My Very Own Sackboy/Girl

Back in early February I mentioned I'd started knitting again, and that my project of choice was a Sackboy from the game "Little Big Planet"... Well I realized I never updated the blog with a pic of the finished project so I thought I'd share that today :) Now remember I haven't knitted since, oh... um... since I was about 14!!!! That's far too many years ago! So it was pretty much a beginner taking on WAY more than she could handle, first time attempting a pattern and I think it turned out OK all things considered:

There are a few things I'd do differently next time though. I'd choose a darker brown yarn for the body so that the decorative stitching could be lighter like it's meant to be. Oh and I'd also flatten the top of the head by placing some card inside or something. No matter how I push and alter the stuffing it still poofs up at the top. Sackboys have flat heads so it looks a bit off to me, however overall as my first project in *cough*13*cough* years I think I did ok?

Let me know what you think!

Di

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Card Sketch July #2

Happy Humpday! That's what some people call Wednesday as it's the middle of the work week and slowly closer to the WEEKEND! Feeling so ready for the weekend again, lol! Anyway Wednesday means it's card sketch day!!! Yippee!

This sketch came in so handy for me, as it's my Dad's birthday this month, and being in England I needed to get it mailed off to him early cos the post is notoriously bad. His Fathers day card was late despite my mailing early, and my Father in law got his fine, yet my Dads was 2 days late, which considering they were mailed the same day and live two streets away is CRAZY! Anyway I whipped up a fun card using some primary colors. Don't usually do this bright for Dad cards, but I needed a pick me up and was looking for bright, fun and funky!

"Happy Birthday" card by Di Hickman
Supplies: Paper & Cardstock: DCWV; Metal word: HOTP; Rub-on: ohom; Eyelets: Boxer; Button: Misc;

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"You're one of a kind" card by Jackie Price
Supplies: Misc Scraps

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"Because I love you" card by Celeste Brodnik
Supplies: Cardstock: Bazzill Basics; Pattern Paper, Journaling Card: Fancy Pants; Rubon: Karen Foster; Buttons: Basic Grey

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"Life" card by Jan Tatomir
Supplies: Cardstock" Stampin' Up; Paper: Basic Grey; Flowers: Prima; Ribbon: American Crafts; Stamp: Catseye Press; Ink: Ranger; Buttons: Stash

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"Merci Beaucoup" card by Pearl Liu
Supplies: BG Cardstock, Prima fabric blossom, K&Co Que Sera Sera Dimensional Sticker , Lily Bee French Couture pps , Jillibean Soup Kraft pp, Crafty Little Secrets Sentiment Sticker

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"To Lift your heart" card by Raechelle Bellus
Supplies: cs: Bazzill; pp: Daisy Bucket, Fancy Pants Designs and My Minds Eye; ribbon; pearls: Kaiser Craft; button; rub on: Melissa Frances; DMC Floss

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"Father's Card" card by Jo Willis
Supplies: generic cardstock, flocked wallpaper sample, KI Memories quote and patterned paper, gingham ribbon, pin and Papermania adhesive stars.

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"Happy Birthday" card by Lizzy Davidson
Supplies: Plaid paper by paper adventures, chocolate drops and birthday greeting by craftworkcards.co.uk a bit of ink around the edges.

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"You're the best" card by Linda Flinders

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"Love" card by Annette Taylor
Supplies: Patterned Paper - My Mind's Eye, Stamp - Studio G, Trim - John Lewis stores, Love Brad - Scrapping Angels kit c2007, Pearls - Paper Mania

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"Flowers" card by Louise Connell
Supplies: Papers, ribbon, die cuts, chipboard ~ Crate Paper Kaitlin; Label shape – Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels One

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As always check in and leave me a comment if you make a card with the sketch, I love to come check them out!

Di

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the teacups...

Thought I'd share a layout today :) Haven't really done many layouts recently but I got this one published in Ready Set Create's June/July issue and it is one of my favorites in a LONG time. I really felt like the whole layout just came together pretty easily, I guess I was just feeling the creative groove at the time? Maybe it's because it's hybrid and everything seems to come together quicker for me when it's hybrid? Who knows I just know I like it :)

Supplies: Fonts: SP Wonderful Wendy; Paper, button, brads: Boxer Scrapbooks; Digital journal stamp: Di Hickman (DiALOGUE 4);

The pic is my Dad at Disneyland back in 2003. My Mum was in the photo too but I cropped her out as this was a layout about Dads. Oh and I have to say I am LOVING the turquoise polka dot paper from Boxer! Mmmmmm dots.... you know I LOVE dots :)

Back tomorrow with some cards and a sketch :)

Di

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Project for July

In June I did the "Make a card a day" project from my 101 in 1001 goals list. At the end of the month I wondered what I should do in July that I could check off my list, and decided on #55 - flylady for a month have a house that is simple, clean and tidy. This is going to be no easy ride! Our house is what you'd call "lived in". We're both pretty busy, we have lots of hobbies (bikes, snowboarding etc) that require gear/equipment and we both have home offices so there is no 'spare room' to stash stuff. I guess what I'm saying is that storage in our house is limited, we have too much stuff and not enough room to put it.

I'm working through the Babysteps but a big part of Flylady's beginner system is that you work on decluttering for 15 minutes a day. As I have lots of decluttering to do, I've been doing this in my office since the beginning of the month. Now I've done this whole thing before, said that I would tidy up, get part the way through they fail get side tracked or bogged down with deadlines and it never gets done... So... to hold myself accountable I am posting pics of my scraproom/office on my blog and will update at the end of the month once I get done! Yikes! Hope you are ready for this...

So first up, a pic as you open the door and walk into the room. Greeting you are some boxes of product/books, a printer, some pillows (sewing project), and a box of goodies for my Mom. At the far end are 2 rolling carts, my sewing table (yes there is a sewing machine under that crap somewhere) and an exercise ball.

(couldn't take a pic of the closet to the left cos there was too much crap in the way!)

The Scrapbook area: This corner isn't really that bad right now, despite being mid-project. The problem lies in the fact that I have supplies to add to the stash and no space to make room for it!

Computer area: Not THAT bad cos I tidied it up last Friday when I got fed up of losing things on the desk. Still needs work. Need to organize the files and the cupboard too!

So... 15 minutes a day! At the end of the month I want to get rid of some stuff, clear out and organize the closet, work on creating a sewing table again and generally be able to walk around without fear of knocking a load of stuff over!

If you don't hear from me, send chocolate!

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No more itching!

I dunno if I've ever mentioned it before on my blog but I suffer from eczema. I don't get it a LOT like some people do, but if I get stressed, if my body temperature is too warm or my biggest trigger the season changes, I get it. Usually in the same few places: abdomen/behind my left ear/hairline/lower back and oddly my right ankle? Sometimes it comes in other places but those are guaranteed during my flares. Oh and exercise can sometimes make it worse cos of the sweating/body heat which is a pain when you want to lose weight or love exercise like I do! Anyway it's Summer and getting air to it always seem to help me, so for the last week I've been swimming then laying in the sun for 10 mins (each side), going for a shower, then applying the aftersun or lotion. Well a week has passed and I am completely clear! No eczema!

I've never been that bothered by it personally, it is afterall something you ljust earn to live with, but I've had a patch on my lower back and my belly that just seemed to be there for AGES, and now it's gone! I'm not sure what part of the swim/sun/lotion part is working, maybe a combo of the three, but I am over the moon!

Drat I realize now that I probably just jinxed myself! lol! If I wake up covered tomorrow I only have myself to blame!

In other news we have a hectic weekend ahead. Well lots of outings for us. Potluck BBQ on Saturday & Sunday lunches, and I still need to get in my scraproom and get tidying up! Plus I have assignments to finish for Digital Artist Magazine and scrapbooking.com! Ooooh plus I need to finish a digital kit for Scrapwow/RAKScraps... Eeeek busy weekend!

Hope everyone has an awesome 4th July weekend!!!

Di

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Self Portrait update

One of my goals for my 101 in 1001 project is to take a self portrait every month. I barely got them in during May and June taking them on the last day of the month!!! Coming in by the skin of my teeth on this goal but so far I AM on track. I managed to get out and get some shots done on Tuesday this week (yep last day of the month, I said it was close!), and this is my favorite of that 'session'.

This is post swim/sunbathe/shower so the hair is all naturally dry and kinda wavy, I like it. Just relaxing in the side yard in the 90 degree heat! Trying to get some shade out there! I also like how you can see some muscle definition in my arms coming :)

For May I took some shots right as I finished a run, I think it was 5 miles. Note to self: DO NOT take pics when I have been exercising! I look a mess! Hence the black and white shot! I also think the longer fringe suits me better than the short fringe? That's bangs to you Americans :)

One thing I did in May was take a shot of my stomach/abs. I want some comparison shots as I work out more. I already see lots of difference between this taken end of May and what I see in the mirror now. Though it's tough to get shots of yourself in weird positions, that was made easier once I found my remote cable :) Here are shots from May and June unflexed, then a shot of June flexed.

As you can see, still got a little bit of the ol' love handle/muffin top action in the unflexed but the flexed looks pretty hot right? Abs work out 5 days a week, plus weights 3 days and running 3 days. I am looking to add some yoga into the schedule too somewhere. I'd just like the flexed pic to be the actual unflexed pic, lol! And you can bet your ass if I am in a bikini I am flexing my abs constantly! lol! What strikes me in the two June pics is that the love handles kinda smooth out when flexed and the shorts look like they fit better when I didn't even adjust them. I really need to concentrate on the food aspect of the plan next though, weekends are really tough for me and I tend to cheat Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Which kinda renders the whole Mon - Thurs thing moot really!

Well that's the stakes for 101 in 1001 project and some fitness update :) I am actually enjoying taking photo's again now I found my camera charger and remote cable! So much easier when you have the right tool!

Back tomorrow :)

Di

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Card Sketch July #1

Happy Wednesday, and welcome back to the Di Hickman card sketches! Had the month of June off to recharge the ol' creative batteries and I definitely did that :) Today is the start of a new month and a Wednesday so that means new sketches!!! Yay! All the sketch girls said they missed the sketches and hopefully all you out in blogland did too? Here is this weeks card sketch:

The digital template free download will be available for a short while in my digital store, grab it while you can! My card for this sketch came together pretty quick, then I hit a stumbling block with the swirl. Then I thought who does swirls? and Prima came to mind with their blingy swirls, but I didn't have any that matched the color scheme so I went with this felt one. It's one of the Prima felt borders that I took a pair of scissors to and hacked up to make it fit the card design :)

"Thanks a lot" card by Di Hickman

Supplies: Paper: Imagination Project; Swirl: Prima; Rub-on: one heart... one mind; Buttons: Misc

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"Thinking of You" card by Celeste Brodnik
Supplies: Pattern Paper, Chipboard: Cosmo Cricket; Ticket: Jenni Bowlin; Letter Stickers: AdornIt; American Crafts; Ribbon: American Crafts; Staples

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"Welcome to England" card by Annette Taylor
Supplies: Patterned Paper - Crate Paper, Cardstock - Bazzill Basics, Brads - Papermania, Stamps - Studio G, Felt ribbon - Creative Cafe, Swirl - drawn and cut from a Starbucks coffee cup holder.

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"In my thoughts" card by Louise Connell
Supplies: Cardstock ~ Bazzill Dotted Swiss; Papers ~ Scenic Route; Stamp ~ Studio G; Ribbon, buttons, crystals ~ from stash

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"Father's Day" card by Jo Willis
Supplies: DCWV cardstock, wallpaper sample, May Arts ribbon, vintage buttons, My Mind’s Eye rub-on and Scrapworks alphabet rub-ons.

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"Proud to be American" card by Raechelle Bellus
Supplies: Creative Cafe; patterned paper- Scenic Route; lace; button; bakers twine; rhinetsones- Doodlebug; sticker- Scenic Route; Chipbpard- Fancy Pants Designs; paint

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"Enjoy" card by Jackie Price
Supplies: October Afternoon - cherry hill; button; cat's eye ink

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"Sweet" card by Pearl Liu
Supplies: Glitz Design Audrey pp,Basic Grey Cardstock, Creative Imagination's cardstock sticker , Prima Felt Viola & Whisper floral , Such Sweet Tierney buttons.

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"Thinking of You" card by Linda Flinders

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Don't forget to share a link to your card if you create something with the sketch, I love to come check them out!

Di

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