17 November 2010

Work Desk Wednesday - holidays are coming!

Here's what I've got on my desk today, I'm making holiday decorations and goodies!


I've been devising a gingerbread house made of card so you can see the prototype I made in the background there. I made all the templates so that will probably be a future CT project. I've also got a journal on the go and I started an embroidery last night while watching TV - and I saw that Christmas ad - defo gets me in the holiday spirit even if it is still only November! :)

xx Leo

Carry on your work desk journey from Julia's blog here, http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/

10 November 2010

December Daily Completed album!

Well I've (almost) finished my December Daily album. I say almost because I'll probably add some more to it - I've really enjoyed making it! It's beginning to feel almost like Christmas!
I thought it would be easier to see as a video so rather than upload loads of photos I've had a go at making a little video...


I've used leftovers to make the album and then goodies from the Hey Christmas Cupcake Quirky Kit to decorate. The cover is just a piece of fabric doubled over and stitched together. Once stitched together it was folded over and holes punched in the side. The eyelets have been added with my Cropodile, (using the page protector holes as a guide) and then I just popped the book rings through to make the binding. They look big book rings now but from doing a couple of December Daily albums I know the albums soon get fat so it's worth preparing ahead and going for a chunky binding. ;) On the inside of the cover I've added some cardstock for stability and then neatened up the edges with the deco tape from the kit. The inside pages are leftover page protectors cut up to fit, some were multi pocket 12x12 ones and some were 6x12 ones that have been trimmed down. The rest are cardstock pages. My layout is 3 dates per page and one page for the 25th. I've started the dates at the end of November to cover some Christmassy things going on just before December. Using the book rings means I can add some more pages, keepsakes or full size photos in between the pages if I find later on I need more room. I also like to add handmade cards received to it so it makes it easier to pop those in too. :)

xx Leo

7 November 2010

December Daily Part 1

I've tried to cram some December Daily album making in this weekend. I told myself I wouldn't start anything Christmassy for myself till after bonfire night and I was so itching to begin December Daily I started on the 6th!
Well I've had a few ideas milling about for how I wanted to approach it this year. One of the main 'problems' I had last year was not having enough time to fill it out each day and falling behind with it. The one I made the year before was much less formally laid out so I thought of doing a combination of the two. I need the dates on the pages to be there to encourage me to complete it, knowing it's there with a space to fill makes you need to fill it. I didn't have time for everyday last year and some times ended up going back a week filling it in. So this year I've thought of making a page for every 3 days instead of every one. I also want to start it a little bit early to fit in fun things like light switch ons and pre-December Christmassy stuff so I'm going to start on the 28th November and work up to the 31st December making 1 page for every 3 days and leaving the last page for the 31st and to round up. That makes 12 pages, or 24 I guess if you count both sides.
I've got my pile of goodies ready........
Everything is from the Hey Christmas Cupcake Quirky Kit. I've also used some page protectors I had leftover, they're the American Crafts ones with separate 6x4 pockets. I chopped them down to make them a bit smaller and added the dates, 3 on each page. It made the largest pages 11x8.5 inches which dictated the size of my album.
I've not done the cover yet but I've made a start on an embroidered panel for it.

As the title says another thing I'm planning this year is making it more diary like with lots of journalling and little pictures and doodles here and there.

So that's kind of as far as I've got. I'm putting everything down here so I can look back next year!

3 November 2010

Workdesk Wednesday

It's a gloomy workdesk Wednesday today. It's just gone really dark here. I was up at 7am and it was loads brighter I guess the rain is going to kick in anytime now. Anyhoo here's my desk today:

Well I've been up early mostly sketching out ideas today. I'm planning another Create 10, Create 10 at Christmas and I've been trying to fit in planning as much as I can, (that's kind of why my blog's been quiet for a while too, no free time!) I absolutely love creating at Christmas, there's so much to do! Baking tree cookies and treats, making decorations, making gifts, gift wrapping, wreath making, making table dressings, so much crafty fun! Well thinking about all the things I make every Christmas I thought that would make a fun set of classes.  :)
Well that's what I'm up to, I'm coming along to see what you're up to today while I have a  coffee/jellybean break ;) Pop along to more work desks on Julia's blog, http://stamping-ground.blogspot.com/
xx Leo