Movember and Flying letters...

A while back I bought some Postal Moleskine Notebooks as a friend asked me if I knew anything about them so I got her one and myself 4 to be creative with.

The first one I've used is the almond one to create a mail tag for a friend. I  ended up doodling/writing in the notebook but added no colour to it as I don't have any decent felt tips but also I get the feeling that they would have soaked through the page like most notebooks. For this reason I stuck to a black and white theme.

I wanted to be super creative with the cover but due to the size and needing to add stamps and address there just wasn't space. I ended up using scrapbook paper to add some detail.

I didn't take photos of the inside except this one...

My friend sent me a prompt last time to send a newspaper clipping from this country. Unfortunately I don't buy a newspaper so I waited until I went back to work to search through the pile that's always left there. Thankfully the first page I turned to was exactly what I wanted about Movember. I added the newspaper article in to the pocket.

 

This little mail tag also resulted in me making the 2 rubber stamps too that you see. I love the moustache even though it means drawing in the curls on the end as it was impossible for me to carve them (I need some decent, stiffer rubber I think). As for the envelope its the first time I've create an outline of something so I was proud of the outcome.

 

Here's what ended up going to my friend but the problem I'm having is finding space for the stamps as I just need too many and they are too big... still I'm not complaining as its amazing to have such a selection of fantastic stamps to choose from...

I hope to have some fun with the rest of these postal notebooks soon as I have 2 left with having sent one to a friend to be creative with.

Have you had the chance to be creative lately?

Mushrooms or Toadstools

Here is my latest mini letter, it's so much fun creating these but only if the postal service is on your side as I posted this out in the first week I February I think and it hasn't reached its destination yet but I'm keeping positive that it will.

Got that Swing mentioned that she liked books and mushrooms. I've always wanted to use old book pages to doodle or get creative with so when a friend sent me some book pages I jumped at the chance to do something with them, for her I created this.

 

I didn't have anything mushroom related so at first began to doodle a pattern but then I suddenly thought about the great tools that I had purchased at the end of last year and decided to make my own rubber stamp... it was so easy and a lot of fun but I really need to think about getting a slab of rubber in order to create things properly.

It turned out great don't you think? It wasn't so hard to stamp with the pieces but it would of course have been better to have one piece so that it all stays together.

I stamped using a mixed colour wheel that I bought but I've had quite a battle with it as the ink doesn't dry quickly on any paper that I use it on so is prone to smear but also this paper didn't have an obvious layer on it that caused other inks to blur a little and smudge also. Since I used a dictionary page I decided to look up and use the definition of a mushroom to fit in nicely with it all. I think this postcard looked so much nicer then the photo though.

 

I then used the doodled mushroom on the envelope

along with washi tape to bring both the postcard and envelope together. Of course I didn't just stop there I had to get a sheet of paper to write on with a book theme also!

Got that swing always sends me delcious chocolates and fudge making sure I can eat it before she does which is so nice of her. So I decided to include some kitkats, which is no surprise to her as I was quite over excited at the thought of some new flavours and was quite vocal about it. Maybe the postal service opened the box I sent them in and decided to eat them, themselves... I wouldn't put it past anyone as its chocolate after all. I only tried the cookies and creams but not any of the others.

I'll wait until my Easter holidays to see if this turns up and then I'll recreate something else, its such a shame when these things happen!

Map of my little world....

Meet my Atlas, I bought it in 2002 when I first got my car even though I'd been passed for 2 years already. I have thought many times over the years to pull it apart and use it to craft with but I couldn't bring myself to do it... I haven't used it for years as its been sat in my bedroom but last weekend I decided to finally take out the staples and chop it up. It was a little weird to look at places at realise they no longer exist, something new has ended up there or that the names of things have completely changed. It made me realise it was high time to do something with it even though it may have made some money one day... I don't have a sat nav though but the internet is always there.

I mentioned a while back about a mini letter, decorative envelope and postcard exchange. The person I'm doing it with listed maps as something they love. It made me think of something I think I saw on Pinterest where a person did the place they met, got engaged and got married in a heart shape...I loved that idea so created this (not quite along the lines of a 2 people relationship love)...

I decided to do the journey of my envelope instead. I wanted to do each square as a circle so it looked like a telescope looking in but when it came to finding the locations I wanted all 3 of them were the square next to the spine so I couldn't cut my circle completely of the map which meant they ended up staying as a squares.

The first square is my home, the second is the post office which is marked with a star. Its so weird to see how many of them have now been forced to close. The last one is roughly where the sorting office is. I couldn't find the exact location for some weird reason but I think it may just be it.

The background is meant to be like a letter with the writing, the postmarks and then the punched stamp shape along with the stars to match the Post Office. I don't know if its the white card or something else but this card just lacked something for me but I do still like it.

I then of course decorated an envelope. I would have loved to have made one but my sheets weren't big enough.

This I decorated with places that I love. On the front the city center. Despite my moaning about the lack of shops I just love wondering around the city when I do go and most of all I love the old stone buildings.

On the back is Lister Park which I just love going to and have blogged about a few times. My niece loves it there too and the last time we went we saw such a variety of animals it was lovely for an autumn day.

Even though the postcard was meant to be the letter part I had to create the little notepaper to explain the postcard as I just ran out of space... it definately is going to be a challenge doing these mini letters.

The place on the note paper is the area around the woodlands and the woodlands which I love and would love a house there.

 

I'm really going to enjoy this mini letter exchange....

Maybe you can help....

With crafting quite a lot lately I feel inspired to do so much but unfortunately there are just not enough hours in the day.

• One of the things that keeps coming to mind is to make my own rubber stamps, its just something that I want to try even though I've no idea if I'll be any good at it or will keep it up but I'd love to give it a go. The problem is though that I've tried searching online for kits but I just get loads of listings for rubber stamps or places that sell them so if you know anywhere that sells supplies please send me a link. Even better if you can give me some tips on what to consider when doing this.

• The other thing that I'd love to do lately is decorate old book pages. I only have one old book which is about guillotines which wouldn't go down quite so well if I decorated and sent those to people. So I was wondering if anyone has any old but neatly torn out pages that they would like to swap something with me for. (none with pictures on)

 

Its so nice to get this motivation, I never lost it but with all my supplies being in our bedroom I wasn't able to make use of them until the weekend when my husband was at work... then I was torn between writing a letter or crafting. At the moment he's abroad and I'm making the most of it but also at the same time encouraging him to stay a little longer!

 

I had the need to use a corner punch last month and bought one, I have crafted with it so much that I don't know what I ever did without it... so hopefully these 2 items that I want to do something with will have the same effect :).

 

Is there anything you'd like to try that you haven't done before?

(It doesn't have to be craft related)

Its Me...

I'm still around barely... I spent most of last week at my aunties house which is why I haven't posted all that many blog posts or commented much on your blogs. Also though it doesn't feel like I ever had holidays as I am still truly shattered and work is super hectic but I'm still in the easy two week period. From next week I'll find out truly what the work of my new role will be like....

 

One thing for sure though is that I have had the best weekend with the most amazing sunshine which seems to have disappeared today as we're back into rain again.... still I managed to get all my washing done and dried so I don't care....

 

Here is a little snippet of what I've done....

I follow Goodnight Little Spoon's blog and watched the transformation of these silhouettes in to postcards that when she listed them in her Etsy shop I just couldn't help buying a set to use. I waited so impatiently to receive them and absolutely love them. I could never create anything like this as I'm hopeless at doing anything to do with people.

I replied to a super cute sesame street letter with a simple letter pad....

I ate way too many of these Netherlands apple rounds as they were so delicious and almost as thin as a biscuit.

I showed off my Care Bear Tape collection, I just couldn't help it as I just love the brightness and fun side of them.

I went to the supermarket on Sunday but decided to check out the craft section at The Range first as I haven't been for some weeks and they have quite a few new ranges in from Docrafts that were so tempting to buy. In the end I only bought these because I have been drooling over them since they came out earlier this year but refused to pay the over the top prices for them due to the Olympics and Jubilee celebrations. These were reduced to about half price so I decided to finally buy them. I didn't even notice these stickers had borders on the back until I sat to craft last night and should hopefully have something to list on make my day soon.

 

After going to the supermarket I went out for a meal with someone from work. It was such a nice day/time but mostly it was nice just to get out and enjoy the sunshine. The day before I also went in to the city and bought myself a pair of shoes from Clarks for work as its not long until the weather gets worse. I always need new shoes as when the weather gets bad I only wear the one pair all day everyday and they don't seem to last long. I'm going to buy a pair of boots too when I get another Clark Voucher...

 

Now I need to make the most of my husband not being here to craft as late as possible as usually I couldn't as he was in bed about 8pm! As well as making the most of the last bit of lighter evenings as even though as you can see from my photos I'm already struggling with lighting.

 

How did you spend your weekend?

I just can't help spending money....

Yesterday I spent way too much money. I went to the shop to buy some plastic wallets for my current project on Bursts of Bubbles and ended up buying all of this instead.

The tickets I had looked up on eBay because I wanted some for one of the envelopes I was making and have used them in the past on something else but it was £10+ a roll. If I wanted a couple of colours it would have worked out too expensive so I didn't get any at all and made my own. Then yesterday when I saw that rubber stamp set I had to get it even though I hate things with words on. I can however use my pro markers to go around the outline so can miss the words out. I really hate some of the wording as you can only use them for a partner which limits it so why do it?  Those stamps by the way cost me £6.

I then came across those frame rubber stamps which I whipped up straight away as they were only £2.50 and I've already made good use of them on my envelopes, I love them! There was another set but that had words to go with it so you didn't get as many frames as this one as this has a frame within a frame.

I then went to the craft shop in the city to buy some pro markers only like an idiot I left my little chart at home of the colours I needed so only picked up these 2. Before I even got to the markers I came across these origami sheets which I had to get as I really wanted some more but the website that I ordered my batch from years ago seems to have disappeared and no where else seems to sell a great variety as them. It may still exist but my last laptop went haywire and I lost everything which is why I thought I'd saved all my banners, buttons etc... and couldn't understand why I couldn't find all of them... thankfully I eventually did. 

I bought 2 of these from Primarks yesterday for £3 each... I couldn't believe my luck as they were on for £7. I am one day going to buy myself the bigger one which is double the size of this as it would fit so many of my letter writing things in and I can write more often downstairs. At the moment its on for £12 and with having spent so much already I couldn't bring myself to spend anymore on myself. I'd also bought some cartridges for my calligraphy pens but they still won't work properly :(.

One I bought for the daughter of someone I used to work with, this teacher is having a year out to do other things so I thought I'd give them both a little something as her mum would truly appreciate it. I'm thinking of filling it with little bits and pieces but I've no idea what yet.  Maybe you have some suggestions what a girl of around 8-9 years will like?

This is the left overs of a take away we had last night. My older brother told us to get one each as there wouldn't be enough to share. I didn't even get half of it eaten and was full as it had the most amazing super chunky chips too... now a days take aways only sell fries. I've never had this before, its like a pizza with a twist. The base is chicken covered in bread crumbs, I've no idea how many chickens they would have used to get it to the size it was as it was the size of half a pizza. It was then baked with cheese and peppers on top. On the side it had an onion, sweetcorn and pepper salad with cheesy cabbage. It was really nice and super filling. My younger brother choose 2 of these and for my mum and sister they had a bologneses topping which I tried a square of and actually liked more as the tomato paste left a tangy taste. I still need to pay my brother for this! Its the first chicken type thing that I truly liked as usually they are too chunky with squidgy bits in that I hate.

How has your weekend been?