100th Post Give-A-Way...

A new journal...homemade especially for one of YOU!

FREE GIVE-A-WAY
JOURNAL
To celebrate my 100th Posting
If you leave your name in the comment area below~

Names will be tossed in a basket...

One name will be drawn & posted at
9pm Wednesday night, Oct. 29!

I'll share photos of a few of my favorite pages~

...it gives light to everyone in the house...
Let your light shine!

"Oh my...look what has found us!"

Bridges in our life...

Girls out for a walk...

Sometime those mountains are difficult to climb...

...but the climb is easier with friends~

I tried my best to leave some pages
"a little less cluttered"
So that you could add some of your
most favorite ticket stubs, photos, scraps etc.

Best wishes to each of you!
I hope you'll join in the fun~
Michelle

Journal Pages to Share...

I posted a new journal cover several days ago.
These are a few of my pages~

I love to mix papers, rubber stamps...sketches!

I have several pale ink colors~
I love to add my own details in a darker tone
or black...to make the stamp look 3-D

Don't they look like they're having
a friendly conversation?

Sat on her tuffet...

EVERY page should have had
these words...

My daddy's name...

That bird nest stamp is one of my favorites!

I will make my first journal entry tonight...
A warm cup of tea...
Some soft music...
Six layers of blankets!

Hope you're inspired to be making one, too~

Pumpkin Perches...

We had fabric scraps flying this weekend!
In my attempt to make a pumpkin~
This new owl seems to be sitting on a "tuffet"

Oh well...
It was fun making the "big guy" out of
sneezingly fun fabric!
Found these fantastic beads at Michaels
Jewelry? Hmmmm...owl eyes are more fun!

Whiskers Saved...

I save whiskers.
Sounds like I'm admitting to a horrible addiction!

This little green glass has sat in our
tea cupboard for over 17 years~
Holding precious crafting supplies.

Before I vacuum I comb over the carpets,
kitty beds, perches, favorite "spots"
and gather whiskers
THAT HAVE FALLEN OUT~
No kitty snouts are injured! :0) Teehee

We have whiskers from 6 different cats...
Some black...mostly white!
And one generous black lab...see the big black ones!
Plus my in-laws have saved for me
from their kitty paws~

I made this mouse-friend from Sculpy clay
years ago...the whiskers wait for the
next little critters to be made~

So many ideas...too little time!

Carved Stamps...

I've left the ink on my new carved stamps
so that you can see the detail & compare
the stamp to the images below~

I use all Speedball products for the carving.
I also use my Xacto knife with different tips.
They're sold at the local craft stores
near the fine arts area.

StazOn Inks are nice quality.
Smooth stamp pad & no bleeding.

Some of the tools...
I'll try to take photos of one in progress~

When I use black ink it's so easy to put
in all types of details...
I keep the stamp simple so it could
have more than one use & then detail in pen.

The little 60's icon & star~
I load the stamp once, then make a
second & third impression...
The carving material holds the ink just like
store bought stamps.

The square with the 3 leaves would look nice
as a corner design...can keep turning it~

Two different Speedball carving materials.
One is white (little crumbly, but easy to carve)
I prefer the pink...it takes a bit more effort,
but I love the sturdy results with fine details.

Now I have to go clean them!
I use the stamp cleaner you can purchase
anywhere you buy rubber stamps.

Hope you give this a try!
Be sure to click on Diane Knott's link~
she made a beautiful one yesterday!

Journal Making...

My last journal was made from
one of these beautiful Moleskine plain journals.
I purchase them at Barnes & Noble...
They come in packages of three. Lined, blank etc.

When I have the time to make
completely handmade journals~
I LOVE to try new styles...

Journals make beautiful, personal gifts...
I have made LOADS of them & I'm sharing
the books that inspire me!

Sample page...

Sample page...

Sample page...

Sample page...

Sample page...

Sample page...

Each book is very different...
There are many more to choose from.
It's important to read the directions page
to make sure the writer has clear photos &
puts each step in words you can understand.


My tutorial books are Christmas & birthday gifts...
From the very people I give handmade journals to!
I LOVE them!