Learn Something New Every Day {Finally Finished Fridays}

After categorising some of my works in progress at the beginning of November and promising to complete at least one project each week - a promise which I managed to keep for all of three weeks before I became ill - it looked as though the pile of unfinished, unloved projects would once again be forgotten. But the sense of satisfaction that came from finally finishing a project that has been sat gathering dust was hard to forget and I've decided that the idea of Finally Finished Fridays is worth continuing on into the New Year.

I admit that it will be hard to pick up those old, unfinished items when new projects are beckoning but, thankfully, I have you - my lovely blogreaders - to keep me on track and tell me off when I don't post something each week. You will help me, won't you?

Anyway, just to prove that I'll be following through on my promise this time around, here's a completed project to round off 2010. (There's so many photographs of it, I've had to pop them into a slideshow!)

I started this mini-album in September, when Shimelle's annual Learn Something New Every Day project began in earnest. I was determined to keep up with the project but, I had some extremely bad news not long into the project, and although I continued to keep notes, take pictures and jot down my journalling, it was too difficult to complete the actual album at the time. (And it's easy to see why once you start scrolling through the photographs.)

I'd made a start on putting together some of the pages at the beginning of November, because I felt that since I'd managed to keep on journalling and taking photographs, that I should be able to finish the album without too much trouble. But, because there were some very hard lessons for me in September, looking back was difficult - and a little overwhelming, and I only managed a few pages at a time. I finally finished today (though the photograph from Day 18 seems to have gone missing!) and it feels just a little bittersweet.

But, if I can finish this little album, I can finish anything and I feel as though I can let go of the events of 2010 and move forward into 2011.

Have a Happy New Year x

Thanks, You Are A Star! {The Altered Element}

I'm feeling especially thankful for the wonderful gifts that I've received from family and friends over the last few days so, inspired by this month's celestial theme over at The Altered Element, I've started to put together some cards.

To start, I sifted through my scraps of Bazill Smoothies Cardstock to make a card base and then found a few co-ordinating leftovers from scrapbooking projects. I then trimmed my cardstock and papers to size and added some definition to the edges by adding stitching and by using a variety of inks from the Tim Holtz Distress Inks Range.

To make my greeting, I used some Alpha Beads (which are, unfortunately, no longer in stock) along with some smaller beads from the Blizzard Glass Bead Mix as spacers between each word. These were threaded onto some Silver Coloured Copper Wire and I fixed them in place with a little superglue.

I then bent the wire around a layer of card and began fixing each of the card and paper pieces to the card base. At this stage, I decided to add a little extra sparkle to one of the papers by dotting some Cosmic Shimmer Twinkles around the edge. There can never be enough sparkle!

To finish off my card, I embroidered a star onto some card using some White Venus Embroidery Thread, cut it out and added it to the top of the card using some Mini Mounting Pads.

This will be my last Design Team project for The Altered Element before the shop officially closes at the beginning of January. It's been a huge amount of fun and I shall miss the team dearly. But, don't forget that you can still order from The Altered Element until midnight on the 1st January 2011 - so don't miss your chance to pick up some bargains in the closing down sale.

It Made My Day Special

I start each and every December in the same way - excitedly planning which festive markets to visit; which carol concerts to buy tickets to and which evenings will be best for a spot of shopping. But, each and every December seems to hit me in the same way - a hugely busy period at work; a killer bug that leaves me feeling rather lifeless and a massive to do list that I need to fit into just a few days. It's almost tradition. *Sigh*

The good news is that I've had plenty of time wrapped up warm, in bed, with copious amounts of tea and - although there's no way I can ever catch up on my Journal Your Christmas project - I've been busy thinking of new projects, promising myself that I'll finish some old ones, and I've been accepted onto the Design Team for Make The Day Special. My fingers are itching to get started on some crafting. (It's not a symptom of the lurgy, I promise!)

One of the gorgeous stamp sets that I've received to play with. Yum!

If you haven't come across Make The Day Special before now, they're the UK's only stockist of Unity Stamps - and believe me the range is stellar. They're perfect for scrapbooking as well as cards because they co-ordinate with some of the better known scrapbooking brands like Echo Park, Websters Pages, Bella Blvd, Jillibean and Melody Ross. I actually did squeal when my first set arrived in the post last week. In fact, it made my day special!

Shopping My Stash {Journal Your Christmas)

I hadn't really intended to be participating in Journal Your Christmas - despite my love for all of Shimelle's scrapbooking classes - but my lovely friend Cheryl bought me a class pass as an early Christmas present and I started receiving e-mail prompts in my inbox this morning! What a lovely gift!


I've been busy 'shopping my stash' this evening, pulling out random bits of stash that I am hoping to sit down and combine into an album sometime over the weekend. I absolutely love the beginning of a project when I can have a really good rummage in my papers, embellishments and ribbons to make my very own little kit! I wish it looked as cute as this one - maybe I need to stage all of my own photographs in tea cups?

Expect some updates on my progress throughout the month - but not every day - I'm not a speedy enough scrapper and I need to have my photographs printed. Just every now and then, deal?

How Winter Should Look

"The city is caught in the grip of ice. Trees, walls, snow, are as under glass." ~ Anna Akhmatova.

1. Snowblind, 2. Love The Sink Houses By Walther & Co, 3. Some Kind Of Blue, 4. ..., 5. Paloma's Parade Sash /Hairband, 6. Warm Hugs