I can never focus on one thing!

I can never do one thing at once. There are positives and negatives to this, the main positive being that if you get bored with one project you can quickly switch to another. This week i have been delving into papercraft, polymer clay, shrink plastic and my favourite craft, cross stitching.

You should all be familiar with shrink plastic, even if you have never used it. I have always thought about it as a thing for kids until i saw some of the articles in the craft mags. I'm in the middle (very slow progress) of a configuration box from the genius that is Tim Holtz, so idecided to use some shrink plastic to make some ghosts and autumn leaves. It'll all become clear once the project is finished.

First thing is to either stamp or draw onto the plastic. I used google image to trace some leaves, and drew the ghosts freehand.

The next step is to stick them in the oven, at 160 degrees for a fan oven. I did that and ended up with this

As you can see, they curled up. A quick google search led me to realise i hadn't put them in the oven for long enough so back in they went

Much better! The leaves will be coloured with alcohol ink but the ghosts are fine as is.

Sticking with the configuration box, i decided to make some graves out of grey polymer clay. Delving into my vast craft stash i found i had no grey, or black, so i had to improvise. Mixing white clay with a black ink pad led me to this

Not too shabby i thought. I made two graves, used a paperclip to add detail (improvisation leads to some strange tools) and a nail brush to add texture. A quick bake and this was the result

Away from the configuration box, i made a birthday card for my mum. I used the Vintage Notes set from Docrafts, managed to get the whole set for 9.99 from TK Maxx in Plymouth. The little charm attached to the bloomer is a Tim Holtz fragment, which i stuck hearts to (vintage notes again), then used jump rings to attach a button cluster charm i got from a Crafty Creatives box, and then a lobster clasp.

I also decided that i wanted to get some wooden boxes so that i can decorate them as presents in the future. I found a company called www.thewoodenboxmill.co.uk , and ordered six 12cm boxes and ten 8cm tags from them, all for the low price of 24.83

I love Tim Holtz (if you hadn't already guessed) and one thing he does are tags, but i prefer something more permanent than the manilla tags which is why i ordered wooden ones. 

Finally, i need to post the current stage i am at with my two cross stitch projects. Number one is a Vintage sampler from Bothy Threads. I am close to the end of this, with just the back stitching to do. I plan to turn it into a cushion when it is done.

The second, is very dear to my heart, as the eventual recipients will be. My cousin and his wife lost their little boy to congenital heart disease earlier this month. I cannot even begin to fathom what they are going through, nor do or say anything that will make things ok again, but i have decided to do a photo stitch of the three of them. This is my progress so far

Phew! That was a long post! Next week will be a slightly less crafty one as on Wednesday i get to meet the Backstreet Boys!

Until next time, Emma