Travelling the www

It has defiantly been awhile, but I could resist doing another installment of my......

Today we are going to start with a blog that I have really only been following for this year, I actually think that I found it while I was looking around another blog....can't remember. Anyway, it's called Best & Pieces by Cathy Zielske. I really enjoy this blog cause Cathy is a hybrid & digital scrapper (like me! But I also still really enjoy traditional scrapping as well) she digi scrap in 8X11 format which I do to! Wish that I had a printer that could print 12x12.....one day. Cathy has great video tutorials, and freebies (particularly like the digital page sketches, very useful). In the mix is abit of inspiration, Cathy has taken it upon her self to get healthy and trim up, love the before & after photos and reading about her progress. Go Cathy!

Ok....our 1st stop is technically a website not just a blog. But I was so taken with the colours and the happiness that seemed to radiant from the first page that I couldn't just mention the blog (which is one click away at the top of the page). The website is by Stacy Julian (isn't that smile infectious!), click on her blog and see more smiling members of her family and some great stories about adventures and exploits. Ever have trouble trying to put colours together? I may have found your answer, click on I love colour (or color if your american) and you go to a challenge blog that gives you colour combinations to try, great idea! This website & blog might just be added to my favourites list. I am defiantly going to be spending more time listening to the podcasts!

On we go, now we have arrived at *e* , this blog is by a fellow Etsy Shop seller (there are so many Etsy sellers out there!!!!). Check out her store, such cute stuff, might be a few things on my christmas list this year. While I was reading I cam across a post that made my eyes go wide, dreaming of straw. I have the dream of having a straw bale house one day, the look, the feel & the fantastic insulation properties! Click on the links for the mini art journal challenge, create a mini art journal in 1 year. I love peoples art journals, the freedom and expression is quite magical.

That's it for today, found these two new blogs full of inspiration and ideas I am just going to have to go and get my ideas books and start sketching and formatting.

Blog travels

As I have gotten older my body has changed, not just the normal changes that a girl goes through as she gets older, but I have developed allergies & dermatitis. To this day we haven't been able to 100% figure out what exactly it is that causes my dermatitis, which means that I have to apply a cream from my doctor twice daily to stop the itching and reduce the redness and flaky skin. This twice daily cream application means that I spend 2-3hrs a day sitting doing nothing but waiting for the cream to soak in so I get 100% of the benefit.

So while I am sitting waiting for the cream to soak into my skin & the itching to go away, I am going to grab my blog passport and see where my blog travels take me.

Today we are starting in Australia with one of my favourite blogs for great inspiration & DIY ideas. Eat Drink Chic by Amy Moss, Amy is from Melbourne (a place that I hold quite special as I was born in Frankston that is really close to Melbourne). I love coming back to this blog again and again. Great inspiration from fashion, art, colour and weddings (I am such a sucker for a wedding, and Amy has pictures from some absolutely beautiful weddings).

First stop keeping with my love of weddings is 100 Layer Cake, I love the subtitle of this blog 'crafting your wedding layer by layer'. 100 Layer Cake is a collaboration by three friends, click on 'about us' to learn more about these three friends. BTW I love how they have used photobooth style photos on their about page, cute cute cute. I love reading about real weddings, and there are great DIY ideas that you can not only use for a wedding but for creative gifts and party ideas. L-O-V-E DIY!!!!

Next stop is A Field Journal, I'm sorry but I am so drawn to butterflies which is the reason I was so drawn to this blog. The feeling of all the images in this blog is soft and dream like, I can see myself simply getting lost just looking at the pictures on this blog. In amongst the dreamy pictures I have found great ideas for party decorations and for displaying food. My fav post would have to be about making a crepe paper bouquet, I think that I will make one to display in my home, it will look fabulous!

Our final stop is Lovely Packaging. I am the first to admit that I have a shelf in my craft room that has piles of.....well....packaging. Some companies put alot of time an effort into the way that their product looks on the shelf, I am such a sucker for a beautiful piece of packaging and this blog is all about celebrating great packaging.

Check out these blogs and go on your own blog travels, don't forget your passport!

Travelling the www

Since it's Sunday I am sitting in front of the TV with my WH (wonderful husband) and checking out a few of my favourite blogs, so I thought that I would do another installment of....

Tonight we are starting with a blog that I haven't been following for very long, only the last 7ish months. It is called Scrap Bits & Paint Under My Nails by Tanya Gilmartin. She is an artist living in Ontario Canada. I really enjoy her blog, she is a very creative person and I love looking at all of her creations and her art work (which you can view on her website). Check out her photo albums on the right side of the blog, I like her scrapbooking pages & her mini albums. Loads of inspiration & ideas!

Our first stop is redefine creativity by Alisa Burke. FYI loved the tutorial and idea of creating pillows out of old love letters. I have two shoes boxes absolutely stuffed with letters & cards that my WH sent me when were were dating, I would love to have a couple of pillows like these for our bedroom. Alisa's artwork is great and a browse through her blog has plenty of inspiration.

Stop number two is journal girl by Samantha Harding. Oh very cute! If you are wanting to start an art journal this is a great place to start, there is a great 'Getting Started' section. When I visited there was also a great tutorial for making canvas clouds (where the cute comes from). Defiantly a nice mid way stop on our little trip.

Our last stop Every life has a story by Roben Marie, I really enjoy blogs by artists who don't just show their creations but make their blog a creation all of its own. I got really inspired by Points of Two, where she made journalling out of cut out words from an old children's book, love the 2nd picture in particular. Take time to just watch her blog title, it cycles through some great close up shots of her art work. Full of inspiration!

Blog Travel Day

Sunday is my night for really sitting back and indulging in reading blogs and traveling around the world without having to leave the comfort of my couch.





Today we are starting at my very creative & talent cousins Talia's blog Life's Visual Journal, she started it after she got married in 2007 in response to never ending question 'How is married life?'. In her own words her blog is about "The Creative Endeavours of a twenty-something chick geek with Nanna tendencies (read: naps, crafts, embroidery, forgetfulness)!'

First stop Hello Owl by Danielle, I love her blog banner such a beautiful & bold pattern! I find myself very drawn to blue, even though my favourite colour is green. Apparently I look the best in blue too, or atleast that is what my husband tells me, opps! Back on track. I like this blog because if I am feeling creatively blocked then I can hop over to Hello Owl, there are regular challenges and loads of inspiration. Danielle is also pregnant, and has this great section called 'bump watch' some great bump pictures love the shrinking view of her feet!


Lets keep moving......


Second stop Danimezza, again great blog banner! Such a sucker for great doodling. I opened her blog up and was greeted by one of my fav things, great thrifty finds. Who doesn't love a great bargain, and op shops are full of bargains with in build personality. This blog follows the life of the creator, with great pictures (her own & fashion pics). Love the hat pictures!


And our final stop on our trip.......


Third stop Kevin and Amanda.com by Kevin and Amanda (surprise!). Very very cute dogs. Kevin and Amanda blog about their comings and goings. Check out the links down the left side and you'll find some great shots from around their home, their dogs & trips they have taken. I must say that I want that scrapbooking room! Looking at the links along the top, you'll find one that says 'Free Fonts', got to check it out! Amanda makes fonts for free out of peoples handwriting and then offers them for free on her website. Great fonts if you don't like your own handwriting for journalling.

Lets travel through blogs again

Traveling around the world without leaving my couch. Today we are starting with the blog belongs to Ali Edwards. I came across Ali when I was an obsessed reader of Creating Keepsakes Magazine, where she had a regular column 'Studio A'. I enjoyed the column so looked her up online and have loved getting a glimpse into her world, her family & her creativity. Down the side of her blog you will find under the heading 'Observe' 'Creative Links'. And this is where I am beginning our trip.....

Stop 1 52 Projects, originally a blog for creator Jeffrey Yamaguchi to write up projects that he had done or indented to do. Also for those projects to be a starting point for others creativity (pretty cool). The idea went so well 52 Projects became a book (awesome!). Sometimes there is text, sometimes you just a picture (loved Sidewalk Danger).

Stop 2 Hula Seventy, super cool banner! Belongs to Andrea a freelance photographer. Love the pictures she sells on Etsy. As with my blog Andrea uses her blog as a journal of her daily life and the lives of her family. Absolutely love the pictures of the Epic Rainbow Party, yummy cake!

Finally.....
Stop 3 Totally admit I have chosen this blog simply due to the name.....angry chicken....yep....angry chicken. Very cool name and great blog banner too. Angry Chicken is a blog by Amy Karol. She also has an Etsy shop and is a very talented sewer.

My Blog Travels

I have mentioned in a previous blog post that I love reading other peoples blogs, recently I have been having a look at the blogs that my favourite blog writers love. Thought I would share a few of the cute blogs that I have found.

I started at one of my absolute favourite blogs A Beautiful Mess by Elise Flannigan

Then I found myself at Freckled Nest by Leigh-Ann Keffer

Started in 2003 I loved the blue woodgrain background to her blog (made me want to change my background, again!).

Check out the series called Tiny Drawer Series, simple and gorgeous!

Next was Create loves by Holly Neufeld

Started in 2008

Check out Holly's Art Journals (loved the autumn journal! Thinking that I might start on of my own)

Finally I found Skunk boy creatures by Katie

Start in 2008 OMG! Her creations are so cute! Sooooooooo want one, I have added this blog in my favourites list and will be going back again and again just to see her newest little creatures. So talented.