{53 Mondays} the-random-projects edition

Thank you for all the comments on my mince pie post, I haven't made it around to all the blogs from the blog hop, but what I've read so far is sounding pretty yummy!

I wanted to share some of the projects that I've been working on for the last couple of weeks. I sort-of feel as if I've been excessively busy, but haven't achieved a lot. I seem to be writing and re-writing lists, making notes for myself in 500 different places, constantly doing "something", but never finishing anything. And then I start writing posts like this and sit back and think "gee, considering there's at least 5 kids here on a daily basis, I cook, clean, feed, change bums, read books, shop and mediate constant fighting and bickering, I have actually achieved a bit this month"

This perpetual calendar was designed by Jen Mohler for her "Saving your Sanity: Fall" class at BPS. It's one of the things I've been writing lists for again and again and again, trying to remember everything I want to achieve this Christmas and not stress myself too much when I decide to take on another random project (so far this year my random projects include hosting our first street party, sending boxes to Operation Christmas Child, and hosting my second annual cookie exchange in December)

This is my Christmas planner for 2010. I've been taking "Cut the Crazy out of Christmas" over at BPS, and for the first time ever I am really unhappy with a class. The downloads that I've found free online from Life... Your Way, the Daily Digi, and Organized Christmas are much better. I'm using a mix of pages from Life... Your Way and Organized Christmas in my binder, and using the dividers from the class, because I laminated them, so I thought I should use them. (The first week of class, the only download we got was the dividers. For someone who has been planning for Christmas since October 1st, waiting for inserts only to discover they weren't any good was heart wrenching.)

 I loved this printable kit from Elle's Studio at JessicaSprague.com, so purchased it a couple of weeks ago. The very next day a friend shared some photos of her flood ravaged farm, and a group of us decided to cheer her up by flooding her letter box with happy mail. So I whipped up a Christmas banner to help her smile.

I also saw these memory card printables from Suzy Q Scraps, and purchased them for Natalie. My friend has 2 boys around Nat's age, so I printed them out, laminated them, and popped them in my parcel as well. I love how they turned out (although the printing was fiddly, I wanted to print back to back instead of sticking two pieces together, and they didn't match up, so some of the critters have bits trimmed off for laminating.) I think my friend will be pretty excited when she gets her mail!

{53 Mondays}

with all the crafting for Riley's birthday, I haven't done much in the last week.

I finished the kindy swags before the party, but forgot to photograph them. They were a big hit with the kids, and the teachers at kindy loved them, too, cause it makes their jobs just a little easier at rest time!

 We went to a first birthday party yesterday for a friend's bubba who is 5 days younger than Riley. I whipped up this card about half an hour before using Basic Grey's Marrakesh line.

My friend is a civil celebrant (she did Riley's naming last week). She came to me with an idea a couple of months ago to create a box of cards that people could write a message to bubba (at a naming), and then the cards could be opened each year for bubba's birthday. So I created the first box for her. It contains 18 numbered cards and envelopes for friends and family to write messages on, and 10 un-numbered cards for mum and/or dad to write messages (I was thinking they could be used for "significant" birthdays, 1, 5, 10, 13, 16, 18) I've had the Marrakesh kit tucked away for quite some time (I think it came out in January 2009?), but I'm really happy with how the cards turned out, and my friend was super-excited to see them, too! I'm going to track down some "girly" papers and make her a sample box to show clients.

{53 Mondays}

a busy couple of weeks of crafting

My photos for the blogging Riley album arrived today, 

so I slipped them in, and we're ready to share for his party next week.

Here's one of the inside pages... I just copied each post straight 

onto the canvas, and the date of blogging.

Some more cloth shoes

I had to get some new glasses a couple of weeks ago, so I decided to re-cover my old case.

{unfortunately, I can't see through the new glasses prescription, so I have to go back}

I was inspired by this post at Prudent Baby to make a couple of kindy swags.

Still a work in progress.

I love Cosmo Cricket! When I saw this kit on their blog, I had to buy it!

Paper Fashion Boutique doesn't usually ship to Australia, but Lisa was happy to do it for me.

Can't wait to get stuck in (after the party of the year next week!)

I've also been working on birthday party decorations, which I will share after the event.

{53 Mondays}

A layout to share this week.

{inspired by this layout in Scrapbook Inspirations Idea Book 2}

{My Minds Eye Lil Robots papers}

{invitations at last!}

{53 Mondays} shoes

I made some slippers for Riley this week

{inspired by the cloth shoe tutorial from Michael Miller fabrics}

{53 Mondays} on wednesday

I've been slack getting photos off my camera. Turns out I've been craftier than I thought in the last week.

It was Amanda's birthday a couple of weeks ago. I asked her to lunch before I remembered, then whipped up this card the morning we were getting together. It was inspired by a challenge at Little Scrapbook Shop (but I can't find the link to it). The flowers pull out to reveal the message, and the bead gift is attached to a flower centre.

Amanda teaches at our local scrapbook shop. I was in there last week, buying DeLovely by Cosmo Cricket, when I saw a set of cards she is teaching, and was inspired to use my paper for cards. These look nothing like hers, but I had fun crafting them late one night while Steve dealt with a cranky Riley.

Natalie goes to daycare once a week. She moved into a new room when the school holidays finished. In the new room they have a monthly theme that the chicldren talk about for show and tell. Last month's theme was a family tree, so we worked together to make this. Each card opens to reveal what each person in the family does (and how the person fits into our family). It was eye opening that Natalie thinks I print (I don't know what I print, but no matter how many times I asked her "what does mum do?", that was her answer), and dad paints his truck.

And yesterday I finally managed to steal the time to sew the back on this quilt. In the process I discovered that I should probably invest in a walking foot for my machine (the binding is all puckery and wonky), and I learnt how to change the needle in my machine! It's only been two years since I bought, so you can't really rush these things.

{53 Mondays} the terrible-horrible-mess

Back in June I shared that one of my projects for the month was to sort out my scrap room so I could actually get in and scrap. In my usual procrastination fashion, I put it off for most of the month, then at the end of the month an unexpected solution presented itself! My brother and his kids moved out, and I got to change rooms! Problem solved!

This is the only window in the room

(it's a converted garage)

I get to have another table set up with my sewing machine ready and waiting to be used.

And all my "stuff" will go on those shelves.

As you can see, it's a work in progress. I took these photos as soon as we had moved everything into the room last weekend, and have been working on getting everything sorted, away and usable between teeth and sleeps for the last week. Once it's all done, I'll share photos again.

{53 Mondays} kids edition

Riley has been sick and teething, so I've found it hard to find time this week. I'm sharing kids craft instead.

I found these flowers at the $2 shop, and let the kids paint two each.

It's hanging up in our rumpus room.

{when I have had "free" time, I've been working on a project. Hoping to share by the end of the week}

{53 Mondays}

We went away for a few days last week, so the only crafting I did was to cover an expandable file to keep all the little holiday "bits of stuff" in (an idea from Jen Mohler's Save your Sanity Summer Travel class at BPS)

And the best bit was I actually used it to keep those bits of stuff safe

{and may even use them on pages one day!}

{53 Mondays}

my whole life seems to be running a day or two behind at the moment. I managed to squeeze in some quick creative time on Sunday afternoon, and created the mini album challenge for June over at two peas

The kids love them, and they'll come in handy when we head away for holidays.

{53 Mondays} #23 mix and match week

Thank you for your kind words on my previous post. Telling that story released a torrent of tears, and a day of reminiscing, and I'll definately be sharing some more stories.

I went to my LSS on Friday night for a crop.

I had about six different projects, but this is the only one I came close to finishing in the 3 hours I was there.

It's the June layout from the Basic Grey kit of the month

(and still has a couple of things that need to be added)

 

This is the quilt I mentioned last Wednesday.

The red shapes have crinkly stuff inside, it has tags on the short ends, 

and is backed in polar fleece for extra warmth. 

It was very well received by mum and bubba.

I couldn't find a crop-o-dile!

But I got a good deal on glimmer mist and a couple of masks, foam alphas, double sided tape, the fiskars apron lace and EK Success stars border punches, Scrapbook Creations magazine (which now comes with a dvd every issue), and alcohol inks (which I need for 52 Card Pick Up, which I haven't worked on yet)

And a bit of digi-shopping.

by Leora Sandford and Aja Abney at catscraps

This is the range I'm going to use for Save Your Sanity: Summer Travel

{53 Mondays} #21 a quiet week

I've been a bit under the weather for a few days

The weather has turned cool here, so I whipped up a beanie.

{the model is pretty cute, don't you think?}

I had a go at making a reversible beanie, but it was too small to fit a doll, let alone Riley's head, so back to the drawing board I go, once I shake this sinus headache that I've had for a few days now.

{Last night I signed up for 52 Card Pick Up over at BPS.}

I'm hoping that some techniques will give me a bit of a spark.

And I'm booked for a crop at my LSS on June 12th

{I'm already planning some projects in the hopes of having time to complete something!}

{53 Mondays} #20 a mish mash again

Lots of papercrafts this week

I get a Basic Grey kit every two months

(via Blue Bazaar)

I was inspired to have a go at creating without photos, 

and followed the instructions to the letter, and added photos later.

these are for a project which I'll share in a couple of days

finally starting to create the envelopes for Riley's birthday

{the diagonal is the inside}

fabric stash shopping

(planning to make another quilt)

{53 Mondays} #19 a bit o' this, a bit o' that

Last week was crafty in spurts...

worked on my "all about me" project

finished the class layouts from 2wks ago

created lots of flowers

{thought I would sell them, now I'm not so sure}

working on a blog album for Riley

{flyin' high kit from the digi chick}

{53 Mondays} #18 - not much happening here

Last week I shared the quilt top...

... here is the finished article

... and Chloe spent most of the weekend wrapped up in it... 

...a hit, I think

{53 Mondays} #17 - another busy week

Scrapping and crafting this week!

I went to a class at my LSS on Saturday, and took a class from Amanda

All her layout samples were 12x12, me and my big mouth said 

"I can do any size I want"

and I did!
{oops, need to edit photos, that's a 6x12 LO}

I only managed two layouts before I was needed at home

I had to take this class to re-inspire me

(and Cosmo Cricket to play with)

hoping to finish the rest of the layouts this week

I also commissioned Amanda to make me this tote,

to keep my sewing bits and bobs neat and tidy

(she picked the fabric and got me spot on)

I have a big girl turning 12 next week

This pile of Riley Blake fabric is halfway to becoming a quilt for her

On Friday, The Haby Goddess linked to a request for pattern testers for Pepperberry and Co

The pattern was for a passport cover, and I managed to sew it!

Of course, that passport is 15 years old, so it won't be used any time soon

{53 Mondays} # 16 - in which she has lots to share

Last week was a productive crafty week for me.

I finally created my celebration folder for the BPS class Project SYS: Celebrations from last month.

More notelets to drop in the mail

A quick wonky headband (without the buttons) for Chloe

And a quick layout for out of the hat this month

I love the ribbon roses, but they were very fiddly to make! In keeping with busting my stash, I used American Crafts ribbon, printed on one side, and I love the way they don't quite look white and add a splash of colour. The digital frame is from the Flyin'High hybrid kit from the digi chick (which is my theme for Riley's first birthday - I kow, it's five months away, but I have to get planning!)