look out for some blog candy to follow this coming weekend...
to celebration 10000 hits (when it happens) since i started blogging
i am giving away a bundle of goodness to say thank you...
watch this space
xxx

i fell in love this week with this paper by Karen Foster. My sentiments is that she actually got it right - not knocking her paper and product design at all but far too ordinary and straight forward for my liking. But this paper - this Easter paper WOW! my photos do not do it justice at all and you have to see it in real life to appreciate it!
Easter is by no means a big commercial celebration in South Africa, but rather a religious celebration of life. But i see the possibility using this paper for everything but an Easter layout or project with bunnies and eggs and stuff...instead I made this cross reminding me of my faith, that Jesus Christ died for my sins and is risen!

a piece of the paper...

the edge of the cross is inked with frayed burlap Distress Ink and then stamped with a
Tim Holtz stamp in the same colour.

A bow and crystal finishes off the bottom of the altered frame..

inside the frame is a collage clip of Maria and baby Jesus. The edges pf the frame I embossed using zing embossing powder in brown. I loved how the little granules spilled over onto the glass and embossed that as well.

the grungeboard hinges were added to the sides of the cross not visible on the top picture. they were done a while ago, never used and found there way into my TH box. the rusty nails are from our farm shed ...where i find some of my favourite things to use in my projects.
The top of the frame is decorated with a grungeboard crown, coloured with Distress ink and Distress stickles to represent the King of Kings and finished off with diamantes. Three flat backed pearls adds the last finishing touches. A simple project but one with meaning and I loved just playing..having quiet time and reflecting once again on the true meaning of life!

this is one of the cards we will be doing on Saturday in the perfect pearl class at sweet scrappins. if you still haven't booked your seat get a move on so you don't miss out!
don't you just love that 7Gypsies patterned paper on the left...the stamp is a PSX one and no longer available...
i hope i feel better on Saturday..it's day four that i am in bed (a first for me in my life) with double ear infection and flu! i feel awful and in need of serious playtime - having the withdrawal symptoms...hope you are having a better time than i am..

This week's layout was a quick one but one i loved making. The top part of the layout features 5 jumbo portrait photos slightly trimmed down and matted once. you can always add a 6Th photo instead of such a large journaling block. the bottom of the layout features 4" circles cut from patterned paper. some of the circle are sewn around the edges with different coloured threads. to complete the look i added loads of diamantes - i simply dropped them onto the layout and adhered them as they fell naturally. then a few 97% 7Gypsies sticker quotes
and there you have it.

i used complimenting coloured thread to sew around the edges of the circles

and a favourite quote from the Gypsies...
friends will help you move
real friends help you move bodies"

so on Monday i got to do this...

food for the soul - creating - playing with friends.

a set of five mini canvases painted and altered and stamped and all the things i love.

it included some stunning papers, book paper (my all time favourite) and some

of my favourite colours.

canvas with some of the details of artchix studio collage images, patterned paper and stamping. i am still in the process of adding some stuff, which may or may not include old rusted keys and wire...