Monday, October 31, 2011

Holy Crap it's over - {Blogtoberfest day 31!}


Well what a journey that was, I must admit it was a lot of fun and I will be doing it again next year for sure! I missed a few days here and there but I think that's fine, otherwise all blogging and no play make gem go CRAZY!!!

I wish I had something to show off for my last post of blogtoberfest but I don't :( I do have a half done project sitting there staring at me, but alas I've run out of fabric so I may have to start from the beginning, oh well.



How are you celebrating/dealing with all hallows eve? We just do lollies for kids in the neighbourhood, this year we got some halloweeny decorations (I'm thinking next year I might go all out!) and have a bowl of yummy treats ready for the goblins and ghouls (or ben 10 and dora) who will be appearing soon.





                                       


Very basic but Master N loved it! Do you do anything special for Halloween? Take the kids trick or treating? Go to or throw a Monster bash? I think it's becoming more and more a part of our society which I love, I'm not usually into commercial holidays but growing up I was always jealous of american kids getting mounds of candy, wearing cool costumes and carving pumpkins. I think every year we're going to see our stores filled with even more Halloween paraphernalia, bring it on I say!





Sunday, October 30, 2011

Digi Crafts by meeeeeee - {Blogtoberfest Day 30}

I'm struggling to get to the end of blogtoberfest 2011, I'm losing my blojo (that sounds dirty...), so I thought I would toot my own horn and show off some of my past digital creations I've created for clients.
 
 




 
 
 
 
 

(Putting on my designer hat on now)
If you would like me to reproduce any of these designs for you feel free to email me gemmy80@live.com.au, but please don’t copy them for yourself as I have spend a lot of time and energy creating 95% of the elements from scratch, you can share them on your blog if you wish but please email me first, and also credit is required. (Hat off!)

I hope you like them Open-mouthed smile

Till next time, keep crafting xo

Friday, October 28, 2011

What I've been pinning friday - {Blogtoberfest Day 28}

Only 3 days to go before blogtoberfest is over for another year! How has you're day been? Mine, meh, ground hog day but hopefully that is soon to change! I got confirmation of my portfolio session next Wednesday @ 10.30, OMG I'm freaking out a little but excited a lot! It's raining here right now and looks like it will be a wet (long) weekend. What are you plans? Me, I will bet gathering 6 of my best pieces for Wednesday, hopfully going to the craft show on this weekend at Caulfield racecourse, and getting a couple tutorials finished! So a rather crafty long weekend.

Now without further adieu here is what I've been pinning...

{source}
{source}

{source}

{source}

{source}


{source unknown}



Thursday, October 27, 2011

Makeover at Lil Pip's Place - {Blogtoberfest Day 27}

I've been a bit of a secret squirrel this last week! I've been working on a friends blog!

WDYT?




I can't take credit for the gorgeous Owl, or the back ground on the 'Find Me' buttons as they were created by some other talented designers but I did make the Lil Pip logo into the cute wee buttons, designed the header and the background as well as the cute as Lil Pip blog button!. Head on over to Lil Pip and you can see the blog in all it's glory!

Till Next Time, Keep Crafting

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Where do you take a 4.5 year old for an afternoon walk...{Blogtoberfest Day 25}

To your local cemetery of course!

Master N and I are lucky (some may say unlucky) to live near one of the areas oldest cemetery's. We saw head stones dating back to the mid 1800's. There were a few well known members of Melbourne society buried there but none more prominent than Damn Nellie Melba. Dame Nellie Melba was born in Richmond, Melbourne but later purchased land and moved to Coldsteam. She did in 1931. Her monument was erected by her son.


I love looking at the really old head stones, and the detail that was put into them, it's a shame so many have been left to ruin :(









Do you visit cemetery's even those you don't know who live there? I hate the look of the modern "lawn memorial parks" to me they don't have any personality, and a cemetery can have personality. I have often wondered about going up there at night, but in the 10+ years I've lived up the road from it I am yet to venture out there after dark, yes I'm a chicken!

Till next time...


Sunday, October 23, 2011

MY Learn 2 Screen Print adventure! - {Blogtoberfest Day 23}

Guess what I did yesterday????? I learnt to screen print (well the basics anyway!)

I woke up bright and early (for me and for a saturday morning), got my self ready, hopped in the car and started my little crafty adventure!

After stopping for petrol and provisions for lunch (and a pie for breakfast, bad I know) I hit the road for my 45 minute drive to Pasco Vale.

It was a fairly straight run there, after I realised where I was going, which took a lot of the stress out of it, I hate going to new places, I worry that I'm going to get lost, which means I'll be late, and I HATE being late. And no I don't have a GPS, I had one and it sent me on a wild goose chase so I took it back from once it came! Granted it was a $99 jobbie from coles, but it's ruined me fur any future GPS that may come into my life! Any way I digress..

I finally arrived (with about 15 minutes to spare, thank you very much). I was the first one there, met Laura from Learn 2 Screen Print and two other students (Helen from Chickaboo 8 and Peta) and a assistant (Bex) arrived soon after.

We quickly got to know each other and I felt comfortable straight away, I love being around creative people, it always brings the best out in me, they're my peeps!

After a quick but concise and informative introduction to screen printing we got started picking out our first design of the day, these were to go onto cards. I had a lot of trouble deciding on a design, there were just so many cute ones, I was tossing up between deer or a blue bird/swallow. I finally decided on the bird pattern as it was more intricate and I wanted to test myself. (Also the bird has special meaning to me relating to my little girl).

We got tracing using just good old contact paper (yup, the same you use to cover school books!). BTW I want me a light box, just sayin...)

We then readied our screens, applying the stencil, making sure all the edges were smooth as to prevent bleed. Then using brown masking tape we masked off the remaining screen just leaving the part we cut out.

Masking process (this one was my second stencil we did later in the day).
Underside of bird screen masked.
 
Then it was time for printing!!!

Printing with the bird stencil


Printed!

How pretty is that blue, it has a shimmer quality to it which I think lends itself perfectly to the birds.

After we had printed our cards, we then leant the process of cleaning the screens. We then sat down for some lunch and then it was on to the second screen!

The process is very similar to the first, this time we used a different table (padded). I forgot to bring any thing with me to do extra prints on but Laura was lovely and let me do a few try's before I printed on the calico bag, I think I might make them into some pillows.

So here's what I ended up with:





Too feaking cute!!!

So that was my day learning the basics of screen printing, I had a ball and it has inspired me to take it further! I actually have just (as of Friday) enrolled to study textile design and development at RMIT next year, (so I would love all your positive thoughts and crossed fingers!) and doing the workshop yesterday cemented that this is what I want to be doing as a career!!!!! I'm also planning on setting up a home studio (where not too sure) with dad so we can start playing around with ideas, so more on that soon.

If you would like to have a go at screen printing, if it's something you've always wanted to try or want to give something new a go, I highly recommend going and doing Laura's workshops, they go all the way up to Advanced workshops so there is so much more to learn. She's an awesome teacher and she makes you feel so at ease. You can contact Laura at Learn 2 Screen Print here or here. Laura also has her own market line called Mesh, you can find her gorgeous items at craft markets, contact her for more details. There is a beginners workshop at the Substation in newport on the 19th November so if you get the chance I suggest you book your spot.

Thanks Laura for such a wonderful day, I learnt heaps and will be encouraging everyone who even utters the words, screen and printing to go to you!                                                           

Till next time, keep crafting xx.

NB: All photos are courtesy of Learn 2 Screen Print apart from the last two.


Friday, October 21, 2011

What I've been pinning friday - {Blogtoberfest day 21}

{source}
{source}
{source}
source

{source}
{source}
Bit absent the past few day, I do apologise, have had a number of things on my plate, and some big changes are a foot! Stay tuned!!!

                                                   Till next time, keep crafting...


Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Locations of Site Visitors
 

Template by BloggerCandy.com