Happy end of April!!

Hello Bloglanders

Before we start on a new month, I want to show what I've been up to over the past few days. In South Africa we have a long weekend at the end of April - if you take a day or two off from work, it is more like a mini holiday!! Wynand and I decided to stay at home to get some home and office admin done and of course, I had a bit more time at my craft desk.

I totally love making mini books packed with memorabilia and info about our trips and travels. More than that - I always collect souvenirs and add it to my book's binder rings or I keep them on our kitchen "key board". Let me first show you a close-up of the mini book binder ring.

I added broken shells and a silver dolphin collected while on holiday as well as the "Lazy Days" trinket, a few pieces of ribbon from my stash and of course, a key chain with a picture of me. I love these acrylic key rings and use them all the time to label my craft projects or add a personal touch.

Such a GREAT feeling when you use your scraps and scrapping tools on alternative projects. For the acrylic key ring I use a left-over picture, cardstock and letter stickers. All from my stash. Circle punch and it's done. If you don't have a circle punch, don't fear, they even come with a cutting template - scissors will do!!

This week I'm submitting my project for the SimonSaysStamp Monday challenge - "SHOW US YOUR METAL".

Here is one where  I've used metal (and another acrylic key ring) as part of my collection of European holiday souvenirs:

This one hangs on my kitchen "key board". Wynand custom made this board for me - it covers the ugly electrical board on our kitchen wall and supplies much needed storage space for our keys. YES!!! we do have a LOT!! This "key board" is one of my most prized possessions!!

I also have an "African" collection and a "beachy" one on my board. Can you spot them????? If not, hop over to my Instagram feed - I've uploaded some pics just for you!!

Now, I'm off to get my hands on another crafting project. Monday is still a public holiday which means that I have lots of time to finish up some FUN things. I'll be back ............................................

In the meantime, have fun and remember to try something new - TODAY.

April Showers bring May flowers Project Life Title Card

Happy Monday Bloglanders

I hope you are having a wonderful day!! Today, I want to share my handmade Project Life Title card for week 16:

My inspiration came from the SimonSaysStamp Monday Challenge - "April Showers bring May flowers". Not so easy if you live down under in Sunny SA where we are heading for winter!! I decided to take my inspiration from a rainbow and use the rainbow colours.  This is what I got from my scrap stash:

I just glued strips of paper from my scrap stash onto a 6x4 piece of cardstock - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Then I toned it down with some white acrylic paint and distressed it a bit. Some stamping and embellishments from my stash and it's done!!

Another week in my life captured!

Thanks for looking at my blog today. I have heaps of office work but will be speeding through it to get time to do some more crafting. Please come back to play as I have lots more to share right here on Play as U GO.

Just a sneak peek - over the weekend I made 2 Layouts. They fit onto 6x12 pages in my Project Life album. Love them. I'll be back to share some detailed info later this week.

Until we meet again ................................  have FUN and remember to try something new - TODAY!!

Happy Birthday Card

Good morning Bloglanders

Happy Wednesday to all of you!!  I think I'm having a mild depression .......................... yes,seriously! During 2015 SO many things happened that I went onto auto pilot and now it seems that I just can't snap out of it.

I found that the only thing keeping me from staying in bed the whole day, is if I set myself a challenge and keep to it. It does make me feel better to see that I can still be creative.  Yesterday, my challenge was from the SimonSaysStamp Wednesday Challenge Blog.

I don't make a lot of cards but find that my whole family tends to give gift cards or money and for that we  need pretty cards.What better way to use up scraps, be creative and make something?

I used the Single Roses die from SimonSaysSamp and just piled up my die cuts onto a watercolour background. A bit of black stamping, a sentiment and it's DONE.

Here you can see the dimension on my card.

Of course I made some more of these pretty roses and that will be going towards a Project Life Page. That's on my desk and anti-depressant list for today!!

If you want to see ..................................... check back or join my Instagram feed and you'll be the first to see.

In the meantime, have fun and remember to try something new - TODAY!! I'll be back to show my efforts right here on Play as U GO.

Stencil and Molding paste on my Travel Notebook

Happy Sunday Bloglanders

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. I cooked, played and drank some good South African West Coast Sauvignon blanc. But that's not all - I had some extra time for crafting.

I finished 2 Project Life Layouts, a 6x12 Layout and a double page spread in my Travel Notebook. Let's start with that:

I used one 4x6 photo, edited it in Photogrid and added some titles and dates. Then into my book. I wanted to try out my new Kelly Purkey inks but totally lost the plot with the grey and had to do something to tone down my effort.

I've had stencils and moulding paste in my stash for AGES but never tried my hand at it on one of my layouts. Out it came and this is what it looks like:

I totally love how it cleaned up the mess but still looks artsy and crafty. Done!!

Now for the inside info. While I was deciding what to do, I saw this challenge on the SimonSaysStamp Monday Challenge Blog. Inspired, I went searching for my stencils and molding paste. And I did another project while everything was out - I'll be back tomorrow to show how I used it to decorate my Project Life cards.

Remember to check back!! Here is a sneak peak - just for you!!

In the meantime, I'm off to have a "braai" (barbeque) on my "stoep" (porch). Beautiful weather down under in Sunny SA!!!

Secret Sewing

Happy Wednesday Bloglanders

I hope you are having a wonderful week!

As promised, a pic of Goudmyn (GOUD=gold; MYN= mine) near Robertson (Western Cape, Sunny South Africa) where we've been camping this past weekend.

And now for my post on SECRET SEWING.

If you follow my Instagram feed, you would have seen it by now but if you haven't, I'm here today to explain how to do it.

I print all my comments on a 6x4 sheet. In "Word" adding a table and filling up the spaces with what I will need as well as some extras for future use. Now start stitching.

The GREAT thing about this is that even if you don't have a sewing machine, you can ask a friend to help you out or do a stack when visiting your mom or aunt who does have one stashed away somewhere.

I use all my "scrap" thread for these. You will see that I've used orange on top and pink at the bottom and halfway through my project, I had to replace the bottom thread - now that one is yellow. I like the IMPERFECTNESS.

I also like that the stitching doesn't go all through to the back page. No need to cover up unseemly threads.

Now start cutting them apart.

All that's left is to glue your stitched titles onto your projects. Keep what's left in a mini storage bin - they will come in handy in future projects. I use them on my PL spreads, PL cards, mini books. layouts and in my planner.

And ............ meet my SECRET SEWING mini book:

I will put some more SECRET SEWING projects up on my blog throughout the week.Just check back and all will be revealed.

That's it - I'm off to have some crafting FUN. Have a wonderful day and please come back to play.

3x4 Project Life Travel Mini Book

Hello Bloglanders

Happy Friday to you all!! Wynand and I are on our way for a camping weekend. He's a VERY happy camper!!

But, I'm not checking in to tell you about our trip - you can check my Instagram feed to see what it looks like and I'll be sure to share some pictures next week. I do want to show my Project Life Travel mini book.

I do love mini books but they tend to sit on my coffee table and I miss out on their picture in my Project Life spreads as I don't want to duplicate. SO, I came up with the idea to include mini books in my PL spreads. You can see more of them here.

This one fits into a 3x4 PL page protector:

After our camping weekend, I'll show the whole page. Just check back and all will be revealed. Let me show you how I made it.

One piece of rather sturdy cardstock of 3 x 4-and-a-bit (add a bit to the length of your card where you can sew on the pages) Cut a few pages - I did different lengths as I wanted the bottom ones to peek out. I used ordinary copy paper but you can do cardstock if you want to. Now fold the copy paper pages in half.

Now stitch / staple / bind. I use paperclips to keep everything in place.

Now ............................................ let the games begin!!! Embellish your mini with scraps / new stuff / pretties you've been hoarding ............................... just GO!! And this is what mine looks like:

My caravan and car comes from a previous Silhouette cut and paste project, the rest are die cuts from scraps of paper and SURPRISE (drumroll!!!!) ............................ in my next post I'll share my Sewing Secrets. Check back - you will not believe that adding sewing to your photos / layouts / journaling could be so easy. BUT, that's for next time. If you are curious, see if you can figure it out from my Instagram feed.

And a sneak peak inside my PL mini book:

And here I'll be adding info about the campsite:

That's it!  I have to GO. People to see, things to DO, places to GO. Happy weekend to you all and I'll be back on Sunday with some pic's and my promised Secret Sewing post. In the meantime, have FUN and remember to try something new - TODAY!!