Christmas Not

I needed to play with something none Christmas and wanted to make something out of my comfort zone, we tend to get stuck in a style feel comfortable with it and keep it going with different variations.

I found a lovely new outlet called Wholeport, it has a bit of this and a it of that, the habidashery side of it is fabulous with lace, flowers, braiding material etc etc. It’s like an Aladins cave of goodness.

I used their resin flower some heave cotton lace and the pleated braid.

I also used The Gold Life paper pack and twine from Ribbon Carousel

As you can see it all comes together beautifully.

Holiday Spirit–Ribbon Carousel Crew Challenge

Ready to play?!

The Ribbon Carousel Crew Design Team Monthly Challenge and our theme is The Holidays.

For this months card I used some of their gorgeous wired Ribbon and my image is Ho Ho Whoa from Mo’s Digital Pencil 

Coloured with Copic markers.

Now head over and see the rest of the Crews cards and join in the challenge for a fabulous prize….. your very own ribbon Carousel could be yours.

Just Inklined to Hop–All that Glitters

Here we are again with our Monthly Blog Hop for Just Inklined,

Karen L  is host this month and All that Glitters is the theme and that is where you should have started.

I have chosen a Christmas image from The Best of Just Inklined 2012 cd-rom for my card.

You should have hopped here from Tangii 

Merry Christmas image was coloured with Promarkers, I have to say at this point that I struggle with the glitter element so I opted for German glass glitter and a glittery ribbon

Just to prove that the glitter is there I have a close up image as it never seems to photograph well.

I used red gems from Mei Flower for the berries.

Now hop over to Jane as I know she has something special ready to show you and remember to leave comments on all of the blogs as we always have spot prizes from the comments left.

How to Keep Jack at the Dinner Table

At 3 years of age the Christmas dinner table can be quite daunting trying to sit long enough to get dinner over and done with when really all you want to do is play with your toys, Jack is such a lively character now and meal times have always been a chore with him, he is such a fussy eater that it normally ends up with bribery not the best solution but when your child will not eat sometimes it is the only way.

So I think Creations by AR may have solved my problem for me with this gorgeous little House Box Ornament

I just need to figure out what to put inside it from Santa Claus if he eats his dinner, at the moment I have a flickering candle (battery operated) but I think if I add a treat and sit it on the table saying Santa has left it for him but only if he eats his dinner it might just work.

Any ideas what I can put in it for him?

Arranging your craft workspace at home

Arranging your craft workspace at home

Any serious crafter knows how important it is to have a well-arranged workspace. Everything should be organised and within easy reach, otherwise precious time can be lost in searching for misplaced items. The right amount of space is also important. Those who are lucky enough can commandeer a spare room to host their production work, but others may have to content themselves with a small area in the dining room or lounge. Think of how the home is presently laid out, and it will soon become clear where there might be a space that’s not in frequent use.

Where to work

Having decided on the workspace available, crafters will need the right surface to operate from. Those involved in sewing or painting will need a fairly large working surface, and dining tables are often the best option. They offer plenty of room to set up equipment such as a sewing machine. Place a protective cover over the table to protect it from working materials and utensils, particularly items like scissors or craft knives.

However, dining tables are not the best option if they also need to be used for dining! Moving everything several times each day can be time consuming, and will quickly get a little tiresome. Wherever possible, a dedicated craft space such as a spare room is the ideal answer. If the craft space is fairly small, then space saving items such as a fold-down table and collapsible chairs could be the best solution.

A comfortable chair is a must. Serious crafters can spend hours each day perfecting their chosen art, so it makes sense to have a good quality chair that provides maximum comfort. The room should be warm, and natural light is a priority since artificial light is not adequate for some crafts.

Organising the space

Those who are using a spare room might be able to make use of the furniture already there. A chest of drawers or a wardrobe offer plenty of storage space for craft paraphernalia. Under-bed storage is often a good option for bulkier items. Those making use of a lounge or dining room as a craft workspace should ensure there is a sideboard or cupboard that is given over to craft items only, so everything can be put away.

Those who use small items for crafts such as scrapbooking or making cards will appreciate a storage unit with small drawers, so that supplies can be organised into separate categories. Clear plastic drawers allow the user to see what is in each one without spending precious time searching.

Those who knit might find baskets useful for storing yarn, and folders with clear wallets are ideal for keeping patterns clean and accessible. Shelves fitted to a wall can also be great storage solutions, particularly in small spaces.

At the end of every day it is important to tidy up as much as possible, so that at the start of the next day the crafter can happily begin work without facing a mess.

Of course I don’t always get round to the tidying bit.