I'm in one of those weird places where I've got too many things going on and can't quite apply myself to any of them properly.

So in a bit of catch up mode here are a whole series of snippety updates. None are in the state where I am really happy with them but if I don't make myself move on I think I might be somehow stuck for ages yet. Anyone else out there get periodically stuck in creative limbo?

So here goes...

My six month stint on The Altered Element design team officially ended in September but I never posted about my last project because by messing about with an order (all my fault) I got the goodies late. Lynne sent me a dear little jar of buttons which is too cute to open,

and a papier mache urn which has been haunting me. It is still work in progress but I've has lots of fun experimenting with Viva paints to get tons of texture on the surface.

I discovered by accident that if you put water based ink over a gesso base and then apply Croco crackle paint (to cover up what didn't turn out how you wanted) that the cracks reveal the white base and the colour is drawn into the glass like cracked surface. Still thinking what to do next - it might end up filled with chocolate coins at Christmas.

My 365 day journal challenge page for October got journalled on time but I still haven't managed to put the October title on it. November has journal squares but again no title and no journalling yet. Must try harder.

I made a couple of jewellery items for swaps this month. A bracelet using up more grunge paper charms like those posted for an earlier DT challenge and a pendant with a fabric paper cameo. Unfortunately by the time I'd sent myself doolally embroidering miniscule french knots I was up against the deadline so didn't get chance to take piccies.

And finally, the Christmas issue of Craft Stamper magazine will be hitting the shops tomorrow and it is a belter, crammed full of gorgeous and inspiring projects. Kim Costello's Masterclass on making buttons is totally brilliant and Kate Crane's bright and alternative decoration is fabulous too. And that is just for starters, you really must take a look.

Is it just me?

Or do other people get that "exam avoidance syndrome". You know, the one where you have something important with a deadline and instead all those things you never ever do suddenly have to be done.

When I was studying for my accountancy exams the oven only ever got cleaned when I was supposed to be revising.

This week the arrival of my son's French exchange student partner required the urgent clearance of my craft "toys" from the spare room into storage boxes so instead I got lots of stuff out and made little houses for a swap not due until 3 weeks after he leaves.

Here are the houses in question which had to be autumnal in colour scheme and include a face. I used scientists - I find I often revert back to science and engineering subjects - I somehow liked the contrast of black and white pictures with the organic looking backgrounds made with kitchen towel, doylies, ink spray and oil pastels.

I must go stand in the naughty corner now!