My first journal -

lots to learn - please remember this is my first effort - so have learnt heaps and will approach it differently next time.... the front cover is my favourite part

I have worked on the first few at both the front and back and then the pages in between are kept clear for journaling.

My entry for Lessology challenge 16.......

http://lessology.blogspot.sg/2012/07/lessology-challenge-16-bubble-boy-or.html

This has been a wonderful experience as I have found myslef exploring new techniques and being amazed at the effects that resulted.

I will never ever throw out bubble wrap and my supply area at work will be saving it for me!
The cards are feminine but naive in nature...I hope they meet the criteria for the challenge?

 

    

There are several techniques which I discovered.        

                                               

The first was making the flower head. I found if I separated the layers of the larger bubblewrap it left a crater in each circle. So I trimmed the shape and filled each crater with embossing powder...brown in the centre and mustard for the petals.

Take care when heating as clearly the bubble wrap has a low melting point....hence the quite rustic result!!                                           

Another effect was to iron one layer of the bublle wrap and this created a fine paper like sheet which I cut out groups of the circles to use. I discovered that it was necessary to use ink such as stayz on....then I tried small amounts of my rub and buff which is the gold areas of circles in the backgrounds.

I also used rubb and buff antique white on the manequin circles.

These are the inserts in each card. I discovered that by ironing the full thickness bubble wrap (with paper either side to protect thh iron and ironing cover.....(and lots of giggles listening to the bubbles popping)..it creates this paper effect.
It was perfect to stamp on and as I played I discovered placing a lighter coloured card behind the image made it more prominent.

Other items used for recycled fine gold webbed netting, a punched (Martha) edge, some opshop vintage jewellry ( a gorgeous clip on earing and a part of a chain), and in the floral card some leaves which I embossed and added a little glossy accents to.
The background of the floral card is embossed a bit of Tim.

Enjoy
Regards Robyn

Day of fun with our bird cage decorating!

A few of us got together to decorate some birdcages - and just play really!
It was loads of fun and what a mess we made!
Here is a photo of one that I have yet to complete........

Close up of the cricut flowers....

Both flower centres are pieces of old earings.....love them...unfortunately only had one of each!!

I particularly like the colours of the flowers and also the use of op-shop jewellery finds to decorate with.
The dyed fabric draped beneatht he flowers is muslin - torn and dyed using Tims inks.
 I have a number of pages of various shapes and sized flowers on my gypssy now and every now and again I just cut more out, place them in a container and when I feel like it I emboss and crease them ready to assemble.

Thanks for looking.....

Vintage tag....

Here is a tag I made at International Scrapbooking Day at Scrapbook Sinners Taralgon yesteday...

We had a wonderfull day although I fiddled and procrastinated for ages before settling down and actually producing something.....

My friend Leanne was sitting with me and is a really positive influence on my work. I keep learning lots of new techniques from Leanne, Leonie, Bec and crew at Scrapbook Sinners...

 This tag was voted winner of the cards/tag comp for the day and the gorgeous jar of boiled lollies was earned...that is going to sit with the tag in pride of place on my desk!

The rossette is from cricut cart ribbons and rossettes which I am becoming more at ease with once I worked out on gypsy a few tricks.

I cut down the width of the tage once cut from cricut to make a smaller rossette. The little piece of cream netting is a vintage piece originating from Thursday island in the little shop which was the original general store on the island and closed about10 years or more ago. My sister gave me this along with other treasures recently...all cherished ++.

Our Easter 2012...

Easter was so special this year. We travelled up to Lake Boga to see my parents and picked my sister up as a surprise form the airport. She flew in unannounced from Townsville as a big surprise for Mum and Dad.
How wonderful it was!!

We had a fantastic time, reminiscing, enjoying the garden and views, and the fun of the young galah "Macca" from next door. The local market at Murrabit which was huge and the neighbouring garage sales which we supported. These properties were in the hardest hit region of the mallee in the last floods.

I think we will have to support this market every year as it was huge and so much fun!! A dusty drive through the plains behind Lake Boga.

The biggest laugh was when my sister and I lugged a nice big box of old glass insulators back to our car so thrilled with our buy only to be greeted by my hubby stating he could have got heaps of these locally for $0!! lol..should have seen his face...anyway into the car they went and we are so happy with them. Dad bought out some fowlers jars and an old milk bottle for my buttons to go in as well.

The small plastic bags of beads on the left of the tea chest are handmade a few years ago by my sister, she also gave me a mixed bag of hand dyed buttons.

These doilies are form my Nannas collection and will be tatted by my Nanna or great grandmother.

There is also a tatted basket and handle eg for putting candy in

Also I had a birthday and Mum and Dad gave me some treasures from the family ...Dad divided doilies into four piles and we got one each with no kknowledge of the contents, so all the sisters were very lucky!
I was given from my sister a very old biscuit tin full of cotton reels, lace, vintage jewellery pieces, etc etc....whoa!!
The cooton reel holder above is a handmade treasure which my sister bought for me at a garage sale as well as the one behind it..

Lessology Flight of Fancy Challenge

http://lessology.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/lessology-challenge-11-flights-of.html

Here is my entry to this challenge..
I have utilised a plain birdcage and used my lace stash ( vintage from my Nanna and sister) and one of Nanna's old doilies in the base. I then made the flowers with my cricut.

Enjoy