Pics and Progress.

It has been a long time since I last blogged and so much has happened, but the progress on crafting has not halted. I have been trying out some new craft sand rediscovering old ones.

I have been bitten by the Smash bug. Don't know what Smash is? Well it is basically journalling, but to a higher degree. Let me take you back to where I started journalling. I always thought journalling was like keeping a diary and writing down your thoughts and ideas, which did not appeal to me since I am more inspired by the visual. I always got diaries as a child and started out with good intentions and journalling every day, then maybe twice a week and then every other week until it got shoved into the back of my closet, to go where old toys go to rest. Well, when I started high school it was a requirement to have a diary to diarize my homework and school events. My friends and I  got into the habit of filling our diaries with every sort of a thing a young teenage girl collects. Sweet wrappers, notes passed during class, magazine articles, song lyrics, stickers and all other types of things were fodder for our diaries. Our diaries were our most prized possessions and by the end of the school year they were so stuffed that we could not even close them. I am actually guilty of still owning two of my high school diaries.

So imagine my surprise when the Smash company came out with journals that are filled with patterned pages, that inspire you to decorate, journal and add items to. They come in many varieties and have their own product line of journalling goodies. As wonderful as they are, sadly I do not own a credit card and there is no way of me ever owning one so , when push comes to shove, I do what I do best...improvise. Armed with enough inspiration to journal the whole of cape Town, I headed off to China Town, where everyone knows is the place to find the next best thing to anything. I found a journal there that was ideal, and for R15, you cannot go wrong.It is a plain, spiral bound journal with yellowish pages (never fear, I have a plan to cover those) and four different colored card pockets to divide it. The cover is plain cardboard with a clear plastic cover which is great because I can decorate the cover how I like and still have it protected by the transparent plastic. I set to work, covering the yellowy pages with note paper and digging out all the things to add to my journal. It is growing by the day and looking great.

This is a cheap enough hobby as it basically consists of gluing items in which you want to preserve and a little imagination to make it look appealing. Think birthday cards, ticket stubs, photos, recipes and so much more. You can see photos of my faux Smash journal via my flickr photo's here.

Another craft I have been working on are my "Mimi Kirchner" dolls and you can find the pattern and tutorials by clicking here. They are so easy to make and I love these little dolls.

Citronella, named after the colors I chose for her.
She was my first doll that I made. I love the face and little pearls

 

 

Citronella and Rose, my second doll.

 

 

 

Photo's are a bit dark due to my camera phone.These dolls are super easy to make and I can usually complete one in a day alone. They are super soft and if you have felt, thread and stuffing then you don't really need to buy anything else. They are great for kiddies but are also a bit delicate so I recommend them for little girls but  not toddlers.

I have also been working on my dolls house and was quite inspired by a shop on etsy. I have added quite a bit to the house and an additional room which is now a sewing room.

 

 Here is the little dolls house. The sewing room is on the left and I keep adding things to it and has grown quite a bit since this photo.

Here is a little sofa and armchair I made using a super easy tutorial. All you need is cardboard, ( or an old box, the kind with the corrugation in the middle)  glue and scraps of material, I used perler beads under the chairs for some lift. Material with a small print or plain usually works better. Try it for yourself by clicking here. I have worked on loads of other little projects including, mini baskets, dolls clothing and accessories that can also view via my flickr photo's. The next project that I have in mind  is a miniature bread bin.


I would love to stay and chat but crafting calls and like any avid crafter, I have to answer, so till next time... Chow!