Altered Matchbox

It's been another busy crafting week! I have signed up for a few swaps in swap-bot and most of it are altered matchboxes where I have to decorate a 32ct empty matchbox and fill it with goodies related to the given theme. It seems easy but it also takes a lot of effort because you really have to think of your design and make it extra special so that your swap partner will like it. But it's really a lot of fun and when I finished the matchbox, there was a great sense of fulfillment! It is also a very good recycling project. The boxes can be a pretty storage and organizer for brads, button, eyelets and other tiny stuffs. It can be a gift box for earrings, bracelets and brooches.

It was just a little difficult to package them in a regular envelope. The ready made envelope with plastic bubble wrap would be nice but it was a little bit expensive. What I did was, make a little plastic bubble wrap envelope and placed the matchbox inside then put it in a sturdy brown envelope. Crossing my fingers that they will arrive to my partners undamaged! I also made some handmade bookmarks as extra presents. I shipped them today and I hope my swap partners will like them!



This week, I am really into making bookmarks. Aside from the bookmark presents for my swap partners, I also made some for my three nieces.


Happily linking to these parties!
Scrappy Saturdays
http://www.iamonly1woman.blogspot.com//
Motivate Me Monday
Saturday Soiree

Crafting Comeback

The last couple of weeks seems to be my come back on crafting. I've been making paper beads, handmade bookmarks, altered matchboxes and organizing my craft supplies (over the years, I have stashed some scrap papers, embellishments and magazine cut outs). I have also discovered swaps. Well, I used to swap little things with my penpal Sheri before, as well as a lot of keychains with my international keychain collectors group, so I think, it's not a whole new experience to me. I am enjoying the swaps right now because I get to do some crafting. I enjoy making bookmarks, notecards and decorating boxes. I think I'm falling in love with paper crafts!

My paper beads! Sorry for the blurry picture!

Altered matchboxes!

Altered brads!

Review: The Secrets of Rosa Lee

Since I was so into crafting activities the past couple of weeks, my reading time has taken a little back seat and I only get to read just before I sleep. The other night, I finally finished the novel "The Secrets of Rosa Lee" by Jodi Thomas. It was a good book and the story is interesting. Of course, it has a mystery and detective sense so I enjoyed it.

Now, I'm on to a new novel. "Quentins" by Maeve Binchy. Quentins is a restaurant featured in Tara Road so I am curious about it's own story.

Paper Crafts

Time really flies so fast! It's been 10 days since my last blog entry. 10 days ago, I discovered the art of making paper beads. I got so interested in it that most of my online time was spent searching about it and my "not online" time was spent cutting papers (the cutting wasn't easy as I thought it would)! But well, with more practice, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it! Below are the first five paper beads I made!

I also made some handmade bookmarks for my swap partners.

I'm also posting some pictures of paper related crafts that I made before. I bought some greeting cards from a thrift store and I cut the pictures to make scrapbook embellishments. Then I made the borders or blank background of the cards into frames and little somethings like the bags, books, notebooks and cupcakes. I really enjoyed making them!


Attending craft parties at:

Books and E-books!

The other night, I was lurking at the girltalk forum where the topic is e-books. The girls were comparing the e-books they have, as well as, telling each other how and where they got theirs. Most of which, they said were free so they started to collect. I also have some e-books, but they are mostly cookbooks and arts & crafts. I love them because they were well illustrated and has very user friendly instructions. Anyway, the girls mentioned about some interesting novels, so I searched for them. I did find the novels, but when I started reading it, it doesn't feel like the real thing. I mean, it doesn't feel like I'm reading a novel. Of course, the story is the same, but I would still very much prefer holding and flipping a soft bound pocket book!

Booksale Good Finds

Another trip to the Booksale has given me three good find books! After finishing Tara Road by Maeve Binchy, I still felt like reading some more of her novels. So today, on my trip to the mall, visiting Booksale is one of my top itinerary. After about an hour of browsing the shelves (with a little bit of crouching to see what's on the lower shelves), I settled to get three novels. Two of which were by Maeve Binchy, the "Silver Wedding" and "Quentins" (which was featured on Tara Road, so it really got my fancy). The other one is "The Secrets of Rosa Lee" by Jodi Thomas. I was really happy with the price... a good 80.00 Philippine pesos for the three books! Some books of the same author are still being sold at 75 to 105 per book. Can't wait to read them and see if they're worth it...lol... because I'm actually pretty sure they are!