Altered Items

Well, the Christmas Fair didnt go as planned :o( but at least Im selling my stuff, slowly but it's going, like every Christmas :o)

This year Im planning on taking a break just before and after Christmas from all the mayhem ! I am not even making x-mas biccies, after nearly 20 years or making them every year ! I'll bake some cakes instead, quicker (non christmas batter though!). I really need a break from crafting, I want to spend those days with my family & friends...and already have some activities lined up.

For the Teachers this year, they're not getting a fully handmade present, only the outside will be handmade LOL !. And this is it:



A friend asked me if I could Alter some notebooks for her to give as presents:





I have to admit that Altered Art is my number one Favourite...dunno why, but to see the final product gives me great satisfaction ! (more than cardmaking !)

TFL

Kiki x

Getting ready for the Christmas Fair !

Hi there !! it was my hubbie's B-day in October, so I had to put together a card for him, I was quite busy, so I came up with this:



Well, Im glad to say that I'm finally looking forward to Sunday's Charity Christmas Fair! Im still not finished, but I'm getting there. Besides some "all ocassions" cards, I also made x-mas cards, fridge magnet calendars where you add your own photo, altered diaries, altered notes mini books and some layouts in canvas, here are some samples:



Im sending this one to my parents for X-mas, along with the fridge calendar with the photo





Hope to do well :o)

If you still haven't started X-mas shopping, come for a bit or retail therapy ! this Sunday 15th of November, from 10 am to 5 pm at ALSAA, Swords Road, Dublin.
We are a group of mothers that run different bussiness, a lot of these are of handmade crafts !!



In aid of St. Brigids Cardiac Unit, Crumlin Childrens Hospital

TFL

Kiki x

Remember me?

It has been over a month since the last time I blogged...well...things have been a bit rocky. Craftwise, Im still busy, still working as much as I can on getting ready for next month's craft fair...I won't be able to have ready as many items as I had initially planned on doing, but still, I have made some nice bits. Will post pics later.

Over the last 5 months I have been suffering from aches and pains all over !! I have felt completely run down...I spent the summer in a "bubble" literally, I couldn't bring myself up for doing anything...the highlight of the summer was to visit the zoo! only the Zoo !

And now...with the impending arrival of the winter, I knew things would only get worse. So, about a month ago, I decided it was time to feel better, to work on myself...I started aerobics, made myself to bring the girls swimming more often, so I can have a swim too, and recently, I joined a yoga class...gosh ! why I didnt do enough research before I joined, it's not easy !! it's not what I thought...going for a bit of relaxation !!! LOL !! But after the 2nd class, I felt a renewed person! had a great day after !!!! and 2 weeks ago I wasnt expecting to say this, but actually, Im looking forward to tonite's class !! Thanks Paul !!

Anyway...I also did a lot of research on my aches and pains...google can be a great doctor ! LOL ! and leaving aside all of the cancers I might be suffering from (according to google) I narrowed my symptoms down to be Fibromyalgia. So, loaded with info, I went to see my GP...I wasn't expecting her to diagnose me, that diagnose can only be done by a Rheumatologist, I went to ask her to refer me to a Rheumathologist. I was explaining to her my symptoms, I had told her I had "studied" my pains, which are not easy to describe, but my right shoulder & neck were very very sore, making my life miserable ! along with a pain in my left foot/ankle, which was the reason I avoided walking too much. I am convinced the pains are not at the joint per se, but around it, which means muscles and tendons. The rest of the body feels sore often, but the other pains are there ALL the time.

She inmediately said "Fibromyalgia", I didn't think she was very familiar with it, but to my surprise, she was (fair play!!) she knew where the tender points are and did the test, and yes, she confirmed it. So, I have started treatment...From January I decided this year was a "drugs" free year, weaned myself of antidepressants and any other chemical I dont need inside my body...but unfortunately, I need to be able to function, so reluctantly I am back on the antidepressants :o( along with antiinflamatories :o( maybe I will be able to "live" without them again if I keep working on myself a bit more..hope so.

In the meantime, I will be doing more reseach on Fibromyalgia, recent discoveries, etc..it is a very strange syndrome (it's not an illness) not very well known and not specific known cure either.

I always think that the answers to feel better relies in our own bodies...and without knowing a while ago what was happening to me, I took the decision to start "moving", whatever I was suffering from, I had to "move, move it", so I went back to aerobics (which are light, perfect for me), swimming, which I felt relieving, and yoga, to help the mind too...and all these are reccomended to Fibromyalgia sufferers !! I was surprised when I read that.

I hardly ever post personal stuff in my blog...but I know some of my crafty friends also suffer from FM, so any advice is welcome!

Recently, I made some cards to order...which by the way, some of them I had to make at short notice, I felt under preassure, and even though I find it hard to say "no" I won't be taking orders with less than 2 weeks from now on. My cards are my art, my creation, and I hate hate hate to rush them !! it takes a few days of "thinking" how Im gonna put together a card, what colours Im gonna use,I might need to order card, or papers, or embellishments, etc...so short notice means either repeat an old style, or get it out of the way asap, and I hate to have to do that...I get no enjoyment that way.

These 2 cards are for a Wedding on Halloween day :
I actually loved using these non traditional colours




Another Wedding card...not for Halloween, but again, not the tradtional "silver" or "gold" emmhhhh...I ran out of the "silver and gold" card ! hehehe.




These 2 were put together in a rush:
But still, think they turn out ok




I havent' done a baby card in a while...delighted how this one turned out:



TFL

Kiki x

PS: On my next post...I will be adding pics of our trip to Eurodisney !!! yipeee !

A Bunch of cards !

I haven't blogged in a few weeks...ooopps ! But I have been busy crafty wise. I have started building up my stock for a Christmas Craft Fair Im attending in November. I have been making christmas cards ! I will be busy over the next 5-6 weeks with the rest of the projects. I won't be posting photos here of what Im making at the moment, but I promise a photo of the whole lot closer to November :o)

I have also made some personalised cards, these are for my biggest fan ! LOL ! She orders an average of 5-6 a month or so.

This first card is my submission to this week's Paperplay Challenge. I had the card finished when I checked this week's challenge, and funnily enough, I had initially planned on using leftover letters for the name, but since the name is kinda long, I changed my mind, it wasn't gonna fit, but already had some odd letters I was gonna use. My client has loved the scrabble letters, so I decided to use them again. (Im starting to like scrabble letters).



This card is very similar I made recently, but my client liked it so much that she asked for another one to give to somebody else:



This is for a male Teacher. He is into music, travel, and used to to teach in Zambia, hence the map of Africa:



This is for a Zambian Nun to be...so the card is kinda Graduation card :o)



For another Zambian Nun to be:



And this last one is for a Priest who is celebrating his 50th Priesthood Anniversary. My client asked for a "non religious" card, but a friendship one instead:



TFL

Kiki x

A photo in a canvas, and a Birthday Card

On the previous post, I didnt realise at the time I was writting it that the title could be misleading :o) I am not moving, but my friend is :o(

I organised a farewell party here at my house for Saturday, we were nearly 50 people, counting children. It all went well, except for the horrible and unpredictable weather!! We were in the middle of barbecuing the burgers when it lashed rain !!! thunderstorm and all !! Poor Hubs finished cooking the burgers under an umbrella !! All our friends contributed with food and drink, so I didnt have to worry too much on that aspect.But it was kinda funny that I told them all that I had loads of wine, so dont bring any...and each family arrived with 1 or 2 bottles of wine !! hehehe...we were trying to get rid of what we have !!!!!

I made them a cake, which was devoured !! mainly by the kids !!! it was a 4 layer chocolate and vanilla cake !!



As difficult as it was to organise a group photo, tripod and all, we did it !!! and I printed the photo and put it in a canvas for them to bring to their new home. I used Celine's Navarro mixed media techniques:



Believe it or not, there are 7 nationalities among that group of people !! I have an international network of friends !!! LOL !! can you guess them all?

This is the last of the card orders I have for the moment, similar to my latest styles:



I will be making x-mas cards soon, cos I hate making my own in a rush at x-mas, I want to get them out of the way, so I can concentrate in a few projects I have for a craft fair.

TFL

Kiki x

Moving Home (country!) Card & 25th Wedding Anniversary

Hi...I haven't done much lately, mojo gone on holidays ! :o)

But I had an order for a 25th Wedding Anniversary Card, so I came up with this:



I had to make a card for a family, good friends, moving to another country...another culture, another weather !!! going to Abu Dhabi. We're having a farwell party this Saturday, at my house, 50+ people !! My friend leaving is the one who always organises get togethers, night's out, birthday celebrations, etc...so I thought this time it was our duty to organise their party.

I also took the opportunity to make this card with "dimension" so I can use it for this week's Paperplay Challenge:





TFL

Kiki x

Paperplay Challenge

These challenges have been going on for a while now, and every week I say I'm taking part but never get around to. But finally, I made cards for this week:





Take a look : Paperplay Challenges

TFL

Kiki x

Just a Note ...

Sometimes we need "general" cards, so I made these with that in mind:





TFL

Kiki x

Wedding Anniversary, 21st & Kiddies Cards

These 2 cards are the rest of the 5 cards order I had recently:

Before starting this card, I had it in my head, as I wanted it. I was sure I had Tim Holtz numbers in grungeboard, and when I went looking for them I realised that I have an alphabet and shapes set, no numbers ! but I wanted thick/chipboard numbers. So I cut them with the craft robo, stuck them to a piece of chipboard and proceeded to cut them !! I defo will be getting the grungeboard numbers in the future !!
The backing papers is actually Papermania x-mas paper, but I think the colours are not christmasey anyway.




Quilt blanket made with blue Paper of the world !! The sentiment is from Papertrey.




We have some birthdays coming up, so it was a good excuse to make some kiddies cards and to use my new Hello Kitty die. The "Pirate" dies are for the cuttlebug, or the cuttlekids (is that the name? cant remember).



TFL

Kiki x

Birthday Cards

I was asked by one of my clients to make a few cards, I have still 2 more to finish. But here are the first 3:

For her Mother in Law:



Papers & tag are K & CO. Im loving the white wash core'dinations !! (behind tag)

This one is for her daughter, who drives a yellow motorbike:



Stamp is or course a bella :o) I coloured her with promarkers and Twinklings H20, papers are My Mind's Eye.

And this one is for a cousin:



Papers are Prima, tag is 7 Gypsies, and the glittery butterfly is a Martha Stewart stamp, which I coloured in with Anita's 3D Clear Gloss Finish (same as glossy accents)using a technique I saw in Amy Risavy's blog (Card inspired by Amy's card).

I was asking Amy if she had tried stickles, since I thought it would have the same effect, and would be quicker to apply (not that it makes a difference really). She was saying that stickles is glitter with glue and applying glitter to glossy accents would give a deeper glitter coverage. I tried both, and initially I liked the stickles butterfly better, but then changed my mind once the glossy accents one was dried, looks more glittery, besides, the stickles one is still wet!.

TFL

Kiki x

A LO, Scrap Cards and Some Baby Cards

I couldnt take part at the Easter Classes thought by Elaine and Annamarie (Scrapbookstore)But both girls sent me the classes, wasnt that a lovely gesture? :o)

I finally got around to do Annamarie class, I was waiting to have the right photo:



I did a few cards with the leftovers:



I have also made some cards a la Beatriz Jennings:



I have the right photo to do Elaine's class, will do in the few days.

TFL

Kiki x

Finished Blanket !! (at last !)

I feel soooo proud to have finished my first big crochet project !! yipeee !!! It was a lot of work making those squares, but I enjoyed it !!

Im already researching (You tubing !) crochet hats for my girls for the winter !!



Now, I have loads of papercrafts projects lined up ! But might do the odd crochet flower here and there, since I have loved this addictive craft !!!

TFL

Kiki x

A day at the Dail

Last Saturday we went to a "Family Day" at the Dail (Leinster House, Houses of the Oireachtas, Irish Parliament)

The weather was glorious !!!


Only in Ireland you find the Police to be super friendly :o)


Daddy & girls at the back garden.


At the front of the house.


The portrait of the Lady above us is of Mary McAleese, the President Of Ireland.


This is the place where members of the goverment and oposition discuss our future !!

I still haven't finished the blanket, hoping to finish it this week !! I have a couple of LO's to do and 2 mini albums to complete too :o)

TFL

Kiki x

Layouts, Canvas & Teachers Presents !!

I spent a fab day today at Celine Navarro's classes !! loved them !! paint, canvas & a mess, my kind of stuff !! Thanks Elaine & Annamarie for organising this event !!

My Layouts:





I hadnt scrapped as a such in a while, and today has just fueled my inner scrapper !!

Then we did a canvas, which by the way is already on the wall in my sitting room :o) :



Thursday and Friday I spent a couple of hours finishing the teachers presents for this year. I already had a staggered mini album with the words TEACHER





I put inside a photo, each girl wrote on the tags, made a drawing and I printed 2 nice Teacher poems inside, I found them here and here

Then I made a card and a handbag for each teacher, and a card & handbag for the school's assistant.





I used magnetic snaps to close the hangbags.

TFL

Kiki x