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

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  

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 

Doodle Books and a tutorial

I love these little doodle books. They are easy to make and lots of fun to play in. I used a simple binding stitch and different sizes to create different books. My favourite kraft coloured envelopes are a main feature, of course!

For the tutorial on how to make your own, click on the link below.

Sorry the give-away for this book is closed but I am working on something for the blog soon!

Thanks for visiting

xx Michelle 

I have a confession to make

When I started blogging and making YouTube videos I did so to keep a record of what I make. This worked for a little while, until I realised that my photos were not very good and I didn't actually know what I was doing technically speaking. As I continued to over think the situation, I had less and less time to actually post something!! That is the problem with over thinking it doesn't leave a lot of time for the DOING!!!
So, I am officially over it. No more over thinking for me. Bad not completely fabulous photos will suffice. I accept I will need to practice before I improve and that will only come with the doing!
Please accept my blanket apology for anything that is not quite as good as I would like it to be.
I am a work in progress.
And that is half the fun!

 

Have fun today!!

xx Michelle