Easily Distracted by Eclectic Elements...

Hi folks...I can't wait to get started on some projects with the gorgeous bundle of Eclectic Elements fabric Tim sent me and have downloaded a few patterns for tote bags and such but this "not very good with instructions" crafter will have to wait for a day when the brain is plugged in and firing on all cylinders and the crafty list isn't looking so hectic.

But I couldn't leave this precious cargo lying around in the cubbyhole and as luck would have it...I had the ideal storage solution right there...staring me in the face. I'm a big fan of the Sizzix Tim Holtz Die Storage Boxes...very sturdy and high quality

but unfortunately not always available to buy in the UK so I was over the moon when I managed to grab the last 2 in a half price pre-Christmas sale...orginally intended to store On The Edge or Decorative Border Dies they are just the right length and a perfect fit for storing the Eclectic Elements fabrics...

and you know me...it doesn't take much to distract me from the crafty work list and before you know I was planning some customised storage for my Eclectic Elements threads. I've fallen in love with these threads...strong...chunky....they don't tangle and are perfect for adding hand-stitching to projects. They are available in packs of 4 in 3 different colourways so while I wait for the other two packs to arrive...I set to work on the make-over of a Christmas Gift box giving it 2 coats of Gesso to prepare the surface...

for it's Eclectic Element overcoat...

I didn't want to use up my Distress Collage Medium Matte on such a large project so I looked out my huge bottle of Decoart Decoupage Medium...Distress Collage Medium Brush and used my Ranger Brayer to make sure it was well stuck down...added the printed section from the selvedge edge and gave it a protective coat of Decoupage Medium which dries in about 20 minutes but best left overnight to fully cure. 

And then the fun bit...a little bit of decoration and of course Tim has the perfect stamps...

I stamped the images on to Ranger Natural Sticky Back Canvas and the sewing thread image again on to Plain Tissue Wrap,,,coloured on the reverse with Distress Markers...cut out and fixed in place with Distress Collage Medium Matte...

 and then die cut the panel using Sizzix Tim Holtz Stitched Rectangles Thinlits...

I had to keep the decoration fairly simple...no 3D type elements so I just added Design Tape and Label Letters and fixed the panel to the lid with Distress Collage Medium Matte...

Now here's the really cool part...there was no measuring or pre-planning involved when I embarked on this transformation...I just knew the box was going to be big enough to hold all the spools but hey I'm over the moon that my usual rush in where angels fear to tread has worked out...check out how snugly they fit into their designated spaces with left over spaces for Eclectic Elements findings and needles...the box came with flimsy corrugated dividers which were not going to stand the test of time so I used them as templates to cut my favourite go-to product for constructions such as this...Sizzix Little Sizzles Matboard...

and I'm thrilled with the latest "a place for everything and everything in it's place" cubbyhole storage box...

You can find links to all Tim's Eclectic Elements products below...

Today is the day that the VERY VERY SPECIAL PARCEL

will be arriving so it's "tidy up the cubbyhole/clear the decks" time

ready for a woohoo I'm very excited stamping adventure

Have fun whatever you're doing

Hugs Kath xxx

InLinkz.com

Start Afresh...

Hi Everyone...I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday and wish you all a very Happy 2017. It's the first Monday of the New Year and time to join in the fun over at the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Blog. Thank you for sharing your creations with us for the "Party Time" challenge and we hope you can join in this week too because...

and the theme for this week is...

START AFRESH

use something fresh out of the packaging...i.e. something never used before

The Design Team are showcasing the fabulous Carabelle Studio Products this week and if you have them we would love to see how you use them but you don't have to use them to join in the challenge.

The start of a new year for me requires a new notebook/diary/planner...this absent minded crafter can't function without a little help in the memory department...an aide-memoire of what I should be doing or where I should be going on any particular day...

so when I spotted this black notebook in my local supermarket...I knew it ticked all the boxes but was crying out for some crafty magic decoration. I cut two panels of Simon Says Stamp White Cardstock slightly smaller than the covers and covered them with Ranger's Natural Sticky Back Canvas...

I cut a panel of patterned paper from Prima's French Riviera 6 x 6 pad and stamped the Mixed Media Strips Art Stamp from Carabelle Studio using Black Archival ink.

I attached the panel to the Sticky Back Canvas with Ranger Multi Medium Matte...used Tim's Craft Pick and Ruler to create stitching holes around the edges and hand stitched zig zags using Eclectic Elements Thread.

I die cut the flags from white cardstock using Simon Says Stamp Bundle of Stitched Shapes die and my "fresh out of the packaging" item was the Angel Heart Die from the  recent "Hey Love" release which I die cut from white cardstock and French Riviera patterned paper.

I used Tim Holtz Idea-ology Label Letters to create the year...

and decorated the panel with buttons from my stash and an Eclectic Element Thread bow...

At this point I decided that the edges of the canvas panel were looking a bit bare so I used washi tape to mask off the letters I didn't want to use on the Cargo Mini Layering Stencil and used the Ground Espresso Mini Ink Pad and round blending tool to add some stencilled letters...

I used the alphabets from the Prima Salvage District 6 x 6 Pad to make the NOTES panel...

and the circle die from Bundle of Stitched Shapes to create tabs for the inner dividers...

and Miss Memory is all set for 2017...no excuses for being forgetful now...

You can find all the products I used over at the fabulous Simon Says Stamp online store...just click on the links below...

Why don't you pop over to the Monday Challenge Blog and check out the amazing creations from my very talented Design Team mates and our fabulous Guest Designer for January Autumn Clark aka sewpaperpaint. As always you all have the chance to win a $50 gift voucher to spend at Simon Says Stamp. You have until Monday 8am Ohio time...1pm UK time...2 pm CET to join in...

You can also follow Simon Says Stamp on Instagram

and if you use Instagram...

please add #sssmchallenge to your entry uploads so we can see them on there too

I look forward to seeing what you create this week...

Have Fun and Happy Crafting

Hugs Kath xxx

InLinkz.com

Happy New Year Everyone...

A guid new year to ane an' a'

An' mony may ye see

An' during a' the years to come

O happy may ye be

An' may ye ne'er hae cause to mourn

To sigh or shed a tear

To ane and' a' baith great an' sma'

A hearty Guid New Year

2016 certainly was an unforgettable year....we celebrated the Queen's 90th birthday and our success at the Olympics...were stunned by the loss of so many of our favourite personalities and the innocent lives taken in unbelieveably evil terrorist acts and then there was Brexit...a vote that divided the United Kingdom and showed people at their worst.

I find myself despairing of the world we live in on a daily basis...overwhelmed by feelings of helplessness and disbelief at man's inhumanity and I have to keep reminding myself that for every evil person on the planet...there are thousands of ordinary people doing good things to make the lives of people less fortunate than themselves better. Individually we cannot end wars or wipe out injustice and cruelty but if each and everyone of us shared a little love/kindness and respect for each other...maybe ONE DAY...we will make a difference and leave the world a better place for future generations.

Most of us are fortunate to be looking forward to a new year in the comfort of warm homes with no concerns as to where our next meal is coming from and I was truly shocked and struggling to understand why Aberdeen...one of the most affluent cities in the UK despite the current economic challenges...has so many people in need of support. It is very humbling to see the sterling work carried out by Aberdeen Community Food North East and to realise how bad homeless issues have become in the city...a heartbreaking message for us all that this is happening in the 21st century all over the UK.

A reminder that I have lots to be thankful for...2016 holds wonderful memories of fun times spent with family and friends...exciting crafty adventures with my bestest crafting buddies...fabulous crafting opportunities...being part of such a wonderful crafting community...loving what I do and doing what I love and God willing this "heading down the slippery slope of old age" crafter is looking forward to doing it all again in 2017 with my adorable Furry Wingman by my side...

Here's to love and special friendships

good health...happiness and peace

 and the best of wishes to you all for 2017

As for New Year resolutions...I'm not even going there considering I've already failed miserably at keeping away from the sweetie mountain.  I'll be back tomorrow with my first DT project of the New Year for the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge...until then...

Big Hugs and Lots of Love from The Furry Boy and His Mum

xxx