Fabulous Finnabair

What an absolutely fantastic day I had on Saturday. Over 8 hours of creative fun. The best birthday present I could have wished for, two classes with Anna Dąbrowska – Pękocka also known as Finnabair or Finn

With a generous kit of delicious goodies the first lesson of the day was a layout. A new adventure for me as I don't do layouts. (never say never!) This is the result of my first real layout.

The gorgeous couple are my Mum and Dad on their Wedding day 50 years earlier. I added the 50 to the embellishments and used gold tones to celebrate their special day. There may be a fight on for this as it is really gorgeous and I am totally thrilled with it. (That doesn't happen often with my work)

The second class of the day was a journal. We used Finn's new journal from Prima. The new paper line Sunrise Sunset and the mechanicals are AMAZING. I need more, lots more. Easy to use and fabulous quality. They are available locally at Scrapaholics we were lucky enough to have extras for sale on the day. Yes, shopping bags were sneaked into the house!!

We removed the covers to add lots of goodies and create some magic Finn style.

I kept every single scrap of leftovers and created a title page for my journal. All the packaging and scraps of paper will find their way onto the pages in the coming weeks

Remember I said the kits were generous - this is the leftovers of the day. Yummy!!!

I was thrilled to meet some local crafters. Of course, we were so engrossed that we didn't have time to chat much on the day, but hopefully we will remedy that soon.

I was lucky enough to bring home this lovely atc from Debi

Debi had created a fabulous selection of atc's I was very tempted to steal a few more. I will have to get busy and create some for swapping. I feel a new addiction coming on!!

If you have the opportunity to attend a class with Finn, I highly recommend it. Jump in quick with both feet. It is totally fabulous. 

Thank you Finn for sharing your talent with us and I hope you have an amazing Aussie/NZ tour!!

xx Michelle 

Tattered Floral Challenge....and then there were more

Nearly finished the projects for the Golden Wedding celebration. I have decorated a large notice board for displaying all the gorgeous photos. I have made several different layered flowers for the corners of the board and to decorate the push pins. Made out of white card with different stamps and inking in gold.

Kraft card flowers - ready for the next project

Petals made from the Kraft card in bottom middle of photo and then embossed and inked to look like metal.

Metal Kraft petals layered and ready to go.

I am preparing a few more techniques with flowers and will update you all next week.

Again Thanks for visiting and I hope you check out all the fabulous creations at the Tim Holtz tattered floral challenge

xx Michelle 

Tattered Floral Challenge

Well, how could I resist? I love my tattered floral die. I have used it to make stamps, stencils, masks,and many styles of flowers. I may or may not have made 18 other flowers before I decided on the above creations. For the last week two things have been on my mind. One, the tattered floral challenge and the Saturday celebration of this lovely young couple of their Golden Wedding Anniversary on Saturday the 23rd of March.

When the two thoughts collided, The tattered floral challenge went golden. Soft old gold of book pages. I decided to create some decorations for the wedding celebration. Topiary centrepieces for the tables

A button hole for the bridal party

A corsage for a lady guest

And a bouquet for the Bride

As I said I may have created a few extra flowers, so there may be a part two when the competition is over!

Thanks for visiting and Thanks to Tim for such a lovely challenge and so much fun with one of my favourite dies!

xx Michelle 

Friday Favourites - right this minute!

I have been challenged by my dear friend to get back to my blog. I did not forget about you. I have written some amazing blogposts in my head. Only problem is they never left my head to get on the paper so now they are lost or have fallen out!
I am working on a stack of journals right this minute. They are lined up in a row on the window sill drying. There might be a spare 5 or so for sale. It depends on how many more I can fit on the bookshelf without it breaking!!

So, favourites right this minute.

Love this TV series and Hello Kevin!!

Using it right now on my vintage journal

I cannot defend this at all.

Tim Holtz Tissue Paper is Fabulous - I got it for Christmas and it is fabulous on the cover of my vintage journal.

Yes, it is true I have fallen for it. I am in love. So much fun with cheap paint, paper and the gelli plate. More to come on this.

TO DO
Learn to link pictures on the blog. I think I have finally found a class to teach me. I am hoping the tutor is excessively patient!!

Couldn't resist - here they are ...

Not quite finished - more photos to come in the next few days.

Thanks for visiting 

xx Michelle 

Ephemera's Vintage Garden

Some of you may have visited Ephemera's vintage garden before and seen and played with the digital paper kits that Debbie-Anne creates. This was my first time playing and I had fun!!
I wanted to create something different than the ten journals sitting on my desk and looking at me with guilt in their eyes!! I need to finish them, I know I do but, but , but I had an idea and I had to follow it.
A super simple mini album made with two file folders. It is quick and cheap and decorated with Steamtown spring papers from Debbi-Anne, it is oh so pretty.

I made a video show and tell of the mini album

and I made a tutorial of how easy it is to make

I hope you enjoy it and visit Ephemera's Vintage Garden at

http://www.ephemerasvintagegarden.com/

Thanks for visiting

xx Michelle 

Lace Love

I have been working on another guest book and it was perfect timing to work in with this weeks challenge at Simon Says Stamp challenge of Lace Love. I wanted to use some of the paper doilies I had tea and coffee dyed and of course added a little distress ink!

This big fat guest book cover is made from good old cereal box cardboard and covered with Kraft card. I played until my fingers turned brown with Distress stains in Walnut stain and vintage photo and then glimmer misted with tattered leather. I ripped up three coffee stained doilies for the base layer and then added kraft and corrugated card with some of my rust embellies that I have made with my new Tim Holtz die - Tiny tag and tabs. Lots of my favourite distress inks in Walnut stain, Vintage Photo and the new must have and my new favourite Gathered Twigs (I love this colour!!!) I wanted the cover to be flat enough that it is easy to write in the book.

The inside pages are made with My Minds Eye papers that I have tea dyed, baked and then ironed. It gives  a fabulous pattern and texture to the paper and it is a fabulous grunge look which is what the recipient wanted.
Easy binding with a running stitch on the spine and it is ready to be written all over by guests at the party - this party is a 21st birthday for Josie - Happy 21st Birthday Josie.

Lots of gorgeous Lace Love inspiration over at Simon Says Stamp

http://simonsaysstampandshow.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/challenge-lace-love.html

Thanks for visiting 

xx Michelle 

How can I be behind already??

Happy New Year to you and yours.
I cannot believe that it is already the 16th of January. It is probably because I am already behind and I am in a state of anxiety and dread. This month is not one I have been looking forward too. My lovely son has just celebrated his 21st birthday and last weekend we partied. I am thrilled to have a gorgeous and fabulous young man as my son, but I wish it had taken him a bit longer to get to be grown up!! The second part of the dread is that in two weeks we will be helping him move 9 hours away to Film School for the year. Any Mother who has reached the dreaded empty nest will know exactly what it is like. Yes tissues are needed.
As a distraction I needed a guest book for my son and another one for his girlfriend and I realised that I had not shared a few photos here of things that are currently in production. This time the blog comes first. I have not yet videoed these projects.
Let the photos commence....

Ethan's 21st Birthday guest book

Good old cereal boxes provided the base and then I created a mosaic of texture with metal tape from the hardware store and Tim Holtz texture folders.

I created a fabric covered art journal.
The inside is filled with tea stained papers. The details don't really show here but this is deliciously tactile.

Pink and Brown Journal with My Minds Eye papers - Cover

Pink and Brown Journal with My Minds Eye papers - Inside is nearly finished

On YouTube tripledogdareu is having a challenge. This is where I am so far - lots of paper flowers

This is the link if you would like to join in the fun.

Today I am working on this guest book for a party girl this weekend. It is another 21st and the lovely lady wants grunge with favourite colours of red and green.

cover - doesn't look very good

Starting to look better with distress stains and glimmer mist

tea dyed papers, lots of distress ink and some home made envelopes - Hoping this will equal a gorgeous book by Friday!!

I will hopefully be able to post some completed photos and videos soon. In the meantime I hope everyone has a fabulous January, here in NZ we are in the middle of summer. I hope you are enjoying whatever season of the year you are in!! 

Thanks for visiting 

xx Michelle