All wrapped up....

For my first post back I wanted to share my new fad!! gift wrapping.

While I have been busy with other things, another way I got my crafty fix was to decorate parcels and this year's philosphoy is not to buy any more gift wrap, just Kraft paper, then have fun customising it.

....and I always hit the ground running with several birthdays In the first month...which has coincided nicely with Oak House Studio's "one stamp event" (check out the facebook page or the Oak House Studio blog) which is so inspirational. So I decided to join in with my own mini challenge on Tuesday ....I wrapped all the presents then set to decorating with Lynndas chosen stamp...the fabulous double daisy set ....which I absolutely love!!!

......just noticed the tag from the flower pot has dropped off....I haven't attached the tags properly until I get a chance to write on them

I created a matching card for the yellow daisy parcel, I used the same stencil that I created for the winding orange daisy, but this time after stencilling I washed over the ink with water

Hopefully this week I will post further details of the stencilling but I have stuck true to my frugal philosophy and used kids pens and my handmade daubers.

One thing I have discovered is that I have forgotten how to blog !!!! Especially on my

I pad.

The zentangle gift bag came about by accident ....being very lazy I tried stamping the flower without attaching it to a proper block. Result several mis-stamped flowers....which I idly started doodling on, filling in the gaps....I'm not totally happy with the finished result so might add some coloured centres before I give the parcel.

The reason I had the mis-stamped images was a few days ago I also decorated another parcel. This one needed to be unwrapped carefully and be kept upright, the flowers made ideal seals on the end, I ended up with an extra flower so again I made a matching card.

 

I did have one small item to wrap so I made a boxed card to incorporate the item as well ....I will be giving this today so won't show the contents but can show how pretty the inside looks with the stamp, the large solid stamp is so perfect for this kind of thing.

Well until I get the hang of blogging again (apologies for the lack of active links etc.) I think that is most probably enough waffle from me, hopefully I will get some practice posting some more detail pics of some of the projects....in the meantime pop along to see what creations Lynnda comes up with this weekend, it really is worth checking out the Oak House Studio Blog and One Stamp face book page, there will be some fantastic projects PLUS Lynnda is offering some great prizes!

If you have just found me again or visiting the first time Helllo, lovely to meet you and if you get a minute leave a comment and say hello! X

I'm still here....

well where do I start ....

I had no idea I would be gone this long...at the time life was so manic and we were then helping our daughter and partner with the mother of all projects, renovating a cottage and boy did we renovate it!!! At one point we stood on the bare earth which was the living room floor and gazed up through the bedroom floor and up to the sky through the nonexistent roof!!

But it turned out amazing and was a truly beautiful, welcoming home....one day I wil put pics if anyone is interested.....

Did you notice I said was......

...well the was paint barely dry and my darling daughter announced they were getting married ....lovely but in true Katie style we crafted EVERYTHING....fantastic fun... Endless weekends ...yes we made invites ....but we even painted branches made hundreds of paper flowers, revamped furniture for the marquee....painted wheelbarrows white for the bottles of beer and ice! Etc etc...

....ink still wet on the marriage certificate,  Steve and I made a snap decision to downsize (ish) a bungalow in the road we always wanted to live on came up so it was quick zhuzz of our house and few weeks later we were the proud owners of a 1960s bungalow that still had its original kitchen.....need I say more.....out came the paint pots and DIY tools.....2 years later we are still revamping and have just had a second extension built.....Did I say downsizing....

And yes it is taking a long time but just when we got started.... The couple who got married but who had no intention of starting a family straight away.....presented us with the most amazing creation of all....a grandaughter!.......and it is my joy to have her two days a week while mummy is working....

 Which brings me back to the "was".... The cottage although delightful was not huge and my daughter now a mummy decided she would like to be back in her home village.....so after a traumatic house sale my darling daughter and patient husband, bought house no.2 .....and guess what .......IT NEEDS RENOVATING!!!!!!

BUT....I have decided I must, must, MUST have some ME time.....I have still made cards and crafted when I could plus I have kept my eye on lots of my favourite crafters but now I would love to join in some of the online fun as well.

At times I have had to truly live up to my blog philosphophy and create something from nothing... It has been challenging at times....especially with all my craft stuff in storage......PLEASE NOTE ...if
you ever store your stuff for any length of time... Do it somewhere NOT damp.......did you know envelopes like to seal themselves .....yes ....every blinking one of them... aaaaaaaaaagggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!
So here we are.....should I start a new blog and free my self from my self imposed rule?
Very tempting but I have decided to keep going .....but maybe it's time to allow a bit more crafting stuff into my frugal crafty world.....
So now it's .......just add glue......and few other bits too!