MY FIRST CHRISTMAS ALTERABLE AND THAT VOODOO VIXEN BOOK

Good Morning Fellow Bloggers

How are you this morning?  I hope I find you well and settled for a nice chat, grab a chair and virtual cuppa tea or coffee whichevers your preference, we've got hot chocolate if you're finding it a bit on the chilly side!

Anyway I had so many lovely comments on my blog for the pink baby book I made using Voodoo Vixen's (Annette) I thought I'll go and see if I can hunt them down - thankfully Annette has been amazingly helpful and put all her mini book tutorial links on the right hand side of her blog - how cool is that - so I found it straight away!

So this is the link to Annette's book for all of you who want to have a go at this amazing book!


http://scraphappenshere.blogspot.com/2009/06/instructions-for-organiser.html

Now just to show you how versatile this book is - this link takes you all the posts I've done on this book!

The Pink Baby Version Shown RecentlyThe Voodoo Vixen Minibooks I've Made Using these Same instructions!


Now a couple of you will remember a few weeks ago that I decided that the 'two boxes' of alterables was a little extreme so I've set myself the dual challenge of whittling it down to one box and to creating Christmas gifts with it along the way.

The first item has now been completed, some time ago hubby made me a 'book box' which I painted up in red ready for the gorgeous book I was making to go inside and then I saw fit, to make the book too deep so he had to make me another one which means the original has been languishing in the bottom of my alterables box ever since.  Perhaps because it was already painted it made it an ideal starting point. 

Then I found out a lovely pack of 'free papers' I got with a magazine recently - that were Christmas themed, added a few sheets or bargain papers from my recent purchases.  I then grabbed some cardstock out from my stack of green cardstock, I actually picked the card that I thought I would find hardest to use in a layout, because I knew it would be covered in papers so the background card wasn't such a major issue provided it co-ordinated with the papers and away I went.  Then set too creating a mini book and box to give to said 11 year old's male teacher this Christmas because I know it will be his child's first Christmas and I thought it would be nice for this young family to document this down, I'll pop in some double sided tape for them to use in the book and hope they manage to fill it with some great photographic memories of the day!

So without further ado - the outer box

the inside

The book

the inside of the book (quite a few pages so I'll put these together)

The back of the book

Back in it's box

And finally a matching card and envelope

I'll be sharing more of these that I can (can't share the 'family' ones (if they get made LOL) on here until after the event - but teacher gifts are not a problem) I've already completed an altered picture - so I'll come along and share this soon!

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY !!!!

Yes it's here officially Friday again - what is happening to these weeks!

So without further ado gratefuls for this week

A day off today (don't tell anyone otherwise they might try and steal it!)

The weather finally cooling down, I don't like hot weather unless I've got a glass of G&T in one hand and a swimming pool beside me then I'll tolerate it!  But that hot in September/October it just felt wrong if I'm honest, so I for one am glad it's cooled down and now we get autumn temperatures to match the colours in the garden and on the trees!

Chatsworth's Beyond Limits exhibition - love it - completely - this year there was a mix of old favourites (where we've seen the sculptors work before), new artists that we've not seen before and new ones that were just plain weird if I'm honest!

Don't believe me?  Now hubby wasn't sure - but I liked this - it made me smile!

but we weren't so keen on this - it reminded me of someone who hadn't quite grasped the concept of painting by numbers?

 then there was this which was OK - personally wouldn't buy it myself

then this wasn't part of the exhibition but is some work that has been carried out by an artist who has woven willow - I loved it - all the leaves were falling into it and becoming part of the sculpture!

then this was in the sensory garden - isn't she gorgeous!

then there is this - not a favourite at all - just a bit strange!

then there was one of hubbies favourites, he liked the precision and the different materials - particularly the granite that had been polished!

then we had this - can you guess what it is - go on guess now - you know you want to!

Well done yes it is a frog with a fly - so glad you got that - what do you mean you didn't?  Neither did we!!!

A couple of Damien Hirst pieces for good measure, Legend and Myth (unicorn and Pegasus) - liked the white side - personally not fussed about the other side of them!

We like these pieces - this one is "Raging Desire" however I prefer the 'white' versions of this that we saw last year and the year before!

And finally one of our favourites on the day the giant feet!!!!!

and the way to use up old tyres - I kid you not!

It's hard to think that this is technically an auction?  Obviously some people have too much money and potentially too big a garden!!!!


Right next up has to be the start of my new circle journal which has apparently landed safely which makes me happy!  It was mighty stressful reaching the deadline (left everything far too late) but it went in the post safely on time on Monday!  Our CJ message board is mighty lively and we are all getting to know each other a bit better which is brilliant! 

Next up is the Secret Santa swap courtesy of our hostess Carmen - press button on the right to find out more if you are a current friend and follower of Carmen!  It should be a good giggle! 

Rugby on catch up on demand - always good fun and means scrapping time for yours truly! 

Making a start on Christmas crafting - I'm liking this - suits me down to the ground as it were!  I'll start to share where I can!

My houseplant is still living and flowering so that's pretty awesome!

Barbecue at my Mums on Saturday evening twas lovely too!!!

Fi getting a job - she did she did she did - big woop woop woop out to her - so pleased!  Currently a 6 month contract fingers and toes crossed that they keep her on permanently!!!!

My hubby and son for just being themselves and for enjoying a great board game night with me on Wednesday evening much fun was had by all!

Right I think that's a fairly good Rocking list this week (despite the fact I've still got this ridiculous cough!)

Crafting well a couple of what feel like 'old layouts' now I've had them in my blog folder forever (that I'm hoping I've not shared with you previously!)  This one from a few years ago when we last went abroad!

with close up of miniature stamping, ribbons and torn paper

Then this one from a typical Menorcan village (I liked the drainage system on the side of the building)

close up showing off the 'altered title' - the card said something like Special day originally and the glossy accents!

and finally

the close ups of the title, layered onto cardstock and treated as a tag with onto foam pads with a bit of ribbon through for good measure!

If you've got here - well done pat on the back etc I love receiving comments - it stops me feeling lonely so say hello if you've got a mo!  If my beautiful Rockettes are joining in add your linky and a comment so we can come and visit!

I hope you've all had a beautiful and blessed week and that the weekend is full of joy and laughter!

She Likes It!!!!

It's always lovely to know that a present has been received (and Royal Mail haven't let you down), it's even nicer when the recipient likes it!  Last year an old school friend had a little girl that her and her hubby had tried for for a very long time and I made her a small gift to remember all the fantastic messages she received on facebook which she said she loved!  

This year her little girl turned one and I knew she was having a bit of a family gathering so I put a little mini book together for her and sent it off recently.  Now that it's been received I'm going to pop it on here, it's based on the Voodoo Vixen book that I've made so often - honestly Annette this book is such a delight to make - simply beautiful and it can take so many pictures which is great particularly for a family gathering or a family day out!  In fact I've realised today that I've got a stack of Yorkshire Sculpture Park pictures sat on my desk and this book would be perfect - so expect another version of this very soon!

With my friend having a little girl I got to play with Pink for a change - something I rarely get round to using, I've used a new embossing folder on the front with the hearts, I think it's my favourite embossing folder (by far) and reminds me of a favourite Magenta stamp!

The inside has pockets on the right and a spiral bound book on the left! 

This book is genius (again Annette - the statement "I'm not worthy" comes to mind) because of the way it pulls out to show all the pockets in a row!

In each pocket there are large pull out tags

Here they are separate I also provided some tiny journal prompts and some double sided tape for my friend Karen to use as she filled it up with pictures!

Then the book folds up to reveal more pages underneath!

I got some 'card topper' sheets in the recent bargain bag purchases which is where the pink teddies have come from, there were also a couple of decoupage sheets that I was unsure of - but I think the teddy looks quite sweet

I stamped on the words to the middle of the heart then the pocket pages look like this

this is such a fun book to make which I thoroughly enjoyed.  I hope you enjoy!

ROCK IN PEACE RESURRECTED CIRCLE JOURNAL FINALLY LEAVES THE BUILDING...

So I finally got the circle journal completed yesterday, in all honesty I don't know why I left it until the last minute but I did, i made decent headway on Friday but then lulled myself into a false sense of security, busy Saturday morning, then a BBQ at my Mum's on Saturday night and a day out on Sunday meant for a very fraught and slightly stressful Sunday evening, but I rose to the challenge (as did said hubby) and I got there (just) with an early start Monday there was no chance of me managing a bit more today, it had to be done!  Anyway it's finally on the way to Jasmine, so I thought I'd share the covers and my layout - I've gone for the theme of Linkin Park - I fancied a circle journal inspired by them, thought it would be a great piece of artwork to look through in years to come! 

The cover verges on steampunk (no idea why) and is very textured!   

The bank not so varied in colours but I still liked it!

Inside are pages that fold out, I used some of the song lyrics and a sheet of the oldest paper I think I have!  It came from the 12 x 12 magazine back in its hey-day that had 'free' papers in the middle and I'll be honest I never thought I'd use it - ever!

then the inside page - inspired by one of my favourite tracks of there's complete with a Chester stencil!  I used the inspiration from the album cover Hybrid Theory but couldn't bring myself to add butterfly wings to Chester LOL!

Finally the back of my entry has photos of the band on double mounted, I thoroughly enjoyed doing the layout and can't wait to start on this circle journal journey!

It's been a fraught start to the journal, but it was such good fun last night going to the wire, because I wasn't the only one!  A bit of camaraderie in the team ranks was great and I'm really looking forward to getting to know everyone! 

Thanks for stopping by!