The Introverted Crafter

OK I was late for christmas so i'll be early for new year! I'm hoping 2015 is better for me mentally than 2014 has been, but if it isn't it isn't. I will not get to midnight tonight and make a magical change from the neurotic mess I am. It takes work...and time. But any step is a step forward (hopefully anyway) I'll start off with the crafts, then go onto the budgetting progress. So...this week I have been working on the next project in the book, which is called Angel on High and is designed by Hels Sheridan. Here is the original piece I didn't have any art parts, but I had scavenged another vodka bottle from work, so I decided to use that. Here is the finished result I decided to try just painting on the bottle without decoupaging it first, and found out it worked! Saves me some decoupage paper for other projects. I used versa mark ink and mica powder with the crackle background stamp, and black ink with the script background stamp. ...

A belated merry christmas to one and all. I thought I'd do a short post today. First, I'd like to show off my haul! I've had this for a little while but it is technically a christmas present - a dementor globe! A writing journal. Something I will be using a lot in the coming year. A Disney Traditions figure. Beauty and the Beast was my favourite Disney film when I was growing up.  I love this because of two things. One is Dr Who obviously (it's a quote from the eleventh doctor) and two it seems like the ideal quote for a fledgling writer. Sherlock - enough said! Another Disney Traditions figure, this one a Mickey marionette. I love this because you can actually move it around. A Tardis necklace. Pyjamas. I'd show more of them but I'm wearing them! Slippers. Very comfy. A craft MDF set to alter. This is a punch and judy box, from candy box crafts. Three background stamps. The eagle eyed ...

Although we have not even reached christmas yet, today is payday so I thought I'd start my new years resolution early. The aim is simple; I want to get my savings account looking healthy again. I've done a spending ban before and, aside from failing it a little early, it did make me think about doing a longer run. However, a spending ban does not work for me. Going cold turkey just makes me want to spend. (I know I'm weak!) So instead of a total ban I have set myself some rules. The first rule is to look for alternatives that cost no money when it comes to treats. For example, digging out a nail polish I haven't used in ages, borrowing a DVD from someone. I am going to go to the library more often, and will be doing reviews of the books I read. I already do this on GoodReads but if you want me to review books on here too let me know in the comments. The second rule is to save at least a third of my wages in total over the year. That is the minimum. The third rul...

This weeks project was called Dreams and designed by Tracey Laughton. Here is the original one I'm not sure why this has ended up on its side because the original picture is the right way round. Hmmm. Anyway, I decided to go through the Countryview Crafts goody box I recently purchased in order to do something a little different with this one. Here is my version. I painted the shadow box with two shades of blue paint, but didn't add any flowers stamp wise because it just didn't work for some reason. I also didn't have any embossing powder (I keep umming and aahing about whether to buy some or not, but I've decided not to) The goody box had the perfect solution. The Ten Second Studio metal sheets. I found some in a deep blue, then die cut some flowers. After I had cut them, I embossed them with a feathers embossing folder, then sanded them lightly so that the feather pattern became silver. I added a gold pearl to the centre of each one. Y...

Back onto the project book, and here is project seven, titled Steampunk Fairy and designed by Sam Poole. Here is the original design. The one thing that struck me about this is that, while it is nice, it hardly fulfils the criteria for steampunk. Still, rather than try to make it more steampunk I decided to follow the original design, with a few changes due to availablility of items. Here is my version. The only stamp I had that I thought was suitable was a Gorjuss one so I stamped that twice, once on some Christmas newspaper and once on plain card. I coloured it with promarkers, then cut out the book and the dress from the plain card and glued it onto the book card. I do like the way you can see the words through the face etc. I decided instead of a card I'd make a tag (seems ages since I've made one of those) so I didn't add the stencilled words on the background. I added vellum wings to the girl (in retrospect I would have used black, not brown...

For those few of you who read this blog, you will be aware that I am in the middle of a crowdfunding campaign to get my debut novel published. One of the things I have decided to do is write an article, or release some new material, for every twenty five books I sell. Yesterday, day five, I reached my first ten percent, so here is today's bonus. One thing that is crucial for a fictional writer is to choose or create the perfect setting for their story.This choice depends on what your category of fiction is. Fantasy writers have the ability to create their own world, full of mythical creatures. Science fiction writers can do the same, but with a multitide of planets or space stations to choose from, even pushing the boundaries of the physics of our own world. Romances can be set anywhere in the world, as long as there is somewhere for the heroine to meet the man of her dreams. If you have chosen to write a fictional version of an actual historical event, for example the Tudors are...

So I'm back crafting again! Still working on the project book but I'm starting to get ideas of my own again, if you know what I mean. They are longer projects so I will be working on them, but doing the ones from the project book in the interim. So here is project six! It's called Make Me Smile and was designed by Sue Wilson. One of the major problems I have craft wise is my lack of co-ordination. Not in terms of clumsiness. I am clumsy but that's another issue! I mean I have real trouble figuring out what goes together. That aside, here is my take on this one. As you can see, I stuck to the original colour scheme, but made some changes. I did try to use my new damask die for the first time but the black card and the white card I have in my stash are both too thick for this, so instead I found this XO card in my stash. That, and two of the other pinks all came from the countryview crafts goody box I got a while back, as did the heart. The darker pin...

Just a quick one today For those of you interested in reading a post-apocalyptic book with a unique perspective, please follow this link and help me achieve my dream of becoming a published author https://britainsnextbestseller.co.uk/index.php/book/index/LonelyasaCloud Emma

Hello crafty peeps! It's been hard for me this week. As most of you will know by now (since I've been talking about it a fair bit) my book is finally available for pre-order on Sunday. Which means from Sunday I will be posting a link with every blog post, in the hopes that you lovely people who read my blog will have a look at the link, and perhaps buy a copy. However, the anxiety of this, arranging a talk at my old school (I have huge issues with talking in front of people) and post-holiday blues has meant my depression is sky high at present. Funnily enough, my anxiety (aside from book related problems) is quite low. I seem to have levelled out a little. This isn't medication related as I don't take medication. It is a bit disconcerting that I do not feel as anxious as I should, or as excited. Perhaps I will when it is real to me. This has also meant that crafting wise I still have not come back up to standard. I'm back to my days off wasting hours on the in...

Well I'm back! No crafting in this post because I'm still recovering from jet lag, so haven't made anything yet. I will say I picked up one thing, a Beauty and the Beast cross stitch, which I will add to the list of kits I need to finish before I buy anything else. As you can probably guess from what I picked up, I went to Walt Disney World! I've been there a couple of times before, but I promised myself I would say on Disney property (another item of my fucket list checked off) so I booked Port Orleans French Quarter. As you can see, it's based on Mardi Gras. These decorations are actually cast from the Mardi Gras parades. Believe it or not this is the cafeteria! The hotel room was lovely. All American hotels typically have two double beds, so plenty of room to sleep. Here's some pictures of the exterior. I didn't take as many pics as I should really. There are definite advantages for staying on Di...