A Month for Rest and Retreat

March is not only National Craft Month but the energies right now have us all having unsettled sleep and seeking rest.  So it's a good thing I guess that I am about to go away and host a Creative Escape Weekend Retreat.  Where we will be getting both our craft on and a little R & R.

I haven't been doing too much creatively over the last few weeks but am planning on giving our attendees a journal so they can take notes etc from our events proceedings which is all about exploring the feminine archetype of the Sovereign Queen.

These journal are cut from thick cardboard that I save from the backs of my Water Color Paper Pads with a Sizzix Travellers Journal Die.

Because we are coming into Autumn here and the Archetype we are exploring is connected to this season I have used a Autumn color palette and leaves as my inspiration.

I chose to cover my journal covers with paper rather than apply paint directly to the cover.  I used my Gel Plate to apply the paint to my paper for the cover.

Starting with Autumn tones of Red and Orange and a Leaf Stencil.

Further Detail was added with a assortment of leaf stamps and colors of Distress Oxide Inks.

Brown Ribbon was added to tie around my journal and keep them closed, and this also gives the particpants an opportunity to add more decoration to at a later date.

I simply painted the inside covers and then added two signatures of Water Color Paper inside my journals to finish.

This now gives my participants the opportunity to write and create throughout the weekend in  between our two main creative tasks.

I am looking forward to this weekend to get my Craft on as I didn't have much time to do so last month.

What are you creating this month?  Be sure to check out all the wonderful products you can be creating with over in the DIY Studio Store and we'd love to hear or why not share your creations with us in the DIY Design Studio Facebook Group.

Danie xx

Sending the Green and the Gold St Pat's Cards

I'm Irish, can you tell?

Fun will be had at the Moore house on March 17th.   I have started wearing my shamrock jewelry already!

Being vegetarian it puts a crimp in the corned beef and cabbage, but no worries, potatoes and onions and cabbage will do.  I never acquired a taste for Beer, and that's why God invented Jamesons!  My Dad ate kidney pie, something I never got the taste for that either.  Colcannon is great, minus the bacon and add the kale!  

I started with a variety of patterned papers and cut them to size as A2 Blank Cards** - 4 ¼ x 5 ½.  This means that you will be able to have 2 cards for each 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.  Cut the 8.5 x 11 in half and fold in half.  you can use them vertically or horizontally.    These papers have a white reverse which is great for card interiors.

The cards are simple and clean.  I added Dew Drops to the front with my dew drops glue dots or PPA (Perfect Paper Adhesive),  Some are inked around the edges, some are not.   

I used a printed saying on a solid paper, cutting to size and corner rounding it with a punch.  After cutting you can age or accent it by rubbing the edges lightly with a stamp pad or marker.  

This is attached to the interior with double-sided tape.  Before attaching it you may want to add ribbon or as I did, twine which had a gold component enhancing the St Pat's theme for the Pot'o'Gold.

Stamping the envelope is a fanciful way to preview what's on the inside!

**  Sometimes Card sizes can be confusing, here is a handy chart of sizes, this is the folded size.

A1 Blank Cards - 3 1/2 x 4 7/8

A2 Blank Cards - 4 1/4 x 5 1/2

A6 Blank Cards - 4 1/2 x 6 1/4

A7 Blank Cards - 5 1/8 x 7

A7.5 Blank Cards - 5 3/8 x 7 1/4

A9 Blank Cards - 5 1/2 x 8 1/2

Pocket Enclosure Cards - 4 7/8 x 6 7/8

Slim Blank Cards - 4 x 9 1/4

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We surely want you to have a rollicking good time on St Pat's Day.