Still Progressing ...

This page shows the view towards Notre Dame cathedral along the Seine. Did you notice the bird flying down the river?? Hence the heart with wings. There are a myriad of artists along the banks of the Seine, each painting the sites in their own style, just as we tourists each take our own photos of those same sites. And no wonder - Notre Dame was just splendid. And I didn't even get to look inside!! Just the outside was enough for me this day: we walked up the stairs to the top balcony, where the view were ... well, wait for the next couple of pages of the album and you will see what I mean. {sigh}
This page uses PP from an unknown source which blends some rose tones; this continues with the rose chalk outlining the photo and the stamped wings & heart (MM ornaments magnetic stamps in Hero Arts antique brown); this page has the back of the wlnut-inked satin ribbon from the previous page "joined" by an LJ epoxy button.
And for the best news of the weekend: a new multi-function scanner/printer/copier. YEEHAH! I chose the Canon PIXMA MP450 - and so far I am very pleased with the results. Yet to come are some photos printed on it, and maybe a preview of the new digital camera I bought as well (OOOPS - the shopping was furious on the weekend.) Neither of these are top-of-the-line, but should be more than sufficient to capture the memories of my beautiful family & friends.
Enjoy your week, whatever you do.

Powering Along!

The best thing about a weekend without the boys when DH is working?? I get plenty of time to scrap!

As well as tidying my craft room, I have completed more pages of the mini-album.
Page 2 shows the Louvre museum - a blend of old and new. I remember the uproar when the glass pyramid was commissioned, and there were those who thought it would ruin the Louvre. It hasn't; it has added to the mystique and mastery of this place.
I remember having little interest in the Louvre - museums and art really aren't my scene - but my friends and I trudged through the Louvre for hours on end. I was secretly in abhorrence of the mummies - decaying bodies so close and just underneath the wrappings - and the Mona Lisa was so crowded we really didn't bother. (I also secretly subscribed to one of my friend's theories that the real Mona Lisa was hidden away in the cellars, just in case ... a plausible scenario to me). But when we got to the French masters, they took my breath away. The depth of colour and texture. Simply amazing. We were no longer trudging; we were actively searching out new (to us) masterpieces in the little time we had left before the Louvre closed. I truly believe that there is somethig for everyone inside the Louvre, whether you are an art lover or not. And you have to see the metro station for the Louvre as well ...
I have used MM acrylic paint espresso sponged over the cardstock and for the MM foam stamp, MM rub-ons for the title, and MM rubber ornament stamp with Hero Arts midnight blue ink, torn handmade paper and silk ribbon aged in walnut ink threaded through an old button.
The craft room is tidier - the ribbons have been strung along the cupboard so far as possible and I have tidied some stray papers. I have so much paper it isn't funny. I could wallpaper the room in it. Seriously.

WIP Part 3

Yep - still going with this mini-album!
Firstly - I have added to the cover - no surprises there ...
I added some Colorbok sticky stitches down one border of the rubbings map.
Forgot to mention the stamp too - MM ornaments rubber stamp and Staz-On black ink.




Now on to the first inside page of the album:
pp from LJ Map range torn, then cs was dry brushed with MM acrylic paint Dusk. The tag is from LJ Beyond Postmarks, and the stamps MM ornaments and Evolution rubber stamps.

Now I am desperately thinking of a way to include ribbon as I am haveing withdrawal symptoms I suspect.





I have tidied the craft room (again) this morning - haging my ribbons on spools from twine strung across one end of my cupboard. Actually had to use a power drill to get the hooks in - that was a first!

SIL is coming over next Friday for a crop/chat, and I know it has to be tidy for when she arrives...

Off to do more tidying.

Work In Progress Part 2

I have made a start to the mini-album:
Just had to use the 7G rubbings for the cover, with MM rub-on alpha, K&Co LJ 3D sticker and RS Nostalgique sticker. I experimented with normal ink and walnut ink, before choosing chalk to outline the map - trying for an aged look ....
The best thing about the cover will be the way the album is held together - but that won't come to fruition until the pages are all complete!

This is the way the cover looks atm - there is every chance that I will alter it before the work is complete.

Happy birthday to everyone celebrating their birthday today - may you enjoy today, tomorrow, and many more to come.

Work In Progress ...

I have joined a wonderful group of people at Blue Bazaar (www.bluebazaar.com.au) with a view to enjoying our common interest of scrapbooking. Creating art, preserving memories, forging friendships.
So I found these old photos of my trip to Europe in 1988/89, and was going to do just a one-page layout. But there were too many photos for just one page, or two, or even 4 pages. So I decided to make a mini-book instead. And I would love to share the process with you!

First: some of the photos.

Next: some cardstock. I don't have Kraft, so I chose what I think is the nearest thing in my stash - Desert Tan.

And: patterned paper. I have gone through my stash and chosen a few from DaisyD's and 7G - hopefully they will match the sepia tones and European feel that I hope the mini-book will have. I am not one of those who can pull together lots of pp from different manufacturers and combine them with ease - it takes hard work and a LOT of mistakes before I can match pp not from the same lot. Fingers crossed these will work together.

Then: embellishments. Yum!!!! Anything from 7G. I will go through my stash and see what I have that will fit with the theme. I was planning whilst I had a facial today (clearly the best way for me to plan an LO :-D ) how to attach the pages to form a book - a pretty nifty way, but you will have to wait and see of it works.
So, day one of the project. I will keep you posted on progress.

The Coiled Spring

Several months ago, DH came home from work after yet another uneventful day at the office. For weeks on end, he had spent day after day sitting around doing .... well, not much quite frankly. Sure, there was the usual testing of equipment, cleaning of the station, but nothing like "real" work. At least, that's the way it sounded to those of us used to 9-5 jobs.
We started to joke about how he was paid for doing nothing. Money for jam.


In all seriousness, DH explained that this wasn't the situation at all. He is a coiled spring - waiting to jump into action at any moment when the need arises. We all fell about laughing at our "coiled spring" honing his skills in front of the tv.
And whilst I am hoping that his is never called on to put his life in peril to save another's life or property, I am also reminded of the motto of Parisian firefighters : sauver ou perir; they undertake to either save your life, or die trying.
I am proud of my coiled spring.

Thought for the day:
There are no facts, only interpretations - Friedrich Nietzsche.

Welcome to my blog.

In hard times (and we've all had them recently), it is easy to lose perspective of what is really important. Of course, what is important will differ for each of us. It is these differences that make us unique.
What is important to me? First and foremost: my family. Husband, 2 sons, mother, brother. These are the people who I turn to every day for support, and to whom I give my love absolutely.
My family is a microcosm of the world at large - very different personalities; some arguments; many, many good times. I don't necessarily like them all the time (and I am sure they don't like me always), but I always love them. Always.

Thought for the day:

The reverse side also has a reverse side - Chinese Proverb