Sunday Scrapbook #9

Regency-inspired ATCs made July 2011

(via Your Profile/My Profile ATC Swap at Swap-Bot)

 

 

 

Sunday Scrapbook #8

"Let them Grumble"

"The most handomest prince in Christendom"

Tudor ATCs made July 2011

(via Favourite Time in History ATC Swap at Swap-Bot)

~ I'm somewhat annoyed that these didn't scan all that well, considering these are my favourites to date, and the first ATCs I've made in over a year. It is all the bling that is at fault, and I don't know how to fix it, alas!

ATCs: Wicked/Elphaba Inspired.

"Which old witch? The Wicked Witch!"

Elphaba wanted to see things change for the better in Oz...


So she studied and worked hard and created awe-inspiring things. Her achievements were known far and wide..

So that even after she was gone she still inspired others to continue her work.

These are now on their way to KF in USA, after we agreed to do a private ATC swap inspired by Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked: The Life & Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and its main character, Elphaba (ie the Wicked Witch of the West). We discovered that we both loved this book after taking part in a completely unrelated swap over at Swap-Bot.

Since the weather was awful yesterday (go here and here to see what I mean), I spent the afternoon in-doors crafting. I'd not done so in a few months, and the opportunity to be creative was most enjoyed!

A Spring Lament.

Second day of Spring. Already. One minute it’s New Years and the next I’m contemplating Christmas presents and summer holidays. Where has the year gone? I clearly missed the memo that said 2009 will be passing by at break-neck speed. Slow-down, 09! I haven’t had a chance to enjoy you yet!

Second day of Spring and outside my window there are gigantic black storm clouds approaching and the wind is picking up... Again. Spring in this part of the country equates to three months of gale-force winds that blow up dust-storms and give me itchy eyes, skin like a dried prune, and the worst hayfever headaches you can possibly imagine.

Second day of Spring, but thanks to global warming/climate change it’s been Spring-like for the past month already, so the weeds the size of small trees in my garden that I’ve not yet got around to removing are all in flower and will no doubt drop seeds so next year I’ll have even more to contend with. I tried pulling them, but some of them have stems larger than my wrists and I couldn’t fit my hands around them. Then they’d snap at the base and I’d get all antsy and storm off, cursing Mother Nature for inventing thistles, turnip weed and marshmallow weed and making them all appear in my garden at once.

Second day of Spring and I already have my tomato plants in (four different kinds!), along with some strawberry plants and a bunch of seedlings on the way. If the wind doesn’t blow them away I’m hopeful of a bountiful home-grown crop come summer. The Winter Garden was only semi-successful: we walked away with some baby carrots, spinach and parsley, but the cauliflower and the cabbage will no doubt go straight to seed and the onions are confusing me: I’ve no idea when to pick them.

Second day of Spring and this weekend (weather permitting) will see me in the backyard, attempting to landscape my garden. I spent a ridiculous amount of money last weekend on purchasing a bunch of “drought tolerant” (I always screw my nose up slightly at this claim; can anything be truly drought tolerant?) plants to add colour and some semblance of organisation and design to our yard. And the patch of weeds where my lawn used to be needs mowing.

Second day of Spring and the sun is shining when I wake up in the morning, and it’s still daylight when I get home at night. Soon it will be Daylight Saving and my poor dog will be terribly confused when we’re out of bed before he is.

Second day of Spring and I’m already onto the second book in my Spring Reading List and I’ve hopes to get back into some crafting now that the days are brighter. There’s something about the sight of flowers and the sound of birds that makes me want to be creative and artsy (or, at least attempt to be). I’ve ideas for three separate journal-style scrapbooks, and I’ve a non-official Wicked/Elphaba inspired ATC swap organised with another swapper on Swap-Bot, all of which I cannot wait to get started and share with everybody.

Second day of Spring and I plan on wasting the rest of it away lost in good books and crafts, and browsing awesome blogs that ensure I am endlessly entertained, including new-found favourites Ask Your God, Paper Cakes, Eco Princess and Good Grief Blog (if you’ve not checked them out yet, I highly recommend that you do).

Second day of Spring and I am severely behind in my blog updates, but I want to let everyone know I’ve many things to share, including photos, stories, tid-bits and recipes that I’ve just not got around to writing up yet. Bare with me whilst I try and get myself organised. I suffer severe bouts of procrastinitis, which tends to disappear as quickly as it appeared, so things should be back to normal soon. I also have some planned giveaways, so keep an eye out for those coming up real soon!

...Oh, look: Dust on the horizon.
Why, hello, Spring! I can't say I've missed you...

xo

Cleopatra VII ATCs.

"The Last Queen"

Cleopatra ATC via Swap-Bot

"Cleopatra VII Philopator"
Cleopatra ATC via Swap-Bot

In Brief:

Cleopatra VII was a Hellenistic (Macedonian) ruler of Egypt.

She came to power first as co-ruler with her father Ptolemy XII, and then later with her brother-husbands Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV.

Following their deaths she ruled in her own right, forging an alliance with the Roman Empire by bearing a son (Ptolemy Caeser) to the Roman Emporer Gaius Julius Caeser.

After Caeser's assassination, she aligned with Mark Antony, with whom she had three children (twin daughters and a son).

Cleopatra and Antony were defeated by Caeser's legal heir Octavian at Actium. Following the defeat, Antony took his own life, shortly followed by Cleopatra, who in legend used the bite of an asp, on 12 August 30 B.C.

"For she was a woman of surpassing beauty, and at that time, when she was in the prime of her youth, she was most striking; she also possessed a most charming voice and a knowledge of how to make herself agreeable to every one. Being brilliant to look upon and to listen to, with the power to subjugate every one, even a love-sated man already past his prime, she thought that it would be in keeping with her rôle to meet Caesar, and she reposed in her beauty all her claims to the throne".

- Cassius Dio (Roman Historian)

ATCs...

"Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit"

Orange Scraps ATC via Swap-Bot

"Agent Orange No. 2"

Orange Scraps ATC via Swap-Bot

"But Grandmother, what an awfully big mouth you have!"
Fairy Tale ATC via Swap-Bot

"Mirror, Mirror..."
Fairy Tale ATC via Swap-Bot

"De Goole Bug"

Edgar Allen Poe-inspired ATC

Made for Mari in Spain

Favourite Blogs (Swap-Bot)

I decided to take part in a swap at Swap-Bot that requires I share my favourite blogs with my allocated partners, being Elmi in South Africa, Rasa in Lithuania, and Amber in USA (such a worldly selection!).

There are a lot of blogs that I read. Some are located in the Favourite Blogs list to the right, and others are stored over at my livejournal as an f-list.

However, for this particular swap I thought I would select my Top 5 Favourite Blogs to share with my Swap-Bot partners, and anyone else who happens to stop by.

The Top 5 is as follows:

Tea Time ~ the inspiration for my Vegetarian Recipe Monday posts! It's a challenge I am determined to succeed in!

SouleMama ~ whose world is so different from my own that I cannot help but be transfixed by it (I love, love, love her photos).

Out Back ~ my ma! Need I say more?

Our Red House ~ I lived in the same city for nearly ten years, and I enjoy reading about her experiences there.

Cupcakes at Home ~ I am in love with her Scotland and her dogs (seriously cute)!

I can only hope you will enjoy these blogs as much as I do!


The picture at the start of this post has absolutely nothing to do with anything. I just happen to like it and wanted to share (Co. Kerry in Ireland).

Finding Practical Hobbies.

As I was sitting around last night, unable to decide if I wanted to watch television, a DVD, read a book or write, I decided it was time I got a new hobby. Something creative that I can fit into a busy schedule - something I can multi-task, or do when I have only an hour or two to spare.

I considered improving my knitting "skills". I already know the basics. I could probably knit a scarfe or a blanket if I really wanted to, but I often find knitting a little too repetitive and I get bored with it quickly. Other times (i.e. often) I make mistakes and I dont realise until countless rows later, and it's just too hard to go back and fix (or I'm too lazy. You decide). I would love to be able to knit wonderful things like jumpers, cardigans, beanies and socks, but I cant read knitting pattern instructions - it's a whole other language and I cannot make heads or tails of it!

So, I decided last night that I am going to learn how to sew. It's a practical hobby that could prove to be incredibly useful. Probably moreso than knitting ever could. My mum doesnt know it yet, but she's going to teach me (Thanks, Ma)!

I did learn (if you'd like to call it that) a bit of sewing from Home Economics class when I was in highschool. But I wasnt very good at it. We made an apron and a pencil case. I actually finished the apron: It was made from calico and I made it for my mum. I even put her initials on it. It was so proud! I think she may even still have it...?

The pencil case, however, was a bit of a disaster. I sewed it all wrong and couldnt get the zipper attached. I got frustrated and gave up. I was so disappointed that I didnt even bring the poor thing home; it was abandoned in the Home Ec room.

I'd like to think that being older, and with a steadier hand, I'll have more patience for it. I was thinking of starting simple: perhaps a tablecloth. I figure if I can sew a straight hemline then I am off to a good start!

Once I have finished some (wonderful?) creations I can share them!
[All tips welcome!]

In the meantime, I'll share two of my latest ATC creations. Both are themed "Cancelled Postage", and are via Swap-Bot.

No internet makes Sorcha something-something.

Having no internet on at home means that there are few blog updates but plenty of time for ATC-making! And I have been keeping myself busy with ATC swaps via ATC_Connection, Swap-Bot, private swaps and gifts. I've also received some beautiful cards in return, which I plan to take pictures of to share at some point in the very near future.

In the meantime I'm sharing the cards I've made over the past two months or so. Please try and ignore the poor photography: they would have been scanned if I'd been able to find the computer connection (no doubt still packed away in a box somewhere).

4x Dark Inspired via ATC_Connection

3x Pick-a-Country (Ireland) via ATC_Connection

2x Parents' Names via Swap-Bot

3x Custom "Chaapaai Kitty" for JP in Germany (gift)

1x Vintage for RG in USA (private swap)