Not another addiction!!

Yes it is Junk! Please note it is an interesting selection of old books, fringe, records, record holders (I thought useful for storing papers) sequin trim in lime green! and what looks like a very long leg for a Rag doll. All the trim and fringe came in a bag for 50cents so I didn't like to give them back the leg (?) and say I didn't want it - but what am I going to do with it - any suggestions welcome - there is a prize - Yes - you could win the leg!!!!

And just in case you thought I loved old records to listen to - No ... I do not have a record player ... just a cunning plan.

My son bought these little beauties from mightyape.co.nz

They are drinks coasters and he thought the matching Placemats would be cool. I thought - Junk Shop!!

What do you think - $2 for a stack of old records - the chips and scratches did not cost extra! I get to keep the cool graphics from the covers (I know I can think of something Fab to do with them... Junk journal??) and he gets cool placemats that are a bargain - I did offer to sell them to him for the same price as the styly (I know it is not a word but it seemed to fit) rubber ones - he declined!! He prefers the Mum price - Free!!

Also good news for me this week - I finished three mini books and they are already sold. Photos of the finished books will be up next week.

On the continuing saga of my video uploads or lackof - it is a problem with my new bloggie clashing with my Windows software (apparently) - guess what my hubby will be doing this weekend.

Hope to be back on track with a new video anyday now!!!

Thanks for visiting

xxx Michelle

Great Plans

I had great plans over the weekend after a terrible week, I planned to shock my youtube subscribers by catching up on all my videos. One a day for three days - great plan - the first one went so well - uploaded without a problem but I have spent the rest of the weekend trying and failing to upload the second vid.
My fabulous birthday present of an idiot proof camera - the bloggie - which in theory is supposed to be for idiots like me - is not working - I am going to ruin some poor techies day by ringing them!!! No email - I want to speak to someone!!! Whoever answers that call is going to wish they didn't after they try to explain what - An unexpected error is - It is not unexpected to me - I have seen this message many times and I have only had the camera less than 1 month!!
I did manage to upload the vid of my Altered Letter Stand - I love this and have been trawling the junk shops in the hope of finding more. I think I cleared out all of the good stuff in the last creative burst! But the fun and frustration of junk shops is you never know when or where you will find something  fabulous!

Here is the link to my Letter Stand

I hope you enjoy it and I hope your computer is your friend today.

Thanks for visiting

xx Michelle

I think I have a problem?!?

Hi everyone
My name is Michelle and I think I have a problem, an addiction, I may need to go to a meeting. Previously this love was reserved for chocolate! A moments silence please for the joy of chocolate!! I have an idea of what to make with all the empty packaging - but enough of that - back to my current problem.

Can you see what my problem is? These are my current projects!! Ok, I admit it, not all my current projects - it is too embarrassing to show you them all - and I don't think I have a table big enough!! Included above are three mini albums, a birdcage mini, a birdhouse mini, several mini boxes and an altered book and lots of flowers - I don't know what I am doing with all those flowers - I just can't stop making them! I was doing well with the three main minis that I am making for sale until I had a thought - an altered board book!

This is it so far - one junk shop childs board book, one old book used to cover and create all the flowers and leaves and some paper doilies - I don't know where this is going but I love it so far.

So, do you think I have a problem? How many is too many?

Please make me feel better -

how many projects do you have on the go at the mo???

have fun

xxx Michelle

Happy Birthday to me - Leibster Blog Award

What a fabulous present I got for my birthday - the Liebster Blog award. 
I was awarded this from the fabulous Kit of PaperKitz.

The Liebster Award takes it's name from the German word
meaning Beloved, Dearest or Favorite.

It is given to bloggers who have a small following - under 200 followers.

As part of the tradition it is passed along to 5 bloggers that have
motivated and inspired.
To accept the award you must:
1. Link back to the person who gave it to you and thank them
2. Post the award to your blog
3. Give the award to 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers
that you appreciate and value.
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award.

I am so flattered and thrilled and will be trawling through my favourite blogs to find my absolute favourite five - this could take a while... alot of research and inspiration is required ... no housework possible until this mission is completed!!

I found Kit on You tube and love her channel so much I tracked down her blog - you will love her too
visit her at ...

http://paperkitz.blogspot.co.nz/
http://www.youtube.com/user/Paperkitz

I have been distracted inspired by her channel and have made a couple of her gorgeous little books from one sheet of 12 x 12. Photos to follow - apparently my camera is exhausted - that is seriously what is says!!!! I am recharging all batteries and will be back in full production shortly!!

I am so behind on my videos and blogging - I will try and update daily to catch up! We have been experiencing technical difficulties and I will explain more in my next blog.

Hope you are all well and having fun playing!!!
Thanks for stopping by - see you soon
xxx Michelle

Graphic 45 Design Team 2012 Audition

Hi Everyone
It has been a crazy week in my house since I decided to try out for the G45 design team. Not only did I decide to try out - I thought (why??) that I would create all new projects with the items already in my stash!
I love repurposing items and I had some goodies from my local charity shops.

My vintage inspired collection.

This was a wooden cutlery drawer - love it as wall art!

The plastic cotton reels were inked to look old and covered in G45 paper.

Another charity shop find - a photo frame restyled.

I created the flowers on all the projects from G45 papers and Kraft paper.

A restyled letter rack - love my charity shop!

Mini books featuring the tags from the Transatlantique collections and the G45 sticker sheet.

Notebooks altered with the Curtain Call collection and more fabulous stickers.

Tag Book created with recylced card and black and creme papers from various collections.

Everyone needs a secret drawer!

I love the little secret inside the love letters - it is tiny. Approx 1" x 3"

My new Paper bag mini - vintage inspired on the outside.....

Full of fabulous graphics and colour on the inside!

I created this tag tree fom a coffee mug tree. Love this idea and I am hunting for more of them. Wouldn't this look great decorated for the various seasons - and if you find them at your local charity shop it is great for the budget too!

I love TPR mini books - I created this with 1 sheet of G45 stickers, 1 pack of G45 chipboard buttons, and 1 pack of G45 chipboard flowers.

My first altered book - fabulous to make. Vintage style on the outside...

And the gorgeous steampunk debutante on the inside.

I hinged all the doors and added lots of hidden pockets and movement.

Door after door!

Love all the movement on this page - flick to the next photo to see it swing!

Gotta love a leg with a kick to it!

See through window

I loved making these projects. I have used many different paper lines from Graphic 45 with vintage treasures from my family. They will be enjoyed in my home for a long time to come.

Thank you for looking and Thank you to Graphic 45 for the inspiration to create these treasures.

I hope you like them  - I do!!

xxx Michelle

Fabulous Freebies

Hi
I am back with a quick blog with some links that you will definitely want to visit.
I love vintage ephemera and these are my favourite places to visit.


Graphics Fairy - gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous blog
http://graphicsfairy.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/vintage-french-graphic-amazing-paris.html


Lilac and Lavendar - Fabulous tags and other beautiful images
http://lilac-n-lavender.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/english-perfume-spring-gift-tags.html



Magic Moonlight Images - lovely vintage photographs and other wonderful goodies
http://magicmoonlightfreeimages.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/collage-image-for-you-free-images-for.html

I hope you enjoy these blogs if you haven't already visited. What are your favourites?
Have fun
xxx Michelle

Marion Smith Hybrid Journey Journal - Blue 21st Present

Hi Everyone
I have been busy playing with the fabulous downloadable kit from Marion Smith.
This is the link to view the kits available from Marion
http://www.marionsmithdesigns.com/marion-smith-designs.html
I have made several of these in different sizes, and with different colours and themes. This book I printed on A3 size paper which gave me a book of 81/4" by 51/4". It is a great size and fabulous for a smash book style journal. A Smash book is a great way to keep and remember all the bits of emphemera that we collect in our daily lives, movie tickets, beautiful packaging, or packaging from a favourite store, little notes from people we love, all those 'treasures' that we can't quite throw away but don't know what to do with.
This journal was made as a 21st present. I included tags with ideas of things to remember from a special party - the food, the people, the decorations. You could have guests sign it autograph style or add quotes of things people said. It is a great place to keep all the memories together.
I created a box to match and in my excitement I didn't take one photograph!! I can't believe it, but I did remember to video it and you can view that here

I have created another couple of these books as presents and will upload the photos in the next couple of days. I must remember to take photos before I give them away!

This book was so well received that I have orders to fill - that will keep me busy!

I will be adding a seperate blog for the links of all the fabulous places I visit for free graphic images. Some of those images are included in this and my next few journals.

Wishing you all a fabulous day

xxx Michelle