"Practising Zen Gardening"

I spotted a Make It Now, project on the Cricut web site. So thought I'd give it a go.

Three Flowers, one is a succulent, the other two are as yet unknown.

I used a light green for the Succulent and Red for the Flowers, the Make It Now project, called for Pink flowers. I personally think that they 3 flowers have come out brilliantly. For some reason, my phone camera, has given the flowers a shine affect, despite using matt card

 I called this "Practising Zen Gardening"

The Succulent was made using a A3 and A4 pieces of Card Stock. The Flowers were made from A4 Card stock, one sheet per flower.

Christmas Present already hard at work.

As I've previously posted, I got a Cricut Explore Air for Christmas. And it's already been put to work.

The first project, was a Thanks card for my Mum, as a Thank You, for putting up with the Four of us and the Two Poodles, over Christmas

I used Glitter Card Stock, in Pink and Light Blue, and Silver Cricut Pen. Sorry the picture is not the best.

I've just completed my second project. this time including a envelope.

The Card is a Peacock design

Whilst it at first appeared to be a complicated assembly, it turned out to be straightforward.


I have to admit to being surprised, at how good it looks.

Home made Mod Pode

If your asking, "what is he talking about?" here is a Google explanation

Mod Podge is one of the most well known craft supplies in existence (you might recognize it from its retro label). But if you aren't familiar with Mod Podge, it's a decoupage medium — an all-in-one glue, sealer and finish used to attach paper and fabric to various surfaces.

So once again thanks to Pinterest, I found a recipe for home made Mod Podge, but first here is some costings.

Hobbycraft  
PVA Glue: 1ltr = £4
Mod Podge: 236ml -£4 (approximately £17 per litre)

I've used Hobbycraft as the example, as you can do In store pick up.    Mod Podge is available from ebay and Amazon, as well as other Craft suppliers.

So now on to how to make Home made Mod Podge, I got the recipe off Pinterest .

So basically the recipe is 

3 measures of PVA Glue
1 measure of Water
put into a seal-able container, and vigorously shake 
(it does not matter what quantity the measure is, as long as it's the same one used for the PVA Glue and Water. In a ration of 3 measures PVA Glue to 1 measure Water)

Mod Podge variations
Gloss: add 2 Tablespoons of Water based Varnish (do not use solvent based Varnish)
Sparkly: add Fine Glitter
Coloured: make up a measure of Water, using a Water based Poster Paint
 

Craft Paper Rack, homemade

So I decided that I needed a Paper Rack to store the craft paper I'm slowly building up. A huge search, produced various options, from specialised Paper Storage Racks, both New and Second User, both of which worked out expensive. To Magazine racks, which is not really suitable for what I have in mind.

So I hit that resource of resources Pinterest   (UK site), for Paper Storage Rack craft projects. One or two looked brilliant, but the costings, worked out to be to expensive. But then I came across ideas using cardboard boxes. One in particular looked like the basis for a Project Ikea Magazine storage .

So after some thought, I decided that I could make 5 stack cubes, gluing the storage boxes together. And reinforcing with cardboard. Four cubes, making a 20 section Craft Paper Storage Rack, by fastening the four cubes together, using velcro. So allowing easy breakdown for moving around. So I started a search to find a source, only to find that in the UK, Flyt are called Fluns. Once that was discovered, the search went quicker. I tried the usual sources, ebay and Amazon, and nearly fell off the seat, at the prices. For what items made of cardboard. So I thought I'd look to see what Ikea charge for them, our nearest store is Warrington, but it's easier to access the Ashton under Lyne store, as it's just off the Motorway, when travelling to and from visiting family.

Now once again, I ended up nearly falling off the seat. Now Ikea is not a store I tend to visit, but the price they charge for Fluns, compared to what is being charged on ebay and Amazon, is jaw dropping.

Amazon: £3.59-free p&p to £36.96-£2.80 p&p pack of 4
ebay: £4.75 - free p&p to £5.95 - free p&p pack of 4
Ikea: 75 pence in store pack of 4 , Ikea would charge £7.50 p&p

So by calling into the store, I can buy 5 packs ( 5x4= 4 storage cubes, with 5 levels each) for the jaw dropping sum of  £3.75.

And in case your wondering. a pack of 4 Fluns, which come Flat Packed (well it is Ikea)

Length: 36 cm
Width: 30 cm
Height: 2 cm
Weight:0.24 kg (8.5oz)

So the conclusion is that Ikea is the most expensive option, for home delivery. But the cheapest option, using in store collection.

Future Blog Posts, creating the Paper Rack Cubes, and Home Made Mod Podge

Crafting Madness?

Why call a Blog about Crafting, Madness?

Because there are thousands of Craft Blogs about, but I just wanted somewhere to keep track of my projects and crafting attempts. Just for my own satisfaction.

So over time, the blog will cover various crafts, including Papercraft, Rag Rugging, Pyrography. Currently at the moment, I'll be concentrating on Papercrafting, and my setting up, projects.

So I know this is written before Christmas 2016 (October 2016), but my Christmas Gift off my Family is a Cricut Explore Air Cutting Machine, (The link is to Hobbycraft UK)

So currently I'm assembling Craft Tools and Consumables to use on projects.  So as you can imagine Hobbycraft is a amazing resource for these, also ebay.co.uk if you are very careful, and are prepared to spend time searching and checking prices against other sources, I got the following off ebay at discount prices Cricut Tool Set  (I use Hobbycraft and Amazon for benchmark prices)

for less than half price (when taking in either p&p or fuel to Chester Hobbycraft) the seller appeared to, from the  quantity being sold, bought or obtained a case of the sets. So sold them at a hugely discounted price. In fact they sold the last 5, within 12 hours.

Also off ebay and at a discounted price, and on a Buy 2 and get a 3rd Free basis, I got Cricut Window Cling (Amazon.co.uk)  at slightly more than a single roll off Amazon. Yes the Colours are ones I might not use for a while, but as the saying goes "Strike whilst the Iron is hot", meaning that the chance to buy them so cheap, might not come around again.

I had to go into Chester on business, so decided to pick up a coffee, where I parked was Hobbycraft, Poundland and B&M's, now the last two many will discount as a source of good craft materials. However you can pick up a bargain.  In B&M's I got a 20 sheet pack of Card Stock, 210gsm which is a Heavy Weight card stock. As the pack is A3, that gives 40 A4 sheets, when cut down, for £1.98, and a pack of Glitter Card Stock, again at 210gsm for £1.98, there being 10 sheets in that pack. Both packs in 5 colours, the card stock in pastels, and the Glitter card in bright colours. Even if I don't have much use for the Glitter card, at that price, it was a bargain, which might not be repeated.

One of the first projects planned, is a Custom Paper Rack, all from scratch, but that is for another post, as I will detail materials and assembly.