A spinning sketch

Over on the Sketch365 challenge blog there is a new sketch to play with, by Emma Straface, and a great prize up for grabs - some beautiful vintage spools with lace and ribbon. I've already had a play as I'm part of the design team (oh, how I wish I could enter to win those lovely spools!!)

This is a page all about spinning, with some crazy photos of the ginger one at our local playground. Can you see the tiny arrows I added to make my circles spin too? I made the circles by dipping the end of a cardboard tube into paint. For lots more fabulous ideas for things to do with cardboard tubes, check out Alisa Burke's fabulous blog post HERE. I love Alisa's style.

The chevron ribbon I used here did funny things to my eyes. I promise you that it is a straight ribbon, but one end definitely looks wider than the other. Following on from the thrifty theme of using an old cardboard tube, can you see the length of what looks like bakers twine I stapled under the title. I don't have a big roll of it. I literally only have that piece - it came on a clothing tag!

Have fun with the sketch, the closing date for the challenge is 20th September. I look forward to seeing what everyone makes of it.

Beads and Beyond

I've been meaning to mention this for a while, but the time has slipped past and this is already last month's issue of Beads & Beyond. I was over the moon to see my Fimo beads on the front cover. Beads & Beyond have a feature showing 8 "recipes" for making beads and I was asked to make 8 different polymer clay beads using a Skinner blend technique. There's a little peak into my craft room at the back too and I'll let you into a secret - it doesn't normally look that tidy!

Splashing at the beach

I had an e-mail this week to say that my new Quirky Kit is on it's way. From the sneak peek on the blog, it looks like it's going to be another great one. It did remind me of all the lovely stash I haven't used yet from previous kits though, so I spread it all out on the lounge floor and put together some kits to make some quick pages. This was my first page completed.

The two woodgrain papers, suited the beachy look, particularly the more washed out looking one. I added a torn piece of tissue which had arrive in the kit wrapped around the papers. I love the texture of the lace next to the gathered calico strip.

The words and alphabet stickers are from one sheet by 7 Dots Studio.

I like these neutral coloured windmill embellishments too. They sit so well on this page.