Headset Repair - Helmar Creative Team

One of the ear cushions/muffs came of C's headset and with the move I did not want to be replacing his headset just yet so I decided to try fixing it myself. 
Ideally I would have like to use Helmar Fabric Glue for adhering the fabric back down and then Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive to adhere it to the plastic but I packed my Fabric Glue when I packed my sewing stash so I just had the 450 Quick Dry to work with and it worked really well.

To adhere the fabric back where it has come away from the stitching I worked in small sections with my Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive gluing it in place a inch or so at a time.

Once this was dry I put Helmar 450 Quick Dry on the surface for the muff and adhered it down to the headset.

I wrapped some rubber bands around it and left it to dry for longer than needed as I wanted to be sure I gave it it's best chance at holding.

All fixed.
As I am typing this he has been using his headset for a week and there are no signs of any issues.

Baby Boy Mini Album

Late last year my friend welcomed a precious baby boy into her family and I wanted to make her something she could treasure so I decided to make a 6x6 mini album for her sweet boy.
I filmed a flip through before delivering it but I was delayed in editing it and typing up this post so I decided to just wait until the kit that the adorable Giraffe I used on the front cover was revealed to share it with you.

The Giraffe was the only kit item I used on this project as at the time it was the only component I had avaiable but it was absolutely perfect for the cover of this album.

So if you want to watch the flip through here it is.

As is so often the case my decisions about where embellishment go is decided by my mistakes.  A error on the spine helped decided how the embellishments would be place on the spine. 
I think it turned out really cute.

To see the rest of the album check out the flip through video as photos just don't do it justice.











Items used to create this album
Scrapping Fun Kits June 2019 Kit
Kraft cardstock
Echo Park Sweet Baby Boy Kit
Helmar Acid Free Glue
Stickmaster Heat Resistant Tape
Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive
Twine from my stash
Dress It Up Embellishments Adventure Awaits

And as I was time poor and hadn't created a mini like this since I stopped tutoring in 2015 I decided to utilise this fantastic tutorial from Your Book Of Memories that has all the measurements ready and all the math done. 

ANZAC - Scrapping Fun Kits Design Team

Last year on ANZAC Day the boys and I spent the day exploring the Discovering ANZACs website and reading all the documents about my Grandfather and my Grandmother's brother, I really wanted to scrapbook these important stories from our family history but I just didn't have enough suitable supplies so I made some Watercolour Poppies that day and then started work on creating a ANZAC inspired kit.

I scrapped the photo my Great-grandmother sent Grandad while he was stationed in France during WW1 earlier this month and on ANZAC Day I spent some quality scrapping time scrapping the restored photo of Grandad from WW1. 

I started by aging my cream cardstock with Distress Ink in Antique Linen and Vintage Photo, I also edged all my paper layers and my photos with Vintage Photo.








I started by playing with my papers until I was happy with my layers, trimming out any paper that would be behind things and adhering them together with Helmar Acid Free Glue.  When sticking them down I didn't glue to the edge so that I could tuck things in later.
I wound up tucking in some Fundamentals white paper doilies later as once my embellishments were going down it felt like it needed it.

I stepped a little further outside my comfort zone and created a big field of poppies with all my Watercolour Poppies, the fabric and resin poppies from the kit and the poppy washi from the kit.  I usually don't do a cluster of flowers this big but I do love my poppy field. 






I started by sticking down some of the poppy washi and then sticking down all my watercolour poppies.  I then added my poppies and the leaf die cuts from the kit.
And finally added 2 wood veneer clock faces and some chipboard flowers and swirls from a old pack of Basic Grey chipboard.

For my title I grabbed out the letters for ANZAC from some Ruby Rock-It chipboard alphas and painted them with some gold paint. 
Once dry I inked them with Distress Ink in Vintage Photo to create a more brass look.









I added some scraps from a vintage crochet doily to my layout with Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive (I used this for the wood veneer clocks and the resin flowers also) and some green embroidery thread. 
I placed a piece of the vintage doily in my top left cluster and into my main cluster, carefully poking it under flowers so it looked like it belonged in the cluster rather than being added as a after thought.

I added some Ruby Rock-It red micro beads to my cluster by just dabbing a little Helmar 450 Quick Dry Adhesive in random spots.












I added some paper scraps and washi to my top left and bottom right corners to draw your eye.

 I was so worried while I was building this layout as I do not usually do a big flower cluster but I absolutely love how it turned out.

Bubbles I must get them - Helmar Creative Team

Our dog Lily has always love chasing bubbles.  She will do all sorts of interesting and goofy leaps and runs around in pure delight trying to get them.  It is something I have wanted to document for years but Lily hates having her photo taken, if she sees you with a phone or camera she will stop having fun, turn away or put her head down usually under something so you can't get her photo.  So this time we played with the bubbles outside which made them much harder to catch for her but it meant I could be standing back enough that she wasn't worrying about whether I had a scary camera.  I took dozens of photos and had 4 good photos that I felt showed how much she loves chasing bubbles.

To create my layout I wanted to use Kraft Cardstock for the base and photo mats as it is the perfect colour for pulling your attention to Lily as it is close to the colour of her coat.  And I decided to combine it with some Kaisercraft Open Road papers I had in my stash as they would be perfect for coordinating with it being in a backyard, a stamp by Katzelkraft called textured droplets and a mini Distress Ink in Chipped Sapphire.

I started by matting my photos, using Helmar Acid Free Glue to adhere them to the Kraft Cardstock.  Helmar gives a much better hold on Kraft Cardstock than other adhesives in my experience.

I then grabbed out my stamp and stamped my bubbles all over the page in my Chipped Sapphire Distress Ink, not re-inking as I wanted the different faintness to represent the bubbles.

I then took my simple background outside and gave it a coat of Crystal Kote Matt Varnish to ensure the Distress Ink won't run if it were to ever get wet for any reason.

I pre-cut my papers in random sizes to make pulling the layout together quicker.  I started doing this in the last year or so and it really has helped reduce my indecisiveness when scrapping as I just have to use these pieces and make them work.

Next I glued down my papers and matted photos with Helmar Acid Free Glue.
And then added my title with some very old alphas from my stash, added my journaling and doodly border and called my layout done.

I love how it turned out.  It is a really simple layout but it tells the story and that is what was important for this layout.

What quirky things do your pets like to play with?  Have you thought about documenting them?

Lunar New Year Fine Motor Skill Decorations - Helmar Creative Team

As a family we like to explore various cultural, awareness and themed days.  One of the things I love about doing this is making decorations with my boys, it is a fun way to bring in some fine motor skill activities and sensory activities to our week.
In February one of the days we like to explore is Lunar New Year, unfortunately there is no Lunar New Year activities where we live so we usually decorate in a small way, learn about the Lunar Calendar and we have dinner either at our local Chinese restaurant or we get take away from them. 
This year we decided to make a tissue paper Cherry Blossom Tree.
You will need
Branch/es that suit the look you want.
Pink tissue paper or serviettes Helmar Super-Tac Glue Helmar Premium Craft Glue
If gluing 2 branches together like I did some scrap cardboard to reinforce the joint.

Start by preparing your tree, if you need to glue 2 branches together do so now.  I used HelmarPremium Craft Glue as it is what I had on hand but I think Helmar Super Strenght PVA WoodGlue would be better.  I used scraps of cardboard to reinforce the join, it blends in fine and you can only tell if you look up close.   I found a V in the big branch to sort of jam the other branch in and glued it there and then glued my reinforcement pieces over it.

As I was using some pink serviettes left over from E’s Fortnite party we were able to cut 4 circles at a time by leaving the serviette folded in quarter.  Using a small bowel and marker I traced a circle on each serviette, then E set about cutting them out, giving his fingers some exercise 😉

 

Initially we were careful with our scrunching and shaping, starting by scrunching each layer and then unravelling, then layers a couple of layers together, pinching in the middled and scrunching into a flower shape. 
You could just scrunch up the flowers into a ball but I thought this might give E better fine motor exercises.

When gluing the flowers to the branches I put the glue sort of inside the flower and then sort of found a nob on the branch to put the flower over getting a good hold.  Others I just glued straight on.  As you glue the flowers sort of use the glue to get the scrunches to hold together.

For smaller flowers use scraps of your serviette and just scrunch them up into a ball and glue on.

Next we made our paper lanterns.
You will need 

A4 red paper
Helmar Craft and Hobby PVA

Very simple.  We just cut some A4 red paper in half, the boys cut slits in  all the pieces and then glued them together with Helmar Craft and Hobby PVA, adding a handle with paper scraps.  Once dry we simply threaded them onto our Christmas lights and hung them on the window where our tree is living.

Finally we made some paper firecrackers.
You will need 

A4 red paper
3mm red ribbon
Gold tape
Helmar Premium Craft Glue
Helmar Craft and Hobby PVA

We cut the red A4 paper into 2.5 x 3 inch pieces, then cut 3 inch pieces of gold washi (2 per firecracker), then cut 7inch long pieces of red ribbon (1 per each pair of firecrackers) and 1 10inch piece of red ribbon.








 









The washi wasn’t sticking well as it was old so we glued it on with HelmarCraft and Hobby PVA.
Then E rolled each piece around something round to get it to curve.

Time for assembly.
Using Helmar Premium Craft Glue adhere 1 end of the ribbon inside the red paper, then add some glue to one side of the roll and glue the ends together to form a roll.
Glue the other end of the ribbon to the inside of another piece and form the roll.  
 
Once all your pairs are done you can start tying them together.
I started by tying a knot in the ribbon of my first pair, then I snipped one side of the ribbon near the know.  I tied this end around the ribbon of the next pair.  I repeated this until the end.


All done, now to hand it near my tree and lantern