"Don't Lose Your Head".....

How many of you have parts of projects stuffed away in your stash, with a sincere promise to said parts, that you will be back. You can admit it, I won't tell anyone. Being a creative person can be a double edged sword because if you're like me, I get excited about everything. I can look at anything and put a project together in my mind with that "thing" I just looked at, and  can visualize every step of the project to completion. Then I forget what I was doing and go to that new inspiration.

I don't think I'm alone in saying that drifting from one inspiration to the next, and eventually returning to that one you were working on, is a never ending cycle... ;o(  I am working hard to stay focused on one thing, no matter how hard the muse on my shoulder is saying, "take a break and do something else". The project today is one of those stuffed away collection of parts.

I haven't done much in the way of dolls for a while, but when I looked at these little heads in the cupboard, I felt I had to do something with them. They were destined for bodies and never got there. Only one was full bodied at one time, and I ended up taking it apart and keeping the head, because she's so pretty. That would be Morgan. I'm calling these "Dangles."  Let's begin.

In the beginning, there were heads without bodies, just stored in a box. This is how I started. They are lined up, waiting with high expectations.

Here they are with their assigned names. ;o)

Here they are with their finished dressed up and embellished looks. I'll put them in the same order as above so you can compare.

    

        

And here are the full view of the ladies and one little bee. I made them to be hung on the wall, or from a floor lamp or a cupboard, or wherever they can be seen and enjoyed. I will have more to show you very soon.....  Enjoy...

Project checked off.

  

    

 Tea is Served

Do you enjoy a good cup of tea?  Alexandra M. has created a pretty tea set with her paper art. First up, she presented a group of 24 tea bags to make and little open boxes to keep them in. Each set of 6 is in a separate little box and then they fit into another box. The links for all will be at the bottom of this post. As you watch the video's you will see her putting together all the tea bags, and just how pretty the graphics are that she created for them.

What do you need to go with tea bags ?? Cups of course. On her Ko-Fi page, she has offered a freebie for the cups to print and put together. In the tutorial for the tea bags, she has also added an extra step to make your own tea bags with whatever paper you like. 

Not satisfied with 24 tea bags, Alexandra carried on to make a second batch of 24 tea bags. They are fun to make and I spent a fair bit of time working on them, no rush to get to the end. In the second kit, was the template for this pretty box. You will see her put it together in the new video. 

And not to let that be the end, there is a second part to this next batch of tea bags. There is a second box template you can find on her Ko-Fi page, as well, another freebie....... for what?? What's missing from the tea set ???? Look below..... aren't they pretty. Little tea pots of course and you can see the second box to make. 

This is the now the complete set. And now, the links to everything are below. Enjoy.....

Alexandra's YouTube Channel

Ko-Fi Page for freebies

Etsy site for the printable kits

Interactive Tag Book 

A few posts back, I mentioned this Interactive Tag Book. This completes my mini book collection until Alexandra M. is inspired to start working on another one.  Not too subtle am I... ;o)  Here is a flip through on Alexandra's YouTube channel to show you her amazing book. 

If you are interested in how it comes together, there are two more video's following the flip through. She gives so much detail, it makes it easy to follow her instructions. The beauty is being able to stop and start the video. ;o) Here is the printable kit on Etsy. 

I'm posting a collection of pictures of how mine turned out, with a little explanation of how I used different things to make it. The cover is self explanatory, the only thing that isn't part of the design, is the chain link closure I added, along with bits of chain on the spine. You'll be able to see that more in another picture.

On the back I added some brads that stand up quite a bit, but made me think of flower centers. Where you see those rivets, well that is a happy accident. I had a different colosure planned, but I didn't check to see if the brad legs would fit through the closure before punching holes in the cover. I went to plan B, the top and bottom rivet are now meant to be there as a design feature.... The center one is the closure now. I did try to add three pieces of chain to make it more interesting, but they kept getting tangled in the dangles...lol...

Bejewled brads on the spine with the chain and letters.

  

The side where the book opens, has tabs for each page. I just happened to have these dangles and the colours pretty much matched all the colours of the tabs. In the center you can see how I added a chain closure. 

Just a little inside view. I foumd the dangles on this Etsy page. I don't see these same ones on the site, but she has lots of others to choose from.

Alexandra uses a light colour fabric for the covers and spine, then stamps the spine. I only have a few stamps and none that would work on these books, so I've been using Kraft-Tex to cover the spine and cotton prints for the covers. On this book, I used some strips of drapery fabric I found in a remnant bin years ago. I haven't used it yet, until now. I have plenty still, I just love the print. The rest might become a bag of some kind, not sure... Isn't this a gorgeous print...  It has a very subtle shine to it.

And finally, this book has taken it's place with the rest of my collection. So much fun, I can't wait to see what Alexandra comes up with next..... enjoy.....

Envelope Boxes

Today I have for you, envelope boxes. These are another paper kit from Alexandra M. Here is her Etsy listing for this kit. You will see there are 14 pages in the kit. You will be able to make 10 of these cute little boxes, and along with those pages, are 3 pages of different size cards and tabs to keep in the boxes and a background page to print on the reverse if you don't want the stark white.

You will see an 11th box in the picture, for Valentines Day, and the freebie to make that is on Alexandra's Ko-Fi site.   One last link is to the tutorial on YouTube to see how to construct these. 

They are so easy to make. Then they are all ready to be used in other projects, or maybe give as a gesture to someone.

These are my version of Alexandra's envelope boxes. I used a few different backgrounds from other kits for the backs. I was very happy to find a page of lavender to use for that one box. I proped open a few to show the extra's that can be added.  The backs are just as pretty, so I won't be gluing them to a page. Tuck into a pocket though, that works.

So enjoy...

 Mushroom Collector

So Alexandra M. has created another amazing paper art book. I'm building a collection now, so she's never allowed to ever stop creating them. 

I know she'll do more, she's so passionate about paper art. Here are the links to her Etsy site for the Mushroom Collector kit.   Here you will find a series of seven video tutorials to guide you from start to finish to complete this book. For added mushroom delights, Alexandra also has a kit for mushroom ephemera that you can use to bulk up your book even more, or of course for other projects. In the listing for the mini book , you will see pictures of each page of the book that you will create. I am no expert, but with Alexandra's instructions, you can make it too.

Here is my finished version. My changes are noted.  Enjoy. On the cover I added a butterfly and a different type of brad at the top.

The back. There is a place to add your name and I didn't do that at the time of taking the pictures.

These are the pages, inside there are four little notebooks to embellish. The fabric around the book, the green and black check, is a change from the original. I have yet to do exactly what Alexandra does from her covers. Maybe her next one???

On the spine, I used Kraft Tex. A great product to use for this type of application or others. I added two little dangles, a pine cone and an acorn, along with some ephemera.

I added a closure to the book, because it puffs out with all the parts added to each page. I used rivets on the front and back covers and bakers twine to wrap around the rivets to close it. On the end of the cord, I added little mushroom circles.

My shelf of books still has room for more. But wait, I still have Alexancra's Interactive Tag Book to make. It's all cut out and is calling me to put it together. Soon, very soon.... but first.... 

Beaded Stars and Snowflakes

It seems that I do things in cycles. The beginning is showing me that I like to do some beading in January/February. These are a few beaded stars. I did some of them last year at this time and the rest recently. I also have a few other beaded things that I'll post next time. 

These designs are from Argus Collection. Quinn has a new website and I'll send you over there. She is great to work with and quick to respond if you have any questions.

Besides all her inventory, patterns free and paid ones, as well as specific companies she sources from. I see a link that she will have a blog at some point. Sign up for her newsletter if inclined to do so, and one more thing. She has a rewards card to collect points for more savings. Take the time to look around, you will find some really inspiring beading projects and the supplies that go with the patterns. 

Click here for the Argus Collection

The size of these stars is approximately 2" square. I think they would really shine if they are made into a mobile, with pretty beaded branches to hang from. Of course that means I have to make more colour variations. Darn that might also mean I'd have to buy more supplies... Hmmm, what to do. The patterns are on Quinn's site. Enjoy.....