Delving into The Makers' Box

Things at The Makers' Collective have changed this month. The previous (slightly confusing) membership system has been simplified so that all members will have early access to purchase each month's Makers' Box at a deeply discounted price. There is no obligation to buy a kit each time if it's a project that doesn't appeal to you. Alternatively, if you wanted to gift a Makers' Box for a friend as well then you have the opportunity to get more than one! 

Here's what I got in my Makers' Box this month....

Firstly, there were tassels. And you all know my recent addiction to tassels! I've been adding paper tassels to my layouts and cards like crazy, so the fact that this project came with instructions on how to make these miniature ones out of embroidery thread was a huge winner for me. The kit includes three different coloured thread and 5 different size jump-rings so you can already make five tassels with HEAPS of thread left over for more later.

Next up was the (slightly more tedious) task of threading beads onto elastic. A bit difficult given that the elastic was quite a snug fit through the hole in the beads. However, what I love about this now is that the beads don't move around on the elastic and make that annoying clicky sound when you walk or wave your arms :-)

Straight up I made these two bracelets for my girls - letting them choose what colour tassel they would like. Moriah, who had previously been obsessed with all things purple has shifted her attention to blue since it's the colour that features so prominently in the movie Frozen, so that's what she chose. Whilst Bethany was rather taken with the bright yellow.

Of course, I tried them on for size. Quite cute hey?! I definitely need to be making myself some next. The project kit came with enough black beads to finish these two bracelets with some left over (but not enough for another full one). There is heaps of the elastic left though, and as I said, at least another three tassels already made. So I'm thinking I just need to stock up on the beads and I'll be all set to make a bunch more of these, especially since the process was so quick and simple I was able to complete them during one of Judah's naps!

 To sign up for a Makers' Membership check out all the details here.

A Handbook Holiday

After posting my 'front cover' of the holiday section in my 2014 Handbook at the beginning of the month as part of my Studio Calico Lisse Street projects I figured I probably should finish off the rest of the pages!

Now I know I just stated that and then posted a photo with the left-hand still empty. It is actually complete but for the life of me it seems I failed to take a photo of it! But I wanted to push on and get all these up for you, so I'm not going back now to photograph it I'm afraid ;-)

I've been using a bunch of different SC Project Life kits, but I'm also digging into my old stash of 'vintage' products lately too. This spread below was all made with the old Studio Calico collections Sundrifter and Here & There from ?2012, maybe even ?2011. Still classic!

This spread is probably one of my favourites of this section, it's made with the Hello Hello PL kit and includes such fun embellishments like that line of sequins... which was actually an accident. I'd originally thought it would be cute to draw a little fish there, to fit with my theme, and just jumped right in with a pen. Needless to say it didn't turn out so well and then I had to find something to cover it up!!

There's still plenty of journaling throughout my spreads which is always important to me. I love the fun colourful filler cards, but I need to have the cards that allow me space to write! The SC kits always have such a great mix of both I find.

The last page in this section of my Handbook concludes with another spread not shown here (because I've shared it here back in January). I have such a sense of satisfaction that I've finally finished this now. I mean, the holiday was in September... so it's only 7 months late!

xx

A Handbook Christmas

In trying to fill in the gaps of my 2014 Handbook I found myself having to revisit Christmas. My album isn't a chronological account of all our adventures throughout the year, but it does include key events and other random moments that I felt required a photo and a story. 

Sometimes the events were spread out over multiple pages if I felt there was a lot to share, and the Christmas season was one of those. In December I created a '12 Days of Christmas' album, so I didn't want to rehash everything again, but my Handbook includes the photos that didn't make it into the album, and the ones that have more of a story behind them.

These first two pink and purple-heavy spreads (not your traditional Christmas colours but I'm really loving it!) are made with the Studio Calico Park Ave PL Kit which has been one of my favourites for the year.

And then this spread below included some cards that came as a bonus kit when you signed up for Stephanie Bryan's 25 Days class which ran during December last year.

And lastly, this one documents our Boxing Day celebrations with a mix of both these kits.

Even though the album is completely not chronological it just so happened that these spreads found their way at the end of the album so it's quite fitting ultimately. I've still got some gaps before this point which I'll continue to work on, and I share here real soon :-)

April Jot Mood Board

I know I've been all about the cards for a while here, but it seems I have swung my attentions a little more towards the Project Life process recently. I think probably because I've got SOOOooo many photos and tonnes of stories to tell at the moment. I really must get started on that baby album soon. But in the meantime I'll start with sharing this spread:

Sure, it's not the most joyful of topics. It is indeed about the day we sprinkled my Grandmother's ashes. But this is real life right? Documenting the lows as well as the highs, journaling through the tough times as well as the celebrations. And seriously, this specific day was all of those things!

I actually took my colour palette inspiration from the April Jot Magazine Mood Board Challenge. With it's elegant combination of navy, gold and pink as well as it's floral theme I thought it would suit the 'atmosphere' of this page perfectly. 

I've used a real mix of different Studio Calico Project Life kits for this one, as well as some other stuff from my stash. I shuffled through Poet Society, Penny Arcade and Cirque - pulling bits and pieces that matched as I went. I'm thinking it's about time I integrated all my kits out, rather than having them in their original packing. It would make this kind of PL-ing much easier! 

I even included not one, but two of the prized gold foil speciality cards on this page. I'm desperately trying not to be a hoarder! And honestly, if a page about your Grandmother's ashes doesn't deserve two gold cards then I don't know what would! I splashed around some orange waterpaint to add the finishing touches.

I tell you what, the Jot Girls are just loving the Mood Board again this month and have come up with some stunning projects. You can check out all the details for the challenge here. Maybe you'll join in?

xxx