Books I wanna get my crafty paws on.

Alrighty... I've broken my resolution to blog at least once a week. Bummer~~I am not all that bent out of shape about it really. I rarely make resolutions, so I was kidding myself that I could follow through.

One of the reasons I haven't blogged much is that I haven't been scrapping much. Last weekend my creative endeavor was to shorten a dress I got at the clothing show into a tunic shirt. The dress had an odd yoke in the stomach that I evened out, but then the dress was so short it barely covered my butt. I am pretty happy with the results and wore it to work on Monday (its in the laundry or else I'd take a pic and post it now. I'll be sure to do that next week).

The sewing project has me interested in sewing again. I love the idea of taking my old clothes and making something new and fun out of them. There are a few books I would love to have a peek at.

I think they're all available at the Toronto Public Library, and if they're as great as I hope they are, I will probably swing by the Indigo to grab my own copies. I'll let you know how things pan out.

I'll keep you posted ... oh! That was punny! I'm such a geek.

=P

Scrapmojo Challenge #8

You know how they say the camera adds 10 lbs? Well, in the case of the scrapbook page I completed for the latest Scrapmojo challenge, the camera seems to have made my layout look a little on the skimpy side.

Whan I was add the last little bits this afternoon, I was quite pleased with the final outcome. I didn't want o go overboard and overembellish (unseemly! LOL), but now after posting it in my Two Peas gallery, it just looks so bare and boring to me.

Any suggestions?

Scrap your garbage (and recycle the scraps)

Today we had a snowday, and the evening plans to go see Enter the Haggis were cancelled =(

Happily we'll all be able to get together tomorrow night.

I took the time off today to do a bit of cleaning, and ended up with tidying my sCRAP desk and catch up on my craft blog-stalking.

I read last week about Ali Edwards' challenge to incorperate junk mail in youir layouts. She did a cool layout that I can't find now! Grrr. I should really learn how to bookmark all the cool pages I come actross.

Anyway, here's mine. I used a flyer we recieved in the mail for a new townhouse complex going up in the neighboorhood.










I backed the clear buttons with images of windows from the ad. Sadly the whole layout doesn't photograph very well because of the sheen on the paper. Oh well, what can I say? At least it was free. =)

Two Layouts; one old-ish, one brand-spankin' new

I am officially the slowest scrapbooker in the known world. It took me all day to finish one page... and by finish, I mean I started parts of it a few days ago, but only completed it today. =)

Here is the masterpiece:

I am not usually a "hidden journaling" kind of girl, but this one kind of demanded that approach.

The photo is of the itinerant produce market that would role into the street, right outside our window (you can see it just past the hotel sign). This is just one of the many, many benefits of staying in a residential area, where Venetians live. Throughout the tourist-y parts of Venice, the sidewalks roll up at 9:30, but in Canareggio, we would see many people out and about walking and chatting, little children running and riding their bikes in the piazza well into the night. it was lovely.

So that's my new page... here's the "not-so-new" one. I was over at a friend's this past weekend and we were talking about scrappin'. I told her about a page I did and pointed here to this blog to check it out. Funny thing.... I never posted it! Heeheehee, oops!

So, with no further delay...........

I am so in love with these little felt flowers I scored AT THE DOLLER STORE! Gotta love it!

Book Club

If you don't already know, my friend Tina and I started a bookclub, "The Low Maintenace Book Club" about 3 years ago (!!! that long already?). We had a meeting last night, and it was the largest turn out to date. It was great to see so many people there.
The book was "Different Seasons" by Stephen King. We thought a series of novellas would be easier for folks to handle over the busy holidays, but it turns out there wasn't much to say about the book. Book club turned more into a post-holiday catch-up party, and that was fine enough with us. =)

I am SOOOO pumped about our next meeting (not until March- the Low Maintenance Book Club meets every other month) because we are reading one of my favorite books...

So funny, so clever, so well done. I am leading the next meeting so if you've read this book and have comments or opinions (negative opinions also welcome) let me know.



On the creative front... we started another semester of pottery. I am not sure yet what I'll be making. I am thinking about making a slab box canister/cookie jar and a series of plates that will fit together like a puzzle.... we'll see. I should get on the wheel this session too, but I am in no big rush (read- Leanne is scared of the wheel) =)

New Layouts

Alrighty... it's Thursday which means that I am still on track to keep my resolution.



So for a long time I wasn't scrapbooking at all. As I mentioned last post, it was non-stop Christmas cards, Christmas cards all the time. Well, I got my groove back. These are my latest two:


My brother has a new love, his new camera (well actually 2 new loves, the picture taking gizmo he's pictured with above, and his not-so-new-anymore [before Canadian Thanksgiving] girlfriend. I like them both! Heheheheee



I dig this layout because I LOVE the picture. I posted it as my profile pic on facebook and you would not believe how many people messaged to ask me how I know "The Rock'. I strung some of them along for a while, telling them that I met Duane when he was living up here during his CFL days. If you know me, you know I am the world's worst liar, so i could only keep the charade up for a short time, but HOLY FUNNY!

Okay... off to fulfill another resolution: Go to bed at a decent time on school-nights.

ni-night =)

New Year's resolution

Okey-dokey... here's a resolution I may actually be able to keep.

I resolve to update my blog no less than once a week (more in a perfect world).

I really haven't had much to add in recent weeks. It has all been kitchen renovation and Christmas prep.
I did finish my first semester of pottery, and I look forward to starting semester 2 in January.

Pinch pot with coil top and stamped button. Glaze- White outside, Raspberry inside.

Pinch pot gone wrong (aka. the "Ugly bowl"). Glaze- Nutmeg outside and rubbed over leaf motif, Speckled White inside.

Cookie Cutter Christmas ornament. Glaze- Blue slip under white glaze.

Christmas Ball. Glaze-Speckled White on top, Blue slate in middle, Blue slate over white on bottom.

Leafy Vase. Handbuilt column vase with fresh leaf pressed into the clay and stamped clay appliques. Glaze- Andrea's Gold on outside, Nutmeg inside, Jade rubbed into the leaf motifs.

I also made a rockin' platter with a star motif (for serving yummy Christmas goodies) and a desk cup for my grandma's desk, but the camera batteries died before I could get a decent shot. The cup is gone to Whitby now, but will snap a few pics once the camera is revived.

I have also started scrapbooking again. I hadn't done a page in I don't know how long. I was focussing on the 3 zillion Christmas cards. I only send out about 50, but I was on a roll. I will save the leftovers and send them out next year, but I know I'll make more in the summer. The surplus will get passed along to the church for their Christmas bazaar.