WORLD CARDMAKING DAY

It is World Card Making Day on Saturday October 3rd. World Card Making
Day is a special day especially for card makers around the world, to
celebrate the creativity of handmade cards and the personal connection
that they create, between friends and family. It is a day to connect
with fellow card makers both near and far, to applaud the creativity
that powers the craft, and to provide an opportunity for card makers to
connect and find resources that will empower, inspire, and encourage
them in their card making.

We would like to invite you

To celebrate

World Cardmaking Day

with us at SCRAPZ.BIZ

Challenges will be posted in the forum starting on Friday 2nd October
and will continue over the weekend. All entries are to be uploaded in
the WCMD Members Gallery by Wednesday October 7th Midnight. Each entry
will earn you a ticket in the random draw, to win one of three prizes.

Come and join in the fun!!  

Also shoud mention There is 20% off all stamps ATM too.....come by and check it out....

Pincushion

I am trying to take pictures each time I do something, or make something, just so I can add details here.  Maybe someone can get a prompt or an idea of something to create, from something I have made, which was probably prompted by something I had seen somewhere too.  Pass it on I say!

My pincushion........
My old one was one I made while at college.  Dare I say....quite a few years ago.  It was time!

I had a cute vintage looking eggcup, and I decided to use this as my base.  I got the idea from someone i had seen make a pin cushion from a little white square ceramic condiment bowl.  I had nothing like that.....but I did have a few egg cups......
You will need fabric, cotton is perfect and pins and needles slide beautifully in and out with out catching.
Good fabric scissors, a threaded needle, a glue gun ( plug in to heat up now)  You could just use craft glue, but it will take a while to dry. Polyester stuffing, and Pins and needles

Cut a circle from fabric....I guessed how big.  In the end it could have been a little larger.  I was after a toadstool type of look....but never got it!

Thread a needle and baste stitch with double thread ( to prevent
breakage) right around the edge of the entire circle so you can gather
it (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch in from the edge)

Gather it enough to be able to stuff.....

and stuff with polyester stuffing....or what ever stuffing you have......
Stitch tightly shut and tie off.  Make sure your hot glue gun is heating up

Prepare your base, by adding some stuffing, and glue in a smaller piece of the same fabric over the top. press down around the sides to make sure the glue has adhered well.  Put glue all over this mound inside the egg cup, and just around the inside of the eggcup 'lip' and press your pincushion top into it.  Hold for a few seconds to make sure it has set nicely.

Add all your pins, needles, and a couple of safely pins to be prepared for anything!

And it is done.  A fun quick and very simple project......and it is awfully pretty sitting next to my machine as I sew!

New Challenges up at Scrapz.Biz....

The ladies who design for Heike are one talented group of people.  This weeks challenges, (found here) like the ones before are really inspiring.  There are four challenges running each week simultaneously, you get to choose what you would like to create.  You can download the tutorials of the projects, to keep for later, or just go on a creating frenzy and take advantage of someone else giving you some great ideas and inspiration to create something great.  There is always a Sketch, a Colour Combination, a Card and an Off the page project to do, so what ever you feel like creating, there is an idea for you to get you going.  You can then upload it into the members gallery of which ever challenge you took part in and be in the running to win a voucher to use next time you shop.  Well worth your while.  That does not mention all the lovely feedback people are so forthcoming with, which makes you feel great about your accomplishment! 
Here is mine for this week.....The theme this month is spring, thus the flower frenzy!
The detailed instructions and the flower template can be found Here.

I am in love with this garland satin leaf ribbon.......I could use an entire spool I think!  See it here (scroll down to find it)  If you have some time, head over and joing in the fun.....creating something along the way!

Giving Back.....

I have been blog surfing lately.....A LOT.  But not within the scrapping world.....just a little out side of it.  Still crafting of course, but the amount of stuff I have come across having a week of being a little under the weather, and with the motivation of wanting to sew my kids some clothes, and costumes for their book week parade at school.... is phenomenal.  I have learnt so much from people not wishing to make money out of everything they create (don't get me wrong, that is ok too, I admire people who are able to turn crafting into money)  But I so appreciate those people who do what I am doing, mum's wanting to use their skills to benefit their family, with the added benefit of thoroughly enjoying the process.  I have learnt how to draft my own patterns, and I have made several things for my DD.  I have decided I would really like to offer things that I have found out, and some projects I have created, here on my blog.  If it teaches just one or two, something that I was taught a long the way, then I have accomplished what I set out to.  I am a teacher.  I no longer teach in a school, but I think I have an inground desire, that knowledge should be shared.  So with that thought in mind  I will set off to load photos and examples here and there, to add a little to the pool of creativity, that this world wide web offers.  Should you find yourself here....I hope you have seen something you would like to give a try.  I am not an expert in ANY way, but I have worked out I can get results from just trying things out, and learning from others.  I am creative....I just don't look at my finished things too critically!!!!!

Please note, that I will attempt to acknowledge anyone whom I have gleaned information and ideas from.  I am a strong believer people should receive the recognition they deserve from creating something and being kind enough to share what they have learnt, but I have seen soooooo many things, and I don't always recall where I saw something.  Just know that almost every idea comes from someone else first....I might alter it to suit my needs, or change something about it in some way, but ideas are always inspired from somewhere or someone in someway.