Monday 16 December 2013

Christmas is coming early for me!!



I am so excited and completely inefficient at the moment. I should be packing but I am not. I am flying to Auckland on Wednesday to attend my son's graduation. I am then staying on with him for a few days before the rest of the family arrives and we spend Christmas together. It is the first year ever that I have not been at home with family. Most years Christmas involves one meal at one side of the family and the other meal with the other side. This year it will be very different. Four humans and 1 dog at our Christmas day. We are enjoying hot steamy days and will probably have a barbeque for our Christmas meals! Very different to all the picturesque snow scenes I have been enjoying on instagram!!

We have rented a house on a farm with a view of the sea. I am not sure what internet access we will have, so I may have a lot of catching up to do on my return!

I wish you and yours a fabulous, fun and safe Christmas and New Year. 

xx Michelle 

P.S. I made the Christmas tree many years ago, there is a lot of upcycling involved. An ugly old picture frame, black velvet and tons of sequins!

Sunday 8 December 2013

My Time Machine Broke!!

It must have because I lost November and now I am freaking out that it is the beginning of December (I know that is a stretch but pretending keeps me sane)

I have had some internet challenges of late. We upgraded to ultra fast internet, which sounds fabulous but it did not like our computers and after countless phone calls and being advised to be patient, the upgrade was slowing our computers down, we finally figured it out on our own. It clashed with the latest Windows programme. (If you are a NZ Telecom user and have problems contact me and I will tell you the quick fix) Finally I could log on to the internet, I had missed A LOT. On You tube I no longer have comments or messages and have not yet managed to find them! I wish technology would stop speeding past and let me catch up.

During this time I did fall completely in love with instagram. It is so quick and easy and it was not affected by my internet problems on my phone at all.
If you want to see what I did for the last two months, here is the link.
http://instagram.com/thepaperaddiction

I have made a number of journals, including this gorgeous one for Alysia



These are some of my latest journals at various stage of completion. I have had a few enquiries so I will show you the options here. 



EDIT: I am off on summer holiday for several weeks (Yippee!!!) and so I will not be able to process any sales or accept any commissions until I return.
I will have some journals for sale in the New Year.


Thanks for visiting and I hope you are all having a fabulous December
xx Michelle 









Friday 11 October 2013

Creative Chemistry 102 - Day Four

Today was not a good day to play with alcohol inks. I did remember to open the door in my room and get some fresh air in, but if I don't make sense today .... it is probably because it was too late!!

The lessons in class today are on alcohol inks. I am guilty of seriously under using these products. I do not have a lot of colours, just gold, espresso, rust and black. That might explain yet again why I have created a tonal piece. I did not have any glossy cardstock to hand so instead I grabbed a metal tape card and used the inks for colour and depth. It may not quite fit in with the class but Tim is all about taking the techniques and tools and making them your own and so I did.

 I started with this ....

and ended up with this

Time for some fresh air!

Have fun 
xx Michelle

Thursday 10 October 2013

Creativity Chemistry 102 - Day 3

The fantastic thing about and online class is it is ready when you are .... you can never be late! Love that.

Tonight I only had time to watch the videos and play with a couple of tags. I do not have a few of the distress products used in today's class but now that I have seen the distress glitter in action I neeeed some!!

I loved the technique used on the right so much I tried it out on the ribbon - do you like the effect? I am sworn to secrecy on how it is done!! (by Mr Tim Holtz, of course)

The technique of the left is done with distress stain and although I have the vintage browns covered I do not have any other colours. I thought it could be tooo boring , but I am thrilled with how it turned out.




Lots of fun and more tomorrow ... Hope you are having a good week
xx Michelle 

Wednesday 9 October 2013

Creative Chemistry 102 - Day 2

Today was a bad day .... I fell totally in lust with the new layered stencils from Tim Holtz.

stencil3

I feel the need to shop!!

I made do with my own assorted stencils and played with the techniques we learnt in class. 

 

and then I dragged out my Tim Holtz stamps and went to town ...


I had to stop after I made the above tags, my desk has shrunk, my hands are black and there is craft stuff all over the floor from when I ran out of room on my desk ... I think I need to clean up before class tomorrow!



If you are interested the class is at online card classes.
The class is on now and a new days videos is loaded every day this week but you can take the class at any time and revisit the videos at your own convenience. I love that it is on call whenever I want to check in. 

Have fun 
xx Michelle 


Tuesday 8 October 2013

Tim Holtz Creative Chemistry 102 - Day 1

I am busy playing and making a mess today. I joined in the Creative Chemistry class at online card classes. Last year I did the 101 and graduated so now I can join in the next class.
The class is a technique based class and we make lots of tags of the different techniques we learn with all the various Tim and Ranger products. I have a few of most of the products needed, including 1 distress marker in vintage photo. When the markers were released the budget did not stretch far enough so I purchased one to try it out - it is very cool but the lottery tickets have not been very kind so it remains a loner with no friends!!
I managed to make a big fat mess and have a few photos of my creations with my favourite at the end.


I splashed out on the Distress paints and love them. As always I had to have the browns and metallics but now the rest of the colour range is calling my name .... 


Yes - this is what happens when you spill distress paint. The good news is the colour is gorgeous and I have lots of backgrounds ready to go!



Looking forward to tomorrow's class!

Thanks for visiting
xx Michelle 


Saturday 21 September 2013

Vintage Dressmaker Journal


This year my son left home. He moved to another city to follow his dream of working in the film industry. Some of you will know what that means! I am thrilled for him and so proud, he goes after his dreams and it is inspiring to see. But, I miss him so much and there has been some major adjustments and of course some tears.
He is studying Directing and Scriptwriting at South Seas Film School in Auckland. For his final project he will create a short film and as the Director is responsible for the providing the budget. He is fortunate that a lot of the equipment is on loan from the school and crew are volunteers. He still needs some $$ and I volunteered to make a journal to auction as a fundraiser. The auction is running on Youtube and Ethan and I are thrilled with the response. We have two more days to go, before the auction closes. 
I will need to take a lot of photos of this one - it is gorgeous. The cover is rich and lush with layers of ink and glimmer mists in browns, golds, copper and bronze.

Here is the link if you would like to see a flip through


Many Thanks for all the kind comments and fabulous support I have received in the last week. 
I am so grateful.
xx Michelle


Tuesday 17 September 2013

New Journals for Sale

It is time for another journal sale. As you know I love making journals and these are my latest creations.

If you are interested in purchasing any, please email me here with the name of the journal you are interested in and I will send you a Paypal Invoice and your new journal will be on its way as soon as payment and shipping address is received. EDIT: All Sold - Many Thanks for all your support

                                                                   Link to the Video Flip 
                                                                              



The Grand Mini Album
The pages in this album are 6 x 7 3/4". the cover is 7 1/4 x 8 1/2".
SOLD - Thank you



Special Delivery Journal 
This journal is 4 1/2 x 6 1/2". It is full of tea dyed paper.
SOLD - Thank you


Fly me to the Moon Journal 
This journal is 4 1/2 x 6 1/2', and is full of tea dyed paper.
SOLD - Thank you


Our Story Journal
This journal is 6 1/2 x 8 1/2'. and is full of kraft paper and tags ready to tell a story.
Includes a bag of extra tags.
SOLD - Thank you


Vintage Junk Journal
This journal is 6 1/2 x 8 3/4", and is full of tea dyed papers, envelopes and assorted weird stuff
SOLD - Thank you


Be Brave Journal
This is created with tea dyed MME paper and is 6 x 8 1/2". The title is optional and can be changed.
Approx 100 pages
SOLD - Thank you 


Just Dream Journal
This is created with tea dyed MME paper and is 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 " The title is optional and can be changed
Approx 100 pages
SOLD - Thank you


The Grand Journal 
This journal is created with tea dyed papers and is 5 1/2 x 8 1/4"
SOLD - Thank you


Mirror Mirror Journal
This journal features kraft and white paper with lots of pockets and tucks.
SOLD - Thank you



Adventure Journal
This journal is 4 x 6"and full of very tea dyed paper
SOLD - Thank you



Dream and Faith Journal 
These two light junk journals are tea dyed and sewn. 5 3/4 x 8"
All Sold - more available soon!! USD$20 incl shipping or two for USD$30


Vintage Note books
made with leftover tea dyed paper and kraft covers. 61/2 x 6 1/2'
All Sold - Thank you 


Napkins 
An assortment of napkins from my stash (Minimum 12 pieces)
Sold - Thank you

 ****************************



Each Journal comes with a bag of tags made of an assortment of paper and card. (Minimum of 10 pieces)



Many Thanks for your interest and support
xx Michelle 








Saturday 14 September 2013

What have I been doing?????

It does not seem possible that it has been so long since I last posted. I have to admit that I have been distracted by instagram. It is quick and easy to use and very easy to upload photos to.

If you would like to check it out ..... This is where I am sharing sneak peaks of what I am working on

http://instagram.com/thepaperaddiction

The other thing I have been focused on is making journals. I have completed a number of commissioned journals and I am currently working on two more - they are private at the moment ... secrets!

I have also finished a number of journals for sale and will be listing them here shortly. In the meantime here is a sneak peek!




Thanks for visiting 
xx Michelle 

Thursday 8 August 2013

Oops it's August

The month of August has started off with a bang. Major rearrangements going on in my house. My studio no longer looks like it did here. It is now in a different room and it looks like a major explosion has taken  place.

Lots of organizing and to be honest.... hunting, hunting for glue, for paper, for my heat gun. How could I lose so much stuff going from one space to another?? I know nothing has left the house. I know it is some where in the room and that makes it soooo much worse!!

I need to go shopping - I have decided that the following are the answer to my problems


ikea raskog trolley - definitely in this colour and maybe two of them?!


ikea alex unit - fits A2 paper - oh joy!!


ikea helmar drawers - yummy - fabulous for stamp storage but then I would need to buy more stamps!

I have a vision of a central island made up of the alex and the helmar drawers with a easy care table on top. Now all I need is to convince the hubby and I am away laughing!! I am sure my room would be tidy if I had the right storage!! Wouldn't it??

Thanks for visiting
xx Michelle 

P.S. For my kiwi readers - I found the above goodies on trade me as we do not have an Ikea store in New Zealand. 

Wednesday 31 July 2013

Flowers, flowers everywhere!!

I got totally distracted by the studio tours and spent so much time visiting (and lusting after) other studios that I neglected my own blog. So I am rectifying that right now.

Way back in January I participated in a fun challenge on Youtube. The challenge was to create a tussie mussie out of a toilet roll and decorate it.



I covered and created the flowers out of book pages.

 It was a quick and easy project and a lot of fun! I was asked to do a tutorial on my flowers. I have finally done this. I did think I needed to created some clever new technique but have realised I like to find the easy way to create and so I shared my simple flower techniques on YouTube here


This video shows the flowers in the photos below. I use all the petals cut from the Tim Holtz tattered flower die and I like to used lots of texture.


I have a few other techniques to share on how I make my paper flowers and will get a video tutorial of them up shortly. 

Thanks for visiting 

xxx Michelle










Sunday 14 July 2013

And now for a reality check!!

I love my tidy room. I love all the drawers closed and the floor clean and my enormous desk But, reality struck 5 minutes later, when I started working on my next project/s.

My desk has shrunk - it is to small now ....





Lots of experiments in progress. Creating new (to me) techniques!

I am slightly addicted to the Studio tours over here

This is when my studio was tidy!

Have you been on the tour yet??

Love to hear which is your favourite. I am so jealous of the gorgeous vintage storage. Last year I painted everything white, when I fell in love with all the studios. This year I am so drawn to the aqua colour - I might be repainting soon!!

Thanks for visiting
xx Michelle  

Friday 12 July 2013

Where Bloggers Create 2013

Aaaargh what was I thinking!! I cannot show you my room. I need to clean, organize, repaint, redecorate and push the walls out till it looks like it does on my pinterest page!!

Last year when I found this fabulous event I went visiting and over the last 6 months I have popped in and out to check and I hope visit all the studios, big or small I love them all. They represent our creative dreams and what could be better than that.
My room of my own was created when a bedroom was freed up when the first of my two babies left home. It was once a bedroom but I am now not sure how a bed ever fit in here!
It is not big enough. A second storey would be a handy addition along with a great big sink and designer storage. The only option apart from a major building project is a tidy up and oops it is a lot bigger after a clean.




It is so tidy! It did not last more an hour but I am shocked at how big it is. It is a trestle that I bought from the Hardware store. the plastic top is not pretty but it cleans up really easily and I probably don't need a craft mat but I use one anyway.


My treasured Distress inks and home made spinning pen storage. there are no labels on anything . I change my mind all the time about where things should be and cannot commit to a permanent label - does that make me a commitment phobe??



This started off as a big ugly brown (sorry Mum) Wall unit. Featuring a cocktail cupboard in the middle. I put my ugly craft stuff in there. When Mum and Dad said goodbye I grabbed it and painted it, scuffed it and sanded the edges. The bookcase beside it is a cheap brown veneer wall unit that needed to blend into the background. I covered it with book pages.




I cover old shoe boxes with book pages and dressmaker pattern to create cheap storage. The purple book was a birthday gift from the Ellen Bee - I adore it! 

Vintage journals and mini albums I have made


Old loaf pan from the charity shop - I may add more rust. The dream journal is made from a book cover.


Old books and albums bought to alter but I cannot bring myself to touch them!!


More vintage style books made by me.


This is my mixed media spot. The little drawers were a present from my darling daughter Aleisha and were from Typo. They hold gelatos, Big brush pens and watercolour pencils. The cowgirl make up case was a charity shop find and holds some of my pens. (I have a stationery addiction as well!) The tin underneath is gorgeous and also from my favourite charity shop.


My treasure trinkets. These are art-i-cake and industrial chic charms from Michaels. As I live in New Zealand, going to Michaels is a dream of mine. My friend Ellen Bee hooked me up with these goodies. I cannot decide how to use them so they are all attached together on large safety pins until I get brave enough to stop hoarding them. I love looking at them and they are like a big fat delicious charm bracelet.

  

Another charity shop find. the dresser was an expensive buy at $8 (WooHoo) repainted it in matte white acrylic. I want to redo both painted pieces when I get my hands on some Milk Paint. the three tiered storage was created by my hubbie after I saw an image on pinterest. I used old cake tins from the charity shop (painted black till I decide which colour they will be) and threaded rod from the hardware store. Warning - Mine have a wobble on them as I overload them. I need to cut down the rod to make the gaps between smaller but they are in constant use as they are filled with all my paint and sprays. The mess underneath the drawers in intentional, that is my very expensive storage solution for big papers and card!!

  

These little shelves were originally made by my Father in Law for when his children were little. They have lived many lives until now they are painted white and store some of my treasures!


Some of my paper creations

I also have a large closet in this room. No, you cannot see inside. We have to be much better acquainted before I can show you that!! Definitely not appropriate for a first date! Maybe 2014!

Thank you for coming to visit. I hope you like my studio. I will admit as I type this it no longer looks like the photos. In the days since I have made several books and a number of atc's so there is creativity everywhere!

Many Thanks to Karen for hosting the tour and all the hard work she has put into it. If you would like to visit all the other divine spaces click here


Have fun 
xx Michelle