Remote/Game Controller Storage

We have this nook between the couch and 2 bookcases where the phone point is and a power point, the dogs really like to curl up there but they keep knocking the phone cable and that makes things fall so we needed to block the corner but still be able to get to the bookcase.

We had this 5 drawer storage cart on wheels in our office and it seemed like a perfect solution, we can easily wheel it out of the way to access the books on the bookcase and it is stopping the dogs from knocking the phone cable.
What to put in it so it wasn't wasted storage?
 

Currently our remotes were in a box on the bookcase taking up valuable book storage space and our Game Consul bits were in the cupboard the TV is above.

So remotes and chargers go in the top drawer, tablets and even laptops can be charged on the top of the cart.

 Second drawer has PS3 controllers.
I placed everything that would fit in a ziploc bag that was going in the bottom 4 drawers in a ziploc bag to protect them from dust and dog fur.

The bottom 3 drawers have Wii supplies.

Mixed Media Pocket Scrapbooking Cards

On January 9th Jen Hall in the Project Life Australia group shared her layout that she created with mixed media cards she created herself.
They are absolutely beautiful.  Mine don't come close as with my hand issues I can't draw or write to a level that allows me to create anything close to her creation but I thought I would share what I created.  They are simple but I am happy with them.
They did take me a few days to make due to may hand but they were lots of fun, making 1 or 2 a day was a great way to get creative release without taking too much time from my day.
I grabbed a A3 sheet of 300gsm Watercolour paper (it is from a cheap pad and I have learnt my lesson, don't buy cheap watercolour paper, it is apparently in 2 layers and some of it split apart as it dries).  I cut it into 4 6x4 3 3x4 and the rest I cut into ATC size of 2.5x3.5, I think I got 5 of those.
I played on the 2.5x3.5 with backgrounds using my watercolours that the lovely Kerri in the Planner Community RAKed me.  I also used one to wipe off my brush on and it wound up with quiet fun colouring on it, I later used this to draw clouds & flowers on and fussy cut them out.

My first play was creating a rainbow, I did this on a 2.5x3.5 and then on a 4x6.

I used a stencil to draw the numbers for 2016 on a page from a damaged book.  Then I put clear stickles over where the numbers were.
Due to the poor quality of the paper it pilled in areas so I used a butterfly punched from wrapping paper and 3 paper flowers to cover the worst areas.
I created a butterfly trail with black Kindyglitz.  Pink buttonw for the flower centres.



I just played with backgrounds at first using watercolours on most and gelatos on one then I started thinking about those first days of 2016 and what happened in those days so as I added layers I used them to tell a story on 2 of the cards, this is the first of those cards.

It is enhancing the telling of the main event of Jan 5th, my 18yr returning to her home 2hours away after recovering from a pushbike accident at home with us.
I have used a chevron stencil on the bottom, some paper from her old high school math book, created a car from a damaged book (clear stickles for the window and headlight, later changed the headlight to bling).
Letters are from the first stickers I bought as a scrapbooker over 10 years ago.

I am a big believer in using embellishments to enhance the telling of your story you are telling.

The next story I had to tell was the boys attending a activity at the local Library, the theme was Star Wars stuff.
I made mini books with a page from the damaged book and some cardstock.
Used a bubble stencil that I stenciled with some blue paint spray mixed with gesso.

I used my gelatos on the background of this card but to the poor quality of the paper they wouldn't blend so I did a thin coat of gesso over this and loved it.
I mixed a lime green gelato with some gesso and stenciled the vine on the card.
The paper wasn't reacting well to so many layers and damage occurred so I covered this with little paper flowers and butterflies punched from wrapping paper.

 I decided they all needed to be outlined so they felt finished.

My 3x4 cards I didn't do much with, placed 3 1inch circled together with a brad and randomly snipped with scissors to create a flower, I doodled 3 flowers on my scrap piece of 2.5x3.5 that I had been wiping my brush on and fussy cut them out, I cut a section of my wet wipe I had been using to clean up and bunched it up to create a flower.
I used my first attempt at a rainbow on a 2.5x3.5 card to add it to a 3x4 piece of black cardstock to create another card.

I place all my cards in a page protector and hung it on my wall by my desk until I had a chance to print photos.
A few days ago I decided to attempt keeping a journal, using my computer to type most of my journalling, the 2 bottom cards have wound up in my journal as fold outs.  I love them in there.

Handmade 6x6 Mini Baby Boy Album

I had so much fun making this album for my nephew.
I followed a My Sister's Scrapper tutorial, link is in the description of the Video of the finished album.
A handmade Baby Album needs it's own handmade gift box.

The top of the gift box.

The side of the lid.

The finished spine of the album.

This is a pic of the cover before I finished it, please see the video linked above for the finished cover as I added another fussy cut piece.
I couldn't get the die cuts from this range so I fussy cut from a sheet of the paper, backed them onto cardstock and fussy cut again, which took a while with my hand issues.

This is a pic from my work in progress of the inside cover, you can see the finished project in the video.
The page on the right I cut a second piece of paper so it would line up with the paper underneath.

Inside of the fold out.

I stuck this pocket scrapping card down so it would form a pocket as seen in the video.
I later added a badge/flair to the top corner of the right hand page.

I adhered the pocket scrapping card down so it will form a pocket.

I just love these hand and foot print die cuts, so cute.

A teddy bear charm from a pack I collected when making myself a Firefly themed charm for my Filofax.

I finished these pages off with Yellow photo mats.
The buttons from my stash went so well with these stickers.

Couldn't resist creating a clothesline with these cute stickers and some tiny pegs over a journalling card.

I created a pocket behind the 2 pocket scrapping cards and another small pocket for the journalling tags with the top pocket scrapping cards.

Another pocket created with the pocket scrapping cards.
I added dimension with the hexagon die cuts, they are larger than the hexagons on the card but I love the effect, they are adhered down with foam tape.

I didn't get to finish the inside of the cover but using the BABY BOY die cut blocks with some foam tape worked a treat on the back page.







I really loved creating this and can't wait to create another mini album.

Op Shop Finds

I love op-shopping. 
The area I live in it can be difficult to find a great bargain though but every now and then I have some pretty good op-shop finds.  Here are some of my op-shop finds of 2015.

 I found this lovely bag at the RSPCA op-shop that is perfect for a mobile office for myself.
I was expecting to be studying in Semester 2 and spending a lot of time waiting so thought taking my study needs with me would be a great idea, unfortunately things changed and I was unable to study in Semester 2 but I am looking forward to Studying Semester 1 2016 and using my mobile office.

 It has multiple sections that are very useful, a space big enough for a small laptop or large tablet.
Plenty of room for my study essentials, wallet, phone, and my other regular handbag items.
And the section with all the pen loops, sunglasses pouch, mobile pouch (though too small for my current phone), business card slots, etc is so very handy.

I found this lovely old book that is a collection of Jules Verne's stories for my husband.

A collection of handy stationery that were bargains, including a cheap no-brand planner that has come in quiet handy in addition to my Filofaxes.

 This massive bag of flowers for $2 from the RSPCA op-shop.
There is a mix of fake flowers that have been cut off their stems, craft flowers and ribbon flowers.
I just love this big bag.
I have now sorted into colours.

 I found the perfect laptop bag for hubby to use as a mobile office for his second job at the Salvos.

Handy business card slots, a spot for his external hard drive, pen loops and more in the front section.
It has a large compartment that is padded that suits a laptop but has 2 sections so the big presentation binder he has to take with him can fit in there.

It has a file section so he can take essential forms with him.

 One side has a mobile pocket though it is too small for current mobiles and the other side has a pocket to keep the shoulder strap in.

This TYPO satchel that appears new was $2 at the RSPCA op-shop.
Love a bargain.








I got this cute Christmas Present bathroom container at the RSPCA op-shop for $1 which was a bargain as the same one in red was $4 at another op-shop.
I got a Santa soap bottle at Lifeline for $4 and for a while these 2 items were our only Christmas decorations in the house.
Some other great finds this year included a lovely leather satchel I gifted to a friend who loved it, a purple JAG handbag I got myself that was like new, 2 more letter writing kits and plenty of great clothes for the boys some brand new.  Mr C has had a massive growth spurt going from a size 6 to a size 12 in just a few months, he was size 10 for only 1 month so op-shopping for quality clothes for him has been a great way to cloth him without breaking the budget.

Uni exam is over so I can get back to some crafty projects - Altered Album Cover

Sorry it has been a while since I posted I had a Uni exam to do so I got myself 2 months ahead in designs for the shop I tutor Scrapbooking at and then did very little crafting as I prepared for this exam as it was a deferred exam so I had to review material covered last semester.

Now that my exam is out of the way I am back to crafting and thought I would share with you a fun project I did for the shop.

The packaging was torn on this white album and it had spots of brown paint on it so I took it home to decorate as a display.
Lovely range of flowers the owner wanted featured on the album cover so first I layed them out on the cover to get a idea of how they would work best together.

I gave the album a thin basecoat of Gesso, once it was dry I stenciled with Gesso.
I made paint sprays with the 4 paints I had  to work with and spray them on the album while it stood up, I turned it upside down and did a little on the bottom.  Wiping off any paint with a baby wipe that was on the metal as I went.
It was a little bright so I sprayed the front with water to mute it.
I used my heat gun to dry as much as possible and then left it overnight.

Next morning I placed the ribbon and flowers the owner wanted on the cover before adhering down.

I felt it needed some more neutral flowers so quickly punched out 2 lots of 6 large scallop circles from a damaged book, sprayed with a little water, scrunched and dried with my heat gun.
Layered, poked a hole in the layers and inserted a brad. Fiddled with the layers until I was happy.
I love making these flowers, they are quick and fun.

The finished Display Album, I can't wait to get pages into it.

Simple Stories Life Documented Layouts

Simple Stories Life Documented is such a versatile range, you can create so many various types of layouts with it.
I found myself thinking of so many things photos/memories I could get down with these papers as they are so versatile.  From a beach/nautical theme to school, floral layouts to more geometric styles.
There are 5 classes this month so out of the dozens of ideas in my head I am creating 5 of them.
I wanted to have a mix of simple layouts that are reasonably quick to create and more complex layouts.  I wanted to cater for any new beginners but as someone who has scrapped for over 10 years I do enjoy quick and simple layouts when I am time poor so I wanted to give the more experienced scrapbookers some quick and simple layouts so they have some remaining time some weeks to play with tools and catch up on any unfinished pagess they have.

School Layout
I love the graph numbers, this paper has so many uses, my hand was playing up so I couldn't fussy cut them out as I wished but I think it turned out effective.
This layout is a good example of using paper selection and embellishment selection to tell the story, in this case my daughter's change of favourite colour.

Library Pocket LayoutI love these cute metal embellishments, and the mixed bag of flat backed pearls and wanted them to be a feature of this page.
Creating your own Library Pockets is simple and they are so useful for storing extra journaling and photos.

Susan's Garden Nastrutium Dies Layout
I love these dies, they make such cute flowers.
This paper I had a few ideas of what I wanted to do with it but in the end I found with the flowers, photo and butterflies laid out before cutting up my background as intended it didn't need any more work as it just worked for me.
The little flowers have tiny little flat backed pearls in their centres from the mixed bag used on the Library Pocket page.

Nautical Layout
I loved the nautical feel of this paper and the cameras on the back were so cute so where the paper would be covered I cut out 5 cameras for use as embellishments (second pic).
I created a beach themed tag and used the negative space piece of chipboard from Dusty Attic Swirl No 8 to create the waves down the bottom.

Mixed Media Layout
After creating all my layers I tore a squarish shape from the wet wipe used for clean up and created a flower, I stuck another flat backed gem over the brad when finished.

I had a lot of fun with this range and creating this month's series of classes.