Being Crafty

Categories: wot-you-said-and-wot-i-thought-about-it, crafting

Date: 02 January 2013 10:56:04

As I said over at Fat Dormouse I don't "do" New Year resolutions - simply because I never keep them. But I am going to announce here that I'm planning on trying to be a bit craftier this year. Until I find a job - or at least more teaching hours - I will have a few hours spare a week, which I want to try to fill with crafting - either to sell, or to enjoy for the pleasure of doing it.

When in the UK, I went to a discount store, and bought quite a lot of crafting blingy stuff; I also bought two card making magazines that came with stamps and pretty papers. I don't have much experience stamping, and would like to find out more, so I may try to visit some You Tube sites to see what I can discover. One of the items I bought was a set of 12 coloured luggage labels. I've decided to use one of these a month, (hopefully on the 1st of each month, but that may change to the first weekend of the month) to create a sort-of ATC. I'll store these in my SMASH journal and also blog about them...As the year goes by, maybe I'll become more proficient, but for now, here is my effort for this month:

On this side, I've used two stamps, one from a free set of travel themed stamps, and the other from a set of mini stars and suns stamps. I used Color Box inks in Copper and Cranberry to stampwith, and I used Joy Crafts sparkling self adhesive ribbonon the side of the tag. The little button was free with one of the magazines, and the sentiment was something I bought a long, long time ago. It means "Happiness, Love, Health" which is something I wish everyone for 2013.

The other side is like this:

For this side, I used letters cut out of a magazine (it was tricky finding a "J"!) and the tartan ribbon that was on my Ship of Fools Secret Santa present. I thought tartan was suitable for the Hogmanay/New Year theme. The sentiment, from the same source as the other, means: "A New Year: A new start". The embellishments were from a pack I bought in Noz - I can't remember who they were produced by, I'm afraid - and the sticky gold ribbon (which I notice is peeling up and needs to be stuck down again) is from a set of gold peel off stickers by DD designs (I think!!)

This is the page in my journal:

this shows the pockets I've made, which should fit 6 of the labels in.

I look forward to showing you the others as the year progresses!

P.S. Writing down what I used made me feel like a proper craft blogger! Unfortunately, as most of my things come from Noz and are unwrapped & put into the right storage boxes as soon as I get home, I don't always know who manufactured them! Still, it's nice to try!

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Thank you for your lovely comments & greetings on my last post.

Floss: I'm not sure I could be bothered with all the faff of making a Galette des Rois, though if that's your thing, then why not? I would usually buy mine at the Boulangerie, but I was in ShCarrefour, so I bought it when I saw it. I was happy that the fève (or should that be féve?!) was a proper King, so he will be added to my crèche next year (so we'll have a monster-donkey-with-no-ears and four Kings!)

Anna: I have passed on the love and purrs from Zoe to my Kitties. They return the compliment!

Linda: We didn't wake to any bells or fireworks at New Year - mainly because they're not common in France! That's one of the blessings - November the 5th (and all the weeks leading up to it!) don't exist here!!! The fireworks we do have are all well-regulated public displays. Huzzah!

Thank you for your greetings, Tractor Girl. I hope Milton Keynes is still treating you & Karl well.

Mij - I forget you are a Liverpool lass too. It was lovely to be back there - I know there are less-than-salubrious areas, but I do love the city. It's one of the places I'd be happy to live if we ever went back to the UK (though maybe to live near rather than live in!) There's no rush with Father Ted - but it would be nice to see you anyway.