Crafter's block (with copious whining)

It's been way too long since I last wrote anything here, almost a whole year. After starting work as a postman I soon found myself too exhausted with work and all the classes I took last autumn that I simply didn't find time or energy to write anything. Besides scrapbooking and sewing classes I hardly had time or energy to do any crafting at all. Even though I left the job at Itella last spring, I sort of haven't managed to find the joy of crafting again. This massive crafter's block is starting to worry me. Even the surefire way of getting new supplies (always a real joy) hasn't been helping much.

It's not like I didn't have anything to do. On the contrary, I hardly know where to start (which actually might be part of the problem). I've loads and loads of pictures that need to be gone through, sorted and processed: friend's graduation, our wedding, a trip to Italy, my sister's confirmation party, a friend's wedding and bachelorette party... Then I have two throws in progress (have been for several years...), several sewing projects and people just keep having birthdays and other parties that require cards. Although I still like crafting (or I think I do?), I seem to be postponing it until last minute. I'm sort of drifting into becoming a real couch potato (well, I prefer armchair to sofa and reading to TV, but still...). And I'm not really happy with this. There's so much I'd like to do, if only I got started. I think I might need extra hours to my day.

Lately I've been thinking of getting rid of some of my stash. I just finished cleaning my desk (and the floor and the bookcase...) and the amount of stash just started to feel uncomfortable. My paper crafting has shifted almost exclusively from cards to scrapbooking, so I've found myself contemplating on selling some of the cardmaking stuff. But, being the materialist I am, I tend to cling on the oh-so-familiar mantra "But it's possible I might perhaps need it someday for something", so I'm torn between decluttering and "saving money" (I guess I'm afraid I end up buying the same stuff back at some point). Maybe if I just got one big box and threw all the stuff I don't feel like using enough in there and shove it in a closet or something. But I guess I have to face: I can't keep storing everything I might need as my patience with the ever-increasing amount of stuff seems to be ending.

Origami shirt - P*skarteluhaaste #11

A superquick post since I already should be somewhere else, here's my entry for P*skarteluhaaste #11. This weeks challenge was to make a card for man/father, and since I had 5 cards to make for Father's Day, I chose somenthing quick: origami shirt with embossed greeting.

Papers: Tiimari / DCWV
Ribbon: Reprint
Stamp: Finnstamper

How low can you go?

Pretty deep, if my day's is anything to judge by... Started with a colleague with whom I carpool oversleeping, continued with stupid mistakes at work, didn't get to deliver the mail till over an hour later than usually, a dog bit my leg (even these legends about postmen seem to be true...) and it rained the whole time.

My hardships didn't end with the day's work, started on a scrapbooking course today (the best thing that happened today, really), so needed some photos to scrap. Selected some yesterday evening and found that my camera settings over three years ago when the photos were taken were just shit, the resolution is way too low... so when I went to get them before going to the course, I ended uo with grainy, pixelated pile of crap. They had scaled the pictures to full size instead of keeping them the size I wanted. Well, partly my fault as well, but it didn't improve my day, going to the course without any photos to scrap. Besides, I also forgot to take my papers and albums with me, so even if I'd had the photos, there was pretty little with which to scrap...

And the final blow was to hear that they're gonna cease publishing Scrapbook Inspirations! That's my favourite craft mag and now it will be gone. I'm shattered. Didn't believe it at first, but after hearing the grim truth straigth from the horse's mouth... what I'm going to read from now on? And just when I'd renewed my subscription for the next year...

I'm off to bed now. Getting fined on riding my bicycle without lights or crashing with a car were just about the only thing missing from the day, not taking any chances them or something equally nice still happening ...

F is for Flying - ABC challenge

Just a quick post for ABC challenge, I should be tucked in bed and in deep sleep by now... This week's letter was F for flying and here's my take for it. I had some serious trouble with this one and I'm not at all sure whether or not I like the outcome, I kept fiddling with bits and pieces and going through my stash over and over again, to no avail. And there might be a bit too much lilac in this card, but didn't find any other suitable papers from my stash (I probably was too tired). Love the Perfect Pearls on the butterfly's wings, though, it really reminds me of the texture of the real thing.

Stamps: Inkadinkado 'Garden Delight' / Aladine
Colours: VersaColor 'Violet' / Perfetc Pearls ' Interference Violet' /VersaFine 'Smokey Grey'
Paper: HOTP 'Icy Rainbow'
Diecut: Cricut 'Accent Essentials'
Flowers: Artoz
Rhinestones: BG

1, 2, 3 - P*skarteluhaaste #10

Now, this definitely is not cool. Had such a busy week filled with action through and trough that I had practically no time to craft at all. If working's like this then I might as well give up... well, perhaps not, but I'm not happy with the current situation. Damned if you do, damned if you don't, either I'm neglecting crafting or I'm neglecting everything else (freetime, family, friends, housework (which I'm neglecting all the same...)). Not cool, not one bit. Where could I get some more hours to a day? Anyone?

Managed to squeeze in just a tiniest bit of crafting, though, my ever-so-patient better half had a birthday and I just needed to make a card for him. Bought him a Transformers robot (yes, we're both grown-ups, at least by the years...), so of course the card needed a robot, too. I was inspired by robots in Finnstamper's Sari's blog, but I tried not to copy (now, how many different ways can you make a robot?!). This is also my entry for P*skarteluhaaste #10, where the recipe was to use 1 patterned paper, 2 ribbons and 3 brads. Nobody said anything about using embossed metal or corrugated card, though. I used ball chain as my second ribbon and added screw-shaped brads for a bit of a tech/mech feeling.

Stamp: Finnstamper
Ribbon: Artemio
Brads: You Do

Red and green - P*skarteluhaaste #9

My crafting and blogging has been suffering from working, even though I knew this would happen I'm still a bit surprised that I have diifficulties of finding time to do everything I'd like to do. A pity, but on the other hand, I have at least some form of income and I do like my work (I'm a bit daft) :) I think part time job might suit me best, then I'd had more time for my hobbies than with a regular job... But I definitely shouldn't complain... let's see what happens next year...

Here's a card for P*skarteluhaaste #9, this week's recipe was to use red and green, but there's a catch: even though the time of the year and the colour scheme scream "Christmas!", the card may not be a Christmas card. I decided to make a general congratulations card. The ladybug stamp has been sitting in my stash for ages and never been used, so I made a conscious effort to use it now.

Stamps: Tiimari
Colours: Promarkers
Paper: Canson
Ribbon: Tilda Crafts
Punches: Woodware / Craftime / EK Success
Stickers: PI
Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots'

Kittycheers - Mojo Madness #107

Been visiting the parents for the weekend, needed to get a tripod for my photo course next week, but no luck there, couldn't find the one that they were supposed to have. Good trip anyhow, but a short one, so the kitties stayed at home. I liked the layout in Mojo Madness #107, so I decided to use it for a joint thank you/ instructions card for a friend who was kindly taking care of the beasts.

Stamps: Stampcraft / Woodware 'Tiny Phrases'
Papers: BG 'Blush'
Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots'

Poppy for Pop - JCC #77

This week's challenge over at Jehkotar CardChallenge was to make a Father's Day card using either a tag or a bookmark. Here's my version of it. I wanted a distressed vintage feel for it, so I cut the tag shape from paper, crumbled it, and dabbed with Distress Inks. The colours were first a bit too bright, but applying a light wash of clear water with a waterbrush helped a lot. It also helped when I ironed the tag out again... I backed the tag with cardstock to stiffen it and raised it with foam pads. Small peel-off butterfly and 3 brads add the finishing touches.

Stamps: Penny Black 'Poppy' / Inkadinkado 'Letter'
Colours: Derwent Inktense
Inks: VersaFine / Distress Inks
Brads, ribbon: Tiimari

E is for Embossing - ABC Challenge

Made another card for another challenge while playing with my new toy, this one's for ABC Challenge where E stands for embossing. I wanted to keep the design simple to show off the beautiful flowers. I distressed the paper and its edges with sanding block and paper stresser (love that thing!). The fairy stamp echoes the swirls on the embossing folder, with a darker borders to frame and lift it. I stamped my greeting onto a tiny plastic tag which I attached with silver embroidery floss and a jump ring.

Stamps: Finnstamper / Morning Star
Inks: Distress Ink 'Dusty Concord' / StazOn
Embossing folder: 'Stylized Flowers'
Paper: BG 'Lilykate'

Gothmetal - P*skarteluhaaste #8

This week's challenge at P*skarteluhaaste was to use metal, and preferably be clever with it. This was a fine excuse to have a trial run with my latest gadget, Cuttlebug. My earlier goth boy was still missing his date so I made another "attitude card" by putting together the goth girl (these two might be the best 3D sheet ever) and backing her up with embossed metal sheet (dabbed a bit Stazon to tone it down). I used scraps to make the label for the text, don't know yet what to put there. Didn't have right pink paper for it, though, but luckily I found what I needed from the back cover of an ad! The metal skull is the "clever" part, it's actually a button from a pair of trousers I didn't like (the button, I mean, loved the trousers). I'd snipped them off and saved for a later date (never throw anything away!), glad that it found its place here.

3D picture: Craft Deco
Embossing folder: 'Spots and dots'
Ribbons: Artemio / CMPC