The Scrapbook

I've never been one to do digital scrapbooking. I mostly put pen to paper and scissors with glue, cross my fingers and be pleasently surprised at the end.

I tried once or twice on a very basic $14 digital scrapbooking program to see if I would like it. I did, however, due to the programs capabilities... or rather inabilities... I was unable to do anything with my created projects. They just sat there, unable to be looked at by anyone without the same program, unable to be exported for printing, what was the point?

At this stage I decided to look around for something that could do all that and more. I looked at the Creative Memories Storybook program and its lovely price put me off. That combined with the fact that I would still need to use my trusty GIMP program if I wanted to manipulate my photos. Not really an issue as GIMP is free, but still, if Im paying that price I want all the bells and whistles to boot.

I went to our local Hardly Normals (Harvey Norman) and had a look at their range. It was a decision between Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist and something not Serif Digital Scrapbook for slightly less. However SDS did everything I wanted it to do and more. It did everything Creative Memories did, plus some. I was sold.

I got it home and started right away, I couldnt help myself. I couldnt stop. Hours upon hours creating my sons story book. The story of his life, from conception to birth and beyond...

Then the unthinkable happened... my hard drive died...

I have a copy of the pages on a facebook album. Im praying that a copy of them is on my thumb drive, along with all the hundreds of embellishments that made up those twenty plus pages so that I can continue where I left off. I had a dreaded feeling that they arent. That I will have to start again. I cant bear to look on my drive to find out...

An example of one of the pages

The Weed

Block Five

Once again this was a very simple and quick block to produce. Again, Im not very keen on the back of the block where the cross stitch comes through, however I guess I will have to learn to deal with it as there is no changing it now.

I havent looked at the next block yet, but I cant wait, whatever it is. I cant believe how quick it is to crochet compared to knitting! I wish I had started sooner!!

Block Four

The granny square!! Oh how I longed for this simple block. And yet, when it came time to produce it, I hated it. I had never done a block that required anything except simple crochet, this incorporated doubles and trebles and was a lot more difficult than it needed to be. It did however produce a much better finish than my other ones (but shh!).

Block Three

I loved making this square. It was so simple to crochet and took little to no time at all. Im not very happy with the back of the square, its neat enough (years of practice, although dislike, of cross stitch) I just dont like the fact that when the quilt is finished, if you turn it over you will see pink lines etc. I would have liked to hide the stitches within the white as I went but it proved difficult to achieve the look while maintaining even cross stitches.

Block Two

My second block from 'The Art of Crochet' is the shell block. Overall it turned out square which is the main thing I suppose. Im not very happy with its overall look. I may undo it and try again later. Im not entirely sure what it is about it that I dont like. I had trouble understanding exactly what they wanted me to do at each of the edges and just seemed to fudge it as I went, perhaps that is what is wrong? Otherwise its a rather pretty square really.

Block One

A few weeks ago now I saw an advertisement on Television for a magazine called 'The Art of Crochet'. I've always been a reasonable knitter but apart from granny squares, never able to crochet. It was with the first issue of this magazine that I finally relised that my cute little animal book where Wesley and Scooter Pup hail from, was actually in American Crochet, hence why it made no sense to me. I wasn't as silly as I thought!

The first block I completed from the series.

It turned out rather square for my first attempt at a quilting block anything other than a granny square.

Basket Weave Jumper

A few weeks ago I went to spotlight to get some wool. I didnt end up buying wool, but I did buy a couple of kits (that had the wool included) to try.

The first one, turned out really well. I haven't been really into knitting lately, but this took no time at all. Its a very simple pattern with no shaping. I did make the button holes a little smaller so I could use my cute little baby blue ducks that I got from Ebay.

It was my first attempt at using a matress stitch to sew it together. I wish I had've been told about that stitch years ago!!

Erica

Yesterday I finished my very first library bag. I made it from scratch without the aid of an official pattern and fudged it as I went.

The result was rather impressive even if I do say so myself. I am not 100% happy with the draw string straps and may change them before I give it to the lucky little lady. Time will tell.

It was made for Miss Erica. A friend's daughter who is starting school next year. Im sure she will love it. It is made from a soft denium look fabric, with flower motif embrodiery. I couldnt have found a more lovely main fabric. I made my very first ever lined pocket which turned out perfectly first go!!

The Pocket detailing

The name was fused on before using blanket stitch over the edges for a more professional finish. The most difficult part of the name was trying to use the iron on the fusing while getting the rounded letters to fold underneath so as to avoid fraying without burning my fingers.

Detail of the lettering

They turned out rather well. Her name is perfectly centred across the top and the colours just blended better than I could have imagined.

Hanging by the straps.

The inner layer is a special fabric that I got from Green Beans Australia. Its called PUL - Poly Urethane Laminate. Its a water proof, breathable fabric that is used as a layer in modern cloth nappies to prevent outer clothing from getting wet. I orginally went to Spotlight to see if they had a readily accessible equilivilant, the sales attendant basically looked at me strangely and tried to sell me something that would not do what I wanted it to. So I promptly came home and shopped through the colours on GB. It was really pot luck as to if the colour would work of not. It came in the mail and it was fantastic! I musky pink which complemented all my other colour choices! Woo Hoo!. Making the lining work was a bit of a pain as I hadnt done a bag or lined one for that matter, for over ten years! TEN years!