My House Mini Album

Good morning Bloglanders

I hope you are having a Terrific Tuesday. I've been trying out new things in my craft stash but today I want to show a golden oldie. Remember when I showed my "Birds of a feather" mini album last week I said that I bought the kit for a mini album about my house. Well, everything was out so I did just that. If you missed out on "Birds of a feather", just click here.

The kit is from BoBunny (Alora) and I wouldn't normally use colors like this on layouts but I love them in mini albums.  And the story behind my mini book: My family moved to our current house 8 years ago - the boys were in high school and Wynand and I both worked for big wineries in Stellenbosch but since then everything has changed.  The children are grown up, we have our own business and we are part of a family owned winery. With everything changed, our house now needs a major facelift and I plan to do just that after we have finished harvesting.  In Sunny SA that is mid April.

With my book finished, I just have to start on the renovation. Until then, I'll be browsing Pinterest for ideas.  I also plan to slipcover my chairs - will tell you all about it once I get going.  With the mini album done, I will start on the "before" pictures  and then will add the "after" once it's done. Wanna see what it looks like?  Sneak peak just for you:

 FRONT:

BACK:

And my inspiration?

I love The Play Date Cafe and this picture made me smile.  If you want to hop over and see all the entries, just click here. I'm #50.  While you're there, why don't you leave a comment telling them how much we enjoyed this picture?

I'm off to do one of my new projects.  Have a great day and thanks for looking.  I just love it when you come to play at Play as U Go.

Some Bunny Loves You birthday card / mini book

Hi there Bloglanders

It's a Marvellous Monday here in Sunny SA!  I'm back after a week at the West Coast and can't wait to get crafting.  I have a BIG birthday coming up - no, not mine but girlfriend #1, the princess in turning 25 next week. I love her to bits and decided to make her a special birthday card / mini book.

Here it is:

And this is how I did it: (Picture 2)

After last week's Wacky Washi all around Blogland I couldn't help myself but try it straight away.  I've never used it to bind a book but it works very well.  I actually recycled packaging from my Cropper Hopper files, cut the carton into five 2x2 inch squares and covered it with scrapbook paper. Out came the Washi tape to bind the squares together. I've used coral pink on the inside and banana yellow on the outside.  My color inspiration came from The Color Throwdown.

Just a tip: Leave at least a 2mm gap between the squares before adding the Washi - this makes folding the card flat much easier. Sort of a "washi hinge".  I've cut a scalloped circle into the middle block for a peek-a-boo effect.  Also, before I covered the recycled carton, I sewed 2 pieces of ribbon on the left block as I wanted a vibrant ribbon to close my card / mini book. Inside I've added my stamped scallop - "Some bunny loves U" from Papertrey Inc. (Right bottom of  Picture 2) You can also see the details of my front cover in this picture. (Left middle Picture 2). 

As easy as that!

And some more pic's: Back of closed card:

And what I love most about this card /  mini book - it stands up all by itself!!! Here you can also see the dimension on the stamped scallop peeking through the peek-a-boo. Oh!  Forgot to mention - I've put a foam square underneath to make it pop out more.

When I saw this bunny stamp on Alexandra's blog (Art, Scrap and More) last year on Valentine's day, I knew I just had to have it. The Princess has 8 bunnies but that's a story for another day.  Remind me to tell it to you - it is really a great story and I've captured it more than once on a layout. Will take a picture and come back to share.

Back to my "Some Bunny Loves U card / mini book".  I'm adding stuff to the inside of this card cum mini book but I couldn't decide what to do - something like: I love U, Wynand loves U, all your friends love U, Princess Cinnamon Boots (that's her cat) loves you, 8 x Bunnies love you, but most of all - my son loves you.  I'm still deciding if I'm just going to journal or if I'm adding pictures.  If you check back here, I'll share my finished project with U.

Confession time!  I know I make a lot of spelling / grammar mistakes but I hate reading through my post after I've written it. So, I just don't do it! IMPERFECT ME.

Thanks for looking at my blog. I'll be back. Have a Marvellous Monday and please come back to play at Play as U Go.

2013 Handbag Fave's

Hi there Bloglanders

You remember that I told you last year that I make a mini book to go into my handbag every year.  I just hate it when I meet up with a long lost friend and ask what his children / parents / pet looks like and out comes a mobile phone with pictures so small that I need glasses to see them.  Maybe I'm old fashioned but it doesn't do it for me!

Every year I choose my favorite pictures of my family, home and pets, print it and glue it onto 3x4 journaling cards. I think the cards I used this year is from Eco park.  Currently I love ice cream colors.  Here it is:

I've been doing this for the past 8 years. I started out with the Creative Memories mini, mini albums but switched to my current system 2 years ago.  I keep them all on my bedside table (actually, it is an antique dressing table with lots of nooks and crannies) and it looks like a miniature scrapbook gallery.  I love to look at them - you can't believe how the boys have changed over this period of time - well, actually they are 25 year old men now. And the pets I've loved and lost.  Great memories.

If you missed the one I did last year, you can check it out here. And for the lazy ones - this is it:

For the inside info, you have to click on the link! It will be worth your while as this has been my second favorite post over the year that I've been blogging.

Normally I have the cards laminated for protection and sturdiness - just a tip: If you want to laminate, don't use Tombow as the laminator (????) melts the glue.  I use a glue stick (Pritt) and you don't have to use a lot as the lamination keeps everything intact.

Well, that's it from me. Next week I'll be back at home and will be showing you some more of my projects. Have a great weekend. Thanks for visiting my blog and please check back.

Washi storage

Hi there Bloglanders

Don't you love to see how other crafters store their stuff?  I do.  I can look for hours and if I get a good tip, I'll rearrange my whole stash in order to get better access to my toys.  One thing I've learned - if it's out in the open, you will use it!

You all know that Washi tape is the buzz word in the crafting world right now (actually, it has been for some time) and I've bought some, won some, got some as pressies and some came with kits.  Here they are:

 

These are recycled from flags that clip onto your car window. Both the boys had them for the soccer world cup. I used the flags on layouts in their albums but kept the "poles". This works very well as they are mounted on perspex paper holders next to my craft desk. I do see them every day and I do use them a lot.

You will also see that I use the tags that closes bread where the tape ends. I've seen this somewhere and it works very, very well. We even use it on packaging tape for wine boxes as it is horrible trying to get to the edge of tape especially when you're in a rush. Here is a close-up:

That's it from me. Thanks for stopping at my blog. Please check back as I've got lots and lots of crafting fun still to share right here on Play as U Go.  Have a great day!

Birds of a Feather Mini Album

Hi there Bloglanders

I'm having a wonderful Wednesday at the beach and NO - this is not a scheduled post!  We don't have Internet access at the beach house but I made some pancakes for the winery staff and had to deliver it - I grabbed the chance to do a post for you of what I did yesterday.

I'm sure you all have favorite pictures of yourself and the love of your life. Every time I page through my albums I would think that I need to get copies of these and make a mini album but up till now, I just didn't get to it.  So, before I left, I printed the ones I could get my hands on quickly and yesterday I captured all these special moments with a mini album.

Here it is:

I

I used a Bo Bunny paper pack from my stash. I've had it for some time and actually bought it for a mini book on my home renovation but then I realized - I have more than enough stock for both projects.  I just divided the die cuts into the "birdy" ones for this mini and the birdhouses for the one to come. The title is in Afrikaans but it means "Birds of a feather flock together".  

If I tell you that Wynand and I don't have the normal type of marriage, it is an understatement. Nothing soppy here as we both have super strong personalities but we do have lots of fun and have been together forever.  My friend Marelize took a picture of us on a camping trip with me enjoying a glass of wine and Wynand looking over his glasses at me with a look that says "expect the unexpected!" I'll try and get hold of that photo as it captures what I've been trying to explain - you will see. AND I'll have to add it to my mini album.

Want to see more pictures?

 Here is the front back en a view from the side.  Don't you love my lime binder ring?

And the inside pages:

I still have some open spots in my album and that will be filled as I come upon special pictures of us.  In the end I would like it to be a chunky, colorful, vibrant mini.  

And I have a tip for you!  You will see that I've used stitching on the journaling.  I printed on an A4 sheet, stitched through the paper, trimmed it to size and then glued it on the pages. The reason?  No sewing machine at the beach house so I had to do it beforehand and it worked - if I didn't let you in on the secret, you wouldn't have known.

That's it from me.  Tomorrow I'll have to do some office work as I'm getting behind schedule sitting on the "stoep", drinking wine and eating too much. I'll be back to share some crafting fun. Have a great Wednesday and thanks for looking.

  

My Sewing Maxi Book

Hi there Bloglanders

I hope you are having a Terrific Tuesday.  I am at the West coast with my husband - yes!!! This is a scheduled post - a first for me.

My father bought me a sewing machine for my 18th birthday and since then I've been making most of my own clothes as well as dresses for family, friends and their kids.  As I don't have daughters of my own, I love sewing for the daughter-in-law's.  Also, I have a very, very dressed down style which means that I wouldn't get all the experience while only sewing for myself and my home. Christening outfits are my favorite.

Some of you might remember the dresses I made for a wedding last week.  Here is how I capture everything that I make:

Above is the details for the wedding dress and here are the rest of the bridal party:

I write everything down in an A4 notebook.  I even add the pictures and some photos taken on my dressmaking dummy. If I ever have to make a similar dress, I have all the quantities and tips on hand.  I also keep a scrap of fabric and trim to add to my book.  I don't want it to be neat - it is a notebook and should look as such.  Anyway, I love it and I have lots and lots of these notebooks - on a Sunday I'll sit on my "stoep" and page through them.  Sometimes I can't even remember making a specific dress - I don't remember, that's why I scrap!

And to proof that I was indeed sitting on my "stoep" with a glass of West Coast Sauvignon Blanc, just look at the sun spots on my pictures and if you still don't believe me -

Yes, I still haven't replaced  my cat but my neighbour's one is visiting so much that I really don't need one of my own. I love it when a plan comes together!

I try to do a mini book / layout every week but I'm very proud of this maxi book and thought you would enjoy looking at it as well.  

That's it from me.  Thanks for visiting my blog and please check back as I'll be sharing more of my crafting fun with you right here.  Have a great day!

Mini Book / Color Throwdown

Hi there Bloglanders

I've been busy in the office as it's the end of our financial year, my husband is making wine up the West coast and I have to do his part for house, family and business as well.  That didn't stop me to get some crafting fun done!

As it is summer in Sunny SA I couldn't help to take up the Color Throwdown challenge of the week - such nice and summery colors.  This is their mood board:

And this is what I made:

I just love covered notebooks - for myself as well as for pressies.  For this one I've used one with an index.  On my desk is at least 3 of them - I write everything down form what is stored in my garage to the numbers of my printer cartridges.  I don't think I'm organized BUT if I need something, at least I know where to look!

These books are cheap and when they are covered, they look very luxurious. Here you can see the inside:

I have used the Clear Cuts from Little Yellow Bicycle (hello Spring) as decorations.  I bought it as I want to make a mini album called SPRING.  In English spring is a season but in Afrikaans SPRING actually means "jump".  I plan to have every one of my family members (me included) jumping for a picture and that will go into my "Spring mini".  It does take time to get everyone to jump around here and therefore I couldn't resist diving into the stash for this project.

As always, I added my name and the date to the back:

The tag is from Jillibean Soup.

My pressie stash of books, tags and cards are growing by the week. By the time I get to Xmas there will be no rushing around for last minute purchases for me!

That's it from me. Please check back as I'll be sharing my sewing maxi book right here on my blog tomorrow.

Have a Marvellous Monday!