Crafting - Deco ATC's and a new blog

I'm still really enjoying Swap-bot and trading ATC cards. So thought I would give you an update of the two I made this week. They have been sent across the world to America, Netherlands, Canada and Switzerland!

These deco cards were for a 'Stamp It' ATC swap and I used supplies I had received in a previous craft swap to make them

These 2 were for a 'Where you Live' ATC swap. I used cut up postcards, a graze box, stickers and my Dynamo printer.

Anyone else into making ATC's or just swapping snail mail? I am always on the hunt for new postcard pen pals, so if anyone is interested in swapping some PC's or snail mail just leave me a comment or drop me an email.

Oh and I have got a new blog, specifically for crafting. It's called Daily Craft Inspiration and it does what it says on the tin. I am always finding great craft projects thanks to all the online hopping I do and the amazing Pintrest, so I decided to put them all in one place on a new quick daily post blog. Please check it out, follow if you like and let me know what you think. I hope I can inspire some people into crafting some more.

Monday Mail and ATC's - 17th December

It's Monday again! That means we are another week closer to Christmas, it's like 8 sleeps away now! Excited yet? Anyway as Christmas is almost here I have been swapping Christmas Postcards over on Swap-bot. So here are my lovely nice xmas post cards that I have received over the last 2 weeks! These have come from all over the globe, and add some great festive fun to my ever expanding Postcard Collection.

I've also been having lots of fun swapping ATC's again.

 This amazing creation was part on an 'All Black' ATC swap I took part in, where you could only use things which were completely black on your card. I cannot believe how amazing this card I received was.

 I also received these cards. The left and bottom are part of a 'Crafty ATC - Using Beads Swap', the top is from a 'My Favourite Film Swap' and the right is a 'Crafty ATC - Using Sparkles Swap'

And these are all the other fun goodies I received with my ATC's - going to have to put some of them to good use!

Now here are the ATC I created and have been sending out as swaps!

The above 2 are my 'All Black' creations.

 The above 3 are all 'Crafty ATC - Using Beads Swaps'. But I made each to the liking of my swap partner.

These 2 are 'My Favourite Film' ATC's for 'The Devil Wears Prada'!

Have you received any fun mail recently? If you want a new penpal or fancy swapping with me just drop me an email.

For Sale - A little crafty blog sale

Hello Ladies! Christmas is coming so I thought some of you might be looking for a few little gifts for some friends or maybe a little bit of pretty jewellery for yourself for a party night out. I sell the odd bit of jewellery at the local craft fairs and on my etsy shop so I thought I could offer you all a few of my favourite pieces.

All earrings are £4 with free UK deliver or £5.50 with postage outside the UK.

All payment is to be made through paypal

Just leave me a message with the pair you would like and an email address to send you payment details on and contact you for your address.

I hope you find something you like ladies!

 1. Antique Brass Bow and Eiffel Tower with vintage red  crystal

2. Antique Brass Flower and Eiffel Tower with vintage blue crystal

3. Swarovski spacer beads separating square glass beads

4. Polymer Clay Fruit and mini Swarovski crystals

 5. Antique Brass chain and feather charms

 6. Antique Brass Heart and Flower with vintage Amethyst crystal drops

7. Chain, Red Enamel Bow with Scottie Charm

Let me know if you would like anything ladies!

Monday Mail and ATC's - 19th November

Been lucky enough to have some great mail again this week. They are all from swaps over on Swap-bot! If you love snail mail or being creative you should join up. It is such fun and I have made some great penpal friends already. 

This time I joined a 'green christmas postcard' swap, where you recycle old christmas cards into postcards by cutting the fronts off. Here the cards I have received as part of this swap so far.

Just a quick look at where they are all coming from

Starting with the dog card going clockwise.

1. Nebraska 2. South Georgia 3.Nottingham, UK 4. Uk again cant see where 5. Arizona 

I also hosted another ATC swap for sparkly items and joined a few others. These are what I have received so far.

These 3 are: 1. Canada 2. Washington and 3. Utah

I also got these from other swaps.

1. Nebraska and 2. California obviously 

 I also got all this fun crafty stuff with my ATC's

These are 3 of the ATC's I have sent out this week for the 'Sparkly' swap

Anyone else in ATC's or snail mail? I'd love to see you collections or what you got in the post this week too!

Monday Mail - 5th November

Just a little Monday Mail post. Not done many swaps recently, but had a few pretty pieces.

Here are the post cards I received this week! How cute is the cake with the bunny cookies card!

 I've also received some seriously cute ATC's which have become my current crafting obsession. You can see the ones I sent in this post. 

Received any fun mail recently?

A Crafty Interlude - ATC's

 I've been getting nice and crafty recently, thanks to my Swap-bot membership. I signed up to a few ATC (Artist Trading Cards) swaps after discovering them a few months back. You more or less do a themed piece of art or craft on a small piece of card, usually the size of a playing card and then you trade it with someone else. So my little collection of other peoples ATC's is slowly growing, and I love every little piece of art I receive from other people.

So I thought I would show you a few of the cards I made last week to send to other ATC makers all over the world. I'm a collager, as in I like to collage. Lots of papers, stickers, ribbons and little bits and bobs, so that is usually what my cards are made with. I always use real playing cards as my base and tear off a corner so the card suit shows, I just like them that way!

I set up a ribbon ATC swap, so all the cards made had to have a ribbon it. The 3 below were all made for that swap

 Vintage waterski image, with ribbon layered to look like waves

 This swap partner was a massive winnie the pooh fan - so I kinda went a little Winnie mad!

This one uses a great piece of vintage ribbon I was sent and a sticker from BB's Cupcakes

The theme of this was to use a stamp with a building on it! Turned out I had quite a few

The theme for this was to use my favourite stamp - I loved this frog stamp so much!

A Paris themed card - thought my fav French actress Audrey Tautou would be a good idea

 And lastly a London themed card, hehe, like the rain and the teacup?

Is anyone else into ATC's or getting crafty in general?

Don't forget to enter my Blog Birthday Giveaway or you'll miss out on the chance to win some designer sunglasses.

DIY - Smashbooking!

Have you discovered Smashbooking yet? I recently found this video on Youtube of the new journalling craze to hit us crafters. I've always liked the idea of scrapbooking, but just don't have the time and patience to do it properly. If it is doe properly scrapbooking looks amazing, but it seems to take so much tim, planning and arranging it all nicely. So when I came across this video I knew it was more up my street.

Essentially its like a kids scrapbook, where you just stick everything in, how ever you want to. And you can keep all sorts of little trinkets, bits and bobs and fun stuff in it. K&Company are the brand who make the official Smashbook brand but you can really use any journal or sketchbook. Mine are off eBay, I wanted ring bound so I could put bulkier things inside and it would still go together ok. You can add anything and everything to it! Thats half the fun of it. I have found old postcards and notes that I had stored for years, which I have now added to my 'everyday' book. And when I get fun stuff in the mail I add them to it too. You don't have to use photos like a scrapbook, but I have been printing little pictures out using Picture Frames App so I can make them smaller. Got lots more to do though. 

So here is the start of my everyday Smashbook. I have a separate one for our travel - China, Paris, Barcelona - which I have yet to start! I'm trying to collect up all those little brochures and leaflets you accumulate while visiting places. Not all the pages are finished as I have been adding little bits here and there when they fit and when I find or receive interesting, pretty stuff. I intend to fill the cover with stickers when I find some or am sent some. (If anyone wants to send me some fun stickers please feel free!)

The cover so far - still pretty bare

Some Paralympics fun

Our tickets, pin badge mounts and some pictures

Pretty postcards and mail I received from Miki and others, plus a Stamp themed ATC (wondering what an ATC is? I'll be doing a post on them soon too! Another new craft I've been enjoying!)

Fun mail and ATC's, and a Hell Bunny Dress Tag

A London ATC, 2 Paris ATC's and a recipe I fancy trying

A fun night out with Jon last week! Yo Sushi and cinema trip.

Receipts from September and an old postcard. The envelope is a sample pack envelope from Crabtree and Evelyn, isn't it super cute!

More old Postcards and my winning letter from Stoli

That's all for now, I have more pages but they are still in progress.
Has anyone else been Smashbooking? Or fancy trying it? It really is a lot of fun and a great way to collect memories.