Saturday, September 16, 2017

Steaming ahead on Saturday

Continuing on with Wednesday's approach, I've been spending an hour or so each night since then working on long-neglected mini projects.

Thursday night I started cutting bobbles off a ball of op-shopped novelty yarn which I've had in stash for ages, thinking it would make a good miniature felt ball rug (not that I need one, as I already have two fabulous versions courtesy of Mitchy Moo Miniatures...)
I finished the task on Friday night , after treating myself to some new craft supplies on the way home:
(I 'needed' the silver foil tape, the rest just came along for the ride). By this time I was so sick of the sight of little coloured yarn bobbles that I decided that they could be tucked away for just a wee while longer before I braved the next step.

This morning I was up bright and early, and very pleased when it started raining as it was the perfect excuse for the first craft day I've had in a very long time.

I had plans to continue with the tub of mystery, particularly finishing the final of the four noticeboards I made way back in 2011...
but then I got sidetracked by a box of tiny vintage paper treasure that was included, that almost certainly from my 2011 Inch by Inch challenge.
And before I knew it, I'd decided I wasn't in the mood to make so many decisions and so moved on to using some of the paper pieces from the noticeboard stash to make some simple notebook sets.

Next I decided to us my new foil tape, which I'd bought for the Twinings tea caddy from the 'Trash to Treasure' kit that Chell Oldfield gave me back in 2015 (not actually from the tub, but tucked on top of it, so fair game for finishing off as well).
 That seemed to do the trick, and suddenly I was on a roll.

By the time I was done for the day I'd created four packs of notebooks, framed something I was sure I'd already framed (and so I had, but obviously had nicked the frame for something else at some point), and something I knew I hadn't framed before, but have been dying to. Plus I cut out the last of the books and magazines I glued last week.
And from Chell's 'Trash to Treasure' kit, I'd made a full and a half roll of paper towels (and a roll of toilet paper), the aforementioned tea caddy (I wanted to make the other two as well but didn't have enough dowel in the kit: I'm sure I have some more tucked away around here somewhere...), three bottles (which I had a bit of a bother with painting the lids), a potted plant, a cut 'glass' bottle and two wire baskets, which I couldn't resist painting.
 There's just one problem with this burst of creativity. My dining table now looks like this:
and I have guests arriving for brunch at ten o'clock tomorrow morning.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Softly softly September

Aerial view of a work table showing glue and a toothpick, two piles of miniature book covers and two lots of book covers glued to cardboard inners, clamped and waiting to dry.
It's been a busy month work-wise and so the Lori Loft to Love still sits on my desk in much the state it was in a month ago.

And I'm trying another tack to entice my mini mojo back (again) now that the days are longer.

In doing a deep clean of my studio, I came across a plastic tub that I'd obviously shoved things into ages ago (so long ago, that is, that I forgot it even existed until I pulled it out!). And I've decided to, instead of pressuring myself to make the big scene, just slowly work through all those little boring tasks that will make things done (even if not perfect). And empty the tubs.

So this week I've been making books. Which is slightly ironic since the Lifeline Bookfair was the weekend just gone and I decided not to go as I had more than enough unread books to keep me going for now, not to mention other budgetary priorities...