Moleskin Journal - Expression

I recently purchased some 'Moleskin Journals' I thought they'd be fun to alter, if you are not familiar with Moleskins, they are blank Journals with a lovely soft 'kraft' cover. So I decided it was time to make my first :)

Using some of my New stamps from

The Stamping Queen

I set to work!

I started with this little butterfly, and then the house, Lot's of layering of Printed Paper, stamping glueing and stitching...
I just love stamping over printed text, but for a change it was over this lovely collections printed paper, I love the 'hidden dimension' this technique gives this piece, at first you don't really see whats underneath, Your eyes go straight to the 'top layer' of the design but soon you find yourself trying to see past the stamped image to see the 'partially hidden' background. Once my little House was Stamped, Sewn and finished, I adhered it to the Moleskin.

Supplies used are - Moleskin Journal, Collections Elements Houses & Dainty Butterflies, Vintage Wallpapers Printed Paper & Words, Queens Dresser Drawers - Pensive Phillip Stamp, Clearly Impressed Home Elements Stamps, Darkroom door Stamp DDRS009 little Dreams (for the script on the butterfly) German Scrap scallop border.

Well Excitement is Growing in our household as each day brings us closer to Christmas

Such a wonderful time :)

Ickie liddle Boy and his pet spider....

heee heee....this liddle boy and his pet spider do make me giggle...

I just love these two!

They are my newest stamps from

The Stamping Queen

I had so much fun making this little piece, it's been ages since I've played with paper and gotten ink all over my fingers and my desk, Recently I went 'op shopping' and found some great vintage Mathematical textbooks.

I love stamping over Text as you may know, well there is something even more appealing stamping over algebra and calculus....

perhaps it's something to do with the fact I never really got maths as a kid at school...

I'm sure Mr Montague, my year 10 maths teacher would love to see I've finally found a use for Algebra....... lol!!!!

How wonderful to find that my Cats life press stamp worked perfectly as a sentiment for this Ickie Pair.... I really must have been in a silly mood when I created this piece...

"Can you see me?" she asked, "Oh, my sweet," he smiled,

"I see you even in my dreams"

I just love the fibre sewn down on my little arch, it reminds me of hairy spider legs....ooohhh did you just get a shiver down your spine?

so here's what I used - Stampotique Originals Head 6033R & Mr Stripes 6007H, Catslife Press 229D Can You see me, Paper Artsy At home Plate no.3, Collections Chipboards House C0389, Collections Vintage Wallpaper, Round Antique Brass Plaque H56, Basic Grey Fibre, vintage paper and ticket and a Gears Stamp but I can't remember which brand it is ;)

Well now, I hope you are all having a most delightful week

thanks for dropping by

~ Gill x

oh and hi mum, see I finally updated my blog :)

Mail from Hermine :)

I just have to share this Beautiful Gothic Arch Hermine made for me

How GORGEOUS!!!

Thankyou Hermine :)

it will be treasured!
♥♥♥♥♥♥

Well I've been a little slow in returning a Gothic Arch to Hermine

still playing catch up at home after being away

but I've finally finished and have this ready to post this afternoon

I hope you like it Hermine :)

I've used Some SCRUMPTIOUS stamps from my latest Design Team Pack from

The Stamping Queen

Supplies used are Paperartsy 'at home -plate 3', Paperartsy 'dolls -plate 1', Paperartsy Mini Numbers Stamp, American Crafts Mini Marks Rub-ons, Collections Chipboard frame, Collections Tabs-reverse scrap words, Making Memories Note worthy paper, and some lovely vintage German Paper that Rein sent me a little while ago :)
Have a Happy day everyone

♥♥♥♥♥♥

DCM weekly dare - inside & out

At Daring Cardmakers this week

it's my turn to dare you all

I dare you to take the design of your card to the inside as well as the outside.

Add a little finishing touch to match the theme on the outside, or Surprise the receiver with a flap, foldout, decorated journal block to write on,or one of those pop-out delights.... It really adds so much to a card when there is attention to detail on the inside as well as the outside. I know some of you are finished your Christmas cards already so this week it's Any theme, Christmas or not But make the inside count too :)

My freind Jo, had a little baby girl this week

**** Jamali ****

and I made this card to celebrate her birth

I carried the Vintage Imagery through to the inside, along with a touch of gold.

Bits used are - Basic Grey PP from SAW, Collections Ephemera Photographs & German Scrap from TSQ Collections Rusty Word, key charm, brads, string,Distress Ink, and my sewing machine.

So have you DARED to DARE yet?

Come on I DARE YOU!

freedom has no key

the lovely theme this week at

Gothic Arches

is sparkling wings

so I made this arch for it :)

the wings are quite glittery, the photo doesn't really show them to their best.

Freedom has no key, so fly...... fly away.....

White Christmas

I made this arch for this weeks

Gothic Arches theme of Winter

Seems so strange thinking about Winter in Australia at this time of the year, I've always loved the thought of having a White Christmas, and that's how my arch came about.

that lovely image is another from Karen Owen's delightful vintage images

I really enjoyed this theme :O)

Salt - Light

This week at SALT

The theme Ruth has chosen is

LIGHT

It is mentioned so many times in the Bible,

and has many facets of meaning and symbolism.

I am the LIGHT of the World...

The people walking in darkness haveseen a great LIGHT ...

The LIGHT shines in the darkness, but thedarkness has not understood it...In the same way, let your LIGHT shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Once again I've headed to the Psalms, I'm starting to think it's my favourite book in the bible

So I've made this little 'gothic arch'

and I wanted my 'light' to be symbolised by this 'hanging lamp' the kind that would have had oil in it hanging from a ceiling, filling the room with the warmth and reasurance of light.

Isn't it amazing how a childs fear of the dark, can be eased simply by turning on the light...

Well that's been the same in my life really,

So many fears and hangups, eased simply by

'TURNING ON THE LIGHT'

GOTHIC ARCHES

**** SQUEEEEEEAAALLLL****

Nancy asked me to be the Hostess this week on her most delightful challenge blog

Gothic Arches

I just can't wait to see what everyone does with the theme

TEXT

one of my personal favs :O)

little bits I used on my arch are

Paper Artsy Stamp(from TSQ), Laughing Moon Gears Stamp, Stamp-It memories stamp (that's the flourishes you can see on the side), Basic Grey PP, Splatters of ink, computer generated words, sewing machine, a jewelry finding cut in half (at the top), brads, sewing machine, jewelry wire,

and a GORGEOUS old skeleton key :)

Happy Birthday DCM xxx

The group of friends who got together to form the
Daring Cardmakers
back in October 2006 has developed and grown into a huge circle of crafting and blogging friends who come together from all over the world to share their inspiration and their talents so enthusiastically, and are always so supportive of each other's cardmaking. In honour of all of you who've helped make this blog so successful, and such a friendly place to "play" we've decided to revisit our very first dare for this our first anniversary, but with a twist. The subject is, as in our original dare "friends", but this time the title is
CIRCLE of FRIENDS
and we'd like you to incorporate at least one circle into your card.It would make it a very special occasion if for this dare you'd make a card just for the DCM rather than doubling up with other challenges.Please join in and celebrate our first anniversary with us,without all of you - our wonderful extended "Team of Darers" and of course all those who've joined us as Guest Designers over the last year it wouldn't be half as much fun.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DARING CARDMAKERS ALL

I decided to make a Gothic Arch Card to Celebrate our DCM birthday!
and this little vintage image from a collage sheet I received in my TSQ dt pack was just perfect for the circle of friends theme!
****************************************************************
Well not only has October been a busy month in our home with reno's happening, Annual leave, School Holidays, A new puppy, day trips, Visitors, etc....
But we Celebrated 2 Birthdays, mine early in October and Jacobs was on Tues.
anyway, I wanted to share with you all the beautiful Handmade cards I have received...
and to say thankyou to you sweet girls, I love them all!!!!

Made By Kathy
Made by Rhi & Lythan
Made By Beth
Made By Robin & Sandie
Made by Jenny & my niece MJ xxx
Aren't they all GORGEOUS!!!!!

Forever Bloom

I made this little Gothic Arch last night, in the early morning hours *yawn*
the theme this week at
Gothic Arches is Flowers
and as I received the most delicious supplies from
The Stamping Queen in my DT pack this month
I just had to join in the fun
I used- Paper Artsy 'petals -plate 6' & some lovely German Scrap, Designs Galour Collage sheet, and Collections Words (all from TSQ)
I also used Basic Grey PP, A Very Vintage button, Prima flower, Autumn Leaves flourish stamp, 7Gypsies School Clip, Versa Fine Black inkpad, Maria George Crystals.

My 1st Gothic Arch

the most gorgeous new blog started up this week

Gothic Arch Challenge

and this is my take on the first challenge

School

this is the first time I've ever made a gothic arch,

and what a buzz... I can see they are going to be very addictive!

Congratulations Nancy on such a wonderfully inspiring blog!