Where have I been ….

Where have I been is busy.  Other parts of my life had taken over my crafting and blogging time😦 I have been trying to find a balance between all of the things in my life.

During this time I have been doing some crafting but not as much as I once was.  But I have just come back from my annual Spinners & Weavers Camp with my craft group.  Going to this has given me the spur on to actually see about doing something about my craft space and what is stopping me from using it.

But I would like to share with you some photos from the weekend

A small group of people but lots of fun

This is me giving a demo of warping my loom using my warping frame

I was asked by my group if I would do a Rigid Heddle Weaving Demo on the weekend.  A lot of people had already taken up this craft but they had never seen someone use their warping board the way that I do.

Helping Sandy to build her new SampleIt Loom from Ashford.

I was so honored that someone wanted me to introduce them to my world of Rigid Heddle Weaving. There was so much going on during the camp even a Continuous Raffle.

A close up of the badges which you can see in the above photo. I made these by needle felting and sewing.  I had a lot of fun making these; this is a new craft that I have taken up lately.  Yes I know I didn’t really need another new craft but it uses stuff I already have from my other crafts.

MY OTHER thing – fixing up my craft area.
Yes I know I only just did some updates to this area not so long ago but this didn’t fully fix the problems that I was having.  This is also another reason I haven’t uploaded much lately.  When I am in my crafting space I just don’t feel inspired or really want to be in that space.  So my Hubby and I are currently trying to figure out a better solution for me.  I need to be able to craft but also feel comfortable while doing it.  A lot of my stuff I have done lately has been at our dining table and this can not continue.

I will try and upload some more in the not too distant future.  Until next time I wish you all some wonderful crafting time.

From
Tracy B

Hugs and Laughter Always

Today I am sharing with you a card I made for a wonderful Aunt of ours who has just moved homes after living in her previous place for many decades.  I wanted for her to find something other than official documents in her new post box.

I first inked up my page with Distress Inks – Crushed Olive and Mowed Lawn – with my Mini Distress Tool. Once this page was dry I ran it through my Cuttlebug with the Secret Garden Embossing Folder from Craft Concepts and then ran Memento Paris Dusk Ink lightly over the Embossed areas trying not to get it on the background.

I stamped the sentiment onto some White cardstock with some Pink Shimmer Ink and cut this out with my Scalloped Rectangle Die.  I placed some blue ribbon from my stash on the card and then mounted the sentiment on some dimensional tape.  I then added this to a top folding A5 White card base.  I had a lot of fun making this card.

Thanks for stopping by to have a look at my project.  To let me know that you stopped by please consider hitting the like button and of course you are more than welcome to add a comment as well. I would love to know what you think about it.

Til my next post,
May you always find time to be crafty.

TracyB

Challenge I am entering:
Shopping Our Stash #235 – 3,2,1
3 Inks, 2 Dies, 1 Ribbon

A Bag for Me

Today post is about the latest weaving project that is on my SampleIt Loom from Ashfords and also a weaving hack or tip as well.

I am half way through the project but I still wanted to share my progress with you – here is a pic of my progress

In the beginning of January 2016 I decided that I was going to make something for Me.  For me this is a very rare occurrence as I am usually making things for others. Well I am still doing some crochet as well. But this weaving project was going to be for me.

I had this book

and I have loved the look of many projects in this since I bought it.  I had never tried any of them up until now.  Unfortunately I didn’t have the same materials that Liz used but I had something similar. I so wanted to make the bag pattern that is included. So I went about reading the pattern and warping up my loom with the required length but I wanted to track my weaving progress because the whole bag is made on the same warp so I came up with this

I cut some strips of paper and joined them together until I had the length that was required in the pattern. I also marked out 10cm lengths and pinned it to the beginning of my project and the longest end. You can see by this picture above I have just under 1.1 meters to go. Now I know exactly how far it is to the end of this piece of weaving.

I will do another post once I have finished making the bag.  Thanks for stopping by my blog today; if you liked my post please don’t forget to hit the like button and also leave a comment if you would like more information or anything.

Til next Blog,
May you always find yourself some crafty time🙂

TracyB

Just for Fun

This morning I decided that I would craft a card just for fun.  I didn’t want to have the constraints of time or deadlines; I just wanted to be free to make something and enjoy the creative process along the way.  But my crafting MOJO just wasn’t playing along so I did what I have done in the past and looked for a sketch to start things off for me and I found this one

This is from September, 2015 but I just liked its simple layout.  I thought this would be something I could give a go after not card crafting for awhile. So I dug through my stash of paper packs and decided to use the Hippy Girl Collection from Kasiercraft.  I also dug out an image of a Butterfly from Meljen Designs which I had coloured in with my Copics last month and hadn’t found the right card for it.

I am really happy with the end result especially after having such a long break.  I am hoping that I will be able to do more since my craft table was updated by my Hubby John.  It was such a delight crafting at my new and updated desk.

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and look at my project. To let me know you stopped in please consider liking this post or/and leaving me a comment.

Happy Crafting Always,
From Tracy B

A New Desk for Me.

Today I am here to share with you my new desk that my Hubby made for me.  Why was I in need of a new desk you may ask.  Well I shall share with you a photo of my desk before the upgrade.
As you can see from this photo my desk which is marked by the green mat wasn’t very big.  Every time I came to sit at my desk I felt very hemmed in. All I had to do was put a few things on the desk and I didn’t have any space to create … though I did; but not very often because of how I felt while sitting there.  I mentioned this to my Hubby and he said that he could do something about it for me.  So we went and bought the necessary wood for the new shelves and my Hubby set about making my new desk.
And here is my new desk … YAY!!! I painted my new desk and the pin board my favourite colour – Purple.  The desk is so much bigger than my old one.  Just taking out that middle upright has opened up my desk so much. I have some new wire baskets for some of my spinning supplies but on the shelf above the desk is my Fiber stash waiting to be spun and turned into projects.  In this photo my spinning wheel is missing but the green mat down the bottom right is where it does sit.

I am looking forward to making my first project on this desk.  I am not sure when that will be – at the start of Christmas School Holidays in my house – but I hope it will be soon.

Happy Crafting Always,
From Tracy B

New Beginings I hope.

 Hello Everyone,

Well life keeps throwing new things into my path.  Some good, some bad. I have been homeschooling one of my kids since the beginning of this year and things lately have had to be adjusted due to circumstances so I have had to put a lot of my energy into this.  This has unfortunately impacted on my screen time. But I have been crafting behind the scenes – Crafting is my one stress relief.

I did buy myself this an Ashford Traveler Spinning Wheel in the beginning of 2015.  I went to a Fiber Camp last May (and again this year) and absolutely fell in love with spinning. I got to try a wheel similar to this at the camp and was instantly hooked.

I have been making some yarns and I have knitted a shawl with the first 5 that I spun.  I will be keeping this shawl once I have finished it because this shows where I started on my Spinning journey.

One thing I am quite proud of is that I have picked up Crochet – after many people have tried to teach me over the years.  I crocheted this bag over the past month using a pattern based on the Derek design.  This was a really well written pattern and easy for a beginner like me to complete.  Once I finished making the outside I also sew some pockets that fit my stuff for the inside.

Even though I changed a couple of things from the original I am really happy with the results.  The one thing I love about making things myself is that I can use the colours that I want too especially my favorite colour – Purple and also I can adjust things to suit either myself or someone I am making the item for.

So this what I have been up too after I said Hi in early May this year.  I want to share with you more of my spinning and fiber crafts.  And I want to get some cards made for either just for the fun of it or that I can enter into some challenges.

Until next time, Happy Crafting.

TracyB

A Gnome Knows

Hello again,

Yes don’t fall of your chair I’m back with my 2nd card of the day.  I had a really productive day which I am feeling very grateful for.

I am really pleased with how this has turned out. I took a while trying to decided which background I was going to put behind the cute picture of Gnomey Peter by Make it Crafty.  I have been wanting to use this image for ages and then the Clean and Simple challenge of “Using a background” over on the Make it Crafty Inspiration Blog gave me the push.

The background is another digi stamp from Make it Crafty as well and is “Whimsical Flowers”. I cropped the original image and I coloured it in with Colouring Pencils.  Gnomey Peter was coloured in with my Copic markers and I’m pleased with both images.

But upon doing this have decided that I am going to have to save up for some better colouring pencils🙂 I am also thankful that I have a Brother Scan’N’Cut to help me to cut out both images and make the wavy element on the card.  Here is a look at the inside of my card as well.

Once again Thanks for stopping on by to have a look at my card. Please let me know that you’ve been by liking my post or even commenting on anything you think I could improve on.

From
CHALLENGE I AM ENTERING THIS INTO
Make it Crafty CAS Challenge – Backgrounds

Something Buging You?

Hello Everyone,

Yes I am back after a very long absence.  Some of this time away was due to illness, this zapped my Mojo BIG time.  I was still crafting but getting behind a computer to post to my blog wasn’t possible most of the time and we also experienced some technical issues.

I am hoping that from here on out I will be able to post more regularly.  I will be posting about my card making which I will be getting more into this and playing a lot more with my Brother Scan’N’Cut.  My blog will also include my fiber arts as well – this is one thing I was able to continue to do during my illness.  Thank goodness for that because if I didn’t have this I would have gone around the bend.

ANYWHO ….

Onto the main reason for this post – my card🙂

This card was made using the image “Scene it – Ladybugs” by Bugaboo Digital Stamps.  The image I coloured with my Copic markers and I am so happy with how it turned out.  I was worried that some of the experience that I had with these may have gone but they hadn’t.  I will be entering this into the 2 challenges over on the Bugaboo Site.

SO thanks for stopping by to have a look at my card and I really hope to see you all again soon.

From
CHALLENGES I AM ENTERING
Catch the Bug Challenge – Theme Challenge – In the Garden
Catch the Bug Challenge – Stella Sketch – #309

Aussie Christmas Greetings

Hello Everyone,

Today I am excited to share with you my card project.  I am really happy with the colouring with my Copics that I achieved.  I tried some new colour combos and I attempted to do some creases and folds.

As you can see by the date range it took me a couple of days to complete as I was quite hesitant about attempting the creases and folds on her dress.  But on Sunday I plucked up the courage and I am really pleased with the results.  Then today I finished her off an put her onto a Christmas Card which is where I first intended her to go.  This year for Christmas I wanted to make some cards that suited our warm weather during the holiday season and I love this image from Make it Crafty.  So here is the card project that I made.

Doesn’t she look fabulous on a Christmas card.  All of the papers for this card came out of my stash of papers from last Christmas, I just love using up things from my stash.

So I am going to enter this card into a couple of challenges and this is how my card fits into those challenges:

Feeling Sketchy – This is a little obvious but I used Card Sketch #96 for the layout
Christmas Card Challenges – Challenge #34 –  They had a photo inspiration as an optional extra and I was able to be a part of that🙂
Shopping Our Stash – Challenge #160 – Can’t Put it Down or Away – Well for me it has to be my Brother Scan-N-Cut – I used this machine to do the following items on the card: Cut the papers for the bottom layer for both the inside and outside of the card, the greeting space on the inside of the card, the rectangle behind the Gumnut Flower Girl, from the gold paper was cut both the snowflake and the scalloped rectangle behind the sentiment and of course last but not least the image itself🙂Make it Colourful – Colouring Challenge #11-  The Easy challenge: Shades of Blonde and the Harder Challenge: Creases and Folds

Now I just want to say thanks for taking the time to stop by my blog and looking at my creations.  And to let me know that you stopped on by today and what you thought of my creation, why not leave me a comment below.  I love to hear what people think of my creations – feedback is how I improve my craft.

Hugs & Blessings Always,

Garden Retreat Decoupage Card

Today’s card is a Decoupage card which the image was made with a kit from Docrafts Anita’s.  I purchased this and 2 other sets and each one allows you to make 2 images from each pack so they are really economical and I love that.

I have liked these kinds of cards for years because they are always fun to make because you get to see the 3D image being brought to life as you are building it.  I was drawn to this one because of the image – I would love to have an outlook like this from my yet to be built patio …. maybe one day.  The card base I actually started a little while ago but I didn’t have the right image to include with it.  The one I had just didn’t seem to fit it once I put it together so I saw it sitting in my pile of stuff that I moved and I liked how the colours went with this image.

But I just want to say thanks for taking the time to stop by my blog and looking at my creations.  And to let me know that you stopped on by today and what you thought of my creation, why not leave me a comment below.  I love to hear what people think of my creations – feedback is how I improve my craft.

Hugs & Blessings Always,