Feeling a little blue...

Blue... thats the colour theme of my very first Crafty Creative box and my most favourite colour.

For those that have never heard of Crafty Creative, its a monthly subscription and you get a box of crafty goodies of various mediums, including a craft kit and crafty samples!

So after a 48 hour wait to get to the post office to pick up and after todays craft show I finally sat down with a cuppa and my camera and a bit of excitement and apprehension to open the box.

The box

Everything comes wrapped in tissue  - blue of course this month - and this and the box will not be wasted, will use for packaging for Tinks Things goodies as I send all my goodies out in recycled boxes, though the Graze boxes are perfect for this, especially as they've always got an interesting photo printed inside.

First out is the month kit, a gorgeous mini bird mobile, with everything you need to make it, in of course blue. You get the felt, stuffing, thread, dowels, needle and sequins and the all essential instructions and pattern.  I cant wait to sit down to make this, no doubt adding my own little twist.

Next was my most favourite, paint, glitter and canvas! Unbelievably these are three  Decoart Americana colours that I haven't got so can't wait to get painting with these and with fathers day coming up these are the perfect colours. The mini canvas is just screaming to be papered, glittered, inked and glued.. oh and what else two lovely shades of textured paper...perfect for the canvas along with the two tubes of glitter and tube of gorgeous seedbeads from Stix 2.

Now the next lot of goodies are really out of my comfort zone, I needlefelt, not possibly as much as I should and really have no idea what I'm doing, just stab away, but never had a go at jewellery making, usually just use any charms or beads I have lying around to add to my wooden bits so this is really going to stretch me. The nepalese felt balls at the top of the picture are just screaming to be made into a necklace, so this is the perfect excuse to get the needle out and make some of my own. The stunning glass beads from Musha Makes in the middle I think may be a pressie for someone who would make better use of them than me and the two blue birds at the bottom may find their way into one of my Tinks Things makes. These are all sat on the most gorgeous fat quarter of flowery material - I'm thinking peg fairies. as this is the limit of my sewing.

Last but not least is this fantastic clay from Jumping Clay which I cant wait to play with as ive never used clay before so cant wait to see what I come up with, possibly something abstract (well that's my excuse). It also comes with a little step by step so really I cant go wrong.

So here's all the goodies that i received in my very first box, one thing i did miss was this gorgeous art card (top right hand corner) by Catherine Moody and for my very first box I definately wasn't disappointed and cant wait for my next one.

Sam x

Bzzzing!

Does anyone else trawl through facebook and think oh no another scam when they see posts for marketing companies. Do you also think ill sign up and ill get nothing, they advertise all these fantastic products, promise to send them out etc, yep so do i... well i did, that was until i signed up yesterday to BzzAgent  https://www.bzzagent.co.uk/index.jsp

Simply all you do is sign up, answer some surveys, usually just one question and not very taxing about various products, services, just so they can get an idea of your lifestyle etc. Then wait for an invite to an campaign based on your answers, accept the invite and hey bingo a product, services (usually for free or they send vouchers for discounts) out, you write review on facebook, twitter, blog, share with your family and friends and thats it!

As i say i only signed up yesterday, today there were some more quick surveys, answered them took all of about 4 mins and now ive got 2 boxes of Halls XS peppermint and 2 boxes of Halls XS lemon now coming my way!  Not at all glamourous but with this cold lingering im sure they're going to come in handy!  Now you might have to wait a month or so but the more surveys and talking you do the more chance you have of partaking and if youre on your laptop everyday trawling then whats 5 mins!

So as soon as they turn up, ill let you know what i think about them!

Im back...

Wow! Where has the past 5 months gone... in a blur id say.

As i mentioned in my previous post id just been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and was starting medication, first batch seemed to be working so decided to go back to work. Well that lasted one day, symptoms kicked off again and that was me off work for the next 3 months.... and what a long 3 months that was. Over that time i went through so many emotions, tiredness, depression, anxiety, short spells of feeling somewhat 'normal' and boredom. Yep even with all my painting and craftiness to do i was still bored, or was it more the fact that i had no motivation, unfortunately that and the palpatations are possibly two of the symptoms that i am still struggling with, even 5 months down the line.

'Brain Fog' - yet another symptom

One thing i found on the internet to get me through this was the 365 project http://365project.org/ . This i found invaluable in getting my motivation going and my butt out of the house! So much that i even managed to fill one whole month! The idea behind the project is photography - to take a picture for each day of the year - unfortunately ' let it lapse as since i've gone back to work, i've also changed my job.

Whilst on the sick i was in contact with work and HR and on my return had a meeting with Occ Health. It was suggested that as a post was coming up for secondment at a sister park for the post of Events/Education Officer, with no late shifts, heavy lifting etc then i should be put forward for it. Fantastic a new challenge, new environment, new life! So i've been there now for just over a month and guess what... im writing this today off on the sick.. yep seem to have overdone it last week and now thyroid symptoms alive and kicking!  Is there no end nor balance to this, if anyone's got the answer please let me know as i'm struggling to find a balance and i know i should try and slow down but if i slow down any more ill stop!

Anyway enough of my woes... lets get on to the crafty bits!

Ive been adding some new bits to Tinks Things over the past few months and seem to have finally found my style - mixed media meets whimsical primitive country folk painting, though this can also be either or!

'Twinkle Twinkle' Hanging Star

Family of Easter bunnies, some painted, some papered!

Mixed media key hook rack

'Dolly Danglies'

And my latest  favourite make.....

Mini beach hut canvas

Oh and ive also just got my first Big Shot from Stampin' Up and some lovely other pieces but more about that later!